He couldn't get her out of his mind. He tried. Really, really tried but every night before he went to sleep she'd pop into his head. Her smile reverberated around his brain. LJ. She was a bit of an enigma to John. He had spent so many years dreaming of the SAS and everything that it stood for. She had never been a part of his dreams.

"Mate, I'll give you the advice that somebody gave to me when I first started." Meat had said following his first meeting with LJ. "If she's the only female to have ever made it to the SAS just think about exactly what it is that she can do that keeps her here."

He had taken the words with a pinch of salt. She obviously wouldn't be going on the dangerous missions. Females were irrational creatures. There was no way Price would trust her to stand beside the lads. Could she even fire a gun properly? The lads were all bulky, well built, statuesque. She was tall, for a girl, but there was no muscle to her body. She was delicate and lithe. Not exactly the two words you'd associate with somebody who was tasked with the protection of national security. There was no doubt that she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He had been moved into a room with Wallcroft, Meat and two other lads, Croft and Jenson and after the lights went out and the other lads were asleep he would often lie awake and think about her. He'd thought about her naked. A lot. She was completely bewitching. His brain didn't feel like it belonged to him anymore. He was worse than a horny teenager. A couple of months ago he'd been completely focused on the SAS and reaching his end goal. Now he was completely focused on her and when he would see her again.

"Mate, it's okay to think about her when you're doing the old five finger shuffle." Wallcroft had told him, laughing. "We've all done it at some point but that will stop eventually. She's more like a sister now. Once you've done a couple of jobs with her all the thoughts about what she looks like naked will go away."

But that was it. Soap wasn't getting to do any jobs. Let alone any with her. He had started at a particularly quiet time for the SAS and there was no need for any of them. Soap was using the downtime to work on his fitness. He had ran the CQB in 20.7 seconds. Good by most standards. But she was a whole 3 seconds faster. He had meant what he had said to her. He wasn't going to let her beat him. He hadn't seen her since the day that she had surprised him at the top of that tower.

"She does a lot of recon work with Gaz." Jenson had told him. "She's smart. She sees things that most of us don't."

Soap had taken to asking about her at meal times. Her absence was only serving the purpose of stoking his curiosity in her.

"What's her story?" He asked Wallcroft, at the end of his second week in the barracks. "She must have one."

Wallcroft rolled his eyes. Everybody was getting sick of him asking about her. "Price had been looking for a girl to join the force for a while. He stumbled across her at a recruitment event."

"Who was she with before? Army?"

Wallcroft laughed. "Christ, man. Why don't you just ask her yourself? She's nice. Really nice. If you want to know about her, just ask her yourself."

He sighed. "Okay, so what about LJ. What does LJ stand for?"

Wallcroft gave him a look. Soap nodded. He would ask her himself. The last time they had spoken his shock had completely overridden his manners. He was aware that he'd been a bit obnoxious with her. He wanted to apologise.

"Just be careful mate." Wallcroft lowered his voice. "Price laid down the law on her the first day she arrived and half the lads fell over themselves trying to get her into bed." He gave Soap a look. "No funny business or she's gone." His friend straightened up. "I'm not saying you can't look. But just don't touch." Soap had stood up to leave, Wallcroft grabbed his arm. "And don't judge her before you work with her, mate. She's here for a reason. The lads all love her. She's family."

It was three weeks before he saw her again. Price had found him after they had been on a march.

"Have you had all your jabs?"

John had shook his head.

"Go and find Dr. Hunt in the infirmary. I think we'll be getting some action soon. The Russians are causing some concerns. I don't want you grounded because you've not had them."

John had never been to the infirmary before. He'd never even heard of Dr. Hunt. None of the lads had mentioned him but then again most of the lads acted as if they were made of steel. They probably kept Dr. Hunt and the infirmary far from their minds so they wouldn't have to face up to the fact that they were only human and completely capable of breaking.

The nurse on the reception had practically convulsed at him when he had walked in. She was cute. A pretty red head with big blue eyes. She did her best impression of a coquettish nymph, twirling her hair around her finger and focusing a lingering gaze on him. He let her. It was a lonely life having to whack one out in the shower every morning. So what if he had a little flirt with a cute nurse.

"I'm here for my jabs." He told her. "But I'll have to ask the doctor to check me for a pulse because looking at you makes me think I've died and gone to heaven."

The girl giggled and blushed.

"Christ." a voice came from behind him. "Jenny, please don't listen to this idiot."

He span around to look at her. LJ. This time he really did think that his heart had stopped. She was more beautiful than he remembered. She was wearing a long sleeve striped top, a pair of denim shorts and converse. She had her hair piled up on the top of her head in a bun and was wearing a pair of thick tortoise shell glasses. Her legs were incredible. Long, tanned, perfectly shaped. She leant against the doorway from which she had emerged.

