What about us?

2

Molly scrambled from the car, exhausted. She tiptoed up the driveway, any slight noise sent him into melt down at night, she couldn't remember the last time she'd had a decent sleep if she was honest.
The only thing that mattered to her was being there for him, getting him through like she had last time.

As she crept through the hallway, the sound of his laugh sounded like music to her ears. Surely she was imagining it. She pushed open the kitchen door, wine glasses and beer bottles littered the worktops and table as Georgie danced to Charles' iPod, she was dancing to their song.

"Oh Mol your early. Join the party" Georgie thrust a bottle of beer towards her "Actually I'm late, very late and I'm knackered so I'm gonna hit the sack"

She placed a hand on Charles' shoulder, waiting for his acknowledgment of her "You coming to bed?" He turned to face her "Sorry, yes I will be. Just need to finish this story about Elvis" she bit her tongue, maybe this was what they needed, a big blow out of stories and tears to help them move forward.

She climbed there stairs - hungry, tired and absolutely pissed off. She hadn't really had so much as a conversation with her husband let alone a leisurely drink and a bloody dance round the kitchen. She sometimes wished she could tell him how much this had affected her too, Elvis had been her friend too. They had all lost him and although she knew she hadn't lost as much as they had, she also shared their grief. She pushed the familiar feelings of jealousy aside. She found herself jealous of Georgie a lot these days, she couldn't really put her finger on what it was. Or maybe she was just too afraid to admit it to herself that she was most afraid of losing him - to Georgie.

His warm arm slipped around her waist, sending shivers down her spine as he planted desperate kisses across the back of her shoulders. She turned her naked body to face him, he was as beautiful as ever. She pulled his head towards her, pushing her tongue into his mouth. She needed this as much as he did, to be connected to him again in a way that was meant only for them, husband and wife.
He made love to her until the sun came up and for the first time since he'd come home, she hoped maybe things were finally about to turn around. Maybe she'd have her Charlie back.

-OG-

She turned to face him, the urge to be close to him consumed her. He stared at the familiar spot on the ceiling, the one the seemed to be a tunnel to a different world. She snuggled up as close to him as possible "You know, I keep looking and I still can't bleedin' find what your looking at"

Charles appreciated her weak attempt at humour, grateful at her attempt to ground him, bring him back from his hell. "It was my fault"

The break in his voice broke her heart "Charles, none of this is your fault. Please believe me" he closed his eyes, the image of Elvis' charred body, the sound of Georgie's screams. He relived it, it consumed him every single day. "You weren't there Molly, your not a soldier - you don't understand" and Georgie did.

He flung his long legs over the side of the bed "Where you going? I'm off today, let's just chill and cuddle - let me look after you" he crossed the room, his long legs making light work of distance "I need to check on Georgie" Molly rolled her eyes. "I'm sure she's fine Charlie, after the amount you two put away  last night she's probably still dead to the world"

He shuddered at her poor choice of words "I just need to check"

He crept across the hallway, careful not to wake her. "Lane. Are you decent?"

"Yes Charles. Come in"

He pushed the door open, startled to see her packing her stuff "You going somewhere?" she gave him a small smile "Yeah. I'm going back to my mums. You and Molly need some space and I need my family" tightness gripped his chest "You don't need to go"