Beep...
Beep...
Beep...
Beep...
"Mmm"
"Hey Soap, come on. Come back to us Sarge"
Huh?
"That's it, good man. Open ya eyes kid"
Who is calling me? I don't want to get up.
" Give him a minute. We do have him on some pretty strong painkillers, Sir" came another voice, one Soap didn't recognize.
Soap groaned as he opened his eyes. An action that was once easy now took more effort than it should have. His body felt like lead. Heavy and stiff. The smell of cleaner envaded his noise, a smell that had become familiar over the years. Blurred figures danced around in his vision, three from what he could vaguely makeout.
"Sir, can you hear me" came that unfamiliar voice yet again. Whoever was speaking sounded tired, something he himself could understand very well.
"H-hospital ?" vision clearing enough for him to makeout his surrounding.
"Yea, kid" Price stood off to the left of him still dressed in his tactical gear. He wore a soft yet tired smile. Years of war tend to have that affect on a person. Though in this state he was in, a look of relief was what soap decided to mark it as. He'd see the look on the others mans face plenty of times to know it.
"Damn, gave us quite the scare Soap" Price chuckled.
" W-what happened " Soap's throat felt as if it had been lined with sandpapaer. The words grinding against each other, fighting to be heard. A once relived looked turned to that of conviction and pain. Price tossed the doctor a look and with a nod she quickly left to give them some privacy.
"The intel we got was false. You went down in the field. Couple gunshot wounds" Price sighed.
"Something that could have been avoided"
Soap jumped at the sudden remark. Up until this point Ghost had been standing off in a shadowed corner of the room, quietly observing the situation. As he often did. As soap looked over in the direction of the voice. He couldn't help but to let his eyes wander to Ghosts attire. Much like Price, he was till in his tactical gear, tho his were much more covered in blood stains and dirt, shoulders tense. The man looked like hell warmed over.
"Simon" Price's tone was firm, a warning. One that didn't seem to faze the other man at all.
"Hey, Lt" Soap laughed, an action he soon regretted. Even with the painkillers Soap could still feel the dull aches of his wounds. Yet nothing hurt more than the look in his superiors eyes as he stared down at him as he walked over to his bed side.
"Do you have any idea how dangerous that was " his voice cold and emotionless. Yet there was a edge to it.
Soap didn't need to think hard as to what Ghost was referring to. It was the reason he was currently laying in this stiff hospital bed. But would it have killed his lieutenant to at least ask him how he was feeling?
"There was no time to think, Lt" his wounds ached with every word he spit out. Having been shot numerous times before never made the feeling any less draining or painful. The look in Ghost eyes was one Soap hadn't ever seen before. A mix of emotions he couldn't read. Price took a step forward placing a hand to his shoulder, this seemed to calm Ghost a little.
"Maybe if you had, you wouldn't be here right now Sargent"
That hurt more than Soap wanted to admit. There wasn't time to warn him when he had spotted the enemy gunman. Ghost was currently in a fist fight and Soap did the only thing he could think of. Running out infront of him before the shots rang out. Managing to hit the guy, everything seemed to be fine. Until the pain set in, creeping up his body like fire. The world seemed to slow down after that, there was muffled yelling and gunfire. And then it all faded away and now here he was. Staring at the man he nearly gave his life for with a look of regret and saddness. "I wasn't gonna let them kill you, ghost"
"Goddmanit why can't you follow orders! " Ghost outburst caused both Price and Soap to jump. The man was shaking now as he stared at Soap. Watching as anger over took his features and a deep frown played on his lips.
"Because your life was on the line! What!? Did you want me to just let you die! I can't do that! " How could Ghost yell at him like this. Was he supposed to just watch it happen? To just watch as his partner gets gunned down! To live on knowing it would be his fault if ghost died.
"For the love of god! I can't loose you again! I just got you back and you go and pull something this stupid! "
Price pushed Ghost away from the Sargent gently. This was entering dangerous territory.
"Simon calm down"
It was an order, one it seemed Ghost clearly didn't give a fuck about. Pushing Price off him he grabbed Soap by the thin material of the hospital gown. A choked out noise of what could be a yell and a whimper left Soaps throat. His wounds screaming at the sudden movement.
"Calm down!? CALM DOWN! HOW CAN I CALM DOWN WHEN I TURN MY BACK FOR A SECOND AND HE NEARLY GET HIMSELF KILLED! "
"I WAS DOING IT TO SAVE YOU! I WOULD DO IT AGAIN! "
By now the others had been alerted to the commotion, having been able to hear the screaming from the lobby area. Rudy and Alejandro burst into the room as Price grabbed Ghost off soap and dragged him towards the door. A feat in and of its self. Rudy ran over to help Price subdue the volitale Lieutenant. Alejandro instead making his way over to soap to make sure he was okay. Though the younger mans expression was a mix of hurt and confusion.
Simon ripped and fought. Fought to get closer, to make him understand. God why couldn't he just understand! Why didn't he just listen!? What was it about him that made even his own Sargent disobey him. Him, who was just trying to keep him safe! To make sure he got to go home!
"DAMN IT ROACH WHY WONT YOU JUST FOLLOW ORDERS! WHY WON'T YOU JUST LET ME KEEP YOU SAFE! "
