Bittersweet | Simon Riley

FIFTEEN

Ghost trailed after Belle as she made her way around the little camp which had been set up, leaving letting himself get more than an arm's length away from him. Belle kept glancing over her shoulder with frustration, well aware of his presence as she tried to go about her business. Captain Price gave her a little nod of acknowledgement as she entered the tent, Ghost giving Price a nod in return as he followed Belle towards the radio. She had been spending the last few hours talking to different soldiers, trying to get a better understanding of the hostage situation which they had stumbled across. It wasn't like the elite team of soldiers were discreet in the urban town which wasn't used to people who looked like them. They stood out like sore thumbs in the city.

"Simon." Belle grumbled a little annoyed as she fidgeted with the radio in the corner of the room. Ghost looked at her as he leaned against the table, his eyes only leaving her small form just to scan whoever entered before returning back to her. He didn't like her here, didn't like her walking through the mud and putting herself in danger with trained soldiers. So, he wasn't going to let her wonder off on her own just to get shot.

"Belle." Ghost responded simply, not shifting away from where she was standing by the radio. The radio filled the otherwise silent room with chatter, the voices of different soldiers trying to work together and exchange information with each other. Belle gave Ghost a little glare, her eyes moving from him and then back down to the radio as she shifted through the radio local radio stations.

"You know that I am a grown woman, right?" Belle asked with a little huff, not wanting him to continue to follow her around for the entire time she was out in the field. He was a constant shadow on her and it had caused a lot of second glances from other soldiers going about their business in the muddy base. That and she didn't exactly look like any of the soldiers who were known for being on field missions like this.

"I am aware." Ghost said, glancing to another soldier who entered the tent, moving to the other side of the room and grabbing a radio from the table. Belle looked over her shoulder at the soldier who very quickly left when he realized both Belle and Ghost were looking at him. The two were quite a site, both equally annoyed and not happy with being interrupted by another soldier. When the soldier was gone Belle glanced back up to Ghost.

"So, you're aware that you don't need to follow me around." Belle said with a little glare up at Ghost, the two returning their attention back to each other completely now that they were alone again. The tent was silent besides the radio that was still giving off chatter between the brass and higher up soldiers.

"But I'm going to." Ghost shrugged a little lazily, not going to stop following her around. He planned on being two steps behind her and keeping her directly within his reach, no matter what. The mission was important, the goal of capture was even more crucial but not if she was in the line of danger. She was his main objective, even if it wasn't what he had been assigned but his goal was to protect her.

"You are frustrating." Belle informed him, glancing back down to the radio and flipping through the channels once more. She tugged at the uniform and gear which she was still not used too, the same one that matched the other soldiers running around the camp.

"I know." Ghost shrugged once again, and Belle gave him another little glare before crossing the tent to grab one of the portable radios. Ghost easily pushed off the table and followed after her, even if it was only a handful of steps. She glanced over her shoulder, adjusting the channel on the portable radio while her eyes rested on Ghost, who hovered over her shoulder.

"What is wrong with you?" Belle asked with a huff, moving to storm out of the tent to try and shake him off of her trail. She stopped just outside the tent as she looked up at the sky seeing just how cloudy it was as well as how dark the cloud were. It was starting to drizzle, the air around them the kind of humidity that comes before a big storm.

"You." Ghost said without a second of hesitation, grabbing the back of her bulletproof vest. She let out a little grunt as his hand grabbed the back of her bullet proof vest and she glared at him over her shoulder.

"Me?" She replied, eyes narrowing as she tried to squirm out of his grasp. Ghost didn't give her any reaction, his eyebrows only raising a little in mock disappointment at how she failed to get out of his grasp. Then again it wasn't exactly easy due to the significant difference in height and weight between them both.

"You being here." Ghost explained sound less then amused. Belle looked at him then up to the sky as there was a crack of thunder somewhere off in the distance. Soldiers quickly moved to bring equipment and themselves inside the various tents and military makeshift buildings to stay dry.

"Ghost," Another angry squirm at Ghost holding her vest and he finally let go so she could spin to look at him. Belle spun angrily and tipped her head up as the sky started to sprinkle down on them, her eyes not leaving him though as other soldiers rushed past. "I am just as much of a soldier as you are." She told him angrily, knowing it wasn't fully true, but she had more experience with a gun then any civilian had. She had gone through training with different guns, had been through the proper procedures and lessons which would keep her alive.

"That's bullshit." Ghost said without wasting a beat. She might be trained in certain areas and better with reading people then he ever truly would be, but she wasn't trained like he and Soap were. She wouldn't reach their level of skill for years and with her build she was lucky if she even got considered. He wasn't trying to be mean but in reality, he could never see her living this kind of life.

"Well," Belle frowned a little, not even bothering to try and argue with him about this topic. She was well aware that this was one of the few topics that he had the upper hand on even if that truly annoyed her. "I'm going out there so," She huffed and started making her way towards one of the trucks which was prepping to head out to the one of the suspected areas that hostages were being held. Ghost's brows furrowed immediately and he followed after her.

"You're going out? Now?" He asked, motioning to the sky when she shot him a confused glance. Belle rolled her eyes at how he was suddenly so worried about the weather and how that could possibly affect how things could go.

"I am." Belle confirmed, moving in the opposite direction of the area where Ghost wanted her to be. He grumbled under his breath a little, following after her as she moved easily through the mud towards the running truck where a seat had been saved for her among the other soldiers who'd been assigned to the section she was heading to.

"Then I'm coming." Ghost stated and he watched as she stepped onto the side bar of the truck, moving to climb into it. Belle raised her eyebrows as she moved to sit in a seat, looking out the rolled down window at him with a less then impressed look in her eyes.

"That's not necessary." She informed him but he didn't move. There was a moment of silence between the two, Ghost and Belle staring at each other in silence, each waiting for the other to break. Ghost took a step closer to the truck and with a huff Belle opened the door. "Fine." Belle caved first, scooting over in the seat to make room for him as he climbed in and took the seat next to her, the corners of his mouth moving up a little as he got his way.