Smurf came back into the room and the guilt overwhelmed me. All I could see was Geraint. I felt sick to my stomach. I avoided his gaze and Molly tried to lighten the move but I could hardly stand to be in the same room as him. I shifted uncomfortably as he spoke and immersed myself in hushed conversation with Sam to avoid having to talk to him. I didn't know how much he knew but if he knew it all I don't know how he could be in the same room as me. Suddenly, my phone started to ring. I took it out of my pocket.

"If its Liam he can fuck right off!" I said to Molly and she smiled.

"Give him a chance."

I stared down at the display: INCOMING CALL – REBECCA JAMES.

"Who is it?" Sam asked and I pressed the green button before handing the phone to him.

"It's your Mummy." I told him and he smiled.

"She wants to talk to you."

I took the phone off him a pressed it to my ear. "Rebecca?"

"Philippa. I'm on my way to collect Sam, he's been there long enough. If he was going to wake up he'd have done it by now."

"Don't be fucking stupid!"

"Do not use that language in front of my son!"

"Oh yeah because Charles doesn't!"

"No because Charles is never there!"

"Well you can come and get him and you can explain to him why you left him to cry himself to sleep and you can explain to him why he won't be there when his dad wakes up and you can explain to him why he will never see you again after we get full custody."

"You won't get full custody."

"We will, Rebecca! He is a Captain in the British Army so he won't even need a character reference, he is financially secure and I can prove that you are an unfit mother. These last 24 hours are just another testament to that."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Oh Rebecca, you underestimate me. Was it not you that called me a ruthless and heartless woman that kills for fun?! So you would have no difficulty in believing that I would stoop that low." I snapped and Molly's eyes widened. Smurf's jaw dropped.

"I didn't say that." Rebecca stuttered realising her error.

"You did."

"Is Sam there?"

"Oh are you worried that your comment isn't suitable for him to hear?"

"Just stop being a bitch, Philippa."

"They day I stop being a bitch to you is the day you stop using your son as leverage over my brother and the day that I never have the misfortune of clapping eyes on you ever again!"

"I don't want you anywhere near my son, is your mum there?"

"No. You left him with me remember, just me. The ruthless and heartless killer that had, just thirteen hours before, been in one of the most dangerous places on the Earth. My mum is on her way but she's only just got back to the UK. I can't say when she'll be here."

"Who's with you?"

"Well there's a medic, one of the ones that saved his life and then a soldier that served in his platoon so we're all army."

"Leave him with the medic and get away from him."

"Did I mention that one of the medics was fucking Charles in Afghan? Shit, that slipped my mind! Still want me to leave your son with a medic or has your prejudged image of medics been tainted now?"

"What?"

"Goodbye Rebecca." I laughed and put the phone down. Molly looked shocked.

"I wasn't fucking him in Afghan." She murmured and I nodded.

"I know and God did he complain about that but that wasn't the point. The point was that she would rather I handed over her son to a complete stranger than him spend any more time with me. I wanted to prove to her that she can't do that because they might be someone that she hates more than me!"

"Oh. Why are you so harsh to her?"

"One day, I'll tell you the whole story but I don't have time today. My mum will be here in half an hour but I need to try and patch up my marriage sooner rather than later. I'm going to apologise to Liam, I'm charging the both of you with his care and I swear to fucking God, if a single hair on his head is harmed, I will render you both speechless."

Smurf and Molly nodded and I wandered off to find Liam.

Molly's POV

As Pippa walked away I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to her. What had happened to make her so hostile towards Rebecca? What had happened to make her and Boss Man so close? What had happened to make her the way she was? She was so fragile and vulnerable but also so strong and seemingly bulletproof. I couldn't put my finger on it but there was something going on with her that made her the way she was. I admired her immensely, but I felt threatened by her. She was vicious and defensive and I couldn't get out of my nut what she'd said on the phone to Rebecca. "So you would have no difficulty in believing I would stoop that low." Her relationship with Kinders was obviously turbulent, they cared about each other a lot but they were so different! She was clearly one hell of a soldier, she had the passion of a million love songs but her biggest weakness – her brother – would ultimately be her end. He – on the other hand – was a decent soldier but not as good as her, he couldn't match her passion and he cared too much about how important the Boss was to her when he was obviously not a threat. Love would tear them apart, I thought.

