Reckless Moments

by Debs60

A/U: Charles has always wanted to be in the army and Molly has always been fiercely loyal and independent. They have known each other since they were children but had very different upbringings and career direction, despite this their paths continue to cross through to adulthood. Will their differences pull them apart or were they always destined to be other half of each other?

9. Chapter 9

Reckless Moments

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Thank you for your lovely reviews. I am out all day tomorrow so wont be able to post so thought as this ends on a bit of a cliff hanger will put two chapters up today. Chapter 10 takes us half way.

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Chapter 9 - The Other Side

After Uncle Fred had left last night Charles had barely slept a wink. He kept checking Molly, who twitched now and again in her sleep, he wasn't sure if she was dreaming or if it was side effects of what she had been given last night. He could hear his brother pacing about in the next room, another that was having a sleepless night.

As the first shaft of light came through the curtains he thought he may as well give up on sleep and have a shower and get dressed. He looked down at Molly's muddy clothes and knew that she would want to go home to Wanstead to get changed before going to the hospital.

He felt much better after the shower and walked through to the kitchen to put the kettle on, he found bread and started making toast. He still couldn't stop thinking about last night's events, he would have to tell Elvis something but he wasn't sure what. He hoped it hadn't screwed up his entire weekend with Georgie. God knows what she must be thinking. Or him for that matter, he'd known Elvis years but they had never discussed this side of his family, what must he be thinking and what on earth could he tell him.

He was deep in his thoughts as a pair of hands snaked around his waist and a warm body pressed against his back "Did I piss you off last night"

"Of course you didn't" he answered quickly starting to butter the toast and turning to give her a slice. Molly nodded at him looking at him through hooded eyes "It's just…." And she touched her lip feeling the cut and swelling "You don't for one moment think I did that do you" he interrupted horrified that she would even think it, standing up straight his hands under his armpits as he frowned at her. Molly went and sat at the kitchen table and sighed "No I don't think you did it, I think I saw Artan last night and he did it, he tried to hit me before" she shrugged and frowned trying to dredge up memories, looking at all the dried mud on her trousers and shirt "I think he did but it might have been someone else" chewing on the toast he had passed to her, she kept thinking "I'm sure I heard your voice"

"It might have been mine Molly" said Andrew standing in the doorway looking at her, the palms of her hand rubbing her forehead as she tried to think, she had a bit of a headache and she could remember things albeit they were jumbled "You were there weren't you, with Artan and Derek. What were you doing in the yard?"

"Didn't you tell her last night Charles" queried Andrew looking at his brother who nodded. Molly couldn't take her eyes off Andrew, listening to his voice remembering Charles telling her things last night, some of the fog in her head lifting as she continued staring at Andrew. Jack calling for her, loud bangs, dogs barking, it wasn't in order, jumbled brief flashes as events of last night popped into her head. "It was you" she screamed launching herself out of her chair causing it to fall back, Charles just managed to grab her round the waist and pull her back before she physically attacked his brother. "You shot my brother" she screamed at him trying to wriggle out of Charles hold fighting him every step of the way to try and get to Andrew, who had taken a few steps back never having seen Molly like this.

"Are you mental" Andrew spat still staying out of reach of her flaying arms "It wasn't me, I didn't do anything"

"You better believe it, I'm fucking mental" she screeched. Charles with both his arms round her, he was six foot one and she only five foot two and he was struggling to hold her, she was a lot stronger than she looked he thought, arms and legs in all directions as she tried to fight to get to Andrew. His leg was going to hurt later, that was quite a kick she gave him. Good job she hadn't got her bloody shoes on.

"Calm down Molly" he pleaded with her not willing to let her go

"Calm down, me brother Jack has been shot and he had something to do with it" she was getting breathless with the struggle to get away "Let me go Charlie, let me at him, I'm gonna tear him apart" still he held tight, she may be small but he didn't doubt for one minute that she would do as she said, he was having a serious problem holding her himself. "Listen Molly" he tried to reason "Let Andrew explain" The fight seemed to evaporate from her as she relaxed in his hold, she could listen didn't mean she was going to change her mind though, she could still go back to plan A, she hadn't spent years down at the boxing gym with her brothers not to have learned a thing or two. In her head she could hear Gary "Even if the odds are stacked against you, the element of surprise could be what changes those odds in your favour and you get that one good punch in that knocks them out" Charles righted the chair and she sat down as the pair of them explained the events of the night before. She listened, said nothing before standing up.

