Chapter 15: Chapter 15

Lessons Learnt

Chapter 15

"Morning."

"Morning." Charles gingerly rolled onto his side and pulled Molly towards him. Waking up next to her was delicious, the warmth of her body helping to calm the throb from his head wound. Still he winced and Molly noticed.

"I'll get you your pain killers and some breakfast." With that she jumped out of bed. The perfect attentive carer.

"Hurry back." He smiled at her. He wanted to make the most of today. It was their last full day before Molly drove him to Bath to his parents' house.

The week had gone by so quickly. Both of them had adjusted to the new routine of domesticity. Learning each other's habits and routines. There had been nothing uncomfortable or strained about Molly taking up residency at his. She just fitted in, they fitted. Plus he couldn't have done without her.

She had been his constant nurse. From assisting him with getting washed and dressed. To making meals and keeping him on track with his pain relief. Every touch, every action that she did for him was with kindness and tenderness. Charles didn't think it was possible but he fell more in love with Molly than before.

Their time together had been very sedate, just the two of them. Talking, sharing and attaching themselves deeper than they had before. Molly stated to open up to Charles. About Matthew and his betrayal and why she always ran. She said she ran when things got tough to save herself from any further pain. That's why the Army suited her. It meant that when she ran she always had something to run to.

Charles shared with Molly about his and Elvis' past and how perhaps they had both been a bit too frivolous in their pursuit of the ladies. He admitted to Molly that she was his first proper love. That amazed her more than anything. But it made her feel special, and safe.

Their time together however hadn't been as satisfying as both would have hoped for. Their hot passionate reunion had failed to materialise. Charles' full leg cast and pain meds making amorous advances difficult. The pain also damped his physical ardour much to his frustration. So they spent their time cuddling and kissing, constantly tough each other. It was innocent, quite open and refreshing. It was them laying foundations for better times.

Molly came back into the room carrying a tray. It had his pain killers on. He needed them desperately. It also had her tea, his coffee and now their new breakfast two bowls of Coco Pops!

"You're a star." He said slowly raising himself up. She could see the pain in his face.

She offered the tablets and a drink. He hungrily grabbed them off her. Once he'd take them he started on his breakfast.

"We'll give them half an hour or so. Then I'll do the dressing. OK?"

He looked over his bowl at her.

"Yeah. Ok". Truth be told he hated Molly doing his dressing. He wanted them to be boyfriend and girlfriend. Not medic and patient.

The burns to his face were slowly getting better. Molly was always gentle with him and her doing the dressings meant he didn't have to go to the clinic every day. Only once had he see the mess his face was in. It was a large burn running from his forehead, across his eyebrow and back almost to his ear. It shocked him. He wondered how Molly could bear to look at him.

"It's awful isn't it?" He had ask.

"Yes it is Charles, but only in that it causes you pain and the bandages hide your beautiful face." She had answered.

"What about the eye. I still can't see out of it." He'd sighed.

When Molly had started to do the dressing it wasn't the burn, its depth or the size of it that made her shocked. It was his eye. Grossly swollen, red, inflamed and firmly closed. The lid too oedematous to open on its own. As time went by little improvement was seen. Molly knew Charles understandably was worried. She was too, not for any cosmetic reasons. She knew now she'd love Charles no matter what. She was worried though about what it would do to him mentally. He'd was recovering well from the physical traumas of the fire in the main. But living with him this week she realised that he still had a lots of mental torment about what happened. She had spent nearly every night being woken up by his thrashing about in the bed, in the throes of night terrors. Sweating, fighting to get out. Her heart broke to see him like this.

"So" Molly said. Breaking their memories. "What should we do today?"

The Spring sun shine was streaming through the curtains, putting an angelic glow across Charles' naked torso. A pleasing sight to Molly in many ways, especially as this week at home was seeing Charles start to gain his lost weight.

"Well I thought maybe a run, then some swimming and maybe if we have time some rock climbing." Charles teased.

