Her head was throbbing. Today had been tougher than she thought but she'd never felt a rush like it. When it was crunch time everything happened so quickly. The speed at which the Special forces moved was mind boggling. But then seeing Georgie in the helicopter was such a shock. She was bruised, bloodied. Certainly not the Georgie she was used to.

As she sat on the beach in the glow of the moonlight she started to cry. She didn't want to, but she couldn't stop the tears from spilling down her face, stinging her slightly sunburned cheeks as they mixed with the sand and spray of the sea water. The emotion of being shot at and nearly losing her best friend and her husband, finally taking over. She let out a deep breath, that she felt like she'd been holding all day, as she lay down on the towel and stared at the stars.

She didn't hear him approach but jumped when she saw the figure looming above her.

"Bloody hell Charles, you nearly gave me a Julius Seizure"

He chuckled. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I've been looking for you. I was worried about you. Are you ok?"

He sat down on the towel next to her, interlinking his fingers with hers, slowly tracing his thumb across her knuckles. He could tell she'd been crying.

"Is Georgie going to be ok? I don't think I've ever seen her look so broken."

"In time, yes. She's strong, a survivor. She'll need help though, the support of her friends and family, and you."

"I just don't even know what to say to her Charles. I know how to patch up a gunshot wound or a broken leg, but everything I've gone over in me 'ead just sounds a bit shit."

"It's not your job to fix her Molls. It's your job to be her friend. Don't be any different to how you normally would. That's what she needs. If she wants to talk just listen. That's the best thing you can do for her."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Sorry. It's just been a shit day. It could have all gone so wrong couldn't it? And you. What with that RPG. I could have lost me best friend and husband on the same day. It don't even bear thinkin' about"

"That was never going to happen Molls. I'm not going anywhere."

He pulled her into a hug. He needed it as much as she did. Letting her head rest on his shoulder he stroked her hair. When the RPG exploded just above his head he did see his life flash before his eyes and he panicked. He couldn't imagine not seeing Molly again.

"It's beautiful ain't it?" she sighed.

"What is?"

"The ocean, the sand, the stars. It all seems so peaceful. Like a little bit of paradise. Hard to believe it's in the middle of a war zone"

"I remember you saying something similar about Afghan, what was it you said, oh yeah, that no one would believe you but Afghan was proper nice, if it weren't so bloody war and that"

She laughed "Yeah sounds like the kinda bollocks

I'd come out with. I can't believe you remember that"

"I remember everything you say Molly." He said tenderly

"Shit, best be more careful what I say then hadn't I, she smiled. It's just hard to believe there's so much evil in somewhere so beautiful"

"There's always a price to pay for paradise Molls. He was quiet for a second. "I'm never going to let anything happen to you though,you know that don't you."

"You can't protect me all the time Charles. Not when I'm on tour."

She sounded dejected. He'd never really seen her like this before. It's like her spark had gone.

"We've not even had a proper chance to talk yet have we, how was Afghan?"

"Yeah ok….good...bit hard this time. Felt like we were taking one step forward and two steps back. It was just frustrating and slow. That's why I jumped at the chance to come out here. I wanted a bit of action. But now I'm not even so sure that's what I want anymore. It all just gets a bit too much don't it? All the hate and evil and bad things that happen. D'ya not find it drainin'?"

"What's going on Molls? I thought you loved what you do?"

"I do...I don't know...I've just been thinking. Maybe it's time for me to get out. I'm just starting to reevaluate things. I've been in a while now. I've done me 4 years, I could leave. I wanted to see if I could do it, and I know I can. Maybe I'm ready for another challenge. We're going to wake up one day and life's gonna have passed us by"

"Do you feel like life is passing you by?"

"Sometimes. It just seems so short ...I don't wanna have any regrets"

Charles wasn't sure he was liking where this conversation was going. She seemed so melancholy.

"So let me get this straight, you want to leave the army?"

"Maybe. Or at least take a career break. There are other things I could do?"

"Like what? Molls what's going on. You've never mentioned leaving the army before"

"It's just I've been thinking...and before you say it yes I know that's dangerous…" He chuckled. She knew him so well.

She didn't even know if this was the right time to bring it up but she guessed now was as good a time as any. They were, after all, sitting in a little bit of paradise.

"Well I was thinking, we've been married two years now and I've achieved a lot in my career. But somethin's missing. I was thinkin', maybe, if you wanted to, we could try for a baby?"

Charles was stunned. Of all the things that Molly could have come out with that was least of all what he expected.

"A baby! But, I thought you didn't want kids. You always said your mum put you off."

"Yeah she did, but then I met you and I see what you're like with Sam. I love Sam to bits and you're a brilliant dad, and I just, I don't know, thought we could have that."

Charles stared across at the ocean not saying anything. She could see his profile in the moonlight but couldn't work out what he was thinking. His jaw was set in a tight line and he was running his hands through his hair at the back of his neck. Something he always did when he was uncomfortable with a situation. Shit, she shouldn't have said anything. Clearly he wasn't in the right place to want a baby.

"Forget I said anything. It's not the right time. I shouldn't have said anything. Look we've got Sam and that's fine. I don't need a baby, it's just..."

"Molly...Shut up."

He leaned across and took her face in his hands as he planted a deep kiss on her lips, parting them ever so slightly so he could roam his tongue around her mouth, devouring her. She could taste him, god, she'd missed this. She forgot how much she was craving him. She felt the familiar feeling in her belly as he worked his hands into her hair. She was breathless when she came up for air. Charles still had a tight grip on her and she noticed the huge grin on his face as he pulled away

"What was that for?"

"Molly, you've just made me the happiest man alive, I want nothing more than to have a baby with you. I've wanted it for ages but didn't want to bring it up. I didn't want to scare you. I wanted you to be brilliant and push yourself. I didn't want to hold you back by making you stay at home with a baby."

Molly couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her lips.

"Really, you really want a baby with me?"

"More than anything, I love you. And I can't think of anything better than having a little version of you. Soooo..how about we head upstairs now and start trying? My rooms far enough away from everyone else's" he asked with a cheeky grin.

"But Captain James, that's against army regulations is it not, and you know how they're stronger than love? You did say that to me once didn't you?" She smiled, sticking her tongue out at him.

"You cannot use my own words against me. Maybe my perspective has changed on things. I nearly got taken out by an RPG earlier today so I think I can be forgiven for wanting to spend time with my wife. So come here Mrs James, are you going to come willingly, or do I have to carry you?"

"No,no I'll come willingly, wouldn't want you to pull a muscle old man"

"Oi, less of the old" he said as he playfully slapped her on the bum.

She giggled as she got up and made a run for the door of the hotel, with Charles following closely behind.