"Are you harassing Jenny, Soap?"

"He's not harassing me." Jenny squeaked from behind him. "He was being nice."

LJ raised an eyebrow at her and then turned back to John. "Why are you here?"

"Why are you here?" he retorted.

She rolled her eyes. "I work here."

John stared at her. "So, wait... You're a doctor? You're not a soldier?"

"I'm both." She responded. "Are you here for something in particular?"

"Price sent me to meet Dr. Hunt to get my jabs."

"Well unfortunately for you, Dr. Hunt isn't here today." She smirked. "Which means I'm doing your jabs." She turned around. "Follow me."

He turned around and gave Jenny a small wave. She kept her eyes down and ignored him. Flirtation over with. He followed LJ into the examination room and closed the door behind him. She was sat at her desk, her eyes fixed on the computer screen. He sat down on the chair opposite her.

"I like Jenny." she told him. "And if you fuck her, then she will go all doe eyed over you and she won't do her job properly."

"I'm not going to fuck Jenny."

Hearing the word fuck come out of her mouth made the blood rush to his groin. Christ. He was worse than a teenager. It was the glasses. He loved a woman in glasses. It was the whole sexy secretary thing.

"Good." She turned to him, her big green eyes resting on his face. "Are you scared of needles?"

"No."

She stood up and walked towards the door. "Shame. I like it when they scream."

He grinned at her retreating back. His eyes fell to the bottom of her shorts.

"Stop looking at my arse, Soap." she called.

Christ. He felt like a naughty schoolboy. Turning away from the door, he looked around the office. Several certificates were mounted on the wall. The desk was organised. His eyes flickered to the photo frames next to the computer. There was a picture of her with a man and a woman. She looked younger, maybe 17/18. They must be her parents. She had her fathers eyes. Her mother was gorgeous. Next, a picture of her with a beautiful girl with black hair. The two of them together were everything that dreams were made of. Their faces were pressed together and LJ's mouth was open in wide smile. His eyes fell upon a picture of her and a man. She had her lips pressed up against his cheek and he was grinning at the camera. Soap was as straight as they came but he knew that the man was good looking. Really good looking. Dark brown eyes and hair, strong angular jaw and cheekbones. The two of them would make some beautiful children. Of course she had a boyfriend on the outside. Price's rule meant that she wasn't allowed to be with any of the squad. She had to get her fix somewhere. The sound of the door closing signalled that she was back in the room.

"Having fun?" She asked, noticing that Soap was staring intently at the pictures on the desk.

"Just admiring your man there." He was attempting to be friendly. "Good looking fella."

She gave a small laugh and placed a tray on the desk. Five needles. Five very big needles. Reaching towards Soap, she pushed up the sleeve of the grey t-shirt he was wearing to expose the flesh of his bicep. She rubbed a small section with a wipe.

"I wanted to apologise for the other day." Soap heard himself saying. "It was just a bit of a shock."

"Small pinch..." She said, picking up the first needle and pressing it into his arm, she placed the empty syringe back on the tray. "Don't mention it."

"I'm not normally that rude." He gave her a small laugh. "My mam would be furious if she'd heard me speak to you like that."

She picked up another wipe and rubbed a separate inch of his bicep. Her hands were warm. Her fingers soft against his skin. She fixed her eyes on him. He could see himself in their reflection. They were the kind of eyes you'd get lost in. A piece of her hair had fallen loose from the bun and was framing her face.

"It's forgotten, Soap." She said, picking up the second needle. "Small pinch..."

The second one hurt more than the first. His arm was heavy. She disposed of the second syringe.

"I've heard that you've been asking about me." She said, picking up a third wipe and dabbing his skin. She didn't look at him. He was glad. His cheeks flushed.

"Just curious..." he mumbled.

"If you want to know about me, you can just ask me." She blew the hair from her face as she picked up the third syringe. It was the slightest movement but it was enough to send his pulse rocketing. He was suddenly very aware of her. Very aware of how beautiful she was. He wasn't normally such a pussy around women. He wasn't a player by any stretch of the imagination, but he could handle himself. But she was completely different. He felt in awe of her. It was pathetic. "I'm sure most of the lads will tell you the same." She fixed her gaze on him. "Small pinch..."

The third needle was disposed of.

"Okay." He mumbled. "I just want to know your story. I know you're not from a military background. How'd you end up being the only female to ever get in?"

She stared at him. "Pure fate." She gave a small shrug. "And I happen to be an unnaturally talented marksman." She grinned. "Or markswoman, I guess."

He nodded. "I just don't understand it... You're a girl."

She looked at him furiously. "Okay. I'll bite" She raised an eyebrow at him. "You want answers?"

