I do not own the show.

Thank you to Debbie and Steph for editing this for me.

Thank you also to everyone who has taken the time to review – they are all greatly appreciated! In this chapter a few weeks have past and Sam has already met his grandparents. There is a surprise in store and someone is a little jealous…

Four weeks later

"Where the hell are they?" Charles muttered quietly to himself as he stared out the large bay window which overlooked the car park to Headley Court.

For the past month Molly had kept her promise of bringing Sam to visit one day a week and today was the day they were due to visit. His birthday. Call it selfishness on his part but he really wanted to see Sam today even though Molly probably had no idea it was his birthday.

Their visits were spurring him on during the long rehabilitation process. He was finally free of the leg cast, but he was still limping and required a walking stick. He often asked if this was normal and if it would go away but they kept telling him the same thing, to be patient and keep going to physio. Every day when he tried to walk unaided, he kept picturing Molly and Sam standing and smiling at the end of the line waiting for him.

Sam, even the very thought his little boy brought a smile to his face. Every time he came to visit, he would run through the doors and straight into his arms for a hug completely oblivious to everything going on around him. Molly would always stand further back simply watching the reunion before handing Sam his backpack, with a new picture for Charles to put on his wall and a story book. Sam loved his stories and it was something they did together on every visit. Charles would read him several stories, watch as Sam's eyes constantly lit up and then came all the questions. He was a breath of fresh air that Charles had been craving.

On each visit Molly would stand back and let the two of them bond. Most days if it was dry, she'd grab a coffee and head out into garden to simply unwind after the long drive. That was where they usually found her as Sam would proceed to tell her every single thing that they'd done.

Just once he would love it if Molly would stay with them, he wanted to get to know her every bit as much as Sam, but at the end of every visit he would find her sitting talking to someone, either one of the nurses who it turns out she went to university with or with him, Tom.

Tom was one of the assistants at Headley, his key assistant, and Charles was grateful for him, he was always there to help, someone to talk to and someone literally to lean on when he overdid it in physio but over the past week especially, he was starting to resent him a little. When Molly came to visit Tom would be there talking away to her. On at least four occasions in the past week Tom's phone beeped with a text message and he could see Molly's name come up on the screen which Tom promptly hid away from him. He kept asking himself the same question; was there something going on between them?

They definitely liked each other and so did Sam. In his head of course it made sense for Molly and Tom to be attracted to each other they were practically in the same profession; they were both attractive and with Tom she could have a boyfriend who could stand and walk unaided. That was what was irking him the most. Tom was everything he wasn't. How on earth could Molly find him attractive?

Charles was broken from his thoughts when Tom came to stand beside him and patted his shoulder.

Charles was able to stop the snarl of jealousy in time and turned and looked at him.

"Where are they?" he bit out as anger overtook worry. "They are always on time."

"They've probably got delayed along the way," Tom smiled "Why don't we wait in the lounge where it will be more comfortable?"

"No," Charles snapped refusing to give Tom the chance to see Molly and Sam first. "Besides if they were delayed then why hasn't she called me?"

"Charles, they will be here soon," Tom replied still smiling as he managed to get Charles turned away from the window and walking slowly towards the lounge area.

As they walked slowly towards the lounge area Charles was constantly glancing behind him to see if Molly had arrived yet.

"Here we are," Tom smiled as he ushered him into the room and stood behind him. Charles looked up and got the shock of his life as he was greeted with a chorus of "Surprise!"

"What the hell…" he muttered as he looked around the small room. In the room were the people he most cared about, Molly, Sam, his mum, dad, army colleague and friend Colonel Beck and more surprisingly his best friend Elvis with his daughter Laura all looking at him, smiling and singing Happy Birthday.

Sam instantly ran over to him while singing and was quickly scooped up into Charles' arms for a hug.

"Happy birthday daddy!" Sam shrieked as Charles continued to hold him tightly before setting him back on the floor again.

"Thank you, scamp," Charles beamed at his son "Did you plan this?"

Sam nodded his head and giggled as Molly came over to join them. "Surprise!" she smiled.

