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Chapter Text

To be fearless means to be able to run towards something, even if it does infact, scare you because it is the unknown. To be fearless means to love without end, to burn for a another soul and let their heart set you ablaze with a fire that burns hotter than the sun. To be fearless means to know pain from others, yet you still help make the world a better place despite what you have seen or felt. It is this mindset that makes her stand out from the crowd, a burning light that is a beacon for me to find my way home in the darkest of nights, when the nightmares plage our souls and pull us under to drown us in their horrors. She is my light, my fearless angel that makes my cold heart beat with a warmth. She is my moon, my stars, my universe. For her I will learn to be fearless. - Simon Riley (Journal Entry)

Chapter Text

July, 2022

London was alive this time of year, the summer bringing all kinds of tourists to the ancient city. Small cafes busted with life, the streets hummed with the sound of footsteps and muttered talk of people walking by. It was beautiful in a way only a city could be. 

Sitting outside of a small coffee shop, mugs in hand and a small folder between them, sat two people. A man and a woman. Both fit right into the bustle of people, both went unnoticed but those who walked by. They wore normal summer attire, the woman with her hair pulled back into a sleek bun, her outfit hugging in all the right places. The man, his shirt snug, his jeans fitting just so. They blended in. Exactly what they had been trained to do. Kate Laswell and John Price didn't draw attention to themselves, they simply blended in, two people having some tea while working on a project. It was normal in places like the small coffee shop they currently sat outside of. 

“I need Ghost for a mission.” Kate spoke quietly, keeping her voice even and undertoned. “He knows the land, he's worked with Shadow Company in the past. I need him to help me take down a target.” 

John didn't even blink, just nodded his head and in a soft, deep voice, “Tell me when and I'll send him your way, Kate.” 

She nodded her thanks and took a sip of her tea, letting the warm liquid soothe her throat. “Shepard is growing impatient, not that I blame him. AQ is growing by the day and more lives are being lost. If Ghost can take down one target while another soldier takes down another-”

“Halo?” John interrupted her, his eyes snapping up to meet hers. He leaned forward, his elbows on the small table. 

“John, no. We talked about this.” 

John let out an unamused huff. “We talked about it back when I formed the 141 and you told me no. Then you told me no a year ago, saying she needs more time after the accident. I want her on this team.” 

“She's not ready-”

“Don't bullshit me. I've seen her in action. She is one of the best. Maybe even rival Ghost. She belongs on this team.”

Kate didn't speak for a moment, her gaze watching the people move about behind John, as if she was looking for someone in the crowd. When her eyes came back to his icy blue eyes, she spoke. “She's been through so much. She lost herself that day. I'm not sure a team is what she needs.” She tilted her head to the side, her voice slipping into something soft, yet firm. John looked back and forth between her eyes, dropping his voice before speaking. 

“Did you ever stop to think that maybe she needs something to fight for other than revenge?” He paused, leaning back in his seat and started to play with the handle of his cup. “She's a brilliant soldier, but she fights like she's willing to die each mission. We've seen that before Kate. She needs something good in her life again.” 

Kate sighed, leaning back in her chair. “I just don't know if a team is the right move. She lost everything, John. Pain and trauma of losing someone like that is not something you just… get over.”

“You don't think I know that? That Ghost knows that? Or Soap, or Gaz? We've all been through things that have broken us Kate. We've all lost someone. We all have been to that point where there was nothing left to fight for… then we found the team. She needs this.” 

The table went slightly for a moment, the words heavy between them but something that needed said. The 141 had been made up of soldiers, strong, willing, the best at what they do, but broken, with not much to fight for until the team gave them a purpose, reason to live another day. 

“Kate, I've wanted her on this team since the day I made the 141, but I respected that she already had a team, then I respected you saying no again and respected that she needed more time. But how long has it been since the accident? She needs something more than just to be a lap dog barking when told to. She needs a team to help her find something new to fight for.” 

Kate looked at John and gave him a hard stare. “She's never going to be the woman you saw fighting before Berlin, John. She died in that fire.”

He leaned forward quickly, his arms on the table as he tapped the folder with his finger. “That's fine. But give this team, us… me, a chance. We get dirty so the world stays clean, she's doing that as a one man band right now, and it's going to kill her. She needs a team.” 

Kate sighed, hanging her head slightly with a shake before snatching up the folder on the table and shoving deep into her bag. “I'm taking Ghost with me to the states, meet up with Shadow and move out.” She stood up, John following her. “I'll talk to Shepherd when I get back. You'll hear from him since he has the final say on Halo.” John gave her a nod, standing up to his full height as she slung the strap of the bag over her shoulder. She looked back up at him, her eyes growing stern. “I've known her for years, trained her myself in some areas. She's the best the States has to offer. But she's more of an assassin, a military mercenary now then a soldier. She's used to being alone. She's still in there, still the girl I once knew. Still funny and bright. But there is a layer of pain and secrets there that is going to eventually break in order to get to the real her. I just hope when that time comes… you and your team can be there to pick up the pieces.” 

John stepped around the table, meeting her gaze with his own hard look. He placed his hand onto the table, leaning down slightly to be more aggressive Kate's level. “Whatever it is you're so worried about, this team can handle it.” 

“You don't know her like I do John. You don't know the shit she's been through, the secrets she's had to keep and tell. Don't fail her when those walls s

he's built finally come thundering down.” 

Chapter Text

War was a complex thing. It was hard to hold onto your humanity while taking it from others. It was hard to remain a good person when you were made to tell so many lies for your country, when you had to be less human and more of a soldier. Sometimes you forgot where the soldier ended and where you began. Normality was no longer a small house with a white picket fence and kids running around, or going to college and holding a desk job. It became battle fatigues, always looking over your shoulder, calling a new base every few months home. It was becoming family with the men and women around you, from all walks of life, serving in the same uniform. It was watching them walk out of the base knowing that they may never return. It was trying to keep your mind in one piece, never losing who you were deep inside, while you waged war on others.

No, war was not an easy thing. It was complex, and it was dirty.

Lieutenant Gabrielle Knocks, better known as “Halo” was no stranger to this concept of life. She saw it all first hand, how precious life was, and how easily it was taken from you. Her own family was no exception. After she had joined up, following in her Godfather’s footsteps at 17, right after highschool, leaving behind a broken, messed up past. She joined the Army and found she was a skilled and naturally gifted sniper. After two years she found herself in the office of General Shepherd, with Kate Laswell of the CIA. They offered her training and a position in the US Army Rangers, working as a sniper and a spy for her country. At the age of 20, Gabrielle went from a private to a Sergeant, and moved up the ranks as the years went on. Now at 26, she was a 1st Lieutenant and was deemed the best sniper in the US Army Special Forces. Now, Halo was the one they called when they needed the job done. She was an angel in war. Whether that was an angel of mercy or death was up for discussion.

Being in the Army and the CIA for eight years now, Halo was able to modify and make her uniforms her own. She walked through the halls in a green tank top tucked into her camouflage pants. A thigh holster was strapped to her right leg, a thigh pack for ammo and a knife on her left. A belt sling was low around her lips with a back on the backside of her left hip bone for emergency medical supplies and rations. Her long dark brown hair was pulled back into a braid that hung down her spine, her brown eyes keeping straight ahead as she moved silently through the halls. Gabrielle had a slim, feminine nose, with high cheekbones that made her face look more youthful. Full lips that were slightly pink set above a smooth defined chin and jawline. She was not small but not overly large. Gabrielle stood at 5’9, and had built up muscle over the years, filling out her arms and legs, her shoulders wider as it tapered into a smaller waist. She was a force to be reckoned with, and the people around her knew it.

Making her way towards General Shepherd office, soldiers below her in rank snapped to attention, never looking her in the eyes as she made her way through the halls, silent on her feet like a car on the prowl. Once she reached his office she raised her hand to knock, letting her knuckles rap against the door a few times before stepping back. A few seconds went back before she heard his deep voice calling her inside. Stepping into the office she snapped to attention, saluting the General.

“At ease, Halo.”

She dropped her hand to her side and stood at relaxed attention, watching the General as he moved around his desk.

“Lt. Knocks you know you are the best sniper and operator I have at my disposal. Even above Shadow Company.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

“With that being said, you have been personally selected to join a world renowned Special Ops team by their Captain.”

Gabby faltered for a split second, before her composure snapped right back into place. “Sir?”

Shepherd leaned back in his chair, watching the Lieutenant closely. “Knocks, I'll jump right to the point. As a single operative you are the best I have at my disposal. On a team you are even deadlier. That much has been made clear.” He paused for a second, letting his words sink in, “The Captain of the 141, a SAS Special Forces team in England has requested you as their newest member of the team.”

Gabby kept quiet for a moment, unsure what to do with this information. After a beat she finally spoke up. “Sir, what about my mission?” She took a small step closer to his desk. “I haven't been on a team in two years. I'm not sure-”

“Let me stop you there.” Shepherd stopped her, reaching into his desk and pulling out a folder. He tossed it into the desk and pointed at the folder, looking up at Gabby. “I understand you're reserved about joining another team. But right now members of the 141, Shadow Company and Laswell are on the hunt for General Ghorbrani, the leader of AQ. This won't affect the mission you have been on for the past year. If anything this could help finally bring it to a close.”

Gabby reached for the folder, holding it in her hand as she looked through the paperwork inside. Files of the members of the 141 laid at her disposal to read, so she read the names of each of the men.

John “Soap” MacTavish.

Kyle “Gaz” Garrett.

John Price.

Simon “Ghost” Riley.

The last name in the folder made her pause. While Gabby had made a name for herself as the “Angel of Mercy”, Ghost was the bringer of death. The Grim Reaper of the military. They never crossed paths before, and now the Captain of the 141 was asking her to join the team that was famous for not only the missions they take on and complete, but for their skull bone clad killer that was nothing more than a shadow in the night.

“You have the right to say no, Lieutenant. But know this.” Shepherd leaned forward in his chair, his elbows on the dark wood of his desk as he raised a graying eyebrow at her, “By not joining the 141, not just for this mission, but as a permanent member until I deem otherwise as your superior officer, the deal we struck will stay in limbo until you can get me results. Join this team, and you'll get your answers sooner rather than later.”

Gabby chewed on his words, running it around in her mind. She swore off teams two years ago, wanting nothing to do with them and wanted to be a solo operator. And she was damn good at it. She was feared and respected for the things she has done, the missions she took on single handedly. Sure she wasn't proud of everything she's had to do, but she did it for her country and her family, and that alone helped her sleep at night. Looking back down at the folder, at the list of names staring back at her, she thought about what it meant to do what she did. To keep the secrets she did from people she loved because it kept them safe. To walk the line of good versus evil so the world became a better place each day.

“Should I tell the Captain you need more time to decide?” The General’s deep voice cut through her thoughts, making her eyes snap back to his.

“No Sir.” She said letting the folder fold shut and handed it back to the man before her, “that won't be necessary. You are right, this chase has gone on long enough and even as a solo operator this is bigger than me. Having a team to share the load would prove beneficial.”

Shepherd nodded his head, clearly happy with her answer. “Graves will be pissed you are joining a different team when he's been bugging you for the past six months to join Shadow Company.” The old man chuckled, grabbing the folder and slipping it back into his desk. He ignored the scowl that slipped onto Gabby’ face at the mention of the Shadow Company leader. “You will still be a US Special Forces Operator, and still hold your rank of 1st Lieutenant. But you will be working under SAS and their command, besides myself, from now on.”

Gabby gave him a half smile, nodding her head as she spoke. “When do I leave Sir?”

“How’s tomorrow morning looking for you?”

“Done.”

Shepherd clasped his hands together, standing up from his desk. “I'll have the things you can't take with you in your bags sent over.” he reached out his hand for a handshake, and Gabby took it with a firm grip. “Do the United States proud, Knocks. And show those SAS boys a thing or two while you're at it.” He chuckled with a half smile. Gabby nodded her head, a smile on her lips.

“Will do Sir.”

With that she turned and walked out of his office, heading back down the long stretch of hallway that took her to the back entrance of the Pentagon. She hadn't even left the General’s office for more than two minutes before her phone chimed. Reaching into her pants pocket she pulled out her phone, seeing a text from an unknown number. Six words filled the text bar, six words she then realized were about to change her life.

*Welcome to the 141, Lieutenant Knocks*

•••••••••

Rain.

Of course it was raining, this was England. Gabrielle sighed as she reached out her hand from the ramp of the C-130 that had brought her to England, letting the cold water splatter across the skin. Looking around the tarmac she saw soldiers running around, trying to keep dry as they pulled their raincoats tighter to their bodies. She kept her head on the move, trying to find the Sergeant General Shepherd had told her about.

“You can't miss him. Just look for the Mohawk.” his words rang out in her mind as she watched more soldiers pass by. How was she supposed to find a man with a Mohawk of all things, when it was raining so hard everyone had their heads covered. She was dressed in her army fatigues, her hair pulled back into a thick braid down her back, her hat with her first lieutenant insignia on the front pulled low on her brow. Her tactical vest and gear were strapped to her luggage bags, but her thigh holsters were still strapped to her legs. Her .50 cal Sniper Rifle case was slung over her shoulder, for safekeeping. Even standing there on the ramp of the C-130, she looked fierce, powerful. Troopers that ran or walked by cast her a quick look, before going wide eyed and glanced away. Her eyes roamed the base more, trying to make things out in the distance through the rain. Thankfully it wasn't cold out, the rain itself had a chill to it, but the air and breeze was still warm.

“Lieutenant Knocks!”

A thick deep male accent calling her name pulled her from her thoughts as her eyes whipped to the right to find a tall, thick soldier jogging her way. His blue eyes pierced through the rain, a smile on his face despite the weather. He made his way into the ramp of the C-130, shaking his head like a dog to rid it of water from his hair. The raindrops that soaked him went everywhere, before his smiling eyes found herself once more. Gabrielle couldn't help but smile back, making him smile ever brighter as his mohawk went from flat to standing back up. She choked back a laugh and stuck out her hand for him to shake.

“Sergeant Johnny MacTavish, Ma'am. Welcome to the 141 Lieutenant.” His thick accent filled her ears. It was soothing on the soul, slightly gravely but a smooth ring to it. He was tall, at least 6 foot, and broad as they came. Even without any gear on, only dark blue, jean like pants, a gray shirt and his coat, he was a force to be reckoned with.

“A Scotty!” She laughed before taking his hand, shaking it with a firm grip.

“Aye Ma'am! Born and bred.”

Letting go of his hand she placed her left hand around the strap of her rifle case, holding it on her as her fingers dug into the trap. She flashed him a smile, before cocking her head to the side slightly. “Let's get one thing straight, Sergeant.” She said as he went to grab her gear, but stopped raising an eyebrow at her. “I hate being called by my rank, unless I need to be, like in meetings or such. But in the field, or on base, or something you can call me by my given name or my callsign.”

She watched as the Sergeant cocked his head, before running his hand over his chin with a nod of his head. “I'm sorry ma'am, but they never told me your first name or callsign. But I'll gladly do so once I learn it.” He said with a wink and a sly grin. Gabrielle laughed, really laughed, her eyes going closed for a second as her head tipped backwards.

“Does that pickup line work often for you?”

“Not really but a bloke can try!”

“You and I, Johnny, we are gonna be real good friends.” She poked him in the arm, before grabbing her smaller bag from his outreached hand, his winning smile still on his lips as he let the strap fall into her hand. “Names Gabrielle. But people also call me Gabby or by my callsign…. Halo.”

“Well Gabby, very nice to meet you. Where are you from anyways? Most Americans I've met never had an accent like that.” His thick Scottish accent made his words thicker, like warm whiskey but she enjoyed hearing it. Despite being a large man, of pure muscle mass, the kindness in his eyes and smile made him approachable. He was the type of person that didn't let the horror of war take away the child inside.

“Texas. San Antonio to be exact.” She answered as he grabbed the rest of her things, before leading her across the tarmac to the waiting car. They walked quickly, Johnny shaking his head now and again to whisk the rain from his eyes.

“It’s pishing it doon out here!” He groaned as they reached the car. He grabbed the back door and pushed her gear into the backseat, letting her sit her bag and rifle case on the floor.

“I'm sorry…. What the fuck did you say?” She asked as he grabbed the passenger door for her, letting her get in out of the rain. Once she was in the car he quickly made his way around to the drivers side and jumped in, water dripping down his face.

“Oi, I said ‘its pishing it doon out here”. He answered as if saying it again would make it more clear. Gabrielle raised an eyebrow at him, as she pulled her soaked hat off her head.

“I'm sorry you wanna lick that calf again?” She asked as she tossed the hat into her knee, watching as his eyebrows shot straight up.

“Do I want to do what?!”

They both stared at each other for a few seconds before bursting out laughing in a deep belly laugh. Johnny let his head lean back, smacking against the window with a thud, making his yelp out in surprise as he rubbed the back of his head as Gabrielle started to laugh harder. She held onto her belly as she laughed, the half-ass pout on his lips only making her go harder. His laugh soon joined her again, and after a few more seconds they finally calmed down enough to call.

“And here I thought being an English speaking country there would be no language barrier.” She coughed out, whipping a hand over her hair to smooth down any flyaways. Johnny started to drive, still chuckling as he watched the road in front of them, taking them to the far side of the base.

“What I said was, ‘it's raining fucking hard.’” He finally explained with a playful roll of his eyes.

“Good lord man, why didn't you just say that?”

“I did.”

His straightforward time has her laughing once more, shaking her head. It wasn't often she found a fellow soldier who right off the bat felt like an old friend she hadn't seen in years. It was like being next to her brother, how easily the banter rolled off the tongue.

“Do I even want to know what you said to me?” He asked, trying to keep the laughter out of his voice.

“‘Lick that calf again’. It's a saying where I'm from that means ‘can you repeat yourself.’”

“Bloody hell, why not just say that?”

“I did.”

Johnny tore his eyes from the road for a split second, catching the mischievous glimmer in her eyes before breaking out laughing. He held up his fist to her, letting her bump knuckles with him as he drove on. “Oi, you Bonnie thing, you are bound to be my new best friend.” He chuckled before pulling up to a large building in the backside of the base. The hanger door was open and Johnny pulled into it, before hitting a button on the dashboard of the car letting the hanger doors slide shut. Stepping out of the car, Gabrielle looked around noticing that 2 planes and a helicopter could easily fit in here, along with 5 cars. There was an office to the right of the bay, but the lights were off and one of the planes was gone. Beside the office was another door that was closed, no sign to what was behind it. To the left was a flight of stairs that led to a balcony and door, and another door below the stairs. The team flag hung over the doors, the dagger, skull and angel wings in the center of it. Hearing the car doors open and close behind her, she turned around to help Johnny grab her bags and rifle from the backseat.

“Oh, what do they call you? Do you have a preference on what to be called?” She asked as they started to walk to the ground level door across the hanger. He smiled at her, tipping his head down slightly before shouldering her bag better.

“They call me Soap, but Johnny also works. Though not many around here actually call me by my given name very much.” He went on to explain as he pushed open the door with his boot, stepping aside so she could walk into the living quarters.

“Soap? Really?”

“Aye. That's me!” He said proudly as he walked into the space behind her. His accent was thicker, making her think when he was happy about something it got like that.

“Well I guess if you're going to have a stand out hairstyle, and look corn-fed as get out, you have to have a name to match it.” She spoke with a teasing tone as he turned around to face him. A smile was on his lips, a laugh behind his eyes as he shook his head.

“I'm corn-fed? Sorry Gabby, but do you speak English?” A laugh broke through his question as she placed a hand on her hip, cocking her leg before gesturing with her right hand to his body.

“Si, look at you! Beefy soldier looking like you ate a whole silo of corn. The cows back in Texas are jealous of you.” With that his laugh tore through the living room they were currently standing in. He dropped her bags at his feet, his hands on her knees as his whole body shook with laughter. Gabby watched him with a soft chuckle, shaking her head before pushing his shoulder with her hand, making him tip sideways a bit. His hands flung out, grabbing the back of the sofa to keep himself upright as a gasp mixed with a laugh slipped from his lips, his crystal blue eyes wide. Gabby laughed at him, before reaching for her bags on the floor. Soap quickly reacted, reaching for the dropped bags when their heads cracked together, making them both cry out in pain as they snapped back up to their full heights, rubbing their heads. They both took one look at each other and burst out laughing again, not hearing the door open or close behind them.

“Bloody hell it's like a pack of hyenas in here.” A deep raspy English accent cut through the room, making both Soap and Gabby jump and face the man standing behind them, hands on his hips, a slight grin on his face. Her eyes went wide up on seeing Captain John Price standing there, watching them make asses of themselves.

“Sir!” She snapped to attention, saluting him as she tried to get her breathing under control. Soap gave him a half hearted salute, clearly more comfortable with the older man standing in front of them.

“You're back early.” His Scottish accent said thickly, his voice a bit raw from laughing so much. The Captain gave him a quick look, shaking his head slightly before waving his hand in front of him, signaling Gabby to stop saluting. She dropped her hand and smoothed down her uniform jacket, trying to regain some of her composure.

“Aye, I'm going to join Gaz in Amsterdam tomorrow, so I came back to pack some things and get a decent night's sleep.” He told Soap as he placed his backpack on the floor, stripping off his tactical vest, laying it down on his backpack. “It's good to see you again, Halo.” He smiled at her, making her feel more relaxed under his gaze. Soft blue eyes, with soft lines around the edges looked into her brown ones, a soft smile making his mustache twitch upwards slightly.

“It's good to see you again, Captain.” She smiled politely, trying to keep her town professional. She saw Soap roll his eyes beside her and she pinched his arm, making him growl at her softly as he rubbed his arm. John saw this and chuckled, shaking his head.

“Lord help me, one was bad enough but now there are two.” He teased, shaking his head. Soap and Gabby both blushed, the former of the two trying to hide it by turning his face away from the Captain. “You two are even the same age. Must be long lost twins.” Gabby looked from Soap to John, before looking back at Soap and cocked her head.

“You're 26 also?” Questioned the young Lieutenant.

“Aye, that I am.” Was his answer in a curious tone. “What's your birthday?”

“September 17th.”

“No way!” They both gasped at the same time, giving each other a hard look before yelling “Jinks!” “Double Jinks!” “You owe me a coke!” They kept yelling at each other, John groaned behind them, running a hand down his face as he let out a long sign.

“Heaven above, this will be the death of me.”

The two stopped their banter, looking up at their Captain before chuckling softly. “Sorry Sir.” Said Gabby as she jabbed her elbow into Soap’s ribs, making him growl as he kicked her boot with his foot.

John waves his hand in front of himself, shaking his head as he tossed his hat off his head onto the hook by the door. “No, don't be sorry. This makes me feel better about your transition here. At least now I don't have to worry about you having a hard time making friends. This one” he pointed to Soap with a glint in his eyes, “tends to get on people's nerves so it's good to know he found his match. You two are twins for sure.” He chuckled the last part before making his ways to the long hallways at the end of the living room/ kitchen. Soap and Gabby turned to watch him go, before he called over his shoulder, “Go show Halo her room so she can change into something comfortable and dry. I want to see her in the training room before I leave.” As with that he disappeared behind the first door on the right, letting it shut behind him. Gabby let her shoulders shrug, shaking her head as she rolled it to the side, letting her back pop as she did so.

“Oi, come on then Twin, let's get you to your room.” The tick accent filled her ears as Soap picked up her bags from the floor. Grabbing her rifle case and backpack following the Scottsmen down the hall beside the kitchen. There was a row of doors, 5 on each side. Then there was a door at the very end with a sign that said “laundry” above it. Price had taken the first door on the right, so she knew that room was taken. Soap led her father down the long hall, stopping at door 3rd door on the right. Grabbing the handle he pushed it open, letting it swing as he shouldered his way inside.

“This is you, Lass!” He said as he placed her bags at the foot of the queen bed. That was In the middle of the room. Beside the bed was twin nightstands, a tall dark wood dresser was in the far wall, a window was on the wall opposite of the bed with a desk and chair under it, a soft chair was in the corner next to a small 3 foot high bookcase. Beside the dresser was a door that led to a full bath. The walls were a soft pale green color, the trim was white. The curtains over the window was also white. There was a rug beside the bed, a soft blue, green and beige color in a swirled pattern. Two pillows were on the bed, in a soft blue color with a blue and green blanket on the bed that matched the rug in a way. It felt homey and comfortable. She placed her rifle bag and backpack down beside the other bags, tossing her still damp into the desk before looking back at Soap.

“This is really nice. Thank you.” She smiled softly as the Sergeant, watching his eyes crinkle at the corners with his smile.

“I'm glad you like it! I picked out the rug and the bedding. I wanted to give it a little bit of a… well a home touch, so it wasn't as hard of a transfer for you.” He admitted while running the back of his neck as a sheepish grin cut across his lips. Gabby smiled more at this, at the kindness he was showing her. She pulled the Velcro of her army jacket open, pulling it off and hanging it on the back of the chair, leaving her in her signature olive green tank top.

“Buttering up to the new LT. Smart.” She tested with a wink over her shoulder that got him laughing. Soap leaned against the door frame, watching as she began to pick up her bags and sit them on the bed to start unpacking. “I do appreciate it though. I've only ever called an American base home, so moving and being transferred out of the country was a bit of a shock. A welcomed one, but still a shock nevertheless.” She pushed her Sniper under her bed with her foot, along with her now empty backpack.

“No problem Gabby. We all want you to feel at home here. The 141 is happy to have you. Some of us are barely here, others spend weeks here at a time. Most times we go out in pairs, but now and again we get solo missions. That's where the other Lieutenant is. Gaz must have gone ahead of Price to get things set up. As for me, no missions as of right now, so I'll be your buddy on base till something rolls up.” He spoke in a kind tone, talking fondly of the team and how they work. She could see the pride in his smile as he talked. It made her heart warm, knowing she got sent to a good team.

“Well I hope I can fit in here and be a part of something great. But, Mellizo, you must leave so I can change.” Gabby laughed, pointing to the door. Soap gave her a questioning look, cocking his head to the side.

“Mellizo?” He tested the word on his tongue. It sounded a bit off, and a bit rough with his Scottish accent, but at least he said it right. She chuckles, nodding her head as she grabs some clean clothes from her luggage. “What does that mean? What language is that?”

“Mellizo.” She said again, letting it roll off her lips freely. “It means ‘Twin’ in Spanish.” She watched as his brows creased, trying to process the information.

“But I thought you said you were from Texas?”

Nodding her head she continued to gather her things. “Sí, Hermano. But my mother is Mexican. Plus lots of people speak Spanish or broken Spanish in Texas.”

“That's a wee bit clearer now, Lass.” He finally spoke after a few seconds of silence. “So I call you, Mellizo then as well, when I call you my twin?”

“Well yes, but instead of spelling it with an ‘O’ at the end, you replace it with an ‘A’. It's the feminine version of it. Like this. Melliza. Hear the difference?” Gabby went on to explain as she finished finding all the clothing she needed. She turned to finally face Soap, seeing him trying hard to make sure he learned what she was teaching him.

“Then I will see you in a bit to train…. Melliza.” He over pronounced the word a bit, trying to roll the word the way she had but his Scottish accent didn't let him. She chuckled lightly, nodding her head at him to show he did it right, before he flashed her a smile, giving her a two finger salute before stepping out into the hallway and grabbing her door handle. Right before he closed the door he spoke up once more.

“Happy you joined the team Lieutenant. When you are ready, my room is the 2nd door on the left.” And with that Gabby was alone for the first time since leaving the States. With a quick snap of her wrist her matte black belt buckle popped loose, and the sipper of her pants pulled down so she could shimmy out of her army fatigues. Left in her tank top and compression shorts, she let her shoulders sag as the events of the past few days finally caught up to her. England. She was in England and no longer a solo military mercenary. It had been 3 years since she was last part of a unit. Sure she has her “home” base, and saw old friends and teammates from time to time, but when Kate has come to her, with a promotion to Lieutenant and a contract as a Military Mercenary, meaning less red tape and more choices on missions, she took it. Leaving behind a unit she has been with for 3 years. She didn't regret her choice, she knew the dangers of war and some of those people she grew close to never made it home. But now, she has a team once more. Hopefully a new family. She would still get her solo missions from time to time, but to have someone watching your back, it was a different type of peace only a soldier would understand. And she misses it.

A soft knock on her door pulled her from her thoughts, as she stood in the middle of her room lost in her own mind. Shaking her head she made her way to the door, keeping her lower half behind as she slowly opened it. Standing there was Price, some clothes in his hand.

“Sorry to bother you.” His smile lit up the hallway. Gabby smiled back, shaking her head softly.

“No worries Captain.”

He held onto the clothing to her, letting her see what was in his hands. “I figured you probably were used to some kind of uniform, though we don't have a requirement for them here. But if you feel more comfortable where part of or a whole uniform of the 141…” his voice trailed off as she took the clothes from him. Dark blue cargo pants were the first thing she noticed. They weren't loose fitting but not skin tight either. They would allow the wearer to have free movement without snagging on anything or blowing in the window. Black lace up combat boots were next, and a black short sleeve shirt was on top of the pants. A dark blue sip up jacket with pockets on the sleeves and breast was on the top, a patch with the 141 logo on it. A black belt, with a matte buckle was wrapped neatly on top. Looking back up at Price she smiled brightly at him.

“Thank you Sir.”

“Like I said, we don't actually have a dress code. Wear as much or as little of the uniform as you'd like. Most of the guys stick to the pants to have extra pockets and some wear the jacket. Do what feels right.” He said before nodding his head, grabbing the door handle and shutting it with a soft click. Gabby let her fingers run over the 141 patch on the jacket, a smile on her lips as she walked back across her room to get dressed. Her Army fatigues were hanging over the chair, her new uniform now on her bed. Taking one last look at the uniform that has been her lifeline for 8 years, she turned and grabbed the cargo pants off the bed, ready to start the next chapter of her life.

Chapter Text

“Soap, food is ready!” Gabby called out from the kitchen as she shut the oven door, sitting the casserole dish on top of the stove. She heard a door open and close, the sound of footsteps making its way to the kitchen telling her that the smell of food more than her voice told her companion supper was ready. One thing she had learned in her week's stay here was Soap was a shameless flirt. Didn't matter if he saw you only as a friend, he was gonna flirt because that was the Scottsmen in him. She saw the kind hearted man he was, even in training when he became more of a soldier, there was still a kindness behind his eyes.

Coming around the corner, his large frame entered the kitchen, a smile on his full lips as he reached a hand towards the steaming dish. Gabby laughed and smacked his hand away, making him growl at her. He quickly grabbed her around the waist and picked her up with a shrek leaving her as he spun her around, grabbing the spoon she had in her hand and dipped it into the dish, taking a bite with a triumphant smile. She smacked his arm with the dish towel, laughing the whole time before he let her go with a kiss to her hair before grabbing plates and walking towards the table.

“Johnny MacTavish you are a menace!” Her laughter filled the room as she grabbed the casserole dish, with a Soap size bite now missing from it and followed him to the table. She sat the dish down and pulled out a chair, Johnny sitting across from her. It was only the two of them in the 141 part of the base right now. Price and Gaz, where still in Amsterdam and Ghost… well even Soap had no idea where he was.

It had been a full week in England, and Gabby kept up her training, Soap helping her stay in tuned. They would spar, using the in-house gym that was upstairs and firing range that was on the other side of the hangar, the door that had been beside the hangar office. Gabby has taken years of gymnastics and after Price has seen her doing some stretches and flips on the hard floor before he left for his mission, she woke up the next morning to a fully fitted gymnastics setup in the gym. Soap had looked at the equipment like it would explode, unsure of its purpose, but Gabby made full use of it. The large floor mat and the uneven bars were her favorite, but she used the balance beam alot to help with her parkour skills, helping her leap from different objects around the gym. After the two had finished training Gabby went to work making their dinner, to which they were now sitting down and enjoying.

“I swear, if you don't get wifed up by the time you are 30, I will run away with you.” Soap moaned around a mouthful of food, his eyes rolling to the back of his head as he enjoyed the flavors on his tongue. Gabby snorted, throwing a dinner roll at his head, watching it thunk off his temple. He said something like that almost every dinnertime, claiming no one in the 141 could cook as good as she did. That he would happily retire and run away with her to live in a castle in Scotland where they could eat and drink all day long.

“Sorry, Bro. But I'm not into insest relationships.” Was her reply with a dead straight face. Soap’s eyes bugged out of his head, as he choked on his bite of food. He grabbed a napkin and kept coughing, sending her a glare. She simply shrugged her shoulders, trying to keep a straight face as she took a bite of food.

“I swear, woman…” He grumbled as he picked up the roll off the floor by his feet. “If I didn't love you like my own blood, I'd hit you.” He threw the roll back at her, hitting her arm. They both broke out laughing, the easiness of their friendship something Gabby cherished. It was like having a second brother. To others it might seem as if they were too close, or too touchy or too flirty to just be friends, but in reality Soap has been the one on her second night there on a late night talk over beer, to say he only wanted to keep their brother/ sister relationship as it was. That he didn't want to try for something down the road, because he wanted a friend he could go to with anything and not have feelings that would make it messy. Gabby had agreed, knowing relationships in the military was risky. She only saw him as family, and she wasn't really looking to find love or settle down. She had a hard childhood, a military dad that wasn't around much, a mother who hated the life and basically being a single mother most days. She wasn't sure she wanted to put a child though that or a partner.

She pulled herself from her thoughts, watching Soap as he took another bite of food and smiled before taking a bite herself. Beer bottles sat beside their plates and they took a drink here and there as they talked. He would tell her stories about missions he had been on, how he came to be a part of the 141 with Ghost and Gaz as its original members. There were a few other guys that came and went, that were a part of other crews but when they did joint missions they popped up.

“Wait, so you're telling me that Price called you to tell you that he wanted you to be a part of his new task force and you were three sheets to the wind in whiskey and you told him ‘I'll think about it?!’” The slightly tipsy laugh fell from her lips as she leaned her head back against the sofa back, trying to picture a totally wasted Soap answering Price on the phone.

“Hey now, it was my birthday and I was just letting loose. Not my fault he called me after a bottle of whiskey and 4 tequila shots deep.” He joked as he took a sip of his beer, propping his feet up onto the coffee table. They both laughed, letting the night creep in around them as they settled deeper into the comfort of the sofa. Gabby softly played with the two beaded bracelets on her right wrist, softly rolling them around and around as she let her mind get lost in thought. It was a comfort technique, one she did often when her mind needed a moment to recharge or think. They were small beads on soft string, one with dark green and soft purple beads. The other one was pale blue and green beads with 6 golden ones in the center of them.

“You never take those things off. It's like Ghost and his mask.” Soap's voice broke through her thoughts, making her roll her head to the side, letting her chin rest on her shoulder as she looked up at him. He raised an eyebrow at her, tipping the top of his beer bottle at her wrist, as a silent ask for explanation. Gabby let out a sigh, looking down at the bracelets before rolling them on her arm once more.

“They are a connection to my family.” She began as she pointed to the purple and green one. “This one, each member of my family has this one. Like our family colors or whatever. My dad started the tradition.” She looked down at the bracelet and felt a small tug in her heart before she continued. “This one I got when I graduated boot camp. The golden beads are for each tour I served before I became a Military Mercenary. I got one each time I came back home.” She showed Soap the bracelet by lifting her arm closer to him, letting him see them closer.

He studied the bracelets, running his fingers over the smooth cool beads. He could tell they had been well worn, some of them as slight scratches or the color had worn off slightly, but they still held their beauty. He smiled up at her, patting her hand before taking another sip of his beer. “So they are like dog tags, too important to take off unless you die.” Gabby nodded her head, feeling that his statement summed it up perfectly. They were her lifeline to her family. They were all in the military, spread out across the world. It was her way of keeping a small part of them close to her at all times. They began to talk about small things, places they had been throughout their military careers, places they wanted to see. They talked about different foods they liked trying in different countries and different drinks they enjoyed. The deeper into the conversation they got the more they started to open up about each other.

“Mum is back home in Scotland. We live up in the hills, you can see a castle off in the distance from where we are.” The fondness in his voice, the way his eyes glossed over slightly talking about his home life was touching. Unfortunately in their line of work, going home or visiting family was few and far between. It wasn't safe and time didn't always allow it. “The sky at sunset in the hills of Scotland… there is nothing like it.” He ran his hand over the tattoo on his right arm, scratching it lightly.

“One day you'll have to take me and show me. Scotland is one of the countries I haven't been to yet.” A sigh slipped past her lips before she took a sip of beer. “The sunsets in Texas are beautiful, but I always loved them from the top of a hill in a different country.” She glanced down at his tattoo, noticing for the first time it looked much like their task force logo, only it didn't have the skull over the dagger. The tattoo wasn't really faded, only a few lines marked up but that was probably from all the battles he had seen then anything.

Soap saw her looking at his tattoo and nodded towards her as he leaned back against the armrest a bit more. “You got any tattoos?” Gabby smiled at him and nodded her head softly, pulling her shirt up on her left side to expose her ribcage. About an inch or so under her sports bra was a tattoo of writing in a handwritten message in black ink across her ribs reading: ‘Un corazón de ángel con espíritu de guerrero’.

Soap looked at the tattoo and his eyebrows creased together, trying to read the Spanish words but failing miserably. Gabby dropped her shirt with a laugh, before explaining the meaning of the tattoo. “It's in my brother's handwriting. It means, ‘An angel’s heart with a warrior's spirit’. Someone very important to me gave me my callsign, Halo, because they said I was a guardian angel when the world was in chaos. So the tattoo quote seemed fitting, plus then I always have something from my brother too.”

Soap nodded his head, enjoying the tale of her tattoo, seeing a bit more into her personal life beyond the military. Tipping back his bottle finished his beer, letting the liquor run down his throat before sitting it down on the coffee table. Gabby also finished hers and looked at the empty bottle before glancing over her shoulder at the fridge. “One more won't kill.” She sighed before grabbing his bottle and got off the sofa, walking into the kitchen area to grab them each a new beer. “Find a movie will you? The time change is still kicking my ass so sleep is on and off at this point.” She called over her shoulder as she also looked around the cabinets to see what snacks she could find. Soap chuckled and reached for the TV remote when he saw her phone light up from where she had sat it on the coffee table. A picture of a young man, no older than his early 20s was on the screen, dark brown hair and hazel eyes. He had his tongue sticking out in the picture while laughing. The name ‘Cheddar Cheese’ with a cheese emoji and a heart was at the top of the screen for the incoming FaceTime.

“Oi, Gabs, someone is FaceTiming you.”

“Can you answer it real quick so it doesn't hang up and tell them I will be right there?” She yelled over her shoulder, still looking for a snack.

Soap reached for her phone and clicked the green button, letting the FaceTime go through. The young man on the other end gave a weird look when he saw Soap on the phone instead of Gabby. He raised an eyebrow at the Scottsmen, showing his confusion.

“Ummm, hi?” The greeting was more of a question than anything as Soap answered the phone.

“Uhh, who are you and why do you have Gabrielle’s phone?” His voice was a bit deeper than Soap had been expecting, given how baby faced the young man looked.

“I'm Soap, she's in the kitchen getting food so I answered for her.”

The young man still looked confused, and he held the phone a bit closer to himself as he tried to look around beside Soap. “Soap? What kinda name is that?” The boy shook his head and let out a frustrated sigh. “Are you Scottish? Nevermind, where is my sister?”

A loud bang came from behind Soap in the kitchen and he turned his head and the camera slightly to see what had happened. Soap turned to see Gabby with a dropped dish on the floor by her feet staring wide eyed at him.

“Oh my God, Is that MY CHEDDAR?!” Her voice was high pitched as she practically screamed the last part before she took off running around the table and came flying towards the sofa, head diving over the back of it, handing on her stomach with her legs still over the back of the sofa, her arms keeping her from sliding off, as her hands touched the floor. Soap bit back a laugh, his body shaking as he let out a small cough. The man on the other end, Cheddar, broke out laughing as he also watched the whole thing unfold thanks to Soap and his quick thinking. Gabby glared up at both of them before letting her legs slide off the back of the sofa, letting herself sit upright before snatching the phone from Soap's hand.

“Hola querida hermana, ¡qué entrada!” Cheddar said on the other end of the phone. (Hello dear sister, what an entrance!)

Gabby stuck her tongue out at him and let out a laugh, before nodding her head to Soap to join in on the call. “Hola a ti también, hermanito.” (Hello to you too, baby brother). Sitting more to the side so Soap was now in the frame with her, she smiled at her brother before looking at Soap. “Soap, I want you to meet my little brother, Sergeant Hudson Knocks. Hermano, this is Sergeant Johnny MacTavish, aka, Soap.”

Hudson, aka Cheddar, nodded to Soap, as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry for being weird when you answered the call, normally Gabby isn't with other soldiers…. Especially Scottish ones.” Soap waves him off, shaking his head with a smile on his face.

“No harm done. I'm sure it was a wee bit of a surprise to see this face on the other end of the line.”

Hudson moved his eyes across the screen and gave his sister a pointed look. “Which brings me to the question of, where are you? Last we talked, you were in DC before a mission.” Gabby ran a hand down her face, before letting her hand rest on her neck as she rolled her head to the side and rolled her shoulders back. The last time they talked was two months ago. He has no idea about her new life changes. Looking up at Soap she saw him give her a shrug of his shoulders before pointing towards the kitchen.

“I'm going to see about the food.” He said before hopping over the back of the sofa, giving the siblings a moment to talk alone. Gabby was grateful for his understanding, watching him walk towards the kitchen before looking back at her phone.

“Halo, come on Sis, ¿Qué está sucediendo?" (What's going on?”)

“I'm, uh, in England.”

“England? Are you on the mission still? Is that why the Scotty is there?” Hudson's Southern accent was a bit thicker than hers, his words deeper and more drawn out. She rolled her eyes and looked away from her brother, not wanting to look him in the eye.

“No, not exactly.”

“Gabrielle….”

With a heavy sigh, she hung her head and began to tell him the truth. “I got transferred…. To England… permanently.”

“What?!” The shock in his voice made her wince slightly. She was unsure if he was pissed off or just surprised.

“Me pidieron por mi nombre que me uniera a la élite Task Force 141. Eso significa que ya no soy un mercenario militar en solitario. Soy parte de una unidad nuevamente. (I got asked for by name to join the elite Task Force 141. Meaning I'm not a solo Military mercenary anymore. I'm part of a unit again.)

Hudson stared at his older sister, no words being exchanged between the two of them as he mauled over her words. She knew this came as a shock, she didn't have time to let him know before the move that this was happening, and then she got wind of his unit going back to their base in Texas and didn't want to bother him during that time. She had meant to call him soon and explain everything, but now her mind felt blank, like she was so unprepared on how to tell him everything.

“I'm proud of you Gabrielle. This is a huge deal. I just wish I would have seen you before you left. It's been too long.” His voice spoke after a minute of silence. She smiled down at him through the phone, feeling her heart lift. Her brother was so important to her. One of the last bits of family she has left. She never wanted to lose him.

“Thank you Hudson. I promise when I can, I'll visit.”

“So, you're in England on a team with a guy named… Soap?” Hudson asked as he leaned back into the chair he was sitting on. Gabby giggled, nodding her head and before she knew it Soap has returned upon hearing his name, jumping onto the sofa beside her getting into the camera frame.

“Aye that's my name, don't wear it out!”

“It's his callsign.” Gabby laughed ruffing up his mohawk with her fingers, sending the hairs every which way, making him growl at her as he tried to smooth it back into place.

“Oh God, did my sister name you then?”

“¡Cállate, imbécil!” She barked at him, though a smile remained on her lips. (Shut up asshole) “You earned your callsign bud, you can't run for it. Even your Captain thinks it's fitting.”

Soap smiled at them, resting his arm behind Gabby on the back of the sofa as she leaned into his shoulder. Hudson glared at his sister, rolling his eyes as he ran his hands down his face.

“I got that callsign in a cool ass way till you had to go and ruin it!” He whined, making the two soldiers laugh.

“I smell a story here. Oi, I needs to know now!” Replied Soap, looking from Gabby to Hudson on the other side of the screen. He smiled at the two of them and nodded his head excitedly in hopes to get them to talk.

“How did you get the name Soap?” Hudson deadpanned, staring the Scottsmen down. Gabby rolled her eyes, watching the two standoff to each other over their Callsigns.

“I'm good at cleaning.” He answered in the most bored tone possible, taking a sip of his beer as he watched the screen. Gabby stared at him wide eyed over her shoulder before bursting out laughing, her phone falling from her hands as Hudson yelled at her to hold the fuck still so he didn't get seasick. Soap chuckled softly before picking up the phone for her, letting her brother see her laugh.

“Soap, that is the biggest ass lie. I've seen your room. It looks like you exploded one of your bombs off in there. You, Mi Hermano, suck at cleaning.” Gabby finally found her voice, sitting up straight, letting herself lean back against his shoulder once more before taking the phone from him. Hudson laughed, seeing how red in the face his sister was from laughing. She looked pointedly at him and added, “It's like living with you again. Now I have two annoying, messy brothers.”

Hudson and Soap tried to look hurt, but ended up joining her in her laughter. It felt good to have her brother and new best friend getting along so well. Hudson pointed at the two of them through the screen and cocked his head to the side.

“Wait, so you two aren't a thing?”

Soap and Gabby looked at each other and she scrunched her nose up at him, while he made a gagging face over her shoulder. “Oi, God no! No offense, your sister is beautiful and all, but she is my Melliza. Nothing more mate.” Soap said, trying to still learn how to say the Spanish word perfectly with his accent. It was getting better, but it still sounded off slightly with his Scottish accent coming through. Gabby nodded her head, sticking her tongue out at Soap before looking at her brother once more.

“We found out we share the same birthday, we're the same age and after doing some math, we are only 20 minutes apart.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder dramatically, smiling sweetly up at Soap. “I'm the older sibling in both cases. Plus I outrank you both so who's winning here?”

“Yeah but I'm the pretty twin.” Soap said so nonchalantly as he took a sip of beer, making Hudson croke out a laugh. Gabby huffed at them both, letting herself slouch against Soap's arm. She jabbed her finger into his side, making him choke on his sip of beer as he brought his hand up to cover his mouth as he coughed. He glared down at her but Gabby just ignored him, turning her attention back to her phone.

She glared at them both before sighing, shaking her head. “Anywayyyyy… back to how he got his callsign.” Making Soap perk up as he smiled at the phone. Hudson groaned but didn't say anything as she began the story. “So how he got his military callsign was during a mission they ended up doing a drug bust which wasn't what they originally were set out to do.”

“When we opened the door to the office inside the building we were sweeping, we found this safe and popped it open. Man the load of Dinero in there was insane. Without thinking I looked over my Captain’s shoulder and just blurred out ‘that's a shit ton of cheddar!’”

“What makes his nickname even better is, as kids I called him Cheddar Cheese all the time, because he was obsessed with eating from those bags of shredded cheese. I'd always find him in the kitchen late at night just downing a bag of that stuff. Well when I went to visit him at base one day, not long after that drug bust, I found out that his childhood nickname became his callsign and I told his Captain about it. Needless to say, his Captain thought the story about him eating cheese was better than the drug bust, and now he even tells people that's how he got his callsign.” She began laughing hard as she told the rest of the story, watching her brother's face scrunch up in disgust. “The cherry on top was when I told his Captain the story, Cheddar here was actually eating a bag of cheese. He brought it on himself.” Soap and Gabby were laughing hard, tears running down her face as she saw the look of annoyance on Hudson's face, rolling his eyes and flipping her off as he tried to hide a smile.

“Te odio, idiota.” He said as he bit back a laugh of his own, only making Gabby smile wider and flip him off in return. (I hate you, dumbass) There was a noise coming from behind Hudson and he looked to his left before a sigh left his lips. “I'm sorry, I got to go. We have a meeting.” He smiled at the two, who he could definitely see being twins now that he saw them together and waved his hand at the screen. “Hey Soap, take care of our Hermana, yeah? Keep her safe out there.”

“I will, dinnae worrie, I'll watch out for our Lass.”

They both gave each other a nod of their heads, and unspoken trust already between the two men. Gabby smiled at that, happy that her brother had taken to Soap and his presents around her.

“Eyes ready, weapons hot.” She said with a wave. “I love you.”

“Eyes ready, weapons hot. I love you too.” And then the phone screen went blank as the call ended. Gabby sat the phone down on the arm of the sofa and leaned back against Soap's shoulder, taking a sip of the beer he handed her. They say their in silence for a while, enjoying their beers as Soap flipped through the movie opinions before finding an action movie they both liked. The sound of the movie filled her ears but her mind kept thinking to her brother. She misses her family, this type of lifestyle not offering many changes to see them or even calm them. She missed out on his engagement last year to his girlfriend Maddy, and she hated that she couldn't be there for that, or help him pick out a ring. Hell she barely knew Maddy with not being around that much.

“How long since you saw him in person?” Soap's voice cut through her thoughts as he looked down at her for a moment before turning his attention back to the TV.

“6 months since I saw him, 2 since we last talked.” She muttered before taking another sip of her drink, bringing her knees up towards her chest. The bottle swong lazily from her fingertips as her arms laid over top of her knees, her mind not funny on the movie. Soap hummed beside her, giving her arm a slight squeeze. He knew all too well what it was like to not be able to see your family whenever you wanted to. It was just too dangerous and not enough downtime. The two soldiers say there together, watching the movie play out as the night went on, enjoying not being alone for once when there was no mission to be on. Half way through the movie, Soap's phone went off, soon followed by Gabby's. They both looked at each other before grabbing their phones. Tapping her screen on, she saw a message come across it in bold letters “Report to meeting room ASAP!”. It was from Laswell. Looking up at Soap she saw the same confused look on his face that she knew was on her's. It was currently 10pm at night, so Kate texting them this late only meant one thing: they were needed for a fight.

Chapter Text

It had been a while since Gabby had to wear full tactical gear. Wearing a uniform was nothing new for her, but this type of uniform was different. The dark blue almost gray cargo pants hugged her legs just right, the dark blue jacket with the team patch on her left arm now had an American flag sewn on above it. Her tactical vest was pulled tight around her chest, the American flag on the front of it, along with her blood type, O POS. Same as Soap. Funny more and more they find themselves so similar, like real twins.

Her long dark brown hair is in a braid down her back tucked under the hood of her jacket, to keep it from flopping around. Black gloves covered her hands, and a helmet was on her head with her night vision goggles on top. The Hilo that was taking them to the exfil point where they would start and stop the mission. Looking over at Soap she saw his lopsided grin in the dark shadows of the aircraft, and shot him a smile on return. She knew he was excited to be out in the field again. Hell, so was she.

It had been a long time since she had been on a mission like this. Now they headed to Al Mazrah, In search of Hassan Zyani, the leader of AQ. She knew of his dealings, having been on a mission against his goons before over a year back. Along with trying to stop General Ghorbrani. Though from what she heard from Laswell, Ghost and Shadow Company had taken care of the latter. That's why they were now going to meet up with Ghost, along with a group of Marines, in Al Mazrah to capture or kill Hassan.

She made sure the straps of her thigh holsters were tight, but not restricting, her pistol in its holster snuggly. In her tactical vest was hidden pockets on the inside next to her chest, where 2 assassins knives were tucked away. 4 more knives were in their straps and holders on her vest, a larger knife strapped to her leg. Various ammo kits, med kits, flares, and other gear lined her vest. Wire clippers were strapped to her back. A mk 17 mod 0 was also strapped to her back. Hanging from her right shoulder by a strap was her .50 Sniper Rifle, only her right arm held it lazily to the front of her right leg. She was armed and deadly. She was ready for war.

“Are you ready, Halo?” Soap's deep voice cut threw her comms. She wore a throat mic, the black band around her neck with a small ear piece tucked into her left ear. She preferred the throat mic over the little mic that clipped to the front of her vest, less chance of it hitting. With the throat mic she could press a button and leave her 2 way on, so she could be hands free. Or she could turn it to one way and only listen to the conversations on the other end. Gabby smiled at the Scottish Sergeant and gave him a wink.

“Born ready, MacTavish!”

The Hilo made its way to the base they would be leaving from, touching down with ease. Gabby slipped into Lieutenant mood, nodding her head at her men as they each walked past, then slapping Soap on the shoulder before jumping from the helicopter herself onto the pavement. They would take a truck across base to the helicopter that would fly them to their drop off zone, where she would stay on as part of Alpha team, helping take out targets before Soap and Ghost took Bravo team into the hot zone. Leading the way towards the truck she pulled down the hatch, opening the truck bed up for the men to climb in.

“Let's go, birds up in 12 minutes let's make this right!” She called out as they jumped one by one into the truck bed, sitting down with their gear on their laps. She hopped in last, shutting the hatch and thunking her first against it three times to tell the driver to move. Sitting back her shoulder bumped Soap’s and he gave her one of his flashy smiles.

“What's got you all giddy?” She asked quietly as she fixed her helmet some. He just shook his head, that damn smile never leaving his full lips. “Out with it MacTavish.” The raised eyebrow and cocked head made him chuckle before he turned his attention away from her.

“You're going to give him a run for his money is all.”

“The hell you goin’ on abou’?” Her Southern accent thicker as she snapped the comment at him. But she got no answer, only a pat on the knee with his fingerless gloved hand. She grumbled under her breath, shooting him a glare from under her eyelashes before turning her attention back to the mission. The truck took them from the helicopter pad to the airport part of the base where equipment and other items were being loaded into the haul, as well as soldiers. She enjoyed the few minutes in the bed of the truck, letting the rocking motion pull her into a relaxed mindset as she prepared for the mission in her mind. Nothing ever went straightforward on a mission, something always went astray, so she likes to work over different possibilities in her mind, so she didn't get caught off guard.

She felt a knee rest against her own, and Soap smiled at her before checking his gun clips. She tapped her knee against his and went back to running through the plan through her mind, making sure everything was in check before the mission began. Gabby didn't realize the minutes had ticked by till she felt Soap shift next to her as the truck came to a stop near the ramp of the helicopter. With a nod of her head she let the ramp fall. Her boots hit the pavement with a dull thud, Soap not far behind. She turned to watch the rest of the men leap from the truck, tapping each of them on the shoulder as they made their way towards the helicopter. Gabby saw Soap walk away from the truck, his steps quick as he made his way towards another soldier. Keeping an eye on the Sergeant she patted the last Marine’s shoulder before turning her head slightly more to the side to see who Soap was with.

The first thing that hit her was his sheer size. Shoulders wide and thick, arms laden with muscle that even the jacket he wore seemed to strain against it. A wide chest hidden under his tactical vest that went down a long torso to thick hips and legs…. Long, thick legs. Her eyes snapped up to his face, or lack there of. In the dark night with only flood lights here and there taking away some of the shadows, the bone white skull mask seemed to glow against the black of his hood. He was a shadow, like death lurking in the edges of the light in a dance only he seemed to master. She never feared the dark, but knowing he stood there, watching from the depths of the darkness, even that sent a shiver down her spine. There, standing in front of Soap who slapped his arm in a warm greeting, was the myth himself: The Ghost.

She watched as Soap, who seemed excited and happy to see him, turned away from the hulking man with a smile on his face. She saw Ghost look towards her, the white lines painted into the bottom part of his balaclava moving slightly as if he was talking. Maybe he was into his comms, it was hard to tell in the dark. She felt his eyes on her and she stayed calm, keeping her composure. She knew how to keep her leader's physique under pressure, and his gaze held much pressure. Soap walked by and slapped Gabby on the shoulder, giving her a wink as he went past.

“Come on bonnie lass. We got a war to win.” She flashed him a smile, shaking her head as she followed Soap towards the helicopter, feeling Ghost lurking behind. Everything about him screamed intimidation. The stories about him were things of myth, like a Ghost story. Once you saw Ghost and you were on the wrong side of his blade, it was too late. You weren't walking away from that fight.

Gabby has her own reputation, hell it was why Price asked for her specifically to join his team. She was silent, precise. She blended into her surroundings, as if she was always there to begin with. With her gymnastics skills, coding skills and deadly eyesight behind a rifle, she could get into or around any building or target she wanted to. She could speak 6 languages in all their accents, and pull the information from whomever she needed to without batting an eye. She took pride in her skills, spending years on them, making sure she was the best she could be in her field. She was a killer when she needed to be, but she never lost her humanity, the thing that made her human. It's why she was called Halo: An angel’s heart with a warrior's spirit.

Sitting down across from Soap on one of the fold down seats, she held her rifle in her lap and tossed the Sergeant a lopsided grin. He gave her a devilish smile, before his eyes found their way over to the other Lieutenant. Her eyes followed his and she held his gaze. Ghost was watching her, though hard to see in the lighting, she saw how they moved from the boots on her feet up to her own eyes. She expected to find cold eyes looking back at her through the bone mask, but she saw the eyes of a man instead. He kept his eyes calm, almost unreadable, but there was a flicker of something in them that only lasted for a moment, before they turned cold and hard, looking away from her own as he slammed his palm into the clip on his rifle, making sure it was in tight. Gabby felt a shiver run down her spine, but it wasn't fear. She wasn't sure what it was, but she knew it would take more than just a smile to win over the ghostly man sitting across the haul to earn his trust or respect.

She was fine with that. She learned a long time ago that the best soldiers always saw the worst things, making them seem colder. It didn't mean they wouldn't have your back, or they wouldn't learn to respect you, it only meant they would push you to be better, they would make you earn your spot among their ranks. They would test you till you either broke or pulled through the other side, and then their loyalty would last a lifetime as long as you gave them a reason to.

“Alpha 1-0. Good to have you aboard Lt.” The man to her right spoke up, holding onto his hand to which she shook. He was a Sergeant from what she could see, a higher ranking one like Soap. She smiled softly at the older man, probably close to Price’s age and gave his hand a warm shake.

“Thank you. Call me Halo!” She yelled over the roar of the engines that started up. He smiled at her, his eyes wrinkling around the edges as he did.

“Yes ma'am! They call me Silky. Or Alpha 1-5 for this mission.”

So this was her second in command for Alpha team. They would be working together on taking building 3, making sure it was secure before Ghost and Soap moved in. This was the bigger building, one where the whole team would be needed, but with air support first, they could take out more targets before ground support moved in. The Hilo fell silent other than the roar of its propellers, taking them closer and closer to their target. Gabby closed her eyes and let her mind play through the mission once more. She held her gun loosely in her lap, letting her helmet rest against the haul of the helicopter. She worked her mind through the mission, going over each point they needed to take in order to have a complete mission.

Taking Hassan alive was the top priority, though she has no problem if the kill part of the mission took first place. She had been fighting against AQ for years now, on both solo and teamed missions through the middle east. She had spent time in Russia even, trying to work through different leads but always came up dry. Now he was right there and she wanted to put this to an end.

Gabby felt eyes on her and hers snapped open, looking across the haul to find the skull mask staring her down. The eyes behind the mask, dark and dangerous, so hard to see in the dimly lit helicopter, somehow found her own. She held his gaze, unafraid of the man who sat like a shadow among men. She understood why they called him Ghost, not just from the stories she heard, but seeing him walk, how he held to the shadows, the way he commanded the room without even speaking. It was powerful. It was deadly.

She held his gaze for a moment more, before a hand tapped her arm pulling her attention away from the hulking figure. Silky offered her a smile before tapping his headset. She clicked hers on with a nod of her head.

“Ma'am, I have to ask. Are you related to Sergeant Knocks?” His voice came through her ear piece. Gabby raised an eyebrow, tilting her body to the side a bit to better look at the older man.

“Hudson?”

“Yes ma'am.”

A smile pulled across her lips as he nodded her head. “That's my little brother.”

Silky smiled wider and nodded his head as a soft hum fell from his lips. “Figured as much. You look so alike. We worked together on a mission a few months back. He talked a lot about you. If you're anything like his stories and the type of soldier he is, I'm glad to be teamed up with you, ma'am.” A warm smile filled her full lips as she tipped her head in thanks to the older man, before clicking off her comms and leaning herbhead back against the haul once more. The red glow of the overhead lights was soothing. The flight wasn't long, but it was quick except for the roar of the engines. All the soldiers were preparing for this, each one going through a different thing in his own mind. Working through the plan. Praying. Trying to find peace if they didn't come through to the other side. She sent up her own prayer, asking for each of these men to make it out alive, or if it was their time that it would be quick and swift. She did this every time she was on a joint mission. She never wanted any of her fellow soldiers to suffer.

“DZ in one minute!” A strong voice, deep and thick with an English accent spoke from the depths of the haul, pulling her from her thoughts. Looking up she saw Ghost standing up, holding onto an overhead strap as he looked from soldier to soldier. His eyes once again found hers, the coldness to them making her sit up a bit straighter. She held his gaze, giving a slight tip of her chin to acknowledge his leadership, and she saw something flash across his eyes. Her gaze was pulled away from him when the helicopter landed, the ramp going down as soldiers began to stand to join Soap and Ghost on the ground. Soap stood up, stopping in front of Gabby, licking his boot against hers. Gabby smiled up at him and raised her fist, letting his knuckles knock her own inna fist pump, a smile on his face before he walked away, jumping from the ramp into the darkness of the night. Gabby watched as the ramp then closed, the remaining soldiers with her. Standing up and grabbed an overhead strap and turned on her comms.

“Alright men, we are taking building three and offering air support with the other two Hilos. We do this quickly, we do this cleanly, and we take Hassan alive if we can, but if the mission goes south you kill the bastard on sight.” She yelled into her comms, looking each soldier in the eyes as she addressed them. When her eyes found Silky’s, she smiled slightly, before raising her fist into the air. “Get some!”

“Hoorah!” The Marines yelled before going to their stations. She watched over them, her rifle slung loosely in her right arm as she held onto the hanging strap from the ceiling.

“Alpha 1-1, how copy?” Soap's rough voice filled her ear.

“Solid copy, Bravo 7-1.” Gabby answered her comms. “Bravo 7-0, how copy?”

“Solid Copy, 1-1.” The gruff Manchester accent filled her ear. It was deep, rough, yet smooth like warmed whiskey over the soul. She likes the sound of his voice. It was the first time she heard it, and it was different then she imagined but it fit the way he looked. Dark, mysterious, gruff. Perfect for a shadow.

“Watcher-1, this is Alpha 1-1.”

“Send traffic 1-1.”

“Watcher, all stations ready to hunt.” Gabby said over the comms to Kate Laswell.

“Good copy. Happy hunting.”

The Hilo made its way over the first buildings, laying down cover fire for the boys on the ground. Gabby held on tight as the helicopter moved swiftly through the air, the twin blades cutting through the night sky. Loud booms sounded from outside the haul, making her swear under her breath slightly. Her knuckles were right under her gloves, her hand with a death grip on the strap trying to keep herself up right. She saw the men at the guns, returning fire as they tried to get the helicopter closer to make the most impact. More booms sounded, then the tall tail sign of bullets pelting the haul with a loud *rat-tat-tat-tat!* She whipped her head around as the sound came through the steel wall, a bullet whizzing past her head making her hold on the strap loosen for a fraction of a second.

That's all it took.

Next thing she knew she was weightless, her body floating in air as the helicopter began to spin, moving far more swiftly then if the pilot was in control.

“We are taking fire!”

“RPG!”

“We've been hit. Alpha team going down!”

“Brace for impact!”

Her body slammed into the metal haul, a groan of pain spilled from lips as pain shot up her back. The metal of the helicopter groaned, parts dropping and crashing around her as moans of pain filled the air. Bullets hit the haul of the helicopter, raining down on them from all directions. White spots filled her eyes as she tried to open them. Sparks flew from the electrical that was cut and broken all over the helicopter. Blinking away the spots in her eyes she groaned as pain kept shooting up her legs and back as she tried to move. Nothing felt broken as she ran the other different parts of her body in her mind, trying to figure out if things were worse than they felt. Once she realized nothing was broken she let out a breath she had been holding and glanced around the haul. That's when she saw a large piece of the helicopter laid across her legs. She could twist her hips but her legs remained pinned under the heavy metal.

“Fuck.” She hissed as she tried to pull them free with no avail. She slammed her fist down into the floor of the hilo, looking around trying to figure out who was hurt. She saw some of the men unmoving, her heart dropping as she saw the whole back end of the bird was missing. The ringing in her ears was so loud, the gunfire coming from those still alive was hazy on her head. She turned her head to the side, seeing Silky on her knees looking around, his hand on his comms as he talked into his mic.

“Alpha 1-1 is pinned, but alive. Multiple critical. We are taking fire from all sides. We need help out here!” His voice sounded weak and shaken. Her comms crackled on her ear, someone, a voice so far off spoke to her through the wire but her mind wouldn't comprehend it. Another choked moan slipped from her as the haul of the helicopter shifted, pushing down more on her legs. A set of hands was on her, trying to move her legs slightly to get under the piece of metal.

“Easy Lieutenant. I got you.” Silky's voice sounded closer, and she made her eyes focus, seeing the Sergeant at her legs trying to move the metal. He pulled and groaned, putting all his weight into moving the beam that pinned her down but it was no use.

“Sa-” a rough cough made her choke on her words, smoke filling her lungs as she tried to clear her airway. “Fuck. Save your energy. Start killing those bastards.” Wheezed Gabby as she reached for her own rifle, twisting at the hips the best she could to aim out of a broken piece of the hilo. Firing off a few roads she heard her bullet hit its mark, somewhere in the smoke and haze. The Sergeant nodded his head, staying low as he fired off shots from his pistol from the window that was broken. Two more men stood in shaken legs, firing around after round into the dark.

Flashes of light sparked the air, sparks falling from larger weapons bursting into the smoke. They weren't playing games. Hassan must be here, why else would they throw this much at them? She took aim ones more, half laying in her side, half flat out, her rifle being held with one hand as her left arm laid beneath her holding her up slightly. She looked through the scope, taking more shots at the slightest bit of movement in the shadows.

“Fuck this!” She cursed, dropping another enemy soldier. She smacked the switch on her comms and listened to the chatter.

“Alpha 1-1, to all units. How copy?” She yelled into her mic as she took another shot. Her body hurt, her mind hazy, but she stayed sharp with each shot.

“Fuck Halo, good to hear your voice.” Soap's accent came through the comms, making Gabby release a deep breath. She watched Silky aim over the window, taking shots at whatever moved.

“Soap, we are taking a lot of heat. I'm pinned down. I can't move.”

“Are you injured?”

“Negative. Sore but nothing broken. But I don't know how long we can hold out.”

Soap's breathless puffs of air filled her ear. “I know Lass. Hang in there, we're working on it.” Gabby huffed and took another shot, dropping another enemy. She knew they could only work so fast, and Hassan was a bigger priority at the moment then the down hilo. Didn't make it earlier though. One of the private’s let out a yell, making her snap her head up, looking to her left to see three enemies rushing the downed hilo. He took a shot at them, hitting one of them. The other two rushed the hilo, Silky jumping in front of her to protect her trapped body.

“Take cover Sergeant!” She yelled at him whipping her sniper rifle around so that it was pointing past his hip, and took aim. Her bullet misses, making her swear as she tried to line up again, but with her legs pinned she couldn't lean far into the left. Sergeant Silky kept his body in front of hers, protecting her trapped body with his own. He kept firing, trying to hit the men that were shooting back, hiding behind the debris of the hilo. Gabby watched through her scope as the shadows that danced outside the haul disappeared. Gunfire sounded in the distance, the faint yell here and there drowned up by the pounding of her own heart in her ears. Silky and the other two soldiers shouldered their rifles, their grip so tight the metal under their fingers groaning.

Silky moved forward slightly, staying lowly crouched as he took a few steps forward, the private and another Sergeant in front of him. She dropped the stock of her rifle harder, her left elbow screaming in pain from holding herself up for so long on the unforgiving metal but she ignored it as her eyes scanned the space around them. Her breath came out in small puffs of smoke. Her mind raced as her eyes danced from window to window, to each crack in the haul. Silky took another low step forward, looking out the window with his rifle at the ready. It has grown quite, the night seeping into hilo. Smoke and sparks danced in the dark, flashes of light from outside the fallen hilo lit up the sky like fireworks.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Her hand twitched around her gun. eyes were on her, she could feel it. Snapping her head back, laying flat on her back she let out a loud gasp as a soldier appeared out of nowhere with a knife raised. He leaped for her, trying to pin her down as she reached for her own knife to try and slash at his hand.

“Lieutenant!” She heard the voice call out but didn't bother to respond, her hands locked in a deadly duel with her wannabe killer. He growled, hissing words in a language she didn't speak as he slammed his bootheel down into her arm, making Gabby cry out in pain as her knife fell from her hand. She bucked her upper body forward, slamming her helmet into the soft part of his stomach making him wheeze and lose his balance. Trying to grab for her knife she felt him move again, and she rolled her head to the side, trying to turn her upper body to get a better angle before a body jumped over her own, a strangled cry and loud thud sounding right behind her head. Snapping her head backwards and rolling it to the side slightly, turning her upper body and shoulders as far as she cooks to see what was happening she felt her heart drop.

Silky has jumped her attacker, pinning him to the ground with a knife in his neck. The enemy soldier laid dead beneath the Sergeant, a pool of blood forming just outside the broken haul of the helicopter. When Silky turned slowly to face her, blood bubbled at his lower lip, his eyes dulled with pain. A knife, the knife that has been used to try and kill her, now was buried deep within his belly.

“Silky!” The choked cry called his name, as he fell backwards onto his ass, a strangled moan shattered from his bloody lips. He held the handle of the knife in his stomach, his own eyes wide as if he just now realized what had happened. He looked back up at Gabby, her eyes filled with tears. She flinched as gunshots rang out behind her, the other soldiers took aim once more at enemy soldiers than showed themselves once more.

The Sergeant reached out a bloody hand towards her, and she leaned forward as far as she could to take it, his fingers warm and slick as they met her own. Tears rain down his face, more blood spilling from his words and lips as he choked, his body shaking. His fingers squeezed hers lightly, making her grips his tighter, the warm blood making it hard to keep a firm hold.

“It was an honor, Lieutenant.”

She watched as the life drained from his eyes, his body convulsing for a moment as blood seeped through his uniform, turning the dirt and metal beneath him red. His fingers went slack, slipping from her grip to join him on the ground, his lifeless eyes now staring into the darkness that surrounded them. Gabby squeezed her eyes shut, letting her head fall back to the ground, her helmet making a dull thud. She took a shaken breath. She had seen death plenty of times, and had lost many friends and fellow soldiers in battle. But this was the first time someone had given their life for hers. The first time someone had died protecting her. A silent sob left her lips, her hands shaking as she tried to whip the blood, his blood, off her hand onto her pants. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath, her body shaking slightly as she tried to hold back the tears in her eyes.

