Protocols & Hearts

Chapter 8

September 18, 20XX. Approx. 1:21 a.m. Classified Military Base.

It had been weeks since the revelation of a possible lead on Six's location. The coordinates from the code in the book had given the team renewed hope in their mission, but as the days slowly ticked by, weariness was starting to set back in. Aelia sighed tiredly as she rubbed her dry, strained eyes and took another sip of stale coffee, staring blankly at the computer screen in front of her, lit only by its blue glow in the darkened lab. So many late nights chasing dead ends and cracking empty useless files had taken their toll. The long days were blurring together and it felt like no progress was being made at all.

After the dramatic reveal of Sarah's betrayal and the tense confrontation at the bookstore with Ghost, things had finally seemed to be looking up when she and Ghost opened up to each other. But in the real world, relationships took work, and figuring out how to navigate their new dynamic while still focusing on the mission was challenging. They tried to build intimacy slowly, but their stressful jobs meant canceled plans and clipped conversations. Both cared deeply for the other but struggled to communicate when exhaustion and frustration were constantly looming.

Ghost often found himself pacing near the lab, resisting the urge to hover but unable to stay away. As much as he wanted to give Aelia space to concentrate, the long empty hours dragged when she wasn't nearby. It didn't take long for her keen eyes to notice his restless self lurking in her peripheral vision. With an encouraging smile, she waved him inside.

He entered stiffly, every muscle tense as he perched stiffly on the edge of a stool. At first he only watched her work in silence, unsure of how to fill the quiet but craving her gentle company all the same.

Ever perceptive, Aelia soon began drawing him out with casual questions - how his solo patrols went, how training the rookies was fairing, if he'd eaten enough that day, and so forth. His answers were gruff at first, unused to opening up. But her warm tone and lack of judgement slowly eased his guard. Over time, his posture lost its guarded edge and he began volunteering small anecdotes without prompting. Laughter even started coming more freely as inside jokes developed.

Within the couple of weeks, Ghost caught himself relaxing into their easy back-and-forth without realizing. Calloused fingers no longer fidgeted restlessly, soothed by her steadying presence. For the first time in longer than he cared to admit, companionship didn't feel quite so foreign.

Aelia's vision began to blur around the edges after countless hours poring over data and documents. Deciding to give her strained eyes a break, she swiveled her chair side to side and stretched her tired muscles with a long yawn. As she checked the time on her phone, dull surprise registered that it was well after midnight.

In all likelihood, the rest of the facility was long asleep by now. She considered getting a few more items crossed off her ever-growing to-do list, but knew from experience that fatigue would only hamper her focus. With a weary sigh, Aelia pushed back from her desk and rose slowly, joints cracking in complaint.

Grabbing her phone, she slipped out of the lab in search of distraction, feet automatically carrying her up the stairs towards the roof exit. As the heavy door creaked open, a silhouette against the night sky made her pause. Ghost sat perched on the edge of the building, steadily working his way through a cigarette with practiced fingers.

Though exhaustion still weighed her down, Aelia felt tension drain from tired shoulders at the familiar company. As she quietly joined him under the open sky, she took a deep breath of cool air, finding solace in their shared insomnia and wordless understanding. For now, this simple presence was antidote enough.

"What're you doing up so late?" She asked gently.

Ghost blew out a thin stream of smoke and rolled his eyes in fond exasperation before turning his gaze from the city lights below to study her weary profile. "Look who's talking," he replied with a soft chuckle. Pressing the filter gently between weathered fabrics, he took another long drag before fixing her with a stern look. "You need rest."