Beautiful Lie [John 'Soap' Mactavish]

Twelve [Lover's Shower]

Her legs pounded as she pushed herself harder on the treadmill.

A Thick layer of sweat covered her body as the heavy music pounded in her ears, the drumbeat seemed to push her harder as her legs thumped against the machine.

Her breathing ragged as she neared the 10-mile mark. what started off as a light jog became and intense run. All her anger flowing through her legs and into the world. it had been a week since the mission and image of Musa still plagued her thoughts, his gargled gasps and his father's screams rattled through her brain. she shook her head pushing herself harder, her legs moving at a seemingly impossible pace.

Roach sat on the soft mat, a light layer of sweat covered his brow as he watched the medic, her legs pounding against the Treadmill. a soft groan from Ghost as he continued doing push-up.

"Roach... you're falling behind mate" The lieutenant commented pushing himself up onto his knees watching Roach. the Sargent flicked his gaze back to Riley. Ghost turned looking over his shoulder at the medic, her face had turned a beet red as she continued running, her eyes set in front of her staring intently at the wall. Ghost nodded his head towards the medic turning his attention room back towards the sergeant.

"what's wrong with her?" Ghost commented sitting on the mat, he laid back on his back and began doing sit up. Roach sighed lightly, He and the medic had become quite close after Riley's little Training session with her when she first joined, but she always seemed too secretive to him, he couldn't put his finger on it. Roach turned on his knee's he placed his hands in front of him shoulder width apart before beginning to do press ups.

"I dunno man... ever since Ubel she's been.... different" Roach felt the subtle burn as it began to pulse through his biceps. working out with Ghost was something he did daily, the two used the gym time as a chance to talk about everything happening at the base without prying ears.

"Different?" Ghost questioned touching his elbow to his knee before dropping back down onto the mat. Roach's eyebrows pulled together as he groaned lightly continuing to do his press-ups.

"Yeah. I dunno what it is" Roach pondered for a moment, as quickly as the thought came it left, he watched as the medic slowed the treadmill to a walk before stopping completely moving from the machine, leaving the gym.

The music gently played through her speaker; she gently removed her towel stepping into the cold shower. She turned the water on allowed the cool water to flow over her burning skin. She sighed content with the temperature.

She held her head under the water, allowing the cold liquid to flow freely through her hair, leaving frozen trails as it ran down her back onto the green tiles below, she sighed heavily shaking the water from her face before running her fingers through her hair.

Every time she closed her eyes she could see Musa's face, his lifeless eyes staring into the distance before she gently closed them, the distinctive smell of his blood filling the room, the bile once again bubbled in her stomach, her jaw tightened as she tried to push the vile liquid back to her stomach. She kept racing over the conversation they had had when she was undercover, wondering if he had truly wanted to leave, to not be involved in his father's business, she thought about what Mactavish had said after, it turned her stomach more.

She tried to force her brain to think of anything else, her family, her friends, her home. She cast her mind losing herself to the thoughts of her queen-sized bed with silk sheets, a jasmine candle burning warming her room gently, all the herbal tea she could drink. she sighed heavily her mind being pulled back to reality. she hummed along to her music gently washing the sweat from her skin, she shampooed and conditioned her hair before rinsing once more.