Grabbing her rifle she sat herself up on her elbow once more, aiming into the night. She tried to ignore the blood under her nails, the still warm and sticky residue that still clinged to her palms. She didn't look back, she couldn't. She couldn't look into his lifeless eyes again, seeing the blood that dripped from his mouth and stomach. She couldn't look at the pool of blood that should have stayed in his body. He gave his life so she could continue to fight. He knew what he was doing. And Gabby was damned if she was going to die in this broken helicopter, letting his sacrifice be for nothing.

Chapter Text

“Blue, blue!”

The code word came from the torn off tail of the helicopter. Gabby sighed, letting her body fall to the floor. Her left arm screamed from holding herself up for so long, her right arm weak from bearing her rifle one handed. Her legs still hurt, which was a good sign, but she was tired of the pain. She has no idea how long she laid there trapped under that beam.

“It's just me, the Lieutenant, and the private. I can't get the beam off of her.”

She has her eyes closed, her body exhausted. Gabby heard the Corporal explain the situation, but had no desire to open her eyes and look to see who had come to help them. She heard boots moving around, and felt a hand on her leg. It gave her a slight squeeze, before shaking her hip slightly. Opening her eyes slightly she was met with Soap's wide baby blues. Groaning she raised herself up into her elbows, her rifle draped across her belly.

“Hey, hold still. We are gonna get this off ya, Lass.” His soft words filled her ears, and she nodded her head. A pair of hands grabbed her under her armpits, she realized it was Corporal. Ghost joined Soap at the beam, his skull mask steaming to glow in the dark around them. She didn't have her night vision down, she had forgotten about it as she shot blindly into the night for God knows how long.

“On three.” Ghost’s deep voice said as he hunched down beside Soap, grabbing around the beam with his bone glove hands. “One. Two. Three. Pull!” Both men, tall, broad, muscler, lifted the beam off her legs like it weighed nothing. The Corporal pulled her out from under the beam, a groan spilled from her as the pressure on her legs suddenly disappeared. Her right hand let go of her rifle and reached for her legs as she clenched her eyes shut. The Corporal let her go, and her body slumped to the ground with a thud. She had no desire to hold herself up, the blood was rushing back to her legs, the pain, pins and needles raced down from her hips to her toes.

A loud gasp roared past her lips as a pair of hands found her legs, making her shoot upright. A low toned “easy” came from the man running his hands over her legs, checking for breaks or damage. Gabby watched as Ghost handed her with more softness than she thought possible, but she appreciated it. Soap came around and grabbed her hand, looking down at her with worried eyes.

“It's okay, Melliza, just relax.” She nodded her head at him, growling softly as Ghost’s hand touched a bruise on her right leg above her knee. He threw her a sideways glance, hard to see under his skull mask, but she caught it all the same. She gave a jerked nod of her head, telling him to move on. His hands continued to float over her legs, and all too soon he stood up, looking down at her and Soap.

“Can you stand?” The deep voice filled her ears once again. She nodded her head, and before she realized it, his large gloved hand wrapped around her right hand, Soap on her left, and they pulled her up to her feet. Her legs felt like pins and needles, the blood rushing back to her toes as she pushed them underneath herself. She wobbled slightly, but got the ground under her and stood up straight, giving Ghost a nod. He returned it before going to the windows, looking out towards the treeline. Soap let go of her hand but stayed close as she grabbed her rifle from where it hung off her vest.

“There is movement in the treeline. Soap, Get to the windows and be ready.” Ghost’s deep voice cut through the night, making Soap jump into action. Gabby made her weak and wobbly legs move to the closest window, leaning heavily against the metal as she lined up her rifle. Looking through her scope she watched the tree line, the smoke thick. “If you got a shot, take it.” Ghost told them as his gun rested on the broken window. Gabby gripped her rifle tighter, watching the smoke before Soap’s voice rang out “I got movement!” Followed by his rifle firing.

“Engage!” Ghost yelled. The rest of them let their fingers find their triggers, bullets raining down into the fog and smoke as enemy soldiers dropped with each shot. Gabby kept her hands steady, as her rifle kicked back with each bullet she sent through the night air. Soap was on her left, and Ghost to her right, both firing on anything that moved. The Corporal and the private both fired as well, using the cracks in the haul.

“Fucking bastards won't stay down!” She hissed as she fired another around into another enemy soldier, watching him drop as more ran from the smoke. Soap threw a grenade out the window, letting it take a few AQ soldiers with it as it exploded. Gabby took out three more soldiers with her rifle before she ran out of ammo. “Shit, anyone got more mags?!” She yelled out after realizing she lost her other clip when the helicopter crashed. Ghost reached to a crate that was near him and found some mags in it, chucking one at her before he went back to shooting. She caught it with ease, slamming it into her rifle before returning fire.

“RPG!”

Soap grabbed Gabby at the last second, throwing them both to the floor as the RPG hit right outside of the helicopter. It made her ears ring all over again, as she groaned out in frustration.

“I'm really getting tired of being blown up!” She growled as she let Soap help her back up to her feet. Ghost shook his head as he stood up straight again, rolling his shoulders before gripping his rifle tighter.

“Soap cover the rear!” Ghost yelled as he ducked down, when a bullet went past his head, far too close for comfort. Gabby kept firing, the heat from the fire that burned outside starting to make her sweat slightly. Her legs hurt, her back hurts, her head hurt. It was probably easier to name the parts of her body that didn't hurt at that moment but she pushed them all down, worked through the pain and kept defending the men with her.

“They have grenade launchers!” The Corporal called out as a boom went off right outside the helicopter, making Gabby swear under her breath. These bastards just didn't give up. Throwing her own grenade out the window she saw it's flash as she ducked down, knowing it took out at least a few of the soldiers.

“2-3 is hit! Fuck!”

Whipping her head around she saw the private was slumped against the far wall, his eyes cold and unmoving as blood stained the front of his uniform. It was down to the four of them now in the helicopter. Soap popped up from behind a crate as the gunshots stopped for a moment. Grim and dirt stuck to his uniform as he made his way over to Gabby. She could hear Ghost asking for air support, and talking to them as she slumped against the wall, letting her shoulders take some of the weight off her legs.

“2-3 is gone.” The Corporal said sadly as he gently laid the fallen soldier down, shutting his eyes. Gabby watched, her heart broken over the fact another soul was lost. Ever after all these years, death still wasn't an easy pill to swallow, even when she was the one inflicting it.

“Halo?” Soap's sweet voice called out seeing her so tired.

“I'm fine brother. Just sore.” She said looking up into his baby blues. “Getting shot out of the sky is not how I planned on my day going.” A smile cracked across her lips as she tried to reassure him that she was okay. It was also her way of trying to pull herself out of the dark hole. He patted her shoulder, a slight smile on his lips before Ghost called out saying there was movement in the trees once more. Pushing herself back up she lined up her scope, ready to take out more enemies. Shots began to ring out once more and her rifle began to unload shots.

It felt like a never ending process.

“Air support is 1 minute out.” Ghost spoke up, he had switched with Soap and was now near Gabby. She could smell the pine and smoke scent of him, and see the small lines and cracks that littered his bone mask. She let off another round into the night, hearing the thud of a soldier fall.

“I don't know about you, but I'm getting really fucking fed up with this.” The growl from her was low and threatening, her Southern accent thicker than normal. Ghost sided eyed her, before turning his attention to Soap, who was throwing mags to the others to reload. She could hear Soap and Ghost talking about whether to push forward or fall back and take the house. But Hassan was in front of them, so they needed to push forward in order to take him or kill him.

Everyone was panting, from running back and forth between windows and keeping their heads down while taking shots. The smell of engine fuel and death filled the stale night air, burning her nose as she tried to keep her breathing under control. Just then the sound of trucks pulling up broke their train of thoughts. “Hassan turned AQ into his own personal army!” The Corporal yelled out.

“Cut them down!” Ghost called through the fire fight, taking aim at the tired of the trucks. As they continued to fight to stay alive, holding their ground the sound of a helicopter roared through the air.

“Kilo, you clear hot to hit anything north of our position. Danger close approved. Out.” Ghost yelled into his mic, his tone crips as he barked his orders. Gabby watched as flashes of light, loud booms and screams filled the night air. She had pulled her night vision goggles down some time ago, but turned her head away as the flashes filled the sky, to save her eyes. After a moment of the heli flying around, taking out the enemy trucks and soldiers, the night went quiet.

“Clear!” Soap's voice rang true, making Gabby loosen the white knuckled grip on her rifle slightly. With shaken legs she followed Ghost and Soap, along with the Corporal to the edge of the crash site. More of Ghost's bravo team spilled from the smoke, having come from the last building they had been in before coming to the crash. Ghost began to give orders, asking for a heli to come and get the wounded and dead, making Gabby case one last look over her shoulder into the sparking haul of the helicopter. There she saw the body of Silky, the knife still deep in his stomach, the blood looking like a lake around his silent form. His eyes had been pushed close, his face relaxed. He looked peaceful despite the way he died. She let her eyes linger for a second more, a tear threatening to spill from her lashes.

“Thank you, brother.” She whispered into the breeze, so softly no one else could hear her.

“Let's move!” The order sharp and clear filled her ears, pulling her from the still form and back into the soldier she was. Despite her legs crying out in protest, and the bruises she knew was forming on them, she pushed herself into a sprint, following behind Soap and Ghost as they started through the night to head to the 3rd building. This one was the largest, like a house of some sort.

“Those fuckers used us as bait, didn't they?” The Corporal asked from behind Gabby, making her turn her head slightly to see him.

“They are well supplied and fighting smart.” She answered as she kept up with Soap. Ghost was a good twentie feet or so in front of them, his long legs pushing him faster than the rest.

“Thanks to Hassan.” His English accent broke through the comms, adding to Gabby's statement.

“Aye, looks like you were right, LT.” Grumbled Soap. “You think Hassan is still here?” They ran around broken equipment and an old building that had long ago fallen down, giving very little cover. Gabby ignored the aches in her bones as she pushed herself on. She was seeing this mission through, even if it killed her.

“The heli crash gave them an opening.” Piped up Ghost, “so let's see if they took it.” The sound of rapid gunfire from automatic weapons filled the air, the faint sounds of grenades going off and the flashes of light confirmed the fight ahead of them. They ran in silence for a minute or so, cutting across the sand and brush as they moved forward. A plane went overhead, making them duck slightly as they watched the trail of fire coming from its tail. “Keep them ready, we're moving in.”

Gabby watched as Ghost and Soap both sprang forward, running at full speed through the dark. She let out a groan, knowing full well her legs were going to be screaming at her, but she pushed herself forward, keeping her footfalls light and silent as she darted through the brush, easily catching up to Soap. Gabby was fast on her feet and silent like a shadow. Her athletic and flexible frame allowed her to move with ease, even when injured.

“That's our target, Hassan might be inside!” Ghost called out to all the soldiers through the comms, as they kept sprinting forward. Gabby kept her grip on her rifle light, her feet quick and swift as they moved forward. Then the ground at her foot exploded, dirt flying up into the air.

“Shit!” She cried out before diving to the ground.

“Fuck man down!”

“AQ sniper on the roof, get down!”

Gabby quickly lined up her rifle, aiming for the building in front of them and took the shot. The sniper on the roof fell, dropping to the ground. “Sniper down.” She responded coldly, letting her shoulders relax as she let her scope move along the rooftop, looking for more snipers. Soap wasn't far off, also looking for snipers.

More shots rained down on them, too close for comfort and too accurate. It was making her skin crawl as she tucked herself behind a bush to hide herself better. “AQ has night vision goggles. We are sitting ducks out here!”

Soap muttered something over the mic she couldn't quite pick up, but she ignored him when she saw another snipper dart across the roof of the house and she took aim. She steady her breathing, her hands remained steady. She took a long slow breath and her finger lightly tapped the trigger. The gun fired, and the target dropped. She quickly moved the scope, taking aim at the next sniper and repeated the process. Another kill.

“-Don't level the house!” She heard the tail end of what Ghost was yelling into his comms, and heard the heli moving into range. She stood up as it let loose, firing onto the house and watched as the walls began to crumble. The building still stood, but a hole was blown through it, taking out walls to make a wide entry.

“Thank Christ for air support.” Soap cheered as he took off after Ghost.

“Push up!” Came the command and Gabby took off after the Sergeant and the Lieutenant.

“Hopefully Hassan is still in one piece.”

A dark chuckle came through the comms, making a shiver roll down Gabby's spine. “Several will do.” Ghost spoke, his voice dark and heavy. “Easier to find that way.” Gabby rolled her eyes and pushed past Soap, moving up to flank Ghost. “Lead us in Sergeant.”

Soap smiled wickedly, before ramming the door to the house open and checking the entryway. “Bravo 7-1 moving interior.” Gabby was right behind him, watching his six as they moved from the door into the hallway. There was a yell, followed with a thud to the hardwood floor and a loud boom sounded farther down the hall. Whoever was there dropped their grenade.

“Christ.” Soap hissed before moving forward, avoiding the dead bodies. Gabby followed close behind, making sure he stayed safe as he cleared each room.

Soap was thorough. He made sure each room was clear of weapons and people before moving on. But he was swift. He moved with such precision it looked like a dance. Then it clicked on her mind: Ghost had him lead them in. He made Soap take point, clearing each room on the lower level before others entered the building. Soap was good at cleaning house of all Targets. He had fired upon three x-rays, without even batting an eye. That's how he got his callsign. He was the Soap that cleaned the way for the others to follow.

“Hey Soap.” Whispered Gabby over her comms.

“Hey Halo.” He responded back, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. She rolled her eyes, scuffing at him while smiling.

“Don't be a smartass. I was about to compliment you.”

She saw the flash of a grin on his lips as he made his way to the next room. “Do tell Deary.”

“Don't call me that, it's weird.” She made a sick face and shivered dramatically, making him chuckle quietly. “I understand your callsign now.” She added at the end, after she tapped his shoulder to tell him to move into the neck room.

“Oi, did you now, Lass?” His thick accent held humor to it. He cleared the next room, moving back towards the main door to get to the stairs to go to the 2nd floor. Gabby was about to answer when she saw something out of the corner of her eye catching her attention.

“Go ahead, I'll take the Private and we'll catch up.” Her tone went serious as she moved away from Soap, hearing him call out softly to her before she disappeared around the bend of the room, the Private right behind her, watching her Six. It was dark, there were no lights in this house so how was something shining?

No, something was glowing.

Now her curiosity spiked as she carefully moved forward. Her rifle was at the ready, her breath soft and steady. She moved towards the glowing, blinking light, watching where her feet moved to make sure she didn't hit any traps. Looking around the destroyed room, she nodded to the private. “Look around for anything of use. See what they were doing here.” She told him as she moved closer to the blinking item.

She heard gunshots from above, knowing Ghost and Soap were cleaning upstairs, hopefully finding Hassan. She finally made her way to the blinking object and picked it up. It was a phone of some sort. Or a pager. She wasn't entirely sure. But what made her look harder was the message that hadn't been read yet. A message in Spanish. “Ven a visitarme. Te trasladaremos a ti y a la carga". (Find your way to me. We will move you and the cargo.”

“What the hell?” Muttered Gabby as she quickly pocketed the device and looked around the room more. But besides the desk that the device had been on, there was nothing else there. Had the device been Hassan’s? Who was he contacting, and in Spanish no less. It wasn't adding up. She ran her hand over the chair, feeling the warmth that came off the fabric. Who had been sitting here, sending and receiving messages from a Spanish speaking person. Who was on the run? Hassan? She let out a frustrated sigh as she straightened up to her full height.

“All Bravos, circle up outside.” Ghost’s voice filled her ear piece. Nodding to the private they raced out the side door, following the few soldiers that were also moving from the house to a sidewall at the house.

“What do we got?” She asked once they all met up outside.

“A Warehouse. Rolled up doors open, heard something inside.”

Ghost spoke up, watching for Soap and Gabby to make their ways to the door first before speaking. “Copy. Let's clear it.” Gabby led the way in, Soap right in her Six as they moved forward into the dark warehouse. They moved quickly and quietly before the overhead lights flashed on. Gabby groaned as her night vision goggles blinded her, making her eyes burn. Quickly flipping up her goggles she heard the sound of gunfire.

“Contact!”

She dove, rolling behind a crate and dug in. She leaped up, taking aim and taking down an X-ray, before going back behind the crate. Soap popped up when she went down, firing a few rounds before ducking back behind his own crate. Gabby popped up as he went down, and they repeated this process until all the targets were down.

“We clear?”

“All clear.” Soap answered as he stood up, looking around the warehouse.

“Search it, let's find what they were hiding.” Ghost growled as they all began to move around the building. Gabby and Soap walked towards a shipping container, and Soap popped open the latch letting the doors swing open.

“What the fuck is this!?” Soap yelled, making Gabby and Ghost run into the container behind him.

“It's all in English!” Ghost said in disbelief. Gabby pushed past, flipping one of the switches in the crate. Lights flashed and gears began to whirl. They all backed out of the shipping container and looked up, seeing a missile popping out of the top.

“Holy shit!” Gabby whistled as the mission came to its fill height.

“Steamin’ Jesus.”

“Ballistic missiles.” Ghost added, keeping his eyes on them.

“Those things can go 100 miles.”

“At least.”

“How the hell did Iran get their hands on this?!” Asked Soap in a pissed off tone as he marched around the shipping container, making way to a crate to pull himself up to take a closer look at the missile. Gabby followed, looking at the shipping container and then thinking about the device in her pocket. This was the cargo. Whoever was helping Hassan knew about the missiles. They were going to move them before Gabby and the others showed up.

“7-6, get me through to Laswell.”

“Copy, stand by. Watcher-1 this is Bravo Charlie 7-6. How copy?”

“This is Watcher-1, sent traffic.”

“Laswell this is Ghost. We found something.”

Gabby moved with Ghost and looked up at Soap, who seemed in shock as he stared at the powerful weapon in front of him.

“Ghost… Halo… take a look at this.” He said looking down at them. Gabby stepped back, to get a better look and shined her flashlight up at it, to make whatever was on the missile brighter for all to see. But she didn't expect to see the American flag painted into the side. Her jaw dropped, her fist clenched at her side.

“Navigate, we found a weapons cash. AQ has ballistic missiles.” He paused, looking sideways at Gabby. “Their American.”

Gabby growled, throwing her flashlight at the shipping container with a “Fucking hell!” Spilling from her lips as she slammed her fist against a crate behind her. Soap looked down at her with worry in his eyes, Ghost moved to the side to miss his fist as it went through the wooden crate.

“I repeat, AQ has American missiles.”

Gabby has enough. She turned and walked out of the warehouse, slamming her hand against the wall when she got outside and took a deep breath. How the hell did Hassan get a hold of missiles from her country? How the hell did she miss this? Over a year of searching and digging and killing to try and take down AQ and it's leaders and not once was she told about stolen missiles or that others were in play. Something wasn't adding up in her mind, things seemed all wrong. What else was she missing?

A hand on her shoulder pulled her from her thoughts and she looked up to find the hand belonged to the man in the mask. He didn't say anything, but his eyes showed that he understood her frustration. She pulled herself upright, gripping her rifle with a white knuckled hand. She looked out over the broken and falling down house, the smoke that rose from the still burning wood. “This whole thing just got a hell of a lot more complicated.” She said, looking back at Ghost with fire in her eyes. She was gonna fix this. Even if it killed her.

Chapter Text

Throwing her helmet across the room with a loud cuss, letting it hit the wall with a thud, Gabby yanked her tactical vest off, throwing it onto the sofa in the small temporary officers quarters they were staying in, 2 hours east of Al Mazrah for the night. She has beaten Ghost and Soap back to the living quarters, a nice size room with 4 beds in it, a bathroom, 2 sofas, a kitchenette and a tv. She yanked open her jacket, throwing it onto her vest and let out a sigh as the cool early morning air hit the skin of her arms and neck.

To say she was pissed was an understatement.

“¡Hijo de puta!” She growled, slamming her open hand against the wall making the picture on it rattle. (Son of a bitch). How did American missiles end up in AQ hands? Why didn't Shepard tell her this whole time, while she was trying to take down AQ under his command, what she was looking for? Things didn't add up and it made her angrier. Shaking her head, Gabby leaned it against the cool wall, closing her eyes. Her body screamed, bones and joints begging for a break. She felt like she deserved to feel the pain. She missed this somehow. For a year Shepherd has her looking into, tracking, hunting, killing AQ members alongside Farah Karim a few times when AQ went sniffing in her backyard. So how did she miss this?

Groaning, she pushed off the wall and walked towards her bag, pulling out a change of compression shorts and a tank top, along with underwear and a sports bra. She walked towards the bathroom and kicked the door shut, locking it before throwing her clothes down onto the counter of the sink. She snapped open her belt, popping the buttons of her pants and pushing them down. She slipped them off with her boots, yanking her shirt off and threw it on top of the pants. Slipping off her bra and panties she stepped into the walk in shower and turned the hot water on. Pulling her hair from its long braid she leaned back against the cold tile wall, letting the chill overtake her body.

The only thing on her body was her dog tags, the metal sticking to her sweat covered body. Once the water grew warm she stepped under the spray, letting the droplets pour over her face with a deep sigh. She let her hair get wet before opening her eyes, looking down at the drain as the water swirled before going down the drain. The water was tinted pink, making her cock her head as she watched the pink water move down the white floor.

Blood.

Blood still stuck to her hands, blood on her legs from cuts. It ran down her body, hitting the porcelain floor of the shower before running down the drain. She watched it, her eyes never leaving the trails of cloudy red water that ran down her body.

Letting out a strangled cry, Gabby feverishly washed the blood off her body.

Her blood.

His blood.

Why won't the blood get out from under her nails? Why was his blood sticking to her body like a vice? Tears splattered into the pinkish water, falling down the drain with it as she scrubbed and scrubbed her body till her skin was raw. Only then, once every ounce, every small drop of blood was off her body, did she finally relax and shut the water off. Grabbing her towel she wrapped it around her body and stepped out of the steam, walking to the sink. Her hands fell to the marble and gripped it with white knuckles.

Her PTSD hadn't been this bad in years. She saw death almost every day. Fellow soldiers died around her, she was used to seeing it. Didn't mean she was heartless, she hated losing her men, but she learned how to move on and keep fighting. No, Silky’s death was too close to his. Too personal like his death has been. Her eyes squeezed shut, her arms shaking as she thought back to that night. Back to when Mar-

“No!” She yelled at herself in the mirror. She pushed her wet hair off her face, looking at herself in the glass. A bruise graced her left shoulder, nothing big but still a bruise. She looked down and saw her legs. From her mid thighs to mid calf they were all kinds of red, purple and black bruises with small nicks and dings that had bled. Her eyes were red, a small cut on her right cheek made it look rosy. She looked beaten and battered yet she still stood tall. Scars graced her sun kissed skin, some small and some large. Each one from a different battle she has survived. They danced across her strong and formed body, each with a story to tell. Some that she wished she could forget.

Gabby shook her head and grabbed her clothes, tugging them on with a groan and grunt before smoothing and braiding her hair down her back. Tired eyes looked back at her through the glass of the mirror. Eyes that had seen too much for someone so young. Eyes that knew what death was. Eyes that had seen joy and peace, and war and horror. Eyes of a soldier and a survivor.

With a shake of her head, Gabby grabbed her dirty clothes and boots, unlocking the door and stepping out into the bedroom with a cloud of steam following her.

“Fucking hell Gabby!”

Gabby let out a shriek, dropping her clothes into the floor as she spun around to find Soap sitting in one of the beds. A look of worry was in his eyes, his lips drawn into a thin line as he looked at her legs. “Fuck are you okay?” He asked softly, giving her a look of sympathy.

She shook her finger at him, glaring at him before walking towards his bed to sit down next to him. “Yeah I'm fine, Soap. I've had worse.” She ran her hand over the bruises, feeling the skin and how tight and hot it was. She winced slightly before rolling her head to look at Soap. He raised his eyebrow at her, giving a disapproving look with a shake of his head.

“Let me get you ice or something to help with… That.” He said with a wave of his hand over her legs before standing up, his joints popping in protest. Gabby chuckled at the noise as he shot her a look and took a step towards the door when it opened, Ghost stepping through into the living quarters. He stopped in his tracks upon seeing Gabby and Soap sitting there. Gabby saw something flash across his eyes, not sure what he was thinking behind the skull mask.

“What's the American doing in here?” His gruff accent tickled her soul, like warm whiskey with that after burn. Gabby quirked an eyebrow at him, hearing the tone in his voice. Soap looked back at Gabby before taking a step towards Ghost with a hand out. But Ghost spoke up before he could utter a word. “This is for the 141.”

Gabby stood up and crossed her arms, cocking her hip as she sized him up. He still has on all his gear, but now in the light she could see just how big this shadow really was. He was thick, his muscular frame evident even through the jacket and vest over his upper body, the pants on his legs hugging the thick muscles snuggly. His shoulders were wide, and it was solid the whole way done, his waistline didn't taper off. He was massive, yet moved so silently it was like his feet didn't touch the floor. Meeting his eyes, the skull mask hiding their true color but if she has to guess they were some shade of hazel. Her chocolate brown ones held his gaze as she stared him down.

“Thank you Captain Obvious.” She remarked, the sarcasm laced in her voice, her accent thick. “I'm well aware of what room this is for.” She saw Soap eyeing her from the corner of her vision but she didn't break eye contact with the brute in front of her. He dropped his rifle, pushing it against the table before tugging off his vest and tossing it beside the gun. His eyes never left hers. But when he spoke he voiced it towards Johnny.

“Chasing American tail now, Sergeant?”

Soap's jaw dropped, his hands flying up into the air in a surrender-like pose as he looked back at Gabby. Her eyes went hard, eyeing Ghost as if he was a snake in the sand. “Excuse you?” The words hissed form her lips as she took four steps forward to stand in front of Soap. “Watch your mouth Lieutenant.”

He eyed her, his gaze lingering on the hellish bruising on her legs before finding her eyes once more. “Then why are you here?”

“I belong here. I'm the newest member of TF141.” Gabby held her ground, seeing shock cross his eyes.

“No.”

“No?”

“No. Price would have told me about a new member… a female American member at that. I'm his second, he would have told me.”

“Mate, you were on a stealth mission… he couldn't radio you anything.” Soap joined in, trying to diffuse the situation. Gabby saw his eyes flicker to Soap, mauling his words around. She could see his jaw moving under the mask, like he was rotating his jaw, or grinding his teeth. His muscles were tight and rigid, his fingers flexing under his bone print gloves. “Come on, LT.” Soap tried to reason with him but Ghost was having none of it.

“You were fine with me in the field. So what is different now? What do you have against me on this team?” Gabby piped up. Ghost took a step forward and glared at her.

“I won't have you distracting this team.” He growled, deadly, like a dog on the prowl. “Put some damn clothes on.” He added, as his eyes ran over her body, looking at her long legs, the exposed skin of her arms and chest that her tank top didn't cover.

“Watch your tone with me, soldier.” She jabbed a finger into the solid flesh of his chest, her tone dark and lethal. She held her ground against him, not backing down as he pushed into her personal space.

“And why is that?”

“I outrank you. So stand down.” Hissed Gabby through clenched teeth. Ghost took a step back like he had been slapped in the face, his eyes dark under his mask. “I am a 1st Lieutenant. You are a 2nd Lieutenant. By Military standards I outrank you.” Gabby added, putting more salt to the wound.

You could hear a pin drop, the room went deathly quiet. Nobody made a sound. Soap eyed the two, trying to figure out how to diffuse the tension in the air. It was so thick you could cut it with a knife. To which he had no doubt Ghost would like to do to the women standing in front of him right now.

“So you are what, my replacement?” The growl ran straight through her, but she didn't flinch. She held her ground. Crossing her arms Gabby stared down the soldier of death as if it was nothing. It pissed him off.

“Let's get one thing straight. I was asked for, by name, to join this team. I'm not here to take your roll. I'm here because my abilities on and off the field were something Price deemed worthy of a role in his team.” Gabby answered, her voice crisp and tight. “You don't need to be my friend, hell you don't need to like me. But I'll be damned if you don't respect me and show me the same loyalty you show the others.”

Pausing for a few seconds, to take a breath and find her words she continued on, “I respect you have three or four years more military experience then I do, and you have been on more missions then I have. I respect the name you have made for yourself and the battlefield knowledge you have. But one thing you need to get in that thick ass skull of yours, is I worked my ass off, not fucked my way, but worked, hard, to get my rank and my reputation.” Slamming her finger into his chest, pushing her body against his so her face was only inches from his, as she growled the last part, “You and I are equals in this unit. When it comes down to it, you and I are the same. So like it or not, I am 141 now. Get used to it.”

Gabby kept herself against him, holding her ground. Up close she could see his eyes were in fact hazel, with flecks of blue and green in the golden of his eyes. He smelled like gunpowder and sweat, with a slight pine mixed in. His muscles rippled under her touch, but she didn't back down. Had it been a different situation she may have enjoyed the feeling of the solid mass under her hand, and the way it flexed and twitched under her touch.

They stood there like that for what felt like forever before Ghost spoke up. “Hmm, tougher than you look, Brown Eyes.” Was all he said, though his tone sounded like he had a smirk on his lips as he spoke. Without another word he stepped away from Gabby, who stood there stunned, as he made his way to the bathroom, letting the door fall shut with a click. Gabby and Soap both stood there in silence, staring at the door that Ghost had disappeared behind.

“The fuck just happened?” Soap inquired as he put his hands on his hips. Gabby just shook her head, unsure how it went from such a hostile and tense encounter, to all the sudden he was complimenting her. It felt like whiplash. Groaning, she made her way to her bed and flipped down onto it face first.

“I'm too tired to care, Soap. Go to sleep.” muttered Gabby as she let the exhaustion overtake her body. She forget about her pain, and sore aching bones while she was standing up to Ghost, but the second her body touched the soft mattress, it all came rushing back. Sleep knocked on her front door, begging to be let in as she pulled the blanket up over her body.

“Yes ma'am.” Was the last thing she heard before drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

•••••••••••••••••

Late that evening the three soldiers hopped off the C-17 and walked into their home base in England. Gabby and Ghost hadn't spoken a word to each other since that 2 am standoff after the mission. Soap did everything he could to keep the peace, poor thing stuck between his two friends. He ended up sticking closer to Gabby, trying to make sure she kept ice and pain meds going so her legs didn't end up hurting worse then they already did. And she appreciated his dotting, but it began to get suffocating. He was like a shadow that wouldn't go away when then the sun disappeared. He was always just there.

Flipping the lights on in the living room/ kitchen, Gabby tossed her bags into the floor next to the hallway. Walking to the freezer she looked through the frozen meals she had made before the mission.

“Johnny, how does enchiladas sound for dinner?” she called over her shoulder.

“Aye Bonnie, sounds good!” His voice carried down the hallways from his room. Gabby smiled before pulling out the frozen food and sitting them into a pan to put into the oven to heat up. She then found some frozen veggies and put them in a pot to warm up as well. Once she got the food going she grabbed her stuff from the floor and made her way down the hall to her bedroom. She passed Price's room, the door shut. She kept walking and passed the 2nd door, to find it open. Letting her curiosity take over she peeked through the open door and saw bags sitting at the door of the bed.

Ghost.

So that was his room. So they shared a wall. Great. She huffed and moved to her door, shouldering it open before flipping on the light switch. She tossed her gear into her chair in the corner, rolling her head to let her shoulder muscles pop. Everything was sore 24 hours later. She felt like she got hit by a truck. Well, getting blown up in a helicopter felt the same in a way. She huffed a laugh, changing into a pair of gray and black leggings. She threw a purple T-shirt over the top of her sports bra and put her hair up into a messy bun. Staying barefoot she moved silently from her room down the hall, and back into the kitchen to check on the food.

“Mexican?” the rough English accent spoke from behind, making her body twitch slightly before turning around.

“Me or the food?” Gabby landed back against the counter, her hip digging into the overlap but she ignored it. She crossed her arms and relaxed her posture, showing she wasn't threatening. Ghost stepped closer, watching her before reaching into the cabinet to her left, grabbing a mug from it before stepping up to the stove. She watched as he grabbed the kettle off the stovetop and moved to the sink, right across from where she was resting against the island. Once he filled the kettle and placed it back onto the stovetop, did he turn around and answer her.

“Both.” He copied her posture, leaning back against the sink, his arms crossed over his broad chest. His thin black long sleeve struggled against the bulge of his muscles, the sleeves rolled up an inch or so up his arms, the edge of a sleeve tattoo peaking out of the fabric.

“"No tengo miedo de los fantasmas ni de las sombras". (I'm not afraid of Ghosts and Shadows.) She spoke softly, holding his gaze. “And yes, dinner is Mexican.” She added with a snarky tone, before pushing off the countertop and walking towards the living room part of the common room. She picked up the blankets and pillows that had been discarded to the floor when Soap and Gabby had been called to the mission. She put them back in their places on the sofa, making sure everything was picked up before turning back to look into the kitchen.

Ghost was gone, his mug missing from the countertop as well. “Hmm, just like his name.” She chuckled before walking to the cupboards to get out dishes for dinner. She set the table for three, and had just finished when Soap came around the corner.

“Might as well put his plate and stuff on the sink for him to use when he wishes. Ghost doesn't eat with others around. He'll eat in his room.” He informed her, as he grabbed his glass and got out a teabag, using the still hot water in the kettle to make some tea.

Gabby quirked an eyebrow up, unsure of what to do with this information. Did that mean no one on the team knew what he looked like under the mask? He never took it off around the base, in front of the team? It felt strange to her, to think that probably no one, but maybe Price, had seen the man under the mask, scars and all. Was he that untrusting or was it something else that kept him hidden under the skull?

“Fair enough. I'll have his dish ready so he can come eat when he chooses.” She picked up the plate and silverware and placed it on the counter by the stove. She checked on the food, seeing if it was warm enough before making herself some coffee. Caffeine didn't affect her anymore, too many times drinking it cup after cup to try and stay away her body just learned how to filter it and go to sleep minutes later. She mostly drank it for the taste and the creamer flavorings now.

Looking up she saw Soap scrunch his nose up, a judgmental look in his eyes as he spied her concoction. “Oi, Lassy, how can you drink that at half past seven?”

“It's 7:30, and I could drink this and go to sleep five minutes later if I wanted to.”

“Half past, and that's way too much creamer. Plus all those flavors you use, what's the point of the coffee if you can't taste it?”

“Fucking Brits.” She muttered into her cup, eyeing him over the rim.

“Don't insult me. I'm Scottish.” He grumbled, making her smile behind her mug. The timer went off in the background, making her look away from Johnny as she got the food out of the oven. She nodded for him to bring his plate, and she scooped up some food, filling the dish before sending him back to the table to eat. She filled her own plate then, sitting it down on the table but before she pulled out her chair to sit down to eat, her eyes fell to the plate on the sink. She saw Johnny looking up at her questioningly from his seat, before she moved back towards the sink.

Ghost might not like her, and she was fine if they never became friends. But she didn't have it in her to be hateful. The man deserved to eat a hot meal. Filling the plate and grabbing a cup of water, she walked down the hallway to his door and thumped her foot against it. She heard footsteps behind the door, and something like a groan. The door opened a few seconds later, a surprised looking Ghost on the other side. He looked down at her through a lower skull print balaclava over his face. The black eye paint still around his golden hazel eyes, but a bit more skin showing then when he wore the skull mask.

Clearing her throat Gabby held up the glass and the plate, her eyes never leaving his. “You should eat it while it's hot.” She simply said. He looked down at the food and then back at her eyes before taking the plate and the cup, giving her a grunt before turning and shouldering the door shut.
She stood there for a second, surprised yet not really surprised with his response.

“Okay… you're welcome I guess.” She grumbled to herself before making her way back out to the common room to enjoy her dinner with Soap.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
Panic.

Soldiers were trained to not feel panic, yet that human response was not something you could just get rid of. Pushing further to the exit, trying to keep the people they saved alive, sweat dripped down their noses. Terrorists were hidden all over this building, smoke thick in the air making it hard to see. It was a death sentence in the making.

“Keep pushing. We have to get these people out of here.” Gabby said as she came up the rear of the pack. Marsh was leading, trying to find their way through the maze of hallways that they seemed to have lost themselves in.

“I know Princess.” Marsh answered, his deep voice straining as the heat from all the fires started to get to him. Gabby ignored the sweat dripping from her eyelashes and nose, knowing she couldn't let go of her gun to wipe it away. Four people were between her and Marsh, four people who depend on them to save them from this hostage situation. The fires continued to rage throughout the building, the smoke thick and heavy as they kept pushing on.

“Fuck, Marsh did you hear that?” Gabby called out, hearing a low rumble. They all stopped, looking around to find the sound but the smoke was too thick.

“Elle, take point.” His deep voice rang out, his green eyes glowing in the thick haze. She followed his order, swiping places with him but unsure why. But she didn't argue with him. She never did. Marsh always protected her and she knew better than to question his judgement. Once she was in the lead she started off again, trying to find her way through this maze of halls and smoke. The rumbling grew louder, the fires growing bigger and hotter behind the doors and windows. The floor beneath her feet began to shake slightly and she looked down in confusion. That's when it hit her.

“Oh my God, the building is gonna give out! Run for it!”

The six of them took off running, Gabby and Marsh’s guns still at the ready but moved swiftly through the building trying to escape the fires that raged below their feet. “Keep moving!” Marsh cried out, sparring Gabby to run faster, the four hostages keeping pace. The air got hotter, the building groaning and creaking around them. This isn't how they planned on dying. As they rounded the corner, a large crack broke the floor, the smoke and fire walking from the break as if hell itself opened up below them.

“Holy shit! Oh my God!” Gabby screamed as she came to a stop. The smoke swirled and the door to their freedom was at the end of the hall, 300 feet away. “Jump!” she yelled at the hostages as they all ran, cleaning the 8 foot gap in the floor. She then followed, landing on the other side as a loud crack filled the air. The ceiling began to split above them, parts of metal and wood falling into the burning hole below.

“Jump Marsh!” She called out. “I'll catch you!” Seeing the hole growing larger. She saw his green flicker before he took the leap, his body sailing over the flames below. His feet smacked against the floor near her feet, but as he touched down, the ceiling broke again, and Marsh pushed Gabby backwards, as parts of metal and wood fell onto him. The Sergeant slipped, a piece of metal slamming into his ribs making him tilt backwards, his feet slipping.

“No!” Gabby jumped forward, grabbing his arms as he fell into the pit, screaming out as she slammed down onto her belly holding onto his arms for dear life. “Come on, come on!” She cried, trying to pull the bigger man to safety. She looked down, seeing the large red stain on his uniform, the chuck of metal still lodged between his ribs. Tears spilled down her face as she tried her hardest to pull him back to his feet.

“Elle, Elle listen to me.” His husky voice croaked out. But she didn't listen, still straining to pull him up and over the lip of the broken floor. “Princess, please.”

Gabby let out a sob, her grip on his slipping. She tried to pull him harder, but she slipped and her arm caught on a chuck of broken floor, slicing her open 3 inches above her wrist, the gash jagged and deep. She cried out, her hold on him loosening as the pain overtook her.

“Elle you have to let me go.”

“No! I'm not losing you!”

His green eyes, dulling from the blood loss, looked up at her, his fingers slipping from her arm. “Princess, we both know I'm not walking away from this. You have to let me go.” His voice was shaken, his eyes pleading with her. “It's okay.” He whispered before letting go, her grip on him slipping all the more now that his hands weren't holding onto her. Another shake of the building pulled him from her grip, falling into the fire below.

“Marsh! No, Marshall please, no!” She screamed as she watched his green eyes disappear into the blaze.

“NO!” Gabby screamed as she shot upright, sweat dripping down her face. Her shirt was soaked with sweat. Her body was shaking, her breath rugged and fast as she racked her hands through her hair. She glanced down at the scar, 3 inches long and jagged, a reminder of the past. Gabby let out a shaken breath, pushing her covers off her legs and walked through the dark to her dresser. Grabbing a pair of compression shorts and a red sports bar she slipped them on, grabbing her phone and slides before silently making her way out of her room.

If she couldn't sleep she could go to the gym and burn off the remaining energy of the nightmare. She opened her door, peeking out to see if the other doors where still closed and when she saw the hall was in fact empty, she moved like a shadow through the halls and threw the common room before down the other hall to the hanger. Making her way to the stairs outside the main door and walked up them to the gym. The emergency lights were still on, casting a faint glow throughout the large room, so she left it like that, not turning on the main lights.

Walking to the side wall she grabbed the AUX cord and plugged her phone in. She pulled up her Spotify and hit a song, letting the music fill the dimly lit space. There were windows along the far wall that looked over the base. They were one way, so you could see out but not into the room. The music begins to play as she leaned against the widow, looking out over the dark base before letting her mind sure down, and the beat take control. She began to spin, twist, jump, leap and kick, her feet never making a sound as she moved around the floor, dancing among the lights and shadows. Her hair was loose, as she flew through the air. Her mind was shut down as her body moved, taking her to and from, telling a story of pain and survival. She moved with grace, it was unearthly. She moved like an angel, the shadows were her home as she moved about.

The song came to an end, her breath rapid and fast as she leaned against the windowsill, her hair falling around her face as she let the cool glass touch her forehead. Her body hummed, the adrenaline running through her veins. She felt alive, free when she danced. A way to let her mind stop being a soldier for a moment.

A shiver ran down her spine and she raised her head to look into the glass of the window, seeing nothing but darkness. “Staring is rude.” She called over her shoulder, pushing her hair off her face as she turned around, staring into the shadows. She watched the darkness for a few seconds before the shadows began to move, revealing a figure.

Ghost.

“How did you know I was there?” He asked roughly, the sleep still in his voice. She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest feeling exposed to his gaze in her short shorts and sports bra. Her scars, her tattoo, her history, her soul felt on display under his gaze. He moved silently, like his namesake, his gave unwavering.

“The shadows are my friends too.” She simply answered, moving to the wall where her phone was sitting on the table. She forgot her water bottle, she realized. She groaned, wishing she had a drink after that. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath, trying to claim her breathing down, licking her lips to wet them. “Did I wake you?” She asked softly over her shoulder.

“No, I don't sleep much.” His voice was softer than she had heard it. A water bottle appeared beside her face, making her blink at it in surprise. She noticed his gloves were off, the black ink from his wrist up to the rolled up sleeve of his shirt below his elbow exposed. His skin wasn't tanned, but he wasn't pale either. His hands looked rough, small scars on his knuckles dotting the skin. Taking the bottle from his hand she nodded her thanks before taking a sip.

“Nightmares?”

“Yeah. PTSD is a bitch.”

“Hmmm.” Ghost running his chin through the mask, crossing his arms over his chest. “The Sergeant’s death.” He said more as a statement than a question, but she nodded her head anyways. She rubbed the scar on her left arm, the one from that night. And for a second instead of golden hazel eyes looking at her she saw green ones. She felt the breath catch in her throat for a split second, tearing her gaze away from Ghost’s. She felt too exposed.

“It felt so familiar to a teammate I lost a whole back. My mind just had a hard time with it once we got back.” She looked back up at him, her gaze turning hard as she pulled herself up to her full height. “I can handle my PTSD on the field, it won't affect me, you saw that. Something I'm sure you learned how to do the same as me.”

Ghost stepped up, his gaze never leaving hers as his eyes looked her over. His hand raised, making her look down at it as it moved towards her body. His fingers, so feather like she barely felt it, but her skin ripped under the touch, traced over her rib tattoo. His gaze found it, tracing the letters with his eyes and his fingers. She wanted to question him, but the words died in her lips.

“What does it mean?” He asked as he read the Spanish letters. His voice was so soft, nothing like how he spoke to her 24 hours ago. Gone was the soldier, before her stood a man.

She licked her lips, finding her voice before speaking. “An angel’s heart with a warrior's spirit.” it came out as a whisper, her eyes meeting his as he pulled his hand back. Gabby's skin pricked with goosebumps, unsure of what to do or say. He hummed, nodding his head before stepping away from her.

“It's fitting, Brown Eyes.” Was all he said before he disappeared into the shadows, silent as a ghost as the darkness swallowed him whole. Gabby let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, her mind racing as she double over, her hands on her knees as she tried to figure out what the fuck has just happened.

Standing up straight she grabbed her phone and the bottle of water, walking towards the door. She made her way down the steps and through the hanger bay to the common room door and pushed it open and closing it behind her with her foot. Making her way through the living room she went down the hall to her room, seeing Ghost’s door closed. She walked past it, going through her open door before letting it shut quietly. She made her way to her bathroom, flipping the light on and letting her eyes adjust. She pulled off her sweaty clothes, throwing them to the floor before turning the shower on. Her body had a thin layer of sweat over it and she let the hot water wash it off.

As the warm spray soothed her worn body, a realization hit her. Ghost has heard her scream out into the night as she woke up from her nightmare. He has heard how bad the dream has been and chose to come find her. To check on her. So what changed from the night in the room at the base, to now? Why has he gone from hard and angry about her being in the team to suddenly caring about her when a dream pulled her from her sleep? It was like a case of whiplash and she wasn't sure how she felt about it.

Chapter Text

It had all been a dream.

At least that's what she kept telling herself before the ache in her joints and the pain in her legs told her otherwise. No, the past 40 hours had really happened. The mission had been a bust up to the point when they found the weapons cache and took the missile offline. At least that could be counted as a win. Gabby rolled over to lay on her back, the sun trying to come through the blinds in her window, meaning it had to be close to lunchtime.

But her mind needed to run through the mission, figure out what happened and what was next. That's how she dealt with it. She was a military mercenary for a reason. She became what she was because of her mind working quickly to figure out the missing pieces. She laid there, hair spread out across her pillow, her eyes staring at the ceiling as she ran through the mission again. There has to be something they missed.

A knock on her door broke her thoughts, making her roll her head to the side to stare at it. “Oi, Lass, are you alive in there?” Johnny's voice was muffled by the door, but his concern could be heard.

“No, I died. Leave me to decompose in peace.” Gabby sarcastically yelled back, chuckling softly to herself. She heard his bark of laughter before the door handle turned and Soap let himself in. She scrunched her nose up at him, hissing softly as he slammed the door shut. “The fuck you baboon. Ever hear of knocking?”

Johnny gave her a shit eating grin before jumping through the air, landing on his stomach on the bed beside her. “I did, you answered, I came in. That's how a door works.” He poked her cheek with his finger, making her swat his hand away with a laugh. He smiled brightly at her, folding his hands under his head as he got more comfortable. “And for the record, I have a great ass, but it ain't red like a baboon’s. Mine's nicer.”

Gabby smiled at him before poking him in the ribs, making him growl at her but the smile never left his face. The two of them laid there in silence for a few months, Soap with his eyes closed, his breathing soft and steady, Gabby looking up at the ceiling with her hands behind her head. She was still under the blanket but Soap was on top of it. It was peaceful and soothing to her soul.

A soft snore came from Soap's now sleeping form, making her chuckle softly. That man could fall asleep standing upright in a warzone if he wanted to. She heard a ding coming from somewhere in her room, making her browns scrunch together. What in the world could have that been? She looked around from her place on the bed, picking up her phone but no new messages waited for her. She looked around more, trying to find where the sound had come from until her eyes landed on her uniform which was draped across the chair.

The wheels in her mind began to turn, so she slowly kicked off her blankets so she didn't disturb Soap, and made her way over to the jacket. Gabby picked it up and felt around, reaching into the lower left side pocket and her fingers brushed plastic. Gripping it, Gabby pulled out the device she had found back at the safehouse. She stared at it for a moment, processing it. It was some sort of phone like a padger. The screen blinked, showing a new notification. She tapped the screen and the chat box popped up with 2 words: “Ámsterdam. Comprometida.” (Amsterdam. Compromised)

“What the hell does Amsterdam have to do with anything?” Mused Gabby to herself, looking down at the screen. She wanted it to make sense but her mind wasn't sure what this meant.

“Amsterdam?” A groggy voice spoke from behind. She turned her head to see Soap, sitting up rubbing his knuckles into his eye as a yawn pulled from his lips. Gabby waved the device in the air, showing the Sergeant what she had. She saw his eyes narrow, trying to make out what it was. “Where'd ya find ‘hat, Lass?”

“Pulled it from the safe house. Forgot it was in my pocket till it made a noise. Someone was talking to Hassan or,” she gave a pointed look, “someone in the house, and was telling them that a shipment we found could be moved. Plus whomever they were talking to at the time we, ya know, blew up their house.” She cracked a small smile seeing his on his lips. He got up and grabbed the device, looking it over before he saw the two messages she had read in Spanish.

Pointing down at the text, he gave her a confused look. “They were communicating in Spanish?” He handed the device back to her, shoving his hands into his back jeans pockets.

“Si, that's how I knew what was on here. But the other messages I can't access. But if I had somewhere I could hook it up to a server, and crack into it, I could find out more of what or who Hassan was dealing with.”

“What about Price’s office?”

Gabby looked up at Soap, her eyes wide as she shook the device at his face. “That could work! He has gear like that?” Soap shrugged, holding out his hand towards her door and nodded towards it.

“We have the debrief room, but anything that needs to stay hush hush Price does in his office. Only on-site personnel, like us,” he said with a finger going between the two of them, “and Laswell knows about his office. He's got all the fun toys in there.” He said with a dirty wink at the end, making her choke on a laugh as she smacked his arm, hard. Soap yelped out, glaring down at her before smiling. “Evil woman.” He chuckled before leading her out through the common room.

They made their way out into the hanger bay and turned left, going towards the office she had seen on her first day.

“That's Price's office? I thought that was for the flight crew and stuff.”

Soap smirked back at her before stepping through the door and heading towards the back wall, which was facing away from any windows. There she saw a door for the first time. “That's his office. It's technically under the gym. Plus it's sound proof, so it makes it a great place to keep an ‘unknown’ office at.”

Soap fished out a key from his pocket and unlocked the door, letting it swing open before flipping a light switch on. There was a desk in the far corner with a chair and all kinds of papers and computers. In the center of the room was a long narrow table with chairs on either side. At the end of the table was a projector and screen. A small counter with a coffee pot and a microwave, and a sink was on the other wall, as well as a Mini fridge. There were no windows in the room.

“I thought we had a debrief room?” Gabby asked in awe as she stepped through the door.

“Aye, there is. But this is for the ‘off the books’ missions that people can't know about. Plus all the case sensitive paperwork and files are in here. We each have a key to this room. Stays in a passcode lockbox in the living room.” He folded his arms and leaned back against the wall, watching Gabby make her way towards the desk. “This should help you find out whatever you need to.”

Turning around to give him a big grin she reached up and hugged Soap, catching him by surprise before he hugged her back with a chuckle. After a pat to her back, Gabby let him go, rushing over to Price's desk and turning on the computers and servers. Onces they were up and running she found some cords that would plug into the device, and the server so she could start running codes through to hopefully find the missing messages.

Soap leaned over the back of her chair watching with interest as her fingers flew over the keys on the keyboard, typing codes. She would hit some buttons that would pop up, darting to the other screen to make sure the download was still working before feeding more codes into the system.

“How do you know how to do all this?”

Gabby smiled as she kept typing away, never looking up from her screens. “Perks of being trained by the CIA. Laswell actually showed me some of this, and then a team that I sometimes rolled with also had a hacker on the team. I picked up a lot over the years.”

She kept typing until a red bar popped up, making her slam her fist into the desk. She tried to look through some of the drawers, and shuffled through some papers to try and find what she needed but to no avail.

“What are you looking for?” Johnny asked as he took a step back to give her more room.

“I need an override code for the server. It won't let me download or access the data on the device until I have a command override code. It's to protect the system from malware. But I can't find Price's codes.” She huffed as she slumped back down into her seat, staring at the screen that was mocking her. Soap rubbed his chin, looking around the room. He knew Price had codes for different things, hell he had seen him use them from time to time. But nothing Soap had ever needed to upload or access needed a command override before. He could just use simple codes Price made sure they all knew to access what was needed.

“What about Ghost?” He finally said, an idea sparking in his mind.

“What about him?”

Soap rolled his eyes, putting his hands on his hips. “Ghost is the second in command.” He pointed out, but said no more. He just stared at Gabby as if she would read the rest of his thoughts in his mind. She just stared at him, shrugging her shoulders and waving a hand towards him.

“Andddd your point being?”

“Oi, for the love of…” Soap pinched the bridge of his nose as he sighed. “Ghost probably has command codes. Price probably only ever gave them to him.”

Gabby stared at him for a second, before throwing her head back in frustration. “Say nothing MacTavish. I was blown up, twice, in one night and trapped under a helo. I'm allowed to have a blonde moment.”

Soap just shook his head, an airy chuckle sounding from him. He walked towards the door with a ‘be right back’ thrown over his shoulder before it shut with a click. Gabby waved him off, typing away on the second computer, to try and work up an algorithm to decrypt anything that might be on the device. If the other messages had been hidden or deleted, they had probably been scrambled to hide their meanings had they been found. She picked up her phone and shot off a text to Farah, who had been working with her on and off to track AQ, to see if she had any new leads or information on the group. Maybe she had heard something on the grapevine about a Spanish partner of AQ.

Her eyes flicked upwards over the tops of the computers as the door swung open, revealing Ghost and Soap. They both walked through, before Soap closed the door as Ghost kept approaching the desk. Gabby stood up, nodding to the screens before Ghost took her seat, looking over what she had already programmed and prepped, before nodding his head in approval. He then typed away on the keyboard, inputting his own codes that soon had the screen flashing green.

“Fuck yes!” Gabby yelled, tapping her fits on the back of his chair enthusiastically, a wide smile on her face.

“This what you needed?” He asked, his deep rasp cutting through the room. She could see a flash of humor cross his eyes, even though his body didn't give anything away. She nodded her head up and down quickly, a big smile on her lips as she bit her bottom lip. She bounced from foot to foot, waiting for him to remove himself from the chair so she could get into her hacking.

Soap looked on from the other side of the desk with amusement. “Excited much, ya Bonnie?” His eyes sparked with humor, the tip of his head only fueling her excitement. Once she was in the chair, Ghost now behind her watching over her shoulder did she speak.

“¡Sí, sí! ¡Estoy muy emocionado!” She sing-songed as she began to type her codes. (Yes, yes! I'm very excited!).

“English, Knocks.” Ghost huffed from behind her, making her roll her eyes.

“I really need to teach y'all Spanish.” She snapped back under her breath as she clicked on the mouse a few times to send the codes through. “Let me translate for ya. I'm very excited. I haven't been able to hack into anything in a few months.” Gabby's eyes never left the screen as the decryption code loaded across the screen. The green bar moved across the screen, applying the access codes and command override to crack through and start a file upload. Gabby kept her eyes on the bar, holding her breath that it would work. It had to work. If nothing panned out on Laswell, Price and Gaz’s end, this could be their only lead.

A small chime went off from the screen, the green download bar at 100%. Gabby tapped her forefingers on the desk, a huge smile on her face. “Jackpot boys! Now I can start breaking these, seeing what I can find. It's one step closer.” She told them. Gabby looked up to meet Soap's eyes, a smile on his full lips as he nodded his head. She then turned to face Ghost, his eyes soft, yet unreadable. She tilted her head slightly to take him in, his looming figure still managing to find the shadows of the room.

“Good work.” Was all he said with a tip of his head before letting his arms fall to his side as he took long strides out of the room. Gabby watched his tall, thick figure move silently towards the door, before it disappeared through the door frame. She waited till the door clicked shut before pulling her eyes away as she began to shuffle through files.

“Is he always like that?” She asked Soap after a few moments of silence.

“Like what?”

Gabby shrugged, waving a hand through the air but never looking away from the computer screens. “Nice one moment, cold the next, and then somewhere in the middle the next. It's like whiplash with his moods.” She added some new codes, breaking through a firewall that led her deeper into some files. She heard Soap shuffling, looking up to see him leaning back against the table in the middle of the room. He had his arms crossed over his chest, his ankles crossed as well.

“Normally no. To most people he is just a straight out asshole. To those on the team he is pretty chill, laid back at times.” Soap looked towards the door Ghost had disappeared through. “But this hot and cold act, saying some of the things he has, no that's not normal.”

Gabby smiled, rolling her eyes as she looked Soap in the eyes. “I must bring out the best in people then. You know, winning personality and all.” She said with a wink making Johnny huff a chuckle in response. Johnny stayed quiet for a bit, letting Gabby work her magic on the computers, just leaning back against the table letting his thoughts swirl around in his mind. It felt odd to him that Ghost was so willing to work with her on the mission, but then flipped out when he found out she was part of the 141. Then since they got back, it had been hot and cold for Ghost. One minute he seems perfectly fine with Gabby being around, and then the next moment he sees Ghost staring daggers through the back of her skull. He couldn't get a read on what his Lieutenant was thinking behind that mask.

“I can hear how hard you are thinking. Your brain is gonna explode at this rate.”

Johnny laughed, a real laugh, sitting back more onto the table as he shook his head, his mohawk swaying slightly. “Demolition expert remember? I'll just defuse that bomb.” He joked, watching her smile as she kept sifting through the Intel.

Gabby looked up, giving him a soft smile. “This is going to take me a while to decrypt and sort through. You might as well find something to keep your mind busy.” Soap nodded and pushed off from the table, walking out of the door letting it shut with a click. Gabby went back to typing away, working through some of the files that were being decrypted. Her phone dinged, seeing Farah had texted.

Farah: *Hello sister. I'm afraid at the moment there is no new information regarding weapons transfers from AQ that we have been able to get a hold of.*

Gabby groaned in frustration, hoping that she had something that could help.

Gabrielle: *Has AQ been moving more throughout Urzikstani? Is there anything there that could point to them needing warehouse space?*

Farah: *there has been movement, but it's nothing that could help you. I'm sorry my friend, but I just don't have anything right now.*

Gabrielle: *thanks anyways. Keep me posted on events over there, yeah?*

Farah: *of course.*

Gabby tossed her phone onto the desk, going back to reading through some of the files. This wasn't just a pager, it was in fact a phone and it had all kinds of files on it, but they were a mess that she had to work through. Her eyes darted between the two screens, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she worked through the information. Whoever had this device, backlogged all kinds of files to it before they had blown up the safehouse. The only thing is she couldn't figure out who the owner of the phone was. Gabby sighed, kept ticking away at the files, working her hacking magic to decrypt the mess that was left behind for her to find.

Gabby worked on this for hours. Johnny had brought her food and a Gatorade, promising to check up on her in a bit. She ate while she worked, her eyes never leaving the screen. She had found weapons logs, shipping manifest, even some names, but things that pointed to a target or the missiles, or who Hassan was working with. Groaning, she leaned back into the computer chair, rubbing the heels of her hands into her eyes. Her back was stiff, her legs having lost feeling hours ago from sitting for so long. There was so much crap to decrypt from Iranian and Spanish to English. Things got lost in translation. Then she had to go back through and try and find the missing pieces.

Time seemed to stand still in the office. Without windows she had no clue what time it was. She only saw the words on the screens. Gabby glanced down at her phone, as it lit up on the desk. Hudson's name popped up, making her smile softly.

“Hello?” She answered the facetime call.

“Hey sis. Thought I'd check in, see how England is treating you.” His smiling face filled the phone screen. She watched as he leaned forward, his eyebrows scrunched together as he took in her image. “Hells Gabby, what happened to your face?”

Out of reflex she reached up to her cheek, touching the cut that was still red and sore. She flinched, dropping her hand as she leaned back against her chair. “We went out on a mission. I got blown up in a Heli. Fun times.” She said so unbothered. She saw his eyes grow wide, taking in what she said.

“Fucking hell, ¿Tienes algún deseo de morir?” (Do you have a death wish?) He snapped, running a hand down his face. She only smiled at him, shrugging her shoulders. Gabby felt her mind beginning to clear, the claim she felt seeing her brother filling her soul.

“Ya sabes cómo es este trabajo, hermanito.” (You know how it is with this job, little brother.) Gabby said softly. Her eyes flickered to the computer screens, the files still mocking her making her scowl. She turned her chair away from the screens, focusing on Hudson on the other end of her phone. “Are you back home? That doesn't look like the base walls.”

“Yeah we got some time off. Came home to see Maddy.”

“That's good, how is she doing?”

Hudson smiled, his eyes growing soft as he thought about his fiance. “She's good. She passed her med exam. One more test and she'll be a full on L&D nurse. I'm really proud of the work she is putting into this career.” Gabby nodded her head, watching the pure love and pride on her brother's face as he talked about Maddy. She knew Maddy was good for him, understood his job and the lifestyle. She always had his back. She kept Hudson in check. She was happy he found someone so rare like that.

“Let me know when she graduates. If I can get the time off, I'll come back to Texas and celebrate with y'all.”

“We'd love that.” Hudson smiled fondly. Gabby leaned back in her chair, looking towards the screens that were still running codes to try and break down the information. “You're working on something?” His voice pulled her back to look at her phone.

“Si, the safehouse we hit, I found an encrypted phone-pager thing. I'm trying to hack it to find more information. AQ was communicating with someone in Spanish, so reading the stuff once I break it won't be a problem, it's trying to actually decode and decrypt this shit.” Gabby ran a hand down her face, her eyes tired from working on the computers for over 7 hours straight. Having a break, to talk to Hudson, made her brain feel clear and calm. Then she remembered the news she needed to tell him.

“We had Marines with us in the raid. We lost a lot of good men. More, including myself, were injured. I'm just praying that whatever I can pull from this device can help us find AQ. So those men who died didn't die for nothing.”

Hudson cast a worried look to his older sister, seeing the wear and tear in her. “This sounds personal, Gabs.”

Rubbing her temple with her thumb she nodded her head. “A Sergeant gave his life for me when I was pinned down. Had he not, I wouldn't be sitting here. I never learned his name, just his callsign. Silky. He said he worked with you in the past. He was a good man.”

Hudson remained quiet for a moment, saddens flooding his eyes as he proceeded the information. “Silky… he's gone?” Gabby only nodded her head, too tired to answer as the emotions came flooding back. Hudson took a long deep breath before he spoke up. “His name was Samuel Ford. He was a Staff Sergeant. Really good man, good soldier and friend. I'm glad he was there to protect you.”

Gabby nodded her head, not sure what to say. Silky's death was still a tender spot in her heart. She was supposed to lead them into battle, not get them killed because she couldn't fight. It wasn't easy being higher up in the ranks at times. She shook her head and leaned against the desk, her elbow on the table as her cheek rested on her closed fist. Her eyes glanced at the screens, the codes still running as more files flashes across the computers.

Just as she was about to say more, the door to the office opened and Ghost slipped through. Gabby set up straight, nodding to him before looking down at her phone. “Hey, Cheddar, I got to go. The other LT walked in.”

“Okay, I'll text you later then. I love you.”

“I love you too. Eyes ready, weapons hot.”

“Eyes ready, weapons hot.” The FaceTime ended, and Gabby put her phone down on the desk, looking up at the hulking figure that now stood on the other side of it. She stood up, bending backwards slightly letting her back pop as she stretched. Ghost looked at the screens, seeing files still popping up on them.

“So instead of working on the files you take a phone call to your boyfriend back in the States?” His gruff growl filled her ears, making her eyes snap open as she glared at him.

“Excuse you?”

“You heard me fine.”

Gabby slammed her hands down onto the desk, looking up into his skull mask. “I've been working on this for over 7 hours and have been in contact with other sources to try and get information.” She then straightened to her full height, staring him down. “And not that my personal life is any of your fucking business, but that was my younger brother, who is a Marine, and who I don't get to see much of. So when he calls, I answer.” The ice cold glare that she gave him would make most men look away. But not Ghost. His hazel eyes met her chocolate ones and he held the gaze, but Gabby wasn't going to look away first.

Ghost let out a grunt, his arms folded across his chest as he tipped his head down a bit, looking down more at Gabby through the blonde of his eyelashes. Gabby held his gaze, her back straight, her arms across her chest. Her hair had come out of its normal braid a while ago, it fell long and wavy down her back now.

“Why is a phone call with your brother so important?”

“We both are soldiers. We both do jobs that are hard. We keep each other human with our calls.” Ghost scuffed, shaking his head at her answer. Gabby cocked her head, narrowing her eyes at him. “Why is that funny?”

“Humanity makes a soldier weak, Knocks.”

Gabby laughed, actually laughed in his face while moving around the desk to get into his personal space. “I can't get a read on you Riley. One minute you are fine with me, the next you're accusing Soap of chasing my tail, and then the next you're in my personal space, spying on me in the shadows. I thought I made it clear that I was a member of this team and I would be respected as such?”

She pushed herself into his space, making him stand taller as if she was burning him by being so close. “What's your damage, Ghost?”

He growled down at her, his eyes narrowing. “My damage?”

“What makes you hate the idea of me so much?”

“I never said I hated you.”

“Well you got a funny way of showing you like me.”

In less than a blink of an eye, Ghost had her hips pushed up against the desk, a hand on either side of her body as he pushed himself against her, his masked face only inches from her own. Gabby looked up at him with wide doe eyes, her body pushed back against the desk, the wood digging into her hips. Her hands came up without her permission, resting on his chest as he pushed himself closer to her.

“You frustrate me. You're too smart, too cocky, too proud. And it's frustrating.” Ghost rasped, his voice low and deadly as he spoke. His eyes bore into hers, his breath warm as it puffed through the mask onto her face. Gabby looked from one eye to the other, trying to find the man under the mask. Her lips were slightly parted, her breath coming out faster then she wanted it to. In less than 24 hours Ghost was in her space again, in her very soul as he stared her down.

“Well at least I'm not some heartless shadow in a mask.” She bit back.

Anger flashed across his eyes, his grip on the desk tightening. “I thought I told you the other night to put on some damn clothes. This is a military base, not a day camp.” Ghost jabbed, looking down at her tank top and shorts she had thrown on that morning. Her long legs were exposed, the bruises visible in all their purple and black glory.

“I'm working in an office, Ghost. No one is here but you to get distracted by my fucked up, bruised legs.”

He huffed, his eyes never leaving hers as he pushed her tighter to the desk, his face only an inch or two from her own. His hips, his chest, were pressed against hers, holding her in place as he tried to make himself bigger, but she didn't back down. She held his gaze, pushing back with her body, her hands on his chest pushing just enough for him to know she still held some power. Gabby looked him in the eyes as she asked her next question.

“You really believe humanity is a weakness?”

“Yes.” His answer came out without hesitation.

“Then I pity you. Humanity is for those fearless enough to embrace it, even after all the bad we've seen in this world.” She shoved her hands against his chest, pushing him backwards a step or two so she could stand up straight. “I'm strong enough to embrace it. That's what makes me a good soldier. That's what makes me proud.” She moved back around to her side of the desk, sitting down in the chair once more.

“I look out for my team. I don't want them distracted on the field.”

“That makes two of us. So I suggest you get your head out of your ass and focus on being a team player.” Her eyes found his once more, as she leaned forward on the desk to make sure he saw the look in her eyes. “I don't know what happened to you, to turn that man I know is under that mask so hard. But I'm not the person to take it on.” She went back to looking at the computer screens, sifting through the files that were now uploaded. She felt his eyes still on her. She ignored him for a few more beats before finding his eyes once more.

“Anything else Lieutenant? If not, I have work to do.”

Ghost didn't say another word, just held her gaze for another beat before stalking his way out of the room, slamming the door behind him making Gabby flinch at the sound. She let out a long deep sigh, resting her head in her hands as she leaned forward onto the desk. She let her mind have a moment to run over the last few minutes, the way he pinned her to the desk and looked into her very mind and soul. His eyes, golden with flecks of blue and green, made her mind weak.

Simon Riley was a blonde. That much she was sure of after seeing he had blonde eyelashes. His body had been rigged, solid and warm as it pressed up against her. His muscles bulged through the long black sleeves of his shirt. His breath was warm as it fanned over her face through the mask.

“Get a grip Gabrielle!” She growled at herself, hating the fact that even though he pissed her off by challenging her once more, her body reacted to him in sexual need. “Ugh!” she threw her head back against the backrest of the chair, looking up at the ceiling. She couldn't afford to let her mind think that way about a teammate. A soldier. It only led to heartbreak.

Shaking her head to try and clear it, she went back to the files. Gabby started to open and decrypt some of the files, working her way through them as she found small bits and pieces of information that made sense or was useful. She kept pulling, file after file, digging deeper and deeper. This wasn't just something that Hassan either did or had someone do. They backlogged all their files into this device. This was supposed to make it out of the safehouse with Hassan.

“What's this?” She hummed as she clicked on a file. Messages, manuscripts, files, all in Spanish and Iranian popped up. Weapons, money, drugs, people…. It was a list of things that AQ was sending and receiving from….

“Holy shit.”

Gabby quickly picked up her phone and dialed a number, putting it on speaker as she kept reading the files. This was huge.

“Talk to me.”

“Hey, I know Price and Gaz are in Amsterdam.”

“So am I.”

Gabby glanced down at the phone for a second before she kept typing away, pulling more files. “Kate, listen to me. I found a device at the safehouse we tried to take Hassan at. I hacked into it.”

She heard a door shut, and a chair being pulled across a floor before Kate answered. “What did you find?”

“Messages, manuscripts, names…. You name it, it's on here. And it's all in Spanish. Kate, Hassan is working with the Cartel.”

“We know. Price, Gaz and I found a ship, and we found a meet up happening tomorrow. We are going to intercept.”

Gabby shook her head, trying to wrap her brain around this all. The information on the screen was huge. “Kate, Hassan was going to have the weapons, the missiles sent out from Al Mazrah to Amsterdam. But Hassan called it off. The person he was in contact with, offered him and the weapons safe passage and protection under them.” She kept looking through the files as she talked to Kate. “Hassan wasn't moving the missiles on his own, he was using the Cartel and the Narcos. They are working together.”

Kate hummed on the other end of the line and Gabby heard a hushed voice speaking as well. Price. He was there and he was also listening. “If we can get the information we need tomorrow during our hunt, it could back all this up and point us right to Hassan.”

“Oh, I know where Hassan is going. You need to make some calls and make sure Hassan doesn't cross the border.”

“Gabrielle, what are you talking about?”

“I don't know where the other missiles are. Or where they are headed. But I know where Hassan is…. And who is helping him.”

“Tell me.” The tone in Kate's voice was urgent. It was filled with something Gabby couldn't put her finger on but she knew Kate and she knew that she was feeding on this.

“El Sin Nombre.” The name fell from Gabby's lips like a curse, the name setting fire to her blood. A name that anyone from Mexico or the South States knew of and feared. She stared at the name on the screen. The Nameless. Yet he was everywhere. El Sin Nombre ruled Mexico with an iron grip, that no matter what the local armed forces did to rid him of his power, they always failed.