I struggled with Sam, having him in my arms felt both right and wrong, I wanted to love him and treat him like my own child but I couldn't stop thinking that he was the result of Captain James' love for someone else. He was clearly troubled and there was obviously so much that had gone on around him in the past. He lay across my lap, with his head buried in my stomach. I wondered what it was like for a seven-year-old to be in this position. After about half an hour and couple in their late fifties appeared and I guess they were Mr and Mrs James. The woman was very smart, she wore a long skirt and a blouse with a broach on her jacket. The man was also very well presented. He had a suit and tie on. I could see the Boss and Pippa in him.

"Sam?" The woman called and he ran to her shouting 'Grandma'. "Where's Aunt Philippa?"

"Auntie Pippa had a fight with Uncle Liam. She said she had to apopalise." The seven year old boy explained to his grandmother. "I waited with Molly. She's nice."

"Molly?" The man asked and smiled. I wondered if he knew me. I turned to look at him. "Molly Dawes?"

"Yes. Molly Dawes." I replied and he grinned.

"How do you know her?" Mrs James asked and he shook his head.

"Charles must have mentioned her at some point." He shrugged before shooting me a wink as they turned to leave.

"We'll be back later but I think we will take Sam to the hotel to get changed if he's been here all night." The woman said and they left. I couldn't help but feel ecstatic. He had mentioned me to his dad, definitely. We sat for a few minutes then I notice movement from the Boss' room. I pressed my face against the window and he turned his head slowly before opening his eyes and smiling weakly. Smurf watched from my side. The nurse came out and beckoned us in.

"How did you know we were here?" I asked and he smiled.

"I'm not entirely sure you are…morphine." He joked.

"Well I am drug free and I can see you so I must be here." I grinned.

"Smurf?" The Boss croaked and Smurf nodded.

"I am drug free too, Boss…unless you mean hospital drugs! I'm full to bursting with those, they can't give me enough of those!" Smurf said. "I'm sorry, Boss. I lost control."

"We all did, Smurf." Captain James empathised.

"Taught me I am no soldier!"

"I am proud to have served alongside you Smurf." Boss Man sighed. Smurf looked at me as the Captain gazed upon me and realised that he was once again the third wheel. He made his excuses and left leaving us to be together.

"How're you feeling?" I asked gently as I stroked his forearm. He exhaled deeply. "You're gonna be alright!" I ran my fingers through his hair and he moved his hand weakly to brush my arm as it rested by his head. The door opened and I pulled my hand away, spinning round to see Sam running in.

"Mum! Mum! Look! They didn't rub it off! They didn't rub it off!" He shouted as a beautiful woman of about thirty walked into the room. She saw me and smirked before muttering something under her breath, all I could make out was "Philippa".

"Hello Scamp!" Captain James smiled at Sam resting his hand on his head as the little boy traced the words 'I LOVE DADDY' that he had written on his father's forearm – the one that was not millimetres away from me.

"What was that, darling?" Rebecca asked her son and he showed her his dad's arm.

"Auntie Pippa told me to write him a message so I wrote that and they didn't rub it off." Sam explained. She shook her head.

"We don't always do things that Aunt Philippa tells us to." She told him and the Boss Man bit his lip in anger.

"You couldn't give her a fucking break for one fucking day could you?" He tutted and Rebecca shook her head. "Where is she now? Not by her beloved brother's bedside is she?"

"She should be in Afghanistan!"