He nodded.

"I met Price just after my parents had been killed in the London bombings. I was at a recruitment event with my friend Charlotte..." she nodded at the picture of the girl, "She had decided to join the medical corps after having some sort of epiphany. We were in our first year of studying medicine at UCL." She took a breath. "I didn't even know what SAS meant. I didn't even know this place existed. But Price decided that I was something special and he brought me here." She peeled off the rubber gloves on her hands and discarded them on the tray. "I passed selection, just the same as you did. I fought every single ache and pain. I cried every single day in that bloody jungle. But I did it. I earned my place here. I may not have worked as hard as you to get here, but I still got here just the same." She stared at him. "I go on missions, exactly the same as you will. I shoot people. I'm pretty fucking fantastic at it. I'm the best shot in this whole squad, you can ask any of the lads and they'll tell you the same. Dr. Hunt taught me what I would have learnt in University. I'm a medic as well as a soldier. I might not be the best doctor on the planet, but out there, in the field, I'm your best fucking friend. I cut bullets out of flesh, plug wounds with my fingers... I've saved most of the lads out there from horrible injuries." She stood up and glared at him. "So, yes, Soap, I am a girl. But I'm also a person who deserves to be here."

He stared at her. She had passed selection? He hadn't even thought about it. The memory of his own experience was still fresh in his mind. He remembered the feeling that his body was packing in. He pushed himself harder than he had ever done before. To think that she had passed it first time, with what he assumed to be minimal training...? It was nothing short of impressive. The way she stared him down made it clear that she had fought this battle on more than one occasion. He understood the aggression. Understood the need to prove something. All of the lads he had spoken to about her had said the same thing. She was good. She was in the squad for a reason. Who was he to argue it? Price wasn't a stupid man. He was notoriously tactile. If he had picked her, then she was clearly deserving of her place.

"I don't expect you to just let it go, Soap." She grimaced at him. "But you'll see it when we work together." She straightened up and the darkness went away from her eyes. "That's it now, okay?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "Water under the proverbial bridge."

He nodded. "Water under the bridge."

She exhaled deeply. "Okay, so you need to drop your pants."

He froze. He was caught like a deer in the headlights. He opened his mouth.

"Three in the arm. Two in the arse." she said, nodding at the syringes. "Don't worry. I'll be gentle." She smirked at him. "Plus, it's only fair. You stare at mine, I'm going to stare at yours."

He shook his head and laughed. "You're messing with me."

She shrugged. "If you want to catch typhoid and yellow fever, then go ahead, leave your pants on."

He hands went to his belt. He narrowed his eyes at her. "If this is some sort of joke..." He pushed his fingers under the waist band of his trousers and pushed them down. "Is there a camera recording this? Are you going to use this for personal use?"

"Yes, Soap. Nothing turns me on quite as much as injecting men with live virus strains." She laughed. "Am I that transparent?"

He shook his head and turned away from her. Cupping one hand around his junk, he pushed his boxers down with the other. He could tell she was smirking. He jumped at the cold wipe as she sterilised the spot for the injection. Her fingers brushed against the skin momentarily and he felt his dick twitch in his hands.

Think unsexy thoughts, he told himself. Don't think about her naked. Don't think about her naked.

"Small pinch..." she said.

It was more pinch. John grit his teeth. The second injection followed quickly.

"You're all done." she said, throwing the syringes in the bin. "Would you like a sticker for being so brave?"

He pulled his boxers up and gave her a look. She laughed and sat back down at her desk.

"If it helps, you've got a lovely arse." she grinned. "Very firm."

He didn't blush often, but John felt his cheeks turn pink. "Thanks." He fastened his belt and looked at her. "Am I done?"

She nodded. "Yep."

"So..." he shuffled awkwardly. "Nice chatting with you."

She smirked.

"I'm sorry, again."

"No harm done..." she waved her hand at him. "It's not like you're the first person, and you certainly won't be the last."

He nodded at her. "So, I guess I'll see you around then. Price mentioned something about the Russians being a cause for concern... hopefully we get some action soon."

She shrugged. "Hopefully."

He pushed the door handle down and stepped from the office.

"Oh, Soap?" LJ called.

He turned back to look at her. She was grinning at him.

"I'll make sure to tell my gay friend, Steve that you think he's a good looking fella." she flicked the loose strand of hair from her face. "He's always asking me to set him up."

"He's not your man?"

"Not even close." she responded. "And, for future reference... My name? It's Lola." She flashed him a dazzling smile. "I've seen your arse now so I feel it only appropriate that we're on first name terms."

Soap smiled back at her. Something stirred in the pit of his stomach. "Okay, Lola. See you around."

"Oh, you will."