Epilogue: December 26

Yesterday had been the most perfect Christmas Day ever. Now we found ourselves in the car, on our way from Bath, Charles by the wheel driving us to some to me secret destination. I was very, very happy for three reasons. It was Christmas; Charles was home when I had thought he would not be, so we could celebrate together; and lastly, he had planned a surprise for me. Unlike my control-freak of a sister, I love surprises.

A year ago, we had travelled to Bath together for the first time. Charles happy, excited and relaxed. Me happy, excited and extremely nervous, wondering what I had gotten myself into. The closer we came to Bath, the stronger I felt that maybe not even the prospect of sleeping with Charles again was enough of a carrot to motivate me to meet the parents, but I could not back out (even if I briefly considered to abscond when we stopped to refuel and he went inside to pay, but it was not an option as I really, really wanted to be with him).

My nerves were not exactly calmed when he parked outside the James residence and I nearly had a Julius seizure, because it was this huge, elegant house, located in a long crescent shaped street of identical, equally posh houses.

"You're just stopping here to get something, right? They don't actually live in this mini-castle?"

"They do", he grinned. "And me too since the divorce, whenever I'm off duty. Don't worry, I have a floor to myself."

"You see, that's exactly what worries me! One floor alone must be at least double the size of my flat, and I'm sharing that space with Georgie. I've never known anyone with a house as big as this. It's amazing, but it's also freaking me out a little bit and I didn't even bring any gifts to you parents."

"How could you, when we decided this morning? They'll understand."

Well, I suddenly felt like this house was not designed for a surprise visit, rather arriving in style after receiving a gold print invitation, and a uniformed servant would announce one's arrival followed by a trumpet fanfare. I did not want to get out of the car, I would be perfectly fine spending the day here if he brought me some turkey. And perhaps a bottle of wine.

"Molly, I called mum and told her I'd bring you and she said you're very welcome. They'd be disappointed if you didn't come now. Not to mention how extremely disappointed I would be."

He leaned over, very close and I thought he would give me an encouraging kiss, but he just unbuckled my seat belt, smirked and said;

"Double away, Dawes. Get your arse out of the car and you'll see everything will be fine."

As it turned out, he was right. Without hesitating Charles opened the impressive, wrath decorated door and cheerfully shouted we were here now. Almost immediately both his parents popped their heads around a door, like they had been standing there eagerly waiting for us. They did not look too fearsome. In fact, they were all big smiles and seemed almost as excited as Charles about me being here, quickly pulling us further into the house and offered us something to drink. I said no to something stronger (my nerves were still craving a glass of wine, but it did not seem advisable), but gratefully accepted a cup of tea and then we sat down in front of the fireplace and just had the best time.

Like Charles had said, they were not difficult people, it was like I had known them for ages. They were interested in me, asked questions not to put me on the spot but because they genuinely wanted to get to know me. They asked where I came from and were not the least bothered when it was Newham rather than some London address corresponding to their own in terms of poshness. They were equally impressed by how many siblings I had, as me being a doctor and most of all they wanted to know more about how Charles and I had met. His mum loved the story about the duet and how we had collided at the station and got a dreamy look in her eyes.

"It seems to me like you two were destined to meet." She gave me a hug and I felt I had to blink because I obviously had some smudge in my eyes.

"Mum, you're making Molly embarrassed", Charles complained but I think he was the more embarrassed one. Especially later, when his mum, Ruth, after a gin or two shared stories of him as a toddler and teenager. Very amusing stories, or at least three in the room thought so.

Their house was not far behind the wedding hotel when it came to Christmas decorations, luscious and truly magical, with two large Christmas trees and lighted fireplaces in almost every room. Ruth, had prepared a delicious meal together with their cook which more resembled those meals you see on the cover of a glossy magazine than the dry turkey my mum used to conjure up. It made me miss mum a bit, but only for a split second, especially as she had been thrilled when I told her I would be going with Charles.

"Good for you my girl, finally letting go of Abominable Artan."

I really was.

Ruth willingly admitted the cook was the one who should take credit for the meal as she was lacking considerably in cooking skills herself and mainly had chopped vegetables. It made me feel relieved because it took the pressure off from any future meals I might prepare for them and I thoroughly enjoyed the dinner (now allowing myself one glass of wine because I got the feeling Ruth was starting to think I was pregnant when I so fervently avoided alcohol).