"I was out there in the lobby waiting for you," Charles stammered as everyone came over to speak to him.

"Tom showed us a secret way in," Molly explained as she moved over to allow Archie and Anna to come and embrace their son and Sam.

"All your presents are on the table," Archie explained as he pointed towards a table in the corner of the room. "Your mother made the cake, Molly brought the food and Elvis the drink, thankfully non-alcoholic."

"I don't know what to say," Charles stammered as he continued to take it all in.

"It was Molly's idea," Anna smiled "We knew you would love it!"

"Thank you," Charles said as he turned and looked at her and smiled before being interrupted by Elvis.

"Hey Charlie boy, I see you're back on your feet again!" Elvis said as he came and approached his best friend. "I have to say you're looking better than the last time I saw you!"

"I feel it," Charles replied as the two men embraced.

"Still think she is a stripper then?" Elvis whispered as he nodded to where Molly was standing and smirked at his friend.

"Sod off Elvis," Charles replied, he really wanted to say something else but was conscious of the fact that there were two young children within earshot.

The surprise party had been a great success and Sam enjoyed being the centre of everyone's attention. The only small problem was when Laura came to hug her uncle Charlie and Sam got jealous and pulled the little girls hair exclaiming that he was his daddy and not hers.

Molly bit her lip as Charles stood shocked. Elvis who was standing beside him just smirked and whispered, "Did your son just pull my little girl's hair?"

"Ahh, it would appear so," Charles muttered as he looked around the room for Molly to help defuse the situation only to find her watching Tom as he left the room. She glanced back to see the look on Charles' face. She simply turned to look at Sam and frowned.

Charles watched as Sam walked slowly to his mother and saw his lip start to quiver, remembering when Molly had told him that she never needed to tell Sam off as he always knew himself when he had been naughty. He watched how she dealt with the situation and saw Sam walk over to Laura and give her hug.

Could he possibly love Molly any more than he did right now?

He never noticed Elvis coming back over and standing beside him.

"Like father, like son," Elvis smirked as he finished the glass of lemonade.

"What are you talking about now?" Charles sighed as he rubbed his neck.

"Sam, takes after you obviously," Elvis smiled "Jealous as hell one minute and affectionate the next."

"Elvis…."

"Grow up Charlie boy!" Elvis bit back. "The second you walked into the room your face lit up as soon as soon as you saw Molly. Then when Tom appears you have a face like thunder."

"I do not!"

"Oh yes you do, just like the one you're wearing right now because Molly has just followed Tom out of the room," Elvis said as he lifted a sausage roll and bit into it.

"Shit," Charles muttered as he glanced around the room looking for her but there was no sign of her.

"Please tell me you've told Molly how you feel about her?"

"What?" Charles snapped as he turned his attention back to his friend.

"Charles you have pined for her since your bloody stag party over three years ago," Elvis replied trying hard not to raise his voice and cause a scene. "You really haven't told her?"

"I... "Charles sighed as he rubbed his face and took a deep breath "I've told her that I have feelings for her."

"But not that you love her?"

"Christ, Elvis I don't want to completely scare her off!"

"Well what did she say?"

"She admitted that she thought about me too, and wants to get to know me too," Charles replied thinking back to the conversation between him and Molly in his hospital room only a few months ago.

"Okay," Elvis frowned.

"The problem is when she comes to visit, she stays for a few minutes before disappearing to the gardens. I know she is giving me and Sam some time alone to bond, but I want to get to know her too. Every time she is here, she is away talking to some nurse she studied with or is flirting with Tom."

"Tom? Are you sure, about the flirting?"

"Positive. It's my leg that's injured, there's nothing wrong with my eyes."

"He helped her with this," Elvis said nodding towards the Happy Birthday banner on the wall. "Molly told him she would like to do something for your birthday, and he was the one who organised for us to drive in and park somewhere else, and not to mention setting this room up."

"Molly did all this?" Charles asked quietly as he looked around him.

"Yes."

"Well that maybe, but she's still flirting with him now."