“I will see what I can find. See where Hassan is and if we can keep him in Mexico to hopefully capture him.” There were more hushed voices on the other end of the line before Kate continued. “I’ll be in touch. Send me all the information you found. We'll link up once we complete our task. Good job Gabby.” Then the line went dead. Gabby clicked off the phone before gathering all the information she found and putting it into a fold to email to Kate. She spent over an hour putting together the information, highlighting the stuff she found, areas that still needed decrypting, names of known Narcos and Cartels that were on the list. The weapons caches that were logged.

Once she sent the email she looked at the clock and realized it was well into the night. Her back was sore and stiff, joints screaming to be moved. Her eyes were sore from looking at a screen for well over 12 hours now. She knew the work was important, but her body hates it. Standing up with a groan and a growl, she let her muscles pop back into place, each one louder and more painful as they did. She finally shut down the computers, grabbed her phone and walked towards the office door. She flipped off the lights and shut the door behind her, hearing the soft click. She made her way through the dimly lit hanger, the emergency lights the only glow in the darkness.

As she shut the hanger office door behind her, she shoved her phone into the pocket of her shorts, before pulling her hair back into a loose low ponytail. As she made her way across the hanger, she heard the soft strumming of a guitar. Her ears perked at the sound, and she looked up to see the gym door cracked open. Curiosity got the best of her and she slipped up the stairs without a sound, growing closer to the sound. She kept to the wall, keeping her feet light as she made her way to the door and peeked into the gym.

There, sitting near the back wall was Ghost, with an acoustic guitar in his hands. His fingers glided over the strings, a soft sound coming from the wooden instrument. But it was his voice that cut right through her. So raw, so rich and powerful. His back was to her, his mask pulled up so it was sitting on top of his head. She couldn't really see anything of his face, only a sliver of his neck or the very point of his chin of his turned ever so slightly. She kept to the shadows, letting her body blend into the dark as she listened to his voice sing a haunting song.

“- I'm sending a message
Of feathers and bone
Just let me know I'm not forgotten out here alone
The air is cold
The night is long
I feel like I might fade into the dawn
Fade until I'm gone-”

The words cut her, hearing how raw his tone was. There was emotion, real emotions in his voice as he sang, his fingers pulling the strings in such a way that it complimented his rasp. She felt drawn to him, wanting to sing with him, feel the emotions that came from the man, a real man, that he kept hidden so far beneath the mask. The man that he seemed to be letting free for a moment.

“- I'm so far from home
So far from home
I'm sending a raven
With blood on its wings
Hoping it reaches you in time
And you know what it means
'Cause out here in the darkness
And out of the light
If you get to me too late
Just know that I tried-”

The echo of the room made his voice even more rich, it warmed her soul like a blanket, pulling her under with each passing of his fingertips, each raspy breath that floated past his lips. How she longed to see his eyes, to watch the emotions dance across his face. To know who Simon Riley really was.

“- Oh, I'm so far from home
So far from home
Oh, not where I belong
Not where I belong
So far from home-”

Gabby knew the song was soon over, and she didn't want him to know she saw him like this. Even though he had seen her at her weak point, had seen the emotions that ripped her apart the night before, she knew he wasn't ready for someone to see him so bare to the world like this. To know that a broken man was showing himself a glimpse of the light before pulling himself back into the depths of the shadows once more. Moving slowly, keeping her body light and soft, she moved down the stairs and through the door to the common room, making sure the door didn't make a sound as she shut it. Her mind was still racing, still trying to process the information from the day. To understand what all she found. But her mind kept drifting back to Ghost, to how he looked at her, talked to her. To what she found tonight. He was so complicated, so hard to understand. Something about him kept her coming back, kept her wanting to find out what made him tick. Something drove him to be the way he was. She knew all too well about secrets and haunting pasts. She knew how it could make you question everything at times.

“And he calls me frustrating.” She groaned as she shut the door to her bedroom behind her, falling backwards into bed. “and I am wearing fucking clothes.” She huffed to the night air, knowing no one could hear her but she wanted the last word anyways. She rubbed the heels of her hands into her ears, letting out a growl of frustration. She rolled over and tossed her phone onto her nightstand, grabbing her blanket and pulling it up over her body. Exhaustion overtook Gabby's pulling her under as soon as her head hit the pillow.

She never heard the light rap on her door, or the soft call of her name followed by a defeated sigh. She never heard the footsteps walking from her door to the door a few feet down the hall, or it shutting behind the man who had walked through it.

Chapter Text

“Haha, no, no. Not like that!” Gabby's laugh rang clear through the living room, where she sat on the sofa with Johnny trying to teach him Spanish. “For a Scotty, you can't roll your R’s worth a damn.”

His hand came out, pushing her shoulder hard, shoving her backwards till she was laying on her back holding her belly from laughing so hard. Soap was laughing too, a deep rich sound. “I'm trying Lass!” He said through broken laughter. The two kept laughing, Gabby trying her hardest to show Soap some simple Spanish words. He had picked up a few of them, he could now say “Melliza” with no problems, he could also say things like: hello, thank you, yes, no, my name is Soap, brother, sister, please and how are you. And that was just from a few hours of learning their meanings and how to say the words correctly.

The two remained laughing on the sofa, Gabby now laying down with her head on the armrest, her feet resting on Soap's lap as he sat with his right leg crossed under his left leg, the left foot resting on the floor. The bruises on Gabby's legs were still dark, but now had tings of yellow and green in them. Her knees had cuts and scrapes across them that were scabbing over. Soap gently rubbed her legs below the bruises, trying to ease the ache in her calves that he knew was there, but she was too stubborn to admit.

“You need to let these heal. Workin’ out on all ‘hat fancy equipment ain't helpin’ ya.” He said, his voice slightly winded from all the laughing. Gabby just rolled her eyes playfully, kicking his arm softly with the tips of her toes.

“I'll do what I want, when I want, Culo de unicornio.” She teased, calling him a Unicorn’s Ass, as a jab to his country’s national animal. Who even has a unicorn as their animal was beyond her.

“What did you call me?” Soap narrowed his eyes at her, knowing she said something mean. Gabby only gave him a sly smile, but kept her mouth shut. “Lass, what did you call me?” Soap growled, but a glint in his eyes showed the humor in his tone. The grip on her leg tightened slightly around her ankle, his other hand coming up to the bottom of her foot.

“Johnny MacTavish, don't you dare.” Her eyes grew wide as she watched his hand move to her foot.

“Then tell me what you called me.” He grinned wickedly.

“Culo de unicornio.” She said again, saying it in Spanish to see how far he would take it.

“Gabrielle…” The grip on her foot tightening as his fingers were only a hair away from tickling the bottom of her foot.

“She called you a Unicorn’s Ass.” The gruff voice cut from the kitchen, making Gabby pop up from her spot on the Sofa to look over the back.

“Since when the fuck do you speak Spanish?!” She exclaimed, her eyes wide as she braced her hands under her back to hold herself up. Ghost only shrugged, reaching for a knife from the drawer, and an apple from the fridge, and began to cut it into chunks.

Soap also looked surprised, but turned his attention back to Gabby. “You called me a unicorn’s ass? Was that a Scotland dig?” But Gabby waved him off, getting into her knees on the sofa and resting her arms in the back.

“Not now, I'm more curious to when the fuck he learned Spanish and didn't say anything.” She then looked at Soap and gave him a shit eating grin. “And yes, it's a dig.”

“I wouldn't be a good soldier if I didn't speak at least one different language.” Ghost said as he continued to chop up the apple, before putting the knife in the dishwasher and grabbing some trail mix out of the snack cupboard. His eyes met Gabby's for only a second, but it was enough for her heart to beat a fraction of a beat faster. She watched his hands, free from his gloves, grip the plate and the bottle of water he pulled from the fridge. The way his knuckles, rough with scarred skin, turned white as they grabbed rim. She remembered how those hands had caged her to the desk the night before, the way his arms had pinned her hips to the desk as they flexed under the sleeves of his black shirt, the black ink of his tattoo peaking out. How close his body had been to hers, the way the warm breath that floated from beneath his mask fanned her face.

“Are you drooling over the apple or the man?” Johnny's deep voice broke her train of thought, making her fly to the side as a hand went over her heart with her gasp. Her cheeks flushed red, as she looked into his blue eyes, seeing a mischievous glint spark in them. A sly smile painted his lips, his eyebrow raised in question. She took a quick look to the kitchen to see Ghost had disappeared to his room, and she let her head fall back to the armrest with her arm draped over her eyes.

“Fuck off you Unicorn Ass.” Gabby groaned as she felt him poke her in the ribs, then jabbed her in the armpit making her wiggle away from him and she fell off the sofa with a thud. A loud gasp tore from her lips as her body hit the ground. She looked up to see Johnny looking down at her, his eyes wide as she glared him down. “Johnny…. Run.”

The tall Scottsmen yelped as he flipped off the back of the sofa, taking off into the kitchen. Gabby sprang up, taking off after him, her feet barely making a sound as she moved with speed. Johnny laughed, a true clear sound as he slid over the island in the kitchen, darting around her as she made a grab for him. Her own laugh filled the air, her long braid whipping out behind her as she leaped onto the island, jumping through the air landing in front of Johnny, sending him backwards into the wall. He leaped to the side as she made a pass for him, letting her thunk into the wall as he got away.

“YOUR MOTHER WAS A DONKEY!” Soap yelled as he tore off down the hallway laughing as he went. Gabby chased after him, trying to catch him before he got to his room.

“WELL YOUR FATHER WAS A BABOON, IT'S WHERE YOU GET YOUR FAT ASS FROM!” She hollered right as he slipped through his door, slamming it into her face. Gabby let out a howl of frustration as her fist hit the door. She could hear his laughter on the other side, and she let her forehead rest against his door, chuckling to herself as she caught her breath. She turned so that her back was against the door, still chuckling to herself when her eyes met his.

Golden hazel met cocoa brown eyes as he leaned against his open door frame. He had on a regular black balaclava with the skull print on it, but the bone mask was missing. Eye black still painted across the skin around his eyes. He just stood there and watched her, his large body filling the doorway. Gabby wasn't little by any means, she was tall and built solid of muscle, but Ghost made her feel like she was no bigger than a kid standing next to him. The top of her head came up to the top of his shoulder at best.

Gabby kept her eyes locked in his, unsure of what to do or say. Last night had been a lot, having him judging her, putting his body so close to her own. Filling her every sense with his presence and yet driving her mad with his words. She wanted him to be her teammate, to trust her and respect her the way Soap did. But she wasn't sure she'd ever get that from Ghost. She saw how he was with Johnny when she wasn't close by. They both joked around, trained together, roughing each other up in ways that showed a brotherhood. A team. But when Gabby got close enough, Ghost would shut down, become quieter. It was almost like he didn't want her to see him show his human side. Like he felt she didn't earn it yet.

So there she stood, somehow face to face after telling him off the night before, and not a word was spoken between them. Their eyes never left each other's. They held their gaze, a silent conversation between them that Gabby wasn't even sure was being said. She only knew she couldn't look away. Something about his eyes held her to her spot, her back pressed against Soap's door, her arms across her chest. He still stood in his doorframe, his arms loosely crossed, his foot cocked over the other one as he leaned against the wood frame.

“Lieutenant-” Ghost started to say, making her ears perk at the sound, her body standing a bit straighter when all the sudden the door behind her disappeared. Letting out a high pitched screech, Gabby went flying backwards with her arms flailing around, landing with a hard thud on her back on the ground. Her eyes were closed, a groan left her lips as she rubbed the back of her head with the plan of her hand.

“Oh my God, Gabs! I'm so sorry!” Johnny's voice was now in her ear, making her wince slightly with how loud he was being. His hands went under her shoulders, pushing her into a sitting position, while keeping her back supported. “Ho’ bad did ya hur’ yours’lf lassie?” He asked more softly as he checked her over with his eyes.

Gabby waved her hand back and forth, shaking her head slightly to try and get him to stop worrying. “Brin’ back yo’r letters Johnny, they miss you when ya drop them so suddenly.” Her own accent was thick as she made the jab at him. She saw a smile beginning to creak across his lips, the twinkle in his eyes once more.

“When you learn how to bring your own back, then I will.” He stuck his tongue out at her, ducking away when she took a swing at him with a chuckle. Gabby pushed herself to her feet, feeling his hand still on her back as she did.

“I'm alright Soap, I promise. Only my ego is hurt at this point.” She joked, giving him the side eye before stepping out of his room and back into the hallway, running her hands down her sides and hips to brush off any dirt that may have stuck to her clothes.

“You good?” The deep, gruff voice behind her almost made her jump out of her skin, but she kept her composure as she turned around to find Ghost still standing in his doorframe, watching her intensely. He had dropped his arms to now hang by his sides, and he was sticking out of his room more into the hallway than he had been.

“Mhm, I'm okay.” She said in a soft tone, meeting his eyes. She nodded her head a bit too, her braid falling over her left shoulder as she did so. It had fallen loose a bit, hanging over her left ear more than her right. The collar of her loose white t-shirt now hung off her shoulder a bit, her black sports bra strap now visible. Her dog tags had slipped out from under her shirt, now visibly resting in the middle of her chest.

The two lieutenants just stared at each other in silence, not sure what to do or say. Their eyes remained locked, Gabby playing with the bracelets on her wrist out of a nervous habit. She wasn't sure why Ghost was watching her so closely, why he suddenly seemed so interested in her, why his eyes seemed less intense and more…. Calming. Gabby felt like she couldn't look away from him, his hazel eyes showing more of the blue in them, the lighting hitting them just so.

“Oi, either kiss or punch each other already and get this thin’ movin’ along will ya?”

Ghost broke eye contact first, giving Soap a look that could kill. But the Sergeant just shrugged, a smirk on his damn lips as he put his hands on his hips. “Got something to say, Johnny?” Ghost barked, his voice deep yet calm.

“Aye, I do. You two have been dancing around each other, acting all pissy one minute and somewhat tolerable the next ever since you LT.” He pointed at Ghost, “had to go and open your mouth like an asshole after Al Mazrah. We are supposed to be a team, so can't we just all get along without having to dance around the others in the room?”

Gabby looked from Soap to Ghost, watching the taller of the two, to see how he would take being talked to by Soap like that. She saw his eyes narrow, his jaw working under the skull print balaclava, like he was chewing on Soap's words. After a moment or two of silence, Ghost turned to Gabby and looked her dead in the eyes as he took a step forward. She held her ground, not sure what was happening until she looked down to see him holding out his hand towards her. She looked down at his hand, the scarring on his knuckles, a long thin scar that ran the length of his pinky finger, another bumpy scar on the outside of the top knuckle on his pointer finger. Scars that mirrored her own in some ways. Hands that had done more than most people would want to know about, all in the name of justice and country. His nails were kept short and clean, a few hangnails here and there but still clean.

She took his hand, his fingers warm and solid against her own, dwarfing her hand in his palm. His hand wasn't as calloused as she had once thought, his gloves helping save the skin from becoming overly rough. No it was just the right amount on his palm and fingertips. He gripped her hand tightly, but didn't squeeze too hard, shaking her hand with a study beat. She matched it, letting her fingers grip his hand, and she saw his eyes look it over quickly before meeting her eyes once more.

“Lieutenant.”

“Lieutenant.” They both said at the same time, before letting their hands drop to their sides. Her hand felt cold almost immediately after letting his go, missing the warmth and size of his hand gripping into hers. She shoved her hands into her back jeans pockets, letting her shoulders raise a bit towards her shoulders, a chill running through her back. Looked away from his eyes, feeling them still on her, but her body felt like it was on fire all the sudden.

Stupid hormones.

Soap cleared his throat, breaking yet another embarrassing trance Gabby found herself in. She quickly turned away from the two men, making her way down the hall back towards the kitchen.

••••••••••••••••••••••••

Gasping for air, Gabby jolted upright in bed, sweat dripping down her face as she panted, trying to breath. The room was pitch black, save for the small sliver of moonlight that came through the blinds on the window. Her heart raced, beating so loudly in her chest she thought it might break free from her ribs. She threw the blankets all the way off, letting her feet hit the floor by her bed. She needed air, the room felt too closed in.

Getting up she slipped on her slides, tugging her T-shirt down over the waistband of her shorts. She pushed her long dark brown hair over her shoulders, she grabbed her phone and made her way to her door. She shoved her phone into her pocket, pulling the door open with more force than was necessary, but her mind was hazy.

Another nightmare. Another dream of those green eyes that seemed to haunt her soul since the day she watched them disappear. Her dog tags laid heavily against her breast bone, the 3rd tag that hung from the chin, his tag, seeming to burn a hole through her shirt and skin. His dog tags, his pistol, and a patch from his tactical vest were all they found once the fire had stopped burning. His brother took one of his tags, and Gabby took the other. She took his American flag patch, it was the one she wore on her tactical vest and his brother took his pistol. They had taken their items of his at the funeral, a rain soaked day that held a chill in the air. It was the last time she saw or spoke to his brother, Maverick.

Two years.

Two years had passed and yet the heat of the fire, the pain in her arm as the wood sliced through it, the weight of his body slipping in her hands still felt so fresh in her mind. Like it has only happened the night before. Getting to the kitchen, Gabby leaned against the island, letting her arms rest on the countertop as her head fell onto the folded limbs. A shaken sigh fell from her chapped lips.

The nightmares didn't happen every night thankfully. But it seemed like after every mission she went on for the past two years now, they would attack her, setting off her PTSD even more whenever a soldier got killed or injured on the mission, making the horrid day come flooding back to the front of her mind. Silky’s death, his sacrifice for her own life, set off her PTSD even more then normal after a mission. Perhaps it was because unlike others whom she had seen pass, he had been so close, spoken to her through blooded lips like Marsh had, and she had to watch the life disappear from his eyes like she did that day as well.

She choked back a sob, feeling the tears slip past her closed eyelashes, hitting her arms in silent splats. The coolness from the countertop did little to soothe her burning skin, the air thick and heavy in the quiet night, bearing down on her like a weighted blanket that offered little comfort.

“Who did you lose?” The smoky rasp came only a few feet firm over her shoulder.

“AHHH FUCK!” Gabby screamed out, jumping straight up into the air before her fist came swinging around, thunking against a solid wall of flesh. Ghost let out a grunt as her fist slammed into his chest, knocking him a step backwards in surprise. “Christ, do you always have to sneak up on me at night?!” Gabby whisper-yelled at Ghost once she regained her composure. He rubbed a hand over his chest, giving her a look through the eye hole of his balaclava.

“I heard you scream, and your door was open. So I came out here to check on you.”

Gabby felt her cheeks grow red. Embarrassment crept up through her body, making her spine grow stiff. She ran her hands through her hair, letting her head fall backwards as she turned to face away from Ghost. “Fuck.” She whimpered softly, hating that he heard her nightmares. She didn't look him in the eyes, keeping her side towards him. She didn't want to see the look of disappointment in his gaze. “I'm sorry I woke you up.” She apologized softly, letting her head fall back to her sides, only for her fingers to graze the scar on her left arm without realizing she was.

“Who did you lose?” He asked the question again, this time softer, with more of a smoky tone than a rasp. His voice remained deep, but it hit her soul like warm whiskey without so much of an afterburn. She turned her gaze to his, finding him watching her closely, but a softness in his eyes that she never saw before. He was calm, sturdy. He didn't move, staying a few feet away, letting her have space to breathe.

Taking a deep breath, trying to avoid the question she asked her own. “What makes you think I lost someone? People get nightmares for all kinds of reasons.”

Ghost scuffed, taking a small step forward as he placed his right hand on his hip. “Because I asked Johnny if you got nightmares each night and he said he only heard you yelling in your sleep since we got back from Al Mazrah.” His tone was flat, but not unfriendly. “Meaning that Sergeant’s death triggered something in you. So you lost someone at some point.”

Gabby grumble under her breath about Soap being a traitor, running a hand down her face and over the back of her neck before looking Ghost in the eyes. “I told you the other night, I lost a teammate some time ago. PTSD likes to come and go.” She shrugged it off, trying to act like the nightmares didn't literally crush her heart and mind when they hit her.

Ghost only shook his head, reaching out with his left hand, and that's when Gabby realized he was in just a T-shirt that fit like it was 2 sizes too small. Every dip, every valley, every bulge of his muscles were on display. His arms, now bared for her to see. His tattoos are on full display. The sleeve tattoo starts at his waist, and goes up to the mid-section of his bicep. The black ink made an intricate map of roses, daggers, skulls, guns, shapes and lines. Everything fitting together like a puzzle. But one tattoo caught her eyes.

At the top of his sleeve of black ink, escaping from the lines that all tied into each other, was a raven. Its wings spread, taking flight with a trail of feathers behind it. The bird was breaking free from the ink below, its head cocked as it watched the lines swirl beneath it as it took flight. A raven, just like the song he had been singing. Was he the Blackbird in the sky, trying to find his way home? The thoughts swirls and danced in her mind as she watched the raven tattoo, sitting only a breath away from the rest of his tattoo sleeve, it's trail of feathers only things connecting it to the rest of the ink, rippled and dances across his skin as he flexed the muscles of his arm, reaching out towards her.

“Gabrielle, this is more than just a teammate’s death.” His voice was so deep, so soft, so unlike the Ghost she knew. Gabby felt her body tremble. She wanted to open up. She wanted to spin the tail of the pain that plagued her at night. But she didn't know how. She watched his eyes, the hazel looking more brown in the dim lighting. She wasn't sure if she ever heard her name on his lips before, but Gabby knew right then and there she wanted to hear it again.

She crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back against the island as she watched his outreached hand. “Why do you care all of a sudden?” She asked with a raised eyebrow, her head cocked to the side.

Ghost locked eyes with her, his hand still outreached. “You asked me to show you the same respect I show the rest of the team. This is me doing that.”

Well that wasn't the answer she had been expecting. She figured the handshake earlier that day was just to make Soap happy, to get him off Ghost’s back for the time being. She didn't realize that he was actually trying to be civil. Gabby went to speak, but Ghost beat her to it.

“You were three tags around your neck. Whoever you lost, meant something to you. That's why you scream in your sleep. So, I'll ask again.” He stepped forward, his hand still outreached, palm up as an offering. “Who did you lose?”

Gabby let her hand reach up and grab the tag that hung separately from her own on the thin chain. The pad of her right thumb traced the engraved letters of the tag, feeling the grooves under her finger. Tears pricked at her eyes, but she swallowed thickly, trying to keep them at bay. She glanced down at the scar on her arm, the long jagged line that begged for its story to be told. Her head dipped down, her chin resting on her chest, her hair falling around her face. Taking a deep breath to try and calm her mind, squeeze her eyes shut, doing all she could to keep the tears at bay.

“I wasn't lying.” Her voice cracked, and it was thick. She licked her lips before she kept speaking. “I did lose a teammate.” Gabby looked up at him, seeing he had taken another step closer to her. She raised her head up, pushing her hair back over her shoulder as she quickly wiped away a stray tear that slipped down her cheek.

“He was also my partner. I wasn't a true member of his team. I was still a solo operator that worked with him and his men a lot. We grew close over time.”

“You loved him.” He asked in such a quiet and soft tone that it pulled at her heart.

Her head nodded, years now looking at her lower eyelashes. “Yes.” She wiped away another tear, looking away from his hazel eyes before more spilled. “We were on a mission. It went sideways fast. We found hostages and were trying to clear the building with them when it went up in flames.” At this point the tears ran down her cheeks freely. She bit her lower lip, trying to keep it together. Her arms hugged herself tightly, a shiver running through her body.

Ghost stepped in front of her, only a foot away and leaned his hip against the island so he was slouching slightly, more so to her eye level. He didn't say anything, just looked at her. His eyes flickered to the scar on her arm, and her own followed his gaze.

“I wasn't strong enough. Fast enough. He got hit with falling debris, and fell to his fiery grave. I couldn't save him.” She choked out the last part, tears hitting the floor as they fell from her chin. Grabbing the dog tags that hung from her neck she squeezed them, feeling the metal bite into the palm of her hand.

“I got a battlefield promotion. I got a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. I was named a hero after that day.” She looked up, meeting his eyes. Her vision was blurry as the tears filled her eyes, her lower lip trembling as she spoke. “All's Marsh got was a grave made from fire and stone. We only found his tags, his patch and his pistol in the rubble. Now, after a mission where a soldier I'm fighting besides meets their end, I have dreams of that day… so vivid and real. I see and feel it all over again. I see his eyes before he fell into those flames. Two years and I'm still fighting the demons of that day because I walked away from the fire and he didn't.”

Gabby slammed her fist into the stone countertop, feeling the pain shoot up her fist into her arm. She closed her eyes, leaned her body forward so her head was touching the cool surface. Though it hurt to talk about Marsh, to talk about his death, it also felt freeing, telling someone the pain that plagued her soul. Why the nightmares pulled her down so far after a mission it was like she was only a shadow of herself for days.

The silence dropped around them like a blanket. It wasn't an unwelcome feeling. Gabby had laid her soul bare, opening up for the first time in years to someone outside of who knew Marsh about how she felt. It felt freeing.

“You blame yourself for something you can't control, Gabrielle.”

There. Her name on his lips once more. The way his deep, raspy British accent said it, the way it rolled and floating off his tongue like a song, it made her heart sing. She pulled her head up off her arms, letting her back pop as she stood up straight to stare into his tawny colored eyes, the black paint around his eyes only making them stand out more in the dimly lit kitchen. The man before her was a hulking figure. Nothing about how he appeared screamed kind of gentle. Everything about him, from the mask he wore, to his size, to the way he walked, it told a story of how he was a soldier. A killer. That he was good at his job. Yet the man that she saw standing there, wasn't the man that people were used to seeing.

“Thank you…. For listening.” Gabby finally spoke, her voice weak and broken from the tears she shed. She gripped the dog tags that hung around her neck once more, but less aggressively. Her thumb rubbed over the writing once more, feeling a weight off her shoulders lift.

“Get some sleep Gabrielle.” Was all the man dressed in black said, patting her twice on the shoulder before standing up straight, pushing his hip off the countertop and began to make his way towards the hallways to the bedrooms. Just as he stepped into the doorway of the hall he called out over his shoulder “You're Welcome.” And then disappeared behind the wall of the hallway.

Gabby watched his figure disappear, feeling the cool metal of the dog tags in her hand. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the night air, closing her eyes as her head fell backwards, her hips hitting the countertop as she leaned against it. The nightmares still haunted her mind, still had its cold fingertips peaking through the dark, but talking to Ghost, having someone else know the pain that ate away at her in the night, it helped relieve some of the fear that once pulled her end.

Gabby made her way back to her room, letting the door shut with a soft click behind her, plunging her into darkness as she fell into bed. Pulling the blankets up around her shoulders she let her eyes drift shut as the night took over. And for the first time in two years, the nightmare didn't come back to haunt her sleep.

Chapter Text

“What makes you hate the idea of me so much?”

That question lived rent free in his brain all night and into the next day. It haunted his dreams, making him groan as he heard her voice over and over again asking that question. The way her eyes bore into his as she got into his space, asking that question with such authority.

“What makes you hate the idea of me so much?”

Nothing.

That was the answer. Nothing made him hate the idea of Gabby. No, the idea of her scared him. And Ghost hated himself for it.

He knew he was out of line for jumping down her throat about the FaceTime to her brother. He had no right to make the assumption that he was her boyfriend or that she wasn't putting the work in. Everything about Gabby just fucked with his mind. She got under Simon's skin, like an inch he was too afraid to scratch in fear that it would only spread, until his whole body was consumed by the idea of her.

Ghost sat up in bed, looking towards the window that had its blinds closed. He almost never opened them, even though the window faced the fence of the base, and there was nothing but trees beyond that, he always feared someone would see his face. So he kept them close. Living in the shadows like always. He ran a tired hand down his face, the scars bumpy under his fingertips. He rubbed the one that ran down from the middle of his cheek onto his top lip, feeling the deep groove with a shawl on his lips. Other scars marred his face, but that one was the biggest. His sandy hair needed a haircut, he ran his fingers through it trying to tame the slightly wavy locks that were longer on top. Swinging his legs off the bed, his feet touched the cold floor sending a jolt up his legs.

A deep sigh rumbled through his chest as he thought about their fight in the office.

“Well at least I'm not some heartless shadow in a mask.”

Her words bit into him, as he held her to the desk with his body. Every fiber of his being fired on all cylinders last night, feeling the heat radiate off of her. Ghost wasn't sure why he pushed her back against the desk, why he got so close that he could smell the hints of her perfume or body wash. Like citrus and honey. It filled his nose under his mask, embedded itself into his mind. A scent he wasn't soon going to forget.

Was Gabby right though? Was Ghost really that heartless? He had to admit, he came off cold, dark, calculated. It was the only way for him to do the job and not lose his mind. What little there was left of that shattered human he kept buried so far down beneath the surface, that not even the light of day saw that version of the man. A broken past, a broken man, a broken soul, a broken humanity. Why act like humanity was a reason to fight when he was never shown any himself?

Well maybe that's not true. Price had been his ally since they met, years back. He was the only person that had seen the real Simon Riley. He was the only one that knew there was someone other than just Ghost behind the mask. Yet seeing Gabby with Soap, when they laughed, joked around and didn't hide themselves from each other, Ghost suddenly craved that. To be seen, to no longer hide, to hear her laughter because of him. To let Simon out from behind his mask to see the light.

It terrified him that he even had those thoughts.

But instead he goes and opens his mouth and out comes slander, anger, and arguments. A deep grumble spilled from his lips as he put his head in his hands, resting his elbows on his knees. He saw how good of a soldier Gabby had been during Al Mazrah. How strong, how caring, how much of a leader she was. She never lost her cool while being tapped by the downed Heli. She never let the death of the Sergeant pull her away from the battle at hand.

Yet seeing the anger in her eyes when she saw that missile. Something about her came alive when Gabby slammed her fist through the crate, not even flinching with any pain as she moved away, her back ridged. Ghost knew anger. He knew frustration. Yet he respected that she removed herself and went outside to cool down. Everything about her was a born leader, a soldier who had seen a lot and yet remained unwavering.

So why did he have to go and open his big ass mouth about Soap chasing her tail? About how she dressed or her being a distraction? Another deep throated growl like groan roared from him. He hated that he let his own insecurities fuck things up with her. Watching her stand up to him, without fully pulling rank, acknowledging his time in the Army, the reputation he had, but also demanding respect had Ghost teetering on the edge.

The same with last night. Gabby didn't take his bullshit. He tried, he truly did to be civil, to keep peace in the barracks. Yet seeing her on the phone, hearing another man talk to her, sent him over that edge he didn't want to cross. Something in him snapped and the only thing he knew to do was to push. Push hard, push without remorse and push till he comes out on top.

Only he didn't. Gabby showed no fear. Even when Ghost used his body size against her, pinning her down, getting in her space, she held her ground. He still felt her hands pressing against his chest, pushing him away with enough force he knew she didn't use all her strength against him. It's what she said that hit him hard.

“I don't know what happened to you, to turn that man I know is under that mask so hard. But I'm not the person to take it on.”

How did Gabby know? How did she know that who Ghost was, who he had to be day in and day out to keep the shadows from truly swallowing him whole, wasn't Simon that she saw? How did she know that Simon and Ghost were practically two different men. Ghost was the man that was made to survive whatever the world threw at him. He was made so that Simon could never be hurt again.

Finding himself in front of his mirror, Ghost looked at the scarred, broken man before him. The lines that marked his once youthful face, now harder by war. Eyes that once used to be filled with life, now held a darkness to them. The hazel coloring used to be brighter, more blue. Now the years dulled them to a pale brown, with only a flicker of the vibrant colors that once used to lay there. For a fraction of a second, Ghost saw his old self, he saw Simon flicker across his eyes, the vibrant blue lines that once used to cut through the hazel there and then gone before he could really decide if it had even been there.

Looking down over the naked planes of his chest and torso, Ghost saw pale skin that hadn't seen the sun in years, tan lines that no longer existed, the only lines that remained were his tattoos and scars.

Ghost stared at the raven inked into his arm. How the Blackbird took wing, breaking free from the black lines and shadows. How the bird flew above the darkness instead of among it. His eyes traced the lines of the feathers, the only trail that connected the raven to the rest. At the time, when he got it, the bird held a different meaning to him. Now, looking at the ink, he envied that bird, for having the courage to break free from the shadows that could have held it prisoner. For the first time in so long, he wanted to be that raven.

Gabby had said she pitied him. That she felt sorry for him for not believing in humanity. That she was fearless enough to embrace it even after everything she had seen. That she was strong enough to still believe in the world even when it wronged her. Ghost never felt fear. He was a shadow, he controlled the dark. He was fearless to war, to pain, to darkness. He was what was to be feared, he wasn't the one feeling the fear. That is until Gabby walked into his life. Now the hardened phantom feared the feelings she stirred deep within his soul. Feelings he pushed aside and buried deep among the darkness, where he kept the broken parts of him, so that he couldn't be hurt once more. Now those feelings bubbled and leaped about in his mind, making his fear the very idea of what feelings Gabby could bring out in him.

Looking back into the mirror, Ghost realized something, the reality of it hitting him like a baseball bat to the gut. His hands gripped the edge of the sink with a white knuckled grip, his lungs feeling like that were full of smoke and not air. His body went rigid and tight, as the thoughts he never knew he could feel now invaded his mind.

No, Simon Ghost Riley didn't hate the idea of Gabby. No, the idea of her terrified him. Because for the first time in so long, the walls he had built to keep the broken, hollowed version of a man he had become, now had a crack in them. And the man beneath the surface, hidden among the shadows, had now tasted the faintest, smallest sliver of sunlight that slipped behind the walls, and he now begged for more. And that scared Ghost to death.

“I'm so royally fucked.” He let his head hit the glass of the mirror with a light thud, letting the cold surface bleed into his warm skin. Ghost splashed some water on his face, patting it dry with the towel that hung nearby. Standing up he went back out to his room, but before he made it the whole way through the door he heard a noise coming from the shared wall of Gabby and his room.

He heard the faint sound of whimpering and gasping through the wall, his ear close to the plaster. Another nightmare. He heard them the night he found Gabby in the gym, dancing among the shadows. The way the emergency lights cast an ethereal glow to her skin, the way she jumped, spun, kicked, and flew through the dark room, as if she floated in the air that hung thickly in the gym. She moved in a way that wasn't human. Living up to her callsign. She was an Angel among the shadows.

Ghost had noticed the tattoo on her ribs, the way the lettings danced across her skin and the way he had to touch them, touch her, sent him mind reeling.

He knew what the letters etched into her skin meant, but he wanted to hear the quiet whisper of her voice speak it. The way her skin shivered as the pad of his fingers traced each line and drop of the letters. “Bloody hell.” He pulled his ear away from the wall and ran a hand through his tasseled locks. “Get a grip you wanker.”

Ghost grabbed a long sleeve black compression shirt, slipping it over his head and down his long torso. He felt it press his dog tags into his chest, the right fabric a comfort. He then slipped on a pair of dark jeans, slipping his black belt into place before grabbing his boots and slipping them on. Lastly Ghost slipped on his black balaclava without the skull mask sewn onto it and pulled it on, the soft black fabric making his world seem complete. It was a comfort to him, feeling the mask around his head, keeping his true self hidden to the world once more.

He slipped out of his room, silent as he moved. He spared a glance at Gabby's door before making his way down the hall towards the kitchen to make himself something to eat before Soap and Gabby woke up. Knowing she pulled such a late night, he figured it would be a few more hours until she came out from her room.

Ghost put on a kettle of water to make tea, and popped some bread into the air fryer to toast. He then pulled out some yogurt and granola to mix into it. Once the toast was done he put some avocado on the two slices. The kettle started to whistle and Ghost knew that he could make his tea. Just as he went to pour the water into his mug, he heard footsteps walking down the hall. Looking up, he saw the mohawk enter the room before Soap, as his head was still down, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

“Want a cappa?” Ghost asked, nodding his head towards the kettle in his hand as the Sergeant moved across the room and sat down on one of the bar stools at the Island. Soap nodded his head in an answer, his eyes still half asleep. Black sweatpants hung low on his hips, his white tank top hanging on for dear life across his broad chest. His dog tags hung on the outside, softly clanking together as he moved.

“Cheers mate.” The sleepy tone of Soap said as the mug was placed in front of his face, as well as the dish of sugar. Ghost just grunted in return, stirring his own tea after he added the milk. He knows his toast would grow cold if he soon didn't go to his room to eat, but he wanted to know what happened last night after he stormed off to his room after his fight with Gabby.

“How late did she work last night?” When he went back to apologize to her late into the night, after he spent some time playing his guitar to calm his mind, she had already left the office and her door was shut. He has knocked on her door softly, hoping to talk to her before she fell asleep, but an answer never came, so he had gone to bed, wishing he could take back things he had said.

Soap looked up over the mug of his tea, humming to himself as the caffeine hit his body. “Oi, that's good.” He licked his lips as he sat the mug down into the countertop. “Gabs came out of the office sometime after 0100. Said she found a breakthrough, got Laswell involved.”

Ghost hummed in response, pulling the edge of his balaclava up to take a sip of the warm tea, the liquid soothing on his throat. He saw Johnny had turned his head away slightly, keeping his eyes down as he took his drink of tea, respecting Ghost’s privacy the best he could while he took a drink of his own tea.

Glancing down the hallways to his right, Ghost looked at the line of doors. He pulled his mask back down, sitting the mug into the countertop as he leaned back against his, his hands lightly gripping the edges making his elbows bend backwards.

“Did she-” the question died in his tongue, unsure if he should continue to ask but the look in Johnny's eyes told him to continue, “always have those nightmares?” The end of the sentence was in a low voice, almost a whisper. Johnny turned to look back down the hall, towards her closed bedroom door before ramming a hand over his mohawk, the hair needing clipped as the hairs slightly curved to the side, not standing up straight anymore.

The Scottsmen shook his head slowly, his eyes finding Ghost’s once more as he wrapped his long fingers around the mug of his tea. “No. We were here a week before the mission in Al Mazrah. I never heard a peep from her. Then after we got back…. The screaming started.” His voice sounded pained, he winced as he said the last part, as if hearing her screams of terror hurt him physically. Both men knew the terrors of war, how it could take a toll on your mind, but hearing her screams at night was a whole different thing.

“PTSD. The death of that Sergeant, the one that was dead beside her when he pulled her from under that beam, it sent something off in her.” Johnny murmured softly, staring down into the mug as he tapped his finger against the ceramic in a rhythmic pattern. Ghost only hummed a reply, nodding his head softly as he leaned back more against the counter.

“She lost someone before.” It wasn't really a question, it was more of an observation on Ghost’s part. She told him as much, but something about how hard this affected her made him think it was more than just a teammate who died in the line of duty. Johnny just gave him a sideways glance before standing up out of his seat, making his way towards the fridge.

“You better eat, LT. Your toast will get cold.” The Sergeant said, his head stuck in the fridge as he dug around to find something to eat. Ghost grunted with a roll of his eyes, grabbing his plate before making his way towards his room. He stopped when he got to his door, glancing at Gabby's door for a long moment before stepping into his room, kicking the door shut with his foot and walked towards his desk to put down his food. Pulling off his mask, Ghost sat down in the chair and began eating his slightly chilled toast, his eyes staring at the joint wall between his and Gabby's rooms.

••••••••••••••••••••

A few hours later, while Ghost was reading a book in his room, he heard laughter floating down the hallway and under his door. The sweet sound of Gabby's laugh mixed with Soap's deep howl filled his ears as he softly pulled his door open. His curiosity got the better of him, so he pulled on his balaclava and he made his way silently down the hall towards the kitchen to find Soap holding onto Gabby's foot, his other hand threatening to tickle the arch of her foot.

He heard Johnny asking her what she called him in Spanish, the words floating off her tongue like honey as she called him a unicorn's ass. Ghost laughed to himself, making his way into the kitchen, completely unnoticed by the other two soldiers. Johnny growled her name in a warning before Ghost decided to join in.

“She called you a Unicorn’s ass.” He kept his voice monotone, trying not to laugh upon seeing the look of shock on both their faces. Gabby snapped upright, her hands behind her as she stared at him over the back of the sofa as Ghost grabbed an apple and a knife to make a snack. Johnny also looked over the back of the sofa, but then turned to glare at Gabby.

“Since when the fuck do you speak Spanish?!”

Ghost only shrugged, keeping his eyes on the apple as he chunked it up. He heard Johnny asking if it was a dig to him being Scottish, but the American just waved him off with a sly grin.

“Not now, I'm more curious to when the fuck he learned Spanish and never said anything.” She shushed him, before giving him an evil grin, making Ghost chuckle lightly to himself. “And yes, it's a dig.”

The Scotsman scuffed at her, crossing his arms like a child that just got told no, and looked back at Ghost as if he'd help him. But Ghost only looked at Gabby, smirking under his mask as he answered her. “I wouldn't be a good soldier if I didn't speak at least one different language.”

He finished chopping his apple and placed the knife in the dishwasher before grabbing the bag of trail mix out of the cabinet. He arranged his plate, grabbing a water bottle and saw Gabby still staring at him, yet there was a far away look in her eyes. Ghost cocked his head to the side, letting his eyes roam over her face before shaking his head slightly, a smirk under his mask. He walked out of the kitchen, knowing Soap wasn't about to let THAT go anytime soon, but he didn't really care. He made his way back to his room and shut the door, sitting down to eat his snack he made.

Ghost was almost done eating when he heard yelling. Getting up and going to his door he opened it, thinking something was wrong, but what he saw was not what he expected.

“YOUR MOTHER WAS A DONKEY!” Soap screamed as he raced past, running into his room.

“WELL YOUR FATHER WAS A BABOON, IT'S WHERE YOU GET YOUR FAT ASS FROM!” Gabby yelled back, catching up to the Sergeant, only for the door to get slammed in her face. Gabby slammed her fist against his door, laughing as she let her head fall against the wood. Ghost coins hear Johnny laughing on the other side of the door, laughing as well.

Gabby turned around with her eyes closed, her back and head now resting against the door as a breathless chuckle slipped past the pink of her lips. Then her eyes met his.

Ghost was leaning against his door frame, arms crossed loosely over his chest, his ankle crossed over his other foot. He has his head cocked to the side slightly, watching her every move. His eyes never left hers. The deep warm cocoa of her eyes, thick full eyelashes that framed the Irises so perfectly. Her hair was braided back, but has come loose some, falling over her shoulder. Tight black shorts hugged her long legs, the dark bruises still angry on her body. Her arms were crossed as she leaned back against Soap's bedroom door, watching him closely.

Ghost wanted to speak, he wanted to tell her he was sorry for the night before. He wanted her to know that he did respect her, ever most so after she stood toe to toe with him. But words didn't make it past his lips. So he held her gaze, willing her to understand that storm of emotions behind his eyes. He watched her gaze flicker between his own eyes, watching the light dance in the dark color of the chocolate of her eyes.

“Lieutenant-” Ghost started to speak, trying to find his words to try and string an apology together. He watched her body respond to his voice, her back going a bit straighter at the sound of his voice. He went to speak again, ready to put his feelings into words when all the sudden she disappeared with a shriek. Soap's face replaced where Gabby's had just been, his eyes wide as he looked down when the thud of her body hitting the floor rang out through the hallway.

Ghost jumped forward slightly, he was now out of his room into the hallway, but Johnny was already bending down to help Gabby.

“Oh my God, Gabs! I'm so sorry!” His hands went under her shoulders, pushing her into a sitting position, while keeping her back supported. “Ho’ bad did ya hur’ yours’lf lassie?” His Scottish accent filled the space around all of them, making Ghost stop in his tracks.

He let his eyes rack over her sitting form, looking to see if there was any blood or more bruising in her limbs. He watched those brown eyes open, her hand waving Soap’s question away. “Brin’ back yo’r letters Johnny, they miss you when ya drop them so suddenly.” Her own accent was thick as she made the jab at him. Her accent got thick, the Southern draw dripping like honey off her tongue and filling his ears. Ghost fought back a groan, the sound of her voice making his insides shiver.

He didn't really pay attention to Soap making a jab back, or the words that truly came out of Gabby's mouth as she brushed off her legs and shirt of dirt from the floor. “You good?” he saw her flinch in the slightest, before turning around to face him. Her white shirt had fallen off her shoulder, the black strap of her bra now visible. The smooth tan skin of her neck now bared for his eyes to trace over. Her braid was messy, falling over her shoulder and ear. The gleam of her dog tags shined under the light as they had slipped out from under her shirt to rest over her breast bone.

His eyes honed in on the tags, noticing three tags instead of the standard two. The 3rd one hung on a small chain, hanging only a hairs breath longer than the other 2 tags on their chain. His mind rolled over this new information. A fallen soldier’s tag. Possibly the cause of her nightmares. Someone important to her.

“Mhm, I'm okay.” Her accent is still thicker than she normally lets it be. It was a soft sound, like a balm on his soul. And those damn eyes. He couldn't stop looking into those eyes that seemed to look right past Ghost and find Simon who was hiding beneath the surface. A small smile pulled at his lips under his balaclava, feeling how hard she was looking into his eyes. It was unnerving yet enchanting at the same time.

“Oi, either kiss or punch each other already and get this thin’ movin’ along will ya?”

“I'm going to kill him.” Ghost thought to himself. He sent the Scottsmen a withering glare, but he only got a smile in return. Ghost had to fight the urge to roll his eyes as he glared down at the other man. “Got something to say, Johnny?” making sure the bite in his tone was heard.

But the Sergeant only smiled, nodding his head as he looked Ghost right in the eyes. “Aye, I do. You two have been dancing around each other, acting all pissy one minute and somewhat tolerable the next ever since you LT.” He pointed at Ghost, making the bigger man shift his weight slightly, not like being pointed out, “had to go and open your mouth like an asshole after Al Mazrah. We are supposed to be a team, so can't we just all get along without having to dance around the others in the room?”

Ghost glared into the blue eyes of his Sergeant, hating that his words struck a nerve. He worked his jaw under his mask, his teeth grinding together as he thought over what Soap had said. He did sound like an asshole in Al Mazrah. He knew it and he wanted to apologize for it. But admitting he was wrong wasn't something Ghost was used to doing or did willingly. Or very often. After a moment of silence conversation with Johnny, willing him to just disappear with only his eyes but he never did. So with a sigh on his lips he turned and locked eyes with Gabby.

He took a step forward, and placed his hand out towards her in an offering of peace. His eyes never left hers, even as he saw hers glance down to his hand, looking it over before gently taking it. Her hand was much smaller compared to his. Her skin has some calluses on her fingers due to holding and firing a gun, but her palm was smooth and warm as it touched his skin. Her fingers, long and slender, wrapped themselves around his hand, holding onto it firmly yet gently. His eyes darted down to look at her hand, the tanned skin against his pale skin. The way her nails were kept short and clean, the smooth cut of her wrist as the bones and muscles flexed and twitched slightly under the skin as they shook hands lightly.

His hand felt dirty, and unworthy to be touching her hand. His hands had blood on them, a tainted past unfit for smooth warm skin to be cradling. Hands of a killer, made out to be a soldier. Hands that had seen far more than their share in his lifetime. Yet she didn't flinch away, keeping the firm grip on his palm.

“Lieutenant.”

“Lieutenant.” They said at the same time. Ghost willed her with his eyes to understand what he wanted to say but couldn't, in the single word that dropped from his tongue as he shook her hand. Gabby pulled away first and Ghost let his hand drop to his side. Gabby shoved her hands into her jeans pockets, and Ghost leaned back against the door frame once more, trying to keep his emotions in line. He watched as a shiver overtook her body, her eyes clouding over slightly as if she was lost in thought, yet her eyes remained on him.

Soap let out a cough, drawing Gabby's attention with rosy cheeks and downcast eyes. She muttered something under her breath, her eyes not meeting his or Soap's as she turned on her heels and left to head to the kitchen. Ghost felt his eyes on him even before he rolled his head to the side to find Soap smirking at him with his head cocked to the side.

“Don't even start with me.” Ghost grumbled, shoving the Sergeant with his shoulder as he made a much larger turn into the hall then needed to turn around and walk back into his room.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

“Marshall, no!”

The scream cut through the night, sending Ghost flying to his feet. He had been sitting up reading, his own past not letting him rest but hearing Gabby scream out in the dark sent his blood racing through his veins. He quickly grabbed his balaclava and tugged it on, forgoing the eye paint. He grabbed a white T-shirt and slipped it on, rolling it down his torso before opening his door and stepping out.

He saw Gabby’s door was left wide open, and with a quick glance inside he noted the room was empty. Just like the night he had found her dancing in the gym. The sound of another door opening pulled his attention, making him shift as he looked to find Johnny poking his head off of his room. His eyes found Ghost's and the taller man shook his head, as he walked past his door and Johnny’s.

“I got it. Go back to sleep.” He told Soap in an almost silent voice as he stepped past, his steps silent with years of training. He moved without a sound, his body used to keeping to the shadows, not letting anyone know he was there until it was too late.

What he found made him stop in his tracks for a beat. Gabby was leaning over the kitchen island, her head on her arms as soft sobs drifted through the air. Standing there in the dark she looked small. Unlike the last time he found her after a nightmare, where she used her power, her skill, her pain to tell a story. Now she stood hunched over the countertop as sobs shook her body with each tear that slipped past her eyelashes.

Instead of commanding the shadows like he had seen, Gabby seemed to be overtaken by them. The darkness swallowed her whole, as she cried softly into her arms. Ghost wanted to reach out, touch her, comfort her. To tell her he understood pain from a loss.

So stepping up behind her, he kept his voice low and gravelly, trying not to spook her. “Who did you lose?” Next thing he knew a fist slammed into his chest, the air being knocked from his lungs as he took a staggered step back. So much for not spooking her. His right hand came up, rubbing the impact spot. She had a hell of a swing to her, that was for sure. Her shriek filled his ears, but the burning gaze of her eyes lit the fire in him. He liked seeing the spark in her eyes.

“Christ, do you always have to sneak up on me at night?!” Gabby whisper-yelled, her eyes bearing into his. He gave her a look, trying to decide if he was proud or afraid of how hard she could hit. The tone in her voice definitely sent a shiver down his spine.

“I heard you scream, and your door was open. So I came out here to check on you.” He could see she wasn't expecting him to say something like that. To sound…. Caring. He watched as she ran a hand through her hair, whispering a fuck into the night air, refusing to meet his eyes as she let her hands drop back to her sides.

“I'm sorry I woke you up.” She began to run her fingers over the long jagged scar on her left arm, something he noticed she did after a nightmare. He did it too, rubbing the laces on his arms or sides, trying to keep it subtle as he did to not draw attention to it. It was a coping mechanism.

“Who did you lose?” He asked again, keeping his voice slow and soft as he spoke. He tried to keep the grit out of it, trying to be gentle in his question. He saw her eyes find his, the soft light over the stove catching her eyes.

Gabby took a deep breath, filling her lungs with air before she asked him her own question. “What makes you think I lost someone? People get nightmares for all kinds of reasons.”

Ghost scuffed, taking a small step forward as he placed his right hand on his hip. “Because I asked Johnny if you got nightmares each night and he said he only heard you yelling in your sleep since we got back from Al Mazrah.” His tone was flat, but not unfriendly. “Meaning that Sergeant’s death triggered something in you. So you lost someone at some point.”

Gabby grumble under her breath about Soap being a traitor, running a hand down her face and over the back of her neck before looking Ghost in the eyes. “I told you the other night, I lost a teammate some time ago. PTSD likes to come and go.” She shrugged it off, trying to act like the nightmares didn't literally crush her heart and mind when they hit her.

Ghost shook his head and reached out towards her with his left hand, holding the palm of his hand upright towards her. He watched as her eyes snapped to his hand. He watched as her eyes slowly took in the shape of his hand, the ink that started at his wrist and slowly worked its way up to his mid bicep. He kept his hand studying, his breathing soft as he felt her eyes move over his arm, landing on the raven at the top of his arm. He watched as her brows furrowed together, seeing the raven take flight from the rest of his sleeve tattoo, like she was trying to understand the meaning behind it.

“Gabrielle, this is more than just a teammate’s death.” His voice was deep, smooth like the bourbon he drank. There was no gravel to it. He didn't want to spook her, he wanted to understand her.

She crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back against the island as she watched his outreached hand. “Why do you care all of a sudden?” She asked with a raised eyebrow, her head cocked to the side. Ghost took the smallest step forward, keeping his eyes locked with hers as he spoke.

“You asked me to show you the same respect I show the rest of the team. This is me doing that.”

He could see she didn't expect that answer. He could see it in her eyes her resolve was breaking, that she wanted to open up to him. He saw her shift slightly, about to speak, but he beat her to it. “You wear three tags around your neck. Whoever you lost, meant something to you. That's why you scream in your sleep. So, I'll ask again.” He stepped forward, his hand still outreached, palm up as an offering. “Who did you lose?”

He watched as the hand that was rubbing the scar shot up and grabbed the extra dog tag that hung around her neck. He saw tears in her eyes but they never spilled over her lashes. Her hair fell in front of her face as she looked down at the scar, pushing it over her shoulders. Ghost kept his hand out, wishing he could touch her, smooth the tear stains from her cheeks, hold her to his chest to hear how his stone cold heart now beat with a warmth in it.

“I wasn't lying.” Her voice was small and broken as she spoke, making his heart ping with pain for her. “I did lose a teammate.” She wiped a stray tear off her cheek, letting her head fall back slightly as she pushed her hair away from her face. Ghost took another step forward, his hand still outreached. “He was also my partner. I wasn't a true member of his team. I was still a solo operator that worked with him and his men a lot. We grew close over time.”

The sound of her tone, the way she spoke, he knew before he even asked the question what the answer was. “You loved him.” His voice was so soft, he almost didn't recognize it. That wasn't Ghost speaking, that wasn't the hardened killer that spoke. The smallest part of Simon broke through as he spoke.

Her head nodded, years now looking at her lower eyelashes. “Yes.” She wiped away another tear, looking away from his hazel eyes before more spilled. “We were on a mission. It went sideways fast. We found hostages and were trying to clear the building with them when it went up in flames.” At this point the tears ran down her cheeks freely. She bit her lower lip, trying to keep it together. Her arms hugged herself tightly, a shiver running through her body. Ghost, or maybe it was Simon, desperately wanted to pull her to his chest and tell her it was okay. To let the tears fall, to let the pain go.

Ghost stepped in front of her, only a foot away and leaned his hip against the island so he was slouching slightly, more so to her eye level. He didn't say anything, just looked at her. His eyes flickered to the scar on her arm, and her own followed his gaze.

“I wasn't strong enough. Fast enough. He got hit with falling debris, and fell to his fiery grave. I couldn't save him.” She choked out the last part, tears hitting the floor as they fell from her chin. He watched her hand grab the dog tag once more. She didn't hide how hard this was for her. Ghost kept his body soft, leaning against the countertop, trying to look less threatening, making his body smaller to look her in the eyes.

“I got a battlefield promotion. I got a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. I was named a hero after that day.” Her lower lip trembling as she spoke. “All's Marsh got was a grave made from fire and stone. We only found his tags, his patch and his pistol in the rubble. Now, after a mission where a soldier I'm fighting besides meets their end, I have dreams of that day… so vivid and real. I see and feel it all over again. I see his eyes before he fell into those flames. Two years and I'm still fighting the demons of that day because I walked away from the fire and he didn't.”

Ghost flinched as he fist came down to connect with the countertop, his eyebrows knitting together slightly as he watched her lean her head down to touch the cool surface. Tears still slipped down her cheeks as her eyes went closed, her body trembling.

“You blame yourself for something you can't control, Gabrielle.” Her name felt like sugar on his tongue, so sweet and smooth as he spoke it. He saw her eyes find his, seeing how her name on his lips pulled her from the pain, even for only a second. Was she responding to Ghost or Simon? Who spoke her name, really?

Their eyes held each other's gaze. The air around them seemed to crackle with life, something fragile yet powerful. It fueled his broken, cold heart. Making it beat faster, stronger… warmer. The cracks in his walls grew, the light shined through the hairline fracture, chasing the shadows within him. His brain screamed for him to run, to shut out the light and find the darkest corner. But his heart, his heart begged him to chase the light and let it shine brighter. To feed the hunger for something good.

“Thank you…. For listening.” Gabby finally spoke, her voice weak and broken from the tears she shed. She gripped the dog tags that hung around her neck once more, but less aggressively. His eyes followed the movement of her thumb for a moment before breaking the silence.

“Get some sleep, Gabrielle.” He reached out and patted her shoulder softly, before stepping away from her, moving like a shadow through the dark room. He made it as far as the hallway door, before he looked over his shoulder at Gabby, finding her where he left her. His eyes met hers for a split second before he threw a soft “You're welcome” over his shoulder. He then kept walking, pushing open his bedroom door and shutting it with a soft click. Leaning his back against the door, his head thunked softly against the wood as a long deep sigh tore from his lips. Reaching up he pulled off his black balaclava, letting the fabric hang from his left hand as his right ran through his blonde locks, running down his face and neck.

Ghost closed his eyes as he tried to figure out the feelings swirling around in his mind and heart. Things he had pushed down so long ago, now clawed at their cages, begging to be freed. It made his head spin. He stepped away from the door, making his way to his bed as he grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it off his body, letting it fall to the floor. His eyes snapped to the door as he heard footsteps beyond it. He watched the shadows dance under the door, knowing Gabby walked past it to head back to her room. He let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, once he heard her door shut. His body fell backwards onto his bed, his head hitting his pillow as he closed his eyes, dragging a hand down his face with a groan.

No, Ghost didn't hate the idea of Gabby. He never hated the idea of her. No, the idea of Gabby scared him senseless. Because the idea of her, made him remember what it was like to be Simon, and all of the sudden the lines he was so good at not crossing, became muddled in his mind. And that scared him most of all.

Chapter Text

Gabby woke to a heavy fist pounding on her door. She grumbled as she threw off the blankets, running a hand over her tired eyes. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she saw it was 6am. She only got 4 and half hours of sleep.

Fantastic.

The banging on her door only got worse, making her lips turn into a scowl. “Aight, I'm comin’! Stop your hissy fittin’!” Throwing open her door she found Soap standing there, already dressed in a pair of white washed jeans, a dark blue T-shirt and his holster strapped to his thigh. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes she glared at the Scottsmen for waking her up.

“Come on Lass, something went down last night with Hassan. They are calling a meeting. Get dressed.” His accent was thick, the gravel still in his voice showing he had just woken up not long ago. Gabby quickly nodded and shut her door, going to her dresser to grab clothes. Going off how Soap was dressed, she figured it wasn't a regular mission. No this would be more her style, blend into the background and take what was needed.

Grabbing a pair of black cargo that hugged her in all the right places, but offered enough stretch for her to move as needed. She grabbed a dark green tank top and a black sports bra and slipped them on, tucking the tank top into her belt, her dog tags now on full display. She pulled in and laced up her black combat boots before grabbing her brush off the dresser and quickly combed her hair before braiding it down her back. Once she was presentable, she grabbed her thigh holster and strapped it on.

Gabby made her way to her door, opening it and made her way down the hall to the kitchen where there was a side door off by the fridge that led to the small conference room. She saw Ghost and Soap already in there, and Soap was pulling something up on the laptop that would show up on the big screen on the far wall. The door shut behind her and she made her way forward, standing next to Soap as the screen came to lift on the wall.

General Shepherd and Kate Laswell both appeared on the screen, making Gabby stand a little bit straighter. She crossed her arms over her chest, watching the monitor with much interest.

“Ghost, Soap, Halo. Good to see you all.” Shepherd spoke, his voice crisp as it came through the speakers.

“Good to see you, Sir.” Gabby replied, giving him a nod of her head.

“Let's get down to business. Thanks to the information Halo was able to pull from the device she found, along with Intel Captain Price was able to gather, we found Hassan in Mexico. Last night Mexican Special Forces located Hassan trying to cross the border into the States. They found a safe house and did what they could to stop Hassan. Unfortunately Hassan got away but back into Mexico with the help of the Cartel.” Kate filled them in, showing pictures of Hassan and pictures of Las Almas, Mexico.

“We believe Hassan is held up in a safehouse somewhere on the outskirts of the city. Mexican Special Forces feel they need some outside help to make sure this doesn't turn into a war.” Shepherd added, his brows knitted together as he folded hands rested on his desk. Gabby looked at the pictures on the screen, running through her memories to figure out where Hassan was sitting.

“We are sending you three to assist in the capture of Hassan. There is more than one missile, and we need that Intel.” The older man kept talking. Pictures of the three soldiers showed up on the screen. Soap’s smiling face, Gabby’s bright eyes but professional smile and Ghost, in his mask with dark red safety glasses hiding his eyes. “Ghost, you are still acting command while Captain Price is still in Amsterdam. You'll be making the hard calls, but Halo will take point when on the ground.”

Gabby snapped to attention, her eyes finding the General's. “Sir?” She asked, cocking her head to the side slightly. Shepherd raised a hand, stopping her from farther speaking.

“Halo has worked with the Mexican Special Forces in the past. She also has ties to some of the soldiers there. Plus she knows Las Almas. If things go south, she can get you through that city if you get separated from the Mexican Special Forces. Utilize this, Ghost. Halo is going to be your biggest asset in Mexico.”

The tall, skull faced man didn't speak right away. His eyes, now hardened into the soldier he was famed for, found hers for a fraction of a second. Gabby expected to find anger there, that he was supposed to rely on her to make some of the calls on this mission. But she found none of that. She saw the slightest tip of his chin, a nod of understanding before his eyes went back to the screen.

“Understood Sir. We'll get it done.” His raspy tone answered the General, keeping his posture tight and professional.

“Good man. Wheels up in 1 hour.” Shepherd said before closing down his screen, keeping Kate on the line.

“Pack enough to last you a week or two. We don't know how long this could last, so you might as well prepare. My contact in Las Almas said they will provide any weapons and ammo you don't bring. You will fly into their base and meet them there. If we dig up more Intel in the meantime, John or myself will reach out. Happy hunting.” And with that Kate’s screen turned dark as well, leaving the three soldiers in the quiet of the room.

Ghost was the first to move, his steps wide yet silent as he moved towards the door. He held it open, waiting for the other Lieutenant and the Sergeant to walk past before pulling it shut with a click. The three of them all walked down towards their rooms to pack. Gabby slipped into her room, letting the door open as she moved about grabbing her duffel bag from under her bed. As well as her sniper case.

Putting both items on the bed she began to pull out clothing she would need for the next week or so. They had washers and dryers in base in Mexico, so she wasn't too worried. Shoving some shirts, pants, shorts, underwear, bars, socks and her bathroom essentials into the bag she zipped it shut. She grabbed her tactical vest, slipping it on over her tank top, pulling the side straps snug. She slid it around slightly, making sure it fit over her body just so, before grabbing her rifle case and duffle bag.

Gabby walked past Soap's open door, but Ghost's was closed. It didn't surprise her.

Gabby saw Johnny out of the corner of her eye as she walked past his door, trying to give her his signature smile but she was too in her head to really notice. Her mind was on this upcoming mission. On Mexico. On a city that meant something to her heart.

Walking to the armory, she walked to her weapons locker, popping open the lock. Inside was her pistol, a dozen full clips of ammo, knives, flash and smoke bombs. Filling her tactical vest up with what she needed, adding some glow sticks, three flares, some matches, some cutters that could cut small wire, rope, or other things, and a case of bullets to reload mags with. She made sure everything was secure in her vest, so that if she was running or jumping around nothing moved or fell out, to make noise.

As Gabby moved around the table in the armory, to work on her rifle’s scope before leaving, she saw a switchblade dagger laying on the table’s surface. It had a smooth black handle that had a thin layer of rubber around it. The top of the handle had a bit of metal showing, its black gleam catching the light. Picking it up, she felt the comforting weight of it as it settled into the palm of her hand. Flicking the blade open, the matte black four and half inch blade shined under the overhang light.

The blade had been well taken care of, the smoothe sharp edges shining as Gabby moved it around in her hand. She spun the knife around, flicking it between her fingers and it spun around and around. The weight felt good in her hands, like a long lost friend she missed. Stilling her movement of the dagger, she looked down at the blade and saw a small etching in the metal. “S.R” was carved into the blade.

“Simon Riley.” She breathed the name as her finger ran over the carved letters on the cold metal. Saying his name aloud was like an unspoken prayer. A name that was meant to stay hidden in the shadows, behind a bone mask, behind a Ghost.

“Find something of interest?” The deep Manchester accent of the blade's owner spoke from the doorway of the armory. Gabby's head popped up from looking at the dagger. She snapped the blade back into place, her fingers grabbing the rubber handle as she looked into the holes of his mask, finding his eyes. Ghost doaned the skull mask once more, the white bone of the mask glowing under the bright white lights of the armory.

“This is a really well made dagger.” Gabby said, flipping the weapon in her hand before laying it flat in her palm, held out towards him. “Daggers are one of my go to for hand to hand combat. I appreciate a well made weapon.”

Ghost looked from her face to the knife in her hand and back to her eyes before stepping forward. Once he got within reach, he placed her hand under hers, wrapping his bone glove clad hand around her own, curling her fingers around the handle of the knife. He then kept his hand around her now curled hand around the dagger towards her, pushing it towards her chest.

“What are you d-”

“Keep it.”

Gabby's eyes flew up from the dagger to his own, the surprise written on her face. The gesture wasn't unwelcomed, but unexpected. His gloved hand still cupped her own, the warmth bled through the fabric and it ran through her veins into her heart. A smile creeped onto her lips, pulling them into a soft lopsided grin. She saw the skin around his eyes crinkle, hunting at his own smile behind the mask.

All too soon the warmth from his hand was lost from her own, snapping her out of her own mind as she flipped the dragger around in her hand, before pushing it into a hidden pocket on the inside of her tactical vest, resting right about her heart. She saw his eyes follow the movement, before giving her a nod of approval. Her eyes followed his tall, thick frame as he walked to his own weapons locker, popping the lock to get his own gear. Gabby went to work on her scope, checking it over before snapping it into her rifle with a click. She then slipped the rifle strap over her body, letting the weapon hang at her side.

Soap soon walked into the armory, grabbing his own gear and loading up his vest. Once the three soldiers geared up, they grabbed their bags and made their way to the hangar, to load up onto the C-19 transport. Gabby looked up at the large aircraft, knowing only a week and half ago, the same plane had brought her to England. They walked up the ramp, stowing their gear in the mush nettings on the side of the plane before taking their seats. Gabby watched as the ramp closed behind them, letting her head fall back against the wall behind her. The lack of sleep, the lingering remnants of her nightmare still licking at the back of her mind, it made her body feel sore and weak.

A tap on her arm pulled Gabby from her half asleep trance, looking up to find the ocean blue eyes of the Scottish Sergeant standing over her.

“Come on Bonnie.” He muttered, tugging on her bicep to help her stand to her feet. She felt the vibration under her boots, and knew the plane was airborne. Gabby looked to her right and saw a soft blue hammock had been hung from wall to wall, along with a dark blue one and a black one. Ghost was already in his, the black hammock swinging back and forth two feet above the floor as he read a book.

Soap led Gabby to the light blue hammock between his and Ghost's, letting Gabby get her footing as he held the cloth bed still, as she settled herself into the soft canvas bed, her head falling to the small pillow that was also there. “There you go, Lass.” His soft whisper mumbled into her ear as he pulled a blanket up over her body. Gabby gave him a weak smile, her body slipping into blissful darkness as sleep overtook her.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

“Come on, wake up Brown Eyes.” A gentle hand on her shoulder shook her away from her dreamless sleep. Her eyes flickered open, finding golden hazel eyes already trained onto hers. Ghost was kneeling beside her hammock, shaking her shoulder to wake her up. Gabby stretched her arms above her head, feeling the muscles in her spine pop and crack as she did so. A soft, deep chuckle filled her ears, the soft rumble from Ghost's chest making her body feel warm under his gaze.

“Come on, half an hour till we land.” Stated Ghost, as he stood up, both his knees popping as his legs straightened. Gabby huffed a laugh, trying to keep the smile off her lips. She wasn't sure what changed between them, but after he had found her, standing among the shadows as tears and fear overtook her mind, and listened to her, comforted her without judgement, it was like the air between them shifted. It was calmer, warmer.

Gabby let her legs fall from the hammock, sitting up in it as she undid her braid. She let her long dark chocolate locks fall in waves down her back, before she started to redo the French braid. It was then when she realized her vest had been taken off, leaving her in her dark green tank top. Looking around she saw it on the far wall, tucked into the netting with her rifle case.

“Sorry Lass, I took it off ya when I put ya to bed. I ken it's not comfortable to wear yo’r vest to sleep.” Remarked Soap from his spot on a bench seat, a few feet away from where his hammock had once been hanging. Gabby only smiled at him, her fingers still deep in her hair as she weaved the strands together to make a thick braid down her back. Standing up, she let her back pop into place, her boots feeling the vibration under her. Walking towards the netting, she grabbed her vest and slipped it over her head, tightening the side straps.

Grabbing her rifle, she slung the strap over her body and slipped her pistol back into her thigh holster. Walking over to where Soap was sitting, she sat down in the next bench seat, strapping in. The pilot came over the comms, announcing they would be getting ready to make their approach. Ghost soon found his way to his seat, strapping in.

Gabby noticed he had changed his mask, he now had a brown wrap around cape, with white lines painted on top to the skull mask, and below it, making it look like bones. A headset sat on top of the hood, the mic close to where his mouth would be under the mask. The cape part of the hood settled over his tactical vest, hanging down the back.

Gabby reached into the pocket of her vest and pulled out her throat mic, slipping it around her neck and snapping it into place. She then reached for the small ear piece that continued to it and slipped it into her ear snuggly. Once that was done she turned the mic on, but left her side of the channel closed.

“What did Shepherd mean by you being an asset in Las Almas?” Soap spoke up, breaking the silence that filled the haul around them. Gabby rolled her head to the side, sitting up straighter.

“My mother was from Las Almas. She would bring my brother and I there every summer to visit friends and family. To let us learn our Mexican history. I know the city like the back of my hand.”

“And your history with the Mexican Special Forces?” Ghost pipped in, his curiosity getting the better of him. Gabby nodded her head, looking down at her feet for a moment before answering his question.

“My very first mission, when I got picked to be a part of the Rangers, was a joint ops with the Mexican Special Forces. It's where I earned my callsign. I ran with them a few more times over the years, I know a good handful of soldiers there.”

Nothing else was said between the three as the plane started to land. They each grabbed their rifles, holding onto them loosely in their laps as the plane touched down. Once the pilot gave the all clear, they unstrapped and stood up, walking to the mess sling to grab whatever else they needed while the rest was going to be taken into the base. Gabby was making sure everything she needed was in her vest as the ramp went down, Soap and Ghost making their way towards it.

Nerves ran through her, her body humming with adrenaline. It had been over a year since she last stepped foot into the place she considered a home. People she hadn't seen or spoken to in a long time now waited outside the plane. And it was nerve-racking.

