I do not own the show. I just wish that I did.

Thank you to everyone for reading and reviewing, they are all greatly appreciated! Huge thanks to Debbie for all her help and encouragement with this story!

So this is the final chapter – hope you will enjoy!

Chapter Six

"I see you found my hiding spot," Charles said as he stepped out the front door and onto the covered porch. He set the steaming hot cup of coffee on the ground beside the bench and sat down beside her. Within seconds she was curled up in a ball beside him.

"Can it be ours now?" Molly asked as Jack crept over and curled at their feet.

"Definitely," Charles smiled as he reached over to kiss her on the forehead.

"Trees used to scare the shit of me," Molly sad quietly "Now I find them soothing, comforting."

"Ditto, well about the soothing affect not being scared of them," Charles smirked.

Molly's response was to playfully punch him on the shoulder.

"I can see why you bought this place. It's a little bit of heaven," Molly sighed as she sipped her tea.

"I see you found your tea bags then," Charles smiled as he reached for his coffee.

"Imagine my surprise when I opened the cupboard and saw a packet of Yorkshire Tea sitting there and not one capsule of Rosabaya in sight," Molly laughed.

"My dear rosabaya has been discontinued to the coffee heaven in the sky," Charles sighed "But I always keep a box of your favourite tea bags just in case you ever turned up on my doorstep."

"Like yesterday afternoon then?"

"Precisely," Charles smirked "planning and all that bollocks."

They sat like that for a few more minutes before Charles realised that she did not have her prosthetic leg and saw her walking stick on the other side of the porch.

"You're not wearing…." He stopped not sure how to describe it, because it sounded very strange in his head anyway to say that she was not wearing her leg.

"Not yet anyway," Molly muttered "I have a daily routine that I need to do first and I thought I could show you it, so you know you could help me on the days that I am too lazy."

"Off course, it would be an honour," Charles smiled as he pulled her in even closer into him.

"And I also kinda hoped we could finish our talk from last night?" Molly asked quietly as she looked up at him.

"Oh, that talk," Charles sighed frowning, then smirked as he saw the sheepish expression on her face. "The deep and meaningful we were having, where I was telling you that you were the love of my life and that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you only to look down and find you snoring and dribbling on my chest?" he smirked.

"I do not dribble."

"Molly the still damp t-shirt is in laundry basket if you don't believe me."

"I am never going to live this one down, am I?"

"Nope," Charles smiled "But in all seriousness Molly, I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"Ditto."

"Here I am pouring my heart, and all I get is ditto!" he replied rolling his eyes as he bit back a laugh.

"Bleeding ditto, you forget the bleeding part," Molly laughed as she to remembered back to the early days of their relationship. Her voice turned serious now as she looked at him, cupping his cheek gently "I love you too. Falling asleep and waking up in your arms… I never thought I would experience that again. I missed it."

"Me too."

"We've both probably changed over the last few years, we need to get to know each other again," Molly said quietly as she continued to look at him.

"We do," Charles agreed "But we'll do everything at your pace Molly, and I mean everything. If you want your own room, take your pick."

"No," Molly replied quickly. "I loved sharing a bed with you last night and I want that every night, I just don't know if I am ready for… well you know."

"Molly, the fact that you are here, alive and giving me another chance is all I could ever ask for. Everything else will happen only when we both want it to."

"Thank you," Molly whispered as they both moved closer to each other and gently kissed.

"There's still something troubling you isn't there?" Charles smiled as he pulled back slightly.

"We have to tell people," Molly said quietly "That and I am back. The last thing I want to do is lie to them, but I really don't want to tell everyone about what happened out there. Obviously, I am going to have to with my leg, but everything else… I don't want them looking at me that way."

"What way?"

"Pity. I have moved on past that stage and it is the last thing I want," Molly explained.

"Then you tell them what you feel most comfortable in telling them," Charles replied, "And I will be there beside you, supporting you and telling everyone how wonderful you are."

