Training camp

Decisions

She woke at early the next morning to find Jacob wasn't beside her in bed. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and wandered in her pyjama shorts and t-shirt outside of her tent. She smiled as she saw him sat in front of the now small fire, the weather having turned strangely cold over the past few weeks. She walked over to him and slipped her hands around his shoulders so they rested on his chest, pressing her lips to his cheek,

"I missed waking up to you," she whispered and he couldn't help the smile that spread across his face,

"Who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend?"

"Hey," she smiled, "I can be sentimental too, you know,"

He tipped his head back slightly and she smiled against his neck as she remained behind him, "I think you are so very beautiful," she whispered against his ear, enjoying the way goosebumps spread across his dark skin.

"Are you okay?" She asked quietly, kissing each of his cheeks softly, before laying with her head on his lap, her legs out on the long bench.

"I never found this hard before," he admitted,

"Found what hard?" She asked, sitting up and crossing her legs as she sat close to him, "talk to me Jacob..." She asked, placing her hand on his face, her thumb running over his skin before she leaned forward and kissed him once.

"I love working here with you... I get to see you work and I love how incredible you are when you work... I love having you curl into me at night and I love knowing that you're here with me..."

He exhaled, "but I worry about you... All the time... I worry you don't get enough sleep, and I worry when you run without me... I'm worried that something will happen to us out here and I'll never get to see how beautiful you are carrying my children..."

He ran his fingers through her hair softly before tracing his fingertips over her face, "I think," he admitted, "I think I want to go home, wherever home is,"

She took his hands in hers and squeezed them, "I want to go home too,"

"You're not just saying that?" He asked, his eyes searching hers,

She leaned carefully into his chest, "I've been out here nearly two years," she shrugged, "I want a family, I'm 34, I want to have children and a family away from all of this,"

He wrapped his arms tightly around her, "We could move back to England? Start a family and work more civilised hours?"

She nodded, "I'd like that,"

He kissed her hair, "Me too,"

Chloe appeared seemingly out of nowhere, "We'd all miss you you know," she smiled, followed closely by Sophie, "We would miss you," Jacob admitted,

"You could have my tent," Connie offered, a smile on her face, it's probably bigger than yours,"

"It definitely is," Chloe laughed, "I'll have your tent,"

When Sophie and Chloe had gone back to their tents she sat up onto his lap, "where do you want to live? Mine or yours?"

"I'm happy wherever you are," he told her and she smiled, "I'd like to head back to mine... It's not far from you, but I'd like you to move in too... I'd hate for us to live apart after being together here for so long."

He ran his hand through her hair, "I can't wait sweet cheeks," he told her and she kissed him,

"You're too good to me,"

He shook his head, "I can't wait to live a normal life with you."

"Adam I need to talk to you," she begun, as she helped him to clean up the theatre they'd just been in.

He looked at her, and knew he wasn't going to like what she was going to say.

"We're losing you aren't we?" He asked and she leaned back against the theatre wall and nodded,

"I'm sorry," she replied, "most of the time I love it here, but this is my chance of a normal life again... I want to be a mum..."

"I suppose that mean our favourite Corporal goes too?" He asked and she nodded,

"Is it selfish that I don't want to bring up his children without him beside me?"

"No," he replied, "my biggest regret is letting my wife do so much with our children alone... And now they're used to be being away,"

"Will you stay until we get sent somewhere else?" He asked, standing opposite her and watching how she nodded,

"Of course I will," she replied, "I'll miss this place."

He nodded, "and we'll miss you."