“Alejandro!” She heard Soap call out as he stepped down the ramp. A deep Mexican accent soon joined in, calling to the Sergeant in a greeting. Taking a deep breath, she made her way to the ramp, seeing Soap and Ghost standing with a tall, slim but muscular man who was in his early 40s. Short clipped dark hair lined his jaw, making him more ruggedly handsome. Thick dark chocolate hair that almost looked black was swept to the side. At his hairline were slight speckles of gray mixed into the dark locks, hinting at his age slightly.

“Laswell says they call you Ghost.” She heard the Colonel say, to which Soap was more than happy to answer.

“Actually I believe he prefers to be-” a smirk on his lips and his hand raised to make his point, he began to make a smart remark before Ghost cut him off.

“What will do!” Ghost barked at the Sergeant, making the Scottsmen snap his jaw shut, a look of annoyance in the blue eyes of the would-be prankster. Alejandro kept a smirk at bay, looking between the two men before tipping his head to the side.

“I was told there was another Lieutenant joining us?”

“You're losing your touch old man.” Gabby finally spoke up, stepping off the ramp of the plane with a smirk on her lips. For the first time in a long long time, she let her full Texan accent free, making her words sound sweeter as she spoke. “I've been here the whole time and you didn't even notice me.” Her smile grew wider as she stepped up between Ghost and Soap, the older man smiling widely as he stared at her. A soft laugh rumbled from his lips, as he opened his arms wide with an invitation.

Gabby smiled, stepping forward to embrace him, letting her head fall to his shoulder as her arms looked around his neck. “"Te he extrañado Alejandro.” She sighed into his neck, letting his warm cider and musk cologne fill her lungs. (I've missed you Alejandro)

“"Oh querida niña, yo también te he extrañado.” (Oh dear girl, I've missed you also) Alejandro whispered into her hair, his large hands holding her close as he hugged her tightly. After a few beats their embrace ended, Gabby pulling back from the older man with a smile plastered on her lips. Alejandro kept an arm around her waist, pulling the girl to his side as he smiled down at her.

“Laswell failed to tell me that the other lieutenant was my Goddaughter!” His growling laugh filled Gabby’s ears, making her cheeks turn slightly red. She whacked the older man in his chest, ducking out from under his arm with a playful shove. Soap has an amused glint to his eyes, his head cocked to the side with a raised eyebrow. Ghost wasn't very readable, his mask giving nothing away as the shadows hide his eyes from truly being seen.

Wanting to break the tension in the air, Gabby opened her arms wide as she smiled brightly. “Gentlemen, welcome to the city of souls!”

The warm summer air and hot sun wrapped itself around the exposed skin on her arms and face, warming her after all the cold English rain she had seen over the past week and half. It was refreshing, waking up her soul as she breathed in the sweet summer air, the hint of gunpowder from the firing range tingling her nose.

“I've never been to Mexico.” Soap piped up as they began to walk away from the plane towards a convoy of jeeps.

“This isn't Mexico, this is Las Almas.” Alejandro corrected the Sergeant, making Gabby roll her eyes. Alejandro hated the city being lumped into the stereotypic Mexican ideal. The city wasn't a tourist trap, like the big cities in Mexico, and the people here were more seclusive, not as open to outsiders. Soap gave her puppy dog eyes, his lower lip pouty as he tried to figure out the difference between Las Almas and Mexico. Gabby just gave him a small smile, watching as his big blue eyes looked around the base.

“Shepherd's contractors are inbound to reinforce and are bringing hardware. They'll need room.” Voiced Ghost, as he looked over to Alejandro as they continued to walk.

“My base is your base.” The Latino man answered, nodding his head. Ghost nodded his in return letting out a soft “Good”, looking over his shoulder at Gabby before looking back to Alejandro.

“Now where's Hassan?”

“Cartel safehouse about ten clicks from here.” The Colonel opened the back jeep door, waving his hand to the three soldiers as he did so. “Get in.” He then barked an ordered the other cars in Spanish, as Soap walked around to the other side of the jeep to jump into the back. Gabby climbed in first, sitting in the middle as Ghost got in after her.

To say she was smushed was an understatement. Sitting between the two largely muscled men, their shoulders digging into her own and their hip bones permanently indenting into her sides, she let out a frustrated sigh. Gabby wasn't skinny, she was feminine in her shape for sure, but hard muscle lines her bones, making her large but still fit and shapely. “I'd rather ride in the trunk at this point.” She grumbled, making Soap chuckle and Ghost just cast her a sideways look, rolling his eyes in the process. Alejandro only smiled, before pointing to the man in the driver's seat.

“My second in command, Sergeant Major Rodolfo Parra.”

“Tengo miedo de los fantasmas.” (I'm scared of ghosts.) Rudy said under his breath to Alejandro, catching Gabby's smirk on the rearview mirror. Alejandro only shook his head, a lopsided grin on his face as he turned around to face the trio.

“You know Spanish?” He asked the Brits. Ghost didn't answer, just staring ahead. Soap worked his jaw for a second, before answering with a defeated “no”. Gabby snickered, covering her mouth with her hand as Soap shot her a dirty look.

“You will.” Was all Alejandro said as he faced front once more, trying to keep the smirk off his face. Rudy began to drive, the other 3 jeeps close behind him as they left the base behind and drove off towards the city of Las Almas. The scenery flew by as they drove, Gabby watching out the windows as she took in the city she hadn't seen in some time. The jeep was quite for the next ten minutes or so, the jeep slowly rocking them as it moved forward towards the city limits.

“Wait, did you say Gabby was your Goddaughter?” Soap broke the silence, his eyebrow raised as he looked up towards Alejandro.

“Si, her mother, myself and Rudy all grew up together. Childhood best friends. When Molina’s parents died when she was 16, she lived with my family until she moved to Texas to go to college.” Spoke the older man, looking back over his shoulder.

“After the sperm donor was KIA when we were kids, Alejandro and Rudy stepped in to help raise us, making sure we had someone to lean on when Mom wasn't able to.” Gabby adding in, looking towards the older two men fondly. “Especially when we went the military route. Biggest cheerleaders these two.”

“Not a daddy's girl, Halo?” Ghost chirped, turning his head to look at the other lieutenant.

Gabby scrunched her nose up in disgust, shaking her head as she grimaced at the thought. “The Major wasn't much of a father in general, but he definitely didn't want to be a girl dad.”

“So why the military then, if you didn't join to follow in his footsteps?” Soap inquired.

“To erase his.” The answer was simple, yet the tone in which it was said, told them everything. The jeep feels silent, Alejandro and Rudy giving each other a knowing look, before facing forward to watch the road. The city came into view, the old houses and shops lining the roads. Steko adorned the buildings, paintings of their history on the walls. People walked the sides, coming and going from the shops and homes. The town was alive for a Saturday afternoon.

Gabby felt Soap tense beside her, his arms going rigid as he wrapped his fingers around the stock of his rifle between his legs. “White truck, four armored in the back.” He said in a hushed tone, looking up to confirm his finding with Alejandro.

“Hey, easy Hermano.” Gabby softly laid her hand on top of his, pushing the rifle back down to rest the muzzle on the floor.

“ Hey tranquil, that's normal here. Guns on the street are the jurisdiction of the police.” Alejandro added, nodding his head towards the city.

Looking around, Ghost joined in. “Where are the police?”

Alejandro let out a sigh, the frustration evident in the tone. “Well Las Almas has a very serious problem.” He looked back in the rearview to see the three soldiers behind him. “There are very few here to uphold the law and those who do resist corruption… disappear.”

“What about the military?”

“Because we are well trained, many in the military are recruited by the Narcos.”

“Why not you?”

Alejandro looked over at Rudy, who met his eyes and smiled softly before looking back at the road. Alejandro shrugged his shoulders, a smirk on his lips. “We grew up here. They call us Las Vaqueros… The Cowboys. We love this place. And we will die fighting for it.”

The two older men smiled at each other once more, before Alejandro caught Gabby's eyes in the rearview. His smile softened, the lines around her eyes crinkled with her own smile. They continued to drive through the town, kids running around with dogs as they chased them. Street carts with food popped up as they drove, the smell of warm food wafted through the air. As they drove, they passed a cart selling balloons to kids, men with guns and skull neck warmers lined the streets.

Soap looked away from the window, glancing at Gabby and Ghost with a sad look to his eyes. “Kids, guns, balloons and… that's a new one.”

Gabby scrunched up her nose, running her touch over her teeth. “For you maybe.” She grumbled as she watched kids playing alongside the road. Her eyes held a far away look to them, back to her memories of her childhood in Las Almas.

“The Narco use generosity to win over the people.”

“Even then children?” Inquired Soap, his head to the side as he chewed on the inside of his cheek.

“Especially the children.” Rudy spoke up, his soft tone drifting through the jeep. He has a softer, smoother voice than Alejandro, no rasp to his tone, but his accent was like soft wine on his lips.

Rudy pulled the jeep to a stop, the smell of blood filling the sweet summer air, making it sting their noses. Looking over Ghost, Gabby and Soap saw a truck, with a sheet draped over the back. Another pile of sheets, bloody and sore, set below it. Writing filled them, the words in Spanish, but the message clear: death to all who go against me.

“What's on those sheets?”

“Narcomantas.” Alejandro growled.

“Cartel Cloths.” Rudy answered, tell them the English version.

Gabby slumped back against the seat of the jeep, feeling the anger in her chest as she tore her eyes away from the cloths.

“Messages. From El Sin Nombre. Warnings, marking territory.” Alejandro spit out, the anger lanced in his voice was definitely heard. “Our streets are laced with death.” Alejandro shook his head, closing his eyes as he turned away from the bloody cloths. Rudy started to drive again, the other jeeps following.

“Who is Sin Nombre?” Ghost asked, his accent butchering the words. Gabby rolled her eyes, elbowing him to make more room for her own arms.

“El Sin Nombre.” Corrected Alejandro.

“The Nameless.” Gabby finished, looking straight ahead as the name dropped off her tongue lime venom. “The leader of the Las Almas Cartel.”

“Where can we find him?” Soap asked with a harsh tone, his eyes darting between Gabby and Alejandro. She could feel his body vibrate with adrenaline, itching for a fight.

“You can't. No one knows who he is. But he is everywhere.” Alejandro pointed to a mural painted in the side of a building, roses and promises with the name of the leader in the middle, painting him a hero. “This is a challenge.” The dark haired man turned to look at Rudy, who smiled before looking back at the road. “Las Vaqueros like a challenge.” He chuckled at the end, a smirk on his lips. It pulled Gabby from her thoughts, catching his eyes in the mirror and smiled back.

Rude locked eyes with Ghost In the rearview mirror and spoke up, saying; “With your mask, you will fit in well here Ghost.”

“Hey, easy.” Alejandro hushed him, Gabby trying not to laugh as Soap waved a hand in front of his neck, trying to get the older man to stop talking. Ghost glared at all of them, before rolling his eyes and turning his head away. There was a few beats of silence that hung over them before he spoke up.

“So how is El Sin Nombre connected to Hassan?” Ghost asked, his tone still deep and raspy. The fresh air of the city doing nothing to tame the growl in his voice.

“The data I pulled from the device linked El Sin Nombre not only as a go-between for Hassan and his dealings, but also as a supplier. They are helping house and stock weapons for AQ.” Gabby answered, listing off the things she found with her fingers. She felt Ghost shift next to her, and Soap was nodding his head, taking the information in. Gabby let her hands drop to her lap, her fingers drumming in her knees. As they drove they saw cars being stopped at a crossroads, military men looking through them.

“Checkpoint, it's the Army. Turn right, we'll go around.” Rudy followed Alejandro’s pointed finger and turned to the right.

“Why?” Soap asked.

“Some of the troops are in the pocket of El Sin Nombre. It's like I told you, he is everywhere.” Alejandro answered him. “The Cartel is hiding Hassan in the village across the river.”

Gabby leaned forward, elbows in her knees. “Let's hope he is still there.” The jeep fell to silence as the five of them looked around at each other, knowing what lies ahead could make or break this mission. Gabby kept her elbows on her knees, her eyes locked in the road that stretched out in front of them.

“¿Por qué lleva la máscara de todos modos?” (Why does he wear the mask anyways?) Rudy asked after a bit, looking over at Alejandro as he asked his question. Gabby snorted, making the brown haired man glance back in the rearview mirror with a raised eyebrow.

“Ghost habla español, Rudy. Él sabe lo que digo en la base". (Ghost speaks Spanish, Rudy. He knows what I'm saying around base.) Gabby laughed, watching Rudy's eyes grow wide before his tanned cheeks turned dark, a blush creeping up his neck. Ghost grunted to her right, making the older man's eyes snap to him before he gripped the steering wheel white a white knuckled grip.

“Ah, entonces ¿el Fantasma sabe español? ¿¿Cómo te enteraste??” (Oh, so the Phantom knows Spanish? How did you find out?) Alejandro barked, his laughter cutting through the jeep.

“Lo llamé "culo de unicornio" y Ghost lo tradujo para él.” (I called him a Unicorn's Ass and Ghost translated for him) She jabbed her thump in Soap's direction as she said the nickname, the Scottsmen rolled his eyes as he heard the nickname. Ghost huffed, close enough to a laugh, making Soap pout his lower lip as he sent a glare at Ghost.

“Shut up Gabby!” He growled, folding his arms over his chest like a child having a tantrum. She jabbed her elbow into his ribs, laughing as she did, making him laugh as well. She saw Alejandro smiling over his shoulder at them, enjoying watching them bicker like siblings. Enjoying hearing their laughter before the mission began.

Chapter Text

The jeeps pulled up to the village on the other side of the river. They all jumped out, Gabby pulling a pair of slightly tinted safety glasses out of her vest, slipping them up the bridge of her nose. Unclipping her rifle from her vest she held it across her chest. The sun beat down onto the skin of her shoulders, warming her body as a slight breeze floated across the road.

“Where is Hassan?” Ghost asked, slipping his rifle into his hands. Alejandro nodded, looking towards the village.

“Two story white house in the back.” Half of Alejandro’s men broke off, going around a different way into the village, while the three Task Force soldiers stayed with him. Though Gabby felt her role shouldn't be something on the ground.

“Get through the gate, and I'll get eyes on.” She told Alejandro as she matched his pace at the front of the pack. The older soldier gave her a sideways glance, his jaw set in a barn line.

“Are you sure that is wise Cariño?” He asked as they stopped at the gate leading into the village. He kept his rifle at the ready, but his eyes remained on Gabby. Soap and Ghost soon fell in behind them, looking between the two.

“Si, let me do my thing.” Gabby stated, looking up, towards the roofs of the houses and buildings in the villages over the wall they were about to breach. Soap came up beside her, seeing the mischievous glint in her eyes.

“What's going on in that mind of your's?” He teased, smiling at her as Alejandro stepped up to open the village gate. Gabby flashed him her signature smile, cocking her head to the side as she patted his shoulder.

“Just livin’ up to my name is all.” As soon as the gate was open, Gabby took off running without another word. She ran for the closest building that had a large size bolder next to it. Without missing a beat, she leaped onto the boulder and jumped, her gun hanging at her side by its strap as she grabbed onto the roof and pulled herself up. Once her feet touched the tiles of the roof, she grabbed her rifle and took off, keeping low as she moved swiftly across the roof.

“Bloody hell, Halo! What are you doing?” Ghost asked through the comms, his graveled voice in her ear. She smirked to herself, before she dropped to one knee, taking aim at an enemy soldier that was about to shoot Alejandro.

“Eyes in the sky, Big Bad.” She grinned, her eyes still trained on her scoop, taking out another enemy fighter before getting back to her feet. She waited until her team cleared their path, moving to the door of the house on the other side of the alley. Taking a few steps back, Gabby took a running leap, jumping over her teammates and landing with an almost undetectable thud on the roof.

“Och!” Soap gasped, watching the Lieutenant soar over them on the ground. She only chuckled to herself, keeping low along the roof as she made her way across the building. She heard the team enter the house, shots being fired as she made her way across. It wasn't until she got to the far side that she heard a noise behind her, turning around to find a man coming up through a sunroof hatch. Acting quick she pulled one of her daggers from her side holster, and charged him. He ducked to the side, missing the swing of her blade as it came down through the air. Gabby swore under her breath, bending backwards to jab her elbow into his side before swinging around and slamming her elbow into his shoulder as he bent over.

He grabbed her hip as he went down, pulling her to her knees with a sharp tug. She growled as she quickly rolled as she bent forward, twisting herself out of his grip before sending a sharp kick to his hip as she spun on her knees, thankfully the haunt slider knee pads she had on taking the brunt of the move. Jumping to her feet she dodge a swing of his own blade, hitting his arm to the side as she danced to the left, swinging her fist into his shoulder.

“Halo, what is going on up there?” Alejandro called out over the comes, worry laced in his voice.

“A little busy!” She yelled back, the strain in her voice could clearly be heard as she jumped backwards through the air, missing the swipe of his blade at her chest. “Now that's just rude!” She huffed, forgetting her two way mic was still on.

“¡Morirás, perra americana!” (You will die, American bitch!) The Cartel soldier yelled, slamming his hand into her shoulder, knocking her to her knee, but she quickly swung her left leg out, turning on her right knee pad, letting her leg kick his legs out from under him with a roundhouse kick. His large frame fell with a thud, landing on his back with a groan.

“Halo, what the hell are you doing up there?” Ghost's voice cut through the comms, making Gabby smirk to herself.

“Just takin’ out some trash, LT.” She couldn't help herself, making smartass jokes and witty comments was her thing during an op, it kept her mind in check. She heard an annoyed groan come through the comms, only making her smirk bigger. She then heard Alejandro ask for smoke cover. She saw the large enemy soldier move, and knew she had to finish this to be able to keep up with her team. The Cartel soldier got to his feet, his face scowling at her as anger flickered through her eyes.

“"Vamos a bailar, bolsa de basura". (Let's dance, trash bag) She challenged, her feet planted as her dagger rested in her palm, the blade running parallel with her arm. The knife was in front of her body, her other hand held up and towards her side, her knees slightly bent as she waited for his move. The man let out a growl, charging forward as he raised his knife to stab downwards at her chest. Gabby saw this, going low and to the right, slamming her shoulder into his gut, and slashing her knife in her right hand at his leg as she moved.

The soldier yelled out in pain, Gabby pushing him with her foot to knock him towards the edge of the rooftop. Just as he raised himself up to his full height, Gabby through her dagger, the thunk of the blade sinking into the soft part between his shoulder and chest was the only sound that was made, before Gabby charged, jumping through the air grabbing the knife and kangaroo kicking him in the stomach at the same time. The knife yanked free, cutting a Major artery, the force of the kick sending the Cartel soldier flying backwards, over the edge of the roof. His scream of pain and anger filled the air.

Gabby landed on one knee, bending over it as she watched the brute of a man fall to the ground, the thud from his body hitting the ground echoing through the village. Just as he hit the ground dead, Soap and Alejandro were coming out the door, barely missed getting hit by the fallen soldier.

“Holy fuck!”

“What the hell?!”

Gabby just chuckled, the bloody dagger still hanging from her fingers as she leaned over the edge of the roof. “Heads up!” She laughed, watching their wide eyes trail up to find her perched on the roof. Ghost came out of the door, looking down at the dead body before looking up at the woman on the roof. His eyes seemed to glow under the mask in the sunlight as he tilted his head upward.

“The Grim Reaper's Angel.”

Gabby felt her heart stop for a beat, meeting the hazel of his eyes as the golden sunlight made them almost fully blue. The way his voice spoke those four simple words, the impressed tone the Manchester gruff held. She smiled down at him, the sun behind her giving off an ethereal glow, like the halo of an angel casting its angelic rays onto those below it.

“Let's get moving. Hassan is in the house across the way.” Alejandro spoke up, breaking the spell that seemed to be flowing through the air, wrapping itself around Gabby and Ghost. Gabby grabbed the edge of the roof, flipping her body over the lip of the roof and letting her body fall gracefully to the ground, landing on her feet like a cat. She grabbed her rifle off her back, letting the familiar feel of the rifle settle against the soft part of her shoulder. Falling in behind Alejandro, the team rushed the two story house with the smoke covering their approach.

The breached the door, firing rounds inside as enemy soldiers dropped with each bullet fired. Gabby followed Alejandro towards the stairs, clearing off two more soldiers as they waited at the stairs for Soap and Ghost to catch up.

“Clear, no Hassan!”

She felt a tap on her shoulder, and she then tapped Alejandro on his, signaling to move forward. They crept up the stairs, Alejandro firing on a cartel soldier that popped up over the banister. They rushed forward, Gabby staying behind Alejandro and Soap and Ghost moved to the right. They cleared each room, finding three more soldiers but no Hassan.

“Where the hell is he?” Gabby asked once they cleared the house. She looked around the large room, trying to find any signs of him being there. She looked through some of the books on the shelves, the clothes on the floor while Soap, Ghost, and Alejandro talked about the AQ flag on the wall. Running her finger over the spine of a book, she took in the room. The air was warm, and no dust had settled anywhere in the room. He had been here, and had been there recently. Gabby picked up the book, flipping through the pages before sitting it back down and picking up another one. Nothing pointed to Hassan or where he was keeping the missiles.

“Shit!” Alejandro yelled, ducking below the windowsill. Gabby threw the book down, grabbing her rifle and slamming her body against the wall by the window, Ghost right behind her. She could feel the heat coming off his body, his vest pushing into her own as his towering frame laned over her body to see out the window. Soap sat on his knees on the floor, rifle aimed out the window.

“What is it?” Soap asked.

“The army.” Gabby answered, her eyes trained on the trucks pulling in.

“So then we have reinforcements.” Soap started to stand up, only for Alejandro to shake his head at him, making the blue eyed soldier sit back into his knees.

“What are you doing?”

“Coving my men.” The anger in Alejandro's voice is evident. “Once they clear, we fall back.”

Soap's eyes grew big, looking from Alejandro to Ghost and Gabby and back to the trucks filled with soldiers. “You want us to engage the FUCKING Mexican Army?!” He screeched, slamming the bolt down on his gun after he pooped a fresh clip into it.

“No, these men are paid by the Cartel.” Replied Gabby in a hushed tone. Her rifle trained on the soldiers through a broken part of the glass window.

“They are helping the Cartel protect Hassan.” The four of them all lined up at the windows, the trucks coming to a stop along the houses across the roadway. A few of Alejandro's men came running into the house the four were in, trying to beat the enemy soldiers from catching them. Gabby gripped her rifle harder, the leather of her gloves cracking against the stock of her rifle. Her finger hovered over the trigger of her gun, her breath calm and even as she waited for Alejandro to give the all clear.

“Wait for them to get closer.” The older soldier whispered, Soap practically leaping from his spot on the floor to a different spot between the two large windows. She could see him vibrating with adrenaline, and she smirked to herself at his excitement. The heat of Ghost’s body was still seeping into her back as he looked over her shoulder to see the enemy soldiers.

“Troop transports, light armor.” Ghost spoke, the reverb of his voice on her neck making her shiver. She crouched a bit lower, giving Ghost a bit more room to use his rifle, without it hitting her head or shoulder.

“Weapons Free!” The command came through, and Gabby didn't hesitate. Her finger found the trigger and squeezed it lightly, letting round after round fly from the cold steel of her barrel. Each round found its mark, a soldier falling as they found themselves between her crosshairs. She saw a flash, the loud boom followed with a plume of dirt and smoke taking out two soldiers in its wake. She smiled, knowing Soap was playing with explosives now.

“Target their helmets, they're weak!”

She kept firing, the sound of gunfire almost deafening as it filled the air. She heard a bullet whizz past her ear, the heat of it on her skin. She jerked back, her body slamming into Ghost’s hip and legs, making him brace his upper body harder against the wall. The gasp that left her lips should have made her feel embarrassed, but a steady hand on her shoulder, giving it a light squeeze made her forget to be embarrassed. She looked up, seeing Ghost looking down at her, his left hand on her shoulder, his rifle in his right.

She saw the question in his eyes, asking silently if she was okay, as to not alert the other two of the close call. She reached up, feeling her ear for any blood. With her fingers tips clean of red liquid when she pulled it away from her ear, she gave Ghost a nod and got herself back steady on her feet. The hand on her shoulder left, making her skin feel cold now that the gloved hand wasn't there. Gabby shook off the feeling, pulling her focus back to the fight in front of them, and began firing off rounds again. Gabby could hear Alejandro and Soap talking, working the problem, but her mind was too busy covering members of Alejandro's unit, making sure they got to the house they were held up in before they were shot or captured. The shooting lasted for a few more minutes before it died down, making them all lean against the windows and walls, watching for more enemies.

“Hey, Lassie. You wanna tell us what all that was up on the roof?” Soap's voice cut through the tension, making Gabby raise an eyebrow behind her slightly tinted safety glasses.

“You wanna fucking talking about that now?!” She huffed, irritation in her voice. She shook her head, shouldering her rifle better and ignored Soap as he laughed at her response. Gabby saw Alejandro looking over his shoulder, the look one she was familiar with. He wanted answers himself, and he wasn't about to let it drop. She just rolled her eyes and looked back out the window.

“Shit!” She yelped, ducking as a large yellow cam came through the broken glass of the window, yellow smoke filling the air. The burning of the gas, the sour smell the can puffed and spilled into the room making their eyes burn and their lungs ache. Alejandro and Ghost took off towards the far wall, pushing open the shutters of the window. Soap and Gabby followed, leaping out the window. The four of them were coughing, Gabby’s eyes burning from the tear gas.

“Malditos bastardos.” (fucking bastards) She hissed as he pushed up her safety glasses, rubbing at her eyes before pulling the glasses back down.

“Alejandro, tell me there is another way out of here!” Ghost barked, looking towards the Colonel.

“Si, there are trails through the mountains.” Gabby tossed him a look over her shoulder, her brows knitted together. She knew the trails like the back of her hand, but so did the army. It would be easier to lose them on the trails though.

“Shit, Hudson and I used to use them too, when we didn't want to get caught doing things we weren't supposed to in town as kids.” Gabby joined the laughter, seeing Soap give her a look, and even Alejandro through a look back towards her before they all started to run. Now Gabby was the smallest of the group, at 5 '9, and a solid 50 pounds lighter then Alejandro and Soap, and probably 70 pounds lighter then Ghost, meaning she was faster and quicker on her feet. Years of dance and gymnastics training, from the time she was little until she joined the army had made her body lean, fast, athletic and flexible. Years in the military filled out her muscles, filled her strength and endurance. Gabby was a well oiled, lethal machine.

She sprinted off, taking the lead as she outran the rest of the team. She led them down the trail, her feet barely hitting the ground before it was off again, pushing her forward. Her braid whipped out behind her, the wind burning her skin as she raced through the trees, jumping over rocks as she went. Despite his size, Ghost was right behind her, almost keeping pace as he pushed himself forward, following the woman's lead. Gabby smiled, loving the rush of adrenaline in her blood, pushing her to go faster. Her rifle was down her back, her arms pumping with each stride she took. Her breathing stayed steady, her heart pumping as her legs carried her further into the mountains.

Had they not been running from enemy soldiers, Gabby would have let out a laugh of joy. It had been a long time since she ran these trails, felt the wind beat against her skin as she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. The valley and river below, the mountain above, the path that wove its way through the trees and rocks like a soft lazy river made of beaten down dirt. It made her feel alive to be back here.

The sound of gunfire halted them, the ground around them shooting up dirt and dust as bullets pelted into the soil. Gabby threw herself up and over a boulder, landing on the other side and grabbed her rifle off her back. She took aim, alongside Soap who hid behind the same boulder as her, popping off round after round into the enemy forces.

“Rodriguez!”

The yell made Gabby turn her eyes to find Alejandro pulling one of his men behind the rock he was shooting from. She saw the soldier pat himself down, checking for injuries. “I'm okay!” She heard him yell out, and she let out a breath, going back to looking through her scope. Gabby saw Ghost firing, taking down two more soldiers.

“Are we clear?” Soap asked, firing off a few more rounds for good measure.

“For now. We need to go.”

Gabby took off again, Ghost keeping up as they started farther along the trails.

“Do you know these trails?” Soap called out to Alejandro.

“Si, very well. But so does the army.”

Ghost grunted, jumping over a fallen log. “We can't hold off an army. We need an extraction.”

Gabby kept moving, her hand pushing off a tree as she jumped over a boulder, her feet hitting the ground running. They kept to the trail until more gunfire rained down on them from the cliffs above.

“Shit! Soap, Ghost, Halo, take cover behind the rocks!”

Soap ducked behind the rock with Alejandro, leaving Ghost and Gabby to duck behind a tree and boulder. “Aim for the cliffs!” Gabby called out as she began to fire onto the soldiers above them, watching as they fell with each bullet that thunked into them. Soap had a grenade launcher and fired into the hills, the small explosions making the Scottsmen smile like a madman. Gabby couldn't help but chuckle at the gleam in his blue eyes, like a kid getting a gift.

“We are clear for now. Let's move.” Commanded Alejandro, taking off again. “Any word from Rodolfo?”

“No sir.”

Gabby huffed, pushing forward as the trail started to narrow. “The mountains are blocking the comms.”

“Did your men get the call out?” Ghost asked. Gabby could hear that he was breathing slightly heavier than normal from all the running and jumping.

“Let's hope so.” Was the only answer he got. Gabby groaned, pushing herself harder. She hated having dead comms. It made life so much harder on a mission.

“So what's the plan?”

“There is a bridge at the river. The extraction will be there.”

“And if it's not?” Ghost questioned. But before anyone could answer, an RPG exploded in front of them.

“Holy shit! RPG!” Exclaimed Soap. They all ducked behind trees and rocks, trying to hide themselves as another RPG tore through the air, exploding not far away from their hiding spaces.

“I'm really fucking tired of people trying to blow me up lately!” Cried out Gabby, trying to find the soldier firing the large weapon. Soap only laughed over the comms, seeming to find her dilemma entertaining.

“This is a normal thing for you?” Inquired Alejandro, the disbelief in his voice making Gabby smirk despite her anger over the RPG.

“Unfortunately since I joined the 141… yes.” Looking through her scope she found the soldier with the RPG, and took the shot, killing him as soon as her finger pulled the trigger. Ghost shot right after she did, taking out another soldier that went to pick up the RPG. Soap took out the last 3 with his rapid fire, watching them fall from the cliff end.

“Anyone hit?” The surprisingly calm voice of Alejandro came over the comms.

“Good.”

“All good here!”

“I'm okay.” The three of the 141 soldiers all answered at the same time. Alejandro nodded to them, before pointing towards the narrow path between the trees.

“Alright on me! Let's go.” The Colonel directed, leading the small band of soldiers forward. They came to the edge of the cliff, with another cliff 30 feet below it. “We have to jump here!”

“Can we make that?” Soap was skeptical as he looked over the edge.

“Hacer o morir, Hermano.” (Do or die brother) Was all Alejandro gave as an answer before he leaped through the air, landing on the cliff below. Gabby just smiled at Soap, before launching herself into the air, landing gracefully on the other side. Ghost and Soap followed, the former wobbling slightly before getting his feet underneath him.

“Where to, Alejandro?”

“Soap, Halo, push forward. Rodriguez, keep trying on those comms. The rest of you watch for snipers.” The older Latino man detected everyone with a wave of his hand. “Use that ledge, there will be a way up the mountain.” He told the two snipers before Gabby tapped Soap on the shoulder, and led him to the pathway. They jumped across the small gap and began to climb up the natural steps on the side of the cliff. Once they reached the top, Gabby broke right, finding the pathway once more.

“Found the path!” Soap called out, following Gabby as she kept her rifle trained forward, looking for any enemy reinforcements. They made their way up the incline, jogging as they jumped up onto each bit of ground that took them higher and higher.

“Do you hear that?” Soap asked Gabby, his voice hushed. Gabby stopped and listened, her ears straining to find whatever Soap had heard. Her chocolate eyes glanced around, always looking. Then she heard it. The *whamp whamp whamp* of helicopter blades cutting through the air.

“Shit they got a Heli looking for us!” She snarled, taking off running to get under the cover of the trees. She could hear Soap and the others right behind her, trying to get under the canopy of leaves. “These guys don't give up so they?!”

Bullets hit the trees near them, the metal thunking into the wood with a loud crack, making them all jump and dive for cover. Gabby had a white knuckled grip on her rifle, her legs starting to burn from all the climbing and running, her lungs begging for more air then she could take in, but she wasn't about to break. She was used to close range, hard pressed fighting like this. Her body and mind knew how to regroup and press on.

Peaking out every few seconds, she fired off a round or two before seeking cover once more behind the tree her back was currently pressed up against. The bark dug into the exposed skin of her arms and shoulders, her braid catching onto the rough surface pulling some of the hair free. Her eyes were wild with adrenaline, the grip on her gun hard but steady. This was what she lived for.

“I'm on my last magazine!” Soap called out, throwing a grenade towards the army soldiers. Gabby quickly grabbed a mag from her vest, throwing it towards the Sergeant without a second thought. He caught it with easy, slamming it into his rifle before firing more rounds. A bullet found home in the tree Gabby was hiding behind, making her swear out loud. She quickly fired off another shot, taking down the soldier making his way towards her and Soap. Ghost, Alejandro and a few other men found safety behind large rocks, their shots straight and true as they took out more soldiers.

“Clear!” Ghost called out, standing up from behind the rock. Gabby stepped out from behind the tree, looking around to make sure everyone was alright.

“Come on, up the hill, the bridge isn't far!” She told them, after seeing everyone stand up and move forward. She took off at a sprint, meeting Alejandro at the small pass between the trees and rocks that opened up to a beautiful view of the river and the valley below.

“There's the bridge!”

“Yeah but no visual on extraction.” Soap answered Ghost, looking around as he came to a stop at the edge of the cliff.

“Comms probably didn't get through in time.” Gabby reasoned, looking around until she saw the drop off to another ledge. Alejandro pushed past, kneeling down at the cliff edge and pointed towards the ledge.

“We will radio when we get down there. For now, jump!”

Gabby wasted no time and jumped, landing with bent knees that popped in protest but she ignored it. She watched as the rest followed, jumping down to meet her on the grassy ledge. There was a thin and narrow pass lining the cliff wall, and it was questionable if it was still reliable or not, but at the moment it was their only way out of this mess.

“You sure you know the way?” Ghost quizzed, the doubt in his voice made Gabby roll her eyes.

“We would cut school and play here as kids.” Alejandro said with a fondness in his tone as he recalled the memories.

“Hudson and I would use this path to get away from the kids that bullied us when we were really young. The kids here didn't take to the gringos at first.” The tone of Gabby’s voice was one that tried to hide the sadness of the memory, but Ghost and the others picked up on it, the slight change of pitch.

Alejandro spoke up, adding to Gabby's comment. “The Narcos changed everything around here. Including how the people see outsiders now.”

They all began to move along the narrow path slowly, keeping their feet light as they sidestepped their way across the low dirt that threatened to send them falling to their deaths. All the sudden a shot rang out, hitting Rodriguez in the neck, sending the soldier over the edge. Alejandro cried out, watching his friend fall to his death as Gabby jumped to the side to miss a bullet that sunk itself into the limestone.

“Sniper!”

Gabby knew it had been Ghost that called out the warning, but her body went into flight mode, trying to move as fast as she could with Soap right behind her, dodging bullets that got so close the heat of the metal could be felt as it flew past them into the rock wall behind them.

“¡Mierda, que alguien lo saque!” (Fucking hell, someone take him out!) Shouted Gabby. She saw Soap duck, the bullet missing his head before she finally got close enough to the other side of the pass to jump, landing on her hands and knees in the thick grass, Soap not far behind.

“Sniper down!”

“Bloody good shot Alejandro.” Ghost praised the older man. He reached down, offering his hand to Gabby who sat on her knees. She looked at his gloves hand for a second or two, before grabbing it and letting him hoist her to her feet. Her tactical vest smacked into his from the force on him pulling her upwards, her hand free hand reaching out to grab his vest to steady herself. She found his hazel eyes boring down into her brown ones, the black paint around his beautifully pale eyes making them seem to glow under the mask.

Clearing her throat, Gabby let go of his vest, patting it softly as she took a step back once she realized how close she was to the tall, skull clad soldier.

“Thanks.” Was all she could muster in a soft spoken tone that sounded nothing like the hardened soldier she had been betraying mear moments ago. The bone mask hid all the emotions underneath it, save for the eyes that tore into her very soul. But even those Ghost kept most of his emotions from showing. But Gabby saw a flicker of something, something she couldn't put her finger on, go across the golden blue of his eyes. The skin around the corner crinkled slightly, making her believe he was smirking under the mask.

“Keep climbing!” Soap's voice cut through the small bubble of peace that Gabby felt standing there was Ghost. She tore her eyes away from his, finding Soap jumping up onto the ledge a few feet away. Grabbing her rifle that was hanging by her hip, she placed her right hand on the ledge and jumped, swinging her legs up and over the lip of the dirt ledge. She watched as Ghost easily pulled himself up next to her, and they took off after the others. Rocks and dirt spilled over the lip of the cliff as they moved, making Gabby look down over the edge. She wasn't scared of heights by any means, but without a parachute, she wasn't a fan of the idea of going over the side.

“The army is still trailing us.” Gabby heard Soap say over the comms.

“We'll gain some ground up ahead.” She replied, jumping over the gap in the trail, landing on the other side and kept running. They moved as fast as they could, more bullets peppering the stone wall behind them. Gabby pushed herself harder, running as fast as she could on the slippery path. The path tilted downward, so Gabby jumped, landing on her ass and slid down till she reached the grassy area below. Soap and Alejandro were already there, Soap freaking out as he looked over the edge of the small perch they were on.

“You lead us to a dead end, Mate!” Ghost snapped, his chest puffing as he tried to get his breathing to settle. He looked around frantically, trying to find another way to the bridge.

“We jump from here!” Alejandro yelled, before he leaped over the side of the cliff. “Don't lose your weapons!”

Gabby laughed as Soap gasped, watching the older soldier hit the water 100 feet below. She quickly strapped her gun into her back, making sure it was secure. She stepped back towards the limestone wall, seeing Soap and Ghost stare at her.

“YODO!” She yelled with a laugh before racing towards the edge, pushing off and soaring into the air. She turned in mid air, giving the two bulky soldiers a two finger salute before her body started to fall downwards towards the river below. Gabby crossed her arms over chest, and made sure her feet were pressed together before her body plunged into the cold water below. She opened her eyes under the water, feeling the current pull on her body. She kicked her feet, using her arms to pull herself through the water as she got closer to the surface. Once she broke the water surface, taking a gasp of air once her head was above water.

Gabby swam towards Alejandro who was closer to the shore. Her hair stuck to her neck, her head feeling heavy as it got waterlogged. She heard a splash of water and someone gasping for air behind her, knowing Soap and Ghost had jumped. Once she got to here her feet could just touch the bottom of the river she let her muscles relax slightly, smiling when Alejandro’s eyes met hers.

“Everyone good?”

“Breathing.” Soap deadpanned as he swam towards Gabby. She huffed a chuckle, shaking her head as she moved forward.

“All good.” Ghost and Gabby answered at the same time, making the Scottsmen glance between his two Lieutenants. Gabby saw his blue eyes move between the two, and she gave him a glare daring him to say what was on his mind.

“Come on, we stay here, we die.” The tone in Alejandro's voice was not one to argue against. “Swim towards the bridge, use the rocks as cover.”

“All Victors, how copy? This is Alpha 0-1.” Gabby called over the comms, trying to get a hold of Rudy.

“-dow 1- how- your- st?” The static over the comms made Gabby's ears perk up, looking over towards Ghost meeting his eyes.

“Comms seem to be picking up something.”

“Sounded American.” Ghost pipped in, as he same harder against the current. Gabby tried to figure out who was talking on the other end of the comms. She knew that voice, but couldn't put a name to it.

“Here they come, weapons free!”

“Contact front!”

“Get to the rocks!”

They were all yelling overtop of each other, trying to get to cover and their weapons in their hands. Bullets pelleted into the water around them. Gabby swore under her breath, trying to keep herself as small as possible to avoid getting hit. She gritted her teeth before taking a deep breath, diving under the water to swim towards the large rocks in the water. She used her arms to pull herself through the water, kicking her feet fast and hard as she got closer to the rocks. Coming up for air, she quickly grabbed her rifle from her back, propping up against the rock. Lining up her scope she took shots at the shoreline, taking down enemy soldiers with each shot that left the barrel of her rifle.

“They have reinforcements coming in.” She told the others as she saw more trucks rolling up. She ducked as a bullet slammed into the rock near her head. “"Hijo de puta.” She growled before aiming and taking out the soldier. Her muscles were begging for a break, her body starting to feel the strain from all the running, jumping and swimming. Yes she knew this was far from over. She bit down on the inside of her cheek, trying to ignore the ache in her legs and arms.

“We have to keep pushing up river.” Alejandro jumped from his rock, and started to swim past Gabby heading towards the bridge. She quickly followed, keeping right behind the older soldier as they let the current help push them. They kept swimming, Soap coming up behind Gabby as they ducked under the water to swim under a fallen tree blocking the river. They popped up on the other side and Soap drew his rifle, firing over Gabby's shoulder at a truck on the bank.

“Hostile truck, on the right!” She yelled down the comms, letting Ghost and Alejandro know what they were popping up into once they broke the water’s surface. They took out more soldiers, swimming forward until the water got shallow enough for them to stand up and run through the shallow part of the water, the bridge in sight.

“Shit! There are vehicles on the bridge!” Ghost rumbled down the comms, his voice strained.

“They're not ours! It's the army!” Alejandro started to fire on the trucks on the bridge, Ghost following suit.

“We have to call for an extraction.” Gabby chipped in, leaning against a rock as she fired at the windows of the trucks through her sniper scoop.

“We can't do shite against that armor!.” Soap hissed, ducking as a bullet flew past his head.

“This is Shadow-1, engaging the bridge north of your position, danger close. How copy?” A male American voice cut through their comms, making Gabby glanced upwards towards the sky once she heard his voice.

“Who the hell is that?” Questioned Alejandro, glancing at Ghost.

“A pain in my ass.” Gabby rolled her eyes, growling as she saw the plane in the sky.

“Commander Graves of Shadow Company. They're with us!” Ghost ignored Gabby's comment, thought he shot her a look that she just shrugged off. Alejandro looked from Lieutenant to Lieutenant, before he went back to firing on the trucks.

“Shadow 1, Bravo 0-7, good shots. Fire for effects.” Ghost answered the comms, telling Graves to fire onto the bridge. Seconds later the bridge exploded, falling into the river below with the enemy trucks and soldiers falling with it. The sound of gunfire died down, the four soldiers leaning against the rocks panting as they gave their bodies a moment to relax.

“All stations, no enemy movement detected. You're all clear.” Graves' slight Texas twang said over the comms. Gabby looked at Soap who was smiling like a fool. She just chuckled, rolling her eyes at his boyish grin. He was feeding off the adrenaline and action. She'd be lying to say she wasn't either. Glancing back up she saw the plane still circling above, and her smile faltered a bit.

“What's wrong?” Soap picked up on the slight change in her appearance, as they made their way to the riverbank.

“Not that I don't appreciate the help, but Shepherd never said he was sending the Shadows to help.” She pulled herself out of the water, shaking her vest to let out the water that was pooling in it.

“And that's a problem, why?” Asked Soap. Gabby glanced over her shoulder at him, pushing her soaked braid over her shoulder before letting her rifle fall to her side.

“Graves likes to play the Alpha Male card. And he doesn't like an Alpha female who barks back.” Was the only explanation she gave him before she took off at a jog, catching up to Ghost and Alejandro,waving Soap to wonder just exactly what it was supposed to mean.

Chapter Text

“Be advised, it's possible Hassan is hiding out two kicks north of your position.”

Gabby reached the jeep the same time that Alejandro did. She watched as the older man went to grab the handle of the driver side door and she quickly jumped around the front and stopped him.

“Yeah no, I'm driving.” She deadpanned as she placed her hand overtop of his, trying to pull his fingers free from the door handle.

“Oh come on, Halo!” His deep laugh pulled a smile from her lips, but not before she hip checked him, pushing him away from the door.

“I don't have a death wish when it comes to your driving. Aléjate del coche.” She laughed as she opened the car door to get in. (Step away from the car). Alejandro only laughed harder, before throwing his hands up in mock surrender and walked to the passenger side.

“Should we trust your driving, Melliza?” Soap asked from the backseat, grinning like a fool. Gabby flipped him off as she turned the key to start up the jeep.

“Just for that, I'm goin’ to hit every fuckin’ pothole I can find, ‘till your balls turn black and blue, Estúpido.” (Asshole) She looked him dead in the eyes through the rearview mirror, watching his eyes grow wide. Alejandro choked on a laugh, looking back at the Scottsmen with wide eyes.

“Rude, Lass, rude.” Soap crossed his arms over his chest with a pout on his lips, making Gabby laugh. She stepped on the gas, the jeep launching forward as she found the dirt path from the river up to the road.

“¿Te llamó su gemelo allí atrás?” (Did he call you his twin back there?) Alejandro leaned across the center console to mutter in her ear. Gabby only smiled, looking back at the still pouting man before nodding her head.

“Tenemos la misma edad, compartimos el mismo cumpleaños y yo soy solo 20 minutos mayor. Nuestro capitán nos llamó sus gemelos. Honestamente, es como si fuéramos gemelos de verdad.” (We are the same age, share the same birthday, and I'm only 20 minutes older. Our Captain called us his twins. Honestly it's like we were real twins) Gabby answered him in a soft voice. It felt good to her to speak Spanish again, with her Southern accent in full swing. To finally sound like herself after all these years of trying to soften the accent in her voice, learn to pronunciate fully and cleanly, and not slip into Spanish throughout a sentence. She has been told when she first joined the military and began to climb the ranks, that it was hard enough as a woman to be taken seriously in Special Ops, but with her thick Texan accent, it would be even harder. So she started to soften it to a slight Southern accent, not fully losing her twang, but enough that no one ever questioned what she said.

Now here, in Las Almas, she could fully let her accent free, slipping back into the thick draw of her tone, and talk in a language that had been second nature to her growing up. It was freeing.

“Does this mean now I have gained another child into the fold?” Alejandro asked in English, looking back at Soap with a teasing smile on his lips. The blue eyed man laughed, throwing his head back as he did, before shaking his head. The glimmer in his eyes made Gabby smile, and she saw the corners of Ghost's eyes crinkle under his mask, making her believe he was also smiling.

“Aye, it's true! Gabs is my long lost twin.”

“They definitely act like it.” Ghost deadpanned, crossing his arms over his chest. Gabby was surprised he joined in, thinking he would keep to himself but she felt a smile tag at her lips knowing he was comfortable enough to join the banter. Once the band of soldiers hit the smooth road Gabby got the jeep up to a faster speed and headed north towards the farming land.

“You guys ready to roll up Hassan with some fire from the sky?” Graves' voice cut threw the comms, bursting the small bubble joy around Gabby. Hearing his voice, the cocky tone he always carried, the way he sounded as if he was better than everyone else just made her roll her eyes so hard she was amazed she didn't run them off the road. Her fingers gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter, the leather squeaking under her fingers.

“Let's wrap this fucker up, Graves!” Soap answered back enthusiastically, a devilish smile on his lips.

It made Gabby want to throw up.

Her foot hit the gas a little harder, speeding up the drive until they got to the compound that Hassan was holding up in. Letting the tired slide to a stop as her foot slammed on the break, Gabby turned off the key and grabbed her rifle that was laying between her seat and the door. Swinging the door open she jumped out, gun ready with Soap right behind her.

“How do we find Hassan?” Soap questions as he looked around the grassy area through the scope of his rifle.

“He will have an armored guard. Cartel protection.” Alejandro informs them, leading the charge forward.

“Shadow-1, we will mark our position with IR laser.” Ghost told Graves as they made their way to some cover, each looking in a different direction so they wouldn't be ambushed.

“There's a lot of places to hide.” Muttered Soap, leaning back against a crate stacked against the broken fence line. Gabby was a few feet ahead of him, the shrubbery and broken fencing hiding her frame.

“Graves will cover us with close air cover.” Replied Ghost, the large man ducking behind a small wagon.

“Copy that LT.”

They all looked at each other for a split second, the four soldiers communicating with nothing but their eyes. With a soft nod, Ghost looked at Soap. “Mark us.” He told the Sergeant before lifting his rifle to his shoulder, looking the opposite way. Soap reached into his vest and pulled out a small, smooth cylinder, clicking on a button with a barely noticeable sound. Lifting his hand into the air, he started making a circular motion as he pointed the laser into the sky to mark their position.

“Shadow-1, position is marked.” Gabby all but grumbled into her throat mic, her voice professional but not quite friendly.

“Well now, if it ain't Alpha 0-1. Hi darlin’.” Graves said in a sickening sweet voice over the comms, making Gabby's skin crawl. That man pushed all her buttons in the wrong kinda way and she wasn't in the mood to be dealing with him when she was so close to finishing a mission she had started down a year ago.

“Keep it tactical, Shadow-1.” The gravel that came from her lips made the three men around her all turn to face her. Gabby only shrugged her shoulders, not in the mood to dig into all of that at the moment.

“Shadow-1, be advised, Hassan is traveling with an armored personnel. You provide cover from the skies and we'll clear the buildings.” Ghost broke the tension, his gruff raspy voice more soothing to Gabby's ears than the monotone accent of Graves' rough voice. Gabby pulled her rifle up to sit against her shoulder, her arms relaxed as she looked through the scope. She brought her right hand up, moving the scope lightly, to zoom in some to look towards the greenhouse slightly towards her right. She watched as some people begin to walk out, moving around as they went about their work day, completely unaware of the soldiers lurking around the bend of the fence and the plane above their heads ready to drop a payload into their lives without a second thought.

“Shadow-1, there is a truck moving from the stables.” Informed Ghost, his own rifle trained onto the building to their left. Gabby didn't move though, keeping her gaze locked into those moving around the greenhouse. Watching, waiting, wanting to find the man she had been hunting for a year. A man that held the key to the next step of what she wanted most: revenge.

Ignoring what Graves and his men had to say over the comms, she kept her eyes on target, waiting for Ghost to make a call if he felt it was something to move on. But the truck didn't yield a target.

“Ghost, the greenhouse.” She whispered into her mic, her finger twitching over the trigger of her rifle as she watched more men walk around the greenhouse with rifles strapped to their bodies.

“Shadow-1, we got targets at the greenhouse to our northwest. Roping now.”

Soap quickly grabbed the IR laser again and began waving the invisible beam over Gabby's back, so that it fell on the men at the greenhouse. He kept waving it around and around until Graves and his men called out that they saw the enemy soldiers below.

“0-7, no visual on the target, what's the call?” Graves asked.

“That army convoy is gaining ground.” Warned Alejandro as he checked his watch, then looked back towards the group.

“We go in, guns blazin, hope he squirts, lock him up from there.” Soap offered up his idea. Gabby could tell the sitting and waiting around wasn't his strong suit, even though the man was a trained sniper. While Gabby loved a good close quarters, hand to hand combat, she thrived in waiting out the target. She was good at keeping herself small, hidden, waiting for the right moment to strike. She could also stand her ground, waiting, watching, making the enemy uncomfortable to the point of breaking during an interrogation. She was an all around soldier, ready for whatever the warzone through her way.

“Shadow-1, you are cleared hot to engage the building. We'll clear it once you clean it out.”

“Copy that 0-7. Keep your heads down.”

Gabby rolled her eyes, pushing herself tighter against the fence post she was leaning against. “Hijo de puta engreído.” (Cocky motherfucker) She spat out, watching the plane in the sky as it began to rain down bullets of hellfire onto the soldiers below. Screams filled the air, the ground shaking as the large ammo penetrated into the soil, chucks of wood and earth flying through the air as the gunners above took out the enemies below. Gabby waited until the gunfire stopped before she darted to meet up with Ghost, jumping so that her legs would get tucked underneath herself so she could slide on her knees pads the last seven feet or so until she stopped right next to him, her rifle still against her shoulder, pointed at the greenhouse the whole time.

“Show off.” Soap called to her over the comms, making her flash him a smile.

“0-7, all viable targets are done.”

“Shadow-1, copy that.” Ghost said, flicking in his mic, “we'll be clearing the stables building first, roping now.” He gave Soap a pointed look, the younger man grabbing the IR laser and aimed it for the stables.

“0-7, tally your mark, you are cleared to proceed.”

“Shadow-1, moving now. If the target squirts, let us know.” Ghost told Graves before looking at Soap. “Soap, freeze down the right side with Alejandro.”

“Aye.”

Gabby popped up the same time Ghost did, sprinting across the open space to reach the stables. Her rifle was up, her eyes trained on the barn doors as Soap and Alejandro broke off to the right, getting behind a wagon that was parked outside of the side door. Gabby put her back to the side of the wooden slats that made up the stables, nodding to Ghost to open the door. He held up his hand, and then spoke over the comms.

“Breaching now.” And then he stopped back, raising his right foot and slamming it into the wooden door, busting it open. Gabby rushed in, seeing people running around, the sound of a child screaming filled her ears.

“¡Abajo! ¡Al suelo, quiero ver manos en el aire!” (Get down! Get on the floor, I want to see hands in the air!) Gabby barked in Spanish, watching as a mother and child were grabbed by an armored man and pushed towards the side door. Movement to her left made her swing her rifle around, seeing another soldier in the hay loft, aiming at her. She quickly fired off a round, watching his body fall. More gunshots filled the air, Ghost dropping another cartel soldier, to her right. Soap and Alejandro started yelling outside, making Gabby believe they found the soldier with the mother and child. Gabby and Ghost chased more soldiers out of the stables, as they ducked behind some of the woodwork to fire at them as the cartel members ran outside.

“Hassan is not here. It's a dry hole!” Proclaimed Gabby as she ducked as a bullet whizzed over her head.

“Soap, did you see Hassan?” Ghost asked.

“No, LT.”

“Ghost, we got multiple hostiles inbound, I need you guys out of that building, move north right now!” Graves shouted to them through the comms, the tone of his voice leaving no room for discussion. Gabby stole a glance at Ghost, catching his eyes as he heard the command from Graves. Shit was about to get far more heated up. The two lieutenants took off for the side door where Alejandro and Soap were waiting and booked it north. Their legs pumped as they outran the hellfire from the plane above, getting out of the sun as they stopped running once they hit the base of a large tree. The four soldiers looked up, seeing the gray plane still raining down fire as it took out the stables and all the enemies around it.

“Bloody hell…” Soap let out a low whistle, shaking his head in amazement. Gabby turned her head to look at him over her shoulder, giving the blue eyed soldier a wink.

“You could have made a prettier explosion, Hermano.” This got the Scottsmen to laugh, shaking his head as he shot her a smile.

“Let's focus up.” Alejandro stepped up next to Gabby, watching the compound in front of them for retaliation. “Good shots, Shadow-1.”

Gabby saw movement to the west, towards the greenhouse and raised up her rifle to get a better look. “Contact at the greenhouse!”

“Check fire.” Soap added quickly, “Hassan could be inside!”

“Copy, checking.” Graves called back in a clipped voice, before the comms went silent for a moment. Gabby kept her gaze in the greenhouse, when gunfire filled her ears, making her drop to the ground.

“Shit, contact!” She pulled the trigger, taking down the cartel soldier. The four of them fired on the soldiers as they filed out of the greenhouse, ducking behind trucks as they rained down bullets on the four of them.

“Ghost, keep your soldiers clear. We're about to engage that greenhouse.”

“Solid Copy.”

Gabby and Alejandro moved back to join Soap and Ghost against the tree, keeping their bodies low to the ground. The air whistle as large grenades began to fall from the sky, the impact to the ground making the earth beneath their feet shake. Gabby placed her hand onto the rough bark of the tree to steady herself. She felt a hand on her lower back, looking to see Alejandro was pushing her tighter to the tree trunk, his arms shielding her from the blowback of the impact.

The air around them felt hot and staticky. It was heavy to breathe as if the humidity had been turned up around them. The dust started to settle, and the four of them stepped out from behind the large tree.

“Solid hits Shadow-1. We are moving up.” Ghost told Graves as he led the other three forward. They walked through the damaged greenhouse, seeing the blown apart wood and glass. What was left of the people that had been hiding out inside would make most people's stomachs turn, but the four of them had seen so much worse. Gabby only wrinkled her nose, looking away from the mangled bodies as she stepped through the debris.

“These guys are fucked.” Soap muttered, his eyebrows drawn together as he looked at the mess before them.

“Dusted ‘em.” Ghost said in a cold, dark tone, making Gabby shiver at how ruthless he sounded in that moment.

“Where is this fucker?” Soap was growing impatient, that much was evident. Gabby shook her head, taking a step to her left to avoid stepping in a puddle of blood. She narrows her eyes and scrunched her nose, looking away from the fucked body of the dead cartel member.

“Ugh.”

“He must be inside of the compound.” Alejandro pushed forward, stepping outside of the destroyed greenhouse.

“Shadow-1, what's that ETA on the convoy?” Gabby asked as she looked over her shoulder towards the road, looking for signs of movement to indicate if they were close.

“Alpha-1, convoy is six klicks out. I suggest you step it up and secure exfil.” Graves answered, his tone almost sounding bored.

“No shit.” Gabby grumbled under her breath, stepping up beside Ghost as they made their way forward, guns at the ready.

“I’ll contact Rodolfo.”

“Do it.” Ghost nodded to the Colonel, “Graves, we are working on exfil now. Be advised the last building we'll hit is the compound. How copy?” His hand released his radio, looking back at Gabby and Soap as Alejandro spoke softly on a different line to Rudy to call for backup so they had a ride out of this mess.

“Copy that, keep your men clear until we clear the area.”

“Good copy.”

Gabby gasped as bullets hit the ground near her feet, sending up dirt into the air, making her jump to the side, slamming her body into Soap, who reached out to steady both of them. She quickly turned around and fired into the fence line behind them. “Troops in contact!” She yelled over the loud roar of gunfire that now filled every inch of air around them. Her heart was racing, her adrenaline pumping through the veins in her body. She was so close to the man that she had been chasing for a year now, the man that would get her one step closer to her personal target.

“RPG!” Alejandro’s cry carried through the comms, making Gabby swing her rifle to the right to try and find the handler of the RPG.

“Move left now!” Commanded Ghost, as he started to run. “Shadow-1, X-rays at the water tower!”

“Shit, sniper!” Gabby yelled as she fired into the water tower, the sniper and the RPG in the same nest. She did her best to hit the target while running but the bullets flying around her kept her from getting the best aim.

“Graves, take out that water tower now or we are done for!” Ghost growled, grabbing Gabby's arm as he pulled her along to safety. They dove behind a pickup truck, Ghost pushing her between him and the truck, his hand still on her arm as he pressed his body to hers, leaning forward to take a few shorts before ducking behind the vehicle again. Gabby’s breath came out in short puffs. Her hair now dried, and was frizzing from the heat and sticking to her sweat clad neck. She felt wisps of her hair sticking to her face, so she reached up to push it off her cheek. Looking up she locked eyes with Ghost for a split second. The warmth of his gloves hand still burned into her bare arm, making Gabby squirm under his gaze. She felt his fingers flex on her arm, the look in his eyes softening for a split second before he looked towards the tower again.

Just then Ghost launched backwards, his grip on her arm fading as he fell to his back. It was like it was happening in slow motion, watching his body fall backwards into the dirt, her own hand reaching out to try and grab his vest as he went down.

“Ghost is hit!” Gabby yelled, reaching out to pull his large frame behind the truck. She grunted with the effort, his body much larger and heavier than her own as she pulled him to safety. Reaching down she felt around his chest, looking for a wound. Her hands pushed against his vest, running down his sides as he gasped for air, coughing as he tried to sit up.

“TV I want a wall of fire around our soldiers, rain down hellfire!” Graves could be heard over the comms, making Gabby flinch at the sound. Finding no blood or open wounds she leaned forward to look Ghost in the eyes. His hazel Iris fluttered open as a long groan slipped past his lips. His eyes found hers, his body gasping for air that had been knocking out of his lungs from the impact.

“Oh God, Ghost, are you okay?” She asked, still prodding his body to try and find any injuries.

“Hit m-my vest. I'm f-fine Brown E-Eye-s.” Ghost kept chough, trying to sit up as he reached out his hand and placed it on her arm again. Gabby let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and let her head slump so her chin hit the top of her own vest. She felt his fingers squeezing on her arm, making her look up through her eyelashes at the skull mask only a foot or so from her own face. His eyes were soft, the only thank you she knew she would get from his as he lightly tipped his chin.

“Keep those shots coming Graves, Send ‘em!” Soap urged over the comms. “Ghost and Gabby are by the truck.” Soap and Alejandro came flying around the corner, sliding to a stop and dropping beside Gabby and Ghost. She helped the brute of a man sit up, keeping a steady hand on his back as he drew in a long slow breath of air. The ground shook and rolled as the water tower was blown to hell, the yells of fallen soldiers filling the air along with the sound of large bullets falling from the sky.

“Ghost, no movement is detected. What is your status?” Graves asked in a slightly worried tone.

“He'll be alright. Round hit the plate.” Gabby answered, handing Ghost his rifle back that he had dropped when he was hit.

“Affirm, proper air-support mate.” Ghost spoke, his voice slightly out of breath.

Graves chuckled over the comms, seeming to find Ghost’s praise funny. “Roger 0-7. Be advised, you are cleared up to the compound, but the gate is blocked at this time.”

“Oh fucking wonderful.” Huffed Gabby as she stood up, reaching out her hand to help Ghost to his own feet.

“Give us a way in, yeah?”

“Oh we'll open the way for you. Stand by.” The cocky tone was once again evident as Graves spoke. Gabby looked back at Ghost, letting her eyes look him over once more to make sure no blood was blooming across his clothes. She watched as he rubbed his hand under his vest, trying to soothe the sting from the metal plate being forced into his ribcage.

“I'm fine, Halo.” He wasn't even looking at her and yet he knew her eyes were on him. A blush creeped up her neck, making her look away but not before she caught his eyes looking towards her from the corner of his mask. Gabby only hopes she could call the blush on her neck sunburn. A single burst shot through the air, hitting the large gate and destroying it.

“Boom.” Graves said so casually yet with an air of arrogance. Gabby groaned, rolling her eyes as she stepped out from behind the truck.

“Do you always have to be so douchy?” She quizzed the man in the plane, knowing he was probably smiling knowing he was getting under her skin.

“Come now Halo, is that anyways to treat your fellow Texan?”

“Don't make me hate MY state, Graves.” She made sure to emphasize the word ‘my’ as she spoke. The male soldier laughed at her reply, but Gabby refused to acknowledge him.

“Ghost, the door is open. You are clear to proceed.” Graves told the masked soldier after he stopped laughing.

“Solid copy. Moving now.” His voice was still slightly winded, making him sound rasper. Gabby followed right behind him, tapping Soap on the shoulder as she passed him. They fell into a line, moving quickly towards the compound walls and the large hole that has now been blown into it.

Gabby's sharp eyes, the honeyed bronze of her Irises stayed looking through the crosshairs of her rifle, the silencer at the tip leading the way forward as she stayed a step behind Ghost, his massive frame blocking the sun's harsh glare for a moment. Her skin was warm, her softly tanned skin already turning a shade darker with sunburn, something that was not easily done to a person who was used to being in the sun's rays most days.

“Shadow-1, we are moving interior.” Ghost said to Graves as the four soldiers raced across the courtyard.

“Copy, we see ya.” Graves answered, “Be advised, the convoy is three klicks out, you need to haul ass.”

“Solid copy.”

They got to the door of the main building and they broke into pairs. Soap and Gabby stood to one side, Alejandro and Ghost on the other. Soap looked over at Alejandro and asked the question they were all wondering. “Alejandro, where's that exfil?”

“Five minutes out.”

“Going to cut it close.” Gabby tsked with her tongue. Looking up she saw the lip of the roof was at the perfect angle for her to grab if she had a boost up. “Soap, give me a boost, yeah?”

The Scott smiled as let his rifle hang by his side, cupping his hands together as he bent down slightly to let her place her boot into the palms of his hands. Once she placed her hand on his shoulder and her other hand reaching up, he tossed her upwards, letting her foot leave his hands as her own hands gripped the roof and pulled herself up. She disappeared for a second before her head popped over the rim, looking down at the three men.

“I'll cover from up here in case he runs.”

Alejandro stepped forward at step, looking up at her with a hint of worry in his eyes. “Be careful. Don't do anything stupid.” Gabby only chuckled, giving him a two finger salute before standing up and disappearing. She ran across the rooftop, jumping over the peak and leaning on the other side. She heard Ghost and the gang breach and make their way inside, the sound of gunfire filling the air once more. She made her way to the end of the roof and crouched down on the slightly slanted tile, her rifle ready.

“Hassan is making a break for it on the 2nd floor!” Soap's voice cut through the comms, just as the door below her slammed open shaking the wall. Gabby fired a shot at the guard that was with Hassan, but he ducked in time. Gabby swore, before jumping from the roof and leaning on the smooth concrete wall below. She took off running after Hassan and his guard, letting her rifle fall to her side as she switched to her pistol. Her fired off a few shots before picking up speed to try and catch up to the men in front of her.

“Alpha-1, wait for your team!” Graves barked in her ear, making her grit her teeth as she dove to her knees, sliding to miss a bullet aimed at her head letting the metal fly over her head.

“Shut it Graves.” She hissed back, jumping back up as she resumed her chase. She saw Hassan and his guard head to the other building on the other end of the wall and she raised her pistol, hitting the guard with the shot she fired off, watching his body drop with a thud. Hassan pushed his way inside, Gabby hot on his heels as she jumped through the open door, slamming her body into his.

“Shadow-1 Hassan went internal. Alpha-1 is with him.”

“Copy, we see you.”

Gabby ignored the conversation in her ear, slamming her knee into the back of the man below her, pushing him to the floor. “Stay down!” She growled, as he thrashed about. He grabbed her leg with an iron grip and yanked it, making her lose her balance.

“Who the hell are you?!” He thundered. He twisted, getting his upper body more leverage as he turned to swing his fist at her, slamming it into her stomach, making her lose her balance more as she fell to the side, her legs still locked around his hips.

“Halo!” The thunderous boom coming from the deep British accent sent a cold chill down Gabby's spine, as she watched the bone clad gloves grab the collar of the man below her. She let her legs drop their hold, Hassan being ripped out from under her grip as the tall shadow of a man, the image of death himself, hauled him to his feet before slamming him against the wall. Gabby should have been grateful for the help. She should have been happy her team had her back. She should have been happy that she didn't have to do this alone. But after spending a year chasing Hassan…

“What the hell Ghost?!” She roared, jumping to her feet before she rammed her way between the tall, thick built man and his prey, grabbing Hassan and pushing his face tighter to the wall with her own hand. “I had this under control.”

“Oi, it looked it.” The sarcasm in his deep tone wasn't hard to miss. Ghost stepped closer to her before grabbing the man from her grip once more and shoving Hassan into Alejandro and Soap's waiting hands.

“Mexican Special Forces. You're coming with us!” The Latino told the terrorist, as he used zip cuffs to bond his hands behind his back.

“You're reckless.” Ghost sneered at Gabby, his face only inches from her own before he tapped on his comms. “Shadow-1, we got Hassan. Jackpot. I say again. Target secure. Jackpot.” He glared at her through the bone mask before taking a step away, ready to follow Soap and Alejandro with Hassan out of the small building.

Gabby grabbed his arm, yanking him backwards and stared him in the eyes. “I was doing my job.”

“You went in blind and alone.”

Gabby sarcastically laughed, a dangerous sound coming from her lips. “Don't be a hypocrite. You'd do the very same thing.”

Ghost pushed closer, their tactical vests almost touching. “Not when I know my team is there. What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking of the mission! It's been a year of hunting this bastard down. You honestly think I was going to let him get away? I've been doing this on my own for 2 years now. You of all people should know what it's like to work alone.” Gabby jabs pushing past Ghost, letting her arm slam into his as she went past. She forced him out of her way, she followed Soap and Alejandro to the small balcony, looking out over the road.

“What's the status of your exfil?” Graves asked Alejandro.

“This is Victor 1-1. Exfil is two minutes out.”

“Copy that. All stations be advised, the convoy is closing in hot on the target.”

“Copy Shadow, good eye.” Soap praised the man, making Gabby's already hot blood burn hotter. Looking out towards the road she saw trucks moving in at a breakneck pace.

“What's the call?” Asked Graves.

“They are part of the Cartel. You are cleared hot to engage.” Alejandro ordered, his grip on Hassan tightening as the man tried to pull his bond arms free.

“Copy that.” Was all Gabby heard before the air was filled with bullets raining hellfire down onto the convoy of enemy trucks. Grass, dirt, and car parts flew through the air, the ground rolling and rumbling as more ammo poured into it. Yells of fear and the sound of engines exploding lasted for what felt like minutes, but was dealing only a few seconds of time. The ground shook as a mission took out the far side of the compound, sending Gabby to place a hand onto the nearby wall to study herself. She looked around, seeing Alejandro place a hood over Hassan's face, but not before the snake-like eyes of the man found hers, glaring at her with a dark smirk on his lips.

“All stations, you are cleared to proceed to exfil.”

“Copy that, exfil is pulling up now.”

The four soldiers and their captive pushed through the door of the small building they were in, Soap having a death grip on the arm of Hassan as Ghost flanked him. Gabby and Alejandro kept the area clear, for former leading them as Gabby brought up the rear. Rudy came speeding up the driveway, the tires of the jeep screeching as he came to a stop. Soap jumped into the back of the jeep with Hassan in tow, throwing the man around a bit as he got into the back. Gabby and Ghost jumped into the backseat, Alejandro getting up in the front with Rudy.

“Come on, come on!” Rudy yelled as they climbed into their seats.

“Es bueno verte hermano." (Good to see you brother) Alejandro said as he opened the door to the jeep.

“No iba a dejaros el culo atrás.” (I wasn't going to leave your asses behind) Rudy returned, looking back to see the others settling into the jeep. “Tenemos que darnos prisa, vienen más”. (We have to hurry, there are more coming)

“Contamos con apoyo aéreo cercano. ¡Lo lograremos!” (We have close air support, we'll make it!) Gabby tried to settle his nerves. She placed a hand on his shoulder over the back of his seat, giving it a pat. She heard Hassan hissing and bitching about something, and Soap shoving him down roughly before looking up towards the front of the jeep.

“Let's go! All set.” The blue eyed soldier told the group. Rudy nodded before hitting the gas, sending the jeep flying forward.

“Shadow-1, package secure. We are RTB.”