"I want to see them, my family I mean," Molly said as she glanced out into the woods "It's just the reaction I am dreading."

"Would it be easier to bring my family and yours together in one room and have one massive dinner or party, or would you prefer it be more private?"

"I don't want a party," she replied quickly "I know I've come back home and there is a lot to celebrate but too many people died, and I just don't really want to celebrate. If that makes sense."

"It does," Charles replied "This is my weekend to have Sam. Do you feel ready to meet him, if not I can re-arrange another weekend with Rebecca?"

"No, you won't, I can't wait to see him again, I have missed him so much!"

"He's really missed you too Molly."

"This is going to sound awful, but it's my family I dread seeing the most, I love them and miss them, but I'm scared of telling them anything in case it sends dad back on the booze again."

"I was the same with my parents," Charles agreed as sat up and leaned forward, "after my breakdown, I saw Beck all the time, but I refused permission for mum and dad to come and visit. I was too ashamed to look them in the eye. I know our circumstances are very different, but I understand what you mean. When you see them again, when you hug them again, all your fears will wash away I promise."

Molly smiled sadly as Charles continued.

"How about this, you will see Sam tomorrow when I collect him from the train station. Mum and dad are arriving home from Lake Garda on Monday morning and are always mithering on about me coming for dinner. We could drive up on Monday and surprise them at dinner and then head over to London mid-week, see your family."

"What about your work? You've missed enough time cause of me?" Molly asked him.

"Molly I part own the company I can take the time. My business partner knows how much I've searched for you over the years and last night told me to take as much leave as I need. God knows I am entitled to the leave with the amount I've accrued over the years."

"Only if you are sure?"

"Molly, it is done."

"Thanks," she replied softly "There's so much I need to sort out. I need a job, regardless of what you say I want to pay my way and I really want to finish my physiotherapy course."

"Well we can look into that over the weekend," Charles said reassuring her "As for the job, if you are interested, we are in a need of an excellent first aider. We provide private security but also train journalists and contractors in war zones. Combat first aid is a must. I know it's not what you were doing but it would be a start."

"Are you serious?" Molly asked, "We might actually get to work together?"

"Throw in my combat experience and your military cross and I think we make a perfect team," Charles smiled

"The nuts."

Charles laughed as he stood up "Let's get you back inside, it's starting to get cold out here."

"Yes boss!"

"Don't call me that," Charles sighed as bent down "I'm going to lift you up and carry you into the house.

"You don't need to, I have my walking stick," Molly said as she looked down and frowned "Oh."

"Which Jack is currently drooling over," Charles said as he scooped her into his arms. Her laughter warming his heart. "Besides I still need to carry over the threshold off our new home."

OGOGOGOGO

Sam

Molly sat back on the huge sofa, lifting the nearest cushion as she hugged it to her. She was impatient. After everything that happened to her she was still impatient by nature. Today was the day she would start to see everyone again. Although she couldn't wait to see everyone, she wanted it to be over with too, so that she could get on and move on with her life again. She loved and missed all of her friends and family, but she knew after the emotional reunions would come the questions about what had happened to her out there. Telling them all limited information of the grounds of national security would only go so far.

All she wanted was to return to normal. Wake up every morning with Charles lying beside her, do her exercises, have breakfast, go to work, come home to her husband every night and spend each weekend with him either alone at their cosy cottage or with her family in London or his in Bath. She couldn't wait until she saw Jac again, resume their constant texts and video calls that they used to do in the past. That particular reunion would have to wait as Jac was currently on tour in Africa and was yet to reply to her or Charles' email.

In the meantime, Charles was on his way back with Sam, who Molly had to constantly remind herself was now a teenager and nearly as tall as her. She couldn't help but think about how their relationship would be now; would he still be her partner in crime? Would he want to spend time with her like he used to? She knew that the relationship between father and son had been badly fractured when her and Charles fell apart, but they had got it back on track over the last few years. Charles had said Sam had a developed a love of all things relating to sport, even mentioned going to watch Sam play in a school rugby match and asked Molly if she would like to come to. She had jumped at the invitation, it just the slice of normalcy that she was craving.

