It had been several weeks since 2 section had returned from their mission in Nepal. Sam had been staying with molly and Charles as it was October half term. Molly was in the kitchen trying to carve a terrifying pumpkin and failing. It was suppose to be a spooky grave yard scene but looked more like some holes and things. She hoped it would look better in the dark with the flashing light she had brought. Sam was suppose to be helping her but he had soon got board and went to watch cartoons on CBBC.

"Daddy can we go trick-or-treating" Sam pleaded

"no" came Charles reply with out even looking at his son and more on his phone and the game he was playing.

"please daddy we all ways go please"

"I SAID no and I mean NO!" Charles snapped and threw his phone against the sofa.

Sam looked horrified and scared. Running out of the room sobbing as he ran up the stairs. He turned to face his farther "I hate you daddy" and he ran up to his room slamming the door.

Molly came out of the kitchen. She found Charles looking frustrated at his phone.

"what's going on Charles"

"Nothing" he snapped back

"Charles" she went to put her hand on his shoulder

"nothing is wrong everything is fine" he spat in a way that even made molly shrink back. He stormed out in to the hall.

"Charles"

"leave it I am fine" he growled and stormed out of the front door.

She knew what was wrong, it was classic PTSD. She knew the signs. She had been trained on them when becoming a medic. She had also seen it in Smurf and even in her self. She had been so angry and upset at little things when she came home after her first tour. But until he was ready to admit it to himself as well as her then there was nothing she could do but sit and watch what ever demons were eating away Charles mental health.

Warm tears began to trickle down her cheeks.

"molly?" came a little voice from behind her.

Brushing away the tears and forcing a smile as best as she could she turned to face Sam.

"are you okay Sam"

Sam came running down the stairs and wrapped his arms around his step-mums waist.

"why is daddy so cross all the time?" he asked

"I don't know"

"he shouted at me really bad yesterday. All I did was fire my Neff gun and it hit him in his head. Normally he would play along but he really shouted at me. Its scary. Can I go and stay with nanny and grandpops ?"

It broke her heart to hear Sam talking like this. Charles loved playing with his son. Sometimes being a bigger kid than Sam. Molly held Sam close and kissed the top of his head tears rolling down her cheek.

"shall we go and make your Halloween costume" she smiled at Sam.

Sam looked up at molly. "but daddy said I couldn't go trick-or-treating"

" just leave daddy to me" she smiled

Charles returned several hours later and it was well after dark. Molly was sat in the living room staring at the log burning fire. Sams robot costume sat drying on the oak table in the kitchen. Molly's hopes of Charles having have calmed down were dashed. It was clear from the way he was walking that he had been drinking. Molly could also smell it on him.

"what's that" he asked angrily

Trying not to take offence as she knew it was the booze talking

"sams Halloween costume" she said calmly

"I said he couldn't go out on Halloween and you have deliberately gone behind my back. He is my son and what I say goes" he spat

Blinking back tears " and I thought I was your wife" she spoke calmly

"Sam is MY son"

"I cant talk to you when you are this drunk and clearly fragged. The booze wont help it'll only make it worse. And for your information YOUR son is petrified and terrified of being anywhere near you. He wants to spend the rest of the holidays at your parents and to be honest I cant blame him. Since coming home you have been really moody with him and me."

He just walked in to the kitchen and pulled out a large bottle of scotch out of the cupboard and a glass. Pouring himself a larger that large glass molly sighed at him. "I cant do this just talk to me please" ignoring her he downed his drink and poured another. Molly just turned and walked upstairs.

Climbing in to the bed she curled up. She knew it was the booze talking but it really hurt when he tried to shut her out of Sam's life. Why wouldn't he talk to her and tell her what was eating him up. Letting out silent sobs she curled up and tried to sleep.

Down stairs Charles sat staring at the bottle in front him. He hated what he had become but he was a captain in the British Army. He was suppose to be able to deal with this sort of stuff. He did four tours of Afghanistan he was suppose to be strong. Picking up his glass to take a sip he threw it at the wall. He didn't want any of it. What was he becoming.

Molly awoke the following morning, looking next to her she could see Charles didn't come to bed. From down stairs she could hear crashing about and a lot of swearing. Looking at her clock she could see it was only 7 o'clock. Walking across the landing she checked on Sam who was sound asleep still. Before going down she sent a quick text to fingers asking if they could talk about the tour"

She entered the kitchen where she found Charles trying to plate up a cooked breakfast. He looked quite comical and almost back to him self

"hey I was going to bring this up to you in bed" walked over and handed her a mug of tea and tried to kiss her.

She turned her head still slightly annoyed at him from the previous day and also she couldn't help but feel woozy at the fumes coming off of him.

"no offence boss man but you stink like a brewery"

" okay I'll go take a shower... care to join me" he said with a glint in his eye

Her phone buzzed at that moment.

"Err no I need to get this. Its Bella. Boy trouble." She smiled turning to answer her phone. Waiting till Charles had left the room she answered the phone.

"okay fingers spill what the fuck happened on this tour"

"it was awful Azizi betrayed us and we were..."

" What was a ANA officer doing in a Nepalese disaster zone?"

"he wasn't in Nepal we were in Kabul"

" wait hat the fucking hell were you doing in Afghan."

"boss man didn't tell you. We were sent to help deal with a child trafficking ring operating out of Kabul. We were in this compound Azizi was there. He betrayed us and then they killed him"

By they molly knew who Fingers meant. "go on"

"go on" she said

"they then shot and killed Azizi in front of the boss man. He tried to save him. Then we were sent to this compound where we believed the operation was running from. It was declared clear but then someone detonated a explosive device. It killed Elvis. Elvis Hart. He was in SF. I think the boss knew him from training. You know his EX. Georgie lane our medic now. He died in Georgie and the boss's arms."

"so it was a mission in Afghan. He said it was Nepal"

"no we were in Nepal. That Shit him up as well I think. All them aftershocks. We were sent to Afghan as a after thought. Georgie and our new recreate Masie who is a bit like you befriended a local girl she was kidnapped and that's how we ended up in afghan"

"shit why the fuck didn't he tell me..."

"may be he thought it may bring back bad memories of that pen girl in Afghan"

"Basheria? May be. But I know she is safe and doing well quaseem keeps me updated..."

She heard Charles coming down the stairs and not wanting him to know she had been talking about him quickly said her goodbyes

He entered the living room with a towel wrapped around his waist his torso still slightly damp. He tried to kiss her and this time she let him. She could see behind his eyes he was haunted by what had happened and after talking to Fingers it all made sense.

"why didn't you tell me" she asked

"tell you what" he asked taking a sip of his coffee and then pouring the rest away. As it had all gone cold.

She took a deep breath. He had obviously hid it for a reason and she didn't want to cause a argument not at 8 in the morning.

"about being deployed to Afghan"

okay please enjoy. this story the is based on a tweet/post I saw on FB about the upcoming Nigeria tour starting this week. it was from the wonderful Ben Aldridge (AKA captain James) talking about weather molly was featuring. it said that the last tour and what happened was making him suffer with PTSD and also putting a strain on his relationship with molly (noooo :( ) but she will help him through so fingers crossed molly makes a appearance soon . as always let me know what you think. duckmadgirl xx