As the day went on in the pleasant company of Ruth and William, I wondered how they would be expecting me and Charles to sleep. It was the first time I was in their home and they knew Charles and I just had met, so it was not unlikely that they would expect us to have separate bedrooms. Very reasonable indeed, but I was hoping not. Luckily, Charles was thinking the same and made no fuss about it. It turned out that the floor he had to himself was more like having his own apartment in the house, so if he put me in a guest bed there or his own bed, no one needed to bother about. He put me in his bed, a marvellous king size one. We did not spend much time sleeping in it, but we used the mattress surface optimally, I must say.

When I left that house the following day, I was not only in love with Charles, but with his parents and their home too.

"We'll be going abroad again right after the holidays", Ruth said. "But I hope we'll meet soon again. It would be lovely if you two came and visited us in our house by Lake Garda in spring or summer but I'm sure we meet here at home sooner."

I took the train back to London, so Charles would have alone time with Sam, but two days later he came up to London and we celebrated New Year together, with Georgie and Elvis, Bella and Matt and some other friends. I would lie if I said we have been inseparable since, because both our jobs and him needing to be with Sam has kept us apart, but we have spent as much time together as we possibly could. Charles came to London often to hang out with friends and my family or just spend time alone (Georgie moved in with Elvis in February so then we had my flat to ourselves). I went to Bath to be with him and Sam, who quickly proved my first impression of him as a lovely boy right. In spring we moved from cuddling in the sofa to walks and picnics in the parks and occasionally he forced me to go running with him, acting my PT and driving me mad. In summer we attended the wedding of Georgie and Elvis (my heart sang when we got one invitation together) and met many of the guests from the Christmas wedding again during one amazing day. Then we headed to Italy for two weeks' vacation. One with his parents by the supremely beautiful Lake Garda, one alone in total decadence in terms of great Italian food and wine and making love all night long, and sometimes during a mid-day siesta. Charles claimed that siesta is a Spanish tradition rather than Italian, but I do not think one should be too picky. Both are Mediterranean countries and 'when in Rome…' and all that. It is such an excellent tradition even if I think the purpose might be to rest, which we did not really.

Autumn came with good news and not so good news. The good news was that Bella and Matt had a baby. As I had foreseen, it arrived almost exactly nine months after the wedding. I do not get how she manages to plan her life to such perfection, but she does without effort. Anyway, baby George was the cutest baby ever with an abundance of dark hair and Matt's brown eyes. Of course, he slept all the time and only breastfed for fifteen minutes each time before he fell asleep again, so Bella was the most relaxed and rested mum anyone had ever seen. Again, I was not surprised. I adored my little nephew and the Geddings gave me some solace when I received the less good news.

In September Charles told me he was to be deployed. It was a humanitarian mission, thank God, but he would be away in Nepal for three months without the possibility to call me often.

"Will you wait for me?" he asked with serious, dark eyes and I could see that he feared my answer.

"Of course, I will, if you promise you'll come back to me."

"Always."

It was tough to say good bye knowing I would barely even get to hear his voice often. There was e-mails though and he wrote me regularly and long, said he spent some time in his office every evening before going to bed. He even sent me a photo of that beige Army office, so I would be able to picture him sitting there writing, along with other photos of the camp and surroundings. Also, one of himself in uniform. Even if he smiled to the camera, he looked his most impressive self, taller and straighter than ever in camouflage and navy beret and I found it difficult to take in that this major was my Charles, but he proved it to me all the time in his writing.

He wrote me about everything he was allowed to tell me about the daily life there, which was a whole lot as it was not classified the same way as in a war zone; wrote me about his feelings and thoughts in general and his love for me in particular. He verbalised things he never had said face to face and I did the same. Somehow, I fell in love with him a second time over those months and fell even deeper than before. I knew with certainty he was the love of my life and I missed him like hell.

The tour was intended to last over Christmas, but a week before he called me.

"Change of plans, I'm coming home Molly!"

"You're coming home?! When?"

"Tomorrow! I'll be home for bloody Christmas! Please, please, please tell me you can change your plans and come celebrate with me and Sam in Bath."

Wild horses could not have stopped me, and I was absolutely thrilled to see him again. That was the nature of Charles and my relationship; countless times over the last year I had thought to myself that I never had felt this happy before and now I could not possibly get any happier – but then I did, again and again.

Next day, I picked Sam up in Bath to drive to Brize Norton. Rebecca tolerated me as she seemed to think I had a positive effect on Sam and when Charles had been away I had sometimes gone to Bath for the weekend anyway, to meet with Sam, stay in Charles apartment and feel a bit closer to him surrounded by his belongings. Rebecca had even asked me if I would babysit Sam for an entire weekend when she and Harry were going away. He really was my little friend and he filled the gap of the absent Charles even better than his belongings.

