Beautiful Lie [John 'Soap' Mactavish]

Sixteen [Late Night Phonecall]

"Three weeks!"

Alyssa's voice echoed through shepherds' office, she stood Infront of his desk, hands resting on it as she stared at him, her father stood to the generals left, ghost stood just behind Alyssa. The captains blood still coating her hands.

"You defied a direct order! And for that you are off duty for three weeks!" Shepherds voice was loud and stern as he spoke. The admiral knew he could do little to help his daughter, he had warned her before she left, he would have to report it, she knew this was coming but even the admiral thought three weeks was a bit harsh, she had saved the captains life, got him to the evac point and allowed for him to be taken to hospital for treatment. Alyssa glanced towards Ghost, her mouth hanging open in disbelief.

"Sir. With respect if it wasn't for Queenie the captain would be dead" ghost tried to reason with Shepard, the generals stern stare quickly flicked from the field medic to the lieutenant.

"Riley, you will be acting field commander effective immediately until Mactavish's return to active duty! But your medic is still benched for three weeks!" Shepherd ordered, Queenie sighed frustrated rolling her eyes slightly, Simon went to interject once again.

"Dismissed" the general ordered, silencing the lieutenant, Alyssa scoffed pushing herself from the desk and storming away from the office.

"Queenie!" Ghost called jogging to catch up with the field medic. She stopped turning and watching as the lieutenant jogged over to her, he held his mask in his hand as he stopped in front of her.

"Look. No matter what those two say. You did good, you saved soaps arse back there" he spoke looking around the pair before his gaze finally settled on the medic. She rubbed her hands the captains blood flaking away into the wind, her gaze snapping up at his words.

"Oh my god! Did lieutenant Simon Riley just compliment me?" She gripped her chest lightly, her mouth dropping in fake shock.

"I think I'm gunna pass out! Catch me!" The lieutenant playfully shoved her shoulder, the medic laughed bumping the lieutenant's shoulder gently.

"Oh, cut the bullshit. I mean it, you did a good job... now before I become a complete woman let's get some food" he slung his arm around her shoulder guiding her towards the mess hall.

"Three weeks? That's a bit shitty, isn't it?" Meat commented, roach nodded in agreement as he continued to pile food into his mouth, Queenie pushed the food around her tray slightly, her eyes continued to flick to and from the clock.

She willed for the hands to move quicker, the captain was currently in surgery, she had called the hospital as soon as they reached base, before the lieutenant dragged her to shepherds' office for a bullshit disciplinary. Two o'clock they hoped he'd be out, and she had been counting down the seconds until she could call again and check he was okay.

"She got lucky the admiral could have put her balls in a vice... metaphorically of course" Chemo added glancing towards the medic.

"I've got bigger balls than you" the team chuckled to themselves; worry had settled in all of their stomachs. The captain was the glue that held the team together, each one of them already missed his presence on camp.

"Look, all that matters is soap is alive. Queenie did a good job" ghost commented changing the subject, he hoped his words would relieve the worry that had settled within the team. Roach's eyes snapped up to the lieutenant giving him a questioning look.

"I've never known you to be...nice" roach mocked earning chuckles from the men, ghost shook his head rolling his eyes lightly.

"I give praise where it's due. maybe if you were better at your job, you would get some" ghost chuckled pointing his fork towards the Sergeant, roach rolled his eyes chuckling slightly pointing his own fork at Riley.