Liability [Simon Ghost Riley]

loss

"Fuck" he curses as he watches the others run towards him. Gives them cover fire as they jump into the helicopter. "Hurry up let's fucking go!"

Simon spots Soap carrying a limp body over his shoulders as he runs as quickly as he can to the heli. Simon ushers him inside as Gaz helps grab the soldier. Simon slips inside the heli and shuts the door, his focus landing on the girl. He takes off her helmet and his heart stops as red hair spills out. Her eyes completely devoid of life as blood pools on the floor.

"It's Emma" Soap says as tears fill his eyes

"What happened?" Simon demands

"She was breathing before I got in the heli" he says in shock

"Must've been hit on the run" Gaz comments as he runs his hand over his face.

"Fuck" Simon snaps, punching the door angrily, he should've protected her. He rips off his helmet and slams it on the ground and he runs his hands over the mask, he rips off the skull, leaving him in the balaclava alone.

"This ain't on you LT" Soap tries to comfort him

Simon sits in silence as he attempts to calm himself down. Nobody says a word as they land, Simon places a blanket over her body, hoping to shield it from Phoebe. He didn't want her to see Emma's brain matter. He lifts her out of the heli carefully and carries her gently to the medical unit. He sets her inside of the morgue and takes her hand in his own. He flips his mask up, revealing only his lips. He places a gentle kiss to her skin and sets it back down on the table. "I'm so sorry Emma"

-

Phoebe was slammed, and the amount of injured people didn't seem to show as more and more returned back from the failed mission. She was running on fumes, mentally and physically exhausted. They were on their own attempting to treat all the wounded for hours. It took far too long for the convey of medics to arrive and help. Once they finally got there Phoebe sits down, holding her head in her hands. She's not sitting but five minutes when a hand is placed on her shoulder. She jumps and looks up to see Captain Price staring down at her sadly. Simon is behind him with his arms crossed. She was surprised to see him in just his balaclava, no skull. It was oddly comforting to see more of his face.

"I'm sorry sir, I was just taking a second-"

"Phoebe why don't you come with me"

"Did I do something wrong?" she asks

"Not at all love" Price says gently

She glances behind her shoulder at Simon who walks slowly. His head hung. She frowns in confusion and allows Price to wrap an arm around her shoulders as they walk past the medical wing, and over to the morgue. Her heart stopped as she began to put the pieces together. She stops walking and looks up at Price in shock.

"No" she shakes her head

"Why don't you take a seat" Price responds gently as he holds his hand out, gesturing to the chair.

"Price please don't" She shakes her head, hoping that if she stopped him, then it wasn't real.

"Okay love, you take your time here. I'm gonna go get you some water, Ghost will stay here if you need anything"

She stares at the closed door, reading the 'morgue' sign over and over as her stomach drops. She looks up at Simon who steps forward at her acknowledgement. "Is it true?" she whispers

"Yes darling" he says squatting to her level, and staring at her attentively.

"Were you there?" she asks, he nods.

"What happened?"

"Phoebe-"

"I wanna know"

"That doesn't matter now" he says, trying to protect her from the truth, save her as much pain as he can.