A/N Thank you to everyone who has been kind enough to join me on this little Muse induced roller coaster. As someone pointed out, yes it has been bouncing off the walls and cackling maniacally. I suspect we're in for a bumpy ride people so buckle up.

Your reviews, favourites, follows and kind words are greatly appreciated. Here's chapter too. All together now... Awwwww!

Enjoy

Elf x

'What do you fancy?' Molly asked, her purse already in her hand. 'My shout.'

'I'll have a half of stout. Only thing I can drink.' Mary said ruefully, rubbing her stomach.

'Yeah I remember that, but then I was lucky I dint miss it, even the smell of booze made me want to heave when I fell with both of mine. Unfortunately, I soon got a taste for it again.' She rubbed Lottie's head, 'You little bleeders are the reason Mummy drinks.'

Lottie crossly smoothed her hair down with both hands. 'Mummy drinks a lot.' She offered helpfully.

'Mummy does not!' Molly snorted. 'But Mummy might gonna need to start to.'

Mary laughed. 'I could tell you some tales about your Mummy drinking back in the day, she was a right little raver.'

Picking up the tea she'd ordered, Molly steered her daughter to a booth. 'I don't think she's ready for those stories just yet Mare.'

'What's a right little raver?' Lottie asked curiously.

'Something you'll never be or your father would have a Julius seizure.' Molly said pushing her firmly towards the seat.

Molly and Proud Mary sat opposite each other at a table. It was one of those chain pubs that Charles hated. Molly had listened to more than one extended rant about how you could walk into one in Glasgow or Manchester or Truro and it would be exactly the same, down to the curtains. She usually let him go on for a bit before eventually pointing out that she couldn't give a monkey's if they got their soft furnishings in a job lot off the back of a lorry, as long as they still sold wine, and yes she would have another one thank you very much.

Molly took a sip from her cup.

'You could've had a drink, I aint one to judge.' Mary said.

Molly smiled. 'It's ok. If Charlie is out drinking with Elvis it'll be me driving back from the station.'

'One for the lash your husband?' Mary asked, the insinuation was not lost on Molly.

'Not really, and he's got our younger son with him so he won't go mad, but when the lads get together I expect they'll have a few jars, so that's me on taxi duty.' Molly said. 'The down side of learning to drive.'

'Your fella teach you?'

Molly snorted with laughter. 'Good god no, I'd have ended up swinging for him. Nah, I did a course through work, learned to drive in a landrover, just as well really, where we live in Bath it's a bit off the beaten track.'

'Did you learn in our Landrover Mummy?' Lottie asked.

'No darlin' an army one.'

Molly smiled and raised her eyebrows at her companion, realising how middle class she must sound. She cupped her teacup in her hand, it was suddenly very awkward. Lottie, who had insisted on a straw, was blowing bubbles in her lemonade.

'Don't do that Lots.' Molly said, glad of the distraction. 'So…' She paused. 'Still live 'round here then?'

'Yeah, I got a place on Katherine Road, near my mum, it's not huge but it does us.' Mary said.

Molly had already noticed a lack of ring on the other woman's wedding finger, but how to ask. 'And their dad, anyone I might know?'

Mary pursed her lips. 'You wouldn't know these two's dad, he's a butcher down Billingsgate Market, we don't live together, that'd drive me bleedin' mad, but as long as he pays up I'm happy.'

'And I bet a pound to a penny he's married.' Molly thought to herself but decided to say nothing.

'But my eldest…' Mary paused and by the look on her face Molly instantly knew.

'Artan?' She asked. It wasn't as if she was bothered, or wanted the Armenian, or wasn't blissfully happy with Charles, but a primeval part of her was rankled.

'Yeah. I mean, you'd gone off to the army, it was bound to happen. He wanted to marry me an' all that, but you know what he's like, couldn't keep it in his pants if he tried. I said nah.' Mary said, watching Molly's face for a reaction but years of army life had taught her to keep any emotions under wraps.

'I bet he took that well.' She muttered. 'He never could take no for an answer.'

'Raf sees him sometimes, but the tight fisted sod pays bugger all if he can get away with it.' Mary sniffed.

The thought struck Molly, that it could have so easily could have been her. Married to a womaniser because she got up the duff. She could imagine him now, pawing at her face and telling her she had to marry him. No ring, no romantic proposal, just, 'you marry me.' How differently it had been turned out for her.

*Fourteen years earlier.

Molly lay stretched out on the sunlounger, by the swimming pool, the warm Cypriot sun bathing her skin. Decompression, and she needed it, she was proper fragged. The conversation that she'd had with Charles on the phone last night, she meant every word of it. It was time, she wanted to build a home, maybe a family, no more tours away it was time to settle down for a bit.

