A/N - Again I'm sorry for the delay. I hope you enjoy x

-OG-

Charles

"Cleared"

A word I wanted to hear so badly but now leaves a knot of anxiety in my stomach. I didn't expect to pass. I didn't expect to have to make a choice between, as much as I am ashamed to say it.. the two loves of my life. The army and Molly.

The army has come above everything and everyone in my life so far, even my son.

How do I tell her that it's all I ever wanted... that I want both? I already know it's a deal breaker for her, after all the army has already taken so much from her.

Her face is a picture as I approach the car, like she not quite sure which emotion to give in too. I know she's both anxious and excited about me being given a clean bill of health anxious because it means I have a decision to make, excited because she knows how much I need to be better. She's waited hours for me, another sign of her dedication and my guts are twisting into an even tighter knot because my decision was made the second the stamp hit my medical record.

"How'd it go?"

I can't hide my smile any longer... this nightmare is finally over and she launches herself at me, throwing her arms around my neck and going straight in for a kiss that sends shivers down my spine.

"I'm so proud of you" she cries

I'm not sure what these tears mean. Wether they are happy or sad ones. For the first time I'm finding her impossible to read.. her face says one thing and now her body language says another. She's watching the internal battle that's raging inside me play out on my face. I'm torn and she knows it.

She's ridged and quiet for the entire journey so I brace myself for the imminent fall out when I tell her I don't want out. I also don't want to lose her.

"I won't make you leave the army" she croaks, her voice revealing how emotional she is.

"It means a lot to you, I only realised that today when I saw the look on your face. So I won't make you leave... but I do want you to take a desk job. Surely they'll grant you that considering?"

Words fail me. Even though it would hurt her for me to stay in, she's putting my needs first. Something I'm not used too with previous relationships I've been in.

"I don't want to lose you..:" I take her hand in mine and she's trembling "...but you are right. I want to stay in"

There's no fall out as predicted. No argument. Just a supportive, remarkable woman supporting her partner even though it hurts too. I can never thank her enough.

I can tell she's regretting our planned visit to Bath to meet my parents almost as much as I am.

She's been quiet since her declaration of support and for once I'm okay with the silence. She needs time to process, I need time to plan what the fuck I'm going to tell my mother. I'm pretty sure she'd almost been happy about the most recent injury as everyone was sure the severity of it meant I was finished.

As Bath fast approaches I feel her nerves.

"Did they know him?" She asks shyly

"Elvis? Yes.. they knew him very well. He spent as much time with them as I did before.."

"... before he met me?" She finishes the sentence that was painful for us both. A knife in my gut because I miss him like crazy. And a second blow because he loved her first. I'm jealous of my dead best friend.

We pull up outside and she hesitates

"They will love you, I promise"

I bring her hand to my lips and plant a last reassuring kiss before letting us in. The familiar smell of baking greets us, the tell tale sign mother is expecting company.

Molly straightens herself up and I can tell she's giving herself an internal pep talk. She means business.

-OG-

Molly

"So how did you two meet?"

I thought it best to leave that one to Charles. Silly me.

"Well we actually met in a coffee shop where Molly works..."

I watch it all fall to shit in front of me as the E word is dropped. Hadn't quite planned on going there so soon but apparently this prannet thought it was relevant.

He hasn't clocked her look of utter disgust yet but I can feel her eyes burning into me like I'm so kind of army Captain groupie whore.

"Your best friends fiancé Charles? Really?"

He does little to soften her and obviously has realised his mistake as he smiles apologetically across the table at me but it's a little too late.

She's made up her mind about me.

"Can I use the toilet please?"

His dad sympathetically shows me the way through what seems to be a bleedin' mansion to the nearest bathroom whilst Charles and witchy poo discuss me like I'm not even here.

Turns out jamming the heel of your palms into your eyes don't stop you from crying after all.

"You ain't even here and still you cause me grief you big shit"

I speak into the air as if he can hear me. He'd love this.

"Molly?"

Charles' gentle voice is all I needed to find the courage to face the situation again and I open the door to find his concerned, dark and bloody beautiful eyes staring back at me.

"You alright?" He says and rubs his hands up and down my arms and I remembered why I'm here. Because I love him and I won't be scared off by her.

"I'm sorry about my mother. She's just shocked that's all, she will come around I promise"

He links his fingers through mine and takes me on a guided tour of his home which is so big I'm pretty sure I could fit all the places I've ever lived inside here and still have room.

I almost forget the drama until a different pair of brown eyes stare back at me.

I pick up the framed photo of two young officer cadets, an arm around each other shoulders. Charles looking at Elvis with such warmth and Elvis being Elvis seeking out the camera but the love was in his body language.

"Elvis" I whisper as I run my finger across the glass that protects him.

I look up to meet Charles' eye and he's darkened. There's a flicker of something in his eyes but I'm not quite sure what.

"I'm sorry if the photo has upset you" His tone isn't as gentle as it was before.

"Not upset, no. Surprised, yes. He'll never let me forget him will he? Not that I want too..."

He cuts me off mid sentence with a kiss that's full of urgency. He needs reassurance.

"If you're quite finished, dinner is on the table"

We sit through the most uncomfortable dinner of my life so far and trust me I've had a few of them and by the end of the evening it is crystal bleedin' that mama James does not approve.

I try to soften her by helping her clear up whilst Charles throws me to the wolves to indulge in a nightcap with his poor dad who doesn't know where to hide next.

"I can appreciate it's a shock Mrs James. But I really believe Elvis brought us together"

She stops me dead.

"Oh dear girl this is about more than poor Elvis although I'm sure he'd be turning in his grave. This is about you supporting his return to the army. How could you?"

I think for a minute, I'm used to rescuing myself but I'm a fish out of water here in her home.

"With all due respect, I am no happier about it than you. But I love him and I want him to be happy"

We're interrupted by the most well timed glass of wine I have ever received in my life and I neck it in one as Charles' eye widen in shock to my need of alcohol and lots of it as witchy poo storms off to bed.

"That bad huh?"

He states the bloody obvious.

"Pass me the bottle".

We spend the night drinking and giggling and silently praying that by the time the morning comes, a miracle will have happened and Mrs James will have removed the rod from her arse.

Wishful thinking.