Thanks again to all my lovely readers and reviewers. I absolutely love writing fan fiction, and it makes it even better when I know other people are sticking with my story. Hope you enjoy :)

Chapter four

When Georgie opened her eyes, light was just breaking and she lifted herself off the chair gently so as not to wake the others. Charlie was asleep in the corner next to the window, and the other members of 2 section were still asleep. Quietly she opened the door and crept out in to the corridor.

She locked herself in the bathroom down the hall and splashed her face with water. She couldn't wait to have a shower and sleep in her own bed. Later that day they would be transported back to the UK and she would get to see her family again.

The light from the lamp above her head flashed against Elvis' ring, which was hanging from her neck. She took it in her hand and closed her grip around it as she let out a big sigh. Oh, Elvis. She thought. If only you were here.

She felt a pang of guilt as she thought about her night with Charlie. She still didn't really understand how she felt. While she was with Charlie it had felt so natural and so right; she had slept soundly in his arms that night in a way she hadn't since the last night she spent with Elvis. His arms felt strong and safe, and she knew he would never let her down. But she still loved Elvis. She had tried and tried to get over him but she wasn't sure she ever would. She felt guilty for betraying him, even though he was no longer there and she knew he wouldn't want her to be on her own forever. Every time she was near Charlie it was like they were two magnets being pulled together - so natural and so right. But when they were apart and she had more time to think, she began to doubt whether it was the right thing at all.

She pulled the plug and watched as the water ran down the plug hole. It was so exhausting being at conflict with herself the whole time. She just wanted to be happy. She didn't understand why she couldn't allow herself to be.

She unlocked the bathroom door and padded quietly down the corridor to the surgical ward. She entered and saw Rab fast asleep on the chair next to Maisie's bed, his hand over hers as they slept. She stood for a few moments and watched them both. They looked so relaxed, so natural. She couldn't believe that she hadn't seen it between them before. They'd always been friends since the beginning; close friends, always joking and messing around. She had suspected there might be something to it when Maisie had let slip about the photo on Rab's mantelpiece a few weeks before. But just like everyone else, she had seen the panic in Rab's eyes yesterday when Maisie was knocked back by the blast, and she knew their feelings went a lot deeper than she had thought. And again when she had been in a bad way at the bottom of the cliff. Maisie had been unlucky, her leg ripped open on a rock at the bottom. She had lost a lot of blood, and it had taken all Georgie's experience and determination to stop her bleeding out. That combined with a pneumothorax caused by her broken ribs had meant it was touch and go until she had got to the hospital and been stabilised properly.

Georgie sighed and picked up the obs sheet attached to the clipboard at the end of Maisie's bed. She was doing remarkably well. Provided that she remained stable and continued to stay out of danger, she should be able to follow the rest of 2 section home in a few days. Georgie set the clipboard back down carefully so as not to make a noise and disturb them, before creeping back out of the ward.

By the time she got back to the corridor the sun had risen properly and she could hear the sound of trolleys moving around the hospital as it came to life. She sighed and sat on a bench in the corridor, wishing that she could call home and speak to her parents. But it would be the early hours of the morning there, with them 6 hours behind, and she didn't want to panic them by waking them. She thought of her parents sleeping peacefully in their bed, blissfully unaware of the events of the last 48 hours. She smiled as she thought about surprising them when she returned early. Her Mum would have kittens when she heard about everything Georgie had been through on this tour. She wondered whether she should just not tell her at all.

'Morning.' Charlie's voice made her jump, and she turned to look at him. 'Sorry. I didn't mean to make you jump.'

'It's ok.' She replied, moving up on the bench so there was room next to her. 'I just went to check on Maisie. She's doing well. Should be stable enough to come home in the next few days.'

'Great.' Charlie replied, suppressing the urge to put his arm around her. He studied the dark circles under her eyes and the angry red wounds scattered across her face. He didn't like it when she looked so vulnerable.

'Should you get those seen to?' He said, nodding at some of the larger scrapes.

'Oh, they're just superficial.' She said softly. 'I do need to get my arm redressed today though.'

'Make sure you do.' He replied, squeezing her leg. His touch gave her goosebumps. 'You don't want to pick up an infection.'

'Let me worry about that.' She sighed. 'What time is the transport arriving?'

'We will be out of here at 1500 hours.' He replied.

She sighed, a sense of relief flooding her body. This time tomorrow she should be just about tucked up in her own bed. She wanted nothing more than to have a good soak in the bath, put some pjs on and have a long sleep. But then she felt her stomach sink at the thought that she would be away from Charlie.

'Bet you can't wait to get home.' He said, as if reading her mind.

'I can't.' She said. 'What are you going to do?'

'Molly's already moved out of the house so I guess I'll go back there. Get stuff sorted.'

Georgie nodded. 'Yeah.'

They sat for a while in silence, watching as the odd person walked past them. There was still no sign of anyone from 2 section. They were all exhausted. Nobody had wanted to leave the hospital the night before with Maisie not having woken yet. Georgie knew they would be glad to hear the news when they woke up.

'You could always come back with me for a few nights when we get back?' Charlie asked, after checking around to make sure that nobody would overhear.

More than anything, in her heart Georgie wanted to. But her head was telling her not to, yet again she was fighting an internal battle against a part of herself she didn't even understand. Elvis was dead. Charlie was separated from Molly. They had nothing to feel guilty about, but she couldn't help it.

'I don't think that's a very good idea.' She said finally, shaking her head. She felt a pang in the pit of her stomach at the hurt look on his face. 'It's not that I don't want to... to be with you. But I just think we both need a few days to get things sorted for ourselves first, y'know?'

He nodded and said it was fine, but she could see that she had hurt him. That hurt her, because all she wanted to do was put him back together.

'Molly doesn't know yet... my parents don't know. I don't want to sneak around like it's some dirty secret.' She said.

Charlie sighed. 'It's fine. Just be honest. If you've changed your mind you just have to say.'

'I haven't.' She said instantly, turning her head to look right in to his eyes. It was as if she could see straight in to his soul, all the hurt and anxiety deep within him. She wanted nothing more than to be there for him and help him get better. 'I want to be with you. I told you before, I don't want to fight this anymore Charlie. But I want to do this properly. You mean too much to me to risk losing you. I don't want to rush things and get it wrong.'

'I don't want to lose you either.' He admitted. 'You're right. It's just difficult because being with you is all I can think about right now. I've been waiting so long for this.'

'I know.' Georgie said. 'And I don't want to waste another day fighting it. But let's get home, get sorted and do this properly. I want to make it work.'

He nodded and smiled. 'Ok.'