I do not own Our Girl, more's the shame! All plaudits must go to Tony Grounds and the BBC.

This takes place as Molly flies back to the FOB to face the music from Captain James at the end of Episode 1.

Facing the music

Molly sat in the helicopter taking her back to the FOB. It was the first time she'd really had a chance to be by herself since this had all kicked off. What an afternoon. What a day. What a week. Truth be told, she hadn't enjoyed her first week of active service one bit.

She supposed part of it was her fault. Corporal Geddings and Major Brice had both warned her that first impressions count and she'd still cocked it up. She wished she could control her mouth sometimes. It just went off on its own. She didn't think she'd said anything that bad to Captain James but he clearly was a bit of a disciplinarian. She hadn't covered herself in glory at Bastion either. She still squirmed as she remembered freezing when that casualty had been brought in, or turning up in PT gear for that first run. Gawd that run had been tough. She'd never experienced heat like in Afghan and running with her full pack in that heat had really knackered her. Still, her performance had been embarrassing.

She was dreading going back to the base. The boys had been pretty vicious since Smurf had obviously branded her a complete tart. She wondered if saving his life would make any difference? She hoped so. They should understand that she would have done it for any of them, not just Smurf. It was her job after all. It cracked her up when Smurf said he'd be there for her. He'd hardly done a stellar job so far!

It wasn't so much the boys she was worried about, it was Captain James. He'd ordered her and screamed at her not to go up in the helicopter, but she'd still gone. She'd have to face the music and he had already proved he could be downright vicious. How could something that looked so good be so nasty? She thought the guy was a right dish. But he was also a complete Rupert, totally unyielding. He needed to chill out a bit and stop being so serious. It was a shame really, since she thought that they were starting to build a better relationship over the past few days since she had treated his blisters (and hadn't that been pretty minging!). They'd been having a good chat when that fuckwit Smurf had wandered into a minefield and got himself shot, and James had backed down and allowed her to go and treat him when she had told him she didn't want special treatment. But she had to make a medical judgement; she believed that Smurf would have died if she hadn't gone up with him on the winch. That was the defence she was going to go with and he could like it or lump it.

And it wasn't like she was wrong. When they'd got him to Bastion and finished operating, the Major had come out to see her. It was the same surgeon who'd told her to pull herself together the other night. But this time she'd looked at Molly approvingly, not angrily. Molly would treasure her words for the rest of her life "You did well Dawes. He would have died if it wasn't for you." Jackie had treated her face by then and she was convinced she looked like an axe murderer. Then the Major had smiled and told her to get a shower and pull a new Bergen from stores. She had wanted to stay but the Major told her that Smurf would be in Recovery and unconscious for an hour. She could see him after that, before she went back.

She'd loved the shower but it had been a rush job, and it was so lovely to be clean and wearing clean clothes, if only for a few minutes, before the bloody dust got into her hair. She had this overwhelming feeling of relief. She'd been tested and she had passed. You could only do so many exercises and trials. She'd had great training, and when the shit hit the fan she'd performed. Now she knew she could and nothing could take that away from her. She'd always have that. When she thought about it, she was really lucky to be alive though. She'd make sure she didn't mention anything that happened in her next letter home. She didn't want to worry her Mum; if she told her, Mum wouldn't be able to sleep for the rest of the Tour!

She had rushed back to the hospital in time to tell Smurf he was a wanker and now here she was. And the helicopter was coming in on approach to the FOB. It was time to face the music. She must look a sight. She had caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and her face was covered with cuts. It felt like sandpaper; particularly in the dusty wind. Maybe he'd feel sorry for her. Yeah, right!

She jumped down from the heli and grabbed her weapon and new Bergen, following the escort to the gates. There didn't seem to be too many people around, which was strange. There should have been more idlers. Maybe she could get in unnoticed.

Fat chance. There he was, standing out in front of the mess area, arms crossed and legs apart, glaring at her. As she walked towards him Molly took the chance to look around. It was good to be back even if back was a shitty FOB in the middle of a war zone! Molly unhooked her helmet and approached him. She readied herself for the onslaught, "Sir?"

He glared at her, "If you think you're going to win any plaudits for that ridiculous and foolhardy act you are one hundred percent mistaken."

Oh well, it would have been nice if he would have just let her off, but she supposed it was too much to hope for. She cast her eyes down in supplication and muttered, "Yes sir, sorry sir". So his next words caught her totally unprepared, "That's what my commanding officer said to me when I went to retrieve Smurf's brother."

Surprised, she looked up and repeated, "Sir?", looking into his eyes. Now he was looking at her directly and he answered, "Having said that, did you hear me tell you not to go up in that winch?"

Well Molly wasn't a fool. They both knew that she had heard but he seemed to be offering a way out and she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth! She shook her head, trying to look believable, "No sir".

He looked her hard in the eyes for a long moment and Molly thought he might make an issue of it. He sighed and looked at her again, "well done Dawes".

Her face broke into a relieved smile at this acceptance. Phew! That could have gone a lot worse! She decided to take a chance and put him straight on the other rumours, and he seemed to accept her version. Then he said the magic words, "Don't let a bit of name calling put you off the job in hand. You're an excellent medic. You're proving yourself." Relieved, she nodded to him, words failing her.

She headed back to the barracks tent to be greeted by the rest of Two Section. All seemed to be forgiven as they told her she was one of the lads. There was only one possible reply to that, "Thanks you bunch of Cockwombles!"

Molly smiled to herself. It had been a tough start and some of the problems she had brought on herself. But she'd fixed them herself as well and now maybe she could have a successful first Tour.

A/N I'm still working on Captain's Log but this little plot bunny wouldn't go away!