"Well she's not! She's here but not here she left your son with that wench while she went off gallivanting with that corporal she calls her husband. What's he done to make her so upset this time? Slept with another medic? She tried to use that on me but I suddenly realised."

"That 'wench' is the reason I'm here!"

"Yeah sorry about that…" I muttered.

"Molly's funny!" Sam laughed and I stuck my tongue out at him.

"What I mean is she saved my life. I would have bled out if it weren't for her prompt actions..." Captain James explained and I looked at the floor.

"I'd better go." I said and Sam ran around to the side of the bed where I was standing.

"Oh, don't go on my account." Rebecca said falsely as Sam put his arms out to me. I bent down and hugged him.

"It's good to see you, Dawes." Captain James smiled as I walked towards the door.

"Ditto." I grinned and pushed open the door catching a contemplative glance from Rebecca as I left. I stood outside the door listening to the conversation for a few minutes.

"Bit informal for someone ranked lower than you, Charles." Rebecca remarked.

"I'm friendly with everyone in my platoon, and she saved my life!" he replied.

"So Philippa was lying, you didn't sleep with a medic?"

"No! I did not sleep with a medic! Why did she say that?"

"She said when I asked her to leave Sam with the medic she said oh I forgot to say he was sleeping with a medic in Afghan."

"She was trying to prove to you that you can't leave your child with a stranger because you don't know what kind of background they have!"

"Well it was pointless."

"Why do you care if I was sleeping with a medic anyway? It's not like I'd have been sleeping with you! Haven't done that it god knows how many years!"

"Because you're my husband."

"No, I'm your ex-husband."

"It doesn't have to be like that. We could try again for Sam's sake. I think we were too rash in our decision making!" Rebecca pleaded. A huge lump grew in my throat so I tiptoed away from the ICU, I couldn't let her catch me. I went outside and slumped down on a bench. I could see Pippa and Kinders stood across the car park, they were clearly still arguing. As I sat there, tears rolling down my cheek Candy – Smurf's mum – came and sat next to me. She knew about me and the Boss Man and we just talked for a while. Pippa came storming past us, I doubt she could see anything for the tears. Candy watched her as she went into the hospital then looked back at Kinders who was just stood with his hands in the air.

"My Geraint would never have upset her the way he does. I've never seen her happy with him. Not even at their wedding." She sighed.

"You went to their wedding?" I gasped. Why would Kinders invite the mother of his dead love rival to his wedding?

"Yes. At Geraint's funeral, she mentioned that they were going to get married and I offered to make the cake because I enjoy that and Geraint would've killed me if I hadn't offered her. Anyway, she said yes, he was a bit annoyed I think but she said oh you know come along because there aren't many people coming we want it to be low key."

"What was it like?"

"Hard for me, to see her marry him but also lovely, her and Captain James were so lovely together, he never left her side and the best man speech was more of a warning to the Corporal that if he ever made her cry, James – as a trained and decorated killer – would basically stop him breathing. He just went on and on about all these beautiful memories they had had and how much he loved her – magical truly magical. That was the only time she smiled properly though."

"So you think she was unhappy?"

"She looked it. Everytime he kissed her she looked like she was about to cry and she had this false grin when people were saying what a lovely couple they were. She seemed almost ill. Then this one person asked when they would have children and he says "Soon" and she goes "Yeah, if soon means never." And everyone was just silent with their mouths open. The Captain saved them though because he just went "We've all said it, you're not going to die on your next tour!" but I knew she didn't mean that she wouldn't live to have kids, she had that look in her eye."

"Was the Boss Man's wife there?"

"Oh yes, their little boy was the page boy, how adorable he looked. She made a right scene though, she really doesn't like him, Corporal Kinders."

"I got that from the way she spoke about him before."

"None of them approve of him, not because they're middle class and the rest of us aren't but just because I think they know he doesn't make her happy." Candy looked sad. "But I don't know if my Geraint would have either, she's a special girl is Philippa but she wasn't made to be someone's wife!"