Gabby kept her hand on her rifle as it sat against her leg. Her left foot bounced, the adrenaline still running through her blood. She felt a pair of eyes on her, but she refused to meet his. She didn't want to deal with the look she knew he would be giving her. Gabby knew she was wrong to snap at him, for running in blind after the HTV, but she only saw red at the time. Hassan was the next step towards the bigger mission. Once this was over she would apologize for snapping at him, but right now she needed that adrenaline buzz to finish this.

Rudy cursing drew Gabby’s attention away from her thoughts. The jeep came to a stop as they looked towards the gas station ahead. Gabby leaned forward to get a better look, seeing Alejandro and Rudy looking worried.

“What's going on?” She asked, resting a hand on both of their shoulders.

“Possible Cartel up ahead.” Alejandro answered. “Shadow-1, get a view on that gas station up ahead. Roping now.” Soap handed Gabby the IR laser and she handed it to Alejandro who clicked it on. Once Graves confirmed their lock on the gas station, he handed the laser back to Gabby who shoved it into her vest pocket for the time being. Rudy thumped his fingers against the steering wheel as they waited for Graves and his men to look over the area.

“I got a bad feeling about this.” Gabby muttered. Rudy gave her a glare in the rearview mirror, to which she just answered with a shrug of her shoulders. Her eyes never left the road in front of them, watching people walking about. Something felt off. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, a shiver running down her spine. She felt a hand tapped her knee and she looked over to find Ghost watching her. His eyes silently asked her what was wrong.

Gabby looked back at Hassan sitting awkwardly next to Soap, and then she looked out the window beside her, eyeing the trees and the town to the left. Her eyes then came back to Ghost’s, seeing a flash of understanding behind the mask. Their previous argument seemed to be forgotten for the moment, the two soldiers understanding the mission in front of them needed their full attention and trust in each other. Gabby looked back through the windshield, her hand having left Alejandro's shoulder and returned to her rifle, but her left hand remained on Rudy’s shoulder.

“You are all cleared to proceed, no hostiles found.” Graves' voice cut through the silence in the jeep, making Rudy grip the steering wheel hard for a second before he stepped into the gas.

“Copy, we are moving on.” Ghost answered, nodding to Rodolfo. Alejandro turned in his seat, giving Gabby a stern look as he met her eyes. Apparently he wasn't about to drop what happened back at the compound.

“You want to explain to me what that was back there?” He jerked his thumb behind him as he kept his eyes locked in hers.

“No, not really.” She answered back quickly, a slight edge to her voice.

“Gabrielle…”

“Don't Alejandro. I've spent the past two years more of an assassin than a soldier, hunting down the world's worst all by myself. I'm still learning how to work with a team again. Forgive me for slipping up, but I don't want to talk about it. Any of it.” The bite in her tone was one that didn't leave room for the conversation to continue. The jeep began to move, the air inside thick with tension. Gabby slumped back against her seat, feeling eyes on her from all angles but she just stared out her window. Rudy got the jeep moving, heading into the small town, the jeep dead silent.

“We got a civilian moving into the street.” Rodolfo spoke up, slowing the jeep down as a man with a food cart moved to the middle of the street before stopping.

“I don't like this.” Ghost grumbled, leaning forward with his hand gripping his pistol. Gabby flexed her fingers around the stock of her rifle, feeling the smooth metal and wood under her hand.

“Go!” Alejandro yelled, when he saw the man draw a gun from the cart. Rudy hit the gas, plowing over the small food cart and started to speed down the road when out of nowhere a truck hit them from the side, sending their jeep flying. Gabby felt herself go airborne, slamming against the frame of the jeep. Pain licked up her spine and her head throbbed before everything went black.

She had no idea how long she had been out cold. It could have been seconds or hours, but her mind had no sense of time. A long deep groan from deep in her chest spilled past her lips, the feeling of something hot and sticky on her forehead made her uncomfortable. She winced as she opened her eyes, feeling pain all over her body. A pair of hands grabbed her around the waist, pulling her from the wrecked and burning jeep. She hissed as the sunlight hit her eyes, making her wish she had her safety glasses on.

“Check fire! Check fire!” She heard Soap yelling over the comms. The sound of gunfire filling the hot smoky air.

“Hijo de puta me duele la cabeza.” (Son of a bitch my head hurts.) She moaned as the pair of hands pulled her farther from the jeep.

“Hung on, I've got you.” A deep, raspy, whiskey filled voice growled in her left ear, making her turn her head slightly to see who was pulling her to safety. Her left cheek brushed against the smooth, surprising cool bone mask, her eyes widening in surprise. “You solid?”

Gabby ran a mental check of her body, not feeling anything broken or extreme pain. Her head hurt, and she felt some blood on her temple running down her cheek, and a bruise blooming on her hip but she felt okay otherwise.

“Yeah, I'm solid. Nothing broken.” She groaned as he came to a stop, letting his hands linger as he supported her in a sitting position.

“Bravo 0-7 give me a sitrep when able.” Graves called out, his voice filling her left ear making her wince with how loud her mic seemed.

“Shadow-1, no casualties. Hassan is secure.” Ghost answered, he pulled his right hand away to grab his pistol, firing at a few soldiers across the road.

“Copy that, Colonel Vargas, what's the word?”

Alejandro fired a few rounds into the growing number of Cartel soldiers before answering. “Shadow-1, we'll hard point in the building behind us. Over!”

Gabby felt Ghost haul her up onto her feet, his hand on her lower back as the 5 of them began to move towards the building behind the crash site. Gabby felt her legs wobble slightly before she got them steady underneath her. Her rifle was clipped to her side, so she reached down to grab it, holding the sturdy weapon in her hands.

“Get to the roof!” Soap yelled, leading the charge as he dragged Hassan behind him, pushing the door open and leading the group into the building as more bullets rain down from the sky and from across the road. Once they pushed inside they raced up the stairs and Ghost slammed open the door to the roof, leading them out. Soap pushed Hassan against an AC unit, slamming his body to a sitting position before crouching down nearby to get a visual of the ground below. Gabby was close as well, Hassan viable out of the corner of her eye.

His sharp eyes met hers, a smirk on his face as he watched her from his seat. It unnerved her, his snake eyes glaring daggers into her soul. She lined up her sight, her rifle resting on the wall around the 2nd floor and took shots at the enemy soldiers as they popped up from behind their covers.

“Rodolfo, call for helicopters!” Alejandro told his 2nd in command. Rudy got on the comms, calling for exfil by helicopter. Gabby kept firing on the targets, her skin burning under the glare of the sun. The building they were on shook with a violent force, making Gabby look over to her right, towards the hills behind the town.

“RPG!” She announced. She grabbed the IR laser from her vest and clicked it on. “Shadow-1, we are taking RPG fire from the east. I'm roping now!”

“Get down!” Soap screamed, throwing himself against the wall, laying flat to the ground as another blast rocked the restaurant.

“Copy Alpha-1. Engaging.” Gabby kept herself as small as possible, still firing at whatever she could. Sweat dropped down her back, the blood from her gash at her hairline now hard and crusty on her temple and cheek. She was panting slightly, watching Soap throw a grenade towards the downed truck and jeep, sending three enemy soldiers sky high.

“Their firing from the church!” Exclaimed Alejandro.

“Heli is 5 minutes out!” Rudy told the group, throwing a grenade.

“All stations, exfil is 5 mikes out!” Alejandro called through the comms.

“RPG!” Ghost yelled from the right side of Gabby, the boom of the missiles from the plane above shaking the ground and the buildings.

“Shit RPG!” Rudy warned. He was to the left of Gabby, firing away. Gabby gritted her teeth, biting down on the inside of her cheek. She kept firing, watching new targets walk into her crosshairs before pulling the trigger. The sound of bullets and missiles slicing through the hot stale air was deafening. The team yelling and the team in the air answering had her ears ringing. It had turned into a full blown war zone. The fight kept raging on, Alejandro and Ghost calling out new targets for Graves and his shadows to hit. The gas station was blown to hell, before things started to calm down.

“Sergeant, sitrep!” Ghost called to Soap, looking over his shoulder to find the Scottsmen.

“Copy, Hassan is secure.” A pause, “Still a prick.”

Hassan started to yell at them, threatening them with empty promises, making Gabby huff a laugh.

“Bravo 7-1, you are cleared hot to shut Hassan the hell up.” Graves snapped into the comms, making Soap laugh out loud. Gabby shook her head, before looking through her scope once more, making sure no new targets entered the scene. Movement at the soccer field caught her eye, making her swing her rifle more to the right to get a better look.

“More incoming!” She shouted. She heard Graves make a call, and the field got blown up, chucks of metal from the trucks getting blown into the sky. More yelling, more screaming, more bullets filling the air. It was madness.

“I'm down to my last three mags!”

“I only have two!”

“I have three left.”

“I'm running low!”

“Better get your knives ready.”

“We die with our boots on!”

The comms were filled with chatter, voices overlapping one another as panic began to set in. Gabby felt her adrenaline start to waver, her bones aching, her muscles sore. Her mind was buzzing as she slammed one of her last mags into the barrel of her gun, continuing to fire at enemy targets. The air grew hotter from all the hot metal filling the sky. Gabby's tank top clinged to her skin, sweat dripping down her neck and back. Her arms were heavy and sore from holding up her rifle for so long.

“All stations, this is Hatchet 3-1. We are approaching from the north west. 30 seconds out.”

Gabby let out a sigh of relief, knowing that exfil was soon there. She glanced over at Soap, seeing the same look in his eyes. This fight had turned hot and sharp, way sharper then they had planned for. They started out with twelve soldiers, now they were down to the four of them. It had turned bloody, it had turned into a race for their lives. The finish line was within sight, yet so far away at the same time.

“Exfil is 30 seconds out. Be ready!” Alejandro sounded tired, his voice cracking as he spoke.

“Copy!” The other three soldiers replied.

“Shit, I'm out!” Soap yelled, a hint of panic in his tone as he patted his vest, despite to find a hidden mag. Gabby reached into her vest, pulling out the last mag she had and tossed it into the air.

“Here, take mine!” Soap reached out, catching the mag before it hit the ground and slammed it into his rifle. He nodded his thanks, before returning fire.

“Graves, our exfil is being blocked by enemy fire. Requesting immediate air support!” Ghost shouted, his voice strained and tight. Gabby slipped open her clip, counting the rounds she had left. It was far lower than she thought. Slamming the mag back into the stock she sent another bullet into its new home, before looking around to see where their ride was.

“Check to the north, armored vehicles at the bridge!”

The fight continued on for a few more minutes, before the Hilos landed beside the restaurant. The wind whipped around the soldiers from the propellers of the choppers, cooling down the air a bit.

“All stations, your exfil is ready and waiting. Time to RTB!”

“Copy that. Ghost, Rudy, Soap, Halo, time to go!” Alejandro stood up and began to run for the stairs to head to the 1st floor.

“Thank Christ!” Rudy sighed, getting up and following his leader. Gabby stopped up, same as Soap who grabbed Hassan and dragged him up, pushing him towards the stairs. Ghost waited until Gabby hit the stairs before leaving his post, bringing up the rear. Gabby glanced over her shoulder, seeing him run his chest under his vest, knowing the hit he took was probably starting to bug him, his chest sore from the impact. Her own head was throbbing, the new bruise blooming on her hip making her take her steps a bit more gingerly. But they had Hassan, they got out of the fire fight by the skin of their teeth, and they were finally heading towards the finish line.

Chapter Text

They had driven to a safehouse, not wanting to risk taking Hassan back to the base in case more Cartel soldiers were after him. They were going to take him farther into the desert for a meet up with Shepherd and Laswell, to try and figure out how Hassan got the missile. Gabby was standing next to the Jeep that Hassan and Soap were already in, waiting for Graves to meet up with them at the safehouse. The sun was starting to set and the air was growing colder.

Rudy was working on cleaning up her face, gently wiping away the dried blood and looking at the gash at her hairline. She hissed as he wiped an alcohol wipe over the wound.

“Lo siento Pequeña.” (I'm sorry Little One) He cooed to her, calling her the old nickname he never let her grow out of. Growing up Rudy became an uncle to her and her brother. Being that he had been one of their mothers closest best friends alongside Alejandro, it was natural the man who wasn't their godfather since birth to become their adopted uncle. The adrenaline had left her veins by now, her bones and muscles weak, her head sore and her mind foggy. The day had been long and blooded, and her body screamed for sleep.

A shiver tore through her, a cool breeze settling over the desert valley. Rudy had just finished placing a small bandage to her head wound, when he noticed her shiver, running her hands up her arms to try and generate warmth. Reaching into the open window of the Jeep, Rudy pulled out a zip up hoodie of his, and handed it to the young woman before him.

“Toma, pequeña. Ponte esto.” (Here Little One, put this on) Rudy softly told her. Gabby smiled up at him. She took in his apprentice, one that she hadn't really seen in the past year or so, the soft gaze in his dark brown eyes, his black hair with the slight hint of salt in the pepper color at his temples. His shoulders, their strength that didn't fade with age. In his mid 40s, Rodolfo Parra was still a strong soldier, but a soft man under the armor.

“Gracias, tío.” (Thank you, Uncle) Gabby slipped off her vest, letting it hit the ground, before she slipped on the light weight zip up hoodie. The soft gray and black hoodie was big on her, the sleeves too long so she had to roll them up a bit. Her fingers traced over the name, Parra, that was sewn on the left front side, in black thread. The Mexican flag was on the left arm, the Mexican Special Forces patch on the right arm. The smell of mint, from the candies he favored to try and stop smoking, still lingering on the fabric of the jacket. Memories of her childhood, of the good times growing up.

Reaching down she picked up her vest and slipped it on again, pulling the straps to make it snug on her body. Rudy smiled down at her, his hand coming up to cup her cheek and rub away the last bit of dried blood. With a soft pat of his hand, he walked away to get into the driver's side of the first jeep. Gabby watched him go before leaning her head back against the jeep, her eyes closed. She shoved her hands into the pockets of the jacket, her fingers brushing over something smooth, covered in plastic. Pulling her hand out of the right pocket, she found a small green candy in its clear plastic wrapper.

A hard mint.

The kind that Rudy still favored even after he stopped smoking. No wonder the jacket still smelled like mint. She smirked softly before plucking the candy from its wrapper and plopped the mint into her mouth, sucking on it softly as the burst of mint filled her tongue.

Looking out over the desert, she watched the sunset over the hills, the hurts of colors that bled into the sky. The wind tugged at her hair that was now loose down her back in thick waves of almost black curls from the braid she had worn earlier in the day. The sound of tires coming to a stop pulled her attention away from the sunset. Gabby let her eyes flicker to the right, watching as headlights turned off on the truck that pulled up. Pulling herself up to her full height she watched as Phillip Graves stepped out of the cab, his eyes looking around as he took in the dusty, dry desert in around him.

His blue eyes found her brown ones, and a smile spread across his lips. Gabby felt a frown pull across her lips, her eyes rolling. She wasn't his biggest fan.

“Well, well, well! If it ain't my favorite fellow Texan. How are you darlin'?” Graves stopped in front of Gabby, only letting a few inches separate them. If she could, she would have snarled like a dog at him. Wrinkling her nose at him, her face pulled back in disgust, she pushed herself tighter to the jeep to put more space between them.

“Yeah, hi Graves.” She all but hissed at the man. She moved to the side, letting her body become free from being trapped between the jeep and the older man. Now Gabby was no fool, Graves was probably 32 or 33, he was still young, but the idea of his adviceses meaning something more than just teasing, gave her the chills.

“So I've been told you signed with the 141. Didn't peg you as a team player, since you refused to join the Shadows in the past.” His grin was anything but kind as he jabbed at her.

Gabby squared her shoulders, her head held high as she squeezed her fingers into the soft fabric of the sleeve of Rudy's hoodie. “I had my reasons to avoid teams. Now I'm ready to be a part of one again.”

“You could have been a Shadow.” He sneered, taking a step closer to her.

“We both know, if that happened, you'd be dead by the end of my first week.”

“Now, now. Are you really still holding onto that grudge?”

Gabby pushed some of her hair off her shoulder, then crossed her arms over her chest and glared up at the man. “I don't play nice with people I see as my prey.” She growled low in her throat before marching off towards the jeep Rudy had disappeared into. Getting into the jeep she slammed the door shut, letting her head fall back against the headrest.

(What was all that?) “¿Que fue todo eso?” Rudy asked, cocking his head to the side. Gabby let her head roll to the side, looking the older man in the eyes before groaning and rubbing the heels of her palms into her eyes.

(Graves just rubs me the wrong way. Old history.) “Graves Simplemente me molesta. Es historia vieja.” She explained vaguely. She felt the jeep shift and looked towards the back to see Alejandro getting into the back seat. Graves and Ghost must be in the jeep with Soap and Hassan, if only Alejandro was getting into their jeep.

“Let's go!” Alejandro said with a clap of his hands. Gabby gave him a smile, Rodolfo chuckling before he started the jeep and pulled away from the safehouse, Ghost driving the other jeep right behind. The sun was almost fully set behind the mountains, the sky turning a inky black with a small sliver of the last bits of sun rays peeking the mountains. The stars were starting to come out as the sky grew darker, the air having a chill to it after the hot day they had.

Letting her arm fall to the open window, she let her head lay on her arm and closed her eyes, the breeze from the desert hitting her sun kissed cheeks. Her hair whipped around her head, but she didn't care. This was the first time in over 18 hours Gabby had given her body a second to relax. Her bones ached, her muscles felt like jello. But Gabby was a good soldier, she marched on when she was told to. She pushed her body past the breaking point in order to make the world safer. She went days without sleep or food in order to complete a mission. She learned a long time ago just how far she could push before she finally snapped.

But it still felt good to sit, to let her aching joints have a moment to rest. Live to fight another day in the hellish war around them. Opening her eyes, Gabby saw a pack of coyotes running across the darkening desert sands. The lead dog raised its head as it ran, looking her in the eye before taking its pack and disappearing towards the mountainside.

After another ten minutes of driving Rodolfo pulled off the road. Ghost followed suit, and the two jeeps came to a stop. Leaving their headlights on they lit up a small half circle in the sand. Graves got out of the jeep and popped open a laptop, turning it on and began to type away on it. Soap pulled Hassan from the back of the jeep, bringing him into the lit up part and forcing him to his knees facing the jeep Graves had the laptop on. Soap kept his hand on Hassan's shoulder, Alejandro moving to stand on the other side of him. Ghost kept to the end of the light, his bone mask glowing in the dark. Rudy stayed inside of the jeep, watching the event unfold in front of him. Gabby moved to stand with Ghost, the shadows pulling her into their comfortable hold.

The laptop screen became alive with General Shepherd and Kate Laswell on a slip screen. Graves bent down to make sure Shepherd could see and hear them okay before he moved towards Hassan. Gabby watched, her hand resting on her pistol, her left hand in the strap of her vest. Her rifle hung by her side. Everything about her screamed calm, cool, collected and deadly as the shadows spun and swirled around her in the soft desert breeze. Her hair, long and dark, floated around her softly like black smoke in the night.

Hassan and Graves went back and forth, their banter making her want to roll her eyes but she kept her face cold and unreadable. “-you will learn to respect me when your nation sees fire.” Hassan treated Graves, his tone dripping venom as he glared up at the other man. Gabby felt her back grow stiffer, the grip on her pistol in its holster tightening.

“You're in bed with the Cartel. If you disappeared, no one would know where to look for the fucking stain.” Graves snapped back, his teeth bared like a dog. Hassan only chuckled, shaking his head as if Graves just told him a joke.

“I have no doubt you would take pleasure in torturing me.” He said with a casual shrug of his shoulders.

Soap had enough of the back and forth, Gabby watching as the Sergeant took the slightest step forward, the grip on his rifle tight as he spoke. “Who did you get American missiles from?” This tone wasn't one Gabby had ever heard before. This wasn't the Johnny she had grown to know, this was a hardened and deadly soldier that stood before her.

“I don't care who they're from!” Shepherd cut into the conversation, his tone right, “I want to know where they are going!”

This had Gabby tense. Why wouldn't he want to know where they came from? Someone within their government has lost ballistic missiles to AQ forces. Knowing the why was just as important as knowing the where in her mind. She saw the look of desperation flash over the General's face, even through the computer screen before the hard look of anger and status retook his features. Soap tossed her a look, for only a split second, one that also questioned the call from the general before he focused back on Hassan.

Gabby turned, facing the desert as coyotes began to sing, their mournful barks and howls filling the air. It made her shiver, goosebumps trailing over her skin even though she still wore the hoodie. Her eyes looked out over the dark land, watching the silhouettes dance among the shadows as the predators prowled through the night looking for their next meal.

Looking towards her right she caught Ghost glancing her way, his bone mask glowing in the light, while the rest of him seemed to fade into the inky shadows.

“Take a look around Hassan.” Gabby's voice filled the silence that had settled around them, her back still to the group as she watched the pack of coyotes move through the moonlight that lasted a faint glow to the sand. “Now you can become a part of the food chain, or you can start talking.” She turned, facing the man on his knees, the man she had been hunting like one of those coyotes in the desert. Taking a step forward, she made sure she was fully in the light from the jeeps. “And I would decide quickly, hungry coyotes aren't very forgiving… and neither am I.” She added once his eyes found hers.

Alejandro placed a hand onto Hassan's shoulder, making the man bend forward slightly under the weight of his hand. “I'm a hostage here.” He said softly, almost in a wounded tone. “This is illegal!” Gabby scuffed, turning away to find the shadows once more to stand in.

“You are a prisoner of war.” Alejandro hissed as he bent down, his hand squeezing Hassan's shoulder.

“Iran is not at war with Mexico. I have broken no laws.” Hassan looked around, nodding his head towards the computer. “These commanders and their men are the law breakers.”

Soap scuffed, stepping forward “You and your precious General Ghorbrani-”

Hassan launched forward, the grip Alejandro had on him slipping as he tried to jump towards Soap. “DO NOT SPEAK HIS NAME!” he roared, but Soap held his ground. Gabby let go of her pistol, her hand grabbing around her rifle and bringing it forward in front of her leg. She saw Ghost grip his own weapon tighter, the rifle laying across his chest. “You executed him and you will pay for your crimes!” He began to swear at them all in his native tongue, Alejandro for ing him back to his knees as he yelled at Graves.

Gabby let her eyes flick to the computer screen, watching as Shepherd shifted in his seat. It sent a shiver down her spine, the small voice in the back of his mind screaming that something was off. That something wasn't right. He looked uncomfortable, angry. It put her on edge.

“I want this bastard in permanent custody or looking up at the goddamn grass.”

Laswell looked nervous as Shepherd spoke. “General, killing Hassan is an act of war. It's illegal. Right now, he is too hot to hold.”

Gabby sprung forward, stepping past Soap and out of the shadows as she faced down the laptop. “Kate what are you saying?” Her voice was tight as she addressed the CIA handler.

Shepherd ignored Gabby, leaning back in his chair, “Tell me you are getting something actionable, Laswell.”

Graves pushed past Gabby, grabbing the laptop and brought it up to eye level. For once, Gabby wasn't opposed to being his in space, she wanted answers and she needed to be close enough to the source.

Graves bit the inside of his cheek, his eyes hard as he stared into the computer screen. “Actual, let me finish this.” Gabby rolled her eyes, pushing Graves to the side slightly.

“If anyone is finishing this, it's me. Hassan has been my target for a year. I'm going to be the one that ends him.” She growled.

“There is nothing I would like more.” Shepherd remarks in a low and threatening tone, “But Laswell is right. Without proof we need to turn him loose. See where he leads us.”

Gabby felt her jaw drop as she whipped her head around to look back at the screen. “You have got to be shitting me!”

Shepherd sent her a sharp look, one that would make a normal person cower under the gaze. But not Gabby. “I suggest you watch your tone.”

Gabby chuffed, shaking her head in disgust. “I have spent a year… A YEAR… hunting this bastard down for you. I kept my end of the deal, General. I got you Hassan!” She was practically vibrating from the anger. Her eyes were hard as she glared at the man on the other end of the screen.

“And I will keep my end of the deal… when this is all said and done.”

“You can't change the rules when I already delivered my end!” Gabby slammed her hand down onto the hood of the jeep, her eyes growing wild. Graves took a step back, his eyes wide as he watched the exchange.

“LIEUTENANT!” Shepherd barked, his voice laced with anger. “Stand the fuck down. You have been trained better than this. ACT LIKE IT.” Gabby stared him down, her fingers flexing and curling into fits at her sides. Her fingerless leather gloves cracked under the strain, her back ramrod straight as she let the adrenaline come flying back into her veins.

“Yes Sir.” Venom dropped from her tongue before she turned, her hair whipping around her shoulders as she slammed her arm into Graves' as she walked past. She saw Soap and Alejandro giving her a worried look, but she ignored them as she moved back to the shadows.

“Sir, he's right here. You can't be serious!” Soap moved forward to stand next to Graves, taking Gabby's place to try and argue the release of Hassan.

“As I told Lieutenant Knocks, I am son.”

Ghost stepped out from the shadows, leaving Gabby to stand alone in them and spoke up for the first time since this whole meeting started. “Did we get anything from his phone?”

“Affirmative, we got a hit.”

“Good.” Shepherd answered, the heat in his eyes having gone down a bit. “Now, take him back and let him go.” Soap let his head roll back, his eyes rolling as he huffed. Gabby shook her head, her fingers digging into her vest with a white knuckled grip.

“Increíble.” (Unbelievable) She muttered to herself. A year of hunting, all for not. She hated how war worked. How the politics of it all worked. They had him, they could rid the world of a threat here and now. Yet the laws of war said otherwise. Ghost gave a nod of his head to Alejandro, who slipped the hood back over the bastard's head.

“Just soldiers marching to the orders.” Gabby said to the group as she watched Alejandro lead Hassan to the jeep Rodolfo was still in. Soap nodded his head, watching till the door was shut behind Hassan.

“Here.” Alejandro said, stepping up to Gabby. He held out the keys to the officers barracks and placed them into her hand. “Take the others back to base. You know the way. We'll drop this asshole off and meet you back there. I have something waiting for you there.” He whispered the last part, so only she could hear, making her raise an eyebrow in question. He just patted her shoulder and walked to join Rodolfo in the jeep.

With a sigh, Gabby looked back over the desert, hearing the coyotes sing their mournful songs. She wished at that moment she could join them.

She moved towards the jeep, jumping into the driver's seat and shut the door. Ghost got into the passenger seat and Soap and Graves got into the back. “Should I worry about you driving, Sweetheart?”

Gabby grimaced at the nickname, sucking on her teeth as she met his eyes in the rearview mirror. “Call me that again, and I will crash this Jeep on purpose.”

Graves laughed, “Such a violent little thing.”

“You have no idea.”

The jeep went silent, making Gabby smile for the first time that night. She hit the gas, sending the jeep flying down the gravel road. The windows were down as she drove, the cooled night air washing over them as she drove back towards the base. Only the moon and the headlights have light to the darkness around in the desert night. The stars shone in the sky like jewels scattered across a dark canvas. The drive lasted about 30 minutes, the tall gates shining under the floodlights. Gabby was waved through by the Corporal at the gate, going slowly as she went to the private officers barracks near the office part of the compound.

Putting the jeep into park she shut off the engine, and reached across the center console to grab her rifle that Ghost had sat at his feet to hold onto for her while she was driving. He gave her a nod, letting the rifle slip from his hold before opening his door and stepping out onto the pavement.

Gabby opened her own door and got out of the jeep, letting the door slam shut as she took a long deep breath. Her blood still burned with anger. She was pissed at Shepherd for letting Hassan go, for not honoring their deal, for making up rules as he went. Letting her shoulders drop she moved towards the large door framed by two windows at the front of the barracks. Pushing the key into the lock she turned the knob and pushed open the door.

“Let's go ladies.” She called over her shoulder as she stepped through the threshold. The lights were already on, something she found weird since Alejandro was huge in not leaving lights on when a room was not in use. She looked around the living area of the first floor, but didn't find anything out of the ordinary. The open staircase that led to the rooms looked the same, and the kitchen light was off. So who left the living area light on? She stepped farther into the room, hearing the men behind her, completely unaware of her senses firing on all cylinders. She moved with silent, careful steps towards the dark kitchen, her rifle at her side as she grabbed the knife, Simon's knife, from her vest and flicked open the blade.

“Gabby?” Soap asked as he walked through the door, taking notice of her going into full soldier mode as she made her way towards the darkened room. His hand grabbed his pistol, and he looked over his shoulder at Ghost, who picked up on the tension and had his rifle at the ready. Graves was still outside, his hand on his still holstered pistol as he looked around the parking lot.

Gabby crept forward, the knife’s blade running parallel to her arm as she sprung into the kitchen, flipping the light on. An arm grabbed her around the shoulders from behind, trying to pull her into a choke hold while making a grab for his pistol. Gena y quickly slammed her elbow back into the abdomen of her attacker, hearing the air leave their body before grabbing the arm around her shoulders and twisting, ducking out from under their arm. She held the knife up, ready to drive it home when a breathless laugh pulled her from her blind rage.

“Fuck sakes.” He wheezed, the dark locks of the pushed back, wind blown hair falling over his eye as he looked into her brown eyes. Hazel eyes met her own, eyes she had known her whole life.

“Fucking hell, Cheddar!” She yelled, punching his arm with her free hand sending him back a step with a laugh leaving his lips. “I could have killed you!”

“Hey big sister.” He coughed, rubbing his stomach with his hand from the hit of her elbow. “Not the greeting I had been expecting.”

“One you deserve with a stunt like that. What the hell are you even doing in Mexico?” Gabby slipped the blade back into the handle, tucking the weapon back into the hidden pocket of her vest.

“Alejandro called me. Said he could use my help on an important mission. Plus it was a way to see you.” He smiled at her, standing up to his full height now. Gabby wasn't short at 5 '9, but Hudson was taller at 6 foot. He has put on a good bit of muscle over the years, his uniform fitting more snugly then when he first joined up. He still had his boyish face, the youth not stripped from his eyes even after all he had seen in the military. Hudson Knocks was a very handsome man.

“Gabby?” Soap called from the doorway, looking between her and the man that stood in front of her. His blue eyes held a hard but questioning look. Gabby smiled, waving her hand in a downward motion, making him lower his pistol.

“It's okay Soap. It's Hudson. My brother.” She clarified, seeing the recognition in Soap's eyes as he finally relaxed enough to recognize the other man.

“Cheddar. Nice to finally meet you!” Soap smiled wide, holding out his hand for the younger man to shake. Gabby smiled as her brother and her adopted brother shook hands, smiling widely at each other.

“Nice to meet you too. You been taking care of our sister?” Husdon asked as he let go of the Sergeant’s hand, throwing his arm around Gabby's shoulders.

“Aye, and she's been keeping us lot in line.”

Gabby only chuckled, her eyes catching Ghost and Graves standing out in the living area. “Stand down you two. It's only my brother dicking around.” She saw Graves relax but Ghost kept a tight grip on his rifle. Walking out from under Hudson's arm and made her way out to Ghost and stood in front of him.

“Come on LT. Stand down.” She pushed his rifle down, her hand on top of his gloved one until the weapon was down at his side. His hazel eyes found hers, the hardness in them disappearing almost immediately. She gave him a soft smile before turning her head to find Hudson and Soap walking out of the kitchen.

“Ghost, this is my brother, Sergeant Hudson Knocks. Callsign Cheddar.” She reached out her hand towards the younger man with a smile on her face. “Chedz, this is Lieutenant Riley. AKA, Ghost.”

Hudson looked up at the taller, older soldier and stuck out his hand. “You're a legend. Glad my sister has someone like you looking out for her six when I can't.” Ghost took his hand and gave it a firm shake before letting his own drop back to his side. He gave a solid nod of his head, making Gabby think he wasn't going to answer, that he was going to leave it at that.

“She's a solid soldier.” Ghost spoke gruffly, his warm whiskey voice tickling her ears. She looked up at him, a smile tugging at her lips before Hudson laid a hand on her shoulder, pulling her eyes away from the other Lieutenant.

“Why don't we get y'all settled in. From my understanding, you guys had a hella day.”

The four soldiers nodded, letting Hudson take the lead as he led them up the stairs to the bedrooms. Gabby saw the door at the end of the hall and broke off, pushing past Hudson to reach the door. Wrapping her hand around the knob and pushing the door open and found the room exactly how she remembered it. This was the bedroom that she would stay in when Alejandro would babysit them, having to bring them to base during the night while he worked. Hudson has his own room across the hall, Alejandro's room beside his.

The pale teal sheets and blankets still on the bed, the soft seafoam green pillows lining the headboard. The room wasn't overly decorated, but there was a teal rug on the floor by the bed, a light brown dresser on the far wall by the small bathroom. A large window was a few steps away from the bed, the seafoam curtains still hanging there. This was a home away from home for her. A place she would found comfort in when Marsh had been killed. Her bags had already been dropped off, sitting on the floor by the dresser. Not that she was really planning to unpack, but she knew there was still some clothes in the dresser from her visit two years ago.

“I see Alejandro left everything the same.” Hudson spoke from behind her, leaning on the doorframe with his ankles crossed.

“Yeah, he always said he wanted us to be able to visit.” She spoke softly as she pulled off her vest and let it fall to the floor at the foot of the bed. Outside the window was a small roof that wrapped around the side and back of the building. There was a porch-like deck under the roof, where a grill and chairs sat. Gabby would sit out on the roof when she couldn't sleep growing up, watching the stars and listening to the coyotes howl.

“It's so good to see you again. Te he extrañado mucho.” (I've really missed you) Hudson stepped into the room, pulling her into a hug. He laid his head on top of hers, her face pushed into his chest as he held her tightly. She wrapped her arms around his back, squeezing him tightly. It had been so long since they last saw each other in person, and it made her heart happy to finally hold her brother again.

“Yo también te extrañé, hermanito.” (I missed you too, little brother) She spoke, her voice muffed by the fabric of his dark green hoodie. “We'll catch up in the morning. But for now, I'm running on fumes and my body is screaming for me to rest.” She added, pulling away slightly.

“Si, get some rest. I love you.” Hudson placed a kiss to her hair, before giving her a squeeze.

“I love you too.” Gabby smiled, hugging him back before her arms fell to her sides and she watched as he slipped out the door, shutting it behind him. A long deep breath slipped past her lips, her head tilting back as she closed her eyes and let her shoulders fall. Everything hurt. Her mind raced with questions. Her blood still burned with simmering anger. The day had turned into a marathon and she felt every moment of it now in her movements.

Moving to the private bathroom she turned on the shower and slipped out of her river water washed clothes, letting them fall to the floor. The bruises on her legs were still green, yellow and slightly purple, cuts and scratches lined her body from all the falls, fights and spray of debris from the fights. Once she stepped under the spray of hot water her head fall back, letting the drops pelt her face. Dirt and sweat ran down her body to the shower floor, washing down the drain as she stood under the waterfall of warm water. Gabby let out a happy sigh, her muscles happy for the warmth and filled the small bathroom.

After what felt like hours, but was really only 15 minutes, Gabby stepped out of the shower, water dripping down her legs and hair as she reached for her towel. She wrapped the plush towel around her body and walked back out to her room, digging into her bag to find clothes. Once she had everything she quickly spilled on her panties, and shorts, pulling a sports bra on and a loose fitting shirt overtop. Grabbing a hoodie from her dresser she slipped the light blue fabric over her and sat down on the bed, braiding her long hair. It was well past midnight, by the time her back hit the mattress, yet her brain wouldn't quiet down. So many thoughts ran through her mind. The base had grown quiet, the doors to the other rooms had shut long ago. No one moved around. No lights filtered under the door, and the flood lights outside except for the gate, had been turned off a while ago.

Letting out a defeated sigh, Gabby sat up and grabbed a pair of moccasins that she had left here the last time she had been in base. Slipping them on, she grabbed her phone and slipped it into her shorts pocket and walked to the window beside the bed, overlooking the small roof. She flipped the lock, and slid the window open, letting the cool desert air filter into the room. Stepping through the opening, Gabby silently let her body slip out onto the roof. Everything was dark, but her eyes had grown accustomed to wandering through the dark with little to no light. Once she was out onto the roof, she stood up, grabbing the lip of the roof above her, pulling herself up onto the top of the barracks, oblivious to the shadows on the roof outside her window.

Once she got up she moved swiftly across the roof, moving at not quite a jog but faster than a walk, moving towards the end of the barracks and jumping the 10 foot gap to the main office building. She landed on the roof and made her way across the smooth surface. The shadows became her friend, a comfortable blanket as she slipped under the stars, moving like a phantom through the night. Jumping over a raised part of the roof, and moving on the other side seeing the raised tower in the distance rising from the shadows.

She reached the end of the office building, she looked at the 3 foot wide wall that surrounded the old training grounds. Taking the leap, she jumped from the roof, landing on the smooth top of the wall. Gabby perched there for a moment, her hands gripping the rough stone edging. Once she stood up, and made her way, walking the wall like a balance beam as she made her way towards the old sniper tower.

Reaching the tower, she jumped from the wall to the stairs, climbing up them two at a time till she got into the sniper's nest. It was a large enough space for a large size male to lay down and move around, as well as stand up without hitting their head on the roof. There were sliding panels that could move 360 around the tower to make a wall, or move out of the way for the sniper to lay and shoot. But this tower hadn't been used in years, the new training ground being put to use more than this one has been.

Gabby had been using this tower as her late night hideaway for years, when the nightmares became too much, or she needed space from everyone. She had placed blankets up there years ago, so she could sit and watch the stars on those nights.

Gabby leaned against the panel that looked out over the desert beyond the compound walls. The moon cresting the mountain, the stars blanketing the sky, the cool breeze floating over the air with a hint of desert flowers. She looked up towards the sky, closing her eyes as she breathed in the fresh air.

“Please tell him I miss him. And I'm trying my best.” She whispered into the wind, sending up a prayer. A tear slipped down her cheek as she opened her eyes, looking up to find the North Star. She leaned forward more against the wall, as if she could just leap into the night and take hold of the star. “Ido pero no olvidado.” (Gone but not forgotten) She whispered. In the distance, a lone coyote howled into the night, its soulful song ringing out. She looked out, catching the silhouette in the moonlight and she smiled, letting the song fill her heart and soul.

Chapter Text

“Everyone has a monster in them. Some learn to ignore it all together. Some are just born that way. Some learn how to be one through tragedy. While others have no choice but to become a monster to survive. The problem is, I don't know which one truly applies to myself….” -Simon Riley, Journal Entry.

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The mission had started out as a true and well made clusterfucked. That much was evident.

Ghost made his way out the window of his bedroom to sit on the roof that wrapped around the side and back of the barracks. He let his large frame settle against the wall, his long legs stretched out in front of him as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Pulling his mask up to sit on top of his head as he took a long drag from the cigarette. Smoke curled out of his nose like a dragon, before he blew it out of his chapped lips in a long puff. The moon was behind the barracks, at his back, so he was sitting in the complete darkness, no worries of his face being seen. He could hear owls and coyotes in the distance, beyond the compound walls.

Taking another long drag of his cigarette he let the smoke pour from his lips as he stared up at the stars above him. His mind ran over the events of the day, going through each aspect of the mission. What went right. What went wrong. He knew it was well past midnight but his mind wasn't going to shut down. Plus sleep didn't come naturally to Ghost anymore. Small naps here and there, enough to keep his mind sharp and his body from breaking down. But the nightmares didn't allow him to sleep longer than small amounts, and he learned a long time ago it was pointless to fight it.

Shifting his body to try and find a more comfortable position, he winced as pain shot up his left peck into his shoulder. He got lucky that the bullet had hit the plates in his vest, the only damage done was the dark purple sunburst bruise that bloomed across his pale skin, covering most of his peck. The pain was manageable, but still a reminder of how close to death he had been. Again.

Death was always knocking on Ghost's door it seems like, always trying to reach through and pull him to what waited on the other side. Yet he kept his feet firmly planted on his side of the doorframe, his back to the door keeping it from being pushed open, and ignored the knocks that came from the other side.

Smoke curled from his nose as he let his head lean back against the stucco of the wall behind him. The air had cooled down from the burning heat of the day, the breeze settling over his exposed arms, letting the warm skin cool down. Ghost closed his eyes, letting the night cover him like a blanket.

Until he heard the sound of a window lock popping open and the soft woosh of the window being pushed open. His eyes snapped to the corner of the wall, the bend in the roof as it wrapped it the building. Standing up, he moved with the shadows, keeping his back to the wall as he took the few steps to reach the corner, his body flat against the wall as he peaked around the corner. He saw a silhouette slipping out from the window, the shadow moving silently. The moonlight caught the edges of the body before him, making their exposed skin glow.

Like an angel.

He watched as Gabby pulled herself up onto the roof above them, her feet sure and steady as she stood up, making her way across the surface, leading her over the top of the barracks. Stepping away from the wall slightly he watched as she made her way across, no waver in her steps, no hesitation as she picked up her pace, leaping across the gap between the barracks and the next building, landing with such precision. The moon glowed off her black hair, the blue of her hoodie paled in the light. She looked so unreal moving with angelic grace through the shadows like she owned them.

She disappeared over the peak in the roof, leaving Ghost to stand there in the dark on his own. His body hummed, an itch to follow her into the unknown of the dark, to know what secrets she hid on the other side of the roof she slipped behind. Was it another nightmare? Was the loss of Hassan making her too angry to sleep? Why was she so pissed at Shepherd anyways? Why did she claim he was changing the rules to their deal?

So many questions ran through his normally quiet mind, but when it came to Gabby his mind began to race, begging to understand more of the person she hid under the surface.

Letting out a flustered sigh, he sat back down on the roof, letting his legs hang over the edge as Ghost stared up at the stars. His cigarette has long been forgotten, having burnt out and flicked over the edge to be forgotten in a mix of sand and dirt. His eyes flickered towards the place she had disappeared but he refused to move from his place on the roof. It made his chest burn, but he didn't budge. He wouldn't budge. Gabby was running into the darkness for a reason, and he had to let her figure it out on her own.

So the hulk of a man sat with his legs hanging off the roof's edge for what seemed like hours, watching the moon cross the sky as shadows danced across the compound yard. Owls hooted and coyotes howled their sad songs, but the cool shadows gave him his blanket of security, allowing him to be free of his mask, but remain hidden to the world.

After his legs had long grown numb from hanging, he slipped onto his knees and stood up, taking a few short steps to his bedroom window and slipped back inside the room. Ghost decided to keep the window open, letting the summer air fill the space. Kicking off his boots he let his body sag into the mattress of the bed, his arm coming up to cover his eyes as he laid there. His other arm was draped across his body, the flat of his palm on his lower chest.

His mind started to relax, his muscles sinking into the mattress as his breathing began to slow. Sleep seemed to favor him, letting him slip into its warm hold. Ghost was half asleep when the image of Gabby, in her tiny gray shorts and small red sports bra filled his mind. Her body, bending, twisting, leaping through the air. Her hair falling across her sweat covered back and shoulders as she moved across the gym floor. How he has kept to the shadows, watching an angel move to the music, her body glowing from the soft sheen of sweat. The rise and fall of each breath she took. The way her tattoo rippled with each movement of her torso. Her muscles, flexing and rolling under the smooth tawny skin. Dark honey eyes that looked so far away as she moved.

“No!” He growled as the memory flooded his scenes. His body was ridged, his hand had moved down his chest to his lower belly, stopping just above the waistband of his sweatpants. His cock was hard, begging to be touched. He couldn't do this. He couldn't think about her like that. But his mind couldn't stop thinking about the way she looked, so powerful, so controlled in her movements. The way her skin felt under his hand as he trailed a finger across the ink etched into her skin, watching her shiver and her lips part as he traced each letter. The way her voice came out in a soft whisper as she spoke the words. How he had wanted to pin her body to the wall behind her, feel her shake and arch into him as his tongue traced the black lines after his finger.

Ghost growled, his hand palming his cock through his pants, a small wet spot forming from the precum leaking from the swollen red tip. His hips rolled, his head pushed back into his pillow as he gripped his cock harder, rolling his hips into his hand as he remembered the feel of her warm breath fanning across his mask when he had her pinned to the desk in Price’s office. The fire in her eyes as she stared him down. The way his body molded to hers as his hips pushed her against the desk. The way her hands rested on his chest, how she pushed against him as the angre flashed across her eyes. The way she stood toe to toe with him drove him wild.

His hand slipped under his waistband, his fingers grasping his sore and begging cock. His thumb swiped over the head of his cock, making his hips buck as he spread the precum around, getting his shaft wet as his hand slid down the length. He pushed his pants down, his cock springing free to fall heavily against his lower belly. He groaned as the cool air hit his red tip. He bit into his lower lip, moaning as his hand worked its way up and down his hardness, his thumb pressing into the thick vein running along the underside of his weeping cock. His hips bucked as he thought about Gabby, the way her hair flowed down her back, how her muscles moved as she jumped over his head during the raid. How free moving and angelic she was. The smile on her full soft lips. His hand worked faster, pumping his cock, only making it harder.

The way she looked tonight after letting her long curly hair free, having dried that way in the braid after their swim in the river. How even with bruises, her long legs made him weak. Those damn, long, long, toned legs that would fit around his hips perfectly.

How the small cut on her lip after the jeep had flipped made him want to kiss away the pain. Oh how he ached for her. To hold her. To ruin her. His hand fisted his cock, twisting and running this thumb over the tip with each pass. A long breathy moan falling from his lips.

He thought back a few hours, when her body was ridged with anger. How her black pants had basically dried to her legs like a second skin. She looked so commanding, standing there in the shadows, her long black hair like smoke in the wind. How she pushed up the sleeves of the hoodie to her elbows- wait.

Hoodie.

The hoodie.

The hoodie with Rodolfo Parra’s name on it.

His hand stilled as he thought about Gabby in another man's hoodie. The softness in her eyes when Ghost had watched Rudy hand her the jacket. The way his hand cupped her cheek. How close they had been. The way she smiled to herself after he had walked away.

“Shit.” He pulled his hand away from his cock, the need dying as he thought about Gabby wearing that hoodie. Not his hoodie, but another man's.

Ghost was in no way a judging person when it came to who people loved. That was their choice. Perhaps Gabby liked older men. She had known him for so long, it was possible that something budded between the Lieutenant and the Sergeant Major. But here Ghost was, lusting for a woman that was probably taken. And how could she not be? She was beautiful, smart, strong, funny, caring. Everything Ghost wasn't. He let himself get too close when she had that nightmare. He let himself break his own rules.

Pulling his pants back up, his cock now softening, he rolled to his side with a growl of frustration, hating that he let his body get so worked up. Ghost didn't want someone, he didn't deserve somebody. That's what he always told himself and he needed to remember that moving forward. A long sigh came from his nose, his eyes snapping shut as he tried to drown out the wanting need in the back of his mind, because letting himself feel this for even a second more was asking for nothing but trouble.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

The sunlight was coming through the open window, its soft rise falling over Ghost's face as he stirred awake. A yawn pulled at his lips, his arms and legs extending in a stretch that has his limbs going over the edge of the bed. Sitting up he leaned back against the headboard, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The memories from the night hit him as he woke up, remembering the thoughts, the needs, the want that had flooded his body as thoughts of Gabby had filled the very fibers of his being.

Ghost groaned lowly, letting his head hang, his chin hitting his chest as he felt shame rip through him. He almost came to the idea of another man's woman. What was wrong with him? Gabby was his teammate, so not only was it completely inappropriate, but clearly, at least to Ghost, there was something there between her and the Sergeant Major. How could he let himself fall to needs like a reckless teenager who was just learning how to properly wank off?

“Pathetic.” He muttered to himself as he pushed over covers off his body and let his feet hit the wood floor. Pushing himself up, he let his back stretch, his muscles popping and snapping back into place. Stiffly walking to his duffle bag he grabbed a change of clothes. Pulling out a pair of white washed jeans, a black shirt and a black hoodie he shedded his sleep attire and pulled on a fresh pair of boxers. Soon he was covered from the neck down, his bone gloves and black balaclava with the skull print laid on his bed. Sitting down on the bed he pulled on his boots and laced them up, before slipping on his balaclava, the comfort of the fabric over his face making him feel as though he could breathe normally again. He picked up the small pot of black face paint and rubbed it around the exposed skin of his eyes before standing up to use the bathroom and wash his hands of the black paint.

Once he felt put together, gloves now on his hands, he pulled open his bedroom door and stepped out into the hallway. The sound of laughter floated up the stairs at the end of the hall, making his ears perk with curiosity. He made his way swiftly down the steps, coming to the bottom that was in the large living room/ rack room. Alejandro was watching the news on the TV mounted to the wall, but he turned to give the large Lieutenant a smile and a nod of his head in greeting. The sound of laughter came from the kitchen. A deep laugh that wasn't one he knew, and the lighter, sweeter sound of a woman.

Gabby.

Her laugh was like the sunrise, soft and full of life as it breathed life into all it touched. His heart squeezed, making him rub over it. How had he not known how the sound of her laughter had sounded till now?

Following the sound, he found Gabby and Hudson in the kitchen, there were egg shells and batter of some kind all over the place. Dishes lined the countertop and food cooked on the stove as the two moved with ease around each other, their laughter filling the air.

“Oh, Ghost! Would you like some Breakfast Enchiladas or Tamales?” Gabby smiled as she saw the large, bone print clad man standing in the doorway. “I also made tea and coffee.” She nodded to the kettle on the stove and the coffee pot beside the stove. He stood there for a few seconds, not speaking. His mind was trying to play catch up.

“I've never had either of those before.” He said, sleep still clinging to his voice, making it raspier than normal. He moved forward, taking a mug from beside the coffee maker and grabbed the kettle pouring in the hot water before he grabbed a tea bag and dunked it into the steaming water.

“Oh, well my sister makes the best breakfast foods. You can't go wrong.” The Sergeant said proudly as he helped move food around in the pans that cooked on the stove. Ghost watched them working closely as they moved around. He could see so many similarities between the two siblings. They both had strong jawlines, soft noses and high cheekbones. Both had soft, light tawny skin, though Gabby was possibly a shade, at best, darker than her brother. While Gabby had dark brown, almost black hair, Hudson’s hair was a few shades lighter of brown. His eyes were a dark hazel, while Gabby had dark honey eyes.

To Ghost, it was clear that Gabby got more of their Mexican heritage in her features. They both wear short sleeve tops, their arms exposed and Ghost noticed the bracelets they both wore. Both siblings wore a green and soft purple beaded bracelet on their right wrists. Completely matching. While Gabby’s 2nd bracelet was seafoam green and pale blue with 6 golden beads on it, Hadson had a red and black beaded bracelet with 4 silver beads. In his mind, it felt like something else that matches between the two, even though the second beaded bracelet looked different from each other.

How did he never notice she wore those bracelets before? He had seen her in short sleeves many times, hell, Ghost had seen her in just a sports bra. So how was this the first time he noticed the small beaded bracelets that graced her arm? It was like he was seeing Gabby in a new light. How her hair was naturally wavy, falling in soft waves from the ponytail she currently was sporting. How the light would catch her eyes, making them look like warmed pools of golden honey. How when she laughed small dimples popped out at the corners of her lips.

Her lips.

Soft, plush, pink lips.

‘Get a grip you wanker!’ Ghost yelled at himself in his mind, shaking his head slightly before grabbing the tea bag string just a little to hard as he yanked it from his cup, tossing it in the trash and stumped his way over to the fridge to add a splash of milk into it. He had to stop. He was driving himself crazy. ‘You don't deserve a woman like her anyways.’ His inner turmoil threw at him, making his shoulders sag a bit at the thought.

Soap walked into the kitchen, his eyes still half asleep as he made his way to the coffee pot, breaking Ghost out of his train of thoughts. He nodded to the Sergeant who gave him a half hearted good morning. He chuckled to himself at how tired and grumpy he was in the mornings.

“It smells like heaven in here.” Soap mumbled around the mug he held to his lips, the steaming coffee seeming to wake him up each second it was held to his face. Ghost saw Gabby toss him a smile, clearly taking the compliment to heart. Damn if that smile didn't go straight to his cock.

Moving quickly, he made his way out of the kitchen, and back into the living room to take refuge from his emotions. He didn't want to deal with it. Sitting down in one of the plush chairs he left his bones sink into the seat and let out a sigh, before sipping at his tea. His mask was just below his nose. Not enough to really show his face but enough to allow him to enjoy his drink. He spread his legs as he sat, letting the long limbs stretch out as he tried to ignore the half grown problem in his jeans. He wasn't going to deal with it. Ignore and override.

“So what is the plan for now?” He asked Alejandro who was still watching the news. The older man turned his head to meet Ghost’s eyes. He could see that the Colonel looked tired.

“For now we wait for Laswell to see if her lead does, in fact, lead anywhere.”

“Hmmm. So a whole lot of hurry up and wait.” Ghost hummed, taking a sip of his tea. Alejandro nodded, running a hand over his face before scratching at the scruff on his chin.

“Si, unfortunately so.” Alejandro scratched his chin, tilting his head to the side as he spoke. “Though with Gabby and Hudson here, who the Cartel is not familiar with, and the Sergeant and you, I may send you four out on portals to monitor the city and see what can be found on El Sin Nombre.”

Ghost thought it over for a second, running the idea of a patrol through his mind. “Soap and I will stand out though. Even with me dressing the way I do. They'll hear our accents and know.” He told the Latino Colonel. Alejandro nodded his head, showing he understood Ghost's concern.

“Yes, I thought of that. So I would send one of you with one of them. Someone who can speak the language like a native and sound like they are from here. Plus looks Mexican. You and Soap would be an extra pair of eyes and ears.” Alejandro shrugged his shoulders, running a hand through his hair. “At the moment, it's the best plan I have.”

Ghost simply nodded, looking back towards the kitchen at the sound of laughter. Rodolfo had joined them, throwing a towel at Gabby's head while Soap and Hudson were stealing bites of food. They looked happy. It should have made Ghost happy. But it didn't. The angry head of jealousy reared its ugly head as he watched Gabby laugh at something Rodolfo said. Quickly standing up, his cup forgotten on the arm of the chair he started for the stairs.

“Tell them I'm not really hungry. Jet lag and getting shot made me tired. I'm going to rest up a bit more before patrolling.” He told Alejandro before taking the stairs two at a time, rushing down the long hallway towards his temporary room and slammed the door shut once he was inside. Ripping off his mask he threw it onto the desk and leaned his hands onto the polished wood, his nails digging into it.

Ghost hates every single thing he was currently feeling. And he had no clue how to deal with it.

The sound of laughter still floated up the steps, making his ears burn from the sound. He walked over to the bed and flipped down onto it, pulling the pillow up over his head to try and drown out the noise. His stomach growled in protest of not being fed, but he ignored it. He didn't want to go down and see Gabby with Rodolfo. To know that even if he could entertain the idea of something with her, she wasn't even available. To know he thought of her last night, thought of her body under his, the way her skin felt under his fingers, wishing to know how she tasted…. And he'd never get the chance.

Not that Ghost would allow himself to even have a chance. He wasn't worthy of something or someone like that. Ghost was a monster, a myth, a phantom of a man that once was. Simon Riley maybe would have been man enough to be worthy of something, but Ghost…. No. No, Ghost couldn't even allow himself to believe it was ever possible. He was a soldier first, a weapon, a killer. Nothing more than the mask he kept behind. From his hands flowed a river of blood. They were not the hands of someone who loved, but someone who took life. Unworthy of such ideas he had let slip into his mind. At least that's what he kept telling himself.

The sound of light, almost hesitant knocking, sounded on the other side of his bedroom door. At first he wasn't sure he heard it, but then it sounded again. He lifted the pillow from his face, looking at the door as though it might combust into flames.

“Ghost?”

Oh.

Gabby's soft voice came from the other side of the door. It sounded so cautious yet concerned. He sat up straighter in bed, staring down the door as his ears strained to hear.

“Ghost, are you alright?” There was a pause. “Alejandro said you were feeling sore. Do you want me to bring you food up later?”

Why did she have to be like this? Why couldn't they remain at ends with each other? Ghost had tried to keep her at arm's length. He has tried to keep to his rules. But when he heard her screaming at night, heard her begging for someone that couldn't reach her, saw the pain flowing off her in waves as she danced, as she cried, as she poured her heart out to him in the shadows of the night, he couldn't stay away.

His heart begged him to open the door. To ask her about Rodolfo. To ask her if he could ever be worthy enough to even be a friend.

No.

Ghost didn't do friends. Johnny was just brave enough to stay in his space and make him accept his attention. But Ghost was a lone wolf. He wanted it that way. No he wouldn't, he couldn't, listen to his heart that was clearly broken and not working right. His eyes never left the door, and he heard a soft sigh before barely there footfalls walked away, leaving him to his thoughts once more.

Oh how he hated himself in that moment.

Chapter Text

It was after lunch time when Gabby started to feel restless.

Ghost had barricaded himself into his room most of the morning, for reasons no one could really figure out. Soap had tried to take him food after Gabby's failed attempt, but his door stayed shut. It was starting to work on her nerves. And she needed an outlet to let it out.

Marching into the living room she stopped in front of her younger brother and Soap, who were playing a game of cards. They both looked up, their eyebrows raised in a silent question.

“Come on. I need to shoot something. Let's go train.” Was all she said before kicking Hudson's foot off the coffee table for the hell of it, and walked back out of the living room. Soap laughed, enjoying that display of sibling love, before tossing his cards onto the table to stand up to follow her. Hudson grumbled, before tossing his cards down too and followed the older soldiers out of the living room and out the door. Alejandro, Rodolfo and Graves were outside already, sitting on the porch going over some notes about El Sin Nombre and Hassan that Gabby had given them from her hacking back in England.

Stopping in front of Graves, Gabby placed her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side.

“Yes?” His draw filled her ears, making her resist the urge to roll her eyes.

“I want to run a hostage rescue sim. I need your Shadows to shoot at. I'm bored.”

Alejandro bit back a smile as Rudy's eyebrows shot up at her bluntness. Graves looked behind her, seeing Soap and Cheddar standing there with both their arms crossed over their chest. They looked just as confused.

“You want to shoot at my men?”

Gabby sighed and rolled her eyes this time. “With paintball guns. In the training yards. Cheddar and I haven't done anything like that in a while and I need to let off some steam. Rudy can be our hostage.” She nodded to the Sergeant Major. Alejandro laughed this time, slapping Rudy on the shoulder making the other man scowl at him.

“¿Por qué tengo que hacer el papel de rehén?” (Why do I have to play the hostage?) Rodolfo grumbled, pushing off his chair as she shot Alejandro another glare. “¿Por qué no tú, Ale?” (Why not you Ale?) This only made Alejandro laugh harder.

Graves stood up, looking Gabby up and down before tossing a glance back at Hudson. “You really think you and your brother can take on a whole squad of my Shadows?”

Gabby gave him a wicked smile. “Loser has to buy the first round of shots.” She proposes to him, holding out her hand, “Your men tap out both of us before we get to Rudy, you win. But if even one of us gets to Rudy and stops the clock, we win.”

The Commander smiled, taking her hand and giving it a shake. “You got a deal, Lieutenant.”

“Esto irá bien.” (This will go well) Alejandro whispered to Rudy as they followed Graves to gather up his men, get them fitted with paintball gear and get Rudy in one of the many, many training buildings. Gabby and Hudson went to a different building to gear up, so they couldn't see how the Shadows were setting up. Soap has disappeared, to where Gabby wasn't sure. But she was focusing on the training ahead.

Gabby's long hair was pulled back into a low braid down her back, the slightly tinted safety glasses sitting on top of her head. Her throat mic was resting snuggly around her neck, the small barely there ear piece tucked into her left ear. She had a paintball rifle strap slung over her chest, and a paintball pistol in her thigh holster strapped to her right leg. She had two clips of extra paint as well.

They put on shirts that would absorb the hit impact if they got shot, breathable kevlar material woven into the fabric of the short sleeve shirts. Tactical vests hung over their shoulders and were strapped down. Old jeans hunger both their legs and while Hudson went with his tactical boots, Gabby went with waterproof moccasin ankle boots. Her haunt slider knee pads were strapped to her legs.

“How do you want to play this?” Hudson asked as he checked over his rifle, his clear safety glasses sitting in his nose.

“You remember when we were kids, and we wanted to get away with something, we made up that old code so no one would hear us?” She answered as she finished looking over her pistol.

Hudson smiled, the mischief in his eyes making her smile. “You want to play the silent game?”

“Sí, juguemos con algunas sombras.” (Yes, let's play with some Shadows)

The siblings moved from the armory, heading to the newer training grounds where Alejandro, Graves, Soap and much to Gabby’s surprise, Ghost, were waiting on the overhead platform to watch the training. They gave Alejandro and Graves a nod as they walked to the start of the course, their rifles in hand and safety glasses over their eyes.

“Okay, this is a hostage rescue sim. Rodolfo is hidden somewhere in this training complex, and you have 30 Shadows lurking around. If you both get tagged, you lose the bet. If one or both of you gets to Rodolfo and kills the timer, Graves loses the bet.” Alejandro leaned against the railing of the overhead deck, a half smile on his lips. “Good luck.”

Gabby and Hudson both gave him a two finger salute, before stepping up to the starting line. Gabby looked over at Hudson, who dipped his chin in acknowledgment. They both reached up and clicked off their throat comms, but kept their earpieces in.

“What are they doing?” Soap asked, watching them click off their comms. The watch party was hooked up to camera and comms around the complex, giving them full view and sound of what was happening. “Why would they turn off their comms?”

Alejandro smiled wickedly, leaning back against the railing as he watched Gabby and Hudson over his shoulder. “They are going dark.” Was all he said before he flipped the switch on the desk beside him, sounding the horn and starting the timer.

Gabby and Hudson took off, racing towards the first building. Gabby took point while Cheddar had her six, their rifles up and ready. They moved swiftly and silently, their feet never making a sound as they reached the first building. They flanked the open window, each facing each other before raising the barrels of their rifles upwards in a gun nod. As soon as they did this, Gabby jumped through the open window, landing in a squat, rifle trained to the stairs at the other end of the room. Cheddar jumped through the window, landing beside her, his rifle aimed to the left, where the doorway was.

Gabby looked over her shoulder at him, lifting up her hand and making a fist, leaving her pinky finger pointing up, she began to twirl it in the air two times before letting her hand drop down to elbow level, letting her hand flatten out palm facing the floor and rotated her hand left.

Hudson nodded his head before cutting in front of her, going for the stairs while Gabby went for the doorway. She moved like a phantom, her feet never making a sound. Her breathing was slow and soft, her gear not making a noise as she moved. Gabby was calm, silent and deadly. The paintball rifle lay snuggled against her shoulder, her arms relaxed and at the ready. Her fighter laid over the trigger, but not touching it. She moved father into the building, her ears straining to pick up any noise. As she made it to the end of the room she had been in, and Cam to a doorway that led into another room she heard the slight scuff of a boot on the concrete floor.

A smile pulled across Gabby’s lips as she quickly ducked down, dropping to her knees so her pads hit the floor and slid into the room, rifle raised as she took the shot just as she slid over the threshold. Blue paint splattered right above the Shadow Soldier’s heart, knocking him backwards as the wad of paint hit his chest plate.

The Shadow growled in frustration and stomped off, making Gabby grin. She got up, searching the room but saw no signs that lead to Rodolfo. Her ears perked up as she heard a soft whistle, almost like a bird chirping coming from the right side of her.

Cheddar.

Going towards the large window she hoped through it, landing on the other side to find her brother standing there. He held up a finger, then made a finger gun, telling her he took down one Shadow. She nodded and pointed to her rifle showing she did the same. They both gave a nod, and took off for the concert slabs that made barriers in some sections of the training complex. The siblings crouched down behind one of the barriers as they scanned what they could see of the training complex.

Gabby saw movement to her left, over Hudson's head and popped up, taking aim and hitting the Shadow in the back. She threw herself back down before anyone could see her. Hudson smiled at her, before tapping his chin 3 times with his pointer finger and then took his finger and pulled it away from his chin, pointing forward. Gabby nodded, taking the lead as she leaped over the concrete barrier and kept going forward. From the single Hudson had given her, he was watching her six until she made it to the next building, then he would join her.

Once Gabby reached the outer wall of the next building, she pressed her back against the sun warmed concrete, her rifle at the ready as she watched Hudson race across the open area to get to her. A Shadow came out from behind a different barrier, and Gabby quickly acted, hitting him in the helmet with a splat of blue paint.

Gabby bit back a smile as Hudson rounded the building edge, going for the door. The siblings stopped and looked at each other, giving a gun nod before Hudson kicked in the door and fired twice, hitting both Shadows that he had seen duck inside. Gabby quickly entered behind him, dropping low and sliding her knee into the neck room where she found another soldier waiting. Letting her one leg swing forward in front of her, she turned, swinging her leg out so it hit the Shadow’s own leg, knocking them off balance.

Jumping up as fast as she could she did a front aerial over the downed soldier, grabbing his rifle mid flip and landing with perfect precision before shooting him with his own paintball gun. The soldier groaned, letting the back of his head fall to the floor as Gabby threw his rifle to the side. Hudson came into the room and looked from Gabby to the soldier on the floor and gave her a thumbs up. They then took off, clearing the building before going out the back.

Gabby looked to the right and saw the building there had ledges on the windows and a smooth flat roof up top. Looking at Hudson she took her right hand and made a fist, bringing it to her chest before pulling her hand away with her palm flat to the ground. Once it got a few inches away from her chest she made the “hang loose” sign, but her pinky was pointing towards the ground and her thumb in the air. She then tilted her head towards the building to their right. Hudson nodded, before they went over to that building and he cupped his hands as he squatted slightly. Gabby placed her foot in his hands, her right hand on his shoulder as he took a deep breath before tossing her in the air like she weighed nothing.

Grabby let her rifle hang at her side, reaching up and grabbing the 2nd story window’s ledge. She pulled herself up, arching her body over the windowsill as she let her upper body go through the open window and into the room. Once she was inside she scanned the area, looking for any signs of Rodolfo being in there. But the large room looked untouched. She made her way through the upper level of the building before coming to another open window. Leaning out of her and turning around so she was sitting in its ledge, she pulled herself out of the window holding onto the sides and she let her feet step onto the ledge before standing up.

Grabbing the lip of the roof that hung above her head she pushed off the windowsill, letting her body hang for a slip second from the roof before hoisting herself up onto the flat surface. Quickly gathering up her rifle into her hands she made her way to the car edge of the roof, watching as Hudson emerged from below. He gave her a two finger salute, before running off towards a jeep that had seen better days. Gabby saw a Shadow racing for her brother as he did a baseball slide on his leg and butt, going under the jeep. She pulled the trigger twice, the shots landing on the Shadows chest and hip right before they got to the front of the jeep.

The sun beat down on the rooftop and the breeze did little to cool her skin as its hot rays burned her skin. She made sure the coast was clear before letting out a sharp whistle, sounding very similar to a bird. Hudson came out from under the jeep, a smile on his face. He was enjoying this as much as she was.

Gabby walked to the other end of the roof, making sure there were no others around before climbing down off the roof to join her brother in the ground. Once she got off the building and made her way over to Hudson they started off for the next large building, a 200 feet or so away from the jeep. Once the siblings reached the wall, Gabby reached up with her left hand, her thumb touching her cheek right under her ear and ran it down her jawline to her chin, in a swift motion she brought up her pointer finger, her thumb tucked into her fist and dragged her pointer finger down her chin before making a whole fist at collarbone level.

Hudson made the OK signal, before going around the back of the building, the two of them breaching at the same time on opposite sides. Gabby waited by the large open window at the front of the building, waiting for Cheddar to whistle that he was in place. After thirty seconds or so, she heard the sharp twill of a bird whistle, knowing her brother was ready to go. She answered in kind, and counted to three, before jumping through the window, firing paint onto the three Shadows standing on guard.

She hit two of the guards back to back but the third one ducked behind the doorway, raising his paintball rifle and firing at Gabby. She jumped to the side, going into a forward barrel roll to get behind the half wall to her left. She gritted her teeth as a splat of paint landed near her head. She raised her rifle and aimed, but the soldier was faster. Letting her rifle fall to her side, she grabbed her pistol and rolled to the right, popping up and taking aim. The soldier ducked back behind the safety of the wall and Gabby jumped, taking off for him. As he leaned forward to look for her she reached out, grabbing his vest and yanking him forward. His hand came and grabbed her waist, pulling her down with him. Gabby rolled to the right, her arm around her neck and the other one holding onto his vest still, pulling him sideways as they fell.

She got out of his grip, rolling onto her hands and knees and pushing up. The soldier also rolled but Gabby was quicker. She jumped, her legs locking around his neck before she threw herself backwards, her hands touching the floor as she used the momentum to yank him forward, throwing him up and over her body as she basically did a handstand with her legs throwing the soldier. He landed with a thud on his back and Gabby quickly got her feet back under her, raising her pistol and shooting him in the chest with blue paint.

She gave him a wicked grin, raising an eyebrow at him as he got her breathing back under control. A movement to her right made her tossed her pistol, but she found Hudson coming down the stairs. She lowered her weapon and nodded to him as he made eye contact with her.

They made their way out of the building and moved with swift and quiet steps as they headed for the building more in the middle of the training complex. They kept to the shadows the sun casted from the other buildings, Gabby kept her pistol in her hands, her rifle on her back as they kept moving. Sweat dropped down her forehead as they moved, the collar of her shirt a shade darker from the sweat running down her neck into the fabric.

They got within 150 feet of the big building, before dropping behind another parked jeep. Gabby peaked through the broken window, watching as soldiers moved around. She raised her hand, holding up three fingers and then made a fist, before pointing left and then holding up two fingers. Five Shadows guarding the main door and the large open window on the left wall. Rodolfo was inside of there. That much Gabby was sure of.

Picking up her rifle, she treated it like her sniper and pulled the collapsible scope up, letting the familiar weight of the weapon settle into her hands. Taking a slow deep breath in, Gabby let her finger settle on the trigger as the barrel of the paintball rifle rested on the broken window of the jeep.

*Splat*

One soldier down.

*Splat*

Another followed.

*Splat*

Three down.

Gabby took the three soldiers down by the main door in less than five seconds, letting the breath she had been holding out slowly as she nodded her head towards the building. Hudson got the message and took off running, his pistol in his hands now and he slammed his back to the wall of the building, pistol at the ready as he made his way to the left corner. Gabby kept him in her scope, watching as he raised his pistol and fire at the soldier that came around the corner, grabbing him and using him as a human shield as he moved forward to hit the last soldier standing with a blob of blue paint.

Gabby stood as Cheddar let the soldier go from his grip, making her way towards her younger brother. Once she reached him they breached the main door, both popping off shots, taking out two soldiers each. They made their way through the large room on the first floor and made their way towards the stairs. Gabby took point, slowly creeping up the stairs with a firm grip on her rifle. When she reached the last step she quickly swung the rifle muzzle left, looking for Shadow Company Soldiers. Hudson came up beside her, looking right. They both nodded their rifles, breaking off to go opposite ways in search of Rodolfo.

