Sam and Dylan- Casualty oneshots

Flashbacks and Frosting

After an evening of explosions and fire, Sam's long forgotten memories of Helmand come flooding back with vengeance. With Dylan worrying for her mental state he invites her to spend the night on the boat. Later, she is awoken from a peaceful sleep by banging and clattering come from another part of the boat. What's going on? What's that noise? And most importantly, why can she smell vanilla icing?

A Hurt/Comfort oneshot set in an AU continuing on from S33 Ep1 after the massive RTC and oil tanker explosion.
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All of the noise, the sights, the explosions, it was too much for her. Collapsing down on a bench she held her head in her hands. She was exhausted. Her body completely spent, but her mind very much awake. Flashbacks to her time in Helmand ran through her head. She felt like a small child watching an x-rated movie, every scene becoming more and more terrifying.

Bombs exploded around her. Screams of civilians and soldiers alike echoed through her ears. The direct sunlight scorched her pale skin. The harsh Afghan dust stung her eyes making them water heavily. She wanted to scream but no sound would come out.

"Sam?"

A hand on her shoulder and a familiar voice pulled her out of her nightmares. It was only then that she felt the waterfall of tears on her face. She was crying. Gently, her tears were wiped away by a soft thumb. With her watery vision now cleared she took in the figure crouched in front of her.

Worry was etched over Dylan's tired face as he slowly wiped away Sam's remaining tears. His disheveled appearance making him look even more so. She could tell that he hadn't stopped all night. His green jumpsuit, the top half tied messily around his waist, was littered with marks from both dirt and blood. The sweat from the heat of the explosion had won a battle against Dylan's normally tidy hair which was now stuck out at all angles, as if he had only recently pulled himself out of bed.

"What's wrong?" His soft voice contrasted with the loud, nightmarish thoughts still ringing through her mind. She shook her head. Her pride convincing her that she needed to appear strong to the person currently crouching down in front of her. Admitting her fears would make her weak. She was Sam Nicholls for God's sake, the ED action girl. People had always told her she was brave, reckless, confident. She couldn't be something as childish as weak and scared, could she?

"Please Samantha, tell me."

His gentle words, the use of her full name, sent her over the edge. A fresh flood of tears began to fall as Sam collapsed onto her ex-husband's shoulder. His hand rubbed her back soothingly until she regained her composure. With her last scrap of determination she began.

"It was... I was... felt like... back in..." She tried but the words just wouldn't come out. She looked up at Dylan to find him watching her closely. She wanted him to understand. He deserved to understand. To understand why he had walked out of the ED to find his usually calm and composed ex-wife crying her eyes out in fear for no apparent reason.

"Helmand."

The word came out as a whisper, so quiet that she could barely hear herself say it. Only moments passed before warm arms pulled her in tightly against him, her face resting in it's once familiar place in the nook of his neck.

"I thought I was back in in Helmand."
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After some calm words of comfort from an unusually gentle Dylan, Sam found herself accepting an invitation to spend the night on Dylan's boat. His words hinting that maybe he still cared.