Waking up Molly had gone to rub her eyes and realised there was something on her hand. She realised it was the ring. Looking at it so beautiful, a heart for her heart he had said.

She looked over at him, he was still asleep. stubble on his chin she nuzzled into his neck and curled into him. He moaned softly and pulled her close. She went to speak but he 'shhhh' her. So she closed her eyes and drifted off.

Two hours later she woke up and realised he was gone. A note on his pillow told he he had popped out. Popped out it was 9am they had to leave in an hour.

She got up and showered and put her uniform on. Luckily she had packed yesterday. She put the kindle and its charger into her bergen.

She looked down at her hand, there was no way she could take her ring. She slowly took it off and put it into its box. She tied the ribbon. She really needed to go to this Tiffany shop and see what else they had.

She put the box in her bedside cabinet.

Walking downstairs she realised she needed a cup of tea and maybe a paracetamol. Teensy headache thats what getting engaged and drinking lots of champagne does for you.

She made her tea and sat looking out at the garden. Engaged Molly Dawes what a start to 2015.

She pulled out her phone and pressed 2 on her speed dial. 'Mum, al'right'

'Molls. I thought you might have called yesterday.'

'Sorry Mum, I meant to. Listen I have big news.'

'Oh Molls what?'

'Mum i'm, well i'm engaged. Charles asked me to marry him last night, I said yes of course. I mean who would bleeding turn him down eh?' She laughed. 'Mum are you there?"

'Of course I am Moll's. I am so happy for you both. You are prefect for each other. But, I am sad because you are growing up not my little girl anymore.'

'Mum, don't say that. I am always your girl. And anyways you have so many of those little bleeders running around you don't miss me under your feet.'

After a few more minutes of talking she heard the front door open and close. Charles walked into the kitchen running his hand thru wind blown hair. Mmmmmm she thought, but no time got to go soon.

He smiled and kissed the top of her head. Walking over to his beloved Nespresso machine to make some Rosabaya. She thought some days he loved that machine more than her. It was so important to him. She looked at her arm no Rosabaya written there but Sam loves Molly this time. Like father like son.

Her Mum continued to tell her gossip about the neighbours and she knew she would need to end the call.

'Mum, Charles is back and we need to go soon.'

'Put him on Moll's I need to speak to him.' Looking at him she handed him the phone.

'Hello Belinda, yep it went well. She loves the ring we did well, we are a good team eh?'

Molly's head shot up 'we?'

Charles laughed and carried on talking walking out of the kitchen. He came back having dropped his coat in the hall.

He passed the phone back 'Mum?'

'You knew Mum, you bleeding knew and you never said a word.'

'Molls I was not gonna tell you was I? It was a surprise. He came here asked your Dad if he could propose. We were stunned. Then he took me with him to pick the ring. You love it don't you?'

'When he saw it Moll's I swear he welled up. The women in the shop well they were running around him, all over him like a rash. But he looked at me and said this is it, this is the one.'

Molly felt the tears in her eyes and looked at Charles. He was trying to not listen but she knew he was.

She ended the call promising to text her Mum once at Brize.

'So Charles James, you are quite the secret keeper eh?'

He turned to look at her and said 'Well I guess so, almost time Molly.'

She looked at her watch. And her bare hand. 'Where is your ring Molly?'

'Upstairs in my cabinet, I can't very well take that to Afghan can I?'

'You Molly Dawes are correct, which is why I popped out to get you this.'

He placed a ring box in front of her. She looked up laughing 'Another ring?"

He opened it and inside was a silver ring with hearts entwined. 'Just so you don't forget you are engaged Private Dawes.'

He put the ring on her finger. It was perfect, small enough not to be a problem but a symbol to remind her of him.

'Right Charles James, your turn now. I wanted to give you something to keep you busy whilst I am away. She handed him a wrapped package, he opened it 'West Ham Quiz Book'.

'By the time I get back you will know everything there is to know so we can have a proper footie conversation. If I have to sit thru a rugby match again its only fair you know about football.'

He put the book down and pulled her close 'Oh Molly you are the nuts, you know that don't you?'

