He'd let himself slip on patrol that day. He was weary and in pain and he knew he should have listened to Georgie's advice and put himself on light duties, staying well away from patrols. It had only been a routine sweep of the bunker and the check point, they'd never once had contact in this area in all the months they been there.
His limp was holding him back now. The lads had inched ahead but not by much he thought. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on edge as the sound of gun fire rang out ahead of him. Everything moved in slow motion, a blow to the back of his head knocking him to his feet. His legs failed him as he tried to fight them off but there was too many. His calls for help went unheard as the battle raged on ahead of him, and then it was dark. He couldn't catch his breath, panic rising within him as the sack over his head restricted his air supply.
They beat him senseless, over and over as they travelled for hours in the back of a truck. They didn't speak, their only response to his fear and pain was to beat him some more. He could be anywhere by now. They'd searched him and stripped him of anything he could use to defend himself. His hands were tied behind his back; his ankles bound together causing searing pains in both his legs. His bad leg so painful it brought him to tears "Please untie my legs. I'm already injured, I can't run. Please" his pleading was met with a barrage of kicks to his injured leg. He'd let them in on a weakness and they used it against him.
1 Month later
Molly loved every second of her job, she'd settled in well, making friends with her colleagues had been easier than she'd expected. She was enjoying living in nurse's accommodation too, it wasn't massive but it suited her and was still a damn site more comfortable than the bedroom she shared with Bella. She'd finally got social in her life too; the Birmingham nightlife was cheap and cheerful allowing her to start saving again after Dave had had every penny off her. She felt at home here, maybe she would finally be able to move on from the longing for her life in Stockport.
Working on the military wing had her constantly thinking of Charles. She'd been keeping an eye on Georgie's Facebook but she hadn't posted in weeks. He looked so happy in the last photo posted. Tall, tanned, and handsome as 2 Section mobbed him in a paddling pool. She'd texted Georgie a few times since she'd left Stockport but there had been no reply. She was either fully on Charles' side or just didn't see her as a friend now they'd gone their separate ways. She'd stayed single since Charles; she'd been on dates and that but no one compared to him. No one gave her the butterflies that he did, she missed everything about him.
He'd been gone weeks now. So long that he'd given up hope of them ever finding him. He'd been moved so many times he doubted he was even still in Syria, how would they know where to look?
He wasn't sure if his leg was badly injured or it just didn't work anymore. His legs had been tied together for days, the pain often making him pass out.
He hadn't seen daylight in god knows how long but they'd removed the bag from his head now, they probably knew that no one would ever find him. He couldn't understand what they wanted him for. He hadn't been forced to make a ransom video as far as he could remember but his mind was blocking an awful lot out these days. He spent his days dreaming of Sam, what would they have told him? He'd been gone so long now, with the 5 months on tour before he was taken. He wasn't even sure himself anymore of time, days, or anything. His battered body lay on the cold, hard floor. Tears didn't come anymore, probably from the dehydration. They barely fed him; days would go by before they gave him anything at all. He prayed for the end; it would be kinder.
Elvis, a man possessed worked tirelessly every waking minute of the day. They'd followed every bit of intelligence whether he believed in it or not to try and get his friend back, His best friend. He made a promise to Sam that he would be the one to get his dad back, and he didn't break promises to his boy.
Her dark hair blew in the wind around her shoulders; her green eyes sparkled in the sunlight as she beckoned for him to follow her. She held out her hand the way she always did to him, reassuring him that he'd be ok if he was with her. She'd look after him. He didn't know why he kept dreaming of her but she'd made almost daily appearances in his dreams lately. He hated her, he hated how she hurt him and left him broken once again so soon after Rebecca. He didn't want to dream of her, he wanted to dream of Sam. He wanted them to put him out of his misery.
