It's felt like a life time since I've update this but the last part of Missing in Photographs took a lot longer than planned. Anyway, thank you to everyone who reviewed and thanks for the patience. I hope you like it!
Enjoy!
A Different Mission
"Show me again…"
"Come on, Molly…They'll be here soon." Charles laughed lightly, shaking his head at her via FaceTime. "I've told you, he's not here…don't you trust me?"
"I trust you." She claimed. "I don't trust Elvis."
"Fine…" Charles turned his phone around so it was facing the room, moving it around so she could see for herself he was alone. "Happy now?"
"How did you get rid of him?" She asked when he turned the camera back to him.
Charles smirked. "I may have mentioned my Grandfather might be stopping by for a visit."
"Is he really that scared of him?"
"Well, he said he was planning on spending a couple of days in Manchester with Georgie anyway but it's was the first I heard about it." Charles replied. "But actually, it'll do him some good…he's barely been away from this place since he got back from Cyprus."
"Have the doctors said anymore about you going home?" She questioned.
"They're aiming for after the weekend if all stays well." He told her and sighed. "But I'm seriously considering a breakout…I'm about done with being stuck here."
"Well, I don't think that's a good idea." Molly frowned. "You should listen to your doctors…Besides you'd have to get past your Mother first."
"I have my own personal Special Forces guy…I'm sure we'd cope." He shot back but then a noise from the corridor caught his attention. "I think they're here."
Her smile fell briefly before she forced it back onto her face. "I better let you go then."
"I wish you were with them…"
"Yeah, me too but it would have been awkward." She answered. "And anyway, I'll see you soon."
"How soon?"
"As soon as I can…" She promised. "Once my leave starts and I get rid of my family…I'm all yours."
"I'm going to hold you to that." He smiled and sighed when the sound of a group of squaddies got closer. "I better go."
"Don't overdo it." She told him. "We both know how full on them lot can be but please remember that you're recovering from being shot and 2 major surgeries."
"I'll be fine." He assured her. "Now, go before they walk in and hear me tell you how much I love you."
"I love you too…" She replied, still reluctant to end the call. "I'll speak to you later."
"I'm already looking forward to it."
"Bye." She hesitated once again before finally hanging up.
Charles had moved to the side of the bed and was about to stand up when there was a knock on the door. Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself to his feet, supressing a groan as his ribs protest the movement. The doctors had assured him that now he had started physio and was moving about more it was expected that he would start experiencing pain but there were times when it was so sharp that he struggled to catch his breath.
"Come in." He called out, once he was steady on his feet.
If Molly and his Mother could see him, they'd probably hit him around the head and call him an idiot before ordering him back on the bed but there was no way he was going to be led down in front of his section. Not when the last time they saw him, he passed out in front of them. He wished he could have gotten rid of the sling that his arm was still in to support his injured shoulder but was told it was too soon and he wasn't stupid enough to put his recovery further back.
As the door opened, he heard Kinders hissing at them all to behave themselves as they filed in. He raised an eyebrow in surprise when they all quietly entered the room and stood in a line in front of him before saluting. After a few seconds, he couldn't help but smirk.
"Alright, don't overdo it." He rolled his eyes. "At ease…"
"How you doing, Bossman?" Kinders asked.
Charles nodded. "Yeah, I'm getting there."
"You look better than the last time we saw you, sir…" Fingers stated.
"Yeah, you looked proper bad…" Mansfield added.
"Well, I can't imagine walking around with a bullet in my chest was going to be good for me." Charles replied and carefully eased himself back to sit on the side of the bed.
"That was mental, that was." Nudenut claimed. "Did you really not know, boss?"
"I just thought I'd not say anything so I could keep it as a souvenir."
"Really?"
Charles rolled his eyes again. "What do you think?"
"You idiot!" Brains shoved Nudenut as the others laughed.
"When you getting out of here then, Bossman?" Kinders questioned, shooting at look at the rest of them as they began to fool around. "You must be going mad stuck in here…"
"It's not the place I would have picked to end the tour…" He answered, reaching over and grabbing the bed notes just as Baz went to pick them up. "But hopefully after the weekend I'll be discharged."
"Back home then?" Smurf asked, causing Charles to look at him for the first time.
"Where else would he go?" Brains laughed a little at the odd question.
"Dunno, do I?" Smurf shrugged.
"Yes, I will be going back home to Bath." Charles said after a few seconds of studying the younger man.
He suddenly realized that both Molly and he were concerned about Elvis' reaction to seeing Smurf that he didn't think how he would feel seeing him. While he couldn't blame everything that happened on Smurf, his behaviour and disobeying orders had put everyone at risk and caused enough of a distraction for Badrai to open fire.
"To your wife?"
Charles tensed a little, briefly wondering whether Smurf knew about him and Molly but then decided he didn't actually care if he did or not. They were both single adults and although it hadn't been ideal while on tour, if Major Beck wasn't going to make a big deal about it, then no one else should either.
"And what has that got to do with you?" Charles questioned coolly.
Smurf had the decency to look embarrassed and lowered his head to look at the floor. "Nothing, Sir."