Gabby moved forward, sweeping the room before going down the hallway towards a door. Her steps were slow, her body ready for a fight. Her eyes never leaving the top of her rifle, using it as a guiding point. Her ears strained, listening for even the slightest sounds. She reached the door and gently took the handle in her hand, her rifle falling to her side as she grabbed her pistol.

Giving the door a push she stepped into the room, pistol raised. Sitting in the middle of the room was Rodolfo, tied to a chair. He looked bored out of his mind as he tapped his fingers of his tied hand on the arm of the chair. Just as Gabby took a step over the threshold an arm came around, grabbing her spring the neck and slamming her back against the attacker's chest. A huff of frustration blew past Gabby's lips as she felt her pistol fall from her hand. She reached up, wrapping her fingers around the arm holding onto her, trying to pry it off her body. But the man holding onto her was strong and kept a firm grip on her neck, not enough to choke her, but that she couldn't escape the headlock.

Gabby threw her weight downwards, knocking him off balance before throwing her elbow back, slamming it into his gut. The grip on her neck loosed enough for her to twist free, her hands still holding his arm as she bent forward, throwing her weight to yank his body up and over her shoulder, letting him land harshly into his back. But the Shadow Soldier didn't let that stop him as he reached out to grab her leg as he went down. She felt his fingers graze her leg, but Gabby jumped forward, going into a diving roll over his body. She landed onto the floor, going into the roll and grabbed her pistol as she did, snapping up onto her knees and firing three times, the blue paint splattering all over the torso of the downed soldier.

Her breaths came out in short pants but she stood up and scanned the room around her. Hudson came running in a few seconds after she let out a shrill whistle, his gun at the ready before he saw Rodolfo sitting in the chair. He smiled and moved towards Rudy, his eyes on Gabby who found the timer on the far wall and smacked it, turning it off as Hudson began to cut Rudy free.

“Took you two long enough.” The older man grumbled as he rubbed his wrists once he stood up, the scowl on his face making Gabby and Hudson break their silence with a joint laugh. Rudy just follows them off, grumbling to himself about having to ‘always play the hostage’ and ‘Alejandro is an asshole’ for getting out of it each and every time they run that sim. Gabby just laughed, clicking on her comms and setting it to the two way.

“Package is secure, Victor 1-1.” She called over the comms to Alejandro, the laughter still in her tone.

“Solid copy, Alpha 1. Good job.”

Rudy just glared at the wall, heading Alejandro's voice in his ear piece. Gabby patted the older man in the shoulder and nodded her head towards the door. The Shadow who had attacked her was standing nearby, waiting on them. He held out his fist for Gabby, who gave him a fist bump.

“Helluva attack.” He told Gabby once their fist touched. She smiled at the soldier, giving him a nod of thanks. Rodolfo led the group down the stairs and out the main door and began to cross the training complex. Dust swirled around their boots as they walked, the hot midday sun beating down onto their backs as they walked. Sweat clung to the collar of Gabbys shirt, dripping down her spine as she let her long strides carry her across the dirt-packed landscape.

Once the group reached the overhead viewing deck, they found the watch group waiting for them at the bottom of the platform. Alejandro clasped Gabby’s shoulder, his voice low as he spoke, “Good job out there.”

Gabby smiled up at the older man, taking his complement to heart. She watched as he patted Hudson on the shoulder, telling the younger soldier he also did a good job. Gabby felt a pair of eyes on her back and by now she knew the heat of that glare only belonged to one person.

Turning her head to the right, letting her long lashes blink slowly, she found a pair of hazel blue eyes boring into her. She raised an eyebrow at him, she waited for his response. Ghost held her gaze for a few beats before nodding his head slightly. His body relaxed as she took a step back, letting the shadows from the overwatch platform envelope him as he leaned against one of its support polls.

Gabby looked away to find Graves looking less than happy that he had lost the bet. She moved forward, putting herself in his line of view. A lopsided smile graced her lips as she locked eyes with the blue eyes man. “Top shelf tequila will do just fine.” She patted his chest as she walked by, making sure she thumped her palm a bit harder than necessary against him. Her smile grew as she heard him cough from the impact as she headed towards the armory to put away her gear.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
A few hours later Alejandro called the team into the living room of the officers barracks to discuss the next steps going forward.

“I believe doing teamed patrols of the area could help us find more information.” Alejandro pulled out a map and laid it over the table, pointing towards Las Almas main city. “There are many villages that stretch out into the desert, a lot of roads off the normal beaten path. El Sin Nombre could be using any of these or the drainage tunnels under the city to run shipments or personnel.”

Gabby looked at the map, taking in the outlay villages to the north. They were farther into the desert then the rest, with less chance of the Mexican Special Forces finding their way out there to search, when they were fighting the war against drugs in the city limits.

Pointing to the small villages Gabby spoke up. “I'll take the outlying villages. I know them better than anyone here, seeing as I used to sneak off to go ride dirt bikes there as a teenager.” Alejandro cast her a look, one that would put most fathers to shame. He crossed his arms and cocked his head, his lips drawn into a thin line as he stared at Gabby. Hudson and Soap snickered in the background, like children watching their older sibling get busted for something. She shot them a glance, one that made both of them look away and cover their mouths to try and stop laughing, before turning back to face Alejandro.

“What?” She shrugged her shoulders, acting like it was no big deal. “Don't act like you thought I was a perfect kid growing up. I did shit for fun.” She gave him her own pointed look, before looking back at the map. “I know the old dirt trails that we would see the Cartel using back then. They may still use them now.”

Alejandro let out a long sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose as he shook his head. “Fine. But we go in pairs to our areas.” He pointed at the city and then the villages close to where they had their run-in with the Mexican Army and Hassan's men the other morning. “We split up and cover more ground. Teams of two, dress casual and try to blend in. We start tonight.”

The Colonel looked around the room, eyeing each soldier before letting his finger fall to the city. “Hudson and Soap will take the inner City. Don't talk to anyone unless you have to, and try to blend in as much as you can.”

Pointing to Graves and Rudy, Alejandro then pointed to the villages near where they had fought the other morning. “Graves and Rudy will take these villages. The Mexican Army is more commonly seen there, so hopefully you will be able to blend in.” He turned towards Gabby and nodded his head towards Ghost. “You'll take Ghost with you. Take the jeep, you'll cover more ground that way.”

Gabby let her arms drop to her sides as she took a step forward. “Why not put Rudy with me if you are worried about him being spotted on a patrol?”

Ghost also took a step forward, his eyes locked on Gabby. She felt his gaze boring into her but she ignored and kept looking at Alejandro. “It will be better to have one Spanish speaking person with the Gringos. Someone who looks and speaks like the people of Las Almas. Plus to be able to hear if there is any mention of the cartel of the missiles.”

“Ghost speaks Spanish just fine.”

“Y suena como un gringo. Ya basta Gabrielle. Esto es lo mejor. No puedo salir, me matarían mucho más rápido que Rodolfo.” ( And he sounds like a gringo. Enough Gabrielle. This is for the best. I can't go out, I'd be made far more quickly then Rodolfo.) Snapped Alejandro, making Gabby tilt her head up in rebellion. She just clicked her tongue and looked away, clearly not happy with his orders.

“Do you have a problem, Lieutenant?” Ghost growled, having moved closer to Gabby.

She snapped her gaze to his, her eyes trying to set his skull mask on fire from their heated glare. “Of course not. I'm not the one who lives up to their name and ghosts people.” She stepped forward and grabbed a finger into his chest, feeling the muscle underneath ripple. “Out there, I'm the one in control. I know those villages like the back of my hand.”

There was a pregnant pause between them, her finger still poking the middle of his chest, only inches separating them as Gabby tilted her head up to glare into his eyes. Bending his head down, so that the bone of his mask was only inches from her face, he reached up and grabbed her hand with far more softness than Gabby had anticipated. “Whatever you say, Brown Eyes.” Was all he said, in a low deep rasp that sent a shiver down her spine. Pulling her hand away from his body, he let it drop to her side before turning and walking away, heading for the staircase.

Gabby watched him go, her lips drawn into a tight thin line as she tried to deal with the swarm of emotions that damned nickname sent through her mind.

“I'm tellin’ ya, kiss each other or kill each other already. But do something to break this damn tension, please.” Soap spoke up from behind her, causing Gabby to jump. She spun around, a scowl on her face as she whacked Johnny on the chest.

“Oh, just shut up.” She groaned before marching off out the front door, needing some fresh air to clear her head…. And a strong drink.

Chapter Text

The day drew to evening and the sun sat low over the horizon. Its warm glow cast long shadows from the hilltops into the valleys below. The desert air came alive with the sound of owls and coyotes, crickets and fireflies. It should have been peaceful. It should have been heavenly.

But it wasn't.

Not when Él Sin Nombre still lurked around every turn, the cartel running free while the people of Las Almas suffered. Gabby was in her room, preparing for the night patrol. She pulled on a pair of comfortable, well broken in whitewashed jeans that hugged her legs down to her knees, before flaring slightly into a bootcut. Dark brown Twisted X ankle boot moccasins adorned her feet. She pulled on a black kevlar laced T-shirt, and a dark brown hoodie she pulled her hair up into a messy ponytail before clipping her throat mic into place. Her thigh holster, dark leather and worn soft over the years, clung to her right leg, one of her twin SIG Sauer M18 pistols in the holster.

The dagger Ghost has given her was shoved into the pocket of her jeans, and two assassins knives tucked into the slots of her leg holster. She slipped her cellphone into her right back pocket and headed for her bedroom door, pleased with how she looked. With her smooth sun kissed skin, soft doe eyes and dark chocolate almost black hair, Gabby fit in with the locals of Las Almas. There was no need to hide her face, even as a child she stayed out of sight, keeping to the shadows even in the city. The people of Las Almas wouldn't recognize her at first glance. Not like back in her hometown of San Antonio. Letting the door click shut behind her she moved down the hallway and took the stairs, following the sound of voice at the bottom.

When she reached the bottom she found Alejandro and Soap talking, cups of coffee in their hands. She gave them a warm smile, Soap pulling her into a side hug. He had on a T-shirt that was definitely a size too small, the dark green material stretching as hard as it could against the hard plains of his chest and shoulders.

“Honey, don't you own anything in your size?” Gabby tested, grabbing the collar of his shirt and giving it a slight tug, feeling the fabric give no giving room. The taller man barked a laugh, squeezing her tighter to his side. He ruffed up her air much to Gabby's protest, her growl of disgust only making him laugh harder.

“Woman, did ya ever think maybe they don't make shirts to fit me?” Soap laughed. Gabby just snapped her teeth at his hand as he went to ruff up her hair again, before shrugging off his arm from her shoulders.

“Maybe not to fit your fat ego, but they make shirts that will ACTUALLY fit your body.” She flipped him off as she walked away. Taking her hair out of her now messed up ponytail, she redid her hair back up into a ponytail. Walking into the kitchen she grabbed her water bottle and filled it up at the sink, so that it was ready to go for the patrol. Hudson and Rodolfo were talking, the latter of the two making a sandwich of some kind.

“Hey, you watch your back out there, yeah? And keep Soap out of trouble.” Gabby said jokingly, bumping her hip into her younger brother's. Hudson rolled his eyes, throwing her an annoyed look.

“It's not like I haven't been a Marine for the past six years or anything.” He replied, making Gabby huff while Rudy laughed.

Wrapping her arm around his waist she leaned into Hudson, letting him support some of her weight. “Yeah well eight years in the service and this is the first mission I've ever done with you. Can't help but worry some, baby brother.”

Hudson placed his arm around her shoulders, before reaching over and stealing a bit of sandwich from Rudy who tried to slap his hand away but the younger man was faster. “Not my fault my big sister stop being regular Army and went into Special Forces. What have you even been doing since you joined the Rangers and are always off doing Special missions?”

Gabby pulled away from her brother and wouldn't meet his eyes. She leaned her hip against the countertop and watched Rodolfo cut his sandwich. “You know I can't talk about that stuff Cheddar. Those missions are classified.” She looked up at him then, meeting his gaze, “besides, I've been running more solo missions with the CIA the past two years.”

“Hunting Hassan?” Rudy spoke up, taking a bite of his sandwich. Gabby's eyes flicked to his, nodding her head as she leaned her hip more into the countertop.

“That's part of it. I had other missions before that, but I spent the past year digging up Intel and hunting down leads on Hassan and Ghorbrani for General Shepherd. AQ has slipped through my fingers one too many times.”

Rodolfo and Hudson shared a look, before looking back towards the woman before them. They could see this was personal for her. But before anything else could be said, the sound of heavy boot falls coming down the stairs pulled their attention away from the conversation. Gabby turned to look, watching Ghost take the last two steps to the living room floor. She felt her tongue go dry, her mind turning into a haze as she took in his apprentice.

Black lace up boots doaned his feet. Her eyes moved upwards, tracing the lines of his legs, which were clad in a pair of dark blue jeans that seemed to fit like a second skin to the thick thighs of his legs. The rappelling harness around his hips and thighs was strapped on tight, his thigh holster laying over top of the leg strap on his right leg.

Ghost had on a black hoodie that seemed to be straining to fit over the shape of his shoulders. The sleeves were pushed up his arms some, exposing part of the tattoo that lined his left arm, the veins in his arms slightly visible as he moved. The bone print leather gloves fit his hands so perfectly making her mouth feel ever dryer as she watched him flex his right hand by his leg. The skull bone balaclava covered his face, only his eyes visible through the mask. The balaclava was pushed into the neck hole of the hoodie, hiding any skin of his neck from being seen.

Gabby felt her breath catch in her throat as his eyes met hers, the golden blue shining behind the white of the bone mask. Something about the way he moved, the way the fabric that covers his body stretched and pulled over the thick muscles that lay beneath it made her mind completely turn to jelly. She watched as his eyes slowly racked down her body and every so slowly moved back up her frame, meeting her eyes once again. She watched as his eyes darkened for a fraction of a second, sending a delicious shiver down her spine.

“I'm starting to understand what Soap was talking about.” Cheddar spoke up, voicing his opinion to Rodolfo as he watched his sister eyeing the other Lieutenant. Gabby pulled her eyes away from Ghost's, raising her eyebrow at Hudson with a scowl on her lips. He smiled at her sweetly, a shit eating grin that made her all the more annoyed at him for pulling her attention away from the thoughts that had been spiraling in her mind.

“Ocúpate de tus propios asuntos, hermano.” (Mind your own business, Brother) The scowl on her face deepened at her brother's laughter. She let her eyes fall back to the living room, seeing Ghost still standing near the bottom of the steps, his eyes still watching her.

Why did those eyes melt her? Why did the way he looked at her, one second so soft and kind and the next so dark and dangerously, switch her brain off? She didn't understand. Gabby hadn't seen his face, only his eyes and the small sliver of skin around them when he wore the soft fabric balaclavas. She has only seen his hands and his arms free from fabric a few times, yet seeing the ink that lined the muscles and veins of his left arm made her mouth grow dry. His hands, warm and calloused, felt like heaven whenever he touched her gently. Why did the man behind the mask make her so angry, and yet so horny at the same time?

A groan of frustration pushed past her lips as she rolled her eyes, rubbing her temple with her fingers at the growing headache that loomed there. This patrol was going to be the death of her.

Gabby jumped slightly when a hand cradled her elbow, looking up to find Rodolfo standing there. His soft eyes and kind smile could warm any heart. A hardened soldier for sure, Rodolfo was the type of man that would see someone in pain or being made uncomfortable, and could instantly make you feel better with one smile. Gabby smiled up at him, before dropping her hand from her temple and laying it on his arm. The older man understood and pulled her close, letting her head thunk against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her back.

“Shhh, "Te tengo, pequeña.” (I got you, Little One) He cooed into her hair, kissing the top of her head as her arms wrapped around his waist. Gabby breathed in the smell of mint and cedar, the smell of cigarettes long gone from this set of clothes since he stopped smoking. Rudy had always been the rock, the one that knew what she had been feeling before she even did. Gabby always thought it was ashame he never married and had children of his own, but she also understands his reasoning. The person he had loved since he was a child never loved him back the same way. And she knew he was okay with that, but he never let his heart find another.

“Gracias Tío.” (Thank you, Uncle.)

“Ven, debes prepararte para partir ahora.” (Come, you must get ready to head out now) Rudy spoke softly as he took a step back, letting his arms fall from her shoulders. Gabby simply nodded, following Rodolfo over to the counter where he handed her a small packed lunch box of food and drinks for the patrol. Grabbing the pack with a smile, she turned to head towards the living room, finding Ghost still standing where he had been, his eyes dark as he watched her move away from Rodolfo.

“Come on, let's go.” She simply said as she moved past him, grabbing her M24 Sniper Weapon System (SWS) sniper rifle from where it sat perched against the doorway.

Alejandro stepped forward, taking a look at how everyone was dressed. With a nod of approval he smiled. “Good. No patches, nothing to show who you are. Simple clothes and pistols and masks are normal around here on a person. So you'll all blend in fine.” He looked each one in the eye, hating that he couldn't go out with them, but he was the most recognizable among the group. “I paired you up for a reason. Be mindful of your Latino counterpart. They know this city and land better than you do. Trust them. Do as they say. Rank means nothing once you walk through that door. Those who know the city, run the city. Remember that.” He warned them before stepping to the side, letting the paired off teams make their way to their vehicles.

Gabby walked ahead of Ghost as they crossed the courtyard, heading for where the different vehicles were parked. Opening the back door Gabby placed her sniper rifle into the back, sitting it right behind the driver's seat. Ghost places his AAC Honey Badger sniper rifle behind his seat as well, before cli into the passenger side. Gabby got behind the wheel, turning the jeep on and shutting the door. The sun was setting over the compound, the warm glow of the Sunday rays slowly fading into the coolness of the night.

With a small wave to the rest of the team, Gabby pulled out of the parking lot and drove down the small dirt road to the main gate. Once she hit the open road, she hit the gas, taking them away from the base and out into the open desert. Gabby had her window down, her elbow resting on the door as the wind whipped her ponytail around. The freedom of the open road, the mountains in the distance, the desert evening stretching out in front of her, it was like a balm to the soul. One she didn't know she desperately needed.

Ghost remained silent beside her as the last rays of light flooded the desert floor in a golden hue. She didn't mind it though. Her mind was still dealing from the throughs that overtook her earlier. Gabby felt like her mind and her heart were betraying her, betraying the memory of what once was. Her grip on the steering wheel tightened, the leather protecting under the grip her now white knuckles had on it.

She hated that her body betrayed her. Those emotions she had pushed down, boxed up, threw away, compartmentalized into the very back of her mind had somehow found their way free. She hated how one man somehow found the very button to push to unlock the part of her she swore she'd never let free again. And it just had to be the skull bone clad asshole beside her.

Figures.

A frustrated sigh slipped past her lips, her hand gripping the steering wheel far too tight as she drove on. She thanked God that the sun was setting enough that the golden glow would hide the heat creeping up her neck. Gabby refused to even look out of her peripheral vision, knowing he only sat inches away from her.

“What's got you all riled up?”

Oh God, THAT voice. That deep, honey whiskey, gravel laden Manchester accent filled her ears and turned her ovaries into mush.

‘Oh for the love of mercy be-’ Gabby practically screamed in her mind as she felt a rush of heat throughout her body. She spared a glance from the road, letting her eyes drift slightly to the right and she instantly regretted that decision. Those eyes, the honeyed blue hazel that seemed to look into one's very soul, was locked onto her. It stole her breath away for a beat. It made her grip on the steering wheel tighten so harshly the leather squeaked and cracked.

“Piss off.” She hissed through gritted teeth, trying to keep her composure as her eyes snapped back to the road that stretched out ahead of the jeep. She heard him huff, the mask distorting the sound slightly but she chose to ignore it. Ignore him. She just had to get through tonight, make Alejandro happy by doing this pairing and then pray she got Soap for the next patrol. Hell at this point she would take Graves. At least she knew her mind would be in the right place instead of how hot her body suddenly felt.

They had been driving for over 15 minutes, nothing in front of them or behind them as they needed the first outline village. She knew most of the village would be settled in for the night, a few here and there still out, enjoying the last drop of warmth from the day as they smoked a cigarette on their back porch. It was those who worked in the cloak of darkness, moving drugs and weapons through the city that would be out on the prowl. Gabby watched as the small village came into view, the glowing porch lights the only thing lighting up the roadway.

Gabby slowed down, driving through the village at a slower pace as her eyes scanned the houses and tiny Mom and Pop shops. Everything seemed quite, calm. Like the cartel and the outside world didn't exist.

“The village won't offer anything.” Gabby spoke up, her voice soft as she watched a group of kids chasing fireflies. “We'll go down to the river, follow the old road there. It leads to an old mine some miles down.”

Pulling off the main road, Gabby followed the barely visible path towards the river. The last rays of light had disappeared behind the mountains, the blanket of rhinestones now decorated the sky above the jeep as it rolled along the beaten path. Ghost remained silent beside her, his gaze watching out the window to his right as the scenery flew past. Gabby kept her hands on the steering wheel, her grip looser and more relaxed. The air was crisper, yet still warm. Desert flowers, their fragrant blooms, made the air smell sweet as it floated in through the open windows. The river was off in the distance, growing closer with each passing second.

“Stop the jeep up here.” Ghost said, pointing to a small grove of trees that were growing along the river’s bank. Gabby nodded and pulled the jeep under the trees, shutting the jeep off. They both stepped out of the vehicle, weapons on their bodies and at the ready. Gabby looked around, taking in the view. The full moon shined overhead, casting the land in a soft blue glow. Ghost walked around the jeep, his eyes following a path that cut through the Buffalo grass that followed the river. On the other side, was a small old wooden bridge, the tired tracks that cut through the grass leading towards it.

“You said there is an old abandoned mine near here?”

Gabby nodded, turning to face Ghost. “Yes across the river in the hills. As a teen, we would ride dirt bikes around here, but we never went near the mines. We were always told they were unstable.”

She watched as he walked towards the small wooden bridge, bending down to pick up some of the hard packed dirt. Gabby watched with a curious look to her eyes, following his movements. He let the dirt slip through the glove on his hand. She followed his gaze, over the river and towards the hillsides.

“Let's plan on staking out the mine tomorrow night. Let's plan another outlying village, before we head back.” He finally spoke up. Gabby tilted her head, watching him.

“What are you thinking?”

He turned to face her, wiping the remaining dirt off his hand on his thigh. “If the village believes the mine is unsafe, it would be a smart move for the Cartel. Plus the tracks in the dirt are fresh and they lead to the bridge.” His stature was intimidating in the dark. Gabby already knew this but watching him now, in less gear then she had seen him in before, back in Al Mazrah. Here she could see more of his shape, the definition of the outline of muscles under the hoodie and jeans. How his body moved with unearthly grace for someone his size. The glow of the moonlight off his bone mask, making him look like a phantom instead of a man.

“Come on.” His ruff gravel voice called to her, as he made his way back to the jeep. Gabby shook her head, trying to clear her mind as she walked back to the driver side of the jeep. Tossing her rifle into the backseat she hopped into the driver seat and started up the jeep. Following the river they headed west, towards another village that was 20 minutes from the one they had driven through. Gabby kept her eyes on the road, the narrow beaten path that connected all of Las Almas together.

She kept her hand loose, her body relaxed as she drove. Reaching for the cup holder she grabbed her water bottle, taking a sling sip from it after twisting the cap off. A few drops of water slipped down her lower lip, onto her chin. The cool water sent a shiver through her body. She wiped her shirt sleeve over her chin, cleaning up the droplets of water that lingered.

All the sudden movement to her left, just off the outskirts of the village, caught her eye. Hitting the break, the jeep jerked to a stop. Ghost snapped his head to look at her, but she raised her hand up to silence him. Pointing out the window, she let his eyes follow her finger to see two jeeps heading the way they had come, heading towards the river and the old bridge.

“Looks like watching the bridge the next night or two is a good call.” She finally spoke, letting her eyes find his. “They were Él Sin Nombre's men.”

“How could you tell?” Ghost asked, looking over his shoulder at the jeeps that disappeared into the night.

“Because they would be the only ones driving up-armored jeeps.” Gabby hit the gas then, taking them into the village to drive around, looking for any more signs of El Sin Nombre's men. Gabby watched as the small town went by, the shops and the houses dark. No one was out and about. It was quiet and dark. They stopped again some ways down the road from the village, keeping to the riverbank. They waited, watching to see if any more of the Cartel soldiers were heading for the old bridge. They stayed there for over an hour, no one speaking, only the sounds of coyotes howling and owls hooting filled the night. The moon was high in the sky, the blue glow over the desert giving it a mystic like feel.

Gabby let her head fall back against the headrest, closing her eyes for a beat as the clock got closer to midnight. Sleep had been evading her for multiple nights now, and it was catching up to her. The nightmares still plagued her, the haunting green eyes still filled her memories. A long deep sigh expelled from her lungs. Running a hand down her face and over her neck. She worked the muscles in her shoulder as she leaned her head to the side, working the tension free.

“How did you get your callsign?”

Snapping her eyes open, Gabby met his gaze with her own, the surprise evident. “Oh so now we are back to being friendly?” Her tone was filled with sarcasm, and a bit of a bite to it. She crossed her arms over her chest, locking eyes with the man beside her.

“What?”

“Oh I'm sorry, did I stutter? You completely acted as if none of us even existed today, especially me. And I can't figure out why. Now all of the sudden you want to do small talk as if you haven't been ignoring me?”

She watched as something flicker behind his eyes, something she couldn't quite pinpoint. The blue in his eyes faded to almost a greenish brown, the hazel taking over the golden blue. It was as if he was angry, yet his eyes still remained unhardened.

She saw him work his jaw behind the mask, the fabric moving slightly with the friction. “Forget I asked.” He all but growled, turning away so he was looking out the passenger side window. The jeep fell silent, with only the sound of their quiet breathing. Gabby bite her bottom lip, her tongue darting out now and again to wet it. She pulled her hair free, she ran her fingers through the long wave dark chocolate locks, closing her eyes as her fingers passed over her scalp.

The silence was all but deafening. The cooled night air did nothing to relieve the tension that built up inside the jeep. Tugging the sleeves of her hoodie down over her hands, she let her head lean against the doorframe. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath, letting the air out slowly.

“It was my rookie year with the Rangers.” Her own voice surprised her, her eyes still closed as she recalled the memory. “We were on this mission and had to help a town that had been bombed.”

She heard Ghost shift slightly, but she refused to look his way, her now open eyes staring out over the desert. “It was so dark, a storm had just rolled through and it was the middle of the night.” Her voice was soft, like speaking louder than just above a whisper would shatter the very air around them. “The town we were in is very religious. They don't compare people to Angels or Saints lightly. But we were pulling people from damaged buildings and burning holes in the ground. Gunfire was still going off in the distance and I was keeping watch, standing on a building rooftop that was still intact.”

Gabby paused for a second, catching her breath as the memory pulled at her heart. Looking up at the full moon through the open jeep window, she continued. “There was this kid who was pinned down, and before anyone could get to her, the enemy rounded the corner, gun aimed right at her. I didn't even hesitate. I jumped off the roof, throwing myself in front of that little girl and fired a round. I never even realized at the time he had also fired a shot, hitting me. I took a bullet for that kid and I had no regrets over it.”

Finally looking over at Ghost she saw his eyes locked onto her, not making a sound. He was taking in every word she spoke, as if the very story was the only thing keeping him breathing at that moment. “The mother found us and removed my helmet, a ring of dirt and blood lining where the helmet had sat on my head. Touching the grim that lined my head from the battle, she spoke: ‘El halo de la misericordia y la sangre. Un ángel de la misericordia ’. It means-”

“The Halo of Mercy and Blood. An Angel of Mercy.” Ghost finished for her, his eyes filled with a kind of wonder.

Gabby nodded her head softly, running a hand through her hair. “Yes. The only word anyone on my team understood was ‘Halo’. And from that point on it stuck. I was Halo after that day. Though these past few years I haven't felt much like an Angel of Mercy.” She dropped her hands to her lap and stared down at them for a moment, letting the jeep fall silent.

“Why?”

The question was so simple. So straight forward.

The answer, not so much. Looking up to meet his eyes she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. His eyes had become that golden blue ones more, the darkness behind them gone for the time being. It made her wonder who she was reallying talking to at that moment. Was this the real man before the mask, or was this still the mask she was seeing?

“Your hands aren't the only ones dripping with blood from the fingertips.” Was all she said before starting up the jeep and throwing it into gear, pulling away from the riverbank and the village. “Let's go back to base.”

Chapter Text

Golden flickers of sunlight floated through the crack in the curtains, gently fluttering across Gabby's face as she slept in her bed. Laying on her stomach, her arms under her pillow as her head was turned to the side, the blankets looking around the middle of her back. She fluttered her eyes open, squinting at the bright light that came from the window.

Ghost and Gabby didn't return to base till well after 1am. For the first time since Al Mazrah, sleep found Gabby peacefully. Reaching for her phone, which has been tossed to the other side of her bed she glanced at the time on her lock screen.

10:34 am.

“Shit.” The grumble slipped past her lips as she pushed herself up. Pushing her hair up and over her head and out of her face. Her tongue darted out, wetting her dry lips. Letting her feet hit the hardwood floor, sending a chill up her spine she twisted her back, letting it pop and snap back into place. The large faded blue T-shirt she had on reached to the mid thigh, the tiny shorts that barely covered her ass underneath were hidden behind the soft material. Her long dark chocolate hair fell down her back in soft waves, and the honey brown of her eyes still sleep filled as she made her way to her bathroom.

After she relieved herself and cleaned up, she headed back into her bedroom to find clothes. The conversation from the night before still played in her mind. It wasn't like she was ashamed of how she got her callsign, or that it was some big secret. But relieving that memory, hearing herself being compared to an angel by people who believed angels to be sacred and holy, it still unnerved her. She did what any good soldier was supposed to do. She never felt special or better than the next soldier standing beside her. She was just Gabby.

But the words etched into her skin in cursive black ink told a different story. It showed how people saw her. It stood as a reminder to not just those who saw it but herself that she could be a soldier and a saint. Something holy and something dark at the same time. And she did it so the people she cared about could sleep peacefully at night.

With a sigh, she began to look for a set of clothes to wear. A dark blue sports bra went on first, followed by a navy blue lightweight t-shirt. A pair of light blue white washed jeans and her Twisted X moccasins. Letting her hair down but putting her ponytail holder onto her wrist, she grabbed her phone and shoved it into her back pocket, heading for her bedroom door.

The smell of food drifted up the stairs as soon as she opened the door, hitting her in the face with its delicious smell. She made her way down the hallway, following her nose into the kitchen. Rodolfo was making waffles and bacon, cut fruit dished up in a large bowl. Coffee sat ready and waiting in the coffee pot. Gabby quickly made her way over to the cabinet and grabbed a mug, before moving past Rudy to get to the coffee.

“No good morning or even a hello?” The older man chuckled, watching Gabby as she moved around the kitchen. She poured herself a cup of coffee, adding the sugar and creamer to the mix. Walking over to Rudy with a smile she leaned up and kissed his cheek, making him chuckle.

“Good morning Tito.” She replied in a sassy tone, a laugh on her tongue as he kissed her hairline.

“Are you hungry?” Rudy asked, waving to the platter of food before him. But before Gabby could answer, someone cleared their throat from the doorway.

“Oh good morning Ghost. Care for some food. Or coffee?” Rudy smiled brightly as he reached for the cabinet to grab dishes and mugs for the team. The tall brute of a man was wearing a painted skull balaclava instead of his normal hard shell mask. A dark olive green T-shirt hugged every line and valley of his body, the sleeves so tight around his arms they threatened to tear with each move of his muscles. The tattoos on his arm on display, the black ink rippling. His hands bare, the scarred knuckles, thick veins, large long thick fingers curled into loose fits at his sides. Blue jeans that fit like a second skin covered the tree trunk legs that powered the beast of a man forward. Black boots once again on his feet.

The coffee cup in Gabby's hand groaned in protest under the tight grip her fingers had around it. Her nails dug into the ceramic, threatening to crack it. Her mouth once again went dry at the sight of him. Her eyes shameless raked over his body, taking in every dip and valley and ridge that was hidden behind mire scraps of fabric.

The bang of a cabinet door jolted her from her thoughts, pulling her eyes away from Ghost. She glanced over and saw Rudy sitting down plates and cups, dishing up food as more of the team started to flood the room. In that short time Ghost somehow ended up near her, a cup in his hand. She locked eyes with him, tilting her head back slightly in order to look at him. She watched as his eyes roamed over her face, as if he was mapping every freckle and bump of a scar that could ever grace her skin. Then his eyes drifted to the right, looking over her shoulder at something.

Following his gaze, Gabby’s eyes landed on the coffee pot. A heat creeped up her neck, staining her cheeks a shade or two darker.

“Sorry.” She all but whispered as she moved out of his way, grabbing a plate of food Rudy had made up. She made her way into the living room, not looking back at the pair of golden blue eyes that lingered on her retreating form as she crossed the threshold. She didn't see the lost look that flashed over the hazel irises, one that could painfully be called longing to someone who hated the idea of emotions.

Walking into the living room Gabby found a seat in the middle of Alejandro and Hudson on the sofa, letting her body fall into the plush cushions with a sigh. Hudson leaned over and pulled her into a soft hug, making the woman beside him smile brightly.

(What did you find last night?) “¿Qué encontraste anoche?” Alejandro asked, before taking a bite of egg that was on his plate.

Gabby swallowed the food in her mouth, turning slightly so she could see him better. “We went to two of the outline villages last night. One near The Old Bridge, and the other one farther down the river.” She started to explain. “Vimos jeeps blindados del Cártel dirigiéndose a las Minas Abandonadas, con vías que cruzaban el Puente Viejo.” (We saw Cartel up-armored jeeps heading for the Abandoned Mines, tracks leading over the Old Bridge)

Alejandro’s eyebrows knitted together, the information taking him by surprise. He continued to eat as he processed what she had said. Gabby kept eating as well, the food warming her up as she ate. The three of them sat in silence for a moment, just eating their meal. Ghost disappeared up the stairs with a plate of food, Soap, Rudy and Graves in the kitchen talking softly.

Alejandro broke the silence after a moment or two, leaning back against the cushions of the sofa. “Did Ghost and you decide if you are checking more of the villages, or the mines?”

Gabby sat her empty plate on the coffee table, grabbing her cup of coffee and took a long sip before holding the mug in her right hand as she leaned back against the sofa. “We talked about watching the mines for the night. Seeing what was going on, or if there was truly movement going on there.” She shrugged her shoulders half-heartedly, taking another sip of her drink. “At the moment it's the best lead we have on our end.”

“Si, she's right. At the cantina last night, Soap and I heard some men talking about a shipment of supplies that are supposed to be delivered tonight to the outlay village by the river.” Hudson spoke up for the first time, his own plate now cleaned of food.

Alejandro nodded his head, his hand coming up to lightly scratch at his beard as he thought over the information given to him. “Then you and Ghost will stake out tonight. Take camping gear and set up near the mines but not close enough to draw attention. It's the time of year where people go camping near the river to stargaze, so you shouldn't look out of the ordinary.”

The plan had been set. Gabby felt comfortable in it, knowing the Backcountry like the back of her hand. It was being alone all night with Ghost and his mood swings that had her on edge. She still couldn't figure him out. Up until they lost Hassan, he has been good with her. Kind even. And now he was back to being brooding, brash. She couldn't make heads nor tails of it.

But going to Johnny and asking questions, demanding to know how he got under the skull bone clad warrior’s skin and lived to tell the tale felt like an invasion of privacy. Of the friendship between the Lieutenant and the Sergeant. No, Gabby wouldn't cross that line, even if her heart and mind demanded answers, she wasn't that bold.

Breakfast, or more like an early lunch for that matter was done, coffee had been downed, bodies were more awake now as the clock got closer to 11:30am. Hudson and Soap had taken up washing the dishes, the two laughing and joking like old long lost friends. It made Gabby smile as she watched them from the sofa, the two younger men joking and shoving each other around. One a brother by blood, and the other a brother in arms. Both family, both equally as important.

Graves walked into the room and sat down on the other end of the sofa, Gabby casting him a side eye before picking up her phone and scrolling through her social media. She felt his blue eyes on her but she kept ignoring him, hoping he'd take the hint. But of course the man never did.

“Are you going to avoid me forever Darlin’?” His tone made her skin prickle, the urge to roll her eyes so strong. Clicking off her phone she turned her gaze towards the blonde, her eyes narrowed.

“You know damn well I am trying my best. But like a fly, you never seem to get the hint.” The words dropped like venom from her lips as she spoke.

Graves just tisked his tongue, running a hand through the short blond locks of hair. He leaned forward so that he was more in her space, his eyes boring into hers. Gabby narrowed her own more, her lips curled into a snarl. But his lips were turned into a dark smile. “One day, you'll understand that I did what I had to do. But you're not in the position to lead yet, so you don't understand the hard calls.”

Gabby all but snapped her jaws at him, the anger in her eyes plain as day. “I understand the hard calls, Graves. And I've had to make my own. But unlike you, I do what I can to avoid those calls.”

She got up from the sofa, and started to make her way towards the stairs to begin packing for the stack put. “How did that work for you in Germany?” His question made her stop in her tracks, her hand not quite touching the banister as her whole body froze. Her eyes darkened, her heart pounding in her chest. Turning around slowly so she could look over her shoulder at him, a sick smile on her lips.

“Remember this Phil… Las Almas is my second home. If I don't want anyone to find your body, they never will.” Each word held the threat, dripping in venom as they slipped past her lips. She watched as each word found home in his mind, his eyes widening ever so slightly, his back just a little more rigid as he watched her with unblinking eyes. Turning away Gabby took the stairs two at a time, wanting to get as far away from him as possible.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Gabby tossed her backpack into the back seat of the jeep, the tent, sleeping bags, food and other gear also stacked in the back. The early evening sun cast a warm glow to the sandy ground beneath her feet, the golden hue dancing among the shadows of the buildings. The air was still warm thankfully, making it pleasant to be out in the open air. It was just under an hour drive to the grove by the river, near the Old Bridge and the Abandoned Mines. The small bill by the river bank would offer the perfect place to set up the tent under the trees with a direct line of view to the mouth of the Mine.

Gabby felt a hand softly grasp her shoulder and turned her head to look up into a pair of soft blue eyes. A smile tugged on her lips, a matching one on the Scott's.

“Be safe out there, Aye?” His rich, deep rugged accent filled her ears. Gabby huffed a laugh, before turning to face him. His hand slipped from her shoulder going around to her middle back pulling her into a hug. Her right cheek landed on his chest, her arms wrapping around her waist as he pulled her into the hug. Soap’s head laid on top of her own.

“We'll be fine out there. Keep Cheddar in line okay?” She jokes back as Soap squeezed her slightly.

“Aye Lassie. We'll be alright.” They broke off the hug, Gabby patting Soap's chest before she walked around to the driver's side door. Popping the handle, she pulled the door open and slid into the seat, letting the door shut with a soft thud. Her rifle was perched against her leg and the door, her pistol in its holster on her thigh. Her dark blue shirt clung to her body as the heat of the day seeped into her skin. On her belt was clipped the switchblade Ghost had given her, along with 4 assassin's blades in their small sheaths she had sown into her thigh holsters.

The passenger door opening made her gaze swing to the right, watching as Ghost climbed into the jeep and let the jeep door slam shut behind him. He shoved his rifle between his leg and the door, his seat all the way back to fit his long, thick legs that still had to be bent slightly to fit comfortably into the jeep. Gabby huffed, turning the jeep on and waved to Alejandro and Hudson who were standing on the porch of the barracks. Hitting the gas, the jeep took off for the main gate, a trail of dust flying out behind it.

The warm desert air filtered through the open windows, the fine hairs that framed Gabby's face blowing in the wind. Her left hand gripped the wheel, her right arm lay lazily on the armrest of her seat. Her posture was relaxed and soft in her seat, letting the desert pull them further from the base. The jeep was quiet, not that Gabby minded. After last night, revealing more of herself to someone, especially someone like Ghost who she barely knew anything about, was a lot on her soul. Her callsign had no secret meaning, no hidden reason that had to remain classified. But it was something she didn't share much of. To be there, to experience the people treating her as if she was a saint sent from above all because she jumped in front of a bullet for a child, was something no one could understand unless they had seen it. It was a part of her. It defined her in ways. It became a part of her identity.

Ghost shifted beside her, his arm resting on the open window. The olive green shirt he had been wearing was now covered up by a black hoodie, the sleeves pushed up slightly to expose an inch or so of skin above the bone print gloves on his hands. The black ink of his left arm peaked out, teasing at what lies beneath the soft black fabric that covered his skin. Tearing her eyes away from the ink on his arms, Gabby looked back towards the barely existent road. Her grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly, the warm leather squeaking under her fingers.

“Problem?”

It took everything in her to not let her body visibly shutter at the gruffness of his voice as he spoke the single word. Gabby willed her fingers to loosen their grip, for her body to stay relaxed despite the turmoil that raged through her veins.

Keeping her face as neutral as she could, her poker face on point she casted him a sideways glance. “No, of course not. Why?”

Ghost only looked her way for a second, his eyes meeting her own before looking back out his window. Gabby chuffed, rolling her eyes and she forced back on the road ahead. She didn't think he was going to answer her question as a moment of silence wove its way around them. But then his rough Manchester accent filled her ears. “That white knuckled grip on the wheel says something differently.”

Well if her hand didn't have a death grip on the wheel before, it did now. Gabby kept her face as calm as possible, willing her poker face to stay in place and not slip. It's the last thing she needed, the brute of a man beside her to know that he was getting her all flustered and under her skin.

The rest of the ride to the river was quiet, Ghost keeping his gaze either ahead of them or out his window. Gabby never let her eyes leave the road, trying to pretend that he didn't exist beside her. They crossed the old bridge that went over the river, the thing looking so ancient it was a wonder that it still held up the way it did. Once she parked the jeep under the small grove of trees, she turned off the engine and finally looked at Ghost.

“We have a little time yet before sundown, so let's pitch the tent and get the gear ready to go on the hill, so we can blend in as much as possible.” Her tone was light but full of authority as she talked to him. Not waiting for an answer Gabby pushed open her door with her foot, letting herself drop for the jeep to the soft ground below. She heard the passenger side door open and close, knowing Ghost followed her lead. Letting her door shut she went to the bank of the jeep to grab their gear, her rifle slung by its strap over her back.

Ghost had already beaten her to the back and had the hatch open, pulling out the tent. Nodding to Gabby he walked off to the clearing on the hill, beside the small grove of trees to begin setting up the tent. Gabby watched him go for a few seconds before reaching into the back and grabbing the sleeping bags and her backpack of food, before following after him. Ghost began to pitch the tent, setting up the polls and one way netting. Their tent had a front side made of netting that could only be seen through, not seen into. This gave them the option to stay in the tent if they wanted, but still see the mines. It was also waterproof. The tent was large enough to stand up in, and could easily fit 3 people comfortably without having to touch when lying down.

Once Ghost got the tent up, Gabby began to lay out the sleeping bags and their gear. She propped up her rifle in the corner, her bag beside it with extra ammo and knives inside. Pulling out a small tripod that worked when someone was sitting out laying down, she hooked up the scope to it so they could watch the mines with a closer look. Ghost moved behind her, setting up the bedrolls, moving his gear around so that it was easy to grab if they had to bug out.

Once Gabby felt happy with the set-up of the tripod, she sat back on her heels and looked through the mesh of the tent at the setting sunlight. Long shadows, like haunting lines cutting across the desert from the trees and the mountain. The air was still warm, but the heat of the day was no longer baring down onto them.

Gabby stood up and made her way out of the tent, watching as the first flickers of the stars began to show. The sky was wide, completely clear as the blue faded to navy then to black. It was like the sky was made from an oil painting, the colors swirling and blending together into different shades of blue and black, like a storm meeting the sea in the sky. The stars, faint and small still, starting to twinkle overhead as if a handful of glitter has been dusted into the paint. It was breathtaking and memorizing, watching the colors fade and blend, the sky turning into a dark canvas with more stars taking over the night. The moon took the place of the sun, the centerpiece in the desert darkness.

Gabby felt a shift behind her, the fabric of the tent barely making a whisper of a noise as Ghost stepped out to join her. His looming presence made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, a chill running down her spine. He stopped beside her, his arm barely brushing her own, but it was enough to send a thousand goosebumps across her skin.

“Is everything set up?” Her voice was small, quiet as she spoke. She didn't look back, she knew he was there.

“Aye.” One word. That's all he spoke but it was enough. With a heavy sigh Gabby walked back towards the tent. The air was heavy between them, a thickness riddled with tension that wasn't named but it was felt. Everything felt shifted. Gabby parked herself down in front of the scope, her eyes trained on the mines as the light outside faded. The night vision in the scope made it easy to see any moment, though the desert remained unmoving at the time.

Ghost opened the tent flap and sat down a few feet away from her. In his hands was a thick stick, and once he made himself comfortable, Ghost pulled out a switchblade and began to whittle. The soft sound of his blade moving against the grain of the wood was comforting for some reason. The soft glow from the small lamp they had brought gave the tent a warm feeling. Crickets began to sing their nighttime harmonies along the riverbank as fireflies danced along the water.

Gabby felt herself relax, her mind content as the night settled around them. She kept her eyes on the mines, watching for any movement. The minutes seemed to tick by, the world stopped around them as the night remained unmoving. She didn't dare break the bubble of peace that has formed, keeping her body angled away from him slightly. Only the sound of his knife running over the wood reminded her that he was still there. It still bugged her the change in his attitude towards her. She still couldn't grasp the hot to cold treatment he was giving her. Acting as if her mire existence offended him somehow, and then in the next breath he was acting as if they had always been teammates. It was the worst kind of whiplash to the mind.

Then there was the unsavory feelings that pumped through her veins at all the wrong moments when she let her eyes linger on him for a second too long. She hated that her body reacted to the sound of gravel in his tone, or when the sun hit his eyes just so, making her lose herself into the pools of honeyed blue. Things that had died alongside March came flooding back, feelings that she swore would never run through her mind again now found their way back into her body. And she hated it. At least that's what Gabby kept telling herself as she shifted her thighs together to stop the dull ache that started there as she thought about how Ghost had looked when he found her dancing back in England, the way his fingers trailed over the tattoo on her side, his body keeping her close to the wall as his eyes bore a hole into her soul. Gabby let out a long frustration sigh, rolling her shoulders as she let her head drop to the right, stretching out the muscles.

“Something on your mind?”

She closed her eyes tightly, biting her lower lip as the rough, whiskey riden Manchester accent filled her ears. Keeping her body angled away she sat up straighter, flipping her long ponytail over her shoulder to fall down her back, she grabbed the scope with a tight grip, moving it slightly to get a better view.

“Just wondering when these fuckers are gonna show up.” Gabby kept her tone as level and unbothered as she could. She kept her hand steady on the scope, not letting her fingers tighten into a white knuckled chokehold around the metal barrel.

“Are you going to stop lying to me?”

Gabby's head snapped around to face the man behind her. Her eyes were wide, her eyebrows shot up as her lips made a perfect O in surprise. “Excuse me?”

Ghost laid the stick he had been whittling onto his lap and looked up to meet her eyes. “You keep lying to me about something being on your mind. Are you gonna stop?”

Gabby snapped her jaws shut, surprise now gone from her eyes and replaced with anger. “Are you ever going to stop playing this stupid game of hot and cold?”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“Really? A few nights ago you were acting like you gave a shit about me as I poured my heart out to you. And now you act as if my presence makes you ill.” Gabby could see something flash across his eyes, the blue fading to brown as he thought over her words. Breaking eye contact, Ghost looked out the mesh side of the tent, his hand gripping the stick on his lap with a harsh hand.

“You have others here now to play therapists with. You don't need me to find you at night.” His words were meant to be bitter, but they came out with a slight tint of sadness to them.

Gabby felt her mind race, trying to understand what he meant. Why he was saying these things? “How is this respecting me as a member of this team? Acting as if you're too good now to even talk to me?”

Ghost's head snapped back to meet her eyes, his pupils blown wide as he stared her down. “I'm being respectful to the situation!” He hissed as he threw the stick to the side, snapping his switchblade closed before shoving it into his jeans pocket.

Gabby turned so that she was facing him. “What the hell does that even mean Ghost?!”

Ghost let out a sarcastic huff of a laugh, standing up and taking a step or two away from her, as much as the tent would allow. Crossing his arms across his broad chest he cocked his hip slightly, trying to take up as much room as he could. “Please, we both know you'd rather have Rodolfo here than me.”

Gabby also stood up, copying his stance as she looked eyes with him. She could feel the anger pumping through her veins, his words pushing her closer to the breaking point. “Well no shit, he would at least talk to me like a normal human being instead of being some broody son of a bitch.”

“Oh don't lie Gabrielle, you'd rather be wrapped up in his hoodie, getting real cozy together.”

Gabby felt her body grow stiff, her brain completely shutting down. Her arms fell to her sides as she tried to let her brain catch up to what he was implying. “The fuck?!” Her voice was in complete shock, her eyes now wide. “Is that what this is all about? Rudy giving me his hoodie back when we lost Hassan?”

Ghost shook his head and turned away from her, pinching the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes. Adrenaline pumped through his blood, the anger he felt making him grab his hand into a fist by his side.

“Answer me Ghost.”

“Just fucking drop it.”

“Absolutely not. You don't make accusations like that and then leave the question hanging in the air. So answer me.”

“Gabrielle, Drop. It.” The tone of his voice dripped with a deadliness to it, so deep and menacing. Most normal people would had coward in fear at the sound, backing down before it was too late. But Gabby didn't.

“I'm sorry I didn't realize we were playing Simon Fucking Says.” She snapped, taking a large step forward so she was closer to him, close enough to feel the slight heat of his body coming off of him in waves. “Too bad I don't feel like playing games.”

Ghost snapped, turning around so that his body was only inches from her own, his neck arched as he looked down at her. His breath came out fast and heavy, his fists curled besides his thighs as his eyes locked with hers. “I'm trying to respect what is Rodolfo’s!”

“What the literal hell does that even mean?!”

“YOU!”

The tent grew deathly quiet. The air was thick and heavy around them, their faces only inches apart. Energy snapped and cracked around them as thunder rumbled in the far distance. Gabby looked up at him with wide eyes, her chest heaving as she stared at him. His hands had grabbed her arms at some point, holding them both in place as his head cocked to the side slightly, his eyes blown as he looked down at her.

“You think I'm Rodolfo’s?” Her voice was small, fragile sounding when Gabby finally spoke. Her eyes snapped back and forth between his hazel blue ones, trying to read what was going on inside of his mind.

“I'm not blind, Brown Eyes.” His voice was pained, the whiskey rasp deeper, like stones thrown into the mix. The gloves of his hands gripped her upper arms, not hard enough that it would bruise, but enough to ground them into place. Gabby closed her eyes, shaking her head as she let it rip back slightly. Her heart hammered in her chest, her skin feeling like it was on fire with each puff of air that slipped from his mask onto her face.

“Obviously you are.”

“Huh?”

Gabby opened her eyes and took the smallest step forward. She felt his fingers flex on her arms as she looked up into the opening of his balaclava. “Rudy is my uncle. Of course I'm close to him, he helped raise me. Bedsides,” Her voice trailed off for a beat, watching as his eyes flickered back and forth between her own, “Rodolfo is gay.”

Ghost felt all the air in his lungs rush from his body as his mind processed the news she had just told him. He felt his body tremble, his veins ablaze as heat travailed through him. The air snapped around them, like lightning filling the very air they breathed. The grip of her arms tightened, pulling her closer in the slightest way. He watched as her eyes darkened, never leaving his own as he felt his heart beat faster than the speed of light. His mind was reeling, trying to figure out what to do next.

Neither of them knew how it happened, neither one knew who made the first move. But one second they were staring each other down as if they were waiting for the other to burst into flames, and then the next second Ghost had his mask pushed up to his nose, his hand around the back of her neck as his lips smashed to hers. A noise of surprise slipped past Gabby's lips, only to be swallowed by his own lips.

He tasted like whiskey and smoke, like a cold desert night warmed by a fire and amber drink. His lips were slightly chapped, his tongue soft as it licked across her bottom lip. His body was pushed up against her own, his warmth seeping through the fabric of his hoodie as he wrapped his arm around her hip, his other hand digging into the strands of her hair at the base of her skull. Gabby let her hands slip up his chest, wrapping around his neck as Ghost guided them down, their knees bending as he pushed them down onto the sleeping bags below their bodies.

Gabby gasped for air as his lips left hers, only to find the soft skin of her neck as his tongue carved a path from her chin to the middle of her throat. His teeth nipped at the flesh, making her jolt upwards against his body making him chuckle darkly. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, her legs parted as his body pinned her down. The hand on her hip slipped beneath her shirt, the rough cracked leather of his glove making her shiver as it traced over the skin of her side. Her body arched into his as his lips worked their way to her ear, nipping just underneath it. Her fingers slid down his back, feeling the muscles rippled and flex under her touch. He held himself up on his elbows, his large frame dwarfing her own as her other hand ran down his left arm, memorizing each dip and ripple of muscle hidden under the hoodie sleeve.

“I haven't stopped thinking about how good you looked since I found you in the barracks room after Al Mazrah. Those damn long legs on full display.” He growled, low and deep in his throat as his arm reach around to hike her right leg up and over his hip, running his hand from the bone of her hip down to the tops of her moccasins. Gabby felt her body heat, her blood set on fire with each touch, each word spoken. His lips found her once more in a hungerer, darker kiss, one that was all teeth and tongue, moans spilling from them as they battled for dominance.

His hands slipped under her shirt, pushing the fabric up her body while never breaking the kiss. Gabby arched her spine, giving him more room to move the offensive fabric until they had to break apart from him to slip it off her head, tossing it to the side before smashing his lips to hers once more. His gloves soon followed, the bare skin of his hands running up and down her sides making her gasp into his mouth. Breaking the kiss, Gabby looked up to find his eyes dark and blown, a hungry look to them as he stared down at her. His fingers traced the lines of her tattoo once more, the pad of his finger moving in such a slow path it drove her mad, making her shiver.

“I've wanted to trace this with my tongue since the moment I laid eyes on it.”

Smirking up at him, enjoying seeing his lips and chin in the pale moonlight that filled the tent, noticing the slight blonde 5 o'clock shadow that dusted his chin and lower jaw bone.

“What's stopping you now?” Her voice was thick and sultry, her hands running down his arms and back up again before running down his thick wide chest. She watched as his lips curled into a smirk, before his body bent down, kissing her chest, over the valley of her breasts making her back arch at the feeling as his lips dragged farther south, over the fabric of her sports bra and down her side to the black inch that was carved into her tanned skin. Her breath came out in short hot puffs as she waited for him to make a move. Closing her eyes at the first pass of his tongue, warm and set against her skin, a moan fell from her parted lips.

His tongue traced each letter, his lips dragging over the tender skin of her ribs as his hands held onto her waist, keeping her pinned beneath him as she wiggled around slightly. Her legs tighten their hold around his hips, as her body grew warmer with each pass of his tongue. The slight burn from the hairs on his jaw only added to the rich feel of his lips on her skin. Gabby gripped his shoulder with a iron hold, her mind turning to jello as she let herself feel for the first time in years.

“Fuck!”

A dark, raspy chuckle vibrationed against her side, making her squirm beneath him. “Do you like that, Brown Eyes?” He asked before nipping at her flesh again, making her jump again.

“F-fuck, please don't sto-op, Marsh!”

Everything went still. Ghost felt her body tense up, his own body still as a stone. Gabby felt her heart shatter, her mind racing as she realized what she had said. Her body grew cold, all the heat that had been there seconds ago now filled with cold shame. Her legs slowly release their hold from around his hips, her hands falling to her sides as Ghost looked up to meet her eyes. Gabby felt tears pooling in the back of her eyes, shame burning like a fire. Pushing herself backwards, dragging her body out from underneath him, she felt herself starting to slip.

“Gabby wai-.”

But she was already up, grabbing her shirt from where it had been tossed and yanking it on with such force it was a miracle it didn't rip open. Fighting back the tears that threatened to spill, she darted away from him, not wanting Ghost to see how shaken up she truly was. Grabbing her rifle from where it laid she quickly slipped the strap over her shoulder and tossed it into her back.

“Gabby, what are you doing?”

She felt his hand touch her shoulder but she yanked herself backwards out of his grip. Tears began to fall and she couldn't stop them, but she refused to meet his eyes. “I can't do this. I'm going to watch from the jeep.” She choked on a sob, pushing open the tent flap only to find it raining. How fitting. Pushing forward, ignoring the calls from the man inside the tent she darted across the clearing to where their jeep had been parked beneath the grove of trees. Yanking open the door she slipped inside, the cold rain water clinging to her skin but doing nothing to calm the burning heat that raced beneath the skin of her body. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she slammed the door shut letting her head fall back against the seat. Soft sobs slipped past her slips as she felt the weight of what had just happened settle into her mind, and for the first time in years Gabby let herself cry for him.

Chapter Text

I keep your name in silent prayer,
A whisper caught on midnight air,
Yet every time I dream you near,
My chest caves in with quiet fear.

For what am I, to want your light?
A flicker lost in endless night.
Your laughter blooms like springtime rain—
While I, a root too steeped in pain.

I watch you shine from far away,
Too close to touch, too bright to stay.
I paint you in my private sky,
Then curse myself for asking why.

Because this heart, though loud and wild,
Feels like the plea of a lost child—
Unclean with hope, unfit to rise,
Ashamed to meet your gentle eyes.

And still I burn—so soft, so slow—
A love you'll likely never know.
Not for lack of will or flame—
But for the weight that bears my name - Simon Riley, Journal Entry

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Her lips tasted like honey, like warmed vanilla and the slight hint of tequila. If summertime sunshine had a flavor it would be her lips. The citrus smell of her skin as his tongue traced a path over the smooth warmth of her body. His fingers digging into the soft flesh as each shiver and moan followed by the arch of her spine. The feeling of her body molding to his own as his tongue traced every letter etched into her skin in black ink. The sweetness of her taste, the slight hint of salt on her skin only adding to the growing need that each drag of his lips fed into.

Until it all came crashing down.

Simon stood rooted to the same spot she had left him at, the air in the tent no longer warm and crackling with energy. Now it was cold, damp and stale as rain began to fall outside of the canvas cover. He had heard the door of the jeep slam shut, knowing she found refuge from her demons in the small vehicle. How had a moment filled with unbridled warmth and lust turn so quickly into a cold bitterness?

Pulling his mask up to rest on top of his head, the fabric bunching around the crown of his head as he ran a tired and frustrated hand over his face. A deep throaty groan rolled off his tongue as he placed his hands on his hips, staring out of the mush part of the tent into the rainy night.

Ghost had slipped. The deep longing he had felt, watching Gabby from afar, trying to keep her at arm's length had fallen to bitter shreds the second she said she wasn't Rodolfo’s. No, he heard that Rodolfo was gay, and suddenly every small fiber of self control and self doubt he ever had in his body flew out the window faster than he could take a breath of air. His mask has been pushed up to his nose quicker then he ever thought possible, and his lips crashed to her with such force the grip she had on his hoodie had been crushing. His hands had sunk into the soft strands of her hair, pulling it loose from the ponytail she had been sporting.

Gabby had tasted like every dark, dirty thought he had conjured up the other night as he laid in bed with his throbbing cock in his hand. Now tonight, Ghost had her under him, her shirt thrown across the tent, his lips and tongue tasting sweet citrus honeyed skin and his ears filled with the quiet noises that spilled from full kiss bruised lips. Until those sweet sounds became tortured silence that felt so heavy it became hard to breathe.

It wasn't the fact that Gabby had slipped up and moaned another man's name as Ghost teeth had nipped the soft skin of her ribs, his tongue soothing the mark right after that killed the mood. No, it had been how stiff she had grown under him, how she pushed and tugged her body from the cage of his legs and arms and pulled her shirt on so hard it was a miracle the fabric didn't tear. It was how when he reached out for her she jerked away like his touch burned her. It was the tears pooling on her waterline as she raced away into the darkness, her rifle slung over her back that pulled all the air from the tent and left him in a cold miserable state.

Sinking down onto the ground, his knees bent up and his arms slung across them, Ghost rested his chin on his arm, a heavy sigh on his lips. A thousand thoughts raced around in his mind. All of them telling him he pushed too hard, too fast and he now lost what he never truly had. Ghost felt the small part of his heart that had slipped from the stone cage he kept it in, break apart and shatter to the ground as he watched her slip away into the darkness.

How could he have let things happen like this?

A long, drawn out sigh filled the air around him as he let his head fall into the arm on his knee. “Stupid, stupid, stupid.” He muttered over and over before throwing himself backwards to land on the sleeping bag and pillows. Thunder rolled in the distance, a storm building on the dark horizon. Much like the storm in his mind and soul. The way his body still felt like lightning flashed through his veins, the feeling of her soft full lips, the taste of her skin still running over the taste buds of his tongue. His hands had run over the smooth silky skin that pebbled with goosebumps as his hands held her so close her body molded to his own. The sweet almost broken sounds that spilled from her kiss bruised mouth sent blood made of fire straight to his cock as he kissed down her neck and chest to the black ink that was forever drawn into the skin of her ribs.

Ghost held his breath, trying to hold onto the taste of her on his tongue from fading with each swallow of saliva.

But soon the sight of her tear filled eyes, the red of her cheeks not from the kiss or licks, but from the fear and embarrassment of moaning another man's name into the night air, the way her body grew cold and stiff as if she had died below his own warm body, it was all embedded into his mind.

The violent feeling of his phone vibrating in his pants pocket jarred him from his self loathing thoughts. Reaching into the front pocket of his left leg he pulled the rapidly vibrating device from it and held it up, the glow of the screen illuminating the tent. Price's name flashes across the screen, a small picture of the Captain staring back at him. Letting out a huff of annoyance he swiped the green button, answering the call.

“Captain.” His gruff voice spoke the rank, the gravel still stuck in his throat. His tongue felt heavy on his month but the Lieutenant in his came through, pushing away his discomforts.

“Ghost,” John's voice broke through on the other end of the line, “I can't reach Knocks. Is she with you?”

Ghost felt his eyebrows draw together, hearing the pinched tone of Price's voice. “She's in the jeep.” He kept his reply short, sitting up now as he held the phone to his ear.

“Get her.”

Ghost raised an eyebrow, before pushing himself up into a standing position. Gone was the small, almost microscopic sliver of Simon that had slipped through his stone wall dungeon when he was kissing Gabby, he had been scooped up and shoved back down, so Ghost could once again have full control. Stepping towards the entrance of the tent he pushed the mesh flap open and pulled his Balaclava down over his face once more. The black fabric of the mask settled over his skin like a blanket, the world being shut out. It was almost calming, feeling the fabric shield him from the world around him. Hiding the scars, the fears, the self-loathing that haunt his features on a day to day basis.

Wishing he had grabbed a raincoat, Ghost moved with silent ease across the rain soaked sand and dirt floor of the Mexican desert. The sound of the river below them, moving slowly with the rain hitting its surface followed by distant thunder was the only sound in the night air. With years of practice his boots didn't make a single sound as he came up to the jeep, tapping it with his knuckles to alert Gabby he was coming. He could see her silhouette as the fading moonlight cast a bluish glow in the jeep, and she quickly wiped at her cheeks to rid them of any tears. His eyes and body stayed calm and focused, but his mind begged to hold her and confront her.

Grabbing the handle of the passenger side door, he pulled it open and slid into the seat, letting the door shut behind him with a slight slam. Gabby wouldn't meet his eyes, her gaze falling to the phone clenched in his hand.

“Go on then Price.” Ghost said, his voice deep and monotone, trying to sound as normal as he could. Gabby's eyebrows shot up, looking down at the phone once the name slipped off his lips. Ghost held the phone between them, his elbow on the center console.

“Knocks, do you have access to a laptop?” Prove jumped right to the point once Ghost gave him the go ahead.

Ghost watched as Gabby screeched up her nose, looking down at the phone. “No Sir, it's back at base. Ghost and I are on a recon at the moment.”

“What's going on Price?” Ghost asked, his tone leaving no room for bullshit.

The line was quiet for a moment, making Ghost feel uneasy. Then John spoke. “Laswell was taken.” Those three words sent all the air in the jeep straight out the doors. Gabby locked eyes with Ghost for a split second before slipping her phone out of her pocket and letting her thumb rest on the black screen for a few seconds before the phone unlocked.

“I can be on the next plane to you.” She spoke up. Ghost felt the air in his lungs leave. She was leaving? Just like that, Gabby was going to hop into the next plane and go halfway around the world without a second thought? He tried to push his emotions down, keeping his eyes steady and almost bored. He couldn't let her see how this was tearing him up inside.

“Negative.” John's voice pulled him from his thoughts, making his gaze drop back to the phone in his hand. “You are exactly where I need you to be. But I need you to get to a laptop and hack into the server link I'm sending you on an encrypted email. We found something that links the Cartel to Hassan, but we need it hacked. And with Gaz and I going after Kate, you're the only one at the moment that has what is needed to get the job done.”

Ghost let out a silent breath that he had been holding, feeling his mind reeling with thoughts over the fact she was so quick to suggest leaving Las Almas. He hated that this woman made his mind feel weak, that she made him push back against the tall brick walls he had built around his heart, trying to keep them in place as one after another slowly broke and crumbled at his feet. Something cold crawled through his veins, making his heart pound at the thought.

Ghost - no Simon - was falling for the woman sitting only a few inches away and breaking through the years and years of hard work and layers of brick around his heart in a matter of weeks. Simon was slipping out piece by tantalizing microscopic small piece and letting himself fall for something that could only end in heartbreak. Right? It's what he had to tell his inner self, the one he specifically built the walls around while Ghost became his protector, as he shoved brick after brick back into place around his heart, trying as hard as he could to seal it shut, but small hairline cracks still shed light into the dark dungeon Simon had been shoved down into.

“I have a thumb drive with a backup hacking software that my laptop lacks that will make sure I'm not tracked down but also find out as much as we need.” Gabby's voice broke him from the war of thoughts that surged through his mind like a storm hitting the coast at full speed. He saw her shoot him a look, as though she needed to explain something to him. “I couldn't use the thumb drive back in England because Price has his laptop well protected. My software encryption wouldn't have been able to crack his server with the type of passkey he had uploaded.”

Ghost simply nodded his head, not really carrying as to why she had needed him back in Price's office nights ago, to log into the computer software for her so she could finish running her downloads and files. Sure he has come across like it was a bother but that was the point. The less approachable he looked the less people would get around his personal space.

“Good, Gaz and I are going to lock this down with Kate, you need to find out what they were hiding.” Price said before the line went dead, the screen of Ghost’s phone lit up for a moment as the screen showed the call had ended. He pocketed the phone back into his jeans, keeping his movements slow and purposeful, his eyes blank as he tried to push aside every feeling that raged through his mind to focus on this task at hand. He watched Gabby take a shaken breath, red rimming her eyes as tear stains still lined her cheeks despite her trying to wipe them away.

She wouldn't meet his eyes, not that he blamed her. But he didn't speak, not knowing what to say really. He had never been put in this situation before. Sure Ghost had one night stands, quick hookups were the woman didn't care that the mask didn't come off, a quick fuck was a quick fuck regardless of what was still being worn. He found women attractive, sure, but he never desired for anything more than to release his stress or just to feel something for a long moment before he shut down again and went back to war.

But he hadn't lied to her when he told her that he told her that he hadn't stopped thinking about how good she looked back in Al Mazrah, he wasn't a fool to see how well toned her body had been, how the confidence rolled off her shoulders, how the muscles in her exposed legs flexed and stretched with each move. But what he didn't tell her was his heart had jumped, the cracks forming in his brick walls the second he watched her jump off that truck with Soap. The way the floodlights made her hair glow bluish black under their shine, the way her gear clinged to her like a second skin, the way she talked to and checked on each soldier that jumped from the truck bed. How he only half heard Soap talking to him, how he had physically keep himself from groaning with the general in his earpiece. The second his eyes had landed on her, her eyes, the shape of her lips, the smooth tan skin of her face, the long shining braid down her back, his heart had falling and his soul begged to be seen, not as Ghost but as the broken, pleading, wishful man that hid underneath all the blood, pain and steeled mask that kept Simon protected behind it.

“Let's get the gear.” Her voice, cracked from the tears, broke through the thoughts. His eyes met hers, the brown dull and red, “They won't move with the rain. Won't risk the tracks in the wet mud and sand.” She finished, reaching to grab the handle of the driver side door and pushed it open, stepping out into the rain that still came down in steady drum beats against the metal of the jeep's frame. A sigh slipped past his lips, the damp balaclava sticking to his skin. It didn't bother him at this point anymore, he had learned a long time ago how to breath through the wet fabric after swimming in it or being rained on. Now it was second nature.

But the feeling of the night air hitting his lips, the skin of his neck as heat pushed through his body when he had Gabby pinned beneath him, it was a feeling he didn't realize he craved. Ghost had long stopped showing any skin but his hands and parts of his arms outside of his bedroom walls. Even on missions, if he didn't have a private room where he could lock the doors, placing a chair under the handle, did he take his mask off outside of the four walls of his barrack room walls.

Rain softly pelted against his clothes as he made his way towards the tent, watching Gabby grab the gear from inside and move it towards the jeep by the armful. He began to take down the tent once she had all the gear from the inside out of the tent, and was putting it in the back of the jeep. He made quick work of it, the slightly chilled rain soaking into his hoodie and balaclava, the fabric starting to stick to his skin. As quickly as he could, Ghost rolled the tent up and shoved it into its bag, before tossing it into the trunk of the jeep. Once he shut the hatch he made his way to the passenger door and climbed in just as Gabby was making her way into the jeep. The both slammed their doors shut, before the engine roared to life. Ghost leaned his elbow onto the door, resting his head against his hand as the tiredness started to sleep into his chilled bones. It was the middle of the night and the events of the evenings weighed on him.

He knew he needed to say something, to sweep what had happened in that tent under a rug and leave it there to be forgotten. He knew he needed to switch back into leader mode, act like nothing happened or bothered him and show her he would still be a teammate despite what had happened between them. He knew that was the logical choice.

