War of Hearts

Chapter Nineteen - Tethered

Hex was on fire. She looked around in a panic for anything to protect herself from the raging flames, her raging flames, but she was blinded. They became a vortex around her and ripped the air from her lungs. She curled into a ball and succumbed to their fury. The voice in her mind that had been quieted to a dull roar had now loudened to a booming echo around her. Its laugh was terrifying, and it began to play back visions of her life. Everything that had broken her, everything that was holding her together, everything she had to live for, and everything she was about to lose. She lifted her head to watch her family drift by, her old squad mates, lost loves, Price, Gaz, Soap, Ghost... Simon. His cool gaze looked down at her, fear in his eyes. She hated seeing that, hated that any pain he was feeling was because of her. She reached out, holding his likeness in front of her through the flames, life and death hanging between them. She latched onto it like a tether.

He just got her back; he couldn't lose her now. Price set her down and didn't breathe. Ghost went to feel for a pulse, removing his gloves and pressing his fingers to her neck. It was there, steady and strong as she was. He heaved a sigh of relief, but fear still gripped his chest at her stillness. "...Please."

His voice echoed in her mind, drowning out the taunting laugh and dousing some of the flames. She could hear him. She slowly unfurled and brought herself up to her knees, searching for the lifeline that was his voice. It sounded again "come back to me." More flames were reduced to steam and embers. She shot to her feet and hurled herself through them. Whatever had her fastened to his heart, she was yanking on it to follow its instructions and bring herself back to him.

He couldn't stop his hand from drifting to her cheek.

The flames seemed to all fade around her as she ran, the burning hot becoming a familiar warmth. As if his touch sent life into her veins, she coughed and opened her eyes. Price's head dropped down as he finally exhaled.

Hex looked around for a moment, then up at the sky. "...ow."

Ghost and Price couldn't help but let out a soft laugh. She was alright. A crackle came over the comms, "Soap to Ghost, I'm with Rudy. Graves is KIA. How're Hex and Price?"

Ghost sat back and reached for his radio. "They're okay, pilot too. Well done, Johnny. Out."

Soap let out a massive sigh at hearing they were okay. Rudy made the final call, "Alejandro, base is secure, we're heading your way."

Ghost looked up and saw the conflict in Price, he wanted to be there when their teams secured Valeria, but he was worried about Hex. "Go, I've got her." Price looked at him hesitantly for a moment, but he saw the expression in Ghost's visible features. He recognized the look instantly and knew she would be safe with him. He nodded and went to regroup with the rest of the ghost teams.

Ghost sat and pulled Hex into his arms slightly, cradling her there for a moment. She smiled at the motion, surprised by how comforted she was, but it disappeared when she saw the worry in his eyes. She swallowed her pain, and said with quiet calm, "I'm okay, Simon. I think I just hit my head when we landed, and it knocked me out."

He gulped, sensing that she was hiding more suffering than she was showing. He looked and saw a gash as blood started to trickle down her forehead. He brushed it and a few loose hairs out of her face, then cupped it again. In a near invisible gesture, she leaned into his touch.

"You gave me a damn fright, love."

He hadn't called her 'love' since that fateful day on the hill, and even then, he usually said it with a snide, condescending tone. This was different now, though; a term he meant with sincerity. 

She smiled at him again, "I always thought you weren't afraid of anything."

"I didn't use to be..." He trailed off and watched her smile be replaced with surprise as her eyes locked on his. That tether that pulled them towards each other was now snapped firmly in place. He hadn't ever felt fear like he did when he saw Price carrying her body out of the crash. He should be furious with himself, shut her out and curse her for being a weakness he couldn't afford to have, but right now all he cared about was that she was safe. He needed to get her out of here. "Can you walk?"

"Mhmm" She said, nodding and snapping out of the haze his words had her drifting in. She shifted to sit up out of his arms, and he helped her to her feet. She took a testing step, her mind still foggy, and forgot about her injured leg. Her step faltered and Ghost pulled her close, catching her. She regained her footing when she realized how incredibly close their faces were, and reddened a bit. "Sorry."

Ghost stilled as she adjusted, then moved to her bad side so she could lean on him. They slowly made their way over to the hanger where they were securing Valeria in the back of a vehicle. The infuriating back and forth between her and Alejandro picked up again immediately. "¿Que paso, Vaquerito de mierda, empiezas una guerra?"

"You made a deal with them Valeria, not me," he said with an snide expression as he shoved her into the back of the car, breaking her deal with Graves allowing her to go free. "It's time to fucking talk. Where's Hassan?"

She glared at them for a long time, a challenge in her expression, but she suddenly switched and relented. "Chicago."

Alejandro glared down at her, enraged, and shook his head. "I can't believe you. You've put a target on your back now, Valeria."

"No," she said with a smirk, "I put a target in Chicago. Now tell your friends to fucking leave Las Almas and go find him, pendejos afuera!"

Price gave Alejandro a pat on the back, "she's all yours."

He smiled, "Tonight, Las Almas can sleep."

She laughed, "I'll be free in twenty-four hours, can't say the same about you, Vaqueros."

"You're goin' down for what you did." Soap snapped.

"It doesn't matter what I did, it matters what you can prove-"

Rudy slammed the car door on her before she could spew any more venom. "Go, you all have work to do."

Soap clasped his hand and bumped his shoulder. "Keep fighting the good fight, hermano."

"To the bitter end, my brother."

They all said their goodbyes, Ghost shaking Rudy and Alejandro's hands with Hex still resting on his shoulder. Alejandro shifted to her. He didn't feel like anything he could say would be enough. What she did for him, what they went through together... He hesitated to find the right words, and while he deliberated, she threw herself onto him, wrapping her arms around tight.

He shifted to catch her weight as she could barely stand and held her close. "El unico que puede matar a la bruja, es la bruja. Gracias por todo." She smiled as he kissed her on the cheek before he helped her back over to Ghost. The 141 climbed into their plane and went to get their final piece of the puzzle before facing Hassan; Laswell.