A/N: Sorry that it has taken me so long to return to this story. I lost a half-written chapter, then lost inspiration and other stories popped up in my head instead. Now giving it another try and let us hope that works out better. As always glad if you let me know what you think.

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Chapter 2

Georgie

Bones and I drove back to the base in silence, none of us feeling much like keeping up a polite conversation after he had informed me that rest of his team were waiting there, and we would hit the road as soon as I had got my kit together. He drove fast and stopped with squealing breaks and I had a feeling that this might be the way he did everything in life, fast and rough. He jerked his head towards the main building.

"You go inside and say hello, the boys are there."

"And you, where are you going?"

He grinned.

"To take a piss, if you must know."

I had a feeling this man would be getting on my nerves, but fortunately he would only be my CO for a short while. I went inside and was met by two familiar faces looking up from the card game they had been playing.

"Spanner! Peanut!"

For a second, they just stared at me, reminding me they had only seen me in long locks, never in my boyish haircut. After two years I rarely thought about it, but it was strange how the loss of hair could be so shocking to men who constantly were faced with the worst of mankind.

"Georgie!? Are you the medic Bones was picking up?"

"Seems so."

They got to their feet and came over to give me bearhugs. I had not seen them after the break-up with Elvis, not since our supposed wedding day. For a moment the familiarity and the memories choked me, making unwelcome tears emerge in my eyes, but I would not have that. It was behind me.

"Guys, before Bones return I'd like to ask you a favour."

"Anything Georgie."

"Can you please not let Bones know of my past? Not let him know I was with Elvis and he left me? I try not to think about that and I don't like the way people pity me whenever they hear the story. I'm fine now and I'm here to do a job. I'd like to focus on that. I'd be grateful if we just let him believe you know me from work. Okay?"

They looked like they wanted to ask questions, but then merely nodded in agreement.

"I'm glad to see you, but I don't think we need much more introductions, so I'll just go get my kit and we can get going."

"Georgie…" Spanner called after me. "You look good."

I gave him a confident smile, but as I was packing my kit, my hands were trembling. I thought I was over Elvis, I thought I had shut down all those emotions, but the unexpected encounter had stirred things inside me and I did not like it.

Bones

I returned to find Spanner and Peanut alone. Lane had gone packing. They interrupted their conversation when I entered.

"You met our new medic?"

"Yes, Sir."

"What do you reckon? Will Lane cut it?"

"She most definitely will. Tough as nails, that girl."

"You know her?"

"We've come across her through the job before, when we worked under Harte."

I do not know why I got the feeling there was more under the surface than they seemed to be willing to tell me, but as long as they thought she would be competent enough, I did not really care.

"Fine, then. I'm expecting we'll be off latest in half an hour so get some scoff if you haven't already."

It would be the first time I had a woman on my team and I hoped it would not disturb the dynamic. I would make sure it did not.

Thirty minutes later sharp we left the base, driving towards the north eastern part of the country, towards Boko haram territory. Before we jumped inside the vehicle, I handed her a manila envelope with a briefing pack.

"Study this while we drive and ask any questions you need now. When the operation starts there will not be much time for talking."

I knew the content of the document, of course. It told about a group of school girls who had been kidnapped by Boko haram a month ago. We had localised them and had eyes on them for over two weeks, but until now been told not to act. To wait out. I had not been sure exactly what we were waiting for and this was one of these times when it drove me nuts that I had to obey orders. Ten girls were being held hostage. They could be raped or killed any day and I found it hard to motivate waiting out and my frustration built for every day we had to wait. Yesterday, we finally had gotten the order to move and I intended to move ASAP.

We knew exactly how many men that used to move in and around the compound where the girls were being held. They outnumbered us, but we had the advantage of the element of surprise and the fact that we were special forces, trained killers. We believed that would be enough to take them down, but it was still motivated to bring a medic. Not only us, but also the girls risked getting harmed.

"They've been captives for a month, and you had eyes on them for two weeks. Why didn't you make a move before?" she asked.

The question was asked in a provocative tone and would have annoyed me if I had not wondered the same. I liked that she seemed to be on the same wavelength as us.

"Orders", I answered through gritted teeth and she shook her head.

"No other questions?"

"It seems clear enough. I understand why you wanted a medic to come along, you don't kid around with these guys. And I'll guess you'll brief us further right before the operation?"

"Yeah." Clever girl. She did not seem discouraged either.

Georgie

I like working with men, because there is no fuss. Especially not with a team as well-oiled as Bones and his men. I thought that Spanner and Peanut seemed to have accepted their new CO. I wondered to myself what had happened to Elvis, why he was not with them anymore but maybe he had needed a change of company. I sure as hell would not ask.

We stopped a few kilometres from where the Boko haram compound was located, and Bones pulled out a map. He also drew a sketch of the compound on the ground and explained how the operation was to be executed.

"We will stop here now and move right before. Lane, your part in this is to stay a bit behind the rest of us and provide medical assistance as needed. I don't want so to see any unplanned heroic deeds from you end. Is that understood?"

His eyes were boring into me and I noticed they were bright blue. The opposite of Elvis'. Why did I come to think of that?

"Yes, Sir."

I felt the adrenaline kick I always do for an imminent mission. That and providing care in our outreach projects were the only things making me feel truly alive these days.

We waited in the vehicle and Bones told us to get some rest, he could take the first shift guarding. I do not know if he ever woke Spanner or Peanut to change places with him, but he let me sleep until dawn. I woke up because I felt something move and realised that in my sleep I had moved so I slept with my head leaned on his shoulder, and it was him wriggling a bit that woke me up.

"I'm sorry", I mumbled embarrassed, but he just grinned back at me.