"Where are me car keys" she asked and Charles picked them up from the kitchen worktop where he had left them the night before. She held out her hand for them "I can drive you back to Wanstead and change, then take you onto the hospital"

Molly looked at him as he stood in front of her, her eyes lifting to his and he had never seen her look at him this way. Her face was devoid of emotion, her eyes blank. He had heard people say about dead pan expressions, even been accused of having one himself on more than one occasion, but he didn't think he had seen one like this, and certainly not from Molly who had the most expressive eyes and face he had ever seen, even when she was four years old her face showed what she was thinking. Now there was nothing as she held out her hand for her keys. Charles gulped as he put the keys into her hand "I can take you" he almost whispered unable to take his eyes away from hers "No need, I can manage" her face still blank "Safer that way what with their being a rat in our mist" turning to sneer at Andrew and walking down the hall, slamming the door as she left.

Charles stood there staring at the closed front door, his mouth slightly open a pained expression on his face "I'm sorry Charles" said his brother from behind him "I didn't know it would all get out of hand like this" he swung round to face his brother who was standing there his hands in his pockets. He started limping into the kitchen, he knew that kick was going to get painful and sat down with his mug of now cold coffee. "If I could, I would turn the clock back, never got involved" started Andrew "I'm sure you would" answered Charles coldly, not sure where any of this was going to leave his relationship with Molly. Judging by her reaction and the way she left, the way she had looked at him, it may very well be over and he felt a tightening sensation in his chest at the thought of the loss. He didn't want it to be over but right at this minute he couldn't think what to do, other than to go to the hospital and see how Jack was, see if he could talk with Molly. She must surely realise that he would have played no part in whatever Andrew was up to, he never would have been involved or let Andrew hurt her or her family if he knew. He would have stopped him long before it got to this, told him to talk it over with their Uncle before embarking on this lunacy.

"I'm going to the hospital" he told Andrew standing up and looking for his own car keys. "I can come with you" responded Andrew looking at him hopefully. Charles was stunned "Get your head out your arse and engage your brain" using his best military voice "Dave will know by now, Uncle Fred will have told him of your involvement, do you really think it a good idea to be in the company of Dave who has spent the night waiting to find out if his son is going to make it, you saw what Molly wanted to do, what do you think Dave will want to do"

Andrew sat down hard on his chair looking down at the table, fear actually starting to penetrate. The implication of what he had done how many people would be hurt in the fall out. The Dawes family, Charles, his Uncle Fred and how would his mum feel when she found out, if it caused a rift with her own brother. How could he have been so bloody stupid?

-OG-

Charles was sitting in his car in the underground car park at the casino. Thinking about everything that had happened in the last 24 hours. This weekend had started so well, his best mate was here with his girlfriend and they were going out as a foursome and he had been really looking forward to spending time with Molly. Their time together was always precious and they had always spent as much time together as they could. He was hoping that they might be able to move to the next level soon, maybe start looking at living together, build a home together. All that was starting to look a bit like a pipe dream the way things had gone. What he did know was he wasn't giving up yet, he needed to speak with her, tell her he loved her and he wanted them to get through this. He would need to ring Elvis, see how he was, explain things, well what he could anyway. He drove up into the alley behind the Casino and dialled Elvis' number, he picked up on the third ring. "Wondered when you would call, what the fuck was going on last night Charlie"

"I don't want to say over the phone and I'm just leaving to go to the hospital, could we meet up later" he sighed "I'm sorry if your weekend with Georgie was messed up"

"Look, don't worry about it we were just worried about Molly and her brother and what the hell had been going on down there, those dogs were shot up pretty bad" there was a voice in the background and Charles realised it was Georgie speaking "She says she hopes Jack is OK" started Elvis "Look she's getting the train back to Manchester in a couple of hours, I'll meet you at the flat later before I go on to Chigwell to see me parents"

"Thanks Elvis that would be a good time, I'll see you then and tell you what I know, thanks again Elvis"

"What are mates for, see you later" and he hung up, at least he was seeing Charlie later and would get to the bottom of this. They had spent hours with the police last night saying they didn't know Jack but had spotted him on the back seat of the car outside the club, that Georgie was an Army medic and gave first aid. The keys were in the ignition so they drove him straight to the hospital. The police seemed to be satisfied with their story and let them go back to their hotel, after leaving their names and addresses.