Elvis finally got what he needed, as much as he didn't want to see it, the video came. Release all ISIS rebels or they'd kill him. They'd beaten him to a pulp for effect before they put him in front of the camera. Georgie sobbed at the site of him. There wasn't an inch of him that wasn't battered and bruised, he was in a bad way and they needed to get to him before it was too late. Elvis racked his brain about what was familiar to him, something about the recording spoke to him. He'd been there before, he knew it. He just had to work it out. Time was ticking and Charles needed him. He hadn't expected him to look as bad as he did; they left it this amount of time for maximum impact, they knew they'd be desperate now. He was battered, bruised and gaunt but most terrifyingly he was dead behind the eyes.
"The Turkish border. He's being held at an underground bunker on the Turkish side of the border and we've been there before lads. We've been there before."
Elvis stared at the tag on the wall he'd bollocked Spanner for leaving when he was a newbie. "Spanner you fucking beauty." There was no delay, he was ready to go before his boots had even hit the ground, "2 Section will be needed for back up. Lane you're with me, I'll recover the primary and you'll be on standby for medical assistance" "Yes Captain" Elvis was after blood. Blood of those who'd tortured his friend, his comrade, his favourite bloody person in the whole world.
The sound of gun fire around him barely even stirred him from his painful sleep. He'd dreamt so many times they'd rescued him, each time to wake and find it had all just been a dream. He knew he was close to dying now, it wouldn't be long. He'd lost hope, his body failing him. The gunfire drew closer as he recoiled into the corner; maybe they were going to finally put him out of his misery.
"Captain James" the familiar voice echoed around his empty stone hell. Elvis approaches with caution "Captain James, your friend Elvis Harte here. I've come to take you home mate" he stared at the man in front of him who was overcome with emotion, he wanted more than anything for him to be real but he wasn't, another trick of the mind. "Charlie boy, can you stand?"
The warm hand of Elvis reaches out to him "Are you real this time?" His voice was hoarse and shaky.
"I'm the real deal mate. Let's get you out of here."
He couldn't stand, his body weak and lifeless "Right Charlie I'm going to help you stand, that means I'm going to have to touch you. Are you ready?" Charles nodded "If you're the real deal then what took you so fucking long."
Molly was absolutely hanging when she arrived for hand over; she'd barely heard a word they'd said from the night shift. Merely just nodding and agreeing when required as she wished that death would come and relieve her of this hang over "Molly please remember how sensitive this particular patient will be. Extra care and attention must be paid."
"Sorry just run it by me once more. So, I'm 100%"
The ward sister rolled her eyes "Honestly Molly. We have a new soldier in, an officer actually. He's been held hostage for some time. He's in a bad way as you can well imagine. Extra care and attention and for god's sake a little common sense needs to be applied here. Strictly one person at a time, keep the lights dim and for lay off the gin girl you are a sorry state."
"Sorry I've got it now, sorry" she mumbled. She got stuck into what she felt was going to be the longest shift in history, they'd only had 3 patients in at the moment so she was praying for it to be a fairly easy shift. She made a start on the observations, not knowing how was best to approach the room of their new soldier; she'd never dealt with anything of this nature before.
She stumbled, still half pissed she was sure of it, she sent a jug of water flying across the corridor, clattering, and banging "Molly get out of my sight" she was in trouble now as the sister cleared up behind her. If he didn't know she was there before he did now, she thought to herself, she'd never been nervous of a patient before. It was typical of her luck that today of all days when she wasn't exactly at her best that she'd have something serious to deal with.
"Hello, I'm here to take you stats if that's okay?" she murmured, almost inaudible to him.
She was stunned to see the brown eyes that were looking back at her. The eyes she'd missed so desperately and hoped to cross paths with again one day. Eyes that had changed, now pained in a new way "Charles?" A tear escaped her eye as she surveyed him "Charles what's happened to you? What have they done to you?"
All he could see in front of him was the girl who'd left him completely and utterly in pain. The girl who turned his world upside down then dropped him straight back onto his head.