"I don't think so," Elvis replied frowning "I got the impression Tom was gay, he's more likely to be eyeing up a pretty boy like you than Molly."

Charles nearly choked on his water as he took in the smug expression on Elvis' face. He set his glass down on the table, grabbed his walking stick and walked slowly from the room. He only reached the doorway when he could hear Molly and Tom talking. From what he could hear he was even more confused.

"Are you sure, it's not too much is it?" Tom asked quietly.

"No, it's perfect," Molly smiled.

"Molly you are an absolute angel, thank you so much!"

"Think of it as my way of saying thank you in organising all of this," Molly replied smiling.

"What's going on?" Charles asked as he approached both of them frowning, his face stern.

"Oh, Molly was just giving me some advice," Tom replied smiling "I have a date tonight and who better to ask!"

Molly turned and smiled at Charles but when she saw the look on his face it turned to a frown "Tom is going on a date with a mutual friend from the hospital and just wanted to know what they like and don't like."

"Really?" Charles fumed "Don't worry about Sam, Elvis is looking after him."

Molly cleared her throat in an attempt to calm down and not cause a scene.

"Tom good luck tonight and don't forget I want all the details!" Molly said as she turned and smiled at the man.

"I'll text you tomorrow I promise, excuse me Charles, I need to get back to work."

"No problem," Charles replied as he leaned against the wall for support, still confused as to what he had interrupted.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Molly spat angrily at him.

"Nothing," he replied quietly

"Really? Cos right now you're acting like a spoilt and ungrateful brat, not to mention a complete bell-end."

Charles laughed "Okay Molly, I told you my feelings for you, and how I wanted us to spend some time together, only it's clearly obvious you don't. Every time you come here you disappear and when I find you, you're talking to him."

"What?" Molly all but shouted, then lowered her voice realising there was a room full of people just on the other side of the wall. "I disappear, as you put it, so you and Sam can spend some quality time together."

"And I appreciate that, I really do but I also want to get to know you too Molly," Charles replied practically pleading.

"Please don't tell me you're jealous Charles, really?"

"He gets all your attention. Every time I look up you and Tom are chatting and giggling in the corner."

"Charles," Molly said as she took a step closer to him "Tom is gay. He is going on a first date tonight with someone I used to work with at the hospital and he wanted some advice on what he would like. I helped him as a thank you for him helping me organise all this for you today."

Charles closed his eyes. Elvis had been right, and he was never going to hear the end of it. He felt like an idiot.

"But…"

"No Charles. Tom has been kind and helpful ever since I started to come here, he always asks if I'm getting the support I need to get through this, because you apparently talk that much about me and Sam that he thought we were a couple and he thought that I needed support to help you! And this is how you repay him?"

"Molly…"

"What are you going to accuse me of now?" Molly asked, as she crossed her arms.

"Nothing," Charles sighed "but we do need to talk."

"What about?" she bit back.

"Everything!" Charles almost yelled his frustrations were coming to a head "I love Sam with all my heart, and I love spending time with him, but I want to spend some time with you too. Get to know the real you, Molly Dawes in all her glory. But you keep your distance and you probably have your reasons, but I don't know what they are, and you don't seem to be in any rush to tell me. I want us to discuss the future. When I get out of here I'll be staying with my parents in Bath and I want to see Sam as often as I can, but you won't talk about it. You don't want to talk about child support or when I can see him. He is going to be starting school next year and I have no idea where he's going to be going or rather we've not even discussed that yet. You can work more shifts if you want to or work less and I can support you…"

"What the hell are you saying?" Molly fumed "Work less?"

"Of everything I just said to you, that's the thing you pick up on?" he stated and shook his head.

"I love my job and I'm bloody good at it!" Molly shot back "Who the bloody hell do you think you are to tell me what hours I should be working?"

"Sam's father," Charles replied dryly.

Molly scoffed "Oh so you appear out of the woodwork after three years and think you can dictate to everyone? Well tough luck mate not me. I've already picked a school for Sam. Tell you what, you want to be so involved you can pay for the uniform."

