We'll Be Fine - (Simon 'Ghost' Riley x f!Reader)

CONTACT

Summary: After finishing up your work underground you are assigned to work for task force 141. It's been over a year since your departure, how will you be greeted by your old friends?

You hadn't planned on stepping foot back here after the stunt you'd pulled, disappearing again off the face of the earth. Leaving behind everything in your pursuit for revenge.

It's been over a year... Without contact, often on the move to avoid being tracked by friend or foe. Dropping hints to the military like breadcrumbs leading a trail to your targets. It was a mutually beneficial effort, all of these pitiful humans had it coming. Your rage was a relentless force, seeking to destroy each and every enemy who played any part in your brother's death.

Until, you're finally satisfied with your work 'underground' and reported back to your superiors like a stray dog, tail between your legs. Sure they wanted you back but there would be stipulations. Consequences for your rash and selfish actions, which you more than willingly accepted. Anything is better than a prison sentence, well most anything.

It was worth it, you knew what you were capable of this time around, and they knew it too. Somehow they still wanted you around despite your faults, probably to keep a close eye on your activities.

So here you were, standing in front of the place you ran from. It would have seemed like a cruel joke if you hadn't requested the transfer yourself. In all honesty, your handler was probably happy to make you someone else's problem. You wouldn't lie, you're more trouble than your worth. But you have experience in a field that's on the rise in the criminal world. It's pretty nifty having someone on your beck and call who knows how to find and minimize your digital weaknesses.

There was a certain relief in arriving at the task force base while most of the members you knew were off on leave. No reason to stress about them out in the field, plus Price told you they would be back relatively soon. This gave you time to quietly move into your quarters and learn your way around, while also getting acquainted with your regular duties.

You weren't entirely sure when Ghost and Soap would be returning. Much to your dismay the duo promptly left for a mission shortly after their arrival back, you hadn't even seen them yet. You secretly wondered if they were angry with you, couldn't really blame them after what happened. This is why you don't have friends, no one likes grasping at smoke as it slips through their fingers.

The loud hum of electrical equipment drowns out all other ambient sounds. Concentrated on untangling a long group of cords while seated at a small desk. You were in the process of doing some much-needed cable management in an old data storage center... A long process. In all honesty, this kind of busy work you didn't mind, dumping your full focus into it was kind of therapeutic.

The gentle squeeze of a large hand on your shoulder snaps you out of your trance. The mess of cables dropped into the desk thoughtlessly as you nearly topples backward from your chair, if not for the firm hold on you. The motion brought your gaze upward to meet a looming figure.

His grip on you is unwavering, the sickening feeling that if he lets go you might vanish. But this was real, Price had told him you were here on base. This wasn't a mirage in the streets of some foreign land like so many times before. By some stroke of luck, you had returned to them but it still didn't seem true.

"Your here," short words escape masked lips. He looks agitated, dark eyes wide, bewildered at the sight of you before him like a waking nightmare.

"So are you, I've been waiting around for you two bozos for the last three weeks," you laugh awkwardly, standing from your chair as a grinning Soap makes his way over to join you.

"Weren't we here two weeks back mate?" soap interjects

"YES," Ghost growls, there's the agitation you caught in his eyes bearing its teeth.

"I got here while you were on leave," you state plainly, trying to cool the rising anger evident in his tone.

"Didn't tell me, I woulda come back early," the second half spoken quieter. He still hasn't let go, grasping at the smoke so it can't escape again. This wasn't something you had anticipated, the clear longing in those murky eyes.

"It woulda been an unnecessary distraction, you were busy," you mumble, gaze dropping to the mass of cords on the desk in front of you. A good analogy for your frazzled brain.

"Bug." those dark eyes of his, intense stare boring into the top of your head. Giving your shoulder a firm squeeze, an attempt to coax your gaze back upward to meet him.

"Ya wanna join us at the pub lass, shoot the shit," Soap interjects breaking the verbal silence in the otherwise noisy space.

You let out a stiff laugh, leaning against the side of the desk. Breaking the hold Ghost has on your shoulder in the process. Reaching down to grip the fabric of your pants, tugging upward to reveal a small black box strapped just above your ankle. Sighing, you release the cloth and push off the surface.

"Have fun kiddos, maybe when I'm not under house arrest," you state with mild amusement, grabbing a parcel off the adjacent table before making a bee-line for the door.

"I've got plenty of work anyway, unlike you fellas this cyber-criminal still has to prove her worth," you announce with false confidence, anything to escape the masked man's prying gaze.

The duo exited the room and watched you scurry off down the hall, out of sight. Ghost made a mental note to ask Price about it later. He knows a GPS tracker when he sees one, but why are you wearing one?