"Good morning." His voice was low in her ear, and for some reason it made her blush. She was actually here, in his bed, and it wasn't just one of those dreams she'd had when she'd been away on tour. He was actually there beside her, watching her sleepily with that sleepy smile on his face.
"Morning." She smiled back, stretching as she yawned. Her body clock was still a bit messed up, she had absolutely no idea what time it was although it looked to just be getting light outside- but she didn't really care if she was honest.
His hand moved, just a fraction of an inch closer to her as though he might be about to rest it on her waist, then he stopped himself and moved it back, a frown crossing his face for just a split second. He looked almost nervous.
That was when she realised he was. He was worried he was going to do or say something that was a little bit too much for her, and that the whole thing was going to come crashing down around them. She knew how he felt because that was exactly what she'd been thinking laying there last night listening to him breathing.
Surely, at some point, he was going to realise that he didn't really want to be with her and all the baggage she came with? Good things didn't happen to her, and how could she really go from Artan to someone like Charles. He was far too good for her, and she wasn't sure if after everything that had happened she would ever really be able to trust anyone properly, no matter how much she wanted to.
She'd resigned herself last night to the fact that she would have to enjoy it while it lasted. Take each day as it came and try not to get too attached- but that was the problem, she loved him already in a way that she had never really loved Artan and no matter what she told herself it was really going to hurt like hell when he did finally decide this wasn't what he wanted at all.
"What are you worrying about now?" He asked, she'd got that look on her face again like she'd disappeared off into her own thoughts, and if he was honest it worried him seeing her like that. It was a look he recognised from when they'd been on tour together, and he knew she was thinking about Artan.
When she'd fallen asleep laying on his bed last night he hadn't made any attempt to wake her up, he hadn't wanted too. Instead he'd just pulled the covers over her and settled down beside her, relishing in the fact that she was actually there with him after all this time and everything that had happened. Even after everything they'd talked about yesterday and hearing her say she wanted to be with him he was still so worried she'd feel like he was pressuring her into it and push him away. It was like walking on eggshells.
"Nothing." It was an automatic response, coming from years of trying to convince people she was okay. "I'm just thinking about things."
"And what kind of things would they be?" He asked, rolling over so he was facing her properly and he could watch her face for some kind of sign of what was going on in her head.
She shrugged, moving herself a little bit closer to him. She could feel the heat radiating from him and she so desperately wanted him to put his arms around her and hold her until she felt safe, but the fear of him rejecting her- no matter how irrational it was- stopped her.
He looked at her, waiting for her to continue.
"Did I ever tell you I didn't really like you when I first joined two section?" Ashe asked, completely changing the subject. The look he was giving her now reminded her a but of how he'd looked at her those first few day, she just couldn't put her finger on why.
He raised an eyebrow at her. "I feel like you're trying to change the subject, but I have to admit I'm curious."
She laughed quietly. "I'm not even really sure why now I think about it, I think it was just the way you looked at me that first day. You didn't even look a little bit pleased to see me."
He cringed. "You weren't really what I was expecting Dawes."
"What's that supposed to mean?" She sounded offended, but he could see the smile playing on her lips. He forgot for a moment that she'd totally steered him away from his original question, but he was just relieved to see her happier.
He paused for a second, trying to find the right words to explain what he meant. "Well, from the moment they found out who was coming everyone seemed to be singing your praises and telling me how brilliant and experienced you were, I'd got a picture of you in my mind, and then when you turned up you took me by suprise, you were so much younger than I thought. I'd got enough on my plate baby sitting two section I was a bit worried I might have to do that with you too, I just needed someone I could trust."
"Well, luckily for you I did turn out to be the best medic you've ever had!" She joked.
He rolled his eyes. "You were alright I suppose."
"Alright?! Bloody charming!" She went to jab him in the ribs, but he caught her and pulled her towards him until she was laying against his chest, exactly where she'd wanted to be.
"I'm only kidding, you know how lucky I feel that I ended up with you." He was serious suddenly.
"I mean luckily for me you'd turned out to be bearable." She joked. "I mean only just, but I guess I'll live."
"You're lucky I'm not still your Captain!"
"Oh I would've said it to you even back then." She laughed. "I don't hold back, Mum always said I'd get myself in trouble one day."
"I don't doubt it." He laughed.
There was a brief pause, both of them just laying there enjoying being with eachother.
"So then, what does a girl have to do to get a cup of tea around here?" Molly asked, breaking the silence.
"I'm sure I could I think of some things." He winked. "But as it's you Dawes, I'll do it just this once." He held on to her for second longer before forcing himself out of the bed to make her a cup of tea.
"Thanks." She grinned at him as he disappeared out of the door.
She reached for her phone which was lying on the bedside table, she'd been vaguely aware of it vibrating a few times while they'd been talking. As she picked it up it started to ring again, another unknown number.
"Hello?" She answered warily. She hadn't given anyone other than Charles and her parents her new phone number so she had no idea who it would be.
"Are you there with him right now?" Her blood ran cold, she'd recognise that drinker slur anywhere. It had haunted her dreams for months. "Are you in his bed, laughing at me right now?"
"How did you get this number?" She asked, her voice hushed. She felt sick.
"Don't you get it Molly, you can go and live somewhere else and change your phone number but I'm still going to find you. I'm not going to forget what you did to me." The line went dead as he hung up on her.