God she'd panicked about that conversation. The feeling had been growing for a while, and she knew how he didn't do the two point four kids and white picket fence, and she'd never try to change him, but she needed to take some time out and be home for a while.

The tall officer strode into the pool area. He shook hands with someone at the bar, obviously the two were acquainted, before being pointed to where Private Dawes lay, her face turned away.

With a nod, the Captain crossed the distance and stood looking down at her. His thumb idly tapped the strap of his rucksack as he waited for her to notice. When she didn't move, he dropped it on the tiles and sat on the next lounger to her. If she was aware of him, she didn't acknowledge it. Charles took off his beret and turned it around in his hands, momentarily undecided what to do, that is until he caught sight of the ice bucket. A slight mischievous smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he dipped a finger into the melted ice and flicked the cold water onto her bare back.

Molly wriggled and wiped at the spot without looking, before settling down again.

Charles bit his lip and tried not to laugh. With three fingers he was able to pick up even more freezing water and splatter her back with it.

'Oi!' She shouted absently over her shoulder in the direction of the pool, assuming one of the lads had splashed her. She still didn't turn her head.

Charles raised an eyebrow and decided it was all or nothing. Picking up the bucket, he deposited the contents over her back, half melted ice-cubes and all.

Molly screamed as though she'd be scolded and shot to her feet. 'What the fuck, you fucking, bastard wanker cockwom…' She stopped as she realised who her assailant was.

Charles was pissing himself laughing. 'I'm sorry, I couldn't resist.'

'You couldn't just say hello like a normal person! What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in Turkey? Yesterday you were in Turkey?' She said, staring at him in amazement.

'I blagged a seventy two hour pass and now I'm here. I wanted to surprise you.' He said as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

Molly eyed his fatigues suspiciously as she stepped over the lounger before sitting down opposite him, her knees tucked between his. Whilst she might desperately want to throw herself into his arms, it wasn't the best idea in uniform.

'Do you forgive me?' He asked, stroking her calf discreetly, he looked so like a cheeky little boy who'd been naughty that she couldn't resist.

She found his hand with her own and squeezed. 'I suppose so. But that still doesn't explain why you didn't say anything when I spoke to you…' She looked at her watch. 'a mere twelve hours ago.'

Charles narrowed his eyes, 'You do understand the definition of a surprise, don't you?'

She slapped him playfully.

'I, err, I wanted to ask you something…' He began.

'Charlie?' It was so rare for him to be hesitant that Molly's interest was piqued.

He ran a hand through his hair. 'You see…' He began, then stopped. 'What you said last night, did you mean it?'

'Yeah I did. I know you love living out of a Bergan, but I need to just kinda stop the world I wanna get off for a bit, you know?'

Charles nodded. 'We're both going to be home for a while.'

'You too?' Molly was surprised.

'Yes. No long tours for a bit, we can probably commute wherever they send us or stay in barracks during the week and be home weekends?'

'Sounds like a plan.' Molly said, giving his hand another squeeze. 'You sure you won't get too bored?'

Charles smiled, his fingers interlocked with hers. 'I'm sure we can find things to keep us busy.'

Molly grinned. 'You, Charles James, have a one track mind.'

Charles faked a look of shock. 'I was actually thinking of something else entirely.'

'Oh yeah, and what was that then?' Molly said, raising an eyebrow.

'I thought we could spend the time planning.' He looked down at their intertwined hands.

'Planning what exactly?' She asked

Charles raised his head to meet her gaze. 'A wedding. Our wedding actually.'

Molly was speechless. 'Our wedding?' She managed to gasp eventually.

'Depending on your answer.' Charles moved forwards onto one knee. 'The army was all I ever cared about until I met you, all I ever wanted. Now you're the first thing that I think of when I wake up and the last thing in my head as I go to sleep. I love you and I have no doubt that I want to spend the rest of my life with you.' He reached into the pocket of his combats and produced a powder blue velvet ring box. Opening the lid carefully, it revealed a beautiful solitaire diamond ring. 'So my request, my question, Miss Molly Dawes, is will you consent to be my wife?'

Molly's eyes began to fill with tears as she struggled to speak.

'I would just like to point out that I have a significant war wound and this is quite uncomfortable.' Charles said, when she still hadn't answered.

With a sob, Molly nodded, the tears streaming down her face.

'Yes?' he asked.

She nodded vigorously. 'Of course yes, you muppet.'

Back in his seat Charles took the ring and slid it onto her finger. She gazed at it incredulously.

'Despite the uniform, I am technically not on duty.' Charles said.

Molly looked up from her ring. Taking her face in his hands, Charles wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs before pulling her towards him for a kiss.

'You don't mind about Artan?' Mary was asking, breaking through Molly's thoughts.

This time a genuine smile crossed Molly's face. 'Mind? Of course not, why on earth would I mind?'