She hugged him back and there they stayed for several minutes not moving just holding each other.

They parted slowly and he leaned down to give her a lingering kiss. Then he was gone upstairs to get her kit.

In the car they spoke little, he had held her hand the whole way (thank God for his Dad's automatic car he thought).

In the car park he unloaded the bags and they stood looking at each other. There were lots of families in the car park saying farewell. He looked around and suddenly heard someone calling 'Captain James, Boss'

He swung around and saw Corporal Kinders coming towards him. He had not spotted Molly as she was bending down to put something back into the bag. As she stood up Kinders suddenly saw her and stopped. He looked from one to the other shock on his face.

Charles stepped forward. 'Kinders my man, how are you?' He put his hand out to shake but Kinders was stunned into silence.

Molly suddenly saw him too and smiled. She had been waiting for the right moment to tell the lads about her and Charles. Just never got around to it.

'Corp you on the same flight as me? Are you going to Afghan?.

'Molly, Boss, I, well I don't know what to say. I mean er' are you? I mean, well I don't know what to say.'

Charles laughed and patted Kinders on the shoulder. 'Yes Kinders we are, in fact we got engaged last night.'

Kinders looked from one to the other and then suddenly there was more shouting as 2 section started heading towards the three of them. Mansfield Mike grabbed Molly and hugged her. All the boys were there so Charles told them all about the engagement. After a lot of back slapping and high fives the boys said they needed to report in. All shook Charles hand as they left. Brain's stopping to pause 'Boss this tour will not be the same without you leading us.' He saluted Charles and walked away.

Charles stood and looked at them as they headed in thru the doors to report in. What he wouldn't give to be doing that he thought. He looked at Molly. She was staring at him, she knew what he was thinking.

He pulled her close. Holding her so tight she could hardly breathe but, she said nothing. Breathing him in. Holding onto him for as long as possible.

He pulled back 'Want me to come in with you?'

'No, no I couldn't bare it. Saying goodbye is hard enough I can't sit in there with you. I need to check the supplies with Jackie before they are loaded anyway so I wont be sitting around.'

He looked down at her and kissed her slowly, his hands on her back splayed out and his legs were pressed against hers as he pushed her back on the car. 'Charles, I have to go.'

He pulled back and ran his hands thru his hair. He looked at her as she lifted her bags. 'At least let me carry them to the door Molly.'

'Babes, no I can carry my own bags. This is it. I will email as soon as I can okay.'

'Okay, okay sorry, its just odd me being the one left behind again.'

'I know but, this is my last tour. I need to do this okay. Remember we want to leave that country in a better place than we found it.'

Bloody hell she was good. She remembered everything.

He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. 'Molly Dawes come back to me.'

'I will don't worry.'

She walked towards the report in doors and just before entering turned around. He was standing there arms folded, legs apart normal pose. He was trying to smile and gave her a small wave. She stopped and dropped her bags.

She ran towards him and he began walking towards her. She flung herself at him and he pulled her tight.

'I love you.'

'Ditto Molly.'

She smiled at him and he kissed her again.

She headed back to the report in doors but her bags were gone. Baz Vegas was holding the door open and she could see the 2 section lads had taken her bags in already.

She loved these boys. She loved her Charles. She turned and looked back he was leaning against the car. He waved, she waved back and stepped inside.

•••••••••••••••••••••

Molly opened her eyes. There was no comfort on the transporter taking them back to Afghan, she looked around at the others onboard. She was glad to have 2 section with her. She thought about Bashira and how quickly she would be able to see her. Qaseem had been very non committal on email with her the last week.

She looked back down at the kindle. She read some more. This Elizabeth Bennet is quite a girl she thought. That Darcy bloke sounds a right stuck up fk'muppet. She stopped reading and giggled. Now she knew why he wanted her to read this first. It was them.

The CO stood up to tell them to put on their protective clothing. She went to close the kindle and dropped it. As she picked it up it came out of the case.

She saw it was engraved. He thought of everything she thought. She looked up hoping no one was watching her. She had tears in her eyes as she re-read it.

Stay alert, stay focused, stay alive.