Chapter 7 - It's all fun and games till someone gets hurt. Part 2

The three way conversation which Captain Ross, Boss and I had had, went unseen by the other lads as they were too interested in meeting a Captain in the Special Forces. Captain Ross obliged and started discussing some of the missions he had been on. As the lads found out that the Boss had known Captain Ross since there first day at Sandhurst, the banter stated as the stories had started to come out about their youth and the failed nook up lines they had used. I had to struggle to keep myself from laughing out loud as Boss gave me a dirty look, about finding this so funny hear. But by the thought of these two men, tall, fit and in their uniform, I didn't think too many woman would have said no to them, and the joy of thinking he was with me.

It was then Captain Ross had said "but then you meet you're not so lovely ex-wife and all the fun stopped".

Just then Boss stepped in and said "that's enough about memory lane, Andrew".

Boss advised them that they were to prepare for a mission check all kit and make sure everything was 100%, they had a meeting in the ops tent at 19:00 and that they should go get something to eat before the meeting as he didn't know how long the meeting would last.

As we all left the hanger to go back to the sleeping quarters, I walked behind the lads, as they chattered about what Captain Ross had said about the Boss. I looked back towards them standing at the door of the hanger and saw this grin come across Boss's face as Captain Ross said something to him.

Charles and Andrew watched as the rest of us made our way back to the sleeping quarters, Charles couldn't help thinking how lucky he had been to have got these guys in his platoon.

"I can see why Charles" Andrew said

"See what?"

"Why you love her, she's amazing, it's just a shame you have to give up your careers to be together, the army is going to miss her", Andrew smirked

"What about me hey"

"Well she is better looking Charles and you know it" Andrew said as they both laughed.

"That's true" Charles thought it was so great to have his friend back, someone who he had always trusted and was so glad he had him on this mission.

"Do you want some coffee? I have my Nespresso machine here".

"Don't tell me you still obsessed with that Rosabaya"

"Well I need to tell you a story about that" Charles smirked at him as they turned and headed to his cabin.

Everyone had sorted their kit and made their way to the mess tent to get something to eat, I saw Boss and Captain Ross were there already at an officers table, I half smiled at them as I caught their eyes. It was such a shame since we had returned to Bastion that we couldn't sit together anymore, they had a stricter set of rules here, when it came to officers and privates.

Just then Major Beck walked in behind me and said "Private Dawes, will you join us over here, and motioned to the table Boss was sitting at, I did say not to leave Captain James's side, I also wanted to say how impressed I am with you and how you have carried yourself through this trying time, better get used to being at the officers table as I have big plans for you".

The shocked look on my face as I was being ushered over to Boss's table made him jump up and ask "sir, what's wrong".

"Nothing Captain, just making sure Dawes doesn't leave your side."

I could feel the glares I was getting from 2 section as we sat down at their table. By the time we had finished our dinner I was quite relaxed and it had stated to feel like it did at the FOB. Major Beck left the table before us as saying he would see us at the ops tent at 19:00.

Boss looked at me and said "holly shit Dawes, I thought we were busted"

"Well you didn't hear what he said to me coming over here, I better get used to sitting at the officers table, he's got big plans for me."

Captain Ross just shook his head as we got up from the table and made our way to ops tent.

We entered the ops tent with 2 section and the meeting began. All the details were set out and plays made for when and where we were going and the different teams which were involved. We were set to go out tomorrow. The meeting was over, all the info buzzing in my head, it was so draining but at the same time I couldn't switch off my brain. I was shattered, all the other lads had crashed in their pits as soon as they laid down. So I thought would get some air and clear my head, I just walked without thinking and ended up outside the Boss's Cabin, I didn't knock on the door before I opened it and walking in to see he was sleeping with the music playing from his laptop. I almost turned round and left but decided to stay, I locked the door and slid into the bed next to him, he woke to my arms around him and said "what took you so long, I was waiting for you" as he turned and wrapped his arms around me, all my troubles were gone...

I managed to get back to my bed before the sun came up and as much as I could have stayed with him forever, I knew had to go and get some sleep before the big day we were going to have with the mission to capture Badrai. As I laid down, I was gone.

I was dead to the world when the lads got up ready for their morning run at 6am, the Boss arrived and said to leave me as I had a lot to deal with today and he had found me up at 2am last night trying to clear my head as I couldn't sleep, he would come back for me later and do a PT session with me.

It was about 8:30 when I woke up to a kiss on my forehead, it was the Boss, lucky for me I had this private area, he smiled down to me and said "I love watching you sleep, so peaceful".

"Where are the lads did I miss the PT session"

"No I told them to leave you to sleep this morning" he smiled at me saying "I think you needed your sleep, let's go for a run before the midday heat sets in."

I groaned as I got up and stretched, before getting dressed in my PT shorts and shirt. We did a quick 5km run, the lads had done 10km this morning, which I was glad to have missed after I was told about it, I saw them after at the mess getting some breakfast, they were buzzing to get ready for the mission.

Everyone was ready The Boss with 2 Section and Captain Ross with his team which had arrived this morning after checking out the area before the mission went ahead. Everything was a confirmed and we were on our way to the checkpoint which had been pinpointed out to be the best ambush point, we travelled by chopper till we reached about 1 mile out from the checkpoint, we would travel by foot the rest of the way.

As we got to the compound which we were supposed to shelter in I could feel something was not right, I shot a glance at Boss who could see I was uneasy, he said something to Captain Ross who sent out a few of his men to check out the area, a huge explosion suddenly happened all around us as we were set upon by the Taliban, everyone took cover boss pulled me down into the building near where we were, Bullets flying, and orders from both Captain Ross and the Boss we had taken down most of the insurgents attacking us, when the next thing I heard was a rocket launcher being deployed, I heard Boss shout "take cover". Everything went black, I regained consciousness moments later to find the Boss and Smurf on the floor, my medical training kicked in, Smurf was screaming, his arm and shoulder looked bad, broken at least, but nothing was coming from the Boss I crowed over to him and pulled the rubble that had fallen on him off, he was unconscious and not responding there was a heartbeat, but I could see he had a bad head injury.

As I could see the fighting had stopped and heard on the radio Captain Ross had captured Badrai, I ordered an immediate MEDEVAC for Boss and Smurf, and he had still not regained consciousness. The Medevac had arrived and I continued to treat Smurf and the Doctor Prepared Boss to be moved to the chopper to be taken to Bastion for treatment, as I stood up and took off my helmet off a small trickle of blood rolled down my face, the Doctor turned to me and said in her radio "3 injured Personnel on route to Bastion" and pulled me into the chopper, took out a bandage to stem the flow of blood from the cut on my head.

When we arrived at Bastion, the pain which had been kept away by the adrenalin rushing around my body started to show how bad it was. I was taken to one side to have my head checked and stitched as the cut was quite deep. I could hear some things about Smurf, but nothing about Boss. It was killing me the not knowing. Then I spotted Jackie running down the hall, I shouted "Jackie what's going on how is the Boss", the look on her face could paint a thousand words. It was not good News.

"Molly he's not responding, as soon as they stabilise him, he's going to be flown back to the UK for treatment" she said as I heard someone call her name and she ran off.

The doctors induced a coma on the Boss, as it was best not to let him wake in the transportation back to the UK. His body looked as it always did but there was something missing. There was nothing I could do, but wait and see if the Boss would come back to me, it would only be two weeks till I went home to be with him...