Price looked down into the incubator in absolute awe. How could one be so tiny yet hold such a place in his heart from just the moment they were born.
He wanted to pick up that small frail baby and embrace them, feel their new skin against his, but he just couldn't. They had to stay in that box for a few days. For their health.
He stayed at the hospital, watching over them for the days they were in there. He longed for the first touch they both would share.
It felt like years till they finally gave him to clear to take home his child.
The mother of the baby fully out of the picture, literally and legally.
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.
.
He placed you in your car seat, rocking it back and forth, his other hand flipping through papers and typing on his laptop.
"Hush..please. Honey, please"
He groaned, being a single father was way harder then he thought it would have been. Not what he saw on TV or read in books, none of that had told him what to do when his child was crying for hours on end.
"(Y/N)...I can't do work like this, sweetheart."
He picked you up fromt he car seat, resting you on his chest as he leaned back in his chair. You were feed and changed, nothing on you was wrong.
When would this pass.
He pat your back gently, keeping you close to him, maybe it was just a comfort thing.
.
.
.
Soap pat his thighs, crouched down a few feet away from you.
"Come on, you can do it!"
Ghost helped you to your feet, your small hands gripping his pointer fingers as you held onto him for balance.
The smile on Soap's face grew wider as you moved one food in front of the other. You stumbled a bit but you were getting the hang of it.
"Ay! See that Ghost, their walkin'!"
"With my help...don't get too happy."
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.
You picked up the bullets on the ground of the armory. You hated when your family suited up to leave again. It always made you feel so abandoned, especially your father. You hated seeing him out on that vest, it meant he wouldn't be tucking you into bed for a while. No more good nights yelled to you from down the hall.
"We'll be back soon, love ya kiddo."
Soap leaned down and embraced you in a hug, ruffling your messy hair.
Your dad watched as the rest of the team said goodbye to you, a smile on his face at how close you were with them.
"Be a good kid, for me."
He picked you up, holding you up on his hip.
You nodded, hugging him tighter then the last time he left.
"I'll miss you, every day. Don't give your aunt a hard time."
He pinched the tip of your nose, a light chuckle leaving his lips. You swatted his hand away, a slightly annoyed look on your face.
"I never give Auntie Kate a hard time."
You pouted, only receiving a smile and a kiss on your forehead in response.
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.
.
He placed down the keys to your car, giving you a stern glare.
"Just because you're 17 doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. Do you understand?"
You crossed your arms, not wanting to get into this conversation again.
"(Y/N), you won't be getting your car back till you show me you understand what I'm saying to you. What I have been telling you, this shit your doing is irresponsible, I don't know where the fuck you are getting these from. But it stays out of your car and out of your body. Your too young for this."
He crouched down and placed a trash bag of empty alcohol bottles on the table. Seeing the amount of bottles in such a way made you feel embarrassed. You were so glad the rest of your family wasn't at the base at the moment.
"Dad..."
"You're going to kill yourself like this."
You tapped your foot against the floor, feeling yourself get annoyed at his pestering.
"Baby, I dread that one day I'll get a call. Telling me my sweet girl is dead because she decided to drive drunk. I dread the day I have to see you in a casket, honey please stop this, you shouldn't even be drinking at this age."
Your walls were already up, your mind blocking out anything he was saying to you.
"It's your friends...the pier pressure is too much for you to handle. You're weak..."
Those words stung, like a bullet to the brain.
Weak.
I'm weak?
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.
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You tossed out your highschool clothing, all the things that no longer fit. You pulled out one of your sports bags from the back of your closest, it was heavy.
You placed it down and opened it, a frown spreading across your face. It was a bunch of bottles of alcohol.
You closed the bag again and tossed it out of your room. Those days were behind you now.
You didn't want to go back to being like you were, reckless.
You heard the floorboards creak by your door way. You turned to look, your whole family standing in the hallway.
Soap, Gaz, Ghost, Rudy, Alejandro, Laswell, and most importantly...your dad.
"Don't leave, not just yet."
Gaz spoke up, a sad look in his eyes.
"We love you kiddo."
Ghost mumbled, he looked, sad. Something you thought you'd never see him express for you.
"We don't want to see this room empty."
Soap crossed his arms, all of them looked like they dreaded this day for a long time.
You looked at all of them, you didn't want to really leave but your schooling was waiting for you. That full ride scholarship you just couldn't let go.
"I won't go unless one of you drive me to my classes."
"Deal!"
They blurted out, they all came into your room, wrapping you in a group hug. Even Ghost joined in, his hand ruffling your hair.
Maybe even a smile behind his mask.
