𝕆𝕟𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞 || A Call of Duty OC Story ||

31 Family

"Charlie, make me look pretty," Soap joked as Charlie smudged black face paint around his eyes. "I'll try to," she smiled. The girl had offered to help apply face paint to make them look "scary". She wiped her hands off on her black pants as Ghost sat in the chair. "Hey, Ghost," she smiled as Ghost looked at her. She grabbed some face paint and looked back at him only to see that he had taken his mask off again so she could put the face paint on.

Charlie looked at him and smudged the black face paint on. "I didn't think you were blond," she joked as Ghost let out a small nod, "and I didn't think you'd be good as a sniper but here we are," Ghost joked back as a response. Charlie smudged the face paint and made sure he looked extra scary.

"Ghost?" Charlie asked. Ghost opened his eyes to look at her as she was hesitant to speak. "I just wanted to say... thank you..." Charlie said softly. Ghost looked confused, "for what?" He asked. "For everything," she said as Ghost nodded. He felt himself begin to fall into a state of relaxation. Charlie hugged Ghost and she exhaled as he hugged her back. She felt a tear run down her cheek as she found safety in his arms. He wasn't just a friend to her anymore. He was her family.

The 141 was her family, a family she was to afraid to lose. Ghost got up to leave and as he did Charlie put away the face paint, smudging some on her face quickly. "Charlotte Cunningham," Captain Price stated as he entered the room. Charlie looked over at him, as he cleared his throat. "You're quite the kid," Price said as she nodded. "Thank you, Captain," she smiled as she shook his hand. "After we find that last missile...I'm sending you home," he stated as Charlie froze.

"You're...sending me home?" She repeated his statement as Price nodded. "You're still a kid, this kind of work isn't suitable for you," he sighed and walked over, placing a hand on her shoulder, "I'm sure everyone is proud of you though... we all are so grateful for you and all you've done," Price smiled at Charlie as she looked down. Price was about to speak but stopped himself and instead he let go of her shoulder and walked away.

Charlie looked over at the table, she grabbed her mask and put it on, her breath began to quicken as she left the barn and went out towards the trucks. But she couldn't do it. A feeling of pure fear washed over her as her paled began to sweat. Her vision began to get blurry as she stumbled a bit. She didn't know what else to do so she ran. She ran towards the side of the barn and hid behind it, trying to calm herself down.

The men called out for her, but she didn't respond. They began to search for her as she cried softly into her knees, she didn't want to leave. She couldn't go back home, if she went home she knew bad things would happen, terrible things that she could only fear for. Eventually the sounds of a sigh broke her out of her thoughts. She snapped her head towards the sound and saw a man in one of the balaclavas.

"Jesus, you look like shit," Soap sighed as he took a seat beside her. Charlie sniffles and let the tears run down her face, smudging her face paint. Soap watched her and noticed her trembling. "Ya scared for this mission, lass?" He asked, only for Charlie to shake her head. "Then what's the matter?" Sis asked with concern. Charlie took a shaky breath in before looking at Soap with her irritated and tear filled eyes.

"I'm scared to go home," she was able to get out. Soap's eyes widened as he nodded, "why's that?" He asked. Charlie just looked at him with fear in her eyes. That was all Soap needed, "I see," he sighed. Soap gently wrapped an arm around her and hugged her, he always knew how to comfort her. "Personally o think any parent who signed their children's rights away to Shepherd is an unfit parent," he sighed. Charlie only nodded and tried to calm down in the comfort of his arms.

Soap rubbed her upper back as she shook like a leaf. He knew the strain of this mission had an effect on Charlie. He also knew that she was developing some serious mental health issues because of it. "Why not come live with me and my family in Scotland after all this?" Soap asked. Charlie thought he was joking and sniffled until she saw his serious face. "A-Are you serious, Soap?" She asked. Soap nodded, "you need people who care for you, me and my family are your best bet," he smiled as Charlie nodded her head.

Soap smiled and began to stand up, "come on now, we've got some Shadows to hunt," he said as Charlie stood up and followed him to the trucks.