The sound of car tyres crunching on the driveway made her sit up, put the cushion back in its right place and have a careful glance out the window. They were here. She carefully stood up and hid in her position behind the door to the lounge. She had it all planned out.

She heard Charles walk up the steps, along the porch and open the front door, before pretending that he left something in the car. Sam couldn't care less, he was a typical teenager more interested in his mobile phone as he trundled on into the house, past the door to the lounge where he dumped his school bag and headed for the kitchen.

Molly tiptoed out quietly and stood in the doorway, smiling at Charles who now at the front door before yelling "Oi! Boots off in the house mister!"

Sam kept walking "Fine!" he yelled, then stopped suddenly as it finally registered what and who had just shouted at him. He turned around slowly and saw Molly standing there.

"Alright mate?" Molly smiled at him, biting her lip in anticipation of his reaction.

A spilt second later and Molly was pinned up against the doorway in Sam's tight embrace. "I take it you missed me then?" she whispered as she bit back a sob. She could see Charles now standing beside trying to keep his own emotions in check.

"How… what?" Sam sobbed as he pulled back slowly "You're really here?"

"I am."

"How long for?" Sam asked quietly

"For good," Molly smiled back as he hugged her again. This time Charles stepped forward, rested his right hand on her lower back and pulled his arm around his son's shoulder. He had the most important people in his life back in his arms again.

The weekend had gone far too fast for everyone. Now she found herself standing on the porch and waving as Charles arrived back from dropping Sam at the train station.

"You okay?" he asked as Jack raced over to greet him and followed him back up the steps to the house.

"Just hard saying goodbye to him," Molly sniffed. "That and I have been thinking."

"Uh oh," Charles smirked as he came and stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Molly smiled "About mum and my lot, I think I want to call them beforehand; I am scared that if I walk into the room unannounced it may give them, nan especially, a Julius Caesar."

"Good point," Charles replied carefully.

"Surprising Sam was brilliant; he is still too young to really grasp the full meaning of war and conflict just yet. Doing the same sort of surprise with your parents is going to be hysterical."

"She will drop or trip over something knowing my mother," Charles said matching her smile "How about we go in now and I'll call Belinda see if we can even do a video call?"

Molly's eyes lit up and then glanced at her watch "Maybe later, mum will just be putting the tea on?"

"Okay, how about this," Charles said as a plan formed in his head "We take Jack for a walk, come back and call your mum later. Then tomorrow we will drive up to London to see them all and stay overnight?"

"But we are going to your mum and dad's tomorrow?" Molly frowned

"They are used to me cancelling on them," Charles smiled "Besides I think it's more important that you see your family first."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

They hugged for a few moments and as he pulled back Charles knew that there was still something troubling Molly. "Penny for them?"

"It's nothing."

"No, it's not."

"It's just Sam is the closest I will ever have to child of my own and in the blink of an eye I have missed five years of his life, he is all grown up now."

"Molly."

"I know I am being silly," Molly sniffed.

"No, you're not," Charles smiled "Sam adores you; he always has. I think he loved you more than Rebecca and I. We ask or tell him to do something, he ignores us. One word from you and he just does it no questions, always has."

"That's because we're mates, partners in crime," Molly smiled "Or we were." She added as the smile dropped from her face.

"Still are if this weekend is anything to go by." Charles snorted a chuckle as he remembered the way the pair of them had ganged up on him over the weekend.

"It's just, this time last week I was in my own private hell and now, here I am in the perfect house, the perfect location with the love of my life, my soul mate. Living out my perfect life and then I realise that it will never be perfect because…"

"Because what?" he asked her carefully

"We always said we'd want kids and now I can't give you any," Molly whispered as she desperately tried to hold back a sob.