Yet the taste of her lips still lingered on his tongue. The smell of her body wash still filled his nose. The softness of her skin under the pads of his fingers still sends a chill down his spine. Ghost bit back a groan. He wanted what they had shared, that stolen moment that shouldn't have happened, words that shouldn't have been spoken, feelings that shouldn't have been felt. He wanted that small moment to last just a second more, to feel human again for a fraction longer. But his mind won over his heart and he knew he needed to push that line of thinking aside. If they wanted to complete this mission and work together as a team he needed to build his walls up higher, make them thicker. He needed to be Ghost first and foremost. There was no room for stolen wants and yarning needs.

Gabby tapping her fingers against the steering wheel pulled his attention from his thoughts. His eyes watched as she made small tapping patterns, a nervous tick as her jaw was set hard, her teeth biting into her kiss swollen lower lip. He could tell that her own mind was at war as well. He knew if he put this to rest first, it would end both their suffering.

“What happened back there,” His voice sounded rougher, deeper. Like he needed a drink of water as he spoke. He watched her hands grip the wheel with an iron clad hold, her eyes growing wide at the sound of his voice, “It was a momentary lapse in judgment. We both needed to blow off some steam, we both had a craving that needed to be filled. What's done is done, but now we focus on the mission. Now we move on from it.” There he said it. Maybe more for himself than her, but he said it. He couldn't afford to let his heart open to someone else. John and Soap were bad enough working their way into his life and taking hold. Even Gaz and Kate found small parts to grasp onto. They knew more about him then he cared for them too. He cared for them more than he'd ever liked to. He couldn't afford to let Gabby become anything more than a teammate, than a member of the 141. He couldn't let it become more….. well more. Soap pushed his way in, kept pushing against his walls but Ghost held fast, not letting the Scott break them down, seeing more than Ghost was willing to show. Yet Gabby only had to look his ways and his walls begin to fall as if they were the walls of Jericho. And he couldn't let that happen. He couldn't have something else close enough to hurt when it was taken away from him.

He watched as her eyes remained wide, the grip of her hands on the wheel so hard her knuckles were white. Her breathing was shallow, as if she was holding her breath so he couldn't see the war raging inside. Slowly she nodded her head, keeping her eyes on the road as she drove them back to base.

“Right, of course. I agree with you.” Was all she said in a clipped and cold tone, the warmth that was normally there gone. Her eyes held a dull look, the brown no longer deep pools of liquid chocolate, but dull like dry dirt. Lifeless.

Ghost tore his gaze away, looking out the side window at the rainy, stormy night sky. How fitting that the star covered canva sky that seemed to shine and glow turned into a oil spill filed with flashes of sparked fire and distant rumbles. The storm filled the mood of the jeep like a damp, uncomfortable blanket that's only purpose was to smother them till the air in their lungs was no longer there.

The ride back to base was silent. Cold even. There was no lingering warmth, no stolen glances, or even attempts at small talk or snarky jokes. The air around them turned to ice even as flashes of lightning filled the sky. Ghost remained silent as Gabby pulled up to the officers barracks, turning the jeep off with a silent click of the key. They say there for a second, the cold quiet wrapping around them as the rain continued to drum a steady pattern on the jeep. Ghost lifted his head as he noticed her shift from the corner of his eye.

“Get a bit of sleep, then take on that project for Price. You're no good if you're not fully rested.” He told her softly. Not waiting to hear a reply he pushed open his door and stepped out of the jeep, letting it close with a soft click. Taking the few steps to the front door of the barracks he pushed it open, shaking off the drops of water that clung to his clothes. Toeing off his boots he made his way towards the stairs, hearing Gabby coming in behind him. Once he reached the top of the stairs he made his way to his temporary room and shut the door quietly behind him, letting his back hit the door with a soft thunk. Pulling off the wet fabric of his mask, tossing it onto the desk. He ran a hand through his slightly shaggy hair, trying to get the tousled locks to dry. He pulled the black hoodie off his body, grimacing slightly at the feel of the wet fabric sliding off the skin of his arms.

He had just sat down on his bed to undo his boots when his phone started to vibrate in his pocket. Tossing his gloves into the floor, he reached into his pocket and grabbed the phone. Looking down at it his eyebrows shot up into his hair.

“How did she know?” He muttered softly before swiping to take the call. “Hello?” He answered.

“Simon, I know you are on a mission but is everything alright?” A sweet older female voice spoke on the other end of the line. Ghost felt himself relax slightly at the sound.

“Hi Diana.” He spoke softly, his ruff voice still dry and his lips still swollen from the kisses. “How do you always know?” He simply asked, running his free thumb over his knee in a back and forth pattern.

A soft click of a tongue could be heard through the phone. “Because I get this feeling in my heart from the Holy Spirit that one of my boys is hurting and needs some words of encouragement. And you, Dear Simon, are in my heart.” Diana Nutt, a wonderful older woman that lives in the same apartment building as John, had practically adopted the 141 as her sons after spending some time with John and learning he was a soldier. She became their dun mother, offering words of wisdom and prayers for safety. She was a retired hospice nurse and was good with reading people and being patient with them. It's why the 141 took so well to her being in their lives, she helped them find a sense of peace.

“I screwed up Diana. I'm not the type of man that's meant for love. Or anything soft. I have too much red staining my hands and yet the second she walked into my life…. My walls begin to crack.” His voice was so soft, raw, gone was Ghost and in his place was Simon speaking. Softer, warmer, less thick gravel and now more like a smooth worn stone path that whiskey flowed over. He dropped his head into his hand, his elbow on his knee as he held his phone to his ear in the other hand.

“Who is she?”

“Gabrielle Knocks. Gabby. The newest member of the team. We barely had time in England to adjust before we got sent halfway across the world. To her childhood home nonetheless.” A sigh slipped through his teeth as he closed his eyes. “I…. Well…. I kissed her, Diana. I slipped and let myself out of the cage and…. She wasn't ready. She was hurt before, a deep hurt and she wasn't ready. She deserves someone better than the monster I am anyways.”

A humorless chuckle sounded, making his eyes snap open. “Dear boy. You think you are so broken. So less then, that you don't deserve nice things. It's like I keep telling John, just because you have seen and done things that no one else could… you aren't a monster for protecting those around you.”

“But I-”

“No, no, I'm not done.” She cut him off, making his mouth snap shut. Ghost knew better than to argue with Diana. “Simon, God doesn't want you to suffer, and you may scuff at that but not I'm telling you, you are worthy of love. And if this woman makes you feel like the world has stopped spinning, then you found something special. So maybe she's not over a past that happened, let her work on her own heart, but Simon, don't give up on something good.”

Her words hit him in the gut like a punch. How did she believe it? How did she believe that man whose face she never saw outside of a surgical mask, was worthy of what she was saying? How did she know that the blood staining his hands didn't make him a monster?

“Simon, God has a plan. He knows your purpose. And he knows your pains. Let him heal you, and let him lead you to something good.”

Taking a deep breath, Simon hung his head and bit his lower lip to keep tears at bay. “Thank you. For calling. Ever since my mother…. Just thank you for calling.” He hoped that it was enough, that she could read between the lines and hear how grateful he was that she stepped up and became their supporter.

“Of course dear boy. Now, it's probably late there, but I know from what John has told me you don't sleep much. That's why I called. I'm hoping you can at least find enough peace to rest your body.” Diana said, her voice so soothing and calm. “Sleep well Simon, and hopefully things find their way with this Gabby.”

“Night Diana. Thanks again.” He softly pulled the phone away from his ear and ended the call, falling backwards onto the mattress letting his body bounce softly. Her words were heavy in his heart. He wanted to believe her, but all the pain of his past made him doubt it was true. Closing his eyes he sent out a silent prayer, something he barely ever did anymore, but he hoped that God was listening and would help things smooth over between him and Gabby enough that they could work together. If nothing more then that happened, then that was enough.

At least that's what he was telling himself.

Chapter Text

“What happened back there, It was a momentary lapse in judgment. We both needed to blow off some steam, we both had a craving that needed to be filled. What's done is done, but now we focus on the mission. Now we move on from it.”

His words echoed in her mind as she dragged herself from the jeep through the cold rain into the officers barracks. Was that really all it was? Sure her mind had slipped and she cried out the wrong name, but did he really not mean everything he had said to her as his tongue and lips carved a path over her body, branding his mark into her skin for only her to see and feel?

With a heavy sigh Gabby toed off her boots, pushing them to sit next to Ghost’s by the door and walked into the kitchen to grab something to drink. Her throat was sore and her eyes dry and gritty from crying. Two years. That's how long it has been since she felt the lips of a man on her skin. Since her lips were red and puffy from hard, hungry kisses. Since hands traced her skin like she was made of fine silk. Two years and her body craved the attention it got tonight, only for her mind to slip and say something stupid.

Grabbing the homemade tea out of the fridge she poured some into a glass and then eyed the cupboards above the sink. Alejandro was known to hide cookies or candies up there, in a small area of the back cupboard where most people didn't even put cups or plates. Gabby wasn't short by any means as a woman at 5 '9, but Alejandro was 6 foot tall and used a stool to push his hidden goods to the far back of the cupboard. She knew she couldn't reach the cookies without a chair. So she grabbed one of the chairs at the small table and carried it over to the sink, sitting down in front of it. Stepping onto the wooden chair, she came face to face with the cupboard door.

Did she really care that it was well after midnight and she was planning to eat a whole sleeve of cookies instead of actually working out her feelings? Nope. Not in the slightest.

Pulling open the cupboard door she reached her hand into the back, behind a stack of old, dusty, faded cups that Alejandro used to hide his stuff. The only reason she knew it was there was because four years ago when she was visiting she came down in the middle of the night and heard movement. She found Alejandro on a chair, pulling out a pack of cookies from the back of the cupboard no one used. Ever since then, she would steal a cookie or two when she was on base, knowing he always bought the good kind and the good brands.

Her hands made contact with the plastic sleeve of cookies in a Ziploc baggie and she pulled them forward to the edge of the cupboard. The chocolate covered cookies came into view, and she popped open the baggie to pull out a plastic sleeve of the cookies from the baggie and sat them down on the countertop below before shoving the rest of the cookies back into their hiding spot. Stepping down from the chair she grabbed the cookies and walked towards the living room and headed up to her room to grab her laptop and thumb drive. No way was she going to be able to sleep after all that. There was too much running through her mind. The cookies in their small plastic pack was held in one hand by her hip, as she moved like a shadow up the stairs and down the hall to her room.

Fuck sleep. It wasn't going to happen. Her mind and body was too wound tight to even consider sleeping. So instead she would take her laptop downstairs, and work on whatever it was that Price sent her. She would drown her feelings in chocolate cookies and coffee - and if a splash of tequila ended up in there, then so be it.

Her mind was racing, working though everything that was said, everything that happened, every touch that passed between them. Did he truly believe that she had been Rodolfo’s…. What? Partner? Lover? Girlfriend? Wife? Did he really think that's what he saw when Rudy offered his jacket or stood with her or hugged her? Ghost couldn't see the love of an uncle who has a hand in raising her from a young age? She blew out a frustrated breathe as she grabbed her laptop from her bag, before grabbing a pair of shorts and a clean tank top to throw in and rid herself of her damp clothes.

Once she was in clean comfortable clothes she grabbed her laptop and the cookies off her bed and made her way downstairs. She kept the lights off, only the soft glow of the kitchen light she left on lighting up the living area. Setting up a spot on the sofa, she went back into the kitchen to make herself coffee.

As she put the coffee grounds into the marker, she felt a shiver roll down her spine. She could still feel his lips on hers, how hungry they had been. How his teeth nipped lightly, how strong yet soft he felt. His body pulled flush to hers, the hard lines of muscle tense and strong under her fingers. His hands in her hair, tugging slightly to kiss her deeper. The deep throaty moan pulling from his chest, his hands and tongue tracing each letter of her tattoo.

“I've wanted to trace this with my tongue since the moment I laid eyes on it.” isn't that what he has said, before his hands and lips mapped the plains of her skin? Did he truly only say it in the heat of the moment, willing to forget that it even happened moments later? Or did he mean it and got scared, like she did?

“I hate men.” She grumbled, grabbing a mug from the cupboard to fill with coffee- and tequila. Filling her cup up with warm liquid she made her way back to the sofa and folded her legs underneath her as she leaned back against the soft cushions. Sitting her mug down on the side table she grabbed her laptop and powered it up. Grabbing the thumb drive from her shorts pocket she pushed it into the slot on the side of her laptop and typed in her password to enter the home screen. Once she was in her laptop she booted up the backup encryption from the thumb drive and opened the tab to upload the extra software.

Clicking her browser, she made sure the software was fully loaded before going to her emails to find the one Price had sent her. She clicked on the email and found the link he had sent her. Opening up a second window she programmed her thumb drive software encryption, running it in the background. She programmed it to run for keywords like “El Sin Nombre” “Al-Qatala” and “ballistic missiles”. Once she had that programmed she moved back to the first screen and clicked on the email. She was taken to a server that her encryption cracked into within seconds. She began to type in some codes, making flies pop up at the bottom of her screen. Her backdoor encryption she has programmed for keywords began to run.

While her thumb drive sorted through the data, she began to look through the folders, trying to find anything that was linked to Las Almas. She took a cookie and pooped it into her mouth, chewing slowly as she dug through a folder. Arabic writing filled her screen, a language she was good at but not enough to sort through it fast enough to find what was needed to possibly save Laswell. Pulling up a third screen she set a program to translate all folders to English. Once she got that running she went back to the first page and kept digging.

Taking another cookie from the baggie she watched as folder after folder popped up on her screen, her eyes flicking back and forth between them trying to find anything that stood out. Reaching for her mug without looking she took a long sip of the warm liquid as the cup touched her lips. Whoever designed these folders was smart. They kept things so organized yet so hard to just find what was needed unless you knew where to look.

“What's this?” She muttered around another cookie as she moved her face down towards the screen. There was an email attached into a file, but it was in some kind of code. Her brows drew together, her tongue poking out to lick at the chocolate on lip. Before she could even start to try and decode the email her laptop chimed, the screen at the bottom lighting up with a red flag. It found something.

Clicking on the tab her eyes darted to the marked part of the page. Her eyes went wide as she looked at the page on her screen. This wasn't just ballistic missiles and their blueprints, this was biochem weapons. Her heart stopped. The last time she dealt with biochem weapons was 2 years ago. The writing on the blueprint was even in German. All the air in her lungs expelled from her body.

Her eyes snapped back to the other screen where the email was. She clicked on it and watched as the words filled the screen. Clicking onto the email she found that they had swiped the email addresses out, using a third party backdoor encryption, putting in codenames in their places.

The Nameless: *You were supposed to be here two days ago. Do you have the next shopping order?*

The Major: *I ran into complications. Some American military found my base that you said was safe. It's not safe to meet at the safe houses, they are raiding all of them.”

The Nameless: *Then find a way. I am doing this as a favor to an old friend. The Cartel doesn't need AQ to win Las Almas from the Los Vaqueros. Remember that.*

The Major: *And you will do well to remember you need my supplies as much as I need them moved. Plus he still has a shipment to come through. Find a way for us to meet and the blueprints along with the shipping order is yours.*

The Nameless: *Two nights from now I'm hosting a masked party for all my…. Investors and interest at my mansion in the backlands of Las Almas. Send them then.*

Gabby sucked in a breath. El Sin Nombre just gave them their next target. The large gated mansion in the backlands of Las Almas was known to be cartel run. But most believed it was by the Sicario of El Sin Nombre. Most times the place remained quiet, not a lot of movement in or out. But also being out of the city, and on the other side of the city from the Los Vaqueros base, it went unnoticed more than not. Safe houses scattered throughout the city, among the people were checked more. The houses or small shed-like builds at best, out in the desert and in the mountains didn't get as much attention since the Los Vaqueros were doing all they could to help the city. They didn't have the manpower to check more than the city limits.

And to make it worse, AQ was planning to supply weapons to the Narcos to help them take over Las Almas. Her eyes darted back to the blueprints that were on a small section on her screen. Her stomach churned. It has to just be a coincidence. There were hundreds of not thousands of scientists that came out of Germany. They were known for having smart minded people. It didn't mean it was him. It has to mean it wasn't him.

Her heart was pounding in her chest, flashes of memories filling her mind like a haunting movie. Pain ripped through her chest making her reach up to rub over her heart. Slamming the laptop shut, Gabby pushed it aside, her coffee now long forgotten. Sitting up so her feet hit the floor she rested her elbows on her knees and placed her face into her hands.

Flashes of Germany raced through her mind, the hotel, the fire, the screams. Her skin felt clammy as her body shook from the unwanted memories. Gabby looked down at the scar on her left arm, the long jagged pink skin that marked her like a brand from that day. Her fingers traced the slightly raised skin, her hands trembling. A tear slipped from her eye, landing on the scar.

Standing up she grabbed a jacket, more than likely Alejandro’s, and slipped it on, not caring that it wasn't even her own. She pulled on her boots, and stepped out into the early morning. The door of the barracks shut softly behind her, the damp chilly air hitting her as she looked over the still dark sky and courtyard. It was still the wee hours of the morning, the sun barley making itself known over the tall mountains in the distance. The sky was still a canvas of dark navy and swirled black. Stars still shined like handfuls of glitter as the faintest shades of purple began to mix into the watercolor night.

The scent of rain still clung to the air, the storm clouds rolling off in the difference as the slightly rolling of thunder rumbled. The earthy smell of wet soil and rainwater was a comfort, a hint of desert blooms mixed in. The guards at the main gate were the only souls away on the base this early. But Gabby paid them no mind. Moving as silently as a phantom, moving like she was part of the night air itself, she made her way across the base slowly. Pulling the jacket a bit tighter around her body, the longer sleeves and length offering her a bit more warmth.

She moved down the hard dirt path, her eyes having learned long ago to adjust quickly to the dark. She passed barracks and the mess Hall, an indoor shooting range and a gym. More officers barracks and storage units. Her feet moved so silently that she moved without a sound. The cooled, rain scented air filled her lungs but did nothing to chill the flames in her mind, running through her veins. The embarrassment of moaning another man's name while Ghost had his teeth to her skin still burned through her. Adding in the memories from two years ago to that horrible night only added to the shame that twisted through her gut like a hot knife. Was this what her life was destined to be, haunting memories of Marsh’s jaded eyes and honeycomb laugh. Fear of fire that burns and consumes all in its path. The want and need that burned through her yet fell short by her own undoing?

A shattered sigh slipped from Gabby's lips as she made her way to the large building towards the end of the base. The large double arch doors and tall bay windows with draped curtains seen through them loomed in the dark dawn. The banquet hall was a place that used to be filled with childhood memories. The Mexican Army would host their winter formals and Military balls within its walls. It had been a few years since Gabby had been able to attend any of these, but as a child, they would come to each one where her mother would sing and play. Listening to her mother's bright tone fill the large hall, the sound of the music floating on the air as soldiers and their parents danced and laughed.

As a small child she used to hide under the piano as her mother played, then as she grew older she began to join her, learning to play as she did. It had been years since her mother last walked into these halls, years since Gabby last spoke to her. Her mother craved fame beyond the halls of the compound, to larger and richer crowds. But the memories of the good times, of her mother's singing voice still floated through the hall as she pushed open one of the doors to step inside of the dark building. Gabby didn't bother to turn on any lights, the faintest barely there glow of the sunrise filtered in through the large bay windows, its golden glow hitting the grand piano.

Taking a deep breath she moved farther into the large space, the echoes of the past dancing around her. She could see each bend and swirl, dip and sway of the dancers that moved across the large oak floor. She has once been part of the dancing and laughing, the war stories shared. The last ball she had come to had been with Marsh, only months before he was killed. After that she stopped coming.

Her heart twisted as she reached the grand piano, her fingers trailing over the smooth dark oak wood. The last time she sat here her heart had been shattered to a million pieces. Her world had been burned to the ground. It was the last time she played anything.

She looked around the large room, the corners in a blanket of shadows, the drapes dark, almost too dark to see against the walls. The gold dipped chandeliers still hung from the ceiling, but no light came from their crystals. Gabby remembered that last dance in this room, the deep emerald dress she had worn with her hair loose in curls. The way the light catched on his navy blue dress uniform and dark brown hair.

The memory pulled a sad smile from her, before her knees hit the back of the small dark oak bench and she sat down. Something brushed against her leg as she did, making her move herself to the side and feel along the edge of the bench. Her fingers grazed something papery, so she stood up slightly and lifted the bench seat. There, tucked into the old wood was a leather bound book with paper sticking out of it.

Her song book.

Gabby gripped the smooth worn leather and pulled it from the bench before sitting back down. The last time she had been here she was grieving, her heart torn from her chest. The crumpled paper shoved into the book was the last thing she had worked on in two years. Placing the papers and the book on the smallholder on the piano, she sat herself forward and placed her fingers on the ivory keys. Softly, soulfully, she began to play.

“Yellin' at the sky, screamin' at the world
Baby, why'd you go away, I'm still your girl?
Holdin' on too tight, head up in the clouds
Heaven only knows where you are now
How do I love?
How do I love again?
How do I trust?
How do I trust again?”

Tears slowly began to spill down her cheeks, as the words poured from her lips.

“I stay up all night, tell myself I'm alright
Baby, you're just harder to see than most
I put the record on, wait 'til I hear our song
Every night, I'm dancing with your ghost
Every night, I'm dancing with your ghost.”

The room around her began to fill with the faint glow of gold, the air buzzing with a life it hadn't felt in years. The echo of her voice off the walls, the hum of the piano taking a breath as she played on.

“Never got the chance
To say a last goodbye
I gotta move on
But it hurts to try
How do I love?
How do I love again?
How do I trust?
How do I trust again?
I stay up all night, tell myself I'm alright
Baby, you're just harder to see than most
I put the record on, wait 'til I hear our song
Every night, I'm dancing with your ghost
Every night, I'm dancing with your ghost.”

Tears flowed more freely down her red cheeks, her heart laying out open and raw. Shadows seemed to dance to her melody, their sway and dip with each note from the keys, from each breath that fell from her shaken lips. The first rays of golden sunlight catched on the crystals overhead, making the room shimmer in dusty glitter. With her eyes closed, her fingers passing over the smooth keys she poured her heart into the song, her soul begged for relief from the pain, from the haunting memories and shadows that followed her, not letting her past slip away to nothing more than a sliver of who she has been. The song that tore through her wasn't just a love song, but a plea, asking how to become more than what was.

“How do I love?
How do I love again?
How do I trust?
How do I trust again?
I stay up all night, tell myself I'm alright
Baby, you're just harder to see than most
I put the record on, wait 'til I hear our song
Every night, I'm dancing with your ghost
Every night, I'm dancing with your ghost
Every night, I'm dancing with your ghost.”

The last note echoed like a phantom calling from the depths of the darkness. Her head fell forward, choked sobs ripping through her body like tide waves, shaking her body with each broken gasp of air. The song was a goodbye, but also a prayer to never forget. Looking up, Gabby felt the wet stains on her tan skin, the heat in her face and the chills through her muscles. For the briefest second, in the farthest corner of the large room, she swore she saw a ripple of light in the dark corner, like the glittered dust floating in the air took a shape and the air around her chilled and danced slightly in the golden glow. The ripple of light took a step forward, before disappearing into the morning, making her breath catch in her throat. A sad smile pulled at her lips and she let her head tip backwards, looking up at the whitewashed ceiling.

“Goodbye.”

Chapter Text

It was well past 1 in the afternoon when she finally woke up. No nightmares filled her sleep, no burning pain filled her heart. Her mind felt peaceful for the first time in two years. Letting her eyes adjust to the sunlight streaming through the cracks in her curtains, Gabby stretched her arms over her head, letting her muscles feel the delicious burn. The air felt warm around her yet not unbearable, her blanket long kicked off and the shirt she had on and riden up her back in her sleep. And a deep sleep it has been. Each joint cracked and popped back into place as she moved, her feet hitting the floor.

Getting up she gathered her long dark locks into her hand and pulled it onto her head, securing the messy bun with a hair tie. Her dog tags laid in the outside of her shirt, clicking softly as she moved about. The bruises in her legs now were more yellow and green then black and blue. The pain was just a slight ache now and again instead of a constant pressure under the skin. She didn't care she was still in her shorts and the shirt she changed into last night, she felt lighter then she had in two years and she wasn't going to waste it. Pulling on her black sneakers she made her way to her bedroom door and opened it. The scent of food hit her as soon as the door opened, drifting up the stairs. Tacos. Rudy and Hudson were making tacos.

A smile pulled at Gabby’s lips as she made her way down the staircase. When she had come back to the officers barracks just a little after sunrise the other teams hadn't gotten back yet so she knew most everyone had just taken up not long before she did. Her feet hit the last step and she saw Soap talking to Graves and Alejandro while Hudson and Rudy filled the kitchen. Ghost stood off to the side of the sofa, leaning against the open window looking out over the base. Her heart did a weird beat, watching his fingers flex around his arm. His very thick arm. Arms that had held her, fingers that had traced her skin. Her own fingers remembered the feel of the miles of thick hard muscle that led under that shirt. She could still taste his lips, like whiskey, and smoke and mint all in one. The feel of his pump lower lip between her teeth. The sound of his groans and whispered praises against her skin.

Her breath caught in her throat when his eyes met hers. The stormy hazel met her own warmed brown. His eyes were so different then she'd seen before. Not truly blue, yet not brown, like blue and green and gold swirled together to make the most intricate color possible. They held so much behind them, like a floor gate pushing at its seams yet still holding. A story to be told but left unspoken. The eyes of a soldier, a killer, a shadow. A man.

It was the man hiding behind those complex irises that she wanted to know. Yet her own guilt and embarrassment kept her at arm's length. Because a soldier like herself very rarely ever got to experience love and got to keep it. She broke eye contact and let her hand fall from the railing of the stairs, moving silently towards the kitchen, the sound of Rudy and Hudson chuckling was like a balm to the soul.

“Smells heavenly in here.” Gabby chimed into the conversation, walking over to her brother and ruffling his hair. He may have 4 inches on her 5 '9 frame but he was still her little brother and she wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to remind him. Hudson smacked her hand in his hair, trying to sidestep his sister who just chuckled. Rudy smiled and leaned forward, placing a kiss to her cheek before handing her some shredded cheese to mix in a bowl. Sitting down on the bar stool at the side of the kitchen island, she began to mix the freshly grated cheeses.

“What time did you guys get back?” She asked them as she watched Rudy stir the beef taco mix on the stove. The smell of spices and sauces filled the air making her stomach rumble with hunger. She licked her lips at the thought of the warm tacos hitting her taste buds.

“Mmmm I believe Graves and I got back around 6am.” Rudy answered, keeping his eyes on the stove. Hudson nodded from where he was prepping the taco shells.

“Yeah, it was around the same time for Soap and I.” He looked up at his sister and cocked his head. “What about you and Ghost?”

Gabby kept her gaze fixed on the bowl of cheese. She could feel the heat creeping up her neck just thinking about the night before. “I don't know, around 1am or something like that. Price has called, needed some stuff hacked. So we came back earlier.” She told them without looking up. A mug of coffee was sat down next to the bowl and she smiled, knowing Hudson had made her a cup. “Gracias Hermano.”

Hudson patted her shoulder and gave it a squeeze before making his way out of the kitchen. Gabby looked up and watched as he found a spot next to Johnny, the two acting as though they were long lost friends. Rudy glanced over at Gabby and then out towards the living room area. “It's nice to see everyone relaxed, even for a brief moment.” He said softly as he kept stirring the taco meat.

“I can't tell if Ghost is actually relaxed though.” Gabby answered, looking up at Rudy, “I'm not sure he knows how.” She snickered lightly as he began to chuckle.

“Si, Parece un hombre que ha visto demasiado. Ha perdido la chispa en sus ojos.” (yes, he seems like a man who has seen too much. Lost the spark behind his eyes.” Answered Rudy, glancing back down at the meat. “Muy parecido al tuyo hace dos años.” (Much like yours had two years ago).

Gabby placed a dish towel over the bowl of mixed cheese to keep it fresh and leaned her elbow onto the countertop. She watched Rudy as he moved about the kitchen, his calm demeanor soothing her mind. “He recorrido un largo camino, tío. Algunos días siguen siendo difíciles. Aún lucho contra los fantasmas de mi mente de vez en cuando.” (I have come a long way, Uncle. Some days are still hard. I still fight the phantoms in my mind now and again).

Rudy gave her a look before turning off the meat mix and walked over to her. She looked up into his ember eyes and he pulled her close, resting her head in his chest. He cradled her head there, his hand running up and down her back in a slow soothing motion. Gabby closed her eyes and breathed in his mint and pine smell. She let her mind shut down for a second, enjoying being with family for the first time in over a year. She needed this. After a moment Rudy pulled away and looked down at her and smiled softly.

“Come now. You're brother can't stuff a taco to save his life and it's just too sad to watch.”

This got Gabby to laugh, a true clear laugh that carried through the house. Rudy joined in and shook his head, pushing the plate of taco shells towards her as she kept chuckling.

Meanwhile out in the living area Hudson and Soap were talking about the type of rifles they liked to use when they heard Gabby and Rudy laughing. Hudson stopped and looked towards the kitchen with a soft expression on his face. “You good Hermano?” Johnny asked, looking towards the kitchen as well.

“Yeah I'm good. It's nice to hear her laugh like that.” Hudson answered, a slight ping of something like sorrow in his tone. Johnny cocked an eyebrow and looked back at Hudson.

“Is this about her nightmares?”

“She's been getting those again?” Hudson answered the question with a question. Johnny leaned back against the sofa and ran a hand over the back of his neck. He nodded his head, casting a glance over his shoulder at Ghost who was now looking at them.

“Aye, both Ghost and I heard her a few times before coming here. After a mission we went on, she started to get them.”

Hudson swore under his breath and looked down at his boots as he ran his hand up and down his knee in a nervous tell. “I wish she would tell me about her nightmares.”

Ghost stepped forward but said nothing. Johnny raised an eyebrow in question but Ghost just shook his head softly. Johnny let out a deep sigh leaned forward. “It has something to do with her old partner.” He offered it to Hudson. The younger man glanced back at the kitchen as Gabby laughed again at a joke Rudy told her, Alejandro now joining them and laughing right along.

“She's been hurt. More than she lets on. I only met Marsh a few times, but he was good to her. Long story short their mission went south and she lost him. He was just more than a guy she teamed up with for missions, he became her partner in life. His death… it changed my sister. She stopped calling, texting as much. Stopping coming around. The last few months have been better but that first year after he died-” Hudson cut off, his hand gripping his knee hard as he swallowed the lump in his throat. “- She just cut everyone off. It's only been the last year or less that she's been trying to reach back out. I don't know what happened that night, but I know some of my sister died alongside him and hearing her laugh like that, like before his death, it does something to my heart.”

Hudson looked over at Soap and Ghost who was now standing behind Johnny watching Gabby in the kitchen. He smiled at them, something soft in his eyes. “I'm grateful she has you.” This got the two other men to look at Hudson. “To have a team. She needs people to lean on, when she can't be with family or friends.” He added before standing up, making his way towards the kitchen, watching his sister laugh at Alejandro who grabbed some of the cheese from the bowl and shoved it into his mouth.

Rudy whacked the Colonel on the back of the head with a pot holder and Gabby laughed. She smiled up at her brother and threw some cheese at him yelling “Catch Cheddar Cheese!” He opened his mouth and caught most of the flying cheese, laughing around the food in his mouth as he ran a hand over his lips to push in the pieces that stick to his mouth. Gabby laughed before filling her taco shells with meat, topings, cheeses and sour cream. It was a hardy meal, one that tasted of home, of childhood. The reason she did what she did. Protect and Serve. But it was more than that. It wasn't just about patriotism or the need to be a hero. It was a need to do what was right, even then the world told you to look the other way. It was the need to give children this type of comfort, a place to eat warm food and be around people they loved without fear of the cartel or soldiers bursting through their doors. This one simple meal reminded her why she started her military journey in the first place: to no longer be the scared kid waiting for the other shoe to drop, but to find the peace she wanted and grasp it with both hands.

And God only knows if one day Gabby would find the courage to settle down and have children. To give into that nature that she shut off the day Marsh burned and met his grave. She wanted a better life for children, one that didn't have monsters under the bed because soldiers came knocking at the door, or wondering what they had done wrong to have a parent look at them like they were less than. She wanted to give them a scene of peace, one she grew up now always knowing until she learned who she could rely on. This line of thought made her steal a glance towards the doorway where Ghost lingered against the doorframe. His large body filled the space, his arms crossed over his chest but he seemed relaxed, his hip cocked to the side, his weight leaning against the wood. His eyes tracked the movement around the large kitchen, the small lines around his eyes a hint of him possibly smiling under the mask as Soap told a God-awful joke.

Had he been offering that kind of life, that kind of stability and natural desire when he kissed her? His lips had tasted like untold promises and unspoken dreams. They were peppered with danger and lust had something like longing. His hands and spoken of a man who knew how to be careful, caring and loving. Yet there had been a hint of undeniable possessiveness and control. Like a promise of something rough and heavy if she asked for it. Ghost was a storm, powerful and dangerous yet in control of itself. His dark clouds were rolling into her horizon, speaking of the danger and thrill that lay behind the darkness. He was the storm she didn't know if she could weather if the fallout was more than she bargained for. But oh how she craved to experience the wind, the lightning, the thrill of the thunder crashing over her.

Those hazeled blue eyes found her own and her breath caught in her throat. His eyes held the clouds of his storm, the lightning and rain, the thrill of danger and the promise of peace flashing across the complex color of his irises. She watched as he stood a bit taller in the doorway, his arms falling to his sides. The air became thick and heavy, pushing down on her lungs like a weight. She had wanted him, she felt her body come to life at his touch, and yet the small dark voice in the back of her mind screamed at her, telling her she lost her chance, that part of her died in the flames alongside her lover. Tearing her eyes away from him she looked back towards the group and found Soap looking at her, his eyebrow raised in a silent question. She barely shook her head, but she knew he saw it. Johnny cocked his head slightly and his eyes darted to Ghost, the crystal blue eyes watching the skull bone clad man for a few seconds before looking back at Gabby. She couldn't take it, the look in his too readable eyes.

“I found El Sin Nombre.” She blurted out. 6 pairs of eyes found her, each with a different expression in them. She mentally slapped her forehead, knowing there was a better way to deliver that news but her brain felt like it was on its last brain cell and not functioning as it should. “I mean I think I did. Or at least his most trusted Lieutenant.”

Alejandro stepped forward, his eyes locked onto hers. “Why didn't you say something as soon as you found this out?”

Gabby shrugged her shoulders and took a small bit of her taco. Chewing it for a beat and swallowing the warm meal, the burst of flavors on her tongue kept her mind steady. “I found it when half the team wasn't even here. And by the time the rest rolled up I was asleep. We can't act until tomorrow night anyways, so it was no point rushing to wake you.” She said in a calm time to try and get Alejandro to step back. Her eyes narrowed though, making her point clear. “It won't work on me to use that tone, Colonel.” Rudy placed a hand into his leader’s shoulder, squeezing it to ground him.

“Que haya encontrado algo es un milagro. Sé indulgente con ella, Alejandro.” (The fact she found anything is a miracle. Go easy on her Alejandro.)

Gabby nodded her head in an silent thanks before meeting the rest of the team's eyes, jumping over Ghost's as fast as she could. “Thanks to the info Price sent me to sort through, I was able to find out a meeting point. Whether it's El Sin Nombre himself or his trusted Lieutenant, they are going to be at the old mansion on the far end of the valley tomorrow night for a gathering. I'm not sure if Hassan will be there or not. But shipping records, bank statements, weapons manifests, it's all being given to El Sin Nombre to relocate and move.”

“So we have a location and possibly El Sin Nombre, his Lieutenant, and Hassan all in one place? The easy answer is to just level it to the ground and call it a night. But I'm guessing we need to take at least one alive to find the missing missile.” Graves piped up for the first time since they all made their way into the kitchen. Gabby gave him a look that clearly said “I hope you burn in hell” before bluntly ignoring him altogether.

“We’ll have to scope it out. See what we are up against. From what I remember as a kid, that place has a heavy stone and brick wall around it, plus the river to the south. It's not going to be an easy task to sneak up onto it with a whole convoy.”

Hudson talked around his bite of taco, agreeing with his sister. “Now the Cartel took over. When we were kids the place was abandoned, I think. The fortification around the compound could be different then we remember.”

“Good point. I can do some digging and get a full layout of the building in less than an hour.” Gabby took another bite of taco. Johnny threw her a bewildered look, his eyebrows up to his hairline.

“You can pull data of a building that quickly?”

Gabby rolled her eyes playfully and swallowed her food. “Mellizo, the two times I have hacked into anything for this mission and pulling some building layouts barely scratch the surface of what I can do. I'm a fully trained S.A.S: ‘Soldier, Assassin, Spy’” she held up her fingers and listed off the three meanings of her codeword, “The only person I know who can fully keep me from hacking into something or out hacking me is Kate Laswell. And that's because she trained me.”

The room just stared her down but she only shrugged, going back to her food. It made her smile to herself, knowing that they don't even know the full extent of her training. If who she really was. But they'd learn, over time.

“Good. It's a good plan.” Alejandro broke the silence, nodding his head before taking a bite of food. “Get what you can on that compound so we aren't going in blind, then we figure out how to get inside.”

The group then settled down to eat, shop talk set aside. The low hum of voices talking softly, a bark of laughter here and there filled the space. Despite the news, the team was relaxed and calm, enjoying the food in front of them. Gabby caught movement to her left, her eyes snapping to the side to catch it. Ghost. He was watching her, his eyes mostly unreadable, but she saw a flicker of something flash over them. He dipped his chin, in a barely there nod. One she returned. Once everyone was done eating Gabby walked over to wear she left her laptop in the living room, scooping it up and fucking it under her arm. She made her way towards the staircase when someone blocked her path. She kept the groan from escaping her lips, but the eyeroll she didn't hide.

“What do you want, Graves?” She asked, crossing her arms over her chest in annoyance. His too big grin filled his lips as he looked her up and down. For once she wished she had listened to Ghost and put on more clothes, like a regular T-shirt instead of a tank top and maybe some leggings or jeans instead of her soft shorts. The look in his eyes was anything but pleasant when his came back up to meet her own.

“How about a study buddy, Knocks?” His voice almost made her throw up. But she kept her body relaxed, not letting him see just how far under her skin he really was.

“What a wonderful idea!” She said in a sweet southern tone. His face lit up, his smile growing wider as he took a step towards her. “Hudson! Come help me look up stuff for the compound.” She flashed Graves a shit eating grin after yelling for her brother whose head popped from around the corner. She watched Graves’ face fall, a soar look taking over his features. “Thanks for the idea.” She chirped before walking around him, her brother in tow. They made their way to her room, Gabby shutting the door behind them with her foot. She sighed, letting her head think back against the wood door and closed her eyes.

“One day you're going to have to tell me why that man ruffles your feathers so much.” Hudson said, pointing a finger at her as he sat down on her bed, kicking off his shoes before getting more comfortable. Gabby shook her head, pushing off from the door to sit down with her brother.

“Add it to the list of shit I will one day have to tell you about.” She leaned back against the headboard and opened up her laptop. Hudson had a tablet that he powered on and opened up some satellite imagery of the area. Gabby hacked into records of the estate, pulling up blueprints and deeds. The two siblings spent the time comparing the landscape layout of the satellite imagery to the blueprints on Gabby's laptop, pointing out areas that had changed from when they were kids and remembered the place to now. Parts of the wall had been fortified, added layers that weren't on the blueprints. A 3rd wing had also been built since then, with updated blueprints from a few years ago. Gabby then pulled up old CCTV footage, trying to pinpoint movement patterns and trying to see where more activity in the compound was being held. They worked hard for that hour, pulling up and drawing up a whole layout of the mansion, adding the new details they had found into the mix. They also wrote troop movements and where it was the most heavily guarded, and weak points.

As they went over their notes Gabby started to braid her hair. Hudson was drawing a section of the compound as she did double Dutch braids, meeting them in the back to form one long braid. As she twisted the pieces of hair together, she gave him more information from her laptop to write onto the map they were making.

Hudson was great at drawing maps and blueprints, making sure everything looked just right. Gabby kept feeding him information to write down, and soon they had a complete working blueprint and troop movements layout of the Cartel Compound. The siblings smiled at each other before grabbing their papers and headed back downstairs to show their finds. Spreading everything out on the coffee table, Gabby and Hudson presented their work.

“We draw up a complete workup of the compound. This should help us when we see it in person, to know what areas to avoid.” Gabby told the group, pointing to some of the areas marked in red. “Hudson and I believe El Sin Nombre has his office here.” She pointed to a room on the 2nd floor, towards the front of the compound with a view of the river but not facing it. Tapping her finger against a spot on the map next to the drawn blueprint she continued. “This right here, this is going to be the best spot to stakeout. This area will give us a good viewing, especially with snipers, but keep us far enough back so we don't draw attention.”

The room was quiet as they took in the information. Alejandro was studying the drawn blueprints, while Soap and Ghost looked at the map of the land around the compound. Rudy and Graves looked over their shoulders.

“You really figured all this out in an hour?” Soap asked, the impressed tone making her smile.

“Perks of a photographic memory and growing up in the area.” Gabby smiled. “Thing is we never got close as kids. Even before the Cartel took over the mansion, it was known for being a bad spot to be around. We never got close enough to truly get a good look at the place. So everything here is from satellite imagery and blueprints we found with the few things we remembered that are still relevant.”

Pointing to the main gate, and a gate to the west that was bracketed between the river and a hill, Hudson began to speak. “These two are the main ways in. They are heavily guarded with foot patrols and snipers on the walls.” He then moved his finger to tap a small area on the east side, facing the river. “But there is a small back gate, really close to the river bank at the back of the compound. It only has one guard that we can figure out, so to get in this would be the best access point with less eyes on.”

Alejandro stood up and clasped a hand onto their shoulders. He gave them each a squeeze and smiled with a nod of his head. “This is fantastic. More than we have gotten in years about El Sin Nombre and the Cartel. You two did good.” Gabby smiled up at the older man and nodded her thanks. She then found Johnny smiling at her so she smiled back. Her eyes flickered towards Ghost’s, who was always looking at her.

“You two did good.” The timber in his voice sent a shiver down her spine. His praise meant more than she was willing to admit even to herself.

“I think it calls for a round of drinks, and if I'm not mistaken I'm owed one for winning a bet.” She gave a pointed look towards Graves, her smirk full of pride. He rolled his eyes and folded his arms, clearly unhappy about being reminded about their bet.

“Day drinking. Now there is a cuse I can get behind!” Johnny stood up, clapping his hands together with a wide grin on his face. Gabby chuckled, shaking her head before the Scotsman got to her side. She leaned into Johnny slightly, his body wash scent of pine and rain a comforting smell. He threw an arm around her shoulders, looking at the group. “Someone tell me there is a bar nearby?” This got Rudy laughing, before he made his way towards the door.

“Come, Amigos, drinks await!” Hudson and Johnny took off after Rudy like two high strung puppies. Gabby fell into line with the rest, keeping Alejandro between her and Graves. They walked across base, soldiers walking about or working on jeeps. Some running training courses in the distance. The world around them hummed with a military energy, sounds and smells so familiar and calming. Spending so many years in the service, the mondaine ration of base life was like a calming breath of air. Calming the nerves and setting your mind straight. They reached the small on base cantina and stepped through its worn oak door.

The bar sat to the left of the door, dark oak wood with black barstool that has blue cushions on top. Fairy lights hung over the bar casting a soft glow. The wall behind the bar had different bottles of alcohol on the shelves, the bottles a rainbow of colors in the soft light. In the center of the floor were tables and chairs, small hunting lights over them to give the room enough light but not a bright glow to hurt the eyes. To the right was a pool table and an old jukebox, old 90s country playing softly in the background. Pictures lined the walls of soldiers in uniform, the ones who moved made it back home with a shot glass of whiskey sitting on a small shelf in the center of the pictures. A glowing neon chilli hung over the pool table and the Mexican flag was dropped on the other wall, with different old war relics and weapons mounted on either side of it.

The whole building felt warm, welcoming, like a small touch of peace to let your mind drift away for a moment. The group made their way towards the bar, where Graves ordered a round of tequila shots for them. The bartender, a middle aged man with brown hair that had light salting on the edges and a salt and pepper mustache nodded his head, taking Graves money and poured the shorts. Gabby smiled to herself when she saw Johnny eyeing the glass like it personally offended him, and Ghost who quickly turned his back so he could lift his mask just enough to down the shot. Gabby and Hudson both tapped the bottom of their shot glasses to the table before bringing it to their lips, shooting it back. Soap was coughing to the side of her and Gabby couldn't help but laugh. She didn't even feel the burn, so used to the burn of tequila she could take shot after shot without so much as an eye twitch.

“Ach, ho’ ya go abou’ drinkin’ this shite s’ easy?” Soap sputtered out, his accent thicker than Gabby has ever heard it before. Her laughter filled the air, her hand slapping Johnny on the shoulder as she shook her head.

“You catch any of that?” Hudson whispered but loud enough Johnny could still hear him, making the Scotsman throw him the finger before waving down the bartender. Hudson just laughed, shaking his head. Graves, Ghost, Alejandro, and Rudy made their way to a table, going over more of the blueprints and details. Johnny, Gabby and Hudson stayed at the bar, another round of drinks in front of them. Johnny ordered them each a shot of Scottish whiskey, the ember liquid warm looking in the glass.

“I'm a Latina, Johnny. Tequila is in my blood.” Gabby said with a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders. He all but gagged before taking a sip of his drink. Gabby just smiled sweetly at him, before taking a sip of her own drink. While she favored tequila, she could appreciate a well made whiskey. She hummed into her glass as she took the first sip. The smokey smooth burn rolled over her taste buds, the flavor overtaking her. It tasted like him. The smooth smoked honey, with the slight burn of cinnamon on the backside. It tastes like his lips, like the fire that poured into her vein with each pass of his tongue to hers.

Nope.

Not going there. She pulled the glass away from her mouth and sat it down, staring down at the drink like it had just threatened to shoot her. It might as well have. She rolled her eyes and looked over her shoulder, taking in the cantina. It hadn't changed much, some of the tables were new and more pictures lined the memory wall but it still felt the way it had the last time she had been within its walls. It set her mind at ease, washing away the troubled that had plagued her lately.

“Who is Marsh?”

She choked on her own tongue. Oh fuck. So much for peace of mind. Did Johnny really just ask that question? How did he know his name? Had she screamed it loud enough during her nightmares he finally just had to ask? Turning back around to look down at the glass in her hands she took a shaken breath. But Johnny spoke up before she had a chance. “You mentioned him earlier, and I wasn't sure who he was.”

Hudson…. He was talking to Hudson. Her fucking brother has brought up Marsh to Soap and who know who else in conversation. She was going to punch him.

“Maldito comerciante.” (Fucking traitor) She hissed under her breath towards her brother, who just took along pull of his drink before looking ahead, trying not to meet his sister's eyes.

Johnny raised an eyebrow, sitting more sideways on his stool to look more at Gabby. “Was it something I said?” He poked, knowing he hit a nerve. Gabby kept staring at her glass, like the liquid would offer her an out. She took a stuttered sigh and rolled her head side to side.

“He was…. More than just a teammate. He was my partner.” She looked back down at the ember liquid, her hand clenching the glass. “We spent four years together, on and off the field. He… he was killed two years ago during a mission.” She spoke the last part so softly she wasn't sure Johnny could hear her. But she didn't have it in her to speak it any louder. She took the glass and shot it back, letting the burn warm her throat. She could see Johnny looked sad, almost sorry he even asked. Gabby slammed the glass back down and swallowed the alcohol like her life depended on it. It felt like it did.

“It's the reason I went solo for two years. Had to get my head back on straight.” She looked over at Johnny and gave him a sad half smile. “You've heard the nightmares. Sometimes missions trigger them. Had to work to get to the point where I'm at.” She didn't wait to hear what he had to say, just patted his arm and pushed herself off the barstool and made her way towards the exit.

Hudson and Johnny watched her go, both feeling bad about the conversation. “I didn't know-” Johnny started to apologize before Hudson held up a hand.

“It's my fault. I didn't realize she didn't open up about it yet to you guys. I ripped off a bandaid she wasn't ready to. If anyone is sorry it's me.” He said before shooting back his glass, letting the cup think back to the bar top. “Marsh was nice, treated her well. I'm not sure they had what Maddie and I do, I didn't feel he was… it for Gabby. But he made her happy. And that was enough.” He told Johnny before waving to the bartender, pointing to his glass for another round.

Gabby stepped out into the evening light, letting her head tip back as she breathed in the wet earth smell from the night before. It didn't hurt like it had in the past, talking about Marsh. It has just caught her off guard and she wasn't ready for the conversation. She knew at some point she would have to open up more about what happened to Marsh, but now wasn't the time. She needed her head to be here and now. Taking another deep breath Gabby made her way back towards the barracks. She wanted to shower, to curl up in bed and go back over the blueprints. Tomorrow the real battle began. Tomorrow, she was planning on walking into the vipers den, ready to take the snake that plague this land down in a head on battle. And Gabby didn't plan on losing.

Chapter Text

The night air was still around them, the bridge alongside the hilltop they were currently standing on was dark, no lights for miles spring them except for one spot: The compound.

Gabby stood with her arms crossed over her chest, the dusty off gray t-shirt she wore blending into the night sky, her black jeans and boots making her hide among the shadows better. Her shirt was made of Kevlar, the need for a tactical vest unnecessary as it helped free up her movements. She had a shoulder holster on, one side with an extra pistol, the other with a small pouch to hold rounds and other tools. The switchblade knife was tucked into a small holder on one of the straps of the shoulder holster. Her thigh holster held her other pistol, and five assassins blades. Her sniper rifle slung over her back.

She stood back from the edge of the bridge where Graves, Soap, Hudson and Alejandro currently stood. Ghost hung back near her, keeping to the shadows. Her eyes, long ago trained to see in the dark without scopes and gear, watched the mansion in the distance. Alejandro had some more digging, learning more about who currently lived there after Gabby and Hudson had found information on their end the night before. He sent people he trusted to grab Intel on the ground, and he knew exactly who was going to be there tonight.

“La casa de El Sin Nombre?” (The House of El Sin Nombre?) Soap spoke in better Spanish now, practicing every chance he got with Gabby and Hudson. Gabby watched has Soap pulled back from the ends of the bridge, letting the binoculars fall from his eyes.

“No, one of his Lugarteniente.” Alejandro answered him, pushing off the edge as well.

“A Cartel Lieutenant.” Soap slightly growled. Gabby wasn't sure if it was from the fact it wasn't El Sin Nombre house, or if it was because he was growing tired of chances after people who always seemed one step ahead. She shifted her feet slightly, keeping her eyes on the teammates in front of her.

“Nice, brother, you are learning.” Alejandro said to Soap with a smile on his lips for a few seconds. “My sources tell me all of Las Almas top VIPs will be here tonight.” A pause. “Some are invited, and some are…” he trailed off.

“Volintold?” Graves spoke up, moving so he was facing the whole group. Hudson was standing close to his older sister, something Gabby took comfort in. He was dressed similar to her, a dark royal blue Kevlar shirt tucked into black jeans. He had a small thin vest on, gear shoved into the pockets but the vest didn't offer anything more than that of storage. He wanted to be able to move freely too.

“Yes.” Alejandro sneered, his gaze still locked onto the compound below them.

“So what's that meet about?” Graves asked in an almost bored tone. Gabby couldn't resist an eyeroll.

“Us.” She spoke up, her hand waving between the group. “Las Almas is burning, they want to know who lit the fire.”

A deep voice spoke from behind Gabby, the Manchester timber settling over the night air. “El Sin Nombre will be there, yeah?” Ghost asked, taking a step forward so he wasn't as far into the shadows.

The team turned to look at him, watching as his skull mask turned eerie white under the moonlight. “No guarantees, but it's our are best shot.” Alejandro supplied. His dark caramel eyes were almost black in this light, but like Gabby and Hudson, his eyes were better suited for the dark, being able to filter the moonlight and shadows easier than Graves, Soap and Ghost who all had lighter colored eyes and saw better in the daylight. Gabby blinked, her gaze shifting to her brother.

“We know that his Lieutenant is for sure going to be there. If El Sin Nombre is not, then his lieutenant is going to be the one to make sure his orders are carried out. And reserve whatever Hassan is sending tonight.” She saw Hudson nod, agreeing with what he had dug up in a short amount of time.

“So we take it.” Graves piped up. “I got enough Shadows here to take over this whole damn country.” Gabby felt all the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She sneered at the man, her teeth almost bared in a growl. Alejandro, seeing the discomfort and feeling a ting of his own, stared at the commander.

“I'd prefer it if you didn't.” He said in a heavy tone, one that made his discomfort known. Graves only smirked, dipping his head to the side as if he heard a joke.

“I'm just saying… one house shouldn't be a problem.”

Gabby stepped forward, her hand resting now on her pistol strapped to her hip. “I'd prefer if we left your Shadows out of this as much as possible.” The blonde haired Texan turned his head to look at her, his eyes held a gleam of mischief and… something darker. “This place is as much of my home as San Antonio is. I'd like to not see it burning.” Graves only gave her a toothy grin.

“We need Él Sin Nombre alive.” Ghost, bless his heart, spoke up and removed some of the tension flying through between Gabby and Graves. She dipped her head in thanks, before looking to Alejandro. But Graves spoke up again.

“Well…” He looked towards the mansion. “Then we need to meet him.”

“What?”

“How?”

Gabby and Soap overlapped as they both asked their question, looking to meet each other's eyes before looking back at Graves. The Commander shrugged, resting a hand onto his hip. “Give him what he wants.” Looking up at Soap. “Intel. They want to know who's here. So let's tell ‘em.”

Gabby eyed him before glancing over at Hudson. He seemed deep in through. Ghost was unreadable, and Alejandro looked unsure but willing to hear Graves out. Gabby crossed her arms and leaned more onto her left leg. She wasn't sure she liked where this was going but if it was what she was thinking, she'd be the first to volunteer.

“In person?” Alejandro finally asked, his voice laced with uncertainty.

“Correcto.” Graves answered with a sharp nod of his head. “Get one of us inside and roll him up.”

“Then I-” Gabby began to speak before getting cut off.

“I'll go in.” Hudson stepped forward, finally speaking up. Gabby's eyes went wide as she whipped around to face her brother.

“Absolutely the fuck not!” She hissed, pushing her finger into his chest. “There is no way in hell I'm letting that happen.” Hudson pushed her finger off his chest and squared his shoulders. He looked hard into her eyes, meeting her challenge.

“I've been a Marine for six years, Gabrielle. You don't think I've been on hard missions before?”

“You're not trained for interrogations… let alone being interrogated! You can't handle that type of mission no matter what branch or how long you've been in.” She met him in the middle of their small group, her eyes hard. There was no way she was letting her brother walk into a deathtrap, especially one he wasn't trained to endure. She knew the type of mental games you had to play, not only on the people you were going against but also yourself so you didn't lose your mind.

“You don't trust me?” He actually sounded hurt. Gabby hung her head, shaking it before looking back up to meet his gaze.

“I trust you with my life, Hudson. But you're not trained for something like that. This… this is something I've been doing for 6 or more years. Undercover, interrogation and blackmail work is what I do. If anyone is going in there it's going to be me.”

“No.” Ghost spoke up, taking a step forward. “You are not going in there.” Gabby met him with the same fire in her eyes she had given Hudson a few seconds ago.

“Respectfully Lieutenant, fuck off.”

“It's too personal for you.” He came back, his eyes locked onto her own. Gabby hated that he was right, but out of all of them beside himself, she was the most qualified to get in and out of that place unharmed.

“Well unless you plan on taking off the bone mask, I don't think you're the one to volunteer.” She barked back. “El Sin Nombre is known to be kinder to women, not as harsh. It makes sense to send me in.”

“I said no.”

“I'll do it.” Soap's voice cut the tension like a knife. They all turned to face him, his blue eyes sharp, but not really looking at anything. Gabby could tell he was weighting his opinions, figuring out if it was truly a suicide mission for himself.

“If you go in there, Hermano, they will kill you.” Alejandro spoke softly, tipping his head in Soap's direction.

Soap stood up a bit straighter, his eyes determined. “I'll take my chances.” His accent went deep, like he was speaking around a rock in his throat, the gruff draw of his tone filling the night air. “We came here to stop a missile, so let's stop it.” He looked at Gabby, as though he was both asking permission and telling her his plan at the same time. “I'll offer Intel for a meet with Sin Nombre. And if he's there, we pounce.” He growled at the end, his lips in a tight grin that showed he was enjoying the idea of taking down the Cartel leader. Gabby wanted to ring his neck. To shove both him and Hudson back into the jeeps and lock the doors and march off to the mansion on her own. They were her brothers and both of them were asking for a death wish in less than five minutes. She didn't know if Soap was trained for something like this, she'd never seen him in that setting yet. She didn't know if she trusted sending him in alone.

“¡Diablos, sí que tienes agallas, hijo de puta!” (Hell yeah, you got balls, you son of a bitch) Alejandro grinned a wicked grin and Gabby’s heart sank. He was agreeing with Soap. She gave Ghost a look but his eyes gave nothing away.

“You're going to let him go in there alone?” She challenged her fellow lieutenant, cocking her head to the side.

“No, if he makes it in, he's going to need eyes and ears. I'll go too.” Alejandro offered, taking the heat off or Soap and Ghost.

“Fuck that, I'm going with you. This is my type of mission. This is the game I play on a day to day basis. You don't need a soldier backing you, you need an assassin. A spy. I will cover you both.” Gabby’s tone left no room for argument. It was the only way she wouldn't crawl out of her own skin with them in there.

“I'll take Overwatch with Cheddar. Shadows will circle in a helo.” Ghost spoke, looking at each of them before his eyes found Gabby, as if asking her if it was enough.

“Roger that.” Graves spoke, nodding his head at Ghost before facing Soap. He reached up and pulled the patch off his vest, the Shadow Company insignia now in his hand. He held it out to the Sergeant. “They're going to want proof. Show them this.” Gabby watched and Soap took the patch, looking at it for a beat before shoving it into his front jeans pocket. The two men fist bumped, before Graves started to walk off towards one of the jeeps. “Call me when you need me. Let's get this thing done.” He called over his shoulder.

Gabby grabbed Soap's arm, pulling him to a stop as he began to follow Alejandro towards one of the other jeeps. “You need to be ready for this. They are going to play mind games in there, if they don't shoot you on the spot at the gate.” Her fingers tighten around his bicep. “Are you sure about this Johnny?” Her tone has dropped into something like concern without fully voicing it. He placed a hand on her own, still gripping his arm like a vice.

“Not my first time Gabs. I'll be al’ight.” He let his accent dip slightly, trying to let his words calm her. She squeezed his arm. Before letting her death grip go.

“I have watched some of the toughest men I know break under interrogation mind games.” She spoke soft yet sternly. “Remember why you're fighting. Who you're protecting. Hold onto that.”

Soap nodded, showing he understood what she was telling him. “I got all of you watching my back.”

Gabby smiled, a true smile the first time tonight and let some of the tension bleed from her body. “Yeah well if they go to shoot…. Duck.” This got the Scotsman to laugh, shaking his head as he walked after Alejandro to get out of his gear and place it into the back of the jeep. Hudson came up beside Gabby and stood shoulder to shoulder with her.

“At some point, you're going to have to unload everything you carry. It's like I barely know you at times anymore.” His voice was firm, but she heard the tone of sorrow underneath it. Keeping her eyes trained into the desert, she felt her blood thicken.

“The things I do… did… I keep it to myself because I've made a lot of enemies, Chedz. Better to keep the past in the past.” She answered after a beat. Hudson shifted next to her, looking at her while she kept her gaze straight ahead.

“I'm starting to think you also stayed there, and this is just some ghost version of you.” His words bit deep, deeper than they should have. If only he knew just how close to the truth they actually were. She didn't reply, didn't look at him. There was nothing more to be said. She heard him exhale a sigh, before shaking his head and walking off. She let her own breath out, the tension pushing into her light a train. But that had to be tabled for later. Right now she had a job to do.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••

Gabby kept to the shadows, her body pressed to the cool stucco and stone walls of the wall. Her feet didn't make a sound as she moved like a phantom. She was no longer human, she was the shadow along the wall, the darkness under the brushes, the night sky itself. Alejandro was going for the back gate to get inside, Soap going for the front gate to be taken (hopefully alive) into the mansion while Gabby went for the wall. She wanted to be high up, where her skills could be out to use. Her sniper was folded in half, strapped to her back for better mobility. She pulled herself up onto the steco wall, moving swiftly as she dropped to the other side. Her back close to the wall she had her knife drawn, the blade running flush with her arm as she moved forward. The comms crackled in her earpiece, but she ignored them for a moment as she made it to the end of the wall, a man standing there, rifle in hand.

Before he could even draw his next breath her blade had sliced his neck, his body dropping with a silent thud to the ground. Gabby quickly hid him before a large planter before moving on, the handle of the switchblade warm in her hand. She hadn't even broken out into a sweat yet. A smile crossed her lips, her eyes glittering in the moonlight with something dangerous. Gone was Gabby, now stood Halo.

She moved forward, keeping along the wall until it reached the mansion. There was a sniper on the 2nd story roof, watching the desert below him. Gabby needed to climb into the wall and jump to the lip of the wall of the balcony. But she needed to take out the sniper first. Flattening her back to the cold stone wall, she pushed herself up onto a small outdoor storage chest and stood on it to give herself more height. Once she got up there she pulled one of her assassin blades from her belt and flipped the dagger so she was holding onto the top of the blade. She watched until the sniper turned to the side, his neck exposed to her. She lined up her aim, flicking her wrist in one sharp fluid motion and let the knife go flying. Less than three seconds later the knife landed with a dull ‘thunk’ into the side of the soldier’s neck, his body dropping on impact. Gabby smirked, before pulling herself up onto the wall and leaped through the air, grasping the balcony ledge and pulling herself up and over its railing. She landed next to the dead soldier, pulling her knife free and cleaning it on his pants leg before tucking it back into her holster.

“Halo, Alejandro, how we doing?” Graves' voice cracked through the earpiece. Gabby placed herself along the shadows, keeping herself from the line of sight of the windows. Alejandro’s deep growl filled her ears.

“Un Vaquero, inside.”

“On the 2nd floor.” Gabby answered after him.

“Goddamn, how did you two do that?”

“Violently.” Gabby and Alejandro answered at the same time.

Gabby took a breath, before grabbing the overhead edge of the roof and pulling herself up onto it, so she was on the 2nd story roof to then make her way to the 3rd story more towards the middle of the mansion.

“Got visual on Soap.” Ghost’s voice filled her earpiece, making her gaze shift slightly towards the front of the mansion. She couldn't see anything, but she heard the faintest sound of a gun popping and held her breath.

“So they see him?” Graves asked.

“They do now.” Hudson answered.

There was a pregnant pause before Ghost spoke up. “They're taking him in.”

“Kid’s got sand.”Graves spoke.

“I hope he makes it.” Alejandro said softly.

“He will. Because I'll watch his back.” Gabby supplied before grabbing the lip of the 2nd story roof and pulled herself up onto it. Palming one of her assassin daggers she took off at a low crouch across the roof, keeping the lights off the mansion in front of her so they didn't shine onto her. She moved without a sound, as if she belonged to the breeze and the night sky. She kept her breathing even, her heartbeat steady. The time for adrenaline was later, now was all about stealth. She reached the edge of the roof, pressing her back against the steco wall. Looking down she saw two masked guards leading a hooded Soap towered the front door of the mansion. She watched them until they disappeared under the lip of the porch roof and she moved.

She jumped down into the porch roof, level with a small window. She looked inside and saw them taking Soap towards a hallway. She moved quickly, leaping back onto the 2nd story roof and dashed across it. She then laid down on her stomach and gripped the roof edge, swung her body over it and dropped a few feet, her fingers finding purchase on the frame of a window on the 1st floor. From there she jumped, landing onto the hard packed dirt. She glanced into the windows keeping her body hidden by the shadows. She watched as another guard moved towards an elevator. She watched as Soap and his guards came to the elevator and they handed him off to the lone man in a suit. She watched as he looked around after they left Soap and him standing there, before he tapped the elevator button. The guard then reached up and tapped something in his masked covered ear. Gabby heard two quick taps break the silence on her earpiece and she smiled. Alejandro.

Now realizing Alejandro was with Soap, she let herself relax for a fraction of a second. She tapped her throat mic twice, keying it to make a small beep back so he knew she saw him. Once they stepped into the elevator she moved. She made her way over to another wall, a small storage area and pulled herself up onto it to get back into the 2nd floor. She kept low along the roof, moving quickly to get across the second story roof to the other side of the mansion where Hudson and her had believed to be El Sin Nombre or his trusted Lieutenant’s living space.

Down below in the middle of the mansion was a large courtyard, filled with people all walking around in masks.

“Strange.” She thought to herself before climbing onto the 3rd story roof. She needed to confirm this was the living area and if El Sin Nombre was there. She also needed to find a path for Soap and Alejandro to take to get there to look for more evidence. She looked into the first window she came to and only saw an empty bedroom. Seeing nothing of interest she moved on, keeping low.

Going to round the corner of the wall her face met the cold end of a rifle barrel. Her body froze, the muzzle only an inch from her nose. She looked up to meet the cold dark eyes of a masked guard, his grip on his rifle tight.

“"¿Quién carajo eres tú? ¿Qué haces aquí arriba?” (Who the fuck are you? What are you doing up here?) He asked, his voice a hiss. Gabby palmed her dagger and smirked at him.

“Dependiendo de tu próximo movimiento, El Ángel de la Misericordia y la Sangre.” (Depending on your next move, the Angel of Mercy and Blood) Gabby then grabbed the edge of the rifle and yanked it, pulling the guard off balance, his body falling forward towards her. She kept her grip on the muzzle right as she turned her body to use her other elbow to land a blow to his chest, making his grip on the gun loosen. She pulled the rifle away and threw it across the roof, before his hand grabbed her arm and yanked her to throw her against the side of the wall. She let out a gasp as her back slammed into the steco. She slammed her head forward, catching his nose making him yelp.

“Halo!” Hudson’s voice broke through her comms but she ignored it, slashing her dagger forward, but he jumped back, the blade missing his arm by an inch. Gabby pushed off the wall and bared her teeth at him, before jumping into the air swinging the blade trying to land a blow. He pulled out his own knife and tried to swing low, towards her stomach but she went left, avoiding the hit.

“Halo, get out of the way!” Hudson tried again and Gabby bit back a growl.

“No! A shot will set all this on fire. I got him.” She answered, a bit winded as she dropped to her knees pads and slid forward and slashed, her knife catching his thigh. She jumped up, swinging the knife backwards, the blood strain blade sinking into his spine, and she twisted her wrist, making the blade go deeper. His strangled cry, sounding wet and weak was the only sound as she helped his body to lay on the roof. She waited until life drained from him before pulling the blade free and wiped it clean on his shirt.

“I see we chose the Angel of Blood tonight. Fun.” She huffed a humorless laugh before standing up straight, feeling a twinge in her shoulder from where it had been slammed into the wall. She flipped the blade so it was flush with her arm, moving back into the shadows and moved forward. She moved slower, trying not to be surprised again. She peaked around another corner and saw another guard and with a flock of her wrist her dagger went sailing into the night, finding a home in the side of the tall man. He gasped out but Gabby was there, pulling the blade free as she leaped into the air, wrapping her legs around his torso and twisted, throwing his body onto the roof and dropping the knife into his neck as she landed beside him. It was quick and she was standing back up when her radio keyed in her ear.

“Ghost, we're in.” Alejandro spoke, making Gabby’s ears perk up like a dog.

“What do you got?” The deep English accent asked in an almost lazy like tone.

“El Sin Nombre is in the penthouse. 3rd floor.” Gabby hung her head for a second, hearing Soap's voice.

“Good you hear you brother.” Gabby spoke softly, keeping her voice low. “I'm on the 3rd floor, I'll see if I can get inside from here and meet you in there.”

She listened to Ghost and Soap talking about how to get them into the 3rd floor and then Alejandro said something about the garage. She looked across the courtyard, watching as people moving about, all in masks. She was crouched low, her body hidden in the shadows as she run the drawn map through her mind, trying to figure out how to get to where she needed to go.

“I can't get into the penthouse from here I am. Not without being seen. But…” She trailed off as she spoke into the comms, her eyes catching an open window on the 2nd floor. “I think I can find another way in.”

“Is that smart?” Alejandro asked, making her huff in annoyance.

“This is not my first high level break in.”

“Do I want to know?”

“Probably not.” She replied simply before moving, running across the roof, dropping into her knees and sliding the last 5 feet to duck under some light that was shining and let her back hit the wall. She stayed on her knees when she felt eyes on her and she turned to face the ridge line, seeing nothing but knowing Ghost was laying there, his rifle scope no doubt trained into her. She smirked, flicking a two finger salute at the man before grabbing the lip of the roof and back flipping herself downward over the roof's edge, swinging into the open window and sticking the landing.

“Cheeky.” The dark, gruff whisper filled her ear, making her smile to herself before shoving it down and forcing on her mission. She moved quickly, peaking around the slightly opened door to look out into the well lit hallway. She looked around the bedroom she had landed in, seeing if there was anything useful. Coming up empty she moved to the door once more and pulled it open softly, before moving to the hallway. She crept through the softly lit hallway, her knife still in her hand. Her ears strained to listen for any sound, as she looked for a way to the 3rd floor. She pushed forward, watching the windows to see if there was a roof she could use to get across the courtyard to get to a 3rd floor window or balcony.

She heard Alejandro and Soap talking about how they needed a keycard to get into the elevator that would take them up to El Sin Nombre. Soap was looking for a way into the 2nd floor. Knowing who the target was, Gabby made it her mission to locate Diago, to make it easier on Soap to get what he needed. She gripped the doorknob of one of the rooms in the hall and felt it stop mid turn. Locked.

“What is with rich people and locking all the bedroom doors?” She asked herself in a whisper before moving onto the next room to test the door. She needed to see the rooftops better than the hallways were showing her to find her path upwards. She gripped another doorknob and it was locked again. She blew out a silent breath of frustration before moving on. She went for another door when she heard footsteps coming from behind her.

She heard Soap and Alejandro talking on her comms, knew Soap was on the 2nd floor with her, but her body was tight, listening for those footsteps to keep coming. She grabbed another dagger and palmed it, both blades running along her arms, hidden from whoever was approaching until she needed them. She turned her head to the right and saw a shadow moving across the floor from behind the corner of the wall and she braced herself. A tall man rounded the corner, clad in a black suit and balaclava, rifle slung over his back. His dark eyes landed on her and she flashed him a flirty smile.

“¡¿Qué haces aquí arriba?!” (What are you doing up here?!) He growled, his hand reaching around to grab his rifle.

