Thank you readers!

Thank you for your kind reviews/comments. xx

To answer a Guest's comment - I plan to continue

writing about G & E as long as an interest remains.

They are still working on their happily ever after :)

Chapter 45

The Road to the Cottage

1000 – SAS Garrison, Hereford, UK

"So you're home owners now." Peters said as Georgie settled in at her desk.

"That's right." she answered happily.

"I remember when me and the Mrs. bought our house. She kept jingling the keys like they was sleigh bells."

Georgie laughed. "We'll be jingling ours after work today. I can't wait to be honest."

"Happy times Georgie. I am glad you are back."

"Glad to be back sir."

"Did you miss me corporal?" Peters asked with his head cocked.

"I did actually. You are my favorite sergeant next to my former 2 Section leader." She said smiling as she sorted the piles of papers on her desk.

"That right?" Peters asked with a measure of surprise. "Who was the bloke?"

"Sam King. We call him Kingy."

"Yes. Yes. Good man that one." Peters said rubbing his jawline.

"You know him?" Georgie questioned with interest.

"I've never met him. But heard good things, yeah."

"I reckon 2 Section are still in Syria. But they should be due to return."

"Do you ever miss goin on tour?" Peters asked, eyeing her curiously.

Georgie became thoughtful for a moment. "There are times when I think about it, but honestly, they've become less and less. Once this little one is born, I don't reckon I would ever want to be apart from him."

"You have a good career here Georgie. You score high marks with the trainees."

That felt good to hear. "Thank you sir." Her mobile intoned an incoming message, momentarily pulling her away. She swiped the screen…..Elvis had sent a picture of the cottage. She erupted into a toothy grin and texted back: best birthday ever!

Xxxxx

1100 –

A lorry pulled in next to the Killing House. Elvis would be training SAS operatives to breach and subdue a hostage situation. He knew the routine. The rubrics played over and over in his mind. He had been summoned to extract numerous hostages over the years but certainly the most critical in his memory was Georgie Lane. If he had not succeeded in extracting her…... he shook off the thought. Now he trained others to be formidable. These soldiers were the next generation. A lot of their success would be contingent upon his skill as an instructor. If he could no longer be active duty, he would make damn certain these operatives would get the job done. Elvis looked at the faces of each and every soldier sat in the lorry. Today would be grueling for them. Today would be brutal, and deep down, he relished the thought of action today.

Xxxxx

1230 –

"Mum! Mum! It's ours! We own the cottage!" Georgie said ecstatically into her mobile.

"Oh Georgie! Good for you girl!"

"Elvis will have the lads dispatched this week to refurbish so I reckon by next week you can have the furniture delivered. You can come now, yeah?" Georgie said clutching the phone close to her ear.

"I've been waiting for the word. I will be on the next rain there luv." Grace gushed.

"This is exciting mum!"

"I am so happy for you two!"

"It's just all coming together isn't it?" Georgie said, tenderly rubbing her bump, smiling from ear to ear.

"We can go shopping Georgie. We have to get that boy some cute clothes."

"I have a few things, but yeah, I would love to go shopping with ya mum."

"Can Elvis pick me up at the station?"

"Of course. No problem."

"Good. The girls put a little something together for their baby nephew."

"Awww. That is so sweet."

"Do ya have a name picked out yet?" Grace persisted.

"No mum! But his middle name will be Paolo…Paul. After Elvis' granddad."

"That's nice Georgie. I'm sure Elvis is proud."

"Yeah." She answered smiling. "Listen in. Let me know when ya can book a train. We're heading to the cottage after work today and hopefully ya can get a late arrival in a day or two. Elvis is involved in loads of training now so evening would be best." Georgie said walking about randomly in her office, periodically stretching her lower back.

"Ok luv. I'll work on it this afternoon."

"I'm lookin forward to seeing ya mum." Georgie said with a smile in her voice.

"Oh me too. Maybe I'll be there when the baby is born." Grace said hopefully.

"That would really be special. But I've still got a few week to go." she said, circling a hand over her bump.

"I know he'll want to meet his nan." Grace said fiddling with the collar on her top.

"Of course he will. All of his wonderful family."

Xxxxx

1300 –

"Sergeant Blaine. Your unit was compromised." Captain Elvis Harte said staring endlessly at the leader trainee."

"Yes staff." Blaine uttered stoically.

Elvis gravely nodded his head. "Care to explain why?"

Blaine swallowed hard. "They knew we were coming staff."

"Exactly. And exactly why your hostage would not make it out alive. The hostage is your asset. Your primary. That is your focus Blaine."

The four man unit wore grim faces as they took in the captain's words of wisdom.

"Ya only get one chance at the rescue. Speed and aggression sergeant. Once ya methodically work your way in ya 'ave to move fast!"

"Acknowledged staff."