Now we had agreed to surprise Charles meeting him there when he thought I was on a shift and Sam in school. I was a bit nervous while we were waiting together with other families and girlfriends (and the occasional boyfriend) at Brize. What if we just felt strange seeing each other again, like giving each other a lame hug and not feeling right about kissing?

I had not needed to worry. We saw him first, as he was not expecting us, and my heart raced at a speed that cannot be entirely healthy. When his gaze fixed on us, he split up in an enormous grin, dropped his kit in a manner I think his superiors would object to, referring to being careless with the property of the Army, and was with us in three large steps. First, he hugged Sam until the boy complained he could not breathe, while looking at me over his shoulder with twinkling eyes. Then he let go of Sam and pulled me to him and kissed me like he did not care about anyone around and Sam said he needed to vomit and I needed to be in a bed, alone with Charles, ASAP. He was home, it was still right, and he was still mine - and I was most definitely his.

Just like last year, it had been planned for Sam to celebrate with Rebecca and she was reluctant to change when Charles returned home early, but this time both Charles and Sam put their feet down and insisted Sam should celebrate with his dad and it ended with him doing so. Charles parents were equally excited when their holiday plan was changed from Christmas alone, to be joined by their son, grandson and me.

It turned out to my best Christmas Day ever, even better than last year. Waking up with Charles, knowing we were together, belonged together and had survived the distance-relationship a tour implied without creating a rift between us, on the contrary the time apart had made us grow closer. We were soon joined by a giddy Sam, excited to open his Christmas gifts and then spent the day together feeling that this was my family too now – and I knew for sure I had never been this happy.

On Boxing Day, Sam returned to Rebecca and that was when Charles announced that he had a surprise for me, we would go on a mini-break to an unknown destination – and that was how we had ended up here in the car, leaving Bath and after some time exited the motorway to drive out on the countryside.

Suddenly I recognized the surroundings and the coin dropped.

"We're going back to the hotel?"

"Finally, she gets it", he smirked.

He had made reservations at the wedding hotel, to celebrate our one-year anniversary (two days late but who cares) at the very place where we became a couple.

"Same room?" I cocked my eyebrow. I had very fond memories of that room.

"First, I thought so, but then I went bananas and booked their most luxurious suit. I'm so freaking happy to be home with you again and that we've been together a year, so I wanted to do something special."

"Being with you after nearly three months apart is special, but I appreciate you got the suite too", laughed and placed my hand on his thigh.

Later on, we were lying relaxing in the bed which was so big it made Charles bed in Bath look small like a tiny stamp in comparison, after having done things which would be new fond memories of this room. Life could not be any better than this, I thought to myself and sighed.

Charles moved to lie on his side, head propped up by his hand and looked at me intently.

"I have something I want to talk to you about."

I attempted to read his face. It was serious, and I realised it would be something that mattered to him and consequently mattered to me. I was suddenly filled with fear that he had news of another imminent tour, maybe lasting much longer than the previous one. Even if that had worked out fine, I would hate to have to let him go too soon again.

"You know I think it's been great to be posted in Pirbright this year, so I easily could come visit you in London."

I did know, because he certainly had done the trip very often and I had loved every time he came. What would he say next, that he was off to Catterick? Or Canada, that BATUS-place he sometimes spoke of? In the seconds he paused, I had time to outline several possible scenarios, none of them good.

"I have hoped I one day would get the opportunity to be relocated to Bulford, so I would be closer to Sam. If I'm posted in Bulford, I could even get a house in Bath and commute daily and Sam could stay with me during the weeks, not only weekends."

I would always understand him for wanting to be closer to Sam, but he would be further away from me which I selfishly did not want. I wondered where this was going, but just nodded showing I was listening.

"The other day, I was offered a transfer to Bulford. If it hadn't been for you, I would have accepted it on the spot, but I wanted to talk to you first."

It made me happy that he wanted to include me in the decision, but I realised that for Sam's sake there was only one proper choice and I would not keep him away from that or make it difficult for him even if it was less ideal for myself, or us as a couple.

"Of course, you have to live closer to Sam if you have the opportunity. It would be amazing if he finally can stay with you."

"It would, but you're important to me too and I don't want to sacrifice spending time with you." He reached out the hand he was not supporting himself on and caressed the dip of my waist. "I have a suggestion. Just hear me out and you don't have to decide right away because it would be a big decision."