"Molly," Charles said calmly and firmly as he cupped her face in his hands looking directly into her eyes, "I love you. It's you I want to grow old with, you're still the last person I want to see. If I had to chose between you and having kids, I would choose you every time. I can live without any more children, but I can't live without you Molly. Up until last week I was barely existing. Now I feel more alive than I have in years. That's because of you. We have plenty of time to talk about children and our options, fostering, adoption…"

"I know but it's not the same," Molly said quietly

"Look how much you cared for Bashira Molly, there are plenty of children out there craving the love we could give them," Charles said as he tenderly touched her cheek.

"Why do you always know exactly the right thing to say to make me feel better, reassure me?" Molly sniffed and then giggled.

"I don't always, but Molly lets get you settled back home first and then we can talk about all our options in more details?"

"Okay." Molly smiled back at her husband's warm and loving expression.

"In the meantime," Charles smirked as he glanced down at the dog now at their feet "I think Jack wants his walk."

Molly looked down at the hopeful expression on the dog's face along with the ball hanging out of his mouth. "You want your walk, don't you handsome?" she said as she stroked him.

"Yep and then we call Belinda."

OGOGOGOG

The phone call had been everything that Charles was expecting and more. He dialled Belinda's mobile phone number and she answered it on the fourth ring, her voice answered with a worried edge to it. He'd asked if Dave and Nan were they because he had new information to share with them all. Belinda had nervously said they were both there with her, so he changed the call from voice to video. Having told them that Molly was not only still alive but well, he observed their reactions to the news as he could see each of them try to take it all in. Once the news had sunk in a bit they all began to blurt out questions at him. Questions that needed to be answered by him and Molly, but mainly Molly so he decided that it was time to bring her in to this group chat.

When he turned the phone camera over to Molly, the screaming and yelling began. Charles was happy to just sit back and watch the interaction between them. He smiled at the joy on all their faces and knew that this was the right way to do it. The drive to London the next day felt as if took forever. Molly was bouncing when she left their house, but he could see the nerves starting to set in as they got closer to the Newham estate. He made the familiar turn to the block of flats where the Dawes family lived and both of them immediately saw the banner outside the flat "Welcome home Molly!"

Molly muttered that it had reminded her when she came on home on leave from Afghan, but this time it was very different. Everyone had come down and was standing waiting on the footpath, as soon as she was out of the car she was embraced by her family. Charles saw Dave standing in the background watching, observing and most likely trying to keep hold of his own emotions. He walked over to him, shook hands, surprisingly for the first time he could remember Dave hugged him and thanked him for bringing his daughter home.

The rest of the day was a mass of hugs, kisses and endless cups of teas and coffee as Molly was pretty much reunited with everyone. The eventual questions came, Molly replied as simply as she could and stated that a lot of the time she couldn't really remember much of what had happened.

Belinda wasn't buying any of it and quietly asked Charles for the truth. Molly had openly told them about her leg and showed them her prosthetic leg, but Belinda knew that there was more. Charles hated lying to her, but it was ultimately Molly's decision to tell her mother what had happened to her. He managed to answer Belinda's question as best as could by telling her Molly needed time to adjust to being back home, free and even being Molly again. What she needed from everyone right now was for them to be patient with her.

They spent the night at the Dawes flat with Charles sleeping on one sofa and Dave on the other. Needless to say, he didn't get much sleep. Molly slept in her mum's bed with Belinda on one side, Bella on the other and her niece in a carry cot at the end of the room.

It was lunchtime when they finally got into the car for the long drive to Bath. She loved her family she really did, but now Molly welcomed the peace and quiet of the long journey. The radio was on low in the background and every now and again Charles would reach over to take hold of her hand. It brought back many memories and it made Molly realise just how much she had missed everyone.

They parked at the end of the street, as she got out of the car Molly tightened her coat against the chill in the air. It felt strange to be back here as she stared at the semi-circle of houses within Royal Crescent. She remembered the very first time she set foot in the house, being so scared in case she damaged something and then she thought back to all the other times she had been here Christmas time especially. There was a lovely warm and homely feel in the house, and she knew that today would be no different.

