Ashes in the Darkness

Truth

Writers Note: Sorry about the wait, work and life have been crazy. Also, thank you? I can't believe you guys like what comes out of my brain. Again, if y'all haven't read Ghost's backstory and comic, please go read them.

TW: Mentions of sexual assault, Ghost has a trauma induced panic attack.

Ghost went to the door and opened it, not saying a word or making a sound. His eyes had dried immediately as soon as Kate had knocked on the door; tucking his memories back into wherever he hid them inside himself. Kate entered the room with a simple greeting to Ghost. I stood and watched her round the desk and take a seat in Ghost's chair.

"I'll leave you to it," Ghost said, turning to exit the office without looking me in the eye.

"No," I said before he could leave the room, "stay."

He turned and flicked his eyes between Laswell and me. I could see he was still recovering from whatever was going on in his head before Laswell had arrived, but he was relieved that I had asked him to stay. "It's alright Lieutenant."

"Are Price and Gaz with you?" I asked her, trying to stop myself from being intimidated by her presence filling the room. Confidence and pure feminine power seemed to waft around her like an invisible aura, drenching the air with a silent command to respect her.

"No, Gaz has been put on medical leave, Price is working," she answered. I didn't appreciate how fast she wanted to get this conversation over with, although I knew that she was on a time limit here with these missiles. I couldn't imagine the anxiety that went along with being the chief on an international terrorism investigation. It had to be weighing on her shoulders. I understood little ol' me was the least of her concerns and I was making a mess of her schedule. But Philip's comment was the straw that broke the camel's back, I could no longer sit in the dark of what I wasn't being told.

"What is this about?" Laswell asked, tone formal. I couldn't believe that she was standing in front of me after being kidnapped and possibly tortured by a terrorist organization. She didn't have time to rest or settle herself after that trauma, she had missiles to find and people to save.

"I want the truth," I said, putting my hands on my hips. I heard Ghost move around behind me, leaning around the office bookcase that was empty on the left side of the room. "All of it."

"I am not sure what you mean?" Laswell did not seem to be playing dumb, but she was also keeping that one piece of this situation under wraps. She wasn't going to reveal anything unless I asked it directly. "Can you be more specific?"

"I want to know who I am to this team, and I want to know why I am being used the way that I am," my words weren't commanding, but I was making it clear that I was done being lied to, I was done being kept in the dark. "I would also like to know how Philip Graves personally knows my assaulter."

"What?" I heard Ghost say from the side of the room. He was being genuine, there was surprise in his tone. My eyes went to the man leaning with his arms crossed over his chest.

"When I told him off about making the deal without discussing it with you first," I took a deep breath, "he told me that Oswald warned him about me."

"He threatened you?" Ghost's hands went to his sides, and I saw his hand twitch. He had completely forgotten about the story of my nephew; he was in his darkness now. Pitch Black.

"Not a threat, it was intentional intimidation," I answered. Ghost seemed to shake with fury as I let what happened roll off my shoulders. I saw movement in his eyes that told me that he was even more distrusting of Graves than he was before.

"Jamie, I am sorry I don't know how Graves knows Master Sergeant Oswald, but I will look into it," her voice was sincere, and I believed that she was telling the truth. Her eyes went to Ghost and nodded to him, "as for your place on this team..."