"Full kit on then, everyone." Bones ordered. He did not ask me if I would be okay, if I was nervous or scared, assuming I would handle it as well as the guys. I liked that.

We moved closer to the compound, slowly, not wanting to draw attention to ourselves. Night googles enabled us to see in the dark, the light of dawn not quite there yet. Spanner placed explosives on the south wall, one they had identified was far away enough from the girls' cell for them not to be harmed by the explosion, but so close that it would be possible to extract them as smoothly as could be expected. Not very smoothly in other ways, we were prepared for the worst.

Spanner triggering the explosion set the operation off and if the tempo had been slow up to then, it certainly was rapid after that. With a deafening sound and a pressure wave, a large hole was created in the stone wall and the three men moved inside while I kept some distance. There was shouting and screaming, both the voices of men and of young girls and I felt myself going all tense at the prospect of the girls getting harmed. It probably lasted only for minutes but it felt like an eternity. After some time, the fire ceased, one last stray shot and then it went silent. At least the fire and the male screaming, the girls still screamed in fear and now that it seemed safe I moved towards the cell. Suddenly someone grabbed my arm brusquely.

"Didn't I tell you to stay behind, not do any foolhardy actions?" Bones hissed.

"What with the fire stopping I thought it was safe, I just wanted to check on them."

"Don't think, Lane. Just do as you're told and wait until I tell you it's clear. We haven't checked if there is any man in there with the girls, let me go first."

He did and then called for me that it was indeed clear, but before I had time to go inside, I heard Spanner shouting.

"Man down! Peanut has been hit."

Bones turned his eyes to me, but for a moment I was paralysed. Not Peanut, no.

"Medic, you're needed. Go!"

Then my feet finally moved, and I ran.

I found Peanut on the ground, shot in his right leg and he was bleeding generously. I kneeled and immediately put a tourniquet in place, and then put some direct pressure on the wound to stop the blood flow. Within minutes I had done what I could for him then and there and we would have to return to the base, so he could get further care. My first assessment was that he would survive, but he would need a surgery to have the bullet removed and patch up the damaged muscle tissue and blood vessels.

"We'll get you out of here alive", I comforted him. "You'll survive this."

Bones appeared.

"Is he okay to move? We need to move now before any other Boko haram come, the explosion and shooting may have alerted other cells in the area."

"He is, but we need to support him to get him to the truck. He won't be able to use that leg and he's weak, so I barely think he can walk on the other one either."

"We have freed the girls. Lane, you take the lead to the truck and Spanner and I help Peanut. Move."

We did as he said. The distance seemed much longer now than when we sneaked our way here, because we had to drag 90 kilos of limp muscle along, with Boko haram breathing in our necks. The upside was that all the girls seemed to be in relatively good condition and could run. Finally, we were all inside the truck and Bones drove off. This time I was grateful that he was a speedy driver and the landscape soon flew by as we headed back to our base. Still the drive lasted forever, and I constantly checked on Peanut, who now had passed out, I could not do more for him here, he would need a medivac to the nearest hospital.

Bones

It was near midnight when we finally reached the base and a medivac swiftly came to get Peanut. Lane had not left his side for a minute and had seemed calm and composed for as long as she had to care for him. When the helicopter took off, she deflated like a balloon, no longer able to hold up crouched on the ground, her head leaned in her hands.

"Are you all right Lane?"

"I will be. It's just that Peanut means a lot to me."

I put a hand on her shoulder.

"To me too. Well done. You have proven yourself today, he wouldn't stand a chance if you hadn't been there, now he'll likely live. Focus on that. You're an excellent medic."

For the first time, she looked up and presented me a weak smile, lighting up her face and it hit me how beautiful she was, despite her tousled her and face smeared with grime.

"So they keep telling me. Thank you, Sir."

"You can call me Bones, you know. Operation is over and you're no longer under my command, back with Captain James."

"I suppose I am."

She got to her feet, gave Spanner a hug and me a nod as good bye and strode off to barracks.

"You're not so different, she and you." Spanner said as we both watched her walk away.

"How do you mean?"

"Both with a harsh outside, but softer inside, both bruised by…" He interrupted himself like he had talked without thinking.

I refrained from correcting him about my inside being soft because I was more curious how he had intended to end the sentence.

"Bruised by what?"

"Nothing, Sir."

"Say it. You may see that as an order."

"Bruised by an unhappy love affair."

His words stung, but I chose to focus on her.

"What happened? To Lane I meant."

"She didn't want us to tell you, not whilst we were on a mission together, but now I guess there's no harm. The last time I saw her, she was the prettiest girl in Manchester, dressed a bride in the city hall."

"And then?"

"The groom never showed up."

"Oh, for fucks sake, that's tough. Who was he?"

Already before he answered, I had a feeling.

"Elvis Harte. Captain James was his bestman and he came telling her Elvis wouldn't make an appearance. I've never seen someone crying so much – but she seems to be done with the crying now."

Naturally, it was Harte. Him and James seemed to be a recurrent ominous theme in my life and I was so fucking tired of them. I felt sorry for Georgie Lane, but I guessed that was exactly what she did not like. I felt admiration too. Obviously, she had survived and risen like a Phoenix from the ashes. Like I had. Spanner had been right, we were more alike than I had thought when I first saw her – but I did not admit that to him. Neither did I admit that she intrigued me and that I had enjoyed her sleeping on my shoulder far more than I had imagined possible. When her head suddenly leaned sleepy and heavy on me, I had not wanted to move because I did not want to wake her. Neither for her sake or my own because I found myself enjoying it. It was the first time any woman had stirred something in me since Molly and I wondered if I would see her again.