Unexpected Lover | S. 'Ghost' Riley

33.

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the ache.

Not the sharp, blinding pain from yesterday. This was dull and relentless, settled deep beneath my collarbone, reminding me with every breath that I was still here.

Alive. The second thing I noticed was Simon.

He sat beside my bed, elbows resting on his knees, one gloved hand loosely wrapped around mine. His tactical vest was gone, replaced by a dark hoodie and cargo pants, though the familiar balaclava still hid everything except his eyes.

Even without the gear, he looked just as intimidating. Somehow, sitting quietly beside a hospital bed, he also looked... tired.

I couldn't help but wonder if he'd slept at all.

My thumb brushed lightly against his hand, and his head lifted almost instantly. His eyes met mine, alert despite the exhaustion behind them.

"You awake?" he asked quietly.

"Barely."

A faint huff escaped him. It wasn't quite a laugh, but it was close.

"You stayed."

"There wasn't anywhere else I needed to be."

Those six words settled somewhere deep in my chest. Simon Riley wasn't the type to make grand declarations. He never needed to. Everything he wanted to say was hidden in the little things.

Before I could answer, the curtain slid open and a doctor stepped inside with one of the nurses.

"Good morning, Commander. How are we feeling?"

"Sore," I admitted, I tried sitting up more and adjusting myself.

"I'd expect nothing less." He glanced down at the chart. "The bullet passed clean through your shoulder. You were fortunate. Another inch and we'd be having a very different conversation."

Fortunate. That wasn't exactly the word I'd use.

"You'll make a full recovery, but you'll be off active duty for several weeks. Physical therapy will start once the wound has healed enough, and until then, absolutely no field work."

Several weeks?! The words hit harder than the bullet had. No missions. No training. No helping the team.

I hated feeling useless. After given a few more instructions, the doctor and nurse left, closing the curtain behind them.

The silence lingered. "They don't need me sitting in a hospital bed," I muttered. Simon looked at me, his voice calm but firm, "But they need you alive."

I met with his eyes once more. "You nearly died yesterday." He continued. There wasn't anger in his voice, Just fear. Real fear.

The kind he would've buried a week ago. I reached over carefully, resting my hand over his, "I'm still here."

His fingers tightened around mine.

"I know."

A knock interrupted the quiet before Soap pushed the curtain aside carrying two coffees, me and Ghost quickly retracted our hands back.

"Mornin', Rose."

Gaz followed behind him, holding another teddy bear dressed in a tiny SAS hoodie. "I told him one bear was enough," Gaz said.

Soap looked offended. "You can never have too many bears." Despite the ache in my shoulder, I laughed.

"You both look terrible."

"We've been working," Soap replied dramatically. "Unlike somebody who's decided to book herself a little holiday eh?"

"Hey, I got shot."

"Aye... still sounds like annual leave to me" he shrugs his shoulders. Gaz chuckled as he placed the teddy beside the flowers already covering my bedside table.

"Thought the first one looked lonely." I looked over and smiled at the growing collection. Flowers from the team. Two teddy bears. It felt like a reminder that I wasn't alone.

A few minutes later, Price stepped through the curtain, "How're you holding up, kid?"

"Sore."

"I'd be disappointed if you weren't." He pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed. "Mission went well. We recovered everything we came for."

I nodded. "Good."

"We'll handle things while you're recovering. Your job now is to heal." Price seemed to always looked after me like that. Never overbearing, never soft, but he always made sure I knew someone had my back.

As he stood to leave, his eyes briefly flicked toward Simon before settling back on me.

"You don't rush this recovery."

"I won't. But no promises." I teased.

"You'd better." He gave me a look and had a small grin. He gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze before nodding toward Simon.

"Walk with me."

The curtain remained slightly open as they stepped into the hallway.

"You did good yesterday," Price said.

"I missed the sniper."

"You got her home." Silence followed before Price spoke again. "I've had a feeling about you two for a while now."

Simon didn't answer, Price gave the faintest smile, "Just don't let it become a distraction."

"It won't."

"I know it won't."

There was complete trust in his voice. Price gave Simon a firm pat on the shoulder before walking away.

A few moments later, Simon returned without saying a word.

Instead, he straightened the flowers that had started to lean, moved one of the teddy bears closer to my pillow, and gently adjusted the blanket over my shoulder.

Always actions, Never speeches with him. As he turned toward the door, I stopped him.

"Simon."

He paused, "...Yeah?"

"I'm glad you came back to me"

For the first time all morning, I caught the faintest softness in his eyes.

"So am I."

That was enough.