Charles started the engine again, put the car into gear and set off for the hospital, not sure what he was going to find there, but more than anything he hoped that Molly had calmed down and would talk to him.

-OG-

Molly had quickly changed when she got back to Wanstead, it was funny seeing the house so quiet, it was never quiet. Nan had taken Martin to her flat back in East Ham. Probably the best thing with everything so up in the air, she thought.

She found out at reception that her brother was in Intensive Care and the family were all in the waiting room just outside. As she raced through the corridors to the family room she looked through the small window before pushing open the double doors, they were all there. Her Mum and Dad, Gary, Sam and Fred. She ran straight for her mother, who looked distraught. Her eyes blood shot and puffy from both crying and lack of sleep.

"Are you alright Molls" she cried when she saw her daughter. Drawing her into a tight hug as a fresh set of tears cascaded down her face as she realised that her daughter looked OK. Dave had told her what happened last night, well he told her what she needed to know anyway, not the other stuff, she knew that, had always known the life he led but he had always tried to protect her from it. When she saw the state of her son tubes coming out of him, a machine helping him to breathe for the first time was glad she didn't know all of it, but whoever did this to her boy would pay for it, Dave would see to that.

The doctor came in and all the eyes in the room turned to him expectantly, and he gave a hesitant smile. "The operation to remove the bullet from his chest was successful but Jack has lost a lot of blood, we have given him a transfusion and he's stable"

"He's gonna be alright ain't he doc" asked Dave holding his breath as he waited on his answer

"Early days Mr Dawes, your son is in a coma at the moment, if he makes a full recovery could depend on how long he remains like that, but the machines are maintaining functionality and we are hopeful at this stage Mr Dawes"

"Can I go see him" pleaded Belinda "I'll go with you mum" added Gary. The doctor nodded "Talk to him, no more than two at a time though, the nurses will still need to monitor him"

That gave Dave his opportunity while Belinda was gone and he was grateful to Gary for going with her as he turned to Fred and Sam. They had already explained to him in hushed voices during the night what they had seen on the cameras. Fred had told him he had spoken with Andrew, and although he was his nephew, in his opinion, he was just a lazy bum who believed what he was told, just thought about the earn. Thought he could just waltz in and play with the big boys and didn't think of the consequences and that they might play dirty.

"You know I can't trust him now don't you Fred" said Dave and it pained him to say it, his oldest friend. Over the years they had been through so much together and he could always rely on his mate, they had always backed each other up but this, it wasn't just he was a snake it was he ran off, he didn't phone no one. Fred nodded and looked to Sam they had both had a conversation in the car over here.

"I know" Fred answered raising his dark eyes to meet Dave's cold green ones "He broke the rules and I understand if you want to…" he couldn't finish the sentence as he thought of his sister Beth "He's my nephew and Beth….." again he left the sentence unfinished but Dave knew exactly what he was saying, they had been friends since childhood, worked alongside each other for decades. Dave nodded "He can't ever be a part of the firm again, you know that don't yah" and Fred nodded in agreement "He needs to be told to keep what he knows or thinks he knows to himself, make sure he never talks about it to anyone" Fred sighed "I'll make sure he knows alright and that it will be me that comes for him if he lets me down again"

"I'm really sorry mate" said Dave with genuine sadness, it must be terrible for Fred to be put in this position, he really didn't know how he would react if a member of his family turned out to be a Judas.

"I've been thinking about the Casino" started Fred now the difficult part of the conversation was over and Dave raised an eyebrow "It's not really a business we have been that bothered about, left it to Derek and then Andrew to sort" Dave nodded waiting for him to continue "I think we should offload it"

"What"

"Well we don't need the money it makes, the Italians have asked if we wanted to sell a few times over the years but we hung on because of Tony, he liked it down there, it was always his baby really" Dave grinned as he was already starting to catch on

"If Tony comes over with Doris, he's more likely to have a few pints in the Earl with us and a catch up, can't remember when he last went down there" added Sam "with his age he's coming less and less"

