Wow, really just.. wow. Really didn't expect this kind of response to the first chapter. Thank you for the four guest reviewers, xtine and anon for your review. It's much appreciated.

Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!

The peaceful moonlit place that she just came from was so different from the whirlwind of activity from the doctors and nurses occupying the base hospital for Camp Bastion. The effort and energy put in by the medical staff to help the soldiers and locals was absorbed by her. She took a deep breath before she made her way to the ward for critical injuries.

She looked around, taking in the sights and sounds of this ward. Different soldiers were lying in the beds, most of them fighting for their lives. She hated to admit it to herself, hoping deep down this was all a nightmare, that she could wake up at any moment. Here were two people fighting for their lives; one person who she loved, despite his secrets and another who was her best mate, who she couldn't see herself living without.

When she spotted James she walked straight over. Jackie, the medic she befriended during her tour, was there redressing his wounds. "How is he doing?", she asked, her voice low. Her question almost came out as a simple whisper.

"He is stable at the moment, but the first 48 hours are critical." Jackie wiped a gauze with antiseptic across the wound in his stomach. "After that his chances of getting through this will increase."

Molly nodded and took a seat on the cream coloured chair next to the bed. She rested her head in her hands and gave a deep sigh. She run her hand through her hair. "What exactly happened today, Molly?"

She looked up from the hospital floor to Jackie and shrugged her shoulders. "Did it have something to do with you getting clipped?", Jackie prodded.

"Well", Molly started. "You're right. Trouble always finds me."

Jackie smiled softly, before putting a bandage on James' wound. She put her wound dressing equipment down and sat on the edge of the bed. "He'll be fine, Mols."

"He has to be", she said, the sentence almost sounding like a plea for his life.

"If you ever need to talk, you know where to find me." Jackie put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it to encourage her to stay strong. They were not letting her be consumed by this, weren't letting her only see the worst case scenario. She was definitely blessed to have met these great people during her first tour. She had heard during her training that you would never forget the people you serve with during the first tour. Never in a million years did she expected that to be true, that it applied to her.

"Jackie?" Her friend had started to walk away, unnoticed by her since she was so lost in her thoughts, but she turned around when Molly called her name. "Do you have a pillow for me?"

"What?", Jackie asked, a questioning look spread across her face, influencing the shape of her brown eyebrows.

"I want to stay here."

"But-"

"Please, Jackie. I can't leave. I can't leave him." The emotions that she had put away, hoping that it would reach the place under stairs so it could never to be opened again, were resurfacing again. She was hoping she could put it away. Out of sight, out of mind, so to speak.

"Sure", Jackie said. "I see what I can find."

"Thanks."

When Jackie walked away again, she turned her attention to the man she loved. Softly she stroke his cheeks, tracing she edge of his face with her finger. She felt so guilty, so incredibly guilty over all of this. She knew deep down inside of her that Qaseem was right. She shouldn't be consumed by the guilt, but when she saw him lying on the ground, the red colour of his blood settling on the bridge, she couldn't stop but feel guilty.

After Jackie had brought her a pillow she settled into the chair next to the bed, finally letting her tired body come to rest.

The warm Afghan sun reached her skin, so warm that it felt like it burned through her uniform. She felt his warm hands on her cheeks, followed by his soft lips on hers. "I love you, Molly Dawes", he said, cupping her face in his rough hands.

"I-" All of a sudden James let go of her face, falling down on the ground.

"James", she yelled while she quickly knelt beside him. She assessed his current situation; he had one wound on his right arm and leg, but also several in his stomach. It almost appeared that his vest didn't provide him with the required protection, like it left him in the same manner as the life slowly started to withdraw itself from his body.

"Stay with me, alright?", she said, crying. "I'm going to get you out of here."

"I want you to be the last thing I see", she heard him say, only this time she heard it like it was a whisper, like it was so far away. Not with the strenght she heard it the first time when they were in that compound together. The moment when he covered her lips with his.

"I love you" After he uttered the last words everything froze. The life inside of him was drained out, having lost the battle to stay alive, to survive. Slowly the blood was leaking out of his body, making him paler and paler, like it also took his lifelines with him. She didn't move, but neither did he. Not anymore.

"No", she said, her voice filled with sadness and sorrow. "No, James. No, don't die. You can't die."

"James!", she yelled at the top of her lungs.

She rose up from the chair, putting her feet firmly on the hospital floor. She let out a sight of relieve. It was a nightmare, just a bloody nightmare. She looked over to the bed, making sure that James was still there. That he wasn't dead, like she just had just seen in her nightmare.

She sat herself down on the chair again and closed her eyes for a moment. "Mols", she heard someone say. She opened her eyes and saw corporal Kinders standing next to the bed. "How is he doing?"

She sniffled. "If he makes it through the next 48 hours, he has a bigger chance of survival."

The corporal nodded to her. When he noticed the pillow on her lap a questioning look spread across his face. "Did you sleep here last night?"

"Yes", she said, confirming his question. "I want to be here when he wakes up." She looked away from the corporal to the bed that held the person she loved. "If he ever does."

"It's not your fault." It was that sentence again. The same exact words Qaseem said to her last night, the words that should have a deep meaning to her, but they didn't.

"That's what everyone's been sayin'."

"Because that's the truth. Believe it." The corporal smiled at her, hoping to transfer some optimism' towards her. "Well, the boys are having breakfast in a few minutes. Join us."

"No, I rather stay here, Corp."

"Alright, then don't forget to eat something. You have to eat something."

"I will. I promise."

He looked at her one last time, before he turned around and walked towards the exit of the hospital.

A review would be lovely, as always haha :)