All Forces Hospital caters for soldiers of all the forces of the military - be it on land, water or sky. And this hospital is nothing but a state in itself! It's so fucking huge!

They truly want us to shred a few kilograms while getting our medicals done. Running from one department to another, it will sum upto atleast 3 miles in six hours if we want to go back today with our documents completed. Otherwise we come back again tomorrow and start from zero.

"Good morning Sirs." A familiar female voice came from behind as we walk around in the corridors of this huge AFH.

I turn around and sucked in a breath. "Holy F-" Neil's hand was on my abs hard and I stopped before I could swear.

"What the hell, Lauret?!" I exclaimed.

The female officer in uniform standing in front of us laughed loudly.

"Miss Lauret... when.. how..?" Neil was more shocked than me.

"You can call me Captain Lauret Farrell, sir." She replied still giggling like the innocent girl she was.

"How did you end up here in... uniform!?" I asked what Neil couldn't.

"I always wanted to be here. And I always wanted to be in a noble profession. What's better than being in the Nursing Brigade of your country's forces and serving for your own soldiers?" She said with a sweet smile.

"You really have a pure heart, milady." Neil said swooned. I chuckled at his tone.

"I just broke off. I'll take a few minutes to go and change. Are you two free to have a cup of coffee after that?" She asked looking at Neil.

I looked at my watch and said- "No, actually we need to -" "Sure. We'll wait here." Neil cut me off without even looking at me.

She gave him a cute smile, then saluted and left. Neil saluted her back.

"Holy Jesus." He struggled to exhale.

"Care to explain what was that?" I asked with my arms crossed over my chest.

"That was her requesting the two of us for a coffee. And since we met her after a long time, she deserves that we sit with her for sometime." He said keeping his tone formal.

"As far as I know, we need to leave this hospital in next four hours with our documents completed. And just so you forgot, we haven't even freaking started!"

"In that case, you'll finish your coffee in precisely eight minutes and go and get the documents completed." He said and started walking.

I followed him with a confused look. "And just why would I do that?" I asked him.

"Because I said so." He replied taking a U turn and walking back.

"And just why would you say so?" I asked knowing exactly what was happening.

"Because I'm your senior. You want to cross me?" "No sir. I'll leave within eight minutes." I said laughing. Neil, you're right there!

As promised, Lauret was back within a few minutes. Her hair previously tied in a bun was now open and covering some of her face. I noticed that she colored the ends of her hair red. That was very bold considering how simple living she was.

"Let's go. Coffee is on me." She chirped happily.

"No ma'am. If you're paying, then I'm not coming." Neil said firmly.

I just looked at both of them amused.

"Sir I'm inviting you. So I should pay." She argued.

"As a senior, I won't allow that." Neil replied.

They kept giving funny reasons as to why the other person shouldn't pay.

"How about I do it this one time. And the next time we meet, you'll pay." She said making a deal with him. I didn't even exist.

"Fine. Today's the first and last time you pay." Neil said firmly and she happily agreed.

I was grinning at the word 'last'. Oh my smitten Neil.

We placed our order and waited for the coffee to arrive. Finding Lauret here was not even in my dreams. But Neil's wish of meeting her again came true. He never said it, and he's not showing it on his face right now too, but I knew how broken he was when Lauret left without a word.

"But still? The Nursing Brigade? You could have worked outside in any hospital much more peacefully." I tried to dig out something I could feel but didn't know exactly.

"You two could also have worked for secret agencies outside and earned handsomely without risking your lives like you do here." She said shrugging her shoulders.

Neil chuckled, impressed by her answer. I shut my mouth after listening to her words.

"Moreover, chances of meeting you guys and my best friend, Merlen, are more now that all three of us are working in the same organisation. We'll meet frequently." She said looking at Neil happily.

Damnit! This is what I was looking for!

I looked at Neil surprised who himself was looking at her horrified. Fuck, she joined the forces for him! And he understood that too.

"What have you done milady...?" He whispered.

Just then our coffee mugs arrived and that took the heavy emotional cloud away.

"I like it here. Don't worry." She said this looking at her mug. Neil gulped his first sip down with efforts.

"Did Norry accept you?" She asked me and I choked.

She laughed loudly at my response at the mention of his name. Neil joined her. Backstabber!

"He was not that happy. But yeah, Merlen left him with no choice. I'd be six feet under otherwise." I said gladly.

"Yes. She truly is a queen. She knows what she wants and gets it anyhow." Now look at this girl praising my girl.

"Yourself too, madame.." I pointed at her bold move of joining the forces and working with jerks. She giggled and continued to sip her coffee.

The timer in my mind rang loudly at the end of eight minutes and I kept my mug down. "Now if you both will excuse me, I have some work to do. I'll wait for you in the parking, Sir." I said formally, teasing Neil.

"It was really great meeting you again, sir." Lauret said getting up. Technically she was junior to me.

"Likewise. But no need to address me as sir. You are Lauret and I'm the asshole J that Merlen introduced you to. You can call me James, I won't mind at all." I said with all my heart. She's so pure and naive.

She smiled and I left to get my ass on fire. I had to visit twelve departments and beg all the senior doctors in uniform to fill and sign our documents - all in less than four hours. God help me.

By the time I reached parking, I was wheezing. But Neil wasn't there. Fuck where was he now!

After waiting impatiently for a few minutes, I saw him coming towards our vehicle. He had an absent smile on his face and a spark in his eyes - both were missing since the day Lauret disappeared.

As soon as he saw me, he flushed the smile and tried to act like the hardass he is. I laughed looking at his state.

"What?" He asked in his overly heavy voice that he uses when he's grilling Dan, making him shiver till his soul. I knew it was fake, so it didn't move me one bit.

"You have been enchanted." I laughed as we got into our vehicle.

"Shut up." He said.

"Not till you stop faking your voice to intimidate me." I said on his face, laughing even more.

He cleared his throat and used his normal voice. "Shut up." He said clearly embarrassed at getting caught.

"So, what's going on in her life? You talked to her for four hours!" I asked excited.

"She is happy being where she is. She's working for the patients day in and out. All her patients appreciate her efforts and recover fast. That's what is keeping her so motivated and satisfied." He said impressed.

"Now that sounds just like her. Hey! I noticed she got her hair red. Did you see that too?" I asked curious.

"Dip. That's called dip. She did it to remind herself that her life is under her control and nobody else." "Damn! That girl is stronger than what I imagined."

"Me too. It's like she is ready to face everything life can throw at her. She's mentally prepared and infact optimistic about it. I never knew she had such a strong mind. She appeared very fragile and delicate. And look at her now." "Yeah! Never knew I'll see her in uniform one day, standing tall and proud."

Neil looked proud on her behalf and it really filled my heart. May be Lauret will help him come out of his shitty family cocoon.

"Lauret is too simple a name for her. She should be called fearless or something." I said randomly.

"Fire." He whispered and smiled to himself.

"Correct! Lauret Farrell as Fire! Wait... What?" He flushed his smile in an instant.

"Her.. friends.. call her Fire. Specially after she dipped her hair red." He stuttered and I held back a laugh.

"Neil. I know she has no friends here. You call her Fire starting today. And she likes it." I said using his own 'I can read your mind, so don't bullshit me.' talent and he looked at me wildered.

"You don't have to correct me. Nice name, by the way." I said and laughed. He punched my shoulder and looked out with that smile reappearing on his lips.

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What exactly just happened here? Lauret Farrell? Joined military? Wow! The ladies keep surprising everyone, don't they?

Now that I've gotten horses in your heads running, tell me which fantasy land you reach. 😁

Also, smitten Neil? My latest favourite. 😂❤️

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