The chopper landed outside the gate and she couldn't help the smile that came over her face when she and Neal jumped out and ran towards the base. Neal stepped to the side as the gates opened bending down in a mock bow to let her in first. She smiled and walked a few steps before they were both jumped on by their section. They hugged all of their section and put their rucksacks on the ground so that their section could get what they wanted from home. She took off her helmet and smiled when she saw Jones approaching. He smiled back and her heart fluttered.
"Alright Swan?" He asked.
"Sir." She said simply.
"Don't bother unpacking you two. We're heading back to Bastion tomorrow."
"So we're done here?" She asked.
"Yeah, we are." He said, smiling. Once the chaos had died down, she went to her tent and greeted Mary-Margaret who had been covering for her.
"Hey!" She said, moving towards the petite woman at the other end of the room.
"Hey!" They hugged and talked about her leave. Emma picked up the medical charts and flicked through the injuries that she had missed.
"How the hell did Rob slice his elbow open?" She asked, laughing.
"He fell on his backside when he slipped on the bottom of the paddling pool and caught his elbow on a rock." She explained.
"Ha, bet the Boss wasn't too happy." Emma laughed.
"Mainly because that pool was supposed to be for me and me alone." Jones explained as he entered the tent.
"I'm gonna go." Mary-Margaret said before heading out of the tent.
"Thanks M!" She shouted after her.
"So, did you miss us, Swan?" He asked.
"Of course." She said sarcastically. "At least your boots are wearing in."
"What?" He asked.
"Well, you haven't had your blisters checked." She continued.
"Maybe I'll get you to give them a once over later on." He said.
"Oi, Em? Was Newport as big of a dump as we thought?" Jeff shouted from outside the tent. She giggled.
"You went to Newport?" He asked, looking at the ground.
"Yeah, we split the time. One week down there, one week in London." She explained.
"Oh, so you and Cassidy stayed together then?" He seemed upset.
"Yeah, at home it felt like no-one else understood what it's like out here." She said.
"Right, course. Pack up then, Swan. We're out of here at 09:00." He said coldly before making his way out of the tent.
"Swan and Cassidy sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" The lads approached from outside as she stormed out.
"Jesus, it's like being back at school!" She shouted.
She searched the camp for Neal before finding him at the catering tent.
"What the hell have you said to the others?" She asked, standing infront of him with her arms folded across her chest.
"Nothing. You know what they're like. They make a big deal out of nothing." He explained, calmly.
"But you haven't said anything happened that didn't actually happen right?" She asked.
"I haven't said anything!" He said a little more aggressively. "Does it matter what they think anyway?"
"No. Course it doesn't." She said coldly, leaning up against the table.
"Here, drink some water." He said.
"Why?" She asked.
"I dunno, I just thought…"
"Neal, I am quite capable of knowing when I need to drink! Thank-you!" She shouted angrily before heading in the opposite direction.
"Em! I'm not stupid, I know you don't want to go out with anyone in the platoon…" He began.
"No Neal! I don't want to go out with you! You're my mate." She said more upset than angry. "Why can't you just be my mate?" She started walking away again.
"Because I love you!" He shouted. She froze. Turning to look at him.
Oh shit. Was her only thought before she carried on walking away.
She caught up to Jones in the middle of the truck base. They were being loaded for the deployment back to Bastion and the whole place was in chaos.
"Nothing happened with Neal and me." She said, trying to get his attention, but he just kept walking.
"What are you telling me for?" He asked bitterly.
"I'm just saying."
"Well don't." He still refused to look at her.
"So if we're heading back then this is the end yeah?" She shouted as he kept walking. He turned to face her, a hurt expression on his face. She looked him in the eye as he stepped back and turned on his heel.