"Right." Grinned Molly, drinking the chocolate milk up from her breakfast bowl. "So slobbing on the settee and box set for us then it is."

"Yes, that's right. Same thing we've been doing for the past 5 days!" Charles sighed exaggeratedly falling back into his pillows.

"I know it's not exciting, but it's what it has to be. Sorry I guess I'm not much fun to be with am I?" She had tried to keep his boredom to the minimum. Even tried her hand at chess.

"You are wonderful. Sorry just a bit pissed off. Want to get better. You've been great. I've loved spending this time with you."

"But…." Queried Molly. She knew there was one.

"I just want to be me again. I want to be us again."

"We are. Aren't we?" Molly moved over and slipped herself in-between his arm, resting her head on his chest. Listening to the beat of his heart. She had felt their time together had been perfect. Days of just doing nothing, just being together. The fast fun exciting times would come she knew that.

"Well, we are…just not. I want to be able to hold you, roll over at night without worrying I'm going to smack you with my cast. I want to... God... dam it Molly... I want to make love to you. It's been so bloody long." He shyly admitted.

"Oh I see. It's ok you know. We have time. We'll get there. You just need to get stronger, and then get rid of this cast. We can only do what we can do for now though can't we? That's better than nothing."

"But we haven't done anything." He cried out. Being close to Molly and not being able to act out his imaginations was killing him. His body had just not been cooperating lately. It was embarrassing and frustration as hell.

"Oh….. sooooo that's the matter. Look Charles it doesn't matter to me. We will when we can, and then I promise you we will not bloody stop."

She silenced him on the subject by kissing him, hard and with as much fire as she could muster, mindful of the bandages across his face that always got in the way.

Their day played out the way, every day had played out, with the exception that today Elvis popped over. Molly took the chance of a new face to entertain Charles and went shopping. Telling him she had things to do. She knew she had to tell Charles about her plans, a bit shy about then, but more than anything she wanted him to be involved. Molly wondered, never too comfortable in being the centre of attention just how she was going to bring the subject up. Though as it turned out she didn't have to. Charles' opening gibe as she went through the door, laden with shopping, on her return gave the perfect opportunity.

"Bloody hell Molly I've missed you, but what the fuck have you been buying?" As she had walked into his arms she deposited the numerous bags and parcels at his feet.

"Well I bought quite a bit actually. Needed to. You see I have this thing to go to in a few weeks." She guided him to the settee, she could see his interest was spiked.

"I'm intrigued Miss Dawes…go on." He said kissing her neck as she perched half in front of him and half to his side.

"Well you see it's a bit embarrassing and all that but it's my birthday in four weeks and my parents are having a bit of a do for me. I was wondering if you'd want to come."

"What to your party? To meet your folks? Course I bloody would love it." He happily answered. Meeting Molly's parents was another step towards a future together. "Just say where and when."

"Yeah well the thing is its kind of a big do. It's my 25th birthday and all that and they want to celebrate, so they are going all out." She felt embarrassed knowing what recent Dawes' dos have turned out to be. Bigger than the jelly and ice cream with a few of her friends from school in their flat when she was younger.

"Your 25th? That's not usually a special birthday is?" He sometimes forgot the age difference between them. Not that it mattered to either of them. Numbers were immaterial when you were in love.

"Well actually it's my parents' 25th wedding anniversary too, but they don't want to admit that and all. So having a do for my birthday kind of is a cover up. I was the ultimate honeymoon baby me. They had only been married three days before I came alone. Talk about cutting it fine."

To be truthful she wasn't happy that she was the excuse for the party, but knew it meant a lot to her Mum to celebrate so she had agreed.

"It's a black tie do and all that. Mum loves parties, and of course Dad loves any excuse to get pissed!"

"I'd be delighted." He kissed her. "So is that what's in the bag? Your dress? Do I get to see it?"

"Oh no. Not until the night. I'll give you a private viewing if you like then." She teased him. "Think I should warn you though I'll be inviting Elvis, Spanner and the lads too. Might as well. You probably could come over with them, cause I'll be busy on the day helping to get stuff organised."