"You want to sell to the Italians" grinned Dave "It would certainly save having to find a new manager or one of us having to take it on"

"I think we just let the word out we wanna sell and see who makes us a good offer" added Sam. Fred sighed, "I'll tell Andrew, if he wants to stay as the manager, if that's what he wants as a future, work there and live over the business" he shrugged "but it won't be us that hurts him, if he crosses the new owners…." as he trailed off "if it's the Italians they have a much longer reach than us" and he felt a sadness at what he was suggesting. He would sit down with Andrew and explain everything to him, who he could be working for, that he probably wouldn't even realise that was who was behind the business but if he thought he could run a skim they really were not the people to do it to, their code was far stronger and harsher than the one that Fred, Dave and Sam lived by. Dave was right though he couldn't work with them anymore the trust was gone not to mention Jack and Molly would come across him on a daily basis. Just because Dave had agreed to leave Andrew alone didn't mean that Molly or Jack would. It was almost as if Dave had read his mind "Don't worry Fred, I'll have a word with the kids, tell them it's sorted, make sure they know he was just a twat and he's out of the business"

Molly could hear what they were saying but wasn't really taking it in. She thought she had it straight in her head now, what had happened last night although some of it felt like she had been asleep and it was just a nightmare she had woken up from. She thought about Charlie, watching her thumbs twist as they rotated on her clasped hands. Trying to work out what she thought, she did love him, she knew that, always had even when he didn't know it. But what his brother had done, how could they make a go of it now, how could she look at Andrew without feeling this hatred that was eating her up and it looked like her dad was about to give him a free get out of jail card.

She focused up to catch the tail end of her Dad talking with Fred and Sam "So the guns never made it away" he grinned and they both shook their heads "Go pay Costa a visit see if they want them, or if there is anything else from that skanky club before we burn it to the ground, tell em it's all free to a good home" again Fred and Sam nodded "On it Dave" grinned Sam "I'll give you a call when everyone is rounded up" they both left leaving Dave and Molly together, waiting on Belinda and Gary coming back.

Dave went and sat next to Molly who was leaning forward her arms folded across her knees her hair falling forward down the sides of her face but he could tell she was crying, saw a tear hit her hand clasped across her knees.

"Moll" he said softly putting his arm around her shoulder and the dam broke and more tears fell silently her shoulders hitching as she gulped air and sniffed. "You alright love" and she nodded still unable to get any words out. "Can you remember it better now, what happened and that" and she nodded leaning into her Dad "Yeah sort of, not sure I've got it in the right order, it's a weird sort of feeling"

"Have to say when Charlie turned up with his mate and that bird I was a bit miffed but she knew her stuff, sorted out Jack, stopped him bleeding" he didn't think he would ever forget seeing his son like that. "Maybe it's good he's in the army and knew those people" Molly shrugged, she couldn't really think of anything to say.

"Oh and Dad" grinned Molly as she looked into her father's serious face "Might be best if you don't let Georgie hear you call her that bird" he drew his eyebrows together in confusion as Molly's smile got wider "She's in the army Dad, she really is a trained killer and might not take too kindly with being called a bird" Dave rolled his eyes and shook his head, these young kids today.

"So you and him had a bit of a falling out then have yah" he said squeezing her shoulder and making her look up with surprise, she thought they were keeping it a secret that they didn't want their families to know. It had all started with a kiss at her 18th birthday but what with his tours and both their work they hadn't really spent all their time together, not like normal people. She wasn't such a sad case who had worked out how long they had spent together over the last two years but in her heart she knew there would be no one that made her feel like Charlie did. She just couldn't stay with him could she, not after what his brother did to hers. Fresh tears started down her cheeks. Her Dad would hate her if he knew, think she was a rat, she would be a disappointment to him.

