[Megan doesn't know about you.]

---

Megan Ward had been assigned to Task Force 141 for exactly four days, and she'd already decided she was something of a rarity. The only woman among a collection of highly trained, dangerously attractive soldiers? It was practically the premise of a romance novel. Never mind that nobody had actually told her she was the only woman. She'd simply looked around, seen Price, Ghost, Soap, and Gaz, and drawn her own very enthusiastic conclusions.

"I have to admit, it's kind of intimidating being the only girl here," she announced that evening, perched on the arm of the common room couch. Soap glanced up from his phone, one eyebrow rising.

"Only girl?"

"Well, yeah!" Megan laughed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I mean, I'm not complaining. I've always gotten along better with guys anyway. Girls can be so competitive, you know?"

Gaz exchanged a glance with Soap, though neither immediately interrupted. Price, seated nearby with a folder balanced across his knee, continued reading.

"Right," Soap said slowly. "And you've met everyone, have you?"

"Pretty much!" Megan chirped. "Besides, it's kind of nice being the only feminine energy around here. Someone's gotta keep you boys in line."

Ghost, standing near the window with his arms folded, gave a quiet grunt. "Good luck with that."

Megan beamed at him, apparently taking it as encouragement. "Oh, Simon, you're just saying that because you're so serious all the time. I bet you'll warm up to me eventually."

"Lieutenant," Ghost corrected.

She giggled. "See? Always so formal."

Apparently deciding that his lack of enthusiasm was simply a challenge, Megan pushed herself off the couch and wandered toward him. "You know, you're awfully tense, Simon. Has anyone ever told you that?" She reached out, resting her hand against his upper arm, fingers giving his bicep a little squeeze. "God, you're practically made of stone. Do you ever relax?"

Ghost went very still. Across the room, Soap's eyebrows climbed. Gaz lowered his phone. Even Price looked up from his paperwork.

"Ward," Ghost said, his voice dropping into that unmistakably flat tone.

"Hm?" Megan smiled up at him.

"Remove your hand."

"Oh, don't be like that!" she laughed, leaving her fingers exactly where they were. "I'm just being friendly. You boys are so serious about everything."

Soap opened his mouth, presumably to say something spectacularly unhelpful, but the common room door swung open before he could.

{{user}} stepped inside. For a brief moment, nobody spoke.

Soap's expression shifted into something dangerously close to delight. Gaz pressed his lips together, while Price gave the newcomer a familiar nod.

"Evening, {{user}}."

Ghost's masked face turned toward the doorway. His posture relaxed a fraction in recognition, though Megan's hand was still very much attached to his arm.

"Alright?" he greeted.

Megan followed his gaze, her smile faltering as she registered the newcomer. Another woman. One the entire team apparently knew.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, recovering quickly. "Hi! Are you one of the new recruits?"

Soap made a strangled noise. Gaz shut his eyes for a moment. Price slowly lowered his folder.

Ghost looked down at Megan's hand, then back at her. "No," he said flatly.

Megan blinked. "Oh. Well, I just assumed—"

"Clearly."

Soap finally leaned forward, grinning. "Ward, meet {{user}}. {{user}}, this is Ward. She's been tellin' us all about how she's the only lass in the task force."

Megan's cheeks flushed. "I didn't say it like that!"

"You did, actually," Gaz replied.

Ghost's patience finally expired. "Hand. Off."

Megan snatched her fingers away, laughing nervously. "God, Simon! You don't have to be so dramatic."

"Lieutenant," he corrected again.

[Megan knows about you.]

---

The common room had been peaceful for approximately twenty minutes before Megan Ward decided to make herself everyone's problem. Price sat at the table reviewing paperwork, Gaz occupied one end of the couch with his phone, Soap was sprawled across the other, and Ghost stood near the counter nursing a mug of tea. {{user}} hadn't arrived yet, leaving the four men to endure Megan's increasingly ambitious attempts at conversation.

"Captain, do you ever take a break?" Megan asked sweetly, leaning over Price's shoulder to examine his paperwork. "All that responsibility must be exhausting. You need someone to look after you."

Price didn't look up. "Need you to stop reading over my shoulder, Ward."

She laughed as though he'd made a joke, drifting toward the couch instead. "Johnny, you wouldn't mind helping me with my training tomorrow, would you? You're so much better at the physical stuff than everyone else."

Soap raised an eyebrow. "Thought you told Gaz he was the best trainer on base?"

"Oh, Kyle's good too!" Megan quickly assured him, turning toward Gaz with a dazzling smile. "He's just more of the quiet, dependable type. Aren't you, Kyle?"

Gaz glanced up from his phone. "Depends who's asking."

"See? Such a gentleman." Megan giggled, apparently missing the sarcasm entirely.

Ghost took another sip of tea. He'd made the mistake of remaining silent throughout the exchange, which Megan evidently interpreted as an invitation.

"And Ghost," she purred, approaching him. "You're always so serious. Has anyone ever told you that you should smile more?"

"Frequently," Ghost replied flatly.

"Well, maybe you just need the right person to make you smile." She stepped closer, resting her hand on his upper arm. "I bet you're actually really sweet underneath all that scary exterior."

Ghost's gaze dropped to her hand. "Ward."

"Hm?"

"Hand."

Megan tilted her head, smiling innocently. "What about it?"

Before Ghost could answer, the common room door opened. {{user}} had arrived.

From the doorway, the scene was simple enough: Megan standing far too close to Ghost, her fingers resting comfortably against his arm, and the masked lieutenant looking down at her. Whatever had happened during the previous twenty minutes was entirely unknown to the newcomer.

Soap spotted {{user}} first. His eyebrows shot upward, and a slow, wicked grin spread across his face. "Oh, this is unfortunate timing."

Gaz followed his gaze toward the doorway, then glanced at Megan's hand. "Very unfortunate."

Price finally looked up from his paperwork. "MacTavish. Don't."

Ghost turned his head toward {{user}}, then looked back down at Megan's fingers, which still hadn't moved. "Last warning, Ward."