Safer With A Ghost | Simon "Ghost" Riley

Chapter 16 - Part 3

5 Hours Later

Ghost Team and Laswell were standing in the living room that was a now an interrogation room. The man that attempted to take Ivy was tied down to a chair. Most questions were answered vaguely but he refused to give up Graves' location. They learned nothing from the Shadow. After hours of attempting to get a location and failing, Laswell put him in her car and took him to be charged.

The house was quiet when Laswell left. Soap and Gaz sat in the living room, sitting in a deafening silence. Alejandro and Rudy were locked away from the team in their room. Price sat in the kitchen, quietly sipping his coffee. Ghost and Ivy were in Ghost's bedroom, Ivy refused to go to her room that she once shared with Valeria. There were far too many memories the two had shared in such a short time.

Ghost and Ivy were laying in his bed, Ivy crying silently into his chest as he held her. "Simon I don't want to sleep in there anymore..." she sniffled, "I can't even be awake in there, how am I supposed to sleep?" Ghost's mind tried to piece comforting words together, but collapsed before they left his lips. He didn't want to further upset her. In the back of Ghost's mind, he blamed himself for Valeria's death. It was his job to keep his team and Ivy safe. Ivy had been taken, tortured, beaten, and assaulted, and Valeria was killed.

As Ivy's tears slowly stopped falling from her eyes, she turned to face Ghost. "Why can't we just share a room? Price wouldn't care, and I don't think Soap would either." Ghost sighed, "I'll talk to Johnny." Lifting his mask just above his mouth, he placed a gently kiss on her hairline.

2 Hours Later

It was late in the night when Price had called the team into the living room. Everyone except Alejandro sat, waiting for Price to speak as he stood before them. He sighed, feeling defeated. "I uh..." he looked at Rudy, "I'm sorry Rudy... really Valeria was a great soldier, even better woman." Tears began to peek through his eyes before he blinked them away. Price had lost many soldiers in the past but Ghost Team were special to him. Rudy nodded, his eyes red and slightly swollen. "Thank you, John." Price cleared his throat, trapping any further emotions from escaping, "I received a call from Major Flores, uh, he's ordered us home, we're needed more actively in the search for Graves. Ivy is being transferred to another safe house. I tried to fight it, but it's unfortunately his call. I'm sorry guys..." No one spoke a word; Price's words stunned the team like a bright sudden flash. Ivy stood up in protest, "Price I don't want another team. Look what happened last time I was put with another team." Her words slipped off her tongue quickly. "I know, kid. I'm sorry.. Flores says it'll be some of his equal rankings, you'll be safer." His voice was low, sounding ashamed. Ghost stood, "Price, Ivy is safe with us." Is she though? On one hand he was livid someone else was assigned to look after Ivy, but he had failed twice, and didn't want to know what would happen if he did again. "Simon, I tried. I really did..." he looked at Ghost trying to tell him how sorry he was.

Soap and Gaz sat in disbelief, then Soap spoke hesitantly, "When do we leave?" He looked at his hands, fumbling with his fingers. "Tomorrow morning. They've given us the night to pack and say goodbye to Ivy." Gaz shook his head, "Price there's no way to change this?" his fingers intertwined together as he rested his elbows on his knees. Price gently shook his head. "Sorry Gaz."

Ivy's POV

Staring at the floor, Ivy tried to imagine being with a new team. As much as she didn't want to be with another team, she could see the defeat in Price's face. She looked around at the faces of the people she considered her family. Soap who she was closest with, other than Ghost. Gaz who she caused trouble with along with Soap, both becoming a victim of Soap every now and then. Rudy, who taught her how to play many card games and nursed her back to health with Valeria. Price, who had treated her as his own, though he had none. Alejandro who would seek advice from her about Valeria and let her win at the card games they played with Rudy, she was terrible at them. And Ghost, who she felt safe with instantly, more than anyone else she'd ever met. Though she knew she would miss the entire team, Ghost is who she couldn't bare spending time away from as she had become his annoying little shadow, following him around, annoying him with Soap and Gaz. She looked at Ghost to see his reaction, expecting more of an argument about splitting the two of them up, but she was disappointed. His eyes were staring at his hands that sat in his lap in submission. She internally begged him to look at her, or to object more. But he sat silently. Anger growing in her chest, she stood up and looked to Price, "I don't have a say in this at all do I?" she said sharply. Price hesitantly shook his head, "I'm sorry kid." Tears were welling up in her eyes as she stormed out of the living room and up the stairs to her room.

Sitting on her bed with her knees to her chest, Ivy tried to fight back the tears as the thoughts flew chaotically through her mind. Will I ever see them again? What if I'm not safe with whoever I end up with? What if something happens to them? Will Simon find another? I need Valeria.

Ivy silently cried into her knees when she heard her door open. She looked up and saw Ghost standing there. "You couldn't have fought this more?!" She shouted at him as she stood up. Ghost looked at the floor, sighing heavily. "Ivy, I don't have a say in this either." Shaking her head as the tears glided down her face, her voice trembled, "I-I can't be with another team, Simon. I don't t-trust anyone else." Ghost slowly walked towards Ivy, "I know I'm sorry, love. You know I'd stay if I could." As he stood in front of her, he gently placed his hand on her face, "But I think it's best." His eyes looked into hers, hoping there was a little bit of understanding. When she pulled away from him, his hope had diminished, only seeing anger through her tears. "Simon, what.. what the fuck are you talking about?" She backed away from him. He sighed, "Ivory, you're not safe with me," the tears built in his eyes as he looked at her, "You've been taken twice, I can't let it happen again. I'm too distracted and..." "Now I'm a distraction?!" Ivy shouted as she stared back at him. Ghost tried to speak again but she interrupted him again, "If I'm such a distraction, then maybe you're right. After tonight, I won't be such a nuisance anymore." She turned away from him attempting to hide the flood of tears on her face. "Ivory, that's not what I meant..." he tried to gather his thoughts, trying to tell her that what she said wasn't true, but he only thought that maybe it was better this way. Yes, he had grown an attachment to Ivy, but it interfered with successfully doing his job. It was more than an attachment. He loved her. Ghost tried to tell her many times about how he felt, but fear held him back. The fear of rejection, and what if the same thing that happened to his family happened to her? The risk grew as their relationship did, and he had to put a stop to it, so she'd be safe. "Ivy... this is to keep you safe." His words were useless, "Get out Ghost." Ivy shouted without looking at him. Taken back by the absence of his real name, Ghost searched for the right words to say, but there was nothing. "Ivory..." he said quietly, tears escaping his eyes, soaking his bacalava. Ivy turned around, "I said GO." Her lips shuddered. A defeated Ghost turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him.