A/N May 4, 2019: If you currently are reading this story, note that all chapters have been updated. See author's note for chapter 1.
Chapter 11: Already gone
That evening they were all gathered for another briefing, jointly led by Bones and Captain James, who seemed to temporarily have buried the hatchet. James had assumed his favourite position, standing with feet shoulder-width apart, arms crossed over his chest. Bones was leaning nonchalantly against the wall, looking more relaxed but from experience they all knew not to be fooled into thinking he was any less alert than James.
When Georgie saw the two men next to one another at the front of the room, both natural leaders yet so different, she fleetingly wondered if being ridiculously attractive was a requirement for acceptance to Sandhurst. It almost seemed like it. Elvis had been a Mediterranean kind of gorgeous which few women resisted, Captain James could even be called beautiful with his chiselled features and dark curls in manner of old movie star and Bones was extremely good-looking in a rougher way. Especially in a moment like this when he apparently had not had time to clean up after the activities of the day. Was it stupid to find a man a shitting hot just because he had smudge on his face? Well, to be honest that was not the only reason. Funny she had never found him this attractive before. She looked away, did not want to be caught staring.
"Relax guys, well done today", James said.
Bones nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, well done 2 section! Your support was instrumental to what we achieved today. I never thought I would say it, but I'm fucking proud of all of you and grateful to you, James for a good collaboration on this operation. It was a complete success. The Brigadier and quite a few others are safely locked up in cells tonight."
"What will happen to them next?" James asked.
"The Brigadier will be shipped back to UK for trial, escorted by special forces. The Bangladeshi people that have been arrested ought to be prosecuted too, but as you know there is plenty of corruption here, so you never know. Maybe they will be out of jail in a few days, but it is not for us to worry about even if it is frustrating. I was pleased though, when we discovered that Inspector Chowdhrey is not one of the bad guys. He was just making investigations about the trade too and has helped us in the final stages of the operation."
Everyone nodded confirming they were relived too, because they had come to appreciate Chowdhrey and his sweet wife. The Brigadier had been a shock in one way, but he would not be missed. He had never been anyone's favourite leader, even if they most of the time had thought Bones worse.
"My SF unit's job here is done, so we will leave tomorrow, escorting the Brigadier. My sincere apologies that I'm leaving so soon after our reunion as I know I'm breaking your hearts by not staying", Bones continued with his usual sarcastic grin, knowing well that they would be relieved not to have him back as their CO.
For a second, he met her eyes, but his face remained impassive, then turned to James.
"I assume 2 section will stay here as planned to complete the humanitarian outreach project?"
"We will" James confirmed. "Three weeks remain, and we will make the most of them. I think we all can be proud to have been part of cutting the yabba trade off, at least for some time. That will help the refugees. Now lads, go get some scoff and go to bed. And Bones – we're glad to have you back alive."
The two captains gave each other a curt nod and even stretched as far as a handshake. Georgie wondered if it was something of a truce she was witnessing here. Maybe not friends, but at least not outright enemies anymore.
She left the room with the others. She did not want to draw any attention to her and Jack and she did not think he wanted to talk to her anyway. Nothing he had said today or showed with his body language had indicated that. He was indeed very talented at putting on a stone face, she had absolutely no idea what the man was thinking.
- OG -
Later, after dinner, Maisie and Georgie sat on a bench outside barracks. Temperature becoming almost pleasant at this hour and they were winding down before going to bed. The rest of the section was relaxing too, Bones and his men had not joined them for the meal and were nowhere to be seen. Georgie was not sure if his absence was a relief or not.
"What a day!" said Maisie. "Even if Captain James had told us Bones wasn't dead, I almost shit my pants when he came back! I mean, after that explosion and the coffin and all, it was like seeing a ghost. Even if he is the hero of the day, I prefer James over him and his PT and drill and bollocking. I'm seriously happy he won't be our commander again."
"No, it seems he is back with his SF unit now and they will leave."
Georgie was also glad Bones would not be her commanding officer but for other reasons than Maisie.
"We don't have much time left of this tour either. What will you do when we come home? When we have R&R before we start regimental duties?"
"Normal stuff. See my family of course, get a haircut, go shopping, have a night out with my sisters... other than that I don't know. It will be great with a few weeks off duty, I feel like I seriously need it this time. Will you go visit Rab in Leeds?"
She playfully pushed Maisie in the side.