"We…uh…we got you a card, Boss." Brains held it out to him, as an awkward silence settled over the room.
Charles moved his gaze from Smurf to take the card, giving Brains a small smile. "I would say you shouldn't have but I guess I should wait and see what you lot actually wrote."
"We all signed it, Boss." Mansfield grinned.
"I can see…I should put some of you up on charges for what you've put…" He replied; laughing lightly as he read the comments. "How is it that it is Dawes who is the only one to write something that resembles a little bit of respect?"
"We just wanted to cheer you up, Boss." Fingers added, knowing that he wasn't really offended about what they had written.
"And I think Molly is going through some stuff…" Baz stated. "She's not been herself."
Charles looked up at him with a smirk. "Which is the only reason she would write something respectful to me?"
"Well, you know Dawes, sir." Brains joked.
"Everything okay with her?" Charles questioned, pretending to look at the card again.
"She had some family stuff to deal with…Major Beck granted her 2 days leave once we got back from Cyprus." Kinders informed him. "She says everything is okay now though but she wasn't able to get out of her shift today to come with us."
"Well, I'm sure I'll have chance to catch up with her another time." Charles stood the card up on the cabinet beside the bed, glancing at his phone when it started to ring. Seeing Elvis' name flash up on the caller ID, he hesitated for a moment before cancelling the call.
"Everything okay, boss?" Kinders asked.
"Fine." He smiled, turning his attention back to his section; he could speak to Elvis later. "So, I hope you've all behaved on decompression."
"Of course, boss." Fingers claimed.
Charles raised an eyebrow in disbelief and looked towards Kinders.
"They could have been worse." The corporal shrugged.
"Hey!"
Charles laughed but before he could say anymore, his phone rang again. He sighed when he saw it was Elvis. Despite all the teasing about his friend refusing to leave his side, Charles was a little concerned with how Elvis was dealing with all of this.
"Excuse me for a moment." He said before answering the call. "Hello…"
"Hey, I just got to Manchester…thought I'd check in…See if everything was okay."
"Of course… What did you think was going to happen?" Charles asked, looking around the room and was pleased to see no one seemed to be paying him any attention but he didn't notice Smurf, pretending to listen to something Brains was saying but instead he was taking great interest in his Captain's conversation. "You only left 4 hours ago…"
"Well, you never know…I'm just trying to be a good mate." Elvis joked. "I won't bother next time…"
"You are a good mate." Charles said seriously. "But you need a break too… You should ask your girlfriend if this separation anxiety thing you got going on is normal…She's a medic, she'll know."
Anger started to boil inside of Smurf, now completely blocking out everything his mates were saying…He knew who the boss was talking to and he had an idea who they were talking about.
"Piss off…"
"I'm serious, you're worse than the first time I had to leave Sam…"
"What? When I had to cover for you every time you snuck off to make a phone call…." Elvis replied and even know he couldn't see him, Charles knew he was smirking. "You disappeared so many times to 'use the toilet'…the medic thought you had cholera…"
"You could've been more imaginative…"
"Yeah but that way was so much funnier…you trying to convince him you didn't need to be admitted for observation."
"But honestly, go and enjoy having some time off… Hopefully, I'll be home in a few days and then we'll go and grab a beer."
"Fine… but you'll call if anything changes?"
"You'll be the first person…well, actually; no you'll probably be like the 3rd…" Charles joked.
"You know, everyone thinks you're the nice guy but no one really knows you like I do…" He grumbled.
"Elvis, piss off… have some fun and I'll see you soon." Charles laughed.
"Alright, but you're buying the first round when you're finally free."
"You're on." Charles agreed; knowing he owed Elvis more than one pint.
After hanging up the phone, he rolled his eyes when he saw Baz, Fingers and Nude-Nut all blowing into some plastic gloves.
"We should go…"
Everyone turned to look at Smurf.
"We just got here…" Baz replied in confusion.
"Yeah, well the boss obviously has more important people to talk to then the likes of us."
"What does that mean?" Charles questioned.
"Just saying…You seemed more interested in talking to someone on the phone rather than the people who actually came to see you."
"Oi! Behave!" Kinders warned.
"Not that I have to explain anything to you, Private Smith but that was my best friend who has barely left this hospital since getting back from tour…" Charles started.
"I know who it was…" Smurf mumbled.
Charles pushed himself to his feet, refusing to make a sound or wince as pain shot down his side. He might not be in uniform like the rest of them but he was still their captain and even though he was injured, there was no way he was having this conversation on his hospital bed.
"I do not know what your problem is but it stops now…You will start showing Captain Harte the respect he deserves or I will personally put you up on charges." Charles said firmly. "Do you understand me?"
Smurf mumbled something as he looked towards the floor.
"Private Smith, I asked you a question! Do you understand?!"
Smurf stood up a little straighter and stared ahead. "Yes, Sir…."
"Good…I swear to god, Smurf…If I hear one more bad world about him from you then that's it." Charles said, quieter but it seemed even more threatening.
"You won't, Sir…" Smurf claimed and then looked at him. "Can I be excuse, Sir?"
Charles flicked his head towards the door. "Go."