"You can't blame him for his brother" Dave shrugged and squeezed her again "Chalk and Cheese that pair always were"

"But Andrew went against the family Dad" she sobbed her hand moving to his and he held it as he laughed

"I'm not so sure he knew what he was doing, I think he thought he was being clever, proving himself liked the idea of the big money but it all backfired and he was well out of his depth" he shrugged "He believed what he was told, didn't question it" he shoulder bumped her and winked "You know you should always think things through, work out what the catch is"

"Since when did you get so bleedin reasonable Dad" she half laughed

"Dunno Moll, an eight year stretch, four wayward kids of me own, who knows" he smirked looking at her tearful face "Gary and that school play and did he really think I don't know he was driving them cut and shuts since he was 15" he shook his head grinning "then there was Jack, remember that time he went to see his mate over in Aldgate came back with a pot plant, told your Nan it was a Caribbean Poinsettia, that's why it didn't have red leaves for Christmas" Molly couldn't help but giggle "stunk the bleedin flat out and when she stuck it on the window sill to help it grow I had to tell your mother that Marge was growing Cannabis in the window" he shook his head "Your Mum went mad, went straight round there and burnt the fuckin thing before your Nan got arrested for supplying drugs" he cupped her chin with his hand "and you girl, well let's not even go there with some of the stunts you pulled" Molly grinning even though her cheeks went red thinking of some of the things she had got up to. "One bad apple don't always spoil the barrel" he shoulder bumped her again as she rolled her eyes. "What I'm trying to say Moll and I know I ain't good with words" he sighed wishing he was like Belinda, she would know what to say to Molly how to make everything right, say the right thing and not worry if it made her look soft "I've seen the way you look at that lad" and Molly raised her eyebrows in surprise, what lad she thought "Don't play silly buggers, I'm talking about Charlie, we all know you like him, that you've been seeing him on the sly". He grinned at her "I always know what you kids get up to"

She couldn't believe her Dad was talking with her like this, she thought they had been really discrete, she couldn't believe that they had worked it out or seen them, she obviously wasn't as good at keeping secrets like she thought she was, not that they were deliberately keeping it a secret anymore, just didn't feel the urge to tell the world yet, even after all this time. Dave wiped his hand over his face and wishing with all his heart Belinda would come back and he could leave this with her "He ain't his brother, yeah Andrew was involved in what happened last night and he ran, but Charlie and his mates tried to help, I for one won't forget that and neither should you"

"But every time I see Andrew I wanna punch him" huffed Molly "and he'll always be there because of Charlie"

"No he will always be there because Beth is Fred's sister" staring at his daughter "and I ain't losing him as me best mate because that boy didn't know which side his bread was buttered" shaking his head "I ain't having him in the firm, Fred knows that. Andrew has decisions to make as a result of what has happened and he will make them, might even make him a better person, who knows. But that doesn't mean you have to give up what you want because of it"

"Are you saying you don't have a problem with Charlie, you know, if we wanted to make a go of it?"

"That's exactly what I've been trying to tell you Moll, he ain't his brother's keeper"

She hugged her father "I love you Dad"

"Well there is no need to get all sentimental girl" but he hugged her back. "Now as soon as Bells and Gary come back we can go see your brother" she nodded against his cheek hugging him tighter.

-OG-

She and Dave finally got to go in and sit with Jack. This was the first time Molly had seen him like this and her face drained of colour when she saw him. He looked pale, had a greyish look about him but it was all the tubes that really shocked her and the machinery and constant beeping.

They sat down either side of him. Dave just staring at his son. He must have known Derek well over 30 years, he may not have been the one that pulled the trigger but he was the cause of it all and he was going to pay for this. Dripping his poison into Andrew, tying up with those Albanians, bloody homicidal maniacs, drugging his girl, shooting his son and the state of those bloody dogs, he didn't think he would ever get that image scraped from his eyeballs. They looked like bleedin sieves, who does that. Molly must never find out what they did to her dogs, just give her the basic's he thought. He continued staring at his son deep in his thoughts, almost a trance like state. He didn't hear Molly talking to him

"Dad" she called to him again and he shook himself out of his stupor and looked across to her "Dad what did you do with Bill and Ben" and he looked at the sadness on her face, her eyes glazing over as she struggled to contain the tears. Was she physic he was only just thinking of them "We buried them love, they are behind the porta cabin, they liked it there, got a bit of sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon" grinning before continuing "then scare the shit out of anyone that went anywhere near the place, running out from behind" he had been caught himself a couple of times as they came thundering round to greet him, bloody great wolves he thought.