Charles was gathering their overnight bags and the bottle of wine he had bought at the service station from the boot of the car. "Do you want your stick Molly?"

She turned and smiled at him "Yeah, just to be safe. I'm a bit stiff from sitting for so long." He lifted it out of the boot and locked it behind him.

She carried the wine in one hand, the walking stick in the other as he wrapped his free arm around her waist, they walked side by side along the footpath to his parents' house.

All the lights were on downstairs and they both smiled as they reached the front door. As he got the key out Charles smirked "Are you ready for hurricane Linda?"

"Oh yes," Molly replied smiling "And her homemade lasagne."

"How do you know its lasagne?" Charles frowned with a twinkle in his eye.

"You know full well she always makes lasagne when they come back from Lake Garda," Molly laughed as Charles smirked as he opened the front door and walked in.

The place hadn't changed was Molly's first thought as she stepped inside and took her coat off.

"Charles is that you?" came his father's booming voice.

"Yes," Charles smiled back.

"We are in the kitchen dear," his mum yelled out "You timed that well, I am just about to lift the lasagne out of the oven!"

Both Charles and Molly quietly giggled as he led the way into the kitchen, Molly a few discreet steps behind as they had planned.

Charles walked in just as Linda James opened the oven door and lifted out the lasagne.

"I hope you don't mind but I brought someone for dinner," he said carefully watching his mother.

"Oh, you brought Sam, excellent," his father beamed.

"No actually it's not Sam," Charles smiled as he reached and grabbed the spare oven glove and took the lasagne from his mother's hands.

At that moment Molly walked into the room and all Charles could hear was an ear-piercing scream from his mother whose own pair of oven gloves where thrown in the air in her rush to hug Molly.

"My god Molly!" Tom James "Is it really you?"

"Yes," Molly all but gasped as Linda tightened her embrace. "Save me please," Molly whispered to the two men in the room.

Tom set the wine bottle he had just opened on the counter and walked over to them "Linda the girl needs oxygen," he laughed as Molly stepped out of one tight embrace into another.

Charles smiled "I take it I'm dishing up the dinner then mum?"

OGOGOGOG

Dinner had always been wonderful and in typical Mr and Mrs James fashion they had made Molly feel welcome. They talked, filling Molly in with every bit of Bath gossip over the last years, they may have been curious as to what had happened to Molly over the years, but they never asked. The only thing they did say was that it was wonderful to see a smile on Charles face again. There had been tears when Molly told them about her leg earning Molly another oxygen reducing cuddle from her mother-in-law.

It had been the most perfect evening and when it came to bedtime it felt completely natural for Molly to walk into the same bedroom that she had done all of those years ago. The James family had always made her welcome and that she belonged no matter where she had come from. She smiled as she heard Charles tip toe quietly into his room after keeping his father company while he had a night cap, she felt an overwhelming feeling of love and pride that he could be around alcohol and not have any himself.

"I take it you were left to lock up," Molly smiled as she turned around in bed and faced Charles who was now stripping ready for bed.

"Oh yes," Charles smiled "I forgot how large this place is."

"Are they still intending on passing this place on to you in their will?" Molly asked trying to hide a yawn.

"Yeah. But that's years away," Charles said as he climbed into bed bedside her.

"I love the place you have now."

"We have now," Charles said correcting her

Molly smiled "True. Well when the time comes we can decide on one as a home and one as a weekend holiday home."

"Weekends in the city," Charles mused "Or in the country?"

"Both sound perfect."

"They do," Charles smiled as leant down and kissed her. What started as a gentle kiss quickly intensified and in no time they were gasping for air, "Molly, I am sorry I shouldn't."

"You have nothing to apologise for," Molly smiled back "I think I'm ready."

"Ready for what?" Charles asked he had an idea what she was saying but he wanted to be certain.