Charles' eyes followed him out of the room and sighed quietly before turning back to the rest of the section; knowing none of them knew what to say or do next.
"Maybe one of you should go with him…" He suggested softly.
"I'll go." Fingers offered. "It was good to see you, Boss…I'm glad you're feeling better."
"Thanks, Fingers."
Charles moved back over to the bed, feeling a little light headed…He had probably overdone it…He should have listened to Molly.
"Is there anything you need, Boss?" Brains asked in concern. "I can go to the shop for you if you like? Snacks or something to read?"
"No, it's okay but thanks for the offer."
"Dawes was dead disappointed she couldn't come today…" Mansfield told him, eager to fill the uncomfortable silence.
"Really? Can't imagine a road trip with you lot after being stuck with you in Afghan for 6 months was high on her to-do list." He replied causing them all to grin as the tension in the room began to ease.
"She loves us!" Mansfield claimed. "But honest…She was really worried about you, Boss."
"Yeah, in Cyprus…She heard from your mate you were in a bad way…I think she felt guilty." Baz continued where Mansfield left off. "You know, for getting involved with that girl."
"Well, make sure you tell her from me that I'm fine and that she has nothing to feel guilty about." He already knew that Molly blamed herself for what happened but he thought he had done a better job of convincing her that it wasn't. "I was the one who got distracted."
"You weren't too blame either, Sir." Kinders said seriously. "You saved Smurf and made sure no one else was hurt….You even tried to give first-aid to the insurgent."
"After getting shot…" Nude-nut added.
"Who do you think is gonna play you in the film, Sir?" Baz asked.
"Now you're just taking the piss…" He rolled his eyes at them laughing before continuing dryly. "But someone incredibly handsome, I'd imagine."
"We better let you get some rest, Boss." Kinders noticed his captain had grew paler since they had arrived and looked like he was struggling to stay sat up right.
"Thanks for coming…" He debated about getting to his feet again to say goodbye but realised he didn't really have the energy.
"Take care, Boss…Hope you're out of here soon." Brains said on the way to the door.
"Yeah but no rush in coming back to make us do all those 10k runs though…" Mansfield joked.
"Okay, if you insist….first day back it'll be 15k." Charles grinned at him.
"Nice going!" Baz shoved him towards the door.
"Cya, boss…" Nude-nut followed them.
"Kinders?" Charles called out, stopping the corporal in the doorway.
"Yes, Sir?"
"What's going on with Smurf?"
"Sir?"
"How he was today is not normal." Charles stated. "And he show similar behaviour on tour…"
"You know how it is, Boss..." Kinders shrugged. "Some people just don't get on…it was no secret that your SF mate and Smurf didn't like each other…"
"Well, my SF Mate was there to do a job not make friends and is still a captain in the British Army…"
"Of course, Sir…I didn't mean…"
Charles sighed and rubbed his eyes. "It's fine…I just don't like the way Smurf has been acting…I want you to keep an eye on him."
"Of course, Sir."
"It might be a good idea to get him to speak to someone too…"
"What? Like a psych evaluation?"
Charles knew that it wasn't so long ago that he had one in Afghanistan that came back saying everything was fine but maybe they had missed something.
"What harm can it do?" Charles questioned. "I just think given the circumstances…Talk to Major Beck about it…Get his take on it."
Kinders nodded. "Of course, Sir."
Suddenly there was a loud crash outside the door, causing them both to turn quickly, Charles with a moan.
"Mansfield, you clumsy Pratt…Get up!"
Suddenly Brains' head appeared around the doorframe. "Uh, Mansfield has just crash a wheelchair into a trolley…everyone is okay but the nurses aren't looking too happy…might be time to make a quick getaway."
"I can't take you lot bloody anywhere…" Kinders snapped and then looked at Charles. "Wanna swap places, Boss?"
"Nah, I think I better stay here…" Charles smirked and shook his head when they heard an argument starting. "You better get them lot out of here."
"Yes, Sir…" He sighed. "Good luck with the rest of your recovery…and let us know if there is anything you need, yeah?"
"Thanks, Kinders."
Charles listened as Kinders ordered them all to shut up and get out of the hospital. The noise grew quieter as they got further away and it wasn't until it had disappeared altogether that Charles finally lifted his feet up on the bed and settled back against the pillows with a groan.
"Well, Captain…your section certainly makes their presence known." A nurse commented with a light chuckle as she entered the room.
"I hope they haven't done any damage…"
"No but Sister Michaels wasn't too happy…" She told him with a grin as she started to do his Obvs. "Followed them out to make sure they actually left…And believe me, no one wants to be on the wrong side of Sister Michaels…It looked like she scared the life out of them!"
"Good."
"How you feeling? Any pain?"
"A little." He admitted.
"Okay, well I'll get you some painkillers and then you should try and get some rest."
Charles didn't argue, he felt completely exhausted. Glancing at the clock, he knew it would be another couple of hours before his parents brought Sam in; hopefully he would be able to get some sleep and feel better before they arrived.
As he closed his eyes, he couldn't help but think about Smurf. Was there something going on with him or had Charles completely got it wrong about him being a good soldier?
TBC
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