"Perhaps we could plant some flowers there Dad" and he shook his head taking her hand across the bed "We can't love. It's gonna be a shit storm with the police questioning everyone about Jack" he sighed "Charlie's mate has said he found him shot in his car outside the club, brought him straight to the hospital" Molly nodded, she wasn't aware of that, but could see why that was done to keep them away from the yard. "If they get an inkling that it happened there and they start searching the yard, if they find Bill and Ben then its gonna get a whole lot worse, they will go through the place with a fine tooth comb, pay very close attention to what goes on down there" he gripped her hand "They can't know what went on down there, not ever"

He watched as Molly's face fell even more, her lip quivered and she ran her hand over her eyes and his heart broke for her, he'd never admit it but he was quite fond of the beasts himself and was gutted what happened to them "Look have a word with your Mum, she was always good at flowers and stuff, maybe she might have an idea of something that wouldn't draw too much attention when the heat dies down a bit"

Molly nodded and turned back to Jack "Do you think he can hear us" and Dave shrugged "I did read somewhere that they think even if they are unconscious they can hear voices, who knows" he grinned "You'll have to ask him if he heard you rabbiting away when he wakes up won't you"

"I don't rabbit"

"Moll you never stop chuntering on"

"Charmin"

-OG-

They finally left Jacks room and were on their way back to the waiting room. Charles was standing outside, looking through the window but hadn't actually gone in to see Belinda and Gary. Unsure if he would be intruding. He could clearly see how distressed Belinda was as she shredded a tissue in her hands, Gary looked ashen and was trying to comfort Belinda but wasn't succeeding.

"You alright Charlie" said Dave "you not going in then" and pushed open the door his hand on Charles back and almost pushing him into the room. Charles wasn't sure how the family would react to him. Molly's reaction this morning hadn't boded well, he thought they would all hate him because of Andrew. Belinda gave him a watery smile and Gary grinned and said "Take the weight off mate" so he sat down in one of the hard plastic chairs. He looked across to Molly, whose eyes were downcast and he could see her lashes fanning across her cheeks looking wet, she looked so vulnerable, like she had been crying for ages and all he wanted to do was go over to her and hold her tight, tell her it would be alright, although none of them knew if it would be. Molly went and sat next to her mother, still unable to look at Charles, the sight of her brother, her chat with her Dad all running through her head.

"So are you seeing your mate later Charlie" asked Dave "Elvis weren't it" and Charles nodded before saying he was due to meet him later before he went to Chigwell to see his parents.

"Tell him thanks from us and tell him to thank that girl of his for what she did to stop our Jack bleeding out" he sighed, Charlie wasn't looking at anyone other than trying to get Molly to look at him but she wouldn't. Always was a stubborn mare that daughter of his. "Blimey he ain't that far from us, you'll have to bring him over with his girlfriend so we can thank him proper, make sure he gets a top night at the club" Charles nodded but still wasn't talking "He works with you then" continued Dave, he could feel the tension between Molly and him, cut it with a knife based on the daggers she was throwing him at the moment.

"Not exactly" grinned Charles finally looking across at Dave "He works in a part of the army that is…." Trying to think how to describe it "well you wouldn't want him turning up"

"What like that Iranian Embassy thing years back" said Dave getting excited his eyes lighting up with interest "yes that sort of thing, mostly overseas though" replied Charles smirking at the thrill Elvis would have had on a mission like that.

"Fuckin hell" whooshed Dave "Thought there was something about him at the time, bloody hell" he winked at Charles tapping his nose "Don't worry mate we won't say nothing" and Charles couldn't help but chuckle, he knew that they really wouldn't say anything.

Dave looked across to Molly who was still blanking Charles and you didn't need to be a brain surgeon to work out he was desperate to talk with her but wouldn't while they were all here. Even Gary looked at him and inclined his head in Molly's direction rolling his eyes.

Charles looked at his watch, he really needed to leave soon to meet with Elvis back at Andrews flat before he went off to see his parents. "Look I better head off meet up with Elvis, I just wanted to see how Jack was" he started "I'll let Mum know about him" he said looking at Belinda who nodded through her tears. Time to take the bull by the horn thought Dave

"It's good of you to come lad and don't forget to tell that Elvis we are grateful and he's due a good night out on us" he turned to Molly "You may as well go with him and get the tea in, it's like the bleedin Gobi desert in here" Molly narrowed her eyes at him, she knew a set up when she saw one. She stood up anyway and followed Charles out and down the corridor.