"You what! Without so much as mentioning it to me, let alone asking for my opinion? I have no say in my son's education is that what you're telling me?"

"Unbelievable!" Molly exclaimed as she threw her arms up in the air out of frustration.

"Okay Molly what type of father do you want me to be? You keep saying you wanted me to be a part of his life, but it would seem only on your terms. So, you need to tell me what it is you want?" Charles fought back "Because right now, I get the feeling all I'll be is a glorified babysitter who jumps at your orders only when it suits you."

"Charles I'm doing a nightshift tonight look after Sam for me, oh and he needs a new uniform." He mocked.

"My parents are practically begging you to see Sam and one hour is all they're allowed. I'm guessing that the real reason that you don't want to talk about visitation or him staying overnight with me is because you either don't trust me or is it that you don't want an invalid looking after your son?"

Molly stood and stared for a moment as she saw the look of despair on his face and was about to reply when she saw Sam standing hugging the door frame out of the corner of her eye.

"Mummy? Daddy?" Sam sobbed.

"Perfect, now look what you did!" Molly muttered "Sam go and get your backpack and coat please we are leaving."

"Really?" Charles replied glaring at her.

Molly's response was to turn her back on him

Charles shook his head as he grabbed his crutches and walked slowly towards his son and crouched down as best as he could.

"Sam, Daddy's not feeling very well today. My leg is very sore," he explained while holding back tears.

"Can I hug it better daddy?" Sam asked, his lip trembling.

"You can certainly try scamp," Charles said as Sam gave him a hug. He held on to Sam longer than he usually would. His leg was throbbing with the angle he was at, but he wanted to saviour this moment because judging by the look on Molly's face he wouldn't be seeing his son for a while.

"Now, do what mummy told you and go and get your things. I'll see you again very soon," Charles said as he gently nudged Sam to do what Molly had told him. He stood up carefully leaning on the door for support as he watched Sam get his things and walk back over to them.

"Is everything okay?" Anna asked as she noticed them standing in the hallway.

"We're just leaving," Molly replied sharply "Sam, hurry up please."

"But mummy I don't want to go; daddy didn't get his picture yet or read me a story."

Molly took a breath as she realised she shouldn't be taking her anger out on Sam "okay you can give daddy your picture but then we are going. I have to work early tomorrow, and you have nursery too."

Sam gave Charles his latest drawing and the two embraced again, she quickly grabbed her belongings and took Sam's hand as she all but charged down the hallway, conscious of the fact that Sam was constantly turning around and waving goodbye to his daddy.

OGOGOGOG

Thinking back later that night as she paced the kitchen, she had no idea how she managed to get both her and Sam back home in one piece. Well she did actually, if she thought about what had happened, she would have crashed the car on the motorway and knowing her luck probably would have died. Which would've meant that stubborn, selfish, pompous self-righteous bastard would raise their son. After today there was no way in hell she was ever going to let that happen.

She had spent most of the evening replaying the whole afternoon in her head over and over again. Sam had finally fell asleep after the mother of all temper tantrums because she wouldn't let him call his daddy to read him a story. She only won that battle by lying and saying that daddy had called to say he wasn't feeling well so was going to bed early, and he wanted Sam to be a good boy and go straight to sleep.

What Molly really needed now was alcohol and a lot of it. Kate was supplying the alcohol and Jac was collecting the pizza. They had both texted her earlier to find out how the surprise birthday party had gone and when she told them they had all agreed to meet at Molly's to hear her side of events, attempt to calm her down and figure out what the hell had happened.

"I swear I have a bloody good mind to not let him see Sam ever again!" Molly fumed as she finished what was left in her wine glass and set it on the floor beside her.

Jac and Kate just sat and listened to Molly recite the events at Headley, when she finally stopped talking, they looked at each other and frowned.

"What?" Molly asked as she saw the glances between her two friends.

"Molly you are my best friend and I love you like a sister," Jac started "But he does have a point."

Molly stared at her friend and housemate.

"I agree," Kate said, "You said it yourself when Charles was in hospital you'll have to get used to sharing Sam and responsibilities with him."