I nodded in tense anticipation, waiting to hear what he had to say.

"I was thinking, if maybe you would consider looking for a job in Bath and move there to live with me."

I had to let his word sink in before I could speak.

"You're asking me to come and live with you in Bath? Move there and live in the same house as you?"

I wanted to make sure I got him right before answering anything, so I did not make a fool of myself.

"I know it's a lot to ask as you would be uprooting your life, which is why I want you to think about it before you answer, but yes, I'd love if you did. I love being with you and want to be with you as much as I can. Between work and Sam there isn't as much time as I'd wish, and I'd like to use it to the fullest."

"So, you would not just want me to live in Bath, having my own place?"

"If you think it's too early moving in together, or if you don't feel prepared to share home with a child every second week, it's of course a middle way that you have your own place, but I was thinking..." His Adam's apple lurched. "I'd hoped maybe you'd want to share my home. To get a place that is ours and know we can wake up together and come home to each other at the end of the day."

So, he wanted me to give up a job and colleagues I really liked, move to another city than the one where I spent my entire life up to now, leave my family and friends and share a house with a child that was not my own. Now the picture was clear to me.

"Yes."

"What do you mean 'yes'?"

"I don't need to think, I say yes right now."

"Are you sure?" His serious features began to crack into a smile.

"Never been surer about anything in my entire life. I want to be with you."

"And you don't mind Sam being part of that?"

I inched closer, so our bodies were pressed together and kissed him on the tip of his nose.

"When will you get it for real, Charles James, that Sam never is a problem for me? I love him. I think he's funny and sweet and I love the way he always takes my side if you and I disagree. I also know that him and you belong together, and I would never do anything to keep you apart more than you already have had to put up with. He needs his dad and you need him to be happy. I want both of you to be happy."

I think his eyes got a bit glossy, or maybe I was just imagining. His arm was now around me, holding me close to him.

"Thanks Molls. I know that not every girl your age would jump at the thought of having a step-son."

"I'm not every girl and both you and Sam are very special boys."

"And work? You don't mind giving it up?"

"You trying to talk me out of it? It won't work mate. I will miss some of the colleagues, naturally, but my foundation years are soon over so it would be good timing for a change hospital anyway. I think what I'll miss most is to be able to just drop by Bella and the baby anytime, but it's not reason enough not to move. Not when I want to be with you."

"So, we're moving in together? Our own place?"

"You sound so surprised, like you didn't think I'd say yes?"

"I didn't dare to let my hopes get too high. I knew I wanted to stay together with you either way, whatever you decided. I didn't want to get too fixed in my mind on a future where we would be living together, but now that you say yes... Molly, I'm just so unbelievably fucking happy."

So was I. It had happened again that he made me happier than I ever had been.

In the evening, we walked down the familiar stairs and I thought we were going to the restaurant, but Charles pulled me in another direction.

"Where are you going? I thought we were going to have dinner?"

"We are, but I've arranged a small surprise."

He was dressed in black suit and white shirt and looked simply gorgeous, especially now when he smiled, satisfied he had arranged something for me. He stopped outside the glass doors leading to the orangery, the place where we had our very first kiss - and some more, a year ago. It looked much the same with the beautiful Mediterranean plants, plentiful fairy lights hanging from the glass ceiling and a spectacular panorama view over the snowy landscape outside. The difference was a table for two, set with candles and all in the middle of the room.

"We're having our dinner here?"

"I thought so. Do you like it?"

A candle-lit dinner just the two of us in this magical place, what was there not to like?

"I love it! Thanks for doing this for me."

"For us", he grinned. "I planned I would eat here too, if that's okay with you."

I poked him affectionally in the side.

"You prannet, of course I got that. I can't believe and Army man like you is allowed to be this romantic. Isn't it against regulations?"

"If it is, I don't give a fuck", he grinned.

There was already a bottle of champagne in silver ice bucket and Charles poured us two glasses as soon as we had taken our seats.

"Cheers - to us and Christmas", he said.

"And to us moving in together."

"Indeed."

But as I said that, he got kind of a funny face, like something was the matter.

"What?"

"What do you mean?"

"You looked strange right now?"

"Did I?"

It seemed like it was nothing he wished to share and then we were interrupted by a waiter bringing a trolley with our dinner, so I dropped it, but I could see there was something and was starting to wonder if maybe he had changed his mind about moving in together. Maybe he had been so sure I would say no, that when I instead said yes, he realised he did not want it. Moving in together had not even been on my agenda this morning, now the thought of him maybe not wanting it after all made me sad.

