Disclaimer: All rights to Tony Ground and the BBC.

Author's notes: Sorry for the delay, but here it is! A new character is here and making everything a little bit more fun, or complicated... (spoiler: at least in the next chapter...) Hope you like it, don't forget to give me a review :)

Chapter 3 - A old friend

"Captain James, it's been a while" Charles turned around in surprise and squeezed against the sun. A tall, blond haired, good looking guy was walking towards him and he sighed but couldn't hide a smile. His old friend that he had shared his first tour with and even if this guy could drive him crazy, he was still his best friend.

His divorce from Rebecca had been hard because of Sam and Captain Hansen or Bill as his first name was had been really supportive.

"Captain Hansen, what a surprise, didn't think I would meet you out here" he said in honest surprise. The last time they spook was before he went for tour and his friend was going to train recruits back home.

"Change of plans captain, you are probably stuck with me for the rest of the tour I'm afraid" He grinned and they gave each other a hug.

"Eh, it's not a completely disaster and by the way, I really need to speak to you, in private"

"Sounds serious?"

"Hm, yes it is" Captain Hansen glazed at his friend with a concern look, he looked pretty tired actually. "Come, I have some time before my meeting with Major Beck" Charles nodded and followed Bill when he started to walk in the direction of his tent.

. . .

Bill sat down on his chair and Charles stood in the middle of the tent looking all nervous. Bill thought that this wasn't the 'no-feelings-stern-face-captain' he know. He wondered what had affected his friend this way.

"So, what is it that you need to talk about that make you this nervous" Bill grinned and laid back in his chair with his legs crossed on the desk.

There was a pause before Charles took a deep breath and said.

"I've met someone" he started, unsure about how he should continue.

"You've met someone, how? I mean, you are in the middle of nowhere in a freaking desert?" Bill laughed but got quiet when he saw Charles worrying face. This was probably more serious then he first thought. Relationships in the army was strictly forbidden and even if he had brooked the rules a couple of times himself, he knew that his friend never even thought about doing it. Charles James always followed rules, he lived for the army.

"She is the medic, she's in my platoon and I don't know what to do" he sighed and sat down on the bed.

"Wow, this is surprising, she must be special" Charles nodded but kept quiet.

This girl must really be something if she got Charles to show his feeling for her on tour.

"Have you done anything?" Charles looked up at his friend with an angry look and hissed.

"We freaking did it in my tent, it was really stupid, really stupid"

"Was it bad ha?"

"NO you idiot! It was fucking great, she is fucking great" Once again Charles glazed angry at his friend who just sat in his chair with huge grin.

"Haha, I'm sorry but it sounds like you kinda regretting it"

"Of course I do, but not that I regret that we did it it's just when we did it, we are in freaking war zone. It's against the bloody rules and I like her. I love. She is worth so much more..."

"People fall in love in mysterious ways..." Bill started to sing and this time even Charles grinned at his friend who always tried to see the funny side of things"

"It's not funny, can you never take anything serious"

"Haha, it is kinda funny actually but hey I need to meet this girl"

"No you don't"

"Yes I do, come an" All of sudden he stood up and walked out of the tent, Charles sighed but decided it was best to follow him so he didn't do anything stupid.

It wasn't that he didn't wanted Bill to meet Molly but he knew his friend. He could be a real pain in the ass sometimes. Girls seemed to like him, at least at first, before he found another one... He was what you can call a player, one night stands was his things - no feelings involved. Charles knew that even if his friend tried to be careless he had a big heart and he didn't feel as confident as he looked. His childhood hadn't been the best and it had affected him a lot.

. . .

It had been a long day, two patrols and Molly felt tired. Full kit in this heat, walking for hours was tough and she thanked her ex. commanding officers for her training before the tour.

But she also thought about something else that bothered her... She hadn't seen the captain at all today and she missed him, she missed him a lot. But it was something he was hiding, she knew he did. She just didn't no what.

She stood outside the med-tent enjoying the view over the mountain outside the camp. Afghan was really beautiful, to bad that it had to be a war here. But maybe, someday, it would end and Afghan would be a beautiful, peaceful country to live in. She hoped that she got to live until then and experience Afghan when it all was over.

"Dawes" she turned around when she heard his voice. Her legs turned to jelly when his brown eyes looked at her and his smile gave her butterflies. She was a freaking medic, s soldier and acted like a teenage girl when she saw him. Get a grip Dawes.

"Sir?" She said and then saw that someone was walking with him, a pretty good looking guy, also a captain she realized when she saw his brand. Wonder who that is she thought...

"I want you to meet Captain Hansen" She looked at the blond, blue eyed man who had a huge grin on his face. This guy was obviously aware of his good looking. He reach out his hand to her and she shook it with a steady grip.

"Private Dawes, I've heard so much about you... Charles is acting like a teenage boy again" She froze, how the hell could he know? Why the hell would Charles talk to him about them?

"Bill" Charles said with a warning voice but Bill just grinned.

"I have never seen Charles this way, you must be pretty special" Okey, Charles had told this guy, why the hell would he do that? What the hell was wrong with him? She glazed angry at Charles who just shook his head and gave her a excusing look before he said.

"He is my best friend, or at least he was my best friend. Now he's just a very irritable man that can't keep his gob shut"

Bill just laughed at them both and then explained that he had to excuse himself because he had a meeting with major Beck now. When he had left in the direction of the mess-tent Charles turned to Molly again and said.

"Sorry about him"

"I guess it's okey, I mean, you can probably trust him if he is your best friend..."

"I trust him with my life" He said with his captain-stern-face-voice and Molly smiled back at him. She trusted him with her life so if he trusted Captain I-know-I'm-good-looking, she could probably do it too.

"I've missed you today" The word slept out from her mouth before she could stop it. He glazed at her with a concerned look but if you looked really close you could see a feeling flash by over his face. He sighed and turned his head against the mountains, enjoying the view before he turned back to face her again.

"I've missed you too"

That was everything she needed to hear. But she still needed to ask him if it was something he hadn't told her yet... She took a deep breath.

"Are you hiding something?" He froze and his face got stern, he opened his mouth but no sound came out.

"I..." he started but they were entrusted when Kinders yelled that Molly had to help the others with the latrine clean today. She looked at her captain but he just said "Go" then walked away himself and she was left alone before she had time to react. Kindes yelled again and she started to walk towards him.

She was confused, he was hiding something but he didn't told her what. What could he be hiding for her? Was there someone else back home? She got cold of the thought and hoped that her fear wasn't true... But why didn't he tell her?