Training camp

Phone calls

"Connie..." His tired voice answered, "I wasn't expecting to hear from you," he yawned,

"I wasn't really expecting to call," she admitted, getting up and walking outside. She sat cross legged on the bench beside the fire, "I can call back if it's a bad time,"

Sam got out of bed, so as not to wake the woman sleeping beside him.

"No, no... It's good to know you're okay,"

"I just wanted to say thank you... And sorry," she admitted, "I couldn't have got through everything with Michael without you and I'm sorry I couldn't commit to you..."

He smiled, "I wanted too much from you, I know that now," he admitted, "we should have stayed friends,"

"What and never have experienced all that great sex?" She smiled, causing him to laugh loudly,

"Can we try friends again?" She asked, and he nodded,

"Yeah... I'd like that..."

"How's Emma?" She asked and he smiled, "how did you know?"

"She's the one for you Sam Strachan,"

"Hmmm maybe," he admitted. They spoke for a while longer before she smiled, "I'll call you soon,"

"Make sure you do," he smiled, "and good luck, I'm sure you'll smash it..."

"Bye Sam,"

"Goodnight Con." She jumped slightly as she heard someone walk past and she watched as the Corporal came and sat beside her. 

"It's late for a phone call," he told her and she nodded,

"I left in a bit of a rush and I left a few things unsaid," she shrugged, "it shouldn't have taken me until now to see just how good he was, and how I should have apologised before I left." She took a look at him, "why are you limping Corp?" She asked him quietly, 

"I'm fine Connie," he relied and she shrugged, "I know your fine, but I also know you're limping,"

He rolled his eyes and showed him the wound at he end of his leg. She sat closer to him and placed her hand gently over the skin beside the small wound, "Will you let me dress it please?" She asked quietly, his eyes meeting hers kindly,

"We've only got two days here before I can get the limb serviced," he admitted,

"I'll grab some dressings and I'll meet you in your tent," she told him firmly.

"You don't have too," he told her and she nodded, "we need to get through this as a team... And we need to finish this with you," She told him, pushing up his trouser leg and cleaning the small wound at the end of his residual limb.

"It's a neat limb for a war surgeon," she nodded and he nodded, "it was reoperated on in London to make it neater," he admitted,

"Have you tried a DIY job on that prosthesis?" She asked and he rolled his eyes, "like I said, two more days,"

"Corp..."

He shrugged, "I wanted a bit more movement in the foot, but I liked the fit of this socket, so I switched the socket with another sports foot,"

She raised a eyebrow and shook her head, "certain sockets are set for certain feet..." She told him, "my short stint on a rehab Rotation taught me that,"

"It was fine until now," he replied and she shrugged,

"You're not a prosthetist," she told him, "they're going to kill you when they see the adaptations you've made... It's only you squaddies that do that you know..."

"What think they can fix everything?" He smiled,

Connie smiled, "yes... And they usually can, but never with the finesse that it needs to last,"

He caught her eye and they both smirked, "go on, admit I'm right,"

"I'll do no such thing," he laughed.

She dressed his wound quickly and carefully, "don't get it wet, I'll redo it tomorrow evening."

He nodded, "thank you."

"Look after yourself Corp... We need you with us when we finish this training camp..." She told him, and she meant it. 

"You have a lovely bedside manner when you need too," he winked at her as she scooped up the packaging from the dressings. She smiled, "don't tell anyone," she replied and she surprised him  once again when she kissed his cheek, "goodnight Corp,"

"Goodnight Connie," he replied, "maybe one night one of us will sleep the whole night through,"

"What and miss our late night confessions?" She asked, "I'll see you tomorrow."