A/N What a fickle bunch you are. I fully expected the muse to be hunted down like the escaped loon that it is, but no, you were all terribly terribly kind. Bless you.

We are at our penultimate chapter so tomorrow will be the epilogue and the muse will go back in its box. No, I have absolutely no idea what it has up its grubby sleeve.

Thank you once again for all of your support. I have loved sharing this little story with you all and I sincerely hope you've enjoyed reading it. Until the final push tomorrow...

Enjoy.

Elf xx

'Permission to speak freely sir?'

'Of course Georgie.' Charles said into his phone. 'What's up?'

'You're being a dick.'

Charles snorted. 'I'm not sure that you have permission to speak that freely Lane.'

'I have just spoken to Molly.' She said.

'I guessed.' Charles grimaced. 'And she asked you to talk to me?'

'No, in fact she begged me not to talk to you, pleaded with me in fact, made me promise. I called to see how she was doing and she's in bits.'

'She is?' Captain James tried not to care. He failed.

The whole day had been awful. He'd mostly stayed out of her way and when he'd visited the mess tent he had done his utmost not to make eye contact. He knew she would be watching him, those green eyes begging him to back down, but not this time, she'd gone too far. As her text messages came in, he flatly refused to read them. Curiosity had nearly gotten the better of him, but no, he couldn't, wouldn't be swayed. She'd even come to see him as he left the ops tent.

'Sir?'

He'd paused. 'What?'

Molly's eyes were red and puffy. She'd obviously been crying. His stomach tightened that he was the cause of her unhappiness.

'Just to let you know that I've completely hand over and I will be leaving in one hour… Sir.' Molly had said miserably. Her eyes scanned his face desperate for any sign that he might relent.

'Very good Dawes.' He was still angry, still in that dark place where he couldn't reach out to her. So she would be leaving today. He couldn't think beyond the betrayal he felt. 'Double away then.' He'd said. Molly's eyes had filled with tears and he'd nearly caved, nearly forgiven everything, but his damned stubborn streak wouldn't let it go, so he'd let her go instead.

And now there was this phone call from Georgie Lane.

'She's devastated.' Lane confirmed. 'In all the time I have known you, I have never seen you as happy as you are with Molly, and now you're trying to screw it up.

There was silence.

'Look, you don't know…' He said eventually.

'I don't know what? What I do know is that she isn't Rebecca.' Georgie said.

That hit a chord. While Charles loved Sam more than anything, it had been obvious Rebecca had allowed herself to fall pregnant in an effort to make him spend more time at home. As far as he had been concerned, she was on the pill and had no interest in having children any time soon, yet suddenly a few months after he returned from his first tour, Sam was on the way. He'd felt manipulated and trapped and it was the beginning of the end.

'Have you, even in the time Molly was serving under you or otherwise, ever known her to take advantage of her influence with you or asked you to do things to advance her career?' Georgie broke through his thoughts.

Charles paused, 'Well no.'

'Has she ever asked for special treatment?'

'No.' He glanced at his watch, the hour was nearly up.

'Has she ever given you reason to believe that she would use your feelings for her in order to coerce you?

'No.'

'Then Sir, with the greatest respect, you are being a dick.'

Molly took one final look around the compound. Her gaze rested on the light coming from his tent and she felt like her heart would break. So this was it. The end. She would have time when she got home to sort everything out before he finished his tour. There wasn't that much to pack and her mum would always make room for the stuff she couldn't move into barracks. If she could just stop bleedin' crying that would be a start.

Georgie had been a lifesaver. There wasn't anyone else she could talk to. Certainly not the tall blond willowy medic who had efficiently taken over from her. She'd reminded Molly of Rebecca and that had only added to her agony. So when Lance Corporal Lane had called her to check how she was, it had all come flooding out.

'Are you ready?' Clarke arrived next to her.

She nodded.

'Look, I'm sorry about…' Clarke began, nodding towards the captain's quarters.