As it turned out that is exactly what happened.

Molly had taken Charles back to his parents to continue his convalescence and had seen him almost each weekend, until her party night. By the time that came around she hadn't seen him for 10 days. They of course had talked on the phone constantly, but missed each other.

The weeks he spent with his parents had seen even bigger strides in Charles' recovery. The burn dressing was vastly reduced and now a semi flesh coloured burns dressing cover a smaller area of his face. The wound greatly healing, due to good care and healthy food. It was a quarter of the size it originally had been and Charles' pain was only evident during the much less frequent dressing changes. There was always going to be a scar. An angry puckered one that ran from temple to eye on his right side, but they were hopeful that in time the anger would reduce.

Charles wasn't though as lucky with his eye. It was still semi shut, still inflamed and swollen. He could distinguish light and shapes from the few attempts they had had to investigate his vision, but nothing more solid than that. It was felt that it still needed to be protected, so he was now supporting an eye patch. Molly joked that he was her sexy pirate lover, and he looked cute. Charles didn't believe her but didn't care, as he at least now got to kiss her without that extra padding to his face.

The best news Charles had though was that after many weeks since discharge he was to have the full leg cast taken off. He had to wear a support type boot for a while, but he had got his leg, and body almost back. This was news he hadn't shared with Molly. Last time they saw each other it was there, when he saw her tonight he wanted to surprise her. Help that beautiful face of hers break out into her "especially for Charles" heart melting smile.

"Fucking hell." Elvis cried looking out of the mini bus window. "Are we sure we have the right address?" Charles, Elvis and the lads had got a mini bus from camp so they all arrived together. They were all going home together too, well except Charles. He'd been invited by the birthday girl to stay over for a few days at her parent's house.

It was understandable Elvis' reaction and the rest of the lads. Molly had never said her parents were loaded. She didn't feel it necessary. The house the bus pulled up in front of was the one Charles had already seen when he came looking for Molly, but tonight even he was impressed. As they journeyed up the drive the house and grounds had been transformed into party central! Costumed entertainers roamed up and down the drive, breathing fire, walking on stilts, performing tricks. Guest milled about everywhere, hundreds of them it seemed, all with one destination in mind, the huge marque that was erected to the back of the house. It was decorated like a casino, catering staff offering champagne and nibbles on arrival. It was all spectacular. The group of boys, who all looked devilishly handsome in their Tuxedos, and were dressed perfectly, still all felt a little overcome by it all. This was their feisty little medic's home, and they never knew this side about her.

When Molly saw her SF friends enter she immediately made her way excitedly over to them, searching out Charles in the group. When she saw him she stopped still processing the information her eyes were witnessing. There was Charles, her Charles standing with a crutch, but with no cast on. Yes he had a moon type boot on but he was cast free and so much more mobile. She ran over to him, not remembering her manners and welcoming her other guests instead she placed herself with force into Charles startled arms.

"Oh God Charles. Look at you. Your leg. When? You bloody sneak. You never said. It's fantastic."

Charles laughed back into the kiss she was smothering him with, a beautiful way to be smothered Charles thought.

"Came off Tuesday. Still getting used to it. But it feels bloody good. Thought I'd surprise you."

"Well you did that you prannet! God it's amazing. Thank you." She stroked his beautiful face as she caught a glimpse of lust cross it, desire that now could be fulfilled. A tingle went down her body. God how she loved and badly wanted this sexy man, her hot sexy man who she had missed so much.

Elvis broke their moment. He was pleased that she had gone directly to Charles. She looked beautiful. He needed that moment to push down his feelings, to grip reality again.

"Err hello. Earth to Dawes. We're here too. Looks like a good bash. But blood hell Dawes you never said."

