He sat on the edge of the bed watching her finish getting changed as she pulled the straps of her dress over her shoulders he moved behind her, swept her hair to one side and helped with the zip.

She picked up the brush from the dressing table and began pulling it through her long hair, he took it from her hand and began gently brushing her hair, slow deliberate movements the intimacy of which made her spine tingle.

When he had finished he gave her a gentle kiss on her shoulder and said "ready?" She turned to face him and gently whispered "yes" he took her hand and led her out of the room , down the staircase, took her coat from the stand and put it over her shoulders and picked up the car keys from the hall table.

They headed out to the car, he opened the passenger door for her, no one had ever treated her with such respect and made her feel so special. He closed the door and got into the drivers side, before he put the keys into the ignition he turned to look at her. He pursed his lips, sucking in a little air before breaking into a cheeky grin "I am one Lucky guy" she grinned back at him " Lady Luck is smiling on both of us Boss"

They arrived at the Pump House where 4 months ago they had their "first date". They were led to their table, ever the gentleman he again pulled out her chair, they sat and faced each other, it was the same table, Molly smiled at the recollection of the electricity there was between them on that day, the gentle teasing of each other as they had danced around saying what they felt, the chemistry undeniable.

The waitress came to take their order as she disappeared he reached across the table and took her hand in his "so how was it?" She giggled and said "on a scale of one to ten I'd say it was a good eight" he shook his head and couldn't resist laughing along "hilarious Dawes now tell me about the tour, I heard on the grapevine you were outstanding, although I never doubted you wouldn't be" She hesitated for a moment, looked away at the candle burning in the storm lantern on the table and then turned again to meet his gaze "On my last day in Afghan, I was at the university in Kabul, I went with Kazeem to see Bashira, I made him take me, I needed to see for myself that she was happy" He was silent for what seemed like an eternity, she looked at him intently trying to gauge what he was thinking, was going to say, she knew it had put her danger but she didn't care but she could see that he did care and his eyes betrayed the mixture of anger, frustration but then admiration that she would put this little girl's life ahead of her own again.

"Molly Dawes, you are the most amazing human being I have ever had the honour to know, you make my heart burst with love and pride at the soldier that you have become but also the woman you have become" - "I know I would be wasting my breath trying to lecture you about the risk you took with your life by doing what you did, promise me one thing from now on..."

"What Boss?"

"We are going to spend the rest of our lives together Molly Dawes, I knew that from the moment you last walked in here, so from here on in, no heroics I want to grow old with you"

They were brought back from their own little universe into the room by the waitress bringing their food, they had the most wonderful evening looking back on how far they had come, the light and shade of their banter between moments of intensity, gentle teasing of each other's "isims" and laughing together like the best of friends but one thing was constant for both of them that whatever came next was as a pair.

They finished their coffee and he settled the bill, they headed out of the restaurant toward the car, he put his arm around her shoulders and whispered "love you Molly" she stopped and looked at him, smiled and reached into her coat pocket. She took his palm and held his arm just above his wrist and proceeded with the pen she had taken out of her pocket to write "ditto" not in the beautiful swirls he had written "Rosabaya" in the med tent it was more of a scrawl but no less romantic.

He laughed,kissed her gently and led her to the car.