She shouldered her Bergen. 'Don't worry about it, not your fault. Now let's crack on yeah?'

With a sigh Molly climbed into the back of the truck.

They were the only passengers. The vehicle was on its way to the airport to collect supplies and they'd hitched a lift. Molly leant back against the canvas side and closed her eyes as the truck began to move off. Almost immediately it screeched to a halt. There was a muffled conversation with the driver before a hand reached up and unclipped the tail gate.

'Piss off Clarke.' Charles said brusquely, inclining his head. 'Go get a brew or something.'

'Sir.' Grabbing his rucksack, Noah scrambled out of the truck.

Molly watched warily as Charles closed the canvas behind him and settled in the seat opposite her, his hands in his lap. The atmosphere was painful.

'Apparently I'm a dick.' Charles said conversationally.

'Sir?' She was non committal.

'Lance Corporal Lane saw fit to phone me just to tell me so.'

Molly's face screwed up in horror. 'I told Georgie not to speak to you. She just caught me at the wrong moment and…' The words fell over themselves as she desperately tried to explain.

Charles held up his hand to stop her. 'I'm glad she did. She wasn't entirely wrong was she?'

She searched his face. For the first time there was a glimmer of hope.

'I would have let you drive out of here and it would have been the most singularly stupid thing I have ever done. If that isn't being a dick I don't know what is.'

'It does have certain dick like qualities.' Molly agreed.

Once again she felt the tears welling up in her eyes as her handsome captain left his seat and knelt in front of her. He took her hand in his, their fingers intertwining. 'I couldn't bear if I lost you.'

'You nearly did. I thought you didn't want me anymore.' Molly managed.

'I'll always want you.' He said gently.

'Always?' She said in wonder.

'I'm so sorry Molly. I know it wasn't how it appeared. We were in a crazy situation, and being together, working together, with you being in my charge, the lines got blurred. If we'd been at home and had the same conversation I wouldn't have given it a second thought, except maybe how quickly I could get you into that bath.' He gave a slight smile.

'That definitely sounds more like you.' She conceded. 'So you don't actually hate me then?' Molly asked. 'I swear; I would never…'

He brought a hand to her cheek and wiped away the tears with his thumb. 'I know, and I could never hate you.' He said, resting his forehead against hers. 'Can you forgive me? Please?'

She nodded against him.

'What did I ever do to deserve you.' He sighed in relief.

'I dunno, but you're paying fer it now.' Molly said, sniffing and wiping her face with both hands.

'When I get home I am going to make all this up to you.' Charles promised. He smiled and cupped her cheek in his hand before pulling her gently towards him. His mouth found hers, tentative at first, small, apologetic, before the kiss deepened. Their tongues touched as he became more insistent and Molly responded in kind. Reluctantly he pulled away as noises outside indicated the driver had returned.

She raised an eyebrow, and licked her lips. 'Well that was a good start.' She said.

'I think we'll have to lock the door for three weeks when I get back.' He said with a wink before giving her a final small peck. 'Are you ok?'

'Why wouldn't I be?' She said, smiling finally, before adding. 'I am now.'

He turned to leave then stopped. 'I almost forgot…' He reached into the pocket of his combats and pulled out an envelope.

'Is that what I think it is?' Molly said, eyeing the paper with amusement.

'You'll have to read it and see won't you?' He smirked.

She took it between her fingers as if it was the most delicate thing in the world.

'I was writing it when you appeared yesterday, I had to slip a report on top so it wouldn't ruin the surprise.'

'Still devious then?' She sniffed, trying so hard not to cry. 'I know, I know, you've got medals for it.'

He grinned. 'Text me when you get to Brize.'

'Will do. Stay safe.' She said as he jumped from the truck. 'I love you.'

Clarke appeared around the corner and, keeping his head down, climbed in before Charles refastened the tail gate. 'Ditto.' He said as he held her gaze as the truck pulled away.