Molly giggled and had to tear herself away from Charles' gaze. She knew his thoughts. They were as lustful as hers. He could read her body and she could read his. Molly turned and greeted all her other colleagues. Delighted that they had come, embarrassed about the piss taking they were giving her about being a princess, but she knew it was all in good grace. They soon got fed up and moved off to enjoy themselves.

"You. Look. Stunning. Miss. Dawes." Charles kissed his compliment across her face. From the moment he had spotted her walking towards him his desire for her, which had multiplied significantly as the weeks went by, almost consumed him. He for seconds felt as though the sight of her was inhibiting his breathing, his heart felt as though it was not capable of beating in the presence of such emotions. It was almost too much. He understood at that moment just how ingrained Molly was in his heart, without her he felt it would truly stop beating. She was his life, the reason to live, the energy that was his very existence.

Molly getting ready that night had known for many reason tonight would be special, but seeing Charles again and having her meet her family was also part of the reason she was so excited. She had made an extra effort. For once accepting the offers her mother gave her to have her hair styled and make up done professionally. It wasn't usually Molly's thing, but tonight was going to be memorable. The effort, all the primping and pruning certainly seemed to have paid off judging by Charles' reaction to her. Since they had greeted each other he had not let her go, had not taken his eye off her, and pressed her into his body to envelop her in his love and ardour for her. She giggle into his chest feeling his body stir in his trousers. A wonderful, very much missed feeling, but one not entirely appropriate in such a public place. Especially as Molly spied her parents walking over to them.

"Ok soldier, in coming. Get yourself calm now." She mocked, then turned to have her back to him, to shield him for a few moment to allow him to collect himself and adjust his trousers.

"Shhhhhiiiiiiiittttttt." Was all he could hiss. Thankfully gaining his dignity quickly. The next moment her parents were upon them.

"So Molly. Tell us then who's this?" Beamed Belinda at Charles. She knew exactly who he was. He was the man her Molly was head over heels in love with. Any fool could see that.

"Mum, Dad. This is Charles. My Charles. Charles James." Her grim said it all to her parents. The way she hung onto his arm, the way he looked at her when she introduced him as her Charles. It was a love story right in front of their eyes. Belinda was happy for her. Dave not so much, he wanted another beer and Charles with his crutch and eye patch to him didn't look like a fair bet to finding him one.

"Please to meet you Charles. I'm Belinda and this is Dave."

He shook their hands, and did all the usual polite things one should do when meeting their girlfriend's parents. A few polite minutes of conversation past between them, but Dave got bored, thirsty and started to wander off. Belinda soon followed knowing these two wanted time alone. Molly and Charles just stood grinning at each other as soon as her parents went.

"What." She could hardly talk for smiling. Looking up at his beautiful face. A face that was wreathed in happiness and joy, looking back at her, drinking her in.

"You're so beautiful. I love you." He never would tire of telling her that, and pulled her in for a crushing hug that almost toppled him over.

They again lost time, and purpose. Only were absorbed in their togetherness and joy of being in each other's arms. Eventually the noise and circumstance infiltrated their brains, causing them to pull apart. Molly had a party to circulate around, and she very much wanted Charles by her side so she could show him off. She wanted all to see, and Charles to know just how happy she was to be here, with him, tonight. The night promised to be fun, but the special after party with, just the two of them as guests, they both anticipated to be even more so.

Charles' leg wasn't as strong enough for dancing and walking still caused him pain. So they frequently had to stop and sit down to rest it. When he did he perched on a bar stool with his legs spread, as Molly stepped in between them and was cradle by his legs as well as his arms. He was not letting go of her despite the tiredness he felt. Tonight was special. For once Molly freely admitted she was enjoying being the centre of attention. She appreciated each and every one of her guests, there for her to an extent. That was until she felt a tap on her shoulder, almost instantaneously feeling Charles rise from the bar stool.

"Molly." A voice from her past caused all her jubilation to come crashing down instantly. She spun around, fire instantly bursting in her eyes. This guest was not welcome, not tonight, and probably never.

"Georgie."

She gritted through her teeth.

"Just what the fuck are you doing here?"