"Ready for you to love me again," Molly replied smiling softly

"Molly are you sure, I don't want to rush you."

"Oh, for Christ sake Charles I will spell it out to you then," Molly laughed "Will you make love to me you stupid prannet."

OGOGOGOGOG

Epilogue - Three years later

"So, what time should we expect everyone?" Molly asked as she linked her arm through Charles as they walked along the now familiar woodland trail.

"Anytime, mum and dad are going to pick Sam up from the train station," Charles explained "Your nan is driving one half of your family down in her car and Bella has the rest in her car. Still can't believe she's driving."

"We should put out a public safety notice advising everyone to stay off the roads for their own safety," Molly laughed as she carefully stepped over a fallen branch.

"Okay?" Charles asked as his hand rested on her lower back. Still after all this time he was as protective of her as ever. At first it got on her nerves and they had a few disagreements on what he felt she could and couldn't do until Molly realised that he was every bit as protective towards her now as he was the first-time round before she had lost her leg. It was just Charles being Charles, her Charles.

"I am perfectly capable of stepping over a branch, thank you," Molly smiled as she turned her attention to Jack who currently rolling in a pile of leaves.

"I don't doubt you are, but I wasn't referring to you Mrs James," Charles smiled back as he looked down between them.

"Of course, you weren't," Molly laughed as she leant down and let go of her daughters' tiny hand and watched as she took a few wobbly steps in front of them.

"Careful Emily," Charles said as he let go of her other hand and watched her walk slowly in front of them.

"Wriggly little worm, I'm surprised she held my hand as long as she did," Molly smiled at Jack as he walked over to walk alongside Emily, almost as if he were clearing the path and showing them the way.

"Determined like her mother," Charles laughed as they both stopped walking and watched as their eighteen-month-old daughter, born via a surrogate toddled on in front of them. She stopped looked at a leaf on the path, babbled something then continued walking. She repeated this with every leaf she saw to the amusement of her parents.

Emily stopped suddenly to point at a red leaf that had caught her attention then toddled off at speed until she slipped and fell on her backside. Molly and Charles looked at each other for a split second before they heard their daughter giggling. There was Emily sitting giggling and throwing a pile of leaves in the air.

"She is a nutter," Molly laughed as Charles wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

They watched as Emily crawled a few steps until she stood with her bum up in the air before standing up straight, wiped her mucky hands down on brand new white coat and continued on looking at the leaves.

"Just like her mother," Charles laughed as Molly playfully hit him. "No matter what happens she picks herself up, dusts herself down and carries on with the task at hand."

Molly was about to reply when she heard the sound of a car approaching and Charles stepped forward and playfully lifted Emily in the air to the little girl's amusement.

"Am!" Emily screeched when she saw her big brother.

"Mum, dad and Sam have arrived!" Charles laughed as Molly caught up with him

"Happy Birthday Molly!" Linda yelled walking over to meet them and hug her daughter – in law as Sam ran over and started playing with Emily who wanted to be in her big brothers' arms.

"And so, the birthday party begins!" Charles laughed as he watched his wife and mother embrace and Sam playing aeroplanes with his little sister. He had originally planned a surprise party for Molly, but he knew that she now hated surprises.

The last three years had been wonderful, at times he often thought it was all too good to be true. He and Molly had renewed their wedding vows three months later at New Year at the family house in Lake Garda. It was on their second honeymoon they finally decided to try for a baby via surrogacy and they got very lucky, very quickly. Emily really was their miracle baby. She was loved and spoiled by everyone.

Charles was still working as a trainer at the private security company but now instead of going overseas he remained in the UK and continued to work with journalists and security guards in war zones. Molly completed her physiotherapy course, but she still worked with Charles at his company, teaching combat first aid to journalists one day a week and then worked two days at the local health centre as a physiotherapist.

They had been through hell both together and apart. Defining moments had shaped their troubled past, now it was the good ones that shaped their present and future.

Thank you all for reading!