"Regroup. Ya 'ave two minutes. Wha' ya gonna do?" Elvis set his stopwatch. "Prepare to move. Move!"

Xxxxx

1700 - Hereford, UK

"My mum is gonna call as soon as she has a train booked. You can pick her up at the station, yeah?"

"Yes. Ya told 'er it needs to be later in the day?" Elvis asked waiting for the traffic light to change.

"Yeah. I reckon she's bringin a ton of stuff with her." Georgie said watching a pedestrian cross in front of them.

Elvis' head swiveled towards her. "I only 'ave so much room in the car Georgieeeee. She can't be bringin half of Manchester with 'er."

Georgie laughed. "She said the girls put something together for the baby."

"Wha' ya reckon 'at is?" He asked as the light changed.

Georgie shrugged. "Some toys, tiny socks, baby stuff."

"Baby stuff." Elvis said succinctly.

"You know more about that than I do." she said tapping his arm.

He amusingly curled his lips at her.

"Well ya did take care of Laura." She said returning the curl.

"Indeed."

"Bob's your uncle." she said with a sniff and looked out the passenger window. Elvis chuckled and kept intermittently glancing at her with a playful, I'm gonna get you back grin on his face. He loved these moments with her.

"I do hope we get loads of nappies though." She suddenly said as an afterthought.

"Oi! I'll let you take care of 'at." He said, pulling a face.

"Don't be scrunchin your nose at nappie drills!" she said folding her arms across her chest. Elvis laughed and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel.

"Don't forget about spit ups and hourly wake ups." he said playfully leaning into her.

"Watch the road!" she threw back.

"Best way to learn is to just get in there Georgiieeee." He said trying to smother a silly grin.

"Right. Well I'll be sure to count on your expertise to guide me." She said sticking her nose in the air. He really laughed then.

"It'll be fun George!"

"Oh yeah. Loads. As if contending with an infant isn't going to be enough. I'll have to contend with you!"

"I love ya. You are without a doubt, the brightest spot in my day!" he said, grinning like a cheshire cat. She laughed then, stealing a squeeze to his thigh. Caring for a newborn will be a whole new experience for her but she had no doubts Elvis would be actively involved, especially with her mum all the way in Manchester.

"I'm lookin forward to my mum comin." She said. "It's a good thing you cleaned up the spare room."

"Yeah, well, I woulda bunked in there if I had to." He said seriously.

"It's over though Elvis, yeah?" she had to ask. He seemed to still retain some edginess when the subject came up. He did not answer straight away but his eyes flashed sideways towards her. She hated when he hesitated. "Elvis?"

"Sure. Yeah." He actually turned his head to look at her as he slowed the car to a stop at a traffic light. Georgie pulled her lower lip in between her teeth hoping he would elaborate. "I reckon it is babe. I would just feel betta if there was complete closure."

"What does that mean?" she asked feeling a sense of dread should he choose to answer that.

"They still 'aven't found Evans' body and Forensics has not confirmed Pettigrew's identity."

"Fuck sake Elvis, who else would it be?"

"I know." He shrugged, in essence admitting he was perhaps reading too much into things. "I just can't shake this feelin." he said and she could see he was troubled.

"Have you had any headaches?"

"I aven't had time for headaches." He answered dismissively.

"That is not what I asked ya." The light changed and Elvis began to accelerate.

"George, there's nothin wrong with my head." he said irritated that she kept staring at him.

"I have my obstetrics follow-up in a couple days. I'll see if I can make an appointment with your doctor." she stated decisively.

"You will not." he said firmly.

"Do it for me, yeah?"

"Georgie, there is nothin wrong with my fuckin head, Ok? Listen in. Two men who were highly trained in covert ops became involved in some illegal shit. Anythin is possible."

"You are the only one thinking like that." she said rubbing her forehead.

"Maybe I am. But I know how their minds work."

She rolled her eyes, feeling slightly defeated. Elvis did not want to keep this conversation going. The last thing he wanted to happed would be for Georgie to get upset to the point of another panic attack. "Georgie. We are on our way to the cottage. Our cottage. My rumblins about what ifs is just 'at. It has been weeks now and it's over."

"Keep telling yourself that because I'm beginning to worry about ya." she said drilling her gaze into him.

Now Elvis rolled his eyes. "I have not had any headaches, Ok?"

"You're not bull shitting me are ya?"

"Noooo!" he sing-songed.

"I'm gonna check the aspirins when we get home."

He chuckled wearily. "If I say I had a headache would ya rub my neck tonight?" he asked provocatively.

"You had me at no." she drawled.

"Good. Cause I left the aspirins at the Garrison."

"Elvis! I am gonna send ya to the moon!" she sputtered.

"You already did George. The day I met ya."

She grinned at him. "Yeah. You're a space man alright."

He laughed. "Start gettinn those keys jinglin Mrs. Harte….we are almost there…"