They got to the machine but he grabbed her elbow and guided her to the exit of the hospital, took a quick look around and found a bench, pulling her towards it and both of them sitting down.

"Molly, please…" he grabbed her hand and laced his fingers with hers "I know that I've been away a lot with the army and I know how important your family is to you" he sighed pulling their hands to his lips and kissing hers "but we've been good together this last couple of years haven't we". She nodded, thinking of all her Dad had said to her this afternoon, there was no denying they had been good once he got back from Hong Kong, how they laughed and loved, how with just a look they almost knew what the other was thinking. They didn't have a traditional relationship where they lived together, they didn't even live in the same towns, for the first year they just had letters and she had kept all his, but there was no denying that he knew her better than anyone, when he looked at her, he saw into her very soul. She couldn't imagine her life without him in it. He sighed as he looked into her beautiful green eyes, he had told her things he had seen on tour, things he didn't think he would ever be able to tell to another living person, he knew how much younger she was but the way she looked at him when he told her his darkest thoughts, his dreams, there would never be someone he would be this close to and he couldn't bear for this to be the end.

"I don't know when exactly but we are due to be sent to the Balkans soon, probably after Christmas sometime" she was looking at him now "I don't want to go away without us sorting this because for me nothing has changed, I love you" he drew in a breath "I can't change what Andrew did and it doesn't change what I feel for you"

"Yeah I know" she whispered

"I don't want to lose you Molly" his hand coming up to stroke her cheek not really hearing her whispered response to his impassioned plea to her.

"I got that Charlie" she grinned "It's just a bit hard and that, you know with what your brother did, but Dad said one bad apple don't spoil the barrel" leaning forward towards him. This time he heard, saw in her face his own breaking into a wide grin before biting his bottom lip "I've always thought Dave was a good bloke, very wise, gives good advice"

"Don't milk it Charlie" she grinned back at him as he pulled her across the bench to sit closer to him "You know that trouble's coming over this though don't yah Charlie" he nodded "Andrew won't be working with us anymore" again he nodded "Me Dad said he wasn't prepared to lose his best mate over him and I guess I don't wanna lose mine either" as she leant up to lightly kiss him on the lips. Suddenly he felt his world right itself again. Whatever it was that pulled them together, that first tentative kiss reminded them that without the other there was something missing, no matter how hard, they would work it out and get through this.

-OG-

Charles drove back to Andrew's flat on cloud nine. He knew that he and Molly would have to talk more, build a few bridges to get things back to where they were but he hadn't lost her. When he arrived back at the flat Elvis was waiting outside. He used his spare key to get in and the both of them walked up the stairs and into the kitchen, Charles flicking the switch for the kettle. He spotted the note on the fridge from Andrew saying he had gone to Bath for a few days to see their parents. Probably a good idea bearing in mind what Molly had told him, that trouble was coming. He didn't like to ask exactly what and how bad. He knew enough about his Uncle and the Dawes family to know that the trouble wasn't to do with the police, although they would be asking questions, a lot of questions it wasn't every day that someone was shot on the streets of London and left to die.

Elvis and he were now sat at the kitchen table with mugs of steaming hot black coffee. "So Charlie are you gonna tell me or shall I tell you what I have found out so far" Charles raised his eyebrow at him giving him the floor to speak, he couldn't believe that within 24 hours he had found out much even someone with his connections. But this was Elvis so there was always the possibility. While Charles instincts said that he should be telling the police everything he knew, he couldn't betray his Uncle and if it was protecting Molly then without a doubt he would be keeping his knowledge to himself.

Elvis looked at Charles and knew he knew more than he was going to let on. They'd been friends since Sandhurst, good friends and he liked Molly on the few occasions he had met her. Thought she was good for him, made him loosen up and stop taking things so seriously. He had a feeling that the Dawes and Charles Uncle Fred were, how would he put it, walked in some of the darker parts of London. He'd heard stories from his granddad about why his own family came to England from Italy, and it wasn't just that fascist Mussolini, but that was all in the past. He stared into Charles eyes, looking for the tell-tale signs and grinned as he twitched. There it was. He shrugged before starting to speak and tell Charles what he thought he knew.

Charles eyes opened wide, how had Elvis found all this out. He didn't have the whole sordid story but he was pretty much spot on with what he did know. That the wharf was being used to smuggle guns, that Molly and Jack had stumbled across it accidently, which they had.

