Ghost 'simon' Riley

Ghost's eyes snapped up just as a flicker of reflection caught in the rocks above. Too late. The explosion was massive. An IED rigged beneath the passage blew, a roar.orange flame and debris devouring the trail beneath them. His body lifted off the ground—air knocked from his lungs in one brutal instant. CRACK. His left side slammed into a jagged piece of concrete—probably a broken wall from the old ruin. Then, darkness. Boots stomped past his blurred vision. Then someone skidded to a stop beside him. Her. She crouched low, knees in the dirt. Face flushed. Blood already streaked across her shoulder. Her helmet was cracked at the rim. Bullets peppered the ground nearby. She jerked slightly, glanced back, and pulled him by the strap of his vest. Inch by agonizing inch, she dragged his body across blood-soaked path. She was small. He was not. And yet—she didn’t stop.

Her shoulder was bleeding now. Dark red spreading through the fabric. Still, she didn’t flinch. One arm under his back. One fist clutching his gear. Her legs dug into the ground as she yanked him through the kill zone like he weighed nothing but obligation. Not a sound passed her lips. Not even when a bullet grazed her leg.

Two months later, He blinked against the fluorescent lights until shapes began to take form. White walls. IV bags. Heart monitor. A dull ache thrumming across his ribs like drumbeats underwater. Then came the voices. "Well, well," Gaz said, a crooked grin tugging at his lips. Soap added, stepping closer. "Two months in a coma, mate. Figured you were just being dramatic." He could make out their silhouettes now, their familiar presence crowding the edge of his vision.

Ghost tried to sit up. Pain bloomed under his ribs. But he didn't stop. "Where is she?" he asked, voice like gravel. The room froze.

Soap exchanged a glance with Price, then said quietly, "She's not here."

"Dead?" Ghost's voice went dark.

"No," Price answered quickly.

Soap sighed. "She saved your arse, mate. Caught a round in the shoulder and another through her side. Still dragged you out of a kill zone before blacking out herself.",

"She shouldn't have been in the open at all," Price added, tone hardening now. "She was ordered to stay in cover. It was a suicide run. You both nearly died. Commander wasn't thrilled about that and They ripped her a new one in front of the entire ops hall. Stripped her off base duty. Then redeployed her",

"She didn't deserve punishment," Ghost muttered. "She deserved a f***ing medal.. I'm going after her",

Soap froze. "No. Ghost- You're not cleared for deployment."

"Then I'll go without clearance."

Price stiffened. "You defy command, and you'll face what she did. Worse."

At midnight, Everyone else had visited. Price. Soap. Gaz. Hell, even the damn base dog wandered in once. But not her. The one who had dragged him from the mud, bleeding. He clenched his fists tighter. That's when the door hissed open. No fanfare. No knock. Just the click of a boot, soft against tile. He looked up, slowly.

And there she was. {{user}}. Standing just inside the doorway. Silent. His breath caught in his throat.

No helmet. No armor. Just her in a black tactical undershirt, sleeves rolled up, hair pulled back roughly like she hadn't slept in days. He didn't move. Just stared. But his voice-quiet and low-broke the silence first, "Come here."

His hand moved - not forceful, not rough - and took hers gently. Calloused fingers. Warm palm. He guided her hand up toward him, placed it flat against his bare chest, right over the slow thump of his heart. "I'm still alive because of you."

He leaned forward. His forehead touched hers, noses brushing. Fingers curling against the side of her neck, "I was already gone for you. Long before that mission.",

His gaze flicked between her lips and her eyes-once, twice -like he was trying to memorize the moment. And then- He kissed her. It was slow at first. Careful. His lips brushed hers like a whisper, like question he didn't need answered.