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"I'm done," he whispers into her ear, his arms around her, holding her tight, the words just flow out of him, "that was the last one. I'm not going back. I'm never leaving you again."
She can feel him shaking in her arms. Of all the times he came back from a tour, he's never been this affected, determined yet sad. Extremely sad.
Having heard only some of the horrible things that happened during this last tour, she couldn't anticipate the state she'd find him in when she'd finally meet him at Brize. It seemed every day piled a new god-awful challenge, every outing turned into traumatic experience. She'd never seen him so lost.
Taking her by surprise again, not even concerned about his soldiers being around, he falls to his knees, kissing her belly and murmuring things she cannot hear, his eyes raising to meet hers in wondering excitement. She nods lightly in confirmation, her fingers going through his hair, a smile spreading across her lips as happy tears fill her eyes.
It's the one good piece of news they'd share on skype. Though she'd meant to keep it under wraps until he came home, she couldn't bear the pain in his eyes as he told of the things he was going through. She had to give him something to hold on to in his fight to come back home. And it was worth it, for this look of awe and happiness on his face. His shy blush as he dares to believe there is still some good in the world. That he'd come back home to his beautiful, pregnant wife. And there he was, on his knees, worshiping her, body and soul.
"Dawesy!"
A very familiar bantering voice pulls her attention from her kneeling husband, she lifts her head to find Brains and Fingers smiling broadly at her, the surprise evident in their eyes.
"Is this what I think it means, Dawes?" Brains comes close, as Charles rises to his feet.
"That's James to you, Brains" she quips quickly, before Charles can comment, her smile broadening as she nods bashfully.
"Ahh! That's great! Congratulations!" Brains pulls her in for a bear hug, lifting her in the air with excitement.
"Put my wife down, Brains. Now. That's an order." Charles' voice is stern but there's a smile playing on his lips.
"Sorry sir," Brain retorts as he lets Molly go, then turns to face his CO, a more somber look on his face, "Congrats sir, that's very happy news."
"I think so too, Brains, thank you." Charles answers sincerely, taking both Brain's and Finger's offered hands. They then slap him lightly on the back as they say their goodbyes.
"You ready to go home, Boss?" Molly teases quietly as he wraps his arms around her again, breathing her in.
"Yes, Molly. More than ever."
As he sits in the passenger seat, letting his eyes roam over her, he thinks of all that has changed in the years they've known each other. Looking at her now, focused on her driving, he can see where time has begun to show its signs. She's as beautiful as ever, even more than he'd dared to remember, but she's also grown more mature and confident. The once skittish cockney girl is now a self-assured, accomplished woman. God knows she can stand her own, never one to stand down from what's important to her, she has learned, though, to pick her fights.
"Your gaping is kind'a distracting, mate. What are you thinking so hard about?"
"You. And you're right, I am hard." He smirks at her, happy with his joke.
"Oi, head out of the gutter!" she smiles at him, feigning shock. "At least until we get home," she laughs, her eyes twinkling at him as she licks her lips, "my driving is not good enough for that. Yet."
"Eyes on the road, Molls, before we both end up in the gutter." He laughs.
After a few moments of comfortable silence, Molly tries again.
"So, what were you thinking about?"
"Nothing really. You. You're beautiful," his finger finds its way across the headrest to stroke a tendril of her hair. "How are you feeling? How have you been? Any morning sickness yet?"
"I'm fine. A bit more tired, maybe, than usual, but nothing I can't deal with. There was a bit of morning sickness, wasn't too bad. It's mostly died down now. Though I am becoming sensitive to smells. Which is not great, seeing that I work around blood, sweat, and medication all day."
Charles takes time to think this over. They're going to have to talk about what her plan is with the pregnancy.
"Any cravings yet? Are you wanting any weird combinations?"
"No weird combinations, no. I do have one craving though. Been waiting out."
"What do you crave, baby? Tell me,"
"You, Charles," she says as she parks the car outside their home, "I only crave you."