"So what are they gonna do about it Charlie"

"I don't know Elvis, well only bits that Molly told me but I can't say if you are going to go all military on me"

"Me military, you're having a laugh, you're the one who follows the rules to the letter, never deviating from the rules of the British Army, be honest Charlie boy you know them by heart don't yah" raising an eyebrow and grinning at his mate before leaning forward "So come on, between you and me what are they gonna do"

"What do you think they are going to do?" trying to be evasive, not that he was entirely sure what they were going to do, but he saw the anger burning in Dave and Gary's eyes this afternoon, heard some of the whispers, whatever they were up to it wasn't going to be pretty.

"Well" sighed Elvis "If it was me I would burn the place to the ground, teach them a lesson, and make sure that they didn't get a foothold again to start selling guns to the highest bidder" shrugging "but that's me… Cosa Nostra"

"What" exclaimed an incredulous Charles and Elvis grinned before giving him a rough translation "Our thing"

"Do you know Elvis, I'm not even going there, I really really don't want to know" and Elvis burst into fits of laughter at Charles straight face, standing there upright with his arms crossed, the look of shock that they were even having this type of discussion. They were both officers in the army and they should be going to the police with what they knew, never in Charles wildest dreams did he think his brother would be involved in something like this, but the bigger picture and indisputable fact is that if he did go to the police not only would his uncle and the Dawes have serious questions to answer, so would his brother and his parents would be devastated.

"This day is really getting too much" said Charles wiping his hand over his face "I have an uncle that may or may not have had serious underworld connections in the past and now you my best mate is talking of Cosa Nostra, which even I know is Mafia"

Elvis was howling with laughter at the horrified expression of Charles, he had clearly led a sheltered life considering his dad was pretty high up in the army, he could now understand how Andrew had got himself into such a mess. Elvis knew his family history, Italian migrants getting away from the fascists, came here worked hard, started a restaurant and as things had got better the family moved out of the east end. Considering that Charles mother came from the east end herself he was a bit surprised at how naive both Andrew and Charles were about their family background. "No we weren't Mafia, but you can't be an Italian and not be aware of them" he held his sides with laughter. "Just the same as your Uncle can't live in the east end and not be aware of the Krays" he stopped laughing "Although they could have been part of the firm of course, back in the day"

"You're wrong Elvis" shaking his head. Elvis just raised his eyebrows and smirked, he wasn't so sure himself.

"Do you know when this meeting is, you know to sort out the Albanians" and Charles shook his head

"I'll tail your Uncle that should get me to the right place"

"I'll come with you then"

"Nah Charlie, I'm used to sneaking about but I would be there as backup if they needed it" looking at Charles "and I need to make sure those guns don't go anywhere, who knows who they are being sold to and they could be used to kill one of my men, or yours, in the future, I can't let that happen Charlie" Elvis stood up ready to leave to visit his own parents "I will have to have a quiet word with Blue if it's bigger than just a couple of hand guns, you know that don't you Charlie"

-OG-

It was two days later and Jack still hadn't woken up but Dave got that call from Fred to say they had found Derek. He was on his way to the Albanians club in South London. He thought he was free and clear what with Molly supposedly not remembering and Jack in a coma. Sam had found the other nutbars who were at the club thinking that they were safe there. Lying low until they could have another go at getting the guns out. All of them confident that they had got away with it, there were no witnesses and Dave, Fred and Sam had no clue. What Derek hadn't accounted for was the hidden security because they were already suspicious and when Fred had confronted Andrew, he had folded and told him everything. It had been a very hard conversation for Fred, telling his nephew that he couldn't be part of the business and that they were already looking for a buyer for the casino, the fact he was family had got him a free pass, where he could walk away, his partners would not be so lucky. Andrew had made the decision to leave London and go back to Bath, Fred really hoped that it would be a permanent move, that he wouldn't come back to work with the Casino's new owners.

Dave looked across to Gary and nodded and he sat up straighter waiting for his father to tell him what they were going to do. Molly and Belinda were quietly talking together and waiting for the nurses to finish their checks so they could go back in and sit with Jack.

As each day had gone past Gary had been getting angrier and wanting to go out and deal some justice. Now that day looked like it was coming.