Unexpected Lover | S. 'Ghost' Riley

32.

GHOSTS POV

The helicopter seemed louder than usual or maybe I just couldn't hear anything else.

The vibration beneath my boots, the briefing in my earpiece, Soap complaining about the weather—it all blurred into background noise. My eyes stayed fixed on the darkness outside the open door as the base disappeared beneath us.

Price was speaking, "...same objectives. No unnecessary risks."

No unnecessary risks.

If only whoever pulled that trigger had followed the same rule. My fingers tightened around my rifle until the leather of my gloves creaked. Across from me, Soap caught my eye for half a second before looking away. He knew something was off he just didn't know why.

I looked into my sleeve and Rose's blood still stained the sleeve of my vest. The medic had offered to replace it before we left. I told her no, I wasn't sure if it was punishment or a reminder; Maybe both.

"LT." Gaz's voice pulled me back, "You with us?" I gave a single nod, I just needed to focus on the mission and make it my objective to get back to her.

⸻

The mission went exactly as planned, buildings were cleared, targets were secured and Intelligence had been collected.

No mistakes, No injuries.

Every crack that echoed through the compound made my head snap toward it before I could stop myself. Every rooftop earned a second look. Every shadow became another sniper waiting to pull a trigger.

I wasn't protecting the team anymore. I was trying to stop history from repeating itself.

When the final all-clear came through the radio, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

Price noticed and walked up towards me, "You good, Simon?"

"Fine."

He looked at me for a long moment before nodding.

Neither of us believed the answer.

⸻

Hours later, back at base, the first place my boots carried me wasn't the armoury, it wasn't my room, it was the med bay.

I needed to see Rose again, every second without her somewhat felt I was suffocating and like I can't focus.

The lights had been dimmed for the evening. The hallway was almost empty, and I noticed a nurse quietly updating a clipboard. "She's asleep," she said before I even asked.

I gave a short nod, the curtain was half open. I took off some of my gear and laid it on the floor near the door.

Rose hadn't moved much since I'd left. One arm rested outside the blanket, IV still taped to the back of her hand. Her breathing was slow, steady.

Alive. I stood there longer than I should have, just watching her sleep peacefully, making sure she was really okay.

I should've gone to debrief.

Should've handed over my report, cleaned my gear, caught whatever sleep Price would order me to get before the next assignment.

Instead, I was here.

Watching the steady rise and fall of her chest became the only thing that quieted the noise in my head. The gunshot still echoed somewhere in the back of my mind, louder than rotor blades, louder than gunfire. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her hit the ground again.

I'd spent years convincing myself that distance kept people alive. No attachments. No promises. Nothing the enemy could use against me.

Then Rose happened.. between late-night conversations, stolen glances across briefing rooms and hands finding each other when no one was looking, she'd slipped past every wall I'd built.

And now every one of those walls had come crashing down.

If I'd been a second faster or even noticed the glint on that rooftop, I would have put myself between her and the bullet instantly.

It should have been me.

The thoughts circled endlessly, each one ending the same way; She nearly died.

I wrapped my fingers around hers a little tighter, careful not to disturb the IV taped to her hand.

For the first time in years, I wasn't afraid of dying. I was terrified of surviving without her.

Her promise echoed in the back of my mind.

"I'll try."

It wasn't good enough. I wanted years, arguments where we made up almost instantly, late-night conversations no one else would ever hear, stolen moments in empty hallways and rushed briefings.

A future I never thought I'd allow myself to imagine until she'd walked into my life.

Her fingers twitched in her sleep and without thinking, I adjusted the blanket where it had slipped from her shoulder, careful not to disturb the bandages.

"You came back." Her voice was rough with sleep but sounding like peace to my ears. I looked down to find tired eyes barely open, a faint smile pulling at the corner of her lips.

"Told you I would."

She reached for my hand without opening her eyes completely. Just for a minute. Her hands felt warm against mine and feeling like I craved for it forever, like If it was what I needed most.

Outside the curtain, the base carried on as if nothing had changed.

Inside, the world had already changed for me. I just wasn't ready to admit how much.