"I do not believe this," Molly fumed

"You have two options Molly," Kate said carefully "Sort everything out yourselves or go through the courts where it will get messy. Regardless of how you are feeling right now I know what option I would choose."

"Sorting things out!" Molly shrieked.

"Molly wake up!" Jac all but shouted "Charles is right, he needs to be helping you, both in looking after Sam and financially. He has a responsibility too and you have to accept that. He had been trying to sort this out for months, but you keep putting it off. He is right about that."

"Well I don't know how much he's supposed to pay do I?" Molly snapped back.

"Well find out, god knows everything else is on the internet these days," Jac replied.

"What about custody?" Kate asked

"No way. I am not ready for that," Molly replied in a quieter tone.

"I am not saying he has to have Sam for weekends," Kate explained "you could start with afternoons or a full day and see how things go from there. Do you honestly think he is not capable of looking after Sam?"

"He is on crutches and has migraines, he just had brain surgery," Molly bit back and glared at Kate "You yourself said he was not fit for active duty."

"Yeah leading a group of soldiers in a war zone, now if Sam was a holy terror like Chloe, I could see your argument, but he isn't, and besides, he is staying with his parents. In a very large house in Royal Crescent. He will have support there if anything were to happen."

Molly glared at her.

"Are you worried about that, that Sam is going to love being there more than here and with you."

"No," Molly replied as she started to fidget with the sleeve on her jumper.

"Then what is it Molly? You wanted him to be involved but you're not telling him how," Jac asked "I am with you one hundred percent in whatever you want to do but you need to decide what it is that you want."

"He's a bloody officer in the army, used to giving orders and telling everyone what to do and he is not doing that to me!"

"But what has he told you to do Molly?" Kate asked, "All he's done is asked you the same as what we are now."

"He is not in charge of me or Sam!"

"No, but he still has a right to an opinion on how his son is raised. You know that Molly," Kate continued. "Or is it more to do with your own feelings towards him?"

"What the hell are you talking about now?"

"You always said you had a connection with him," Jac said, picking up on what Kate had just touched on "going back to the morning after you mentioned a connection with him. You have never really moved on from then have you?"

"Have you gone soft in the head?" Molly asked as she reached out for her glass and realised that it was empty and groaned out loud.

"I saw you that night in the theatre, when you realised who it was we had just operated on. I've been watching you all along Molly. You need to realise what your feelings are for Charles before any of you can move forward," Kate said simply and quietly. "He's made it abundantly clear how he feels. He wants a relationship with you too not just Sam."

Molly sighed "And I want to get to know him properly too, but I need to put Sam first. I can't do anything that will jeopardise him and with my track history with men I want to be careful."

"Well that's the problem Molly, you are being so bloody careful that it's making things worse, for everyone, Sam included," Jac sighed "Only you can fix this."

OGOGOGOG

A few hours later and Molly found herself lying in bed staring at the ceiling. Her head was spinning. She knew she had no chance of falling asleep anytime soon so was relieved that she was not actually in work the next day. That was her lie to Charles for leaving the party so early.

When Jac and Kate had said they would call round for a chat, she was expecting support from them not a bloody ambush. But she knew they had a point, and the truth hurts and all that crap.

She knew she couldn't put it off forever, she had to decide on how she really felt about Charles, the question was did she follow her heart or head? What if they did have a relationship, what would it be like to be involved with someone who actually wanted to be with her? But at the same time what about Sam, how would he feel about it, would he want to share her with Charles or his dad with her? What if the relationship didn't work and things between her and Charles became even more awkward or worse?

Molly groaned as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath in an attempt to clear her mind. What did she want? Did she want to be a single mother for the rest of her life?

Did she want to share custody of Sam with Charles or actually raise him as part of a proper family?

She lay there with her eyes closed, never feeling as alone as she did right now and in that moment, she knew exactly what she wanted.

Okay so that was probably not the chapter you were expecting but everything happens for a reason. Charles wants to be a part of both of their lives and Molly is stubborn and scared. Will they be able to sort things out?

More coming soon!