This is an idea I've been playing with for a while, set about 2 years in the future. I've got a rough plot outline in my head, but I would love to hear other peoples thoughts on where this could go. Thank you in advance :)

Molly Dawes lay on the bottom bunk bed at her parents' house, tightening her eyes in an attempt to force herself asleep. Her mind kept whirring, struggling without the distraction of work or Charles.

She wasn't on the front line anymore, having decided to settle closer to home. An opportunity had arisen at Headley Court and she'd jumped at the chance. She could still work as an army medic, but without needing eyes in the back of her head at all times. It was the perfect position for her.

Now that Charles was working at Sandhurst, training the Captains of tomorrow, it made life even better. They did their best to arrange their time off so that they could spend as much time together as possible. It didn't always work out that way, but when it did, they knew they were less than an hour's drive apart.

But that morning as she'd gotten herself ready, Charles had phoned to say that he was in Bath. His grandmother was unwell, so he'd travelled down the previous night. She was undeniably gutted, but she knew it was the perfect excuse to spend some time with her own family. She didn't see much of them nowadays and it always left her feeling guilty.

She gave up trying to sleep and reached for her phone, deciding to have a quick browse of Facebook. She chuckled as she came across some pictures of her former comrades, clearly posted during a drunken night out. She missed them all so much, but nowhere near as much as she missed Smurf.

It had been two long years since he died. The memory was still so raw and painful. Nobody could ever replace him, nor would she ever allow anyone else close enough to try. The thought of losing another friend was an unbearable one. She sniffed, wiping a tear from her cheek. She was travelling to Wales to see his mum in less than a month. Molly and Candy had grown a close bond, finding comfort in each other's connection to Smurf.

Suddenly her phone started ringing, bringing her back from her thoughts.

Geddings

"Hello?" She answered, keeping her voice to a whisper. She tiptoed downstairs, careful not to wake her family. She crept into the kitchen and shut the door.

"How's my favourite trouble maker?"

"Why are you calling me?" Molly didn't mean to sound rude, but they hadn't spoken since her first deployment to Afghanistan. She regularly saw his Facebook updates, but the most contact they'd had was the odd comment or 'like' on a status or photograph. Nothing of any interest at least.

"Charming," Geddings laughed. "Saw you online and figured you couldn't sleep either."

"What's keeping you awake?"

"Packing. I'm on my way to Colchester in the morning. I start three months training next week, and then I'll be working with A Company at the MCTC."

"Are you sure you ain't gonna be a resident, Corp?"

"That's Sergeant now thank you very much, Dawes. And no, I will not be there as a resident. How you managed to escape becoming one I'll never know. So how are you finding Headley?"

"How'd you know I'm there?"

"You changed your job description on Facebook, you plank."

"Oh. Well it's amazing. I mean, some of these soldiers have been through so much, yet they're so strong emotionally. I wish I were half as brave as them."

The line went silent for a moment, leaving Molly wondering if he'd hung up on her. She pulled her phone from her ear to check the call was still connected, and then raised it back to her ear and listened for a moment.

"Where are you?" He asked, stopping himself quickly almost as though he was attempting to backtrack the words after they'd left his mouth.

"London...why?"

"What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Well I was planning a nice romantic meal and maybe a movie, but looks like it'll be fish and chips in front of the TV."

"Come to Colchester. If you help me unpack I'll buy you that meal and take you to whatever movie you want to see."

"I dunno, Corp…" she couldn't help but feel guilty that she was even contemplating it. She knew Charles trusted her wholeheartedly and would never question who she spent her time with. But dinner and a movie sounded far too much like a date. "I have a boyfriend."

"Jesus, Dawes, I don't plan on shagging you! Forget I asked…"

"Wait!" Molly quickly interrupted, sensing the call was about to end. It was just a harmless day out, she thought. Charles had said he'd be gone for at least a couple of days, and it wasn't as though she had anything better planned. "I'll meet you at the garrison at 1100 hours."

A/N 1 MCTC stands for Military Corrective Training Centre. The only one in the UK is in Colchester, Essex. Despite what many people think, it is not a prison; although the Service Custody Platoon does house some who are awaiting transfer to HMP or YOI. The facility can hold up to 284 servicemen and women, and provides corrective training for those who have been sentenced to periods of detention. This ranges from 14 days to 2 years.

A/N 2 A Company is for those who will remain in the services after they have served their sentence. During their stay they are encouraged to improve their efficiency, discipline and morale. This is with the aim that they will become better service personnel.

A/N 3 D Company is for those will be discharged upon completion of their sentence. They are taught the means to become self sufficient, as well as providing them with the appropriate skills and training needed to return to civilian life.