My concerns increased during the meal. I noticed that Charles was shuffling around the delicious food on his plate, not eating much. He was not his usual relaxed, entertaining self and I felt I had to keep the conversation going. In between he even seemed absent minded, despite that he had arranged this very romantic setting. Half-way through the meal I felt I could not take it anymore and put down my knife and fork, staring at Charles.

"If you changed your mind, just say."

"About what?" He looked taken aback by my abrupt question, his brown eyes confused.

"About me moving to Bath and us living together."

"Why would you think that?"

"Because you're acting all weird! Here we have this lovely dinner in this amazing room, which you have arranged, but you're not really here. Something's wrong, I can tell and the only thing I can think of that is different from this morning is that we decided to move in together. If you changed your mind we don't have to do it, but please stop this and come back to me."

"I didn't change my mind – and I'm always with you", he looked at me steadily and there was a smile at the corner of his mouth which seemed reassuring. Maybe I got this wrong.

"What then? You're acting so strange."

He cleared his throat.

"I'm nervous."

"About what? It's not like you've never had dinner with me before."

"No, but I've never proposed to you before."

I stared at him, shell shocked. Had he said what I thought I just heard? And did he mean propose in the way I thought it meant, or could that mean something else?

"What haven't you done?"

He swiftly got up from his chair and kneeled beside me. Not that classical, yet ridiculous, pose on one knee. He was standing on both and took my hands, his eyes all intense.

"I haven't asked you if you want to be my wife, but I'm doing that now. I had planned to wait until desert, but I was apparently so nervous I blew the whole thing. I hope the timing doesn't swing your answer either way. Molly Dawes, will you marry me?"

Still shocked I looked at him searchingly to make sure he was serious.

"And here I thought it was a big deal you asked me to move in with you."

"It was. It is, and if you had said no I'm not sure I would have dared to propose tonight. It felt like one stepping stone in the right direction. The direction where I'm one hundred percent sure I want to go with you, to always have you by my side and to always stand by yours. Maybe it's much in one day but I know it's what I want, and I can wait out if it's all too soon for you."

"Don't you know by now that I'm crap at waiting out when it comes to you?"

"I know that you can be a bit impatient at times, but I thought that was more related to physical aspects", he smirked.

"Oi, you cheeky bastard! I think you were the one who once was so impatient with your physical needs, in an elevator, that this relationship almost didn't happen."

"I'm so glad it did – happen. So, what do you reckon, do you want to be my wife?"

His wife, Mrs. James it was hard to imagine. No, wait. It was not hard to imagine at all.

"I do. I want to be your wife."

"You do?"

"I do. On one condition."

"What's that?"

"That you never let me become a bridezilla like Bella and terrorise everyone in my surroundings."

He laughed, now relieved and relaxed, the pressure and nervousness over an imminent proposal had flown out the window.

"I can promise you that, I'm not Matt so I'd never put up with that."

"Then I'm yours."

"Wait, I forgot – I have a ring! I really don't have a talent for proposing."

"How fortunate you'll never have to do it again then, but this was more than good enough for me."

He pulled out a small box from his pocket and opened to show a white gold ring with a beautiful diamond, not too large or extravagant, perfect for me. He took it out and put on my finger and then we kissed softly.

"I love you."

"I love you, Major James."

We finished our lovely meal, Charles now able to eat and enjoy himself and I could not stop thinking about how much I adored this man and he would be my husband.

When we returned to our suite and Charles had used the key card, he turned to me and lifted me in his arms, one arm under my knees like I had been a bride being carried into a bridal suite.

"You don't think you're a bit previous there?"

"There's nothing like too previous when the chemistry is as undeniable as it is between us, and I really, really felt like doing this. Now I'm bringing you to bed Molly Dawes."

He did, and once again I thought that now I could not possibly get any happier, because it was insane how happy I was.

THE END

A/N: This was the end as I'm sure you figured out. THANK YOU for following this story all the way and once again THANKS for all your lovely reviews which really mean a lot to me! I intended for this to be an easy little piece in busy December but instead it turned into my longest and most complex story (in terms of tying all pieces together) so far. That is what happens when you cheer me on :)

Lastly, all my completed works are to be found here in a more reader-friendly format: misspionyff wordpress com, replace blanks with . (in addition to keeping them here, will not remove anything from this site).

If you want notifications of any new stories/chapters of mine, you can follow my twitter account MissPiony. I'm quite sure I won't be able to stay away from writing for very long because ideas always fight to get out

xxx