He'd got to the hotel at half 7 that night. He knew she'd be fuming but he was hoping that all what he'd planned for them would more than make up for it. He'd been held up all day, first of all at the Barracks for his health check, they weren't happy with his progress and wanted to extend his proposed rehab stay and then by Rebecca who as per usual was doing everything in her power to ruin his day. He'd forgotten to charge his phone; it was an innocent mistake. He'd been on the go all day and was achy and in pain by the time he'd got on his delayed train. He was gutted to hear from the receptionist that Molly has settled the bill and gone. As the room was paid up the Receptionist took pity on his pained expression and let him use the room, decent of her he thought.

He'd always considered himself as emotionally unavailable, well except for when it came to Sam. But Molly had come along and changed all of that. The fear he felt at losing her was blindsiding. He plugged in his phone and went through her messages, surely, she knew him better than that?

A frantic call from Elvis filling him in on their exchange left him distraught, how could she end it just like that? Her phone was going straight to voice mail, he had to find her and he had to explain. He fought with his ever-painful leg, willing it to manage until he got to her but he just couldn't do it, the pain was too much.

Charles: Please don't leave me. I'm at the hotel, I'm sorry I was late. Please don't end it like this. I love you more than anything. x

He pulled the velvet ring box from his pocket, gazing down at the most magnificent ring he could find. She deserved the world and he wanted to be the one to give it to her. How could this have gone so wrong? He gave her until midnight, pacing and praying she would walk through that door although it was clear now, she wasn't coming back. He was alone again. One call to Elvis, the only person he could rely on no matter what and he was in the car, once again leaning on him for support, Georgie's reassuring hand on his shoulder "It will be okay Charlie" She watched as their friend crumbled in front of her, she'd taken Molly into her home and made friends with her, how could she hurt him this way? Not even give him the chance to explain.

He didn't hear back from Molly.

-OG-

2 years later.

He'd found it beyond difficult to get over Molly. There were no words to describe it; she'd been everything he needed. She'd brought him through a dark time and when she left, he found himself right back there. How can the woman that he loved so much do this to him? Without so much as a text to explain. It took him along time to get his head straight and get on with his rehab. He struggled and he cried but he got there.

Molly moved out of Georgie's. Georgie had hoped she'd be able to help them sort it but stubbornness on Molly's part and Charles stint at Headley had prevented it, by the time he finished Molly had gone. He'd returned to Stockport so many times in the hopes of seeing her, he'd returned time and time again but their paths never crossed like he'd prayed he would.

Molly had regretted walking away, thinking about him every single day since. She wondered if he'd got himself better if he'd moved on. She knew she'd overreacted and wanted so many times to reach out to him, to apologise for leaving him and explain that her defence mechanism was to run when things got tough but she'd worried the hurt she'd caused him would be too much, she was scared he'd hate her and she was right. He did hate her. He got himself fit again, putting Molly behind him and moving forward with his life like he knew he deserved. He worked tirelessly to get back to what he did best, and that was the army. Once he was declared fit for service it wasn't long before he was deployed, Syria of all places. Straight back into the thick of it he thought.

Molly was ecstatic to find a friend request from him on Facebook, she couldn't be sure it was a recent add, she hadn't been on Facebook for bloody years but with graduation over, she'd been inundated with request emails from classmates. She'd seen he was back on his feet and back on the front line, courtesy of Georgie who was out there with him. Before she'd had a chance to properly nose at his page he'd deleted her, their only remaining link now gone.

-OG-

"You alright boss?" Georgie had noticed he was flagging, they were nearing the end of a long tour and she'd turned a lot of blind eyes with him.

"Fine Lane, why wouldn't I be?"

"You know why" she spat. She'd pointed to the leg that had been nagging him recently, loyalty preventing her from reporting it and having him straight on the first plane home "You can't go it on these patrols if you going to come back limping like that boss. The lads have noticed and raised their concerns. You're putting yourself and everyone else in danger. If anything happens both of our necks are on the line, you do realise that don't you?"

He knew she was right; he should be sitting out of the heavy stuff but he needed to be out there, needed to keep him busy. "It's just when I'm tired. I'll take a few days rest and I'll be fine again" she rolled her eyes "You better actually do it or I'll have no choice but to tell the major."

"Georgie for fuck's sake, if I wanted a nagging wife I'd have stayed married to Rebecca. Give it a bloody rest and remember who is in charge here" he limped back to his tent; the weight of Georgie's word heavy on him. He knew he was putting them all in danger, especially himself but this is what he needed. After all this time he still missed her and it consumed him.

Molly had tried to settle back at home but life had returned to shit again. She'd only been home a few weeks when an almighty row with Dave had made up her mind, she had to go. He'd demanded more and more money from her to fund his trips to the pub and his cans of Red Stripe, making it impossible for her to save for the flat she so desperately wanted, she had no choice but to hand it over to avoid the endless rows and violent outbursts, Belinda usually the one to receive the worst of it. She'd been working agency shifts since she'd left uni and although it was all she'd ever wanted; her life was once again shit thanks to him. He begged, borrowed, and stole from his kids whilst Belinda just stood back, powerless to her husband. Molly missed her life in Stockport, she missed him.

Georgie was becoming increasingly worried about him, he finished everyday limping and the rest of the time he'd seemed somewhere else or snapping their faces off, it's like his head wasn't in it anymore. He was weary. She'd shared her concerns with Elvis, as far as he could see he had the old Charles back, he was back to his best. Sure, he had a bit of a limp at the end of a long day but anyone who knew what he went through would expect that. It had been rough when Molly ended things but ultimately, he felt it was the best thing in the long run, when he'd got through the sadness, he'd found the fight he needed to recover and get back to his life in the army.

Molly had applied for every full-time position she could. It didn't matter where, she'd take it. She'd start again like she did before. Every night ended in a blazing row with Dave with no support from Belinda, not that she expected it; She had a hard enough time with Dave and his drinking without Molly adding to it. Most evenings she found herself in the local coffee shop, passing time so she could head straight to bed with minimal conversation, avoiding Dave altogether who'd be passed out pissed on the sofa. She browsed her emails hoping for something, anything. And there it was - A full time position at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham and It was far enough away so that she could start again. They'd loved her interview so much they wanted her to start right away. She'd be starting the following Monday on the military wing. Bloody soldiers she thought to herself. Something always brought her thoughts back to Charles. She'd changed her number but always kept his saved, the urge to text him often come over her, just to see how he was. But what was the point? It would only fuck with both of their heads. She had written and deleted so many texts over the years, over and over she had to fight it but she couldn't deny she missed him even after all this time.