Awkward does not begin to describe it. The word just doesn't hold enough letters to account just how uncomfortable each member around the table feels. Well, except Dave, obviously. As though he doesn't do uncomfortable, once he gets his beer, he has no problem prodding and poking the two soldiers sitting in front of him. All the pleading and threatening Molly had expressed during the short car ride, explaining the situation, that they were meeting a friend that served with her and that had come home a few weeks earlier because of an injury, and 'please don't badger him with questions and don't dare embarrass me', now fly out the window as they sit under cross examination.
To her surprise, James (as he sleekly chose to introduce himself, whispering in her ear he preferred waiting for a more intimate opportunity, namely the two of them alone, to share his first name with her) deals with the situation full on with his Captain's-skills, seemingly unscathed from the personal interrogation. His answers are short and polite, revealing just as much needed to keep the conversation going. Only at one point does she feel him slightly tense up, as Dave asks about his future plans in the army.
To a stranger it's not noticeable at all, it is only because he sits so close to her, his left thigh glued to hers, their palms secretly intertwined under the table, that she can feel it more than see it. She's in awe at how calm and in control he seems, while she feels all over the shop. She can hardly concentrate on the conversation, as his thumb caresses her knuckles. A million questions running through her head, along with a few inappropriate yet warming thoughts (she is, after all, seated with her nan, her father and her mother in a public place) as he whispers in her ear, awakening expectations.
It is as if his words awaken her bodily taste buds, after those had been shut down for a small eternity. After that day on the bridge, it wasn't the physical attraction that interested her. Sitting on the beach with Kinders, during their damned decompression, all she cared about was if he was alright, alive, healthy. And if he would ever forgive her. And now, not only is he here, alive alright, and on the way to recovery, he's here, with her, holding her hand and shyly seeking a future with her. She can feel her body reacting to him, totally uncontrolled by the mind. A shiver goes through her at the thought. He must have felt it, because he looks at her suddenly, his eyebrows raised, a question in his eyes. She smiles at him and squeezes his hand, hoping he will sense she means more than what she can currently articulate.
This is hell. Being so close to one another and yet not able to really speak to one another like they want to, she thinks she might very soon go mad.
"Nan," she says suddenly, unaware she'd cut her father midsentence, "shouldn't you guys be going soon? It's gonna get dark soon, and you have such a long drive," she looks at nan with an extreme interest, hoping the old woman would pick up on her need for time with him. If anyone would, it would be her nan. They'd always had this bond, and nan was not as daft as she sometimes let on. Now though, she won't roll over.
"I think we have some time yet, we came all this way, and you still have an hour with us, don't you?"
Molly nearly kicks her under the table. Her smile showing Molly she understands exactly what Molly's asking and is purposefully making it difficult. "Nan." She says sternly. It's then her phone beeps.
'Tell them it's from Kinders saying they pushed the meeting point up'.
She hadn't even noticed Bossman had taken his phone out under the table. She can now see he's fighting to suppress a smile. "It's from me sergeant. There's been a change, we 'ave to back in 30." She looks defiantly at her grandmother "you guys go. It makes no sense for you to drive the whole way back to Brize. I'll catch a taxi back with Bo…James" her tone is so unequivocal it even takes James by surprise.
It takes a few more minutes of persuasion and encouraging and then hugging and saying goodbye before she finds herself standing next to him, her kit at her feet, waving at the distancing car.
"Remind me never to piss you off when you want something" he says grinning, "good thing I was your captain; I would never have been able to stand up to that."
"Now what?" her voice trembling either from anxiety or excitement, perhaps both.
"Well, we're already here. How about we go in for another drink? Enjoy the time we have just the two of us?" he says offering her a hand. She nods. She wants all the time in the world with him. She wants to be somewhere private with him. She wants to jump him there and then, feel his arms around her and his lips.
It's then that her phone beeps again. Shit. "Shit! This can't be. Shit!"
"What is it Molly?" he asks with concern.
"This really is from Kinders. Speaking of the bloody devil. We really are meeting in 30. Fuck." she raises her eyes to him, to see him biting his lower lip with a smile. "What are you smiling about?! this is total shit."
"I know, I'm sorry. It's just, Murphy's law, you know?"
"If I knew what one of them was, I'd let you know." She's so frustrated she thinks she might explode. "It isn't fair Boss. I wanted some time. We need time."
He takes her in his arms "Dawes, we'll have time. After this. You'll go home, I'll be released from the hospital, and then we'll have time. All the time in the world. I promise."
"Isn't love stronger than army regulations? We aren't in Afghan anymore." She gives it another go.
"Nice try Dawes. Come on, let's get you in a taxi. You can whine on the way there."