"What? Why would I do that? I see enough of him at work, why would I want to see him when I'm finally off duty? It will be a relief to get rid of him and his big schnauz for a while."
"Oh, come on Maisie! I heard you say that you had seen a photo of him as a boy scout on his mantelpiece. How could you do that if you hadn't been to his house? No need to pretend."
Maisie realised she was cornered, and sulking said "Okay, I might have been there once."
"Finally, she confesses!" Georgie giggled. "Tell me more! What's the deal with you two, are you a couple or just friends with benefits?"
"A couple, I think... I hope. I really, really like Rab. He is just different from all other blokes I have been out with."
"He is a great guy and I think you're good for each other."
"It is just hard that we can't show we're a couple on tour. We thought about if one of us should transfer from 2 section but then we wouldn't be together for months."
Georgie knew that a transfer would be the right thing to do as far as regulations were concerned, but also understood why it would be hard for them. She would miss any of them if they left and had no intention of exposing their relationship even if it was not per protocol.
"The evening the boss had died, or not died but we thought so then...", Maisie continued.
"Yeah?"
"Rab told me he loves me... and I said I love him too."
Georgie smiled fondly at the thought of two secret love birds among them which only she knew of. She envied them for being such good friends and lovers at the same time. That was the best anyone could hope for.
"Enough about me and Rab! Let's talk about you instead. It has been a year since Elvis now. How do you feel, really?"
"I'm okay I guess."
"What does that mean?"
"It means that I feel like I live again, not just surviving", she smiled bleakly. "Some days are still hard, but many days are good too."
"But is it only work that feels okay? I mean, would you feel ready to date someone else, or do you still think about him all the time?"
"Not all the time but sometime every day and it still hurts, but less. More like a sore bruise than a bleeding knife wound. I don't know if I ever will feel ready to date but I guess I just have to try it at some point, force myself back up in the saddle, unless I want to end up as a lonely maiden with twenty cats."
She said this with both a hint of sadness and a little smile.
"Twenty cats?!" Maisie snorted. "It is very difficult to imagine you as a lonely maiden. I think you will find someone and otherwise you will always have the Army. No cats needed, we can go to Nepal and I will find you another goat, or two."
In Nepal, when Maisie just recently had joined 2 section and Georgie had not warmed to her yet, the experienced medic had been mad with the fresh recruit for risking her life pulling out a goat from a demolished building, because she had mistaken the goat's bleating for a baby screaming.
"Thanks Maisie, that's sweet of you, but I have decided to give dating a try again this time when we're home. If I get desperate for a goat I promise, you will be the first to know."
Still laughing, Georgie hugged her friend good night and went off to bed. She was grateful for this friendship. Before Maisie joined 2 section Georgie had never realised that she missed a female friend whilst being on tour, but now that she had one, tour was even better. She was also grateful for the dim evening light as she had felt herself blushing when Maisie asked about dating. Memories from the night with Jack had flashed by, made her feel a surge in her abdomen. Seeing him today had made the sensual memories more alive, so alive that she could almost feel his naked hot skin to hers again, but the man himself seemed very distant.
Yes, she would date if the right guy came along, and that would obviously not be Bones, but now it was time to shut off such thoughts, sleep and then complete the last weeks of this Bangladesh tour.
- OG -
Even though she was knackered, she found it difficult to find peace and fall asleep that night. She lay in bed, bothered by the humid heat, listening to the crickets outside and the sound of the others as their breathing got slower and movements fewer until they fell asleep one by one. She thought of the events that day, thought of that Jack was near, still somewhere here at the base, and that he would leave for UK in the early morning together with Spanner, Peanut and the Brigadier.
Eventually, she got tired of just lying there, instead got up and went for a stroll on the gated grounds. No one was to be seen, it was dead quiet at this hour as even the crickets seemed to have called it a night.
Suddenly someone grabbed her hand and pulled her into one of the buildings. It was Jack, standing in front of her, framing her body with his as she found herself standing with her back pressed against the wall. The eyes that had been steely this morning, were now a softer shade of blue as they met hers.
"I couldn't leave without doing this" he said, with his hand tilted her chin up and bent down to let his lips come crashing to hers... Pressed his lean body to hers and kissed her deep and hard again and again until her body was burning... burning from the sun that had risen and now was peeping through the window, waking her up. She had fallen asleep and kissing Jack was nothing but a dream. Morning had come, and he was already gone.
She had no idea when she would see him again, if ever.