"Charles it's me, it's Molly"
He stared at her, she wasn't sure whether he was all there or not, what the extent of the mental and emotional damage was. She could see the physical, he was black and blue, an arm and a leg heavily bandaged, that poor leg she thought. His ribs were bandaged and his face barely recognisable, he'd been beaten to a pulp. But the eyes were the same.
He didn't speak just stared, dead behind the eyes. She read through the list of his injuries. Broken arm, broken ribs, cuts, bruises, burns and blisters, that poor injured leg he'd worked so hard on. The list was endless. She walked towards him causing him to jump "it's okay it's me, it's Molly. I'm gonna look after you. I'm gonna make it better" she stepped forward to touch him but he stopped her.
"You said that last time"
He thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, like they did in the bunker. She was more beautiful than he remembered even with his eyes still protesting light. He watched as she made her rounds, the woman who broke his heart but the woman who he'd dreamt of to get him through the freezing cold, painful nights and the blistering hot, painful days. The woman's whose hand he reached for to lead him to safety. He wasn't sure if he wanted her to be real or not.
Georgie ran through the corridors to get to him "Slow down Georgie, you'll give him a fright" Elvis called after her. They were just as shocked to see Molly as Charles was. "What the fuck are you doing here" Elvis quipped, a slap on the arm from Georgie told him to shut it.
"I work here. What happened to him?" Molly's eyes were full of tears "Like you care"
"ELVIS! Enough" Georgie pulled Molly into a hug "I've missed you; he's missed you" her stomach was full of guilt.
"He's in a really bad way" she cried as Elvis sniggered at her.
"Please don't tell me he's got to face seeing you."
"Well yes he has. I'm the nurse in charge of his care" he rolled his eyes and pushed passed her. Charles eyes were wide, startled by the commotion outside the room.
Elvis approached him with caution "Can I come in? Can I sit with you?" He motioned to the chair beside him, met with a nod from Charles.
Elvis surveyed the extent of the damage done to his friend "I'm glad we killed every last one of those bastards. Every single one, we got them Charlie" Charles stayed silent as his friend wrapped his arms around his neck, pulling him into his torso. Something Elvis would never normally do, dismissing physical contact between friends as 'soft'. He pulled him into his torso and held him tight as Molly and Georgie looked on through the window, tears in both their eyes. Molly had been angry at Elvis for what he'd said but, in this moment, she got it, he'd nearly lost his best friend in the whole world. They cherished each other and their 10+ years of friendship and in this moment, Elvis was thankful to be holding him close.
As the days passed the extent of the damage done became more evident. The doctors said his eyes had recovered but he still wanted the dark, he tried not to move from the safety of the bed, even when Sam had visited. Molly kept herself out of the way when she'd seen Sam, she cried as she watched Charles weep when he finally held his boy, he didn't want to let go.
His parents held their son, his mother fussing over him was bound to drive him crazy "Excuse me nurse" Mrs James was standing in front of her, the woman she'd gone to great lengths to avoid when they'd been together. She obviously didn't know she was the very same Molly who had walked out on him and broken his heart "Do you know when it might be possible to take him home?" The thought of him leaving sent shivers down her spine.
"There hasn't been any mention of discharge just yet but I can ask the doctor for you. I think they'll work towards getting him more mobile again before they'd want to release him. His leg is in a bad way, as are his ribs. I know he's due scans today to check on those. I'll speak to the doctor as soon as I can and let you know"
"Thank you Molly. And thank you for looking after him" Molly gave her a weak smile, meeting his brown eyes through the glass. He refused to speak to her and she didn't blame him, even though he hated her he took some comfort in her presence, she was familiar too him, she was safe.
He was shattered and broken. His sessions with the psychiatrist took everything he had. His body ached to the core and he was beyond exhausted but he just couldn't switch off. His mind full of the horrors he'd been subjected too. It broke her heart to see him in such a bad way. She wanted to hold him, tell him he'd be alright, that she'd make sure of it but she fucked up her chance to be that person. She ached for him.
"Can I come in? Do you need me to adjust your bed?" He nodded as Molly made her way to his side, adjusting his bed so he was more comfortable "Can you give me something for the pain. And something to help me sleep?" He didn't look at her as he spoke.
"Of course. What's your pain level?" He looked at her "What kind stupid question is that?" He spat.
"I have to ask, so I can decide what to give you."
"Morphine, give me morphine"
She pressed her palms into her eyes to stem the tears that threatened as she composed herself in the safety of the drug cabinet "Molly what's wrong?" She'd been caught crying more than a few times since Charles had been admitted "Nothing I'm fine" the kind face of Sue, the ward sister was too much for her, everything she'd held in since she'd seen him had become too much "It's just hard to see someone like that. He's so frightened. He's a soldier, he's brave, he shouldn't have to feel scared when I change his dressings or walk into the room" Sue placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder "It will get easier, and he will get better. The army invest a lot in the aftercare of their soldiers. He'll be looked after by the very best, and that includes you. You're a fantastic nurse Molly. Just keep doing what you're doing, in time he won't fear you. Now get off home, you're shift ended some time ago."
She watched him for a minute before she could return, he spent hours staring into space, all traces of the old Charles were gone "Pain relief and something to help you sleep. I'm finished now and I'm off tomorrow. Is there anything you'd like me to bring next time I'm in? Can I bring you some shortbread?" He smiled at the memory of them ploughing through packet after packet of shortbread biscuits, his favourite.
"Will you stay until I fall asleep?"
She smiled and nodded "Of course" she pulled the chair closer to him, wanting more than anything to hold him "You're safe now" She ran her fingers through his hair as his eyes closed. She'd never regretted anything more in her life than walking away from him. She'd never do it again. Her warm fingers were a comfort to him. He cast his mind back to the happy days with her, falling asleep dreaming of the Molly that used to be his.
"I'm sorry" she whispered as he slept "I'll never walk away from you ever again" there was a peacefulness to him that she hadn't seen since he'd come in, she planted gentle kiss on his forehead "I'll see you soon. I've missed you."
He panicked as he struggled to get his bearings when he woke the next morning "It's ok dad, your safe with me" he opened his arms, all he wanted was to hold his boy. Sam looked to his mother for reassurance.
"It's okay Sammy, very gently though. Daddy is still very poorly" Charles winced as he took Sam into his arms, every ounce of pain worth it to hold his boy.
"I love you Sam, so much" Rebecca's eye were full of tears "Shall we try a little extra light today? The doctor said your eyes should be able to cope." He nodded as she adjusted the blinds to allow a little more light in. "Baby steps" she said as she sat down beside him. He wasn't used to her being so sympathetic; it didn't suit her he thought. "They've suggested that Sammy and I take you for a walk. How would you feel about that?" She motioned to the wheelchair in the corner, knowing how much he hated relying on it last time "I can help you into the chair."
"Please dad, I want to show you the birds I saw outside" he nodded to Rebecca. He didn't want to be a victim. He wanted to get himself out of this hospital and back with his son, forget that any of it even happened. She pushed the chair in his direction "Ready?" He nodded, anxiety filling his stomach "Sammy you help daddy with his poorly leg, very gently" Sam helped his dad lower his leg, since his legs had been untied his injured one had been useless to him, completely limp but full of agony "Right that's good, now I'll help you up onto your good leg and we'll get you into the chair" Rebecca was completely out of her depth. It absolutely pained her to see the man she still loved in such a broken state. She couldn't for the life of her think of what she'd been doing, how she could have hurt him like she did. "Sammy, you hold the chair while I help daddy sit" he groaned and winced as she lowered him into the chair.
"Sunglasses?" Rebecca took the sunglasses of her head and passed them to him "These are all I have?" He took them gratefully. He needed to protect his eyes from the light and the people; he needed them to create a barrier between him and anyone who might look his way. He knew he'd made the news and the last thing he needed was some nosy fucker staring at him. He didn't want to face any prying eyes; he didn't want to face anyone at all.