“Ay, lo siento. Estaba buscando el baño.” (Oh my, I'm sorry! I was looking for the restroom.) Gabby let her accent lose, the sweet southern tone floating from her lips as she lied to the guard. She watched his eyes run over her body, taking in her apprentice trying to decide if she was a threat or not. The air grew thick, tension running high as she waited for his next move.

“No me parece.” (I don't think so.) He finally spoke, the grip on his rifle now tight, pulling it forward so he could hold it across the front of his body. Gabby simply shrugged her shoulders, letting the daggers slide down her hands until she was gripping their tips, letting her right leg back a bit as she smiled up at him.

“Can't blame a girl for trying.” She spoke before launching one of her daggers at him, which he dodged, throwing his body against the wall to miss the blade hitting him in the face. She jumped forward, the blade in her hand spinning so she was gripping the hilt backwards, swinging it towards his chest as she moved her body downward to avoid his fist swinging at her. He yelped as the tip of the dagger sliced through his arm, blood dripping from the long wound left there. He let out a frustrated growl, pushing off the wall, swinging his rifle outwards towards her midsection. Gabby jumped, leaping backwards into a back handspring, her feet coming up to kick his rifle out of his hand before landing in a crouch. She pushed up, watching as he grabbed his own knife and she threw her shoulder into his chest to knock him off balance. He grabbed her hip, pulling her down with him as he fell to the floor. Gabby threw her elbow into his chin as they landed, his knife catching on her shoulder holster, but not cutting her by some miracle. The guard grabbed her braid and yanked it, throwing her head backwards as he swung with a knife, trying to slice her neck. Gabby threw up her arm, blocking the blow.

She rammed her elbow into his throat, his grip on her braid loosened, and she rolled to the side out of his reach. Gabby jumped up, throwing her dagger she had managed not to lose in their tumble, the blade sinking into the meat of his shoulder. He howled out, blood soaking the white undershirt of his suit. She grabbed another dagger from her belt and held the blade at the ready. The guard stood up, his hand gripping the smooth sleek black handle of the dagger in his shoulder and yanked it free. Blood splattered to the floor, dripping from the dagger and down his shirt from the opened wound. The air smelled heavy of iron and sweat, the wall and the polished floor now with a new coat of red splattered about.

“Terminemos con esto.” (Let's end this.) He grunted, holding her own blade in his hand to fight her. Gabby only smiled a sickening sweet smile, before launching herself forward and dropping to her knee pads, sliding across the polished wood. He never stood a chance, was never fast enough to prepare. Her dagger held high, she sliced through the meat of his leg, cutting the tendons at his knees. He cried out, dropping like a fresh chopped tree. She popped up, spinning on her toes to stand behind the kneeling man, her blade finding his throat and slicing. Blood gushed from the open wound, and he dropped her dagger as he pawed at his throat, only to drop face forward a few seconds later, drowning in his own blood.

Gabby was breathing heavily, blood slick and wet on her hands as she picked up her two fallen daggers and wiped them clean before pushing them back into her holster. She wiped her hands off the best she could on his jacket. The sound of a door opening had her grabbing her pistol, aiming it at the end of the hall.

“Hold shit…” a thick Scottish accent filled her ears and Gabby sighed a breath of relief as she saw Soap. “What happened here?” He pointed his own pistol to the killed guard and the blood all over the place.

“He was in my way.”

“I got the keycard.”

Gabby nodded, following Soap towards the elevator. They moved quickly, their pistols aimed and ready. Soap still had his mask on, which in a normal setting Gabby would have found hilarious and made a joke about him trying to be the Scottish version of Ghost, but her adrenaline was running to high for her to do anything but focus on the next move. Soap keyed the elevator and it opened with a slight ding, and they quickly made their way into it. She watched as he pulled out a keycard and held it over the small black box, then hit the 3rd floor. Right as he did, Alejandro still dressed in his suit and mask, came into the elevator and joined them.

“¿Qué carajo te pasó?” (What the fuck happened to you?) He asked, waving his hand at her blood stained hands and shirt.

“Me encargué de algunas plagas.” (I took care of some pests) Gabby answered, giving him a half smile. Alejandro groaned beside her, shaking his head.

“Here we go.” Soap said, taking a deep breath.

“Tonight we end this.” Gabby added.

“For years El Sin Nombre corrupted this city.” Alejandro spoke up. “Es hora de ponerle nombre al demonio.” (time to name the demon)

Gabby pulled out a dagger, the feel of the smooth metal in her hand a comfort for the battle ahead. “Tonight we take it back.”

“”"Hacerlo o morir.” (Do or die) Soap replied, the elevator door opening with a ding. The three soldiers moved swiftly out of the small elevator into the posh halls of the penthouse. There was a door at the end of the hall and Alejandro warned them of a security checkpoint at the door. He went first, his knuckles rapping on the door and answering the question the guard on the other side asked. The door opened slowly and Alejandro pushed his way through, beating the guard senseless before letting his body fall to the floor. Alejandro walked over to a set of double doors and pulled out a snakecam. He slipped it under the door and Soap walked over, kneeling beside Alejandro.

“Let's put a face to the Nameless.” Soap looked for a Total of 30 seconds before he jerked back from the Cam and growled. “No fucking way.”

“What is it?” Gabby leaned down to keep her voice low.

“The Sicaria I met downstairs, Valeria… she's Él Sin Nombre.” Soap looked between Alejandro and Gabby, his teeth gritting together as he spoke. Gabby's eyes met Alejandro and she swore under her breath.

Gabby spoke, “Valeria… you are sure?”

Soap nodded his head and answered with a yes. This made Alejandro shift. “Then we need to move. Graves, El Sin Nombre is posing as a female Sicaria, we are moving in. You ready?”

“Check.” Graves answered short and crisp.

“Ghost? Cheddar?”

“Ready.”

“Roger.”

Gabby, Soap and Alejandro stood up, guns ready as they prepared to ram in the door. “Take her alive.” Was the last thing spoken before Alejandro slammed his foot against the doors, throwing them open. Gabby fired her pistol at the guard near the door, dropping him. Valeria sprung from her chair and Gabby watched her rush down a hallway as more cartel thugs rushed the room. She threw a dagger at another guard before seeing Valeria running across an open hallway through the window. She gritted her teeth and pushed her gun into its holster.

“Lord give me wings.” She sent up a quick prayer before taking off for the window.

“Halo, what are you doing?!” Soap yelled over the sound of gunfire.

“Flying!” Was all she said before throwing her body against the glass of the window. The window shattered, Gabby going airborne as her arms covered her face from flying glass, her legs kicking out to gain more airtime. She held her breath as she started to fall through the air and flung her arms out, catching the railing of the balcony on the other side of the small courtyard space and felt her lower body slam into the steco wall. She huffed out the air in her lungs before pulling herself up onto the ledge and took off running after Valeria. Pieces of glass fell from her body like shiny sparks of sharp confetti as she moved. Her legs pumped fast, seeing the woman ahead of her and Gabby pushed harder. Valaria whipped out a pistol and fired, Gabby threw herself onto her knees, moving so fast the metal on her knee pads made sparks as she leaned backwards to duck the flying bullets as she slid forward. As soon as the gunfire stopped she popped up, taking off at a full sprint again.

Gabby kept going, determined to catch Valeria. She moved fast, gaining on the older woman as the roof opened into a larger area. Valeria knocked over a tall planter, which Gabby soared over with ease.

“¡Detén a Valeria! ¡Acabemos con esto!” (Stop Valeria! End this!) Gabby yelled, her legs moving her within grabbing distance of the woman. She grabbed her shirt and yanked back, slamming Valeria into her and they both went flying from the force. Gabby held on, they rolled, hands and feet flying as they tried to pin each other down and land a punch. The two women went at it, fits flying as legs tangled together. Gabby pushed, throwing Valeria off her with her feet and jumped up, her pistol in hand as she aimed it at the older woman.

“Enough! It's done!” She yelled, the sound of a helicopter coming up her six only straightened her point. “Kneel El Sin Nombre.”

“I kneel to no one!” Valeria yelled out, throwing the finger at Gabby and the helicopter behind her.

“A bullet will make you kneel!” Graves' voice filled the air as he jumped out of the helo. Valeria dropped to her knees, glaring up at Gabby. “Ground team you are clear to engage… again.”

Alejandro came around Gabby, zip cuffs in hand as he yanked Valeria into her feet. Soap took the zip cuffs and attached them to her wrist.

“El Sin Nombre.” Soap spoke but Valeria cut him off.

“My name is Valeria!”

“Hiding in plain sight.” Soap continued as he tightened the cuffs. Valeria only laughed, throwing her head back as if Soap told her the funniest joke alive.

“Hiding? Estoy en todas partes, soldado.” (I am everywhere, Soldier.)

Graves walked up and stepped in front of Valeria and Soap. Gabby and Alejandro kept behind Soap, glaring daggers at the woman. “That's good. So are we. Now let's go.” Graves said sharply before dragging her towards the helicopter. She kept looking over her shoulder at Alejandro, her eyes narrowed as she was dragged into the bird. Soap placed a hand on Alejandro's shoulder.

“Hermano...¿Qué pasa?” (Brother… what's wrong?) Soap asked, watching as Alejandro sneered at the woman.

“Valeria… I know her!” Alejandro growled, throwing his chin into the air before walking away, going into the helo after Graves and Valeria. Soap looked wide-eyed at this information, his gaze snapping to Gabby. Her own look was hard, blood and glass covering her clothes. She pushed her pistol into its holster and watched as the helo began to take off.

She met his gaze before dropping her eyes to the roof below her feet. “Come on, let's go meet up with Ghost and Cheddar.” She said softly, the adrenaline starting to leave her body. She took a step towards the ledge of the balcony when a hand grabbed her wrist.

“What's going on Gabby?” Soap asked in a soft tone. Gabby shook her head but his grip on her wrist didn't let up.

“Soap… it's complicated. Let Alejandro explain it all back on base. Valeria… this is a big betrayal for him.” Was the only answer she could give right now, her body begging her to sit down and rest. Soap looked her in the eyes for a moment, his jaw ticked as he thought her words over. He gave a nod, letting her arm go and followed her into the night, to find the rest of their team and their jeeps. They walked in silence, moving quickly to get back to Ghost and Hudson at the top of the ridge line. It was only right before they reached them that Soap spoke again.

“Are you okay, Hermana? You got into some pretty nasty fights.”

Gabby looked up at him and smiled, shaking off more glass that seemed to cling to her shirt. “Si, I'm fine. Not the worst thing I've been a part of. I did have a helicopter land on me the other week, remember?” This got Soap to chuckle, and the tension that has been between them seemed to melt. They made it the rest of the way to the jeeps, Gabby and Soap taking one, Hudson and Ghost taking another back to Los Vaqueros base to find out just what Valeria has been up to.

Chapter Text

The ride back to the base was quiet. Soap and Gabby didn't have anything more to say. Bodies too tired and sore, minds too rattled to find words for small talk. So Gabby drove, one hand in the wheel, the other resting on the center counsel. She felt gross, covered in blood, sweat and dust. She wanted nothing more than to take a shower, shove down some food and pass out in bed for the next 24 hours.

Founding out Valeria was El Sin Nombre, the reason this city was burning under drugs and the threat of war, people fighting for their survival was more than Gabby had planned on. She wasn't expecting someone she knew to be the head of the snake. So lost in her own head she didn't realize Soap was talking to her until a hand touched her own. Gabby pulled her eyes off the dark road for a second, looking over at her teammate.

“I'm sorry, what Johnny?” She asked softly, the tiredness in her tone unmistakable. He gave her a knowing look, squeezing her hand with his fingers. She felt horrible she wasn't paying attention to him, but her mind was being pulled in hundreds of different directions.

“I asked if you're okay?”

What a loaded question. Gabby let a sigh out through her nose, her fingers gripping the steering wheel a bit tighter. “I'd be lying if I said I was.” She shot him a quick look, “But it's also part of the job so…” She trailed off, not needing to finish that sentence. In this line of work the unexpected was to be expected, and learning that people you thought were good people could end up not being that. It didn't make it any easier though, it was still a hard pill to swallow when the time came.

“So what's with you and LT?”

Well that wasn't what she thought he'd say back. Gabby's grip on the steering wheel became a death grip. She was honest surprised the leather under her hand didn't turn into powder from how hard she gripped it.

“What are you on about?” She asked, trying to keep from gritting her teeth together. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the Sergeant blankly staring at her, his face unamused.

“Don't do that Gabby, play dumb. It doesn't shut you.”

Fucker.

“There's nothing going on Johnny. We've been civil to each other all trip.” She calmly answered. If it was one thing she was good at, it was keeping her emotions off the table during things like an interrogation. Which this was starting to feel like in a way. Or an intervention.

Soap just sighed, looking unimpressed by her answer. “Aye, the death glares stopped but this whiplash of fine and then acting like being in a room together is a pain is not what I call being civil.” He leaned against the door slightly, turning so he could face her some. “Come on now, be honest with me.”

“Soap, please, drop it.”

“You two were fine before the stake outs-”

“Johnny-”

“And then you two came back and you barely even look at each other but he's always staring at you-”

“Soap-”

“I mean the way you two act, it's like people trying to deal with a break up or something-”

“JOHNNY!” Gabby practically yelled his name, slamming her hand down on the center console to get his attention. She took a deep breath, trying to calm down enough so she didn't end up slapping her honorary twin upside the head. She unclenched her death grip on the wheel slightly, keeping her eyes on the road. Johnny had looked away, his arms folded over his chest as he leaned his head against his window. He wouldn't look in her direction. Seconds felt like lifetimes before she finally spoke, her voice so soft and low she barely recognized it. “People like me, like Ghost… We don't get a happy ending Johnny.”

The Sergeant stirred in his seat beside her. “What are yo’ going on ab’ut Bonny?”

“Ghost kissed me.”

Dead silent. The cab fell deadly silent has Soap stared at the side of her head with eyes so wide she wasn't sure how they didn't fall out of his head. His jaw was dropped, chin touching his chest. If she wasn't fighting her inner self to pull over and bolt from the jeep like her life depended on it, Gabby would find his reaction amusing.

“He… and you… Ghost…. Did…” Soap started to gasp, stuttering over his words as he tried to fathom what he was hearing. “Was it bad?” He finally got a clear sentence out.

Gabby sighed, shaking her head. “No… it wasn't bad.”

“Did you not kiss back then?”

“No… I did.”

Soap’s brows scrunched together, trying to understand. “Did Ghost do something bad then?”

Gabby worried her lower lip for a moment, trying to figure out how to put what happened into words. “No… it was me. I fucked up.” She ran a tired hand over the back of her neck, the muscles there tight. “One second he's accusing me of sleeping with my uncle, who is gay I might add, and the next minute after finding out I'm not sleeping with Rudy, he's kissing me senseless.”

“How is any of that your fault?”

“Because,” she told him, “As he's kissing a path down my body I moaned the name of my dead lover instead of his. It was like all the air in that tent just disappeared.” She turned her head from the jeep on the road in front of her to look at Soap. “Two years, it's been two years since I've been kissed by someone and I go and fuck it up. People like me… We just don't get the happy ever after Soap. It's not in the cards.”

Johnny was quiet for a moment, his eyes still large as he took in the information. Gabby felt like her throat was about to close off, admitting it with words, what had happened in that tent, made it feel all the more real, like it wasn't just a dream. Though she could still feel the warm press of his lips on her skin, the wet heat of his tongue tracing her tattoo. The heavy moans that she swallowed with each kiss.

“Have you two talked about it?”

She huffed, shaking her head. “Soap you've seen that we've barely spoken to each other since that night. Besides, there's nothing really to say. It was just a moment.”

“Aye, I've seen. That's why I'm talking to you about it. Maybe you should talk to him.”

Gabby shook her head, turning left as the jeep in front of her turned. “There's nothing to talk about. He made it very clear that it was a momentary lapse of judgment and we needed to move on from it.”

Soap made a noise, somewhere along the lines of disbelief and frustration. His hands flew up in the air as she shook his head. “He coul’n't have mea’t it lass.”

Gabby shrugged her shoulders, turning right to stay right behind the other jeep. “Wether he did or didn't, it's past now. Let's just drop it.”

“Maybe I would talk to him about this, see what's going on in that hardhead of his.”

Gabby almost slammed on the breaks, her hands once again holding on so tightly to the steering wheel it was a miracle it didn't pop off. “Absolutely the hell not!”

“Maybe he just needs someone to show him-”

“Johnny, stop it-”

“That you both deserve a chance-”

“Sergeant!” Gabby out and out yelled, flicking out a hand to grab his arm and yanking it towards her to get his attention. Soap's eyes were wide, his mouth falling open in surprise at her yelling. “Johnny I'm fucking serious right now if you so much as breathe a single letter of this to anyone, but especially Ghost, I will slip something into your drink and knock you out, and then have my brother tattoo a unicorn with it's dick out waving a Scottish flag above its head with the words “I'm a unicorn's ass” on your ass cheek.” Gabby slipped so far back into her Southern Texas accent that even her own voice sounded foreign to her ears. Her fingers were digging into Soap's arm but she didn't care, she only cared that her point had been made. The Sergeant stared at her light she had lost her mind before closing his mouth into a tight lipped line, nodding his head as he gently pulled his arm away. He looked away from Gabby, leaning her his body against the door muttering something along the lines of “people bitch when I use my full accent” but Gabby was too wound up to really care. Following the other jeep into the military compound she ran a tired hand down her face. Tonight went nothing like she had thought it would. And Johnny asking questions and finding out the way he did about her and Ghost kissing wasn't on her bingo card for the evening yet it had happened. Her brain felt like soup but the night was far from over. She followed to the back of the base, watching as the jeep in front killed the lights as they parked. She pulled up behind them and killed the engine, flipping off the headlights. Johnny went to open the door but Gabby quickly placed a hand on his shoulder. The Scotsman turned to face her, brows drawn together.

“I'm sorry for snapping at you Soap. You're a good soldier and an even better friend. You wanting to protect Ghost and I, in whatever happened between us, is honorable.” She said softly, her tone calm and even. “But I meant what I said. People like me… I've got too much blood on my hands Johnny. I loved once and got burned for it. And what happened between Ghost and I only proved it's not in the cards for me. And that's okay. I've accepted my fate. But you as a friend, that's enough to bring some good into my life.”

Soap reached out and brushed a strand of hair off her cheek, his thumb lingering for a second as it rubbed over her cheek bone. He smiled softly, not really reaching his eyes but one that showed understanding. “One day you'll see you're worthy of more.” Was all he said before nodding towards the others getting out of their own vehicle. “Let's go.”

Gabby followed his lead, the lieutenant in her taking front and center once more. The convoy had pulled up to the back of the base, a large blue shipping container now sitting on the pavement. She crossed her arms over her chest as she stared at the large container, her unimpressed look saying it all. Graves walked forward with Valeria in tow, and headed for the large doors.

“Five star establishment, Graves, I don't know how you could afford such a luxury to hold her in.” Gabby snapped, sarcasm dripping from her tone. “Don't you think this is a bit too fancy for a prisoner?” Graves let his head tip backwards, shaking it slightly before an exhausted sounding sigh slipped through his chapped lips. His head rolled to the side, eyeing her as his eyes narrowed.

“Do you ever not sound sarcastic as hell when you speak?”

“Of course,” Gabby answered without missing a beat, “When I actually like the person and care about their feelings.” She took a step forward, her smile turning a bit more sadistic. “Guess you don't fall into that category.” Graves just sneered at her, before throwing open the container doors. Gabby smirked to herself, loving how easy it was to get under his skin.

“Juega limpio.” (play nice) Rudy said as he stepped up beside her, giving her a knowing look while trying to keep a smile off his own lips.

“Ese soy yo jugando limpio.” (That is me playing nice) Gabby chirped back, before following Alejandro and Graves into the container. The rest followed behind, Graves shoving Valeria down into a metal chair, making the older woman huff in annoyance. Gabby stayed back a bit, behind Soap, Rudy and Alejandro as they stood with Graves by her chair. Hudson and Ghost hang back with her, keeping more to the shadows. Gabby was content to let Graves have his messed up version of fun for a bit, letting Alejandro get answers he so desperately needed before she jumped in if needed. Interrogation wasn't something she enjoyed as a pastime, but she was damn good at it, making people break without even lifting a finger. Though she wasn't so sure how well that would work on Valeria.

Gabby crossed her arms over her vest, leaning back against the cold wall of the metal shipping container and watched as Valeria crossed her leg over her knee, leaning an arm over the back of the chair and looking boredly up at Graves as he circled her.

“So how exactly do you know each other?” Graves asked finally, but his question was directed more towards Alejandro. The Latino man huffed an unimpressed sound and shook his head.

“Know is a strong word.”

“Las palabras fuertes son importantes. Nuestra palabra es nuestro valor ¿verdad? (Strong words are important. Our word is our worth, right?) Valeria spoke up, making Gabby bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing a humorless laugh. What a bitch. Alejandro on the other hand wasn't afraid to speak his mind.

“Vete al infierno, maldito hijo de puta. ¡Te voy a matar!” (Go to hell you fucking son of a bitch. I'm going to kill you!) His words were like venom, the were thrown into the air to hit their target, to dig deeply. Yet Valeria looked unfazed, like his outburst meant nothing to her as the large man charged towards her.

“Alejandro!” Soap yelled, reaching out to grab his arm.

“Tranquilo, comandante. ¡Tranquilo!” (Calm down, Commander, calm!” Rudy said, stepping in front of the raging man.

“Yeah? Yeah!” Alejandro shook his head, his reply sounding as if he was trying to decide if he was actually listening to Rudy and Soap. He stepped back, locking eyes with Gabby for a slip second as he took a few steps back from the woman, and then turned to face the trader once more. His hands slipped into the straps of his tactical vest, and Gabby could hear the creaking of his leather gloves from the force he was holding onto with. “Vamos, Tell them.” He said his voice eerily calm.

Valeria only glared, her head tilted to the side slightly as if she was about to play a card game, not being integrated. Gabby hated her all the more in that moment.

“I don't take orders anymore.” Valeria sneered, her voice dripping in venomous honey. Her eyes looked around the right space and they looked on Gabby's, dark honey on wood brown. And Gabby held her gaze as the next works spoke from her lips. “Even the dog of Las Almas knows not to bark at me.”

Scratch that. She hated her even more now. Bitch.

Gabby held back huff she wanted to let out, her gaze snapping to Hudson's. They both felt the betrayal that Alejandro was feeling. It wasn't just soldiers her knew that walked away and turned to the Cartel, it was kids they had grown up with too.

Alejandro growled, an real animalistic growl and waved a hand in the air. “Mira esto…” (look at this) he said to know one in particular as he tried to keep his calm. “She's ex military. We served together.” He supplied when she wouldn't. Valeria nodded her head, leaning back in her chair.

“Different squad. Same unit.” She pointed a finger at Alejandro and Rudy. “You were the wild ones, eh? ‘Los vaqueros’” she said the name like it was sour on her tongue. “My squad was clean cut, Señores y señoras.” She made a show of looking each one of them in the eye as she spoke. A flash of - something - flickered in her eyes as they landed on Gabby and Hudson but she quickly covered it up. It made Gabby feel uneasy.

“Until the raid on the sons of La Araña.” Alejandro continued to fill in the gaps, spilling the truths of Valeria. “Do you remember?”

“I remember perfectly.”

“Her team was told to cordon off the city to keep out La Araña’s enforcer and prevent bloodshed.”

Valeria gave her best pouty lip and big sad eyes, faking innocence as she spoke “That's exactly what we did.” She spoke in a soft, low tone. Alejandro put on his own look, large eyes like a dog as he dipped his chin slightly, as though to mock her.

“Well you kept out his enforcers, because you were his enforcers, huh?”

This made the air in the metal container go stale. Gabby stood up a bit straighter, her eyes meeting her brother's as they learned more about what happened. La Araña was no joke. As kids they heard the stories, they understood that he was like El Sin Nombre, ruthless and determined to take over the land. It's why the Los Vaqueros fight so hard to take back Las Almas from El Sin Nombre - from Valeria - because they already lived through this once before.

“He was escorted into the mountains without incident." The older woman spoke, boredom lacing her tone. Then she looked up at Alejandro and used that same pouty tone, “Also to prevent bloodshed.” The way she said it, so mockingly, so unapologetic, it made Gabby’s blood pressure rise.

Rudy for the first time since this powwow started, spoke up. “He was supposed to go to prison.” His voice sounded raw, like he was holding back on his emotions. Not that Gabby blamed him.

“So you killed him off and took over.” Graves spoke up from behind her, his voice echoing off the metal walls. His hand landed on her shoulder, pulling her back flush against the chair making the woman sneer at him.

“I created a power vacuum… and I filled it.” She hissed at Graves. She then turned her eyes to Alejandro. “Las Almas needs me.”

“Las Almas needs soldiers, not sicarios.” To his credit he sounded a lot calmer then he probably really was. Gabby remained still, quiet, watchful. She knew this woman as a child, then she disappeared. She had no idea she'd come back as the very thing they feared in Las Almas. “And you, you disgrace the Army.” Alejandro bent down to become eye level with Valeria, his teeth bared as he ground out the words. He looked back at Rudy over his shoulder, then turned a sinister smile on Valaria, “Your brothers too, no?”

Graves cut in, asking the next question. “Why’er doing this?”

Valeria leaned back in her chair, tossing an arm over the back and shifted her gaze to Graves. “You tell me. You're the contractor, no?” Her eyes flickered to Gabby. “Or maybe your own Sicario knows.”

Gabby felt her body stiffen. Being called out like that, made her blood feel itchy in her veins. This woman needed to be shut up…. With a fist. After a beat Valaria continued to speak. “What you don't do your competitors well.”

Ghost, seeming to see Gabby’s stuff uneasiness, spoke up from his corner by the door. “You're a narco harboring a terrorist.” His deep voice reverbed off the metal, making it sound gruffer, more with an edge. Gabby flicked her gaze to his for a brief second, trying to get a read on what he was doing.

Valeria shrugged, seeming unbothered. “Terrorism is good for business. It's insurance.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” Alejandro growled, his arms crossed so tightly across his body Gabby was worried that they would permanently be stuck that way.

“¿Puedes sacar la cabeza de tu maldito culo un segundo? ¡Por el amor de Dios, Alejandro!” (Can you get your head out of your fucking ass for a second? For fuck sakes Alejandro!) The older woman yelled, her body going rigid and tense as she screamed at him. “As long as there is a war on terror, there is no real war on drugs.” Her eyes locked onto Alejandro's as she spoke, her words digging deeper than any knife’s blade. “To find your so-called terrorist and your missiles you need me.” She threw back at Graves, leaning back into her seat as her eyes looked up at the American. “To prevent bloodshed.” She sent the final jab with a mocking blow. Alejandro was starting to pace. His eyes dark, deadly as he moved about the container. Rudy looked on edge, unsure how to help his leader and friend. Gabby felt like her blood had turned to gel, her mind turning over thousands of thoughts at once.

Finally Alejandro snapped, snatching his rifle from the wall. “No… no I'm not doing this!” He hissed, pushing past Soap.

“This doesn't change anythi-” Soap began to say but was cut off by Alejandro.

“It changes everything!” The older man yelled, his voice rattling the walls. Gabby's hand tightened around her rifle, her back rod straight. She wasn't sure what Alejandro was about to do. She saw Hudson grip his knife handle on his vest, his body ready to attack if needed. Alejandro moved to the door, screaming as fuck into the air before snapping around in front of Gabby and looked at Graves. “Don't make a deal with her… it won't end well.” With that the Colonel walked out of the shipping container into the night air. Hudson followed, right on his heels knowing Alejandro shouldn't be alone right now. Gabby turned to face Soap, his eyes wide and unsure. Valeria looked pleased with herself, sitting back in her chair all smug. Soap turned back to Valeria and leaned close.

“Looks like it's your turn to tell the truth.” He said. Gabby has a feeling it was something she had said to him, when Soap was alone in the house with Valeria. Gabby didn't wait around to hear what was said, she followed after Alejandro and Hudson, worried about the older of the two. She stepped quietly out of the container, ignoring the look from Ghost as she went. The sun was coming up, casting the base in a warm glow. She moved silently towards the officers barracks on the other end of the base, moving around vehicles and equipment. She dug a finger into her temple, rubbing it as her brain tried to catch up with what happened. La Araña had been bad as a child, that she remembered. Then he disappeared and so did Valeria. Not long after El Sin Nombre rose and became more powerful than La Araña ever was. Had the signs always been there, that Valeria was El Sin Nombre, or had she truly hid herself away from the Los Vaqueros that well?

Gabby stopped in her tracks when she saw the broken pottery and dirt all over the porch of the barracks. Potted plants and their pots had been thrown or kicked around, like a small bomb had exploded. Gabby toed her way through the dirt and pottery, pushing the door open with her hand. Alejandro was inside, head in his hands as he leaned forward on the sofa. Hudson was nearby, Alejandro’s rifle in his hands. Gabby locked eyes with her brother and he gave her a small head shake, shrugging his shoulders. She let out a sigh, and placed her weapons at the door, before moving to sit near Alejandro.

“Mira, sé que esto es... un desastre. Yo también estoy intentando asimilarlo. Pero no puedes dejar que gane desviando tu atención de la misión.” (Look, I know this is… A clusterfuck. I'm trying to wrap my head around this too. But you can't let her win by pulling your focus away from the mission) Gabby spoke softly, her tone even and calm. Alejandro growled, lowering his hands from his face.

“Abandonó el ejército. A su familia. A sus amigos. ¡Nos traicionó! ¿Para qué? ¿Para convertirse en una tirana que gobierna una tierra que solo quiere paz?” (She abandoned the army. Her family. Her friends. She betrayed us! For what, to become some tyrant ruling a land that only wants peace?) His voice sounded raw, cracked. It broke Gabby's heart. She placed a hand on his arm and gave it a light squeeze, drawing his eyes to her own.

“I will go and talk to her. Alone. She's one that likes the mind games, waiting it out. It's a good thing I'm used to playing the psychological warfare game when it comes to interrogations. I can wait her out. Graves will just beat her silly if he goes back in there.”

Alejandro eyed her skeptically, unsure if he wanted to let her in there alone with Valeria. “You sure?” Gabby just waved a hand in the air, acting like it was nothing at all. And it wasn't. She had a gift of waiting people out, playing the silent game, messing with their minds to get what she wanted in an interrogation. She used force when she had to, but the mental game was how she truly broke a person. She didn't get where she was, or stay alive this long in her work without being able to be everything and nothing all at once.

“I helped lead most of the interrogations on my old team. Then after going solo, I learned real quick how to break a person by saying or doing as little as possible. Valeria is no different.” She told them as she leaned back into the sofa, her body begging for rest. “This… all this, her being El Sin Nombre, knowing what happened during La Araña, it's alot. No one is going to fault you or Rudy or even Hudson and Me for feeling the way we do. People we trusted let us down. It's one of the lowest blows to get in our line of work.” She waved her hand in the air to help her point. And she meant it. It was a low dirty blow. She remembered how devastating it was a few years back with her old team, back before Marsh had died, when one of their own turned on them. It had been right when she joined the team, it was a hard lesson to learn. They lost a lot during that time, and had to find their way forward. Learning that people you trusted were now the enemy never got easier.

Nothing else was said as the door to the barracks creaked open, Soap and Rudy leading the charge as they stepped through the door. Graves was behind them with Ghost bringing up the rear. They all looked in different stages of tiredness and disbelief. Gabby stood up, eyeing Graves. “What did the bitch have to say?”

“She wants her freedom. Shocking.” He replied as he snapped open the clasp of his tactical vest and pulled it off his body. Gabby rolled her eyes and cocked her hip to the side, placing her hand on it.

“No shit Sherlock. Anyone would have guessed. What does she really want?”

Graves signed deeply, like answering Gabby's questions were the most complicated thing he had done this whole mission. “She wants us to leave. Las Almas is hers in her mind and she wants us to leave, let her continue her work out in the open now, and never come back. In return she gives us Hassan.”

Alejandro stood up from the sofa. “Absolutely not! She doesn't own this city!” He pointed a finger at Graves. “You didn't promise something you can't deliver, did you? You are not of Las Almas, it's not up to you if she walks free or not.”

“Easy Alejandro. She didn't offer me anything worth making promises over.” Graves held up a hand, trying to keep the colonel calm. “My men pulled files from the mansion. Gabby, get on it please.” Graves said throwing a hard drive her way which she catches easily in the air.

“Yeah… no. Ask nicely and I'll fit it into my schedule. In case you forgot, Graves, Shepherd told you all that if I needed to take point I could, when it came to matters of Las Almas. This is one of those moments. I'm heading the integration of Valeria now.”

Graves went to open his mouth, anger in his eyes but Ghost stepped in, his body blocking Gabby slightly. “You heard her. Shepard said if she needed to take the point, then we let her. She's taking point. End of discussion.” Gabby felt her body come alive at the time in his voice, at the way he put his body between her and the asshole Graves. She quickly pushed down that fire that looked up her spine. Not now.

Graves signed, nodding his head and stepping back a step. “Okay, yeah okay. You are right.”

Rudy, ever the voice of reason, spoke up. “Come on, we had a long night. Everyone rests up for a few hours and then we plan.” His voice was soft but firm, a soothing note to Gabby's ears. She didn't wait to hear what any of the responses were, she just grabbed her rifle from where she laid it and made her way to the stairs. Heavy boot falls sounded behind her and she knew it was Ghost and Soap following to their own rooms. Once she reached the top Soap darted past her, making his way into his room with a soft “night!” And a little wave before he disappeared behind his door. Gabby smiled and shook her head fondly, making her way down the hall. Ghost followed behind, silent as always until he reached the door before her own.

“Thank you for standing up for me.” Gabby said softly, watching him from the corner of her eye as she reached for her doorknob. Ghost froze as he went to push open his own door, his head lifting slightly to look at her.

“Of course.” It came out so much softer than she was expecting, his voice deep and calm. His eyes met her for a brief second before he pushed into his room, shutting the door behind him with a click. Gabby sighed, pushing open her door and shutting it, leaning back against the wood and letting her head gently thunk against it. Her bones ached, her mind screamed for rest. She kicked off her shoes, letting them by the door and made her way over to the dresser. She pulled off her gear, buckles and snaps popping open, weapons being laid carefully on the small table by the window. She stripped out of her clothes and made her way to the shower, turning the water in as hot as it would go before stepping under the spray. She tipped her head back, letting the water run over her smooth tanned skin, her dark hair falling flat down her back under the weight of the water.

She grabbed her body wash, the kind that smelled like cinnamon and vanilla, and ran the cloth over her body, working it into her skin and over tired muscles. Dirt and blood swirled down the drain, washing away the night. Once her body was clean she grabbed her vanilla shampoo and worked it through her long locks. The shampoo bubbled in her hair, the thick leather being worked into her sculpt. She closed her eyes and tipped her head back, letting the water rinse out the suds. She felt clean, she felt refreshed. Turned off the water she stepped out of the shower and grabbed the teal fluffy towel, wrapping it around her body. Another towel followed, wrapping her hair up and piling it on top of her head. Making her way back out into her bedroom she grabbed clean underwear and a sports bra, a pair of dark gray leggings and a loose white T-shirt. Her stomach was hungry but sleep won out, and her body fell to the bed and sleep overtook her before she even pulled up the blanket.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••

A few hours later, one deep nap that had her waking up wondering what year it was and her hair stuck to her face from where it dried on her skin, Gabby was downstairs, hair up in a messy bun, fixing a protein shake for herself. She leaned against the countertop and sipped on her shake. Her legs still ached a bit from all the running and being slammed around, but the bruises were healing and the stiffness was fading. She tipped her head back and closed her eyes, her ankles crossed and her body relaxed.

“Mornin’, er, after’oon.” Soap said as he came into the kitchen, heading for the coffee pot. His red shirt fit like a glove, his black joggers slung low on his hips. His hair was slightly disheveled, like he had run a hand through it and called it good enough.

“Mornin’ Johnny Boy.” Gabby replied, his Southern accent thick and rich as she spoke. He hummed as he filled his mug, the rich aroma of coffee filling the kitchen. His eyes rolled back as the first rush of coffee hit his tongue and Gabby chuckled. “I ta’e it you needed ‘hat?”

Soap gave her a funny look, his brows pinched together over the rim of his mug. “‘S too early in the morn’ for me to fi’ure out your accent.” He mumbled around his drink, his eyes have drooped shut. Gabby just kept chuckling and tossed him a protein bar from the dish beside her.

“Eat somthin’.” The sound of footsteps alerted her to more people coming down the stairs and her eyes moved to the doorway. Rudy came into the space, his air damp from a shower and his gray shirt sleeves were pushed up to his elbows, a pair of soft worn jeans on his legs.

“Hola pequeñito." (Hello little one) He said as he reached her, cradling the back of her head with his large hand as he bent to place a kiss on the crown of her head. Gabby hummed, the smell of his pine shampoo and the mint from his candies filling her nose.

“Hola Tito.” She moved out of his way once he dropped his hand, letting him get to the cupboards. He began to pull out things to start cooking a meal, Soap and her watching him as they sipped their drinks, their eyes tracking every move.

“Do you know what he's gonna make?” Soap whispered, his eyes watching as Rudy pulled things from the fridge.

“No, but if I had to guess… something that doubles as breakfast and lunch.”

“Oh sweet Jesus, there's bacon.”

“Shhhh you'll scare him!”

The two of them whispered not so quietly over their drinks, earning a sharp glare from the older man, making them both snickering behind their cups before darting from the kitchen before he threw a tomato at their heads. Gabby and Soap were chuckling still as they made their way over to the soft, sinking down onto the soft seat. Alejandro soon made his appearance, looking slightly better than he did before they all got some sleep. Gabby could still see a bit of the haunted look behind his eyes, but she didn't blame him. The smell of food filled the air, seeming to pull the last members of their team from their rooms. Graves and Ghost came down the stairs, the latter of the two glancing up to meet her eyes for a flash of a second before going to the chair in the corner and sitting there. Gabby eyed him for a second, trying to get a read on him but failed. Soap tapped his elbow into her ribs and raised an eyebrow at her. She only shook her head, standing up to take her now empty cup to the sink. She gave him a pointed look, before leaving Soap and Ghost alone in the kitchen.

Rudy was dishing up food, the greasy, protein filled meal making her mouth water. “Huele a cielo.” (Smells like heaven) She told Rudy as she grabbed silverware out of the nearby drawer. Alejandro was nursing a coffee as he leaned against the wall by the fridge, Graves making his own drink. Rudy smiled at her, the kind that made you feel calm and safe. She gave her own smile back and placed full plates on the kitchen isle and let out a whistle to get Soap and Ghost’s attention. They both made their way into the kitchen a few seconds later and grabbed plates, Ghost leaving to head back to his room to eat. Gabby tried not to watch his retreating back as he disappeared up the stairs and she got her own plate of food.

“I will have food for you to take to Valeria.” Rudy said to her, knocking her focus back to the kitchen. She nodded her head, and shoveled a fork full of bacon and eggs into her mouth, humming as the flavors hit her tongue. The group ate in mostly silence, the scrape of a fork or the hum of approval was really the only sounds that filled the kitchen. They were all still tired, sore, worn down from the night before. The late breakfast turned lunch filled their stomachs and spirits, making them all a bit more relaxed. Rudy stood up and filled up a to-do dish, slipping a plastic fork into the lid before closing it.

“Better take it while it's hot.” He said softly, handing the dish over to Gabby.

“Not that she'll probably eat it.” Alejandro grumbled, before taking his dishes to the sink to be rinsed off. Gabby took the container from Rudy and gave him a smile, nodding her head towards Alejandro.

“Try and get him to stop thinking about her for a second.” She knew it was a lot to ask, most of them in this room have been hurt in some form of way by El Sin Nombre - by Valeria - but it wasn't going to help them any if Alejandro thought himself down a hole he couldn't climb out of. Stepping away from the table she moved to the door and slipped on her shoes, and headed out to face Valeria head on. She walked across the base, soldiers moving about fixing equipment or eating lunch, testing out new knives on small targets hanging on the side of buildings. She kept her pace even, her head held high but not threatening. She was an officer, yes, but she wanted the soldiers around her to feel relaxed.

She got to the shipping container that Valeria was being held in, and found a guard standing by the door. He was tall, maybe an inch or so taller than Soap, and about the same build. He had pale blond hair cut close, a scar above his right eye that looked like a shrapnel mark. Pale blue eyes and a strong looking jaw. He watched as Gabby approached, dipping his head in a greeting.

“Ma'am.” He said, a thick Southern drawl coating the word.

“Sergeant.” She replied, her own accent there. He reached for the door and pulled it open, nodding to her. She flashed him a smile, before stepping inside the container. Valeria was laying on a simple cot they had given her. She had one knee bent up, her arm behind her head as she watched Gabby enter the shipping container.

“No quiero nada de lo que vienes a ofrecerme.”(I want nothing you come to offer) the older woman said, turning to look back up at the ceiling.

“No seas una vieja testaruda, Valeria.” (Don't be a stubborn old woman, Valeria.) Gabby hackled her, sitting the food down on the chair. She then leaned back against the metal wall, watching as Valerie sat up. “You can offer me information I want and I will leave you alone to eat in peace, or we play hardball. I don't really care which one you pick.” Gabby spoke. She crossed her arms over her chest and let the older woman figure out how this was going to go. Valeria reached out and scooped up the food container, popping open the lid to inspect the food.

“How do I know you didn't lace this with something, eh?”

Gabby rolled her eyes and gave her a bored look. “If I wanted you dead, poison wouldn't be my method of choice.”

Valeria eyes for a second, her eyes narrowing as she looked into Gabby’s eyes. “No…” she spoke slowly, dragging out the word. “No, you like to be up close and personal in your kills. Like the man in the skull mask that's with Alejandro.” She sat the food in her bed and stood up, but didn't move forward. “You think you are something special, Halo?”

Gabby cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. “So you know who I am?”

“I know who you were. Don't think just because you are all grown up, in a woman's body that I don't recognize the look in your eyes… Gabrielle.” She spoke her name like a dagger, dragging out the word, rolling the letters on her tongue before letting them fall. Gabby felt her body loose, unbothered. She wasn't about to let Valeria in her head.

“Congratulations, you figured out the bare minimum. It's not like I was hiding.”

Valeria cocked her head, matching Gabby's pose. “I know where your mother is.” She watched, but Gabby didn't react. “You don't seem intrigued by this information.”

Gabby shrugged, still totally unimpressed. “You really think if I was able to find you, I wouldn't know where my own mother was?”

“Hmmm. True. But how would she feel knowing what her daughter turned into?”

“She gave up the right to have an option of me years ago, Valeria. Is this really the best you got? Why don't you tell me how you came to work for Hassan.”

“I work for no one!” The older woman hissed, her eyes growing hard. “I am El Sin Nombre. I work with, not for, that desert rat.”

“Where is the cargo, the missile? Where is Hassan?” Gabby ignored her outburst and pushed on, pressing for answers.

“Las Almas is mine, Niña pequeña. I don't have to answer you.” Valeria sat back down on the chair, crossing her leg over her knee. “Your mother would be so disappointed to see you turn out so much like your father.”

Gabby's left eye wanted to twitch. This woman was a piece of work. Gabby stayed still though, still unbothered by the games being played. “Again, she gave up that right to have an option. Saying things like that won't hurt me.” She tsked at her, shaking her head slowly. “Where is Hassan?”

“I hear they call you the Angel of Mercy and Blood. Does your team even know what you really are?” Shit. What was she playing at? Gabby locked eyes with Valeria, watching as the sinister smile crept over her lips.

“They know I've played assassin. That's not new news.”

“Oh no, Gabrielle, I'm talking about what you really are.”

“You know nothing-”

“I KNOW EVERYTHING!” Valeria yelled, cutting Gabby off. The older woman stood up, locking eyes and pointing a finger at Gabby. “I know what you are. Who you are. How do you think the people you care about, your family will deal with knowing they don't truly know you, what you are capable of?”

Gabby took a step forward, her eyes dark with anger. She kept her head held high, kept her hands loose at her sides. She wished she had brought a knife, something to hold on her hand to make her feel better. But she knew she didn't need a weapon to defend herself if she had to, her hands were enough. “Don't talk like you know me.”

There was a pause, like Valeria was thinking over her next words. Then something dark, something evil glimmered in her eyes. “I hear Berlin is a beautiful city… when it's not being blown up.” She said the words in such a sickening sweet tone. Gabby felt her skin grow pale, the words ringing in her ears like a siren. Her body grew cold, her joints locked into place. Valeria took a step closer, the smile on her face only darkening.

“I know everything Gabrielle. I know what you were, what you are. But don't worry, I won't tell. I'd rather watch your world crumble at your feet when they find out on their own who you really are, then tell them and ruin the surprise.” She let out a soft noise, almost like a pity whimper. “You have kept so many secrets in your life Halo, what happens when the world no longer sees you as an Angel of Mercy but just the Angel of Blood? Will you join Sergeant Evanston in the flames?”

Gabby surged forward, her hand wrapped around her next as she slammed her into the metal wall. Valeria’s head thinned against the wall and Gabby sneered in her face. Valeria only chuckled, the sound strangled from the grip on her throat. Gabby only tightened her grip, her body pinning Valera more.

“He told me you'd react violently.” Valeria wheezed around the hand on her neck, the words broken but Gabby heard them.

“Who? Tell me Valeria who?!” Gabby hissed, her tone dark and deadly.

“Damien.”

One name. One word and the world turned red for Gabby. She slammed Valeria back into the wall before letting her go, dropping her to the floor as she wheezed and choked on air. Gabby felt her hands shake, her body burning like she was standing next to a fire. One name. One word. That's all it took to turn Gabby back into the killer she so desperately wanted to shove back down. She was tired of being this way. Valeria looked up, tears in her dark eyes as she gasped for air.

“You are nothing more than a dog, made to bark when your master commands it. Nothing but a ghost, Gabrielle.” She coughed and huffed, the words rough and hard but Gabby heard them. She balled her fists and flared down at the woman at her feet.

“Choke on some glass Valaria.” She growled before turning on her heels and throwing open the door, letting the hot afternoon sun blind her for a second. Her breath was fast, short paced. She felt like her brain was shutting down and her limbs turning to ash. She felt itchy, the scar on her arm pulling tight. The blonde soldier, one of Graves' men, watched her carefully, like she was a wild animal. Gabby just ripped up her chin and stormed away from the shipping container, her legs carrying her towards the car snipers tower at the other edge of the base, in the old training grounds. Moved like a Ghost, her feet never making a sound as she floated through the base, her eyes hard and wild. Something made her look up as she passed the barracks and her eyes met the cold bone mask of Ghost, watching from the window. She glared up at him for a second, knowing he could see the anger radiating off of her like a smoke signal. But she didn't have it in her to care as she tore off for the training grounds, leaving behind the confused look she never saw in his eyes.

Chapter Text

This country feels like a curse, leaving a sour taste on my tongue. The things that happened here, the scars that were born here, makes me want to burn it all to the ground. At least it did. Before… before this country turned out someone like her. How can something so filled with blood and poison raise someone like her, pure and full of heaven? How is it now when I taste the food or smell the citrus and desert air, I no longer feel sick to my stomach, but I smell her on the wind, and suddenly this place doesn't feel so much like a curse anymore….
Simon Riley, Journal Entry.

Ghost was finishing up his meal, the food better than anything he's had in the last month or so, when he heard a loud bang, like metal grinding against other metal. His eyes snapped to the window and he moved, looking out over the base to find the source of the noise. What he found was his fellow lieutenant walking fast and hard down the road. If looks could kill, everyone around her would be vaporized. She moved past the barracks and looked up, her honeyed eyes meeting his through the window screen. Her eyes were hard, cold, distant. Like she was somewhere else in her head. She looked away after a second, marching off towards the other half of the base, where the training grounds were.

Ghost, against his better judgment, felt the need to check on her. So he did the only thing he could think of. He slipped open his window, stepped out onto the roof and walked around the side of the barracks past her bedroom windows. He thought about looking in, to see part of her world. But he didn't. Ghost prided himself on keeping people's privacy, and he wasn't about to break it now for a… whatever the fuck was wrong with his head whenever she was involved. He saw the top of her head disappear around the bend near the wall that blocked off the training grounds and he followed, dropping down from the roof onto the hard packed earth below.

His boots made a dull thud as they hit the ground, his weight even and balanced from years of stealth training. He hit the ground running, his knees taking the shock but he barely felt it, his eyes watching as he moved to the shadows being cast from the building around him. Soldiers moved out of the way as Gabby all but plowed her way through the base. Something happened when she was with Valeria. She took a left turn, towards the wall of the base, instead of going straight like the last time they went to the training grounds. He looked up, seeing the old snipers tower and something clicked in his brain. That's where she had gone the other night. It was at the very edge of the base, in the far corner away from all the noise.

But talking was off the table. That much he realized. Whatever had happened between them, the kiss, her skin under his lips, the name that spilled from her lips, the fact that his cock wouldn't get with the problem and realize that ship had sailed… no. If he was going to help her, then he needed to give her something to do. Or hit.

He watched as she walked through the old gate, disappearing into the old training lot and he went straight, heading for the building by the observation deck. He stepped inside and took in all the training equipment, looking for what he needed. If you asked Ghost why he felt the need to help her, he couldn't have told you. He spent nine years stripping away all his humanity, his need to care and provide for people. Sure he wanted to make the world safer so families never had to go through what he did, but he didn't want to care on an individual level. The Price pulled him into the 141 and he ended up having to do just that with John, Gaz and Soap. But it was fine, he learned to adapt, keep them at arm's length, still protective of them but still not overly caring. Even if Soap did try his damnedest to work his way under his skin.

Then she waltzed into his life and set off something in him. His heart and his mind couldn't get on the same page. She was like a wildfire burning through his life, yet he wasn't sure he wanted to put out the flames. It was confusing and frustrating and it made his head hurt.

He reached up and found some knee pads, like the ones Gabby had been wearing for the mission. They had metal on them and were thick, the straps padded to go around the legs. They didn't feel like normal knee pads he himself had worn now and again for missions. He grabbed two sets and then went over to the training weapons. He found rubber training knives and rubber Escrima Sticks. Both would leave bruises and would hurt when used too hard, but wouldn't leave any injuries or cause any real damage in training. Once he grabbed those he made his way towards the old sniper tower at the back of the base. He weaved and moved around buildings, watching as the newer, cleaner siding turned into older, dimmer buildings that showed their age.

He moved with purpose, his long strides carrying him across the hard packed earth with footsteps silent. The sun beat down on his Balaclava, but he paid it no mind. He had gone with his soft one, the fabric thin enough to let some airflow into his skin. He wore a navy blue T-shirt, and a black zip up hoodie over it. His well worn jeans have faded over time, from all the wear and washing they have been through. But they fit like a glove, soft inside but still sturdy. The black belt holding them up was slung low around his hips. Even though he was covered up, the power of the muscles moving under the fabric was undeniable.

Ghost made it to the back of the base training grounds, looking up to see where Gabby had gone in the tower. He found her sitting on the stone wall, her legs thrown over the side and her back leaning against the support post. She held a dagger in her hand, spinning it between her fingers as she watched the wild desert that lay beyond the wall. The sun hit her just so, the skin on her arms looking golden tanned, her hair, midnight black with shades of blue. The sun gleamed off the blade of the knife as it spun rhythmically between her fingers.

Pulling his gaze away he started up the stairs, moving that she could see him easily. Once he reached the top, Ghost stood still and waited for her to speak. After a moment or two she finally broke the silence.

“I thought you were done playing my therapist?” Her voice was cracked, her accent thick. The breath caught in his chest for a beat, trying to find the right words. She was right, he had said that in the tent, but he hadn't meant it. He said it out of anger, jealousy. But he also pushed her away after everything happened, brushing off her apology. Maybe this was his brain's way of supplying a way to make amends.

“Not here to talk. Here to train.” He watched as her head turned, her eyes finding him with a questioning look to them. He held out the gear in his hands, showing what he brought.

“You want to train?” She questioned, the knife still in her hand now. She turned her body more towards him but stayed on the wall. He watched every movement, clocking how she held herself. He watched for signs of her being hesitant, or too upset to spar with him. He wasn't going to push her too hard if she really came across unreceptive.

“You pulled off some really interesting moves when we took Valeria. I want you to show me.” He tossed the knee pads her way, watching as she caught them with ease.

“You got my haunt sliders?” She raised an eyebrow at him. He waved a hand, tipping his head towards the course.

“I grabbed them from the shed. Not your room.” Ghost tilted his head. “I respect privacy. I'd never enter your room without your permission.” He watched as something flickered across Gabby's eyes, but she didn't say anything for a beat. He waited for her to make her decision. After a moment she slid from the wall, landing on her feet and nodded towards the stairs.

“After you.”

Ghost turned on his heels and lead the way down the steps, stopping at the bottom to hand her two of the Escrima Sticks and four knives. “Let's not play with real ones.” He let the small joke slide off his tongue, as he glanced down to the blade still clenched in her hand. She cracked a side smile, the gleam in her eye wild. It made his stomach tighten, his breath falter for a second.

“Don't want a reenactment of what I did to those poor men?” She asked in a suggestive tone, making his stomach tighten even more. It had been over 10 years since the sound of a woman's voice made his stomach flip, sending jolts of electricity through his body. Over 9 years since he pushed those feelings away, built his walls seven stories high. He became something dark, nothing more than a weapon to be welded in war. Then Gabby jumped out of a jeep and threw his world off tilt. It made his brain mushy. He didn't like it. At least he kept telling himself that as he watched her smile pull at her plump lips and he tried not to remember what they felt like against his own, or the sweet sounds that spilled from them as his tongue tasted her skin. No, he had to remind himself he was too dangerous, damaged, scared, and broken to care for someone or have them care about him back. He had to remember what he said to her on the way back to the base, that it was just a moment they fell into. It meant nothing.

Now if only his heart and his cock would get with the program.

Ghost watched as Gabby bent to put on the knee pads. He also did his own, watching how she placed her so he put them on right. “These are different.” He said after a few moments of silence.

“Different how?”

He rapped his knuckles against the metal, letting the slight metallic ping ring in the air. “They're metal. The padding is thicker on the inside.” He looked up to meet her gaze, then his eyes snapped back down to watch as she pulled the strap tight. There was a mischievous look in her eyes, one that promised danger, held a bit of the anger still, but something also playful. It was a look he wasn't sure he ever wanted to see fully turned onto him.

“They're meant to slide longer distances without injuries to the knees. Also if you strike them together the right way or against the pavement the right way, they will spark. Helping to distract your opponent or start a fire.”

Well that wasn't exactly what he had expected her to say. He figured the metal moved better when going for the knee slide, but to start a fire? He had never seen anyone use that in battle before. “And the padding inside doesn't hinder your fighting or speed when running?” He bent a knee, testing the feel of the slider around his leg. It didn't feel very heavy or bulky, and he was able to bend his leg sharply without the straps digging into him.

“No they are meant for running and such.” Gabby explained, “You saw me fighting. I had free movement.”

“Aye. I saw.” Was all he said. What he didn't add was how watching her fight was like watching her dance. It was intoxicating, thrilling… and he hated it. She moved so fast, so floaty, her body bending and twisting with such ease. Years of training and practice proven in her movements that looked like second nature. It drove him up a wall as he watched her fight, jump and run through the compound. He just wasn't ready to put a name to it.

He picked up the daggers and shoved them into the belt, leaving one in his hand as he grabbed a Escrima stick. He stood up to his full height, not truly towering over her, but he had a good few inches that had her head reaching his shoulders. He looked down at her, his head cocked to the side as he glanced down at her very empty hands. He twirled his training dagger in his hand and met her eyes. “I brought you weapons Brown Eyes.” He stated. He watched as that mischievous look crossed her eyes again. It made his blood tingle.

“I know.” She said with a simple shrug. Her eyes met his from under her lashes, her head tilted slightly, “But the thing you need to learn is… I am the weapon.” It was all the warning Ghost got before she lunged forward, dropping low as her leg came out, hitting him in the hip. Ghost stumbled backwards from the impact, a grunt sounding from him. He didn't have time to recover before Gabby took a swing upwards with her right arm, slamming it into his shoulder. The knife he had been holding fell from his grasp, right into her waiting hand. Ghost took a swing with his Escrima Stick, trying to block another swing of her leg as she jumped up, kicking out in mid air.

His eyes went wide as she came at him, his left arm braced across his body to block the hit as he swung out with his right hand to try and land a hit on her side. She rolled to the side, landing in a diving roll and popping up, his now taken training knife in her hand. A wicked grin filled her lips, her eyes alive. Strands of her hair had come loose, framing her face as she smirked at him. Ghost grinned under his mask, enjoying the thrill of adrenaline that pumped through his body.

“Cheeky thing.” He taunted before going low, swinging the stick for her knees and grabbing a training knife from his belt. As he hit his knee, he turned his upper half, swinging the stick lower, as he turned, the knife went higher. Gabby jumped back, barely missing the stick hitting her knees, and twisting her upper body to the side to miss the knife. She took her elbow and rammed it down, hitting his arm sharply in the tender muscles of his forearm. He grunted, twisting his arm and pulled down, his elbow striking her hip bone. Ghost pushed up, his shoulder slamming into her chest sending her backwards a few feet.

“Come on!” He growled, waving his weapons between them. “Use that anger you're holding onto.” He watched as her eyes darkened, her lips pulled into a thin line.

“I thought this wasn't a therapy session?” She hissed. She leaped forward, swinging one leg up to kick at his head, the stick in his hand coming out to block the kick as he stepped to the left. He took his own leg, throwing it out to try and take out her knees, but she jumped high into the air, jumping over his leg and went into a back handspring. She tossed the knife she had taken from him away, letting it land in the dirt near the steps of the tower. Ghost raised an eyebrow under his mask. This intrigued him. She was completely weaponless.

“It's not. It's training.” He taunted. He knew he was pushing her buttons, but he wanted that. He was frustrated with himself, for feeling what he did, for letting his emotions overrule him and weaken him. He also wanted her to get whatever was bothering her off her chest. To fight it out. He was a sniper through and through, but he itched for a fight, to get his hands dirty. This was as close as he was going to get at that moment. “You going to stand and chat all day?”

This got a reaction from her. It made him smile. She bared her teeth slightly, her muscles going ridged. He loved it. He could feel the anger and the adrenaline coming off of her. It fueled his own. Ghost twirled the stick in his hand, holding the knife parallel to his arm and tipped his chin at her. Gabby moved. She darted forward, going to her knees at the last second and slid on the hard packed ground. She grabbed his leg, yanking it backwards sending Ghost forward. He had to drop the Escrima stick, throwing his hands out to catch himself before his face met the earth. She still had a hold of his leg, so he twisted his body, pushing her into her back. He popped up, throwing his leg around her hips and straddled her. Gabby looked up at him, something dangerous in her eyes. Before he could get a grip on her hands she bucked up, driving a knee into his spine sending him forward. She rolled, locking a leg around one of his and twisted, sending him rolling onto his back. She plucked the knife from his hand as she stood up, tossing it to join the other one. He was down to two daggers now.

Gabby backed off, running for the closest building and Ghost smiled under his mask, pushing himself up onto his feet and gave chase. He palmed a dagger and kept it parallel to his arm as he ran. He watched as she ducked around the corner, long legs carrying her. But he was just as fast. His legs pumped, eating the ground below them, catching him up to her. As he rounded the corner Ghost watched as she dove to her knees, bending backwards as she slid so she went underneath broken parts of the wall, fitting through the hole there. Sparks full from her knees as she slid, her eyes meeting his long enough to toss him a wink before she disappeared through the hole.

Ghost snapped to the right, grabbing hold of the wall and pulling himself up it. As soon as his feet landed on the top of the wall he jumped, landing on the jagged part of the second floor that was still left and he raced across it, reaching the window and jumped out. He landed with a dull thud, popping back up and watched as Gabby grabbed a rebar that jutted out from the side of the next building and pulled herself up, using it to swing her body back and forth much like a gymnast on uneven bars. Just as he reached where she was, Gabby launched herself into the air, doing a front flip to gain more air and as she righted herself, her fingers touched the ledge of the roof and she grasped it. Pulling herself up she disappeared over the roof's edge and Ghost swore under his breath. He was impressed and a bit jealous of her flexibility. He pushed himself faster, running around the large building and caught sight of her leaping from roof to roof. Like she had done in the village.

He darted into the building after hearing a door slam, knowing she took the rooftop entrance to get inside. He went around the wall, the training blade still tight in his hand. He only had two left. He had to make it count. He saw her in the second story platform that sounded half the space. Their eyes locked and he grinned like a mad man under the mask. Gabby jumped to the 1st floor, and ran at him full force. He picked up his own pace, his boots slamming against the concrete floor. He dove low at the last minute, sliding on his knees like he watched her do, ready to take out her legs. Only she jumped into the air, flying over his body and she went into a rolling headfirst dive. His eyes went wide as she flew over him, his head snapping backwards to watch her land in the roll and spring up into her right knee, her left leg stretched out, like a spy from a movie. He came to a stop and popped up, throwing the dragger at her outstretched leg. He knew it wouldn't actually hurt her, but if it hit her she would be ‘wounded’ and she'd have to play along for the training to feel real.

But Gabby, true to her spy-like moves, dipped and rolled, letting the rubber knife bounce off the floor a few feet away from her body and grind up at him like the Cheshire cat. It made his blood sing.

“Sloppy Ghost.” She purred before springing up, darting forward towards him. Ghost was ready as she threw a punch he dodged to the left, missing it by a hair before he threw his own punch. They went back and forth like that for a while, fists and legs jabbing and kicking, bodies dodging and rolling to miss blows to the chest, stomach or hips. If a blow landed, it was soon returned. Sweat dripped down Ghost’s neck, making the fabric of his Balaclava damp and stuck to his skin. His muscles hummed with power, his heart pumped faster to keep up with the pace they set. He learned real quick how to use his knee pads the way she did, diving and sliding away from kicks and punches. The last knife was still in his belt, choosing to use his fists then the weapon. They were so evenly matched it was like shadow boxing himself. Whatever he gave, she returned in kind.

After what felt like hours, but was really only 15 minutes of this had been going on. But they moved so fast, so lethal, that it felt longer. Ghost was ready as Gabby charged him, thinking she was going to try and roundhouse kick him. He braced himself to duck when she jumped through the air, her right leg going around his right shoulder, her left leg going under his right arm and locked her legs together behind his arm, his hands came up to grab her hips, working on how to pull her off when she flipped backwards, pulling with her legs. Next thing Ghost knew he was flipping through the air, watching as Gabby went under his body as he went airborne, only for her legs to let go last second as he came crashing down to earth. His back slammed into the hard dirt, the air knocked from his lungs as he wheezed out. Gabby landed next to his head, but she moved quickly and was straddling his stomach, the training knife from his belt in her hand and held to his neck. He wheezed for air, looking up at her. The sunlight shines down around her, framing her in a golden glow that made her glistening sweat skin glow gold, her black hair shining as it fell around her shoulders. Her honey eyes gleamed with pride, a smirk playing on her lips. She sat her full weight on him, one hand on his shoulder the other holding the knife to his neck. His hands moved without permission, finding purchase on her hip bones. He felt her body shiver, but she didn't let up.

“Seems we switched positions since last time.” He purred, his voice raspy as he drew in air. Her eyes flicked with something dark and dangerous. Like she liked the idea of him under her. And if he liked the view from here he was, making his cock twitch in his pants at the idea of her being sweaty and wild-eyed for a different reason… it was his own secret he'd take to his grave.

“Maybe I like it up here.” She hummed as leaned forward slightly, the tips of her hair brushing over the slightly exposed skin of his neck, sending a shiver down his spine. What were they doing? What was this dance they seemed to find themselves in? One moment they were tearing at each others throats and the next minute he wanted to bend her over the nearest surface and make her scream his name. It was whiplash. It was intoxicating. She was intoxicating. It drove him mad. He wasn't used to not being in control of his emotions and feelings. When he put the mask on it was supposed to keep him from feeling human… from feeling things other than duty and war. And yet here he was wishing she'd pull up his mask and kiss him just so he could taste the citrus honey from her lips once more.

*BOOM!*

They both jumped, the loud bang pulling them from their small bubble as the earth shook beneath them.

“What the hell was that?” Ghost questioned, sitting up with Gabby still in his lap. She grabbed his shoulders for support, the knife since dropped to the ground. One hand still rested on her hip, the other holding himself up as they looked around the compound. Towards the east, a thin plum of thick black smoke rose into the air.

Gabby broke the silence first. “I think something just exploded.” She pushed herself up and out of his lap, holding out a hand to pull him off the ground. He took her hand and got off the dirt, standing up to his full height. Another explosion ripped through the air, making them both look towards the smoke signal in the sky. Without saying a word they both moved, racing across the training grounds and back out into the regular base, watching as soldiers began to move in a hurry, grabbing gear and loading jeeps. Something was up. Ghost felt it deep in his bones. The cold sinking feeling that coiled in his stomach when a mission wasn't going right. He pushed faster, Gabby keeping pace as they ran for the officers barracks. They pushed through the door, the rest of the team in various states of gearing up. Alejandro looked up at the took and jerked his head towards the stairs.

“Hurry, gather your gear. We are needed in the city!” He said urgently, snapping a strap into place on his plate carrier.

“What happened?” Gabby asked, her voice steady despite the run they just took through the base. Ghost didn't even wait for the answer, he already understood what was happening. The look on Alejandro's face said it all.

Las Almas had just been bombed.

Chapter Text

The edge of the city was in shambles.

Clad in a black long sleeve shirt, her green military tactical vest, and black cargo pants with her thigh holsters strapped tight, her rifle clipped to her vest, knife after knife shoved in every available spot, Gabby was ready. There was a factory at the edge of town, maybe a mile or so outside the city. Far enough away that nothing else was burning, but close enough that the smoke was choking out the people. This factory housed over 100 workers, the four story building offering jobs to even low class citizens. It wasn't something the city could really afford to lose. And yet they just did.

Snugged between Ghost and Soap once more in the back seat of the jeep, Alejandro and Rudy up front, they tore through the chaos to get to the factory. Graves had sent Sergeant Willis in with a few Shadows in another jeep. Willis, as Gabby learned, was the soldier standing guard of Valeria when she went to talk to her. Graves was up in the air once more, supplying air support.

“So we know what happened?” Gabby asked, breaking the thick silence that hung in the air. Smoke began to flood the streets, like fog on a fall morning. Alejandro turned around in his seat to better see her.

“The Narcos aren't happy we took their leader.” She noticed he didn't say Valeria’s name. Not that she blamed him. The day had started to bleed into evening, shadows dancing across roads and the sky turning more golden then blue. The air was still, allowing the smoke to fall over the city like a blanket, too warm and too thick to be comfortable under. It made the skin itch and the lung sputter, like chewing on rubber.

The jeep rumbled to a stop, the blazing building in front of them. Fire engulfed the left side of the first floor, a large hold ripped out of the wall. A bomb. The evidence was clear even from where she sat. El Sin Nombre's people were willing to kill their own in the city to prove a point over their leader’s capture. It made her stomach twist. The fire twisted and leaped through the windows and the hole on the wall, its orange and rose colored sparks twirling through the air. Some would call it beautiful, the colors mixing and dancing around each other, the flames kicking high into the air to paint a light colored trail. The heat that came off the flames could keep people warm, cook their food, and provide something for people. Had the flames been born of purpose they would have been beautiful. But these flames, in the orange and rose and yellow misery tore through the wood and brick on its path. It ate all it touched like a wolf in its kill. It wasn't beautiful, it was deadly. It was hell reaching up from the depths to show you a taste of what it felt like.

Getting out of the jeep Gabby watched the flames like prey watching the predator- wondering what its next move would be, and if she was its next target. The grip on the stock of her rifle was crushing, the heat blasting the skin of her face even from a distance. The smoke coated the inside of her lungs, burning the inside of her nose with each gasp of breath she struggled to take.

“We set up a perimeter,” Alejandro's voice cut through the smoke and flames. “We go in as teams with overwatch. Check for wounded, hostiles and more expensives.” Gabby watched as he looked around at the group of soldiers, picking his teams.

“Ghost, you'll take overwatch. Go over to the next building and get as much sight as you can. Check fire, but if they are unfriendly, take them down.” Ghost nodded his head, gripping his Barrett MRAD 300 PRC sniper rifle a little tighter. Gabby gripped her own .50 Cal rifle, letting the weight of the weapon calm her. Alejandro then turned to her.

“Halo, Soap. You'll pair up. Take the 3rd and 4th floors. Check for more bombs. I'll take Cheddar, sweep the 2nd and 1st floors. Rodolfo will tap into all cameras and files to see what he can find regarding this.” He then turned to Sergeant Willis. “Take your men and set up a perimeter. No one but friendlies get by. Get wounded out of the way as well.”

They all let out a collective ‘yes sir’ before pairing up and grabbing what they needed. Gabby had her hair in a tight braid that she pulled up and wrapped around itself to form a bun at the nip of her neck. Pulling on an air mask, the small tank that filtered the air strapped to her belt. The thin air tub went up and under her vest so it didn't snag on her gun or arms. Soap, Alejandro and Cheddar followed suit. Gabby then pulled out one of her many daggers strapped to her body and held it in her left hand, the arm going under the barrel of the gun right in front of the trigger. The knife was parallel to the barrel, pointed away from her body. Her right hand held the stock, her finger sitting alongside the trigger. It was a bitch of a hold but very effective when a firefight became a close quarters fight and she needed to drop the rifle to its strap without disarming herself.

Once the others were ready they moved forward, Gabby taking point as Soap took the rear behind her, Alejandro leading Cheddar in. The two teams moved quickly up the stairs inside the door, breaking off at the 2nd floor. Gabby and Soap went up while Alejandro and Cheddar went to the left off the landing of the stairs. Gabby and Johnny were quick, clean, moving from room to room in the factory. The upper levels were more offices and storage than anything, with a few larger rooms for making smaller parts of products. Gabby switched with Soap, letting him lead. He cleaned the rooms faster than she did, and she was able to look around more closely for signs of more explosives. The 3rd floor was clean as they moved through the large factory. Smoke still filtered through the crakes in the walls and the stairwell. Even with the air mask on, it choked them out.

Gabby felt like her nose was burned through, the harsh smell of melting metals and chemicals coming through the filter of her pack. Johnny gave a gun nod at the staircase, which Gabby returned before they both went up the metal stairs to the 4th floor. Soap led, his steps quick and silent as they made their way up the steps. Their rifles were at the ready, moving smoothly up the stairs to the 4th floor. The door was open, smoke barely filtering through. It looked more like mist. Gabby felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. A shiver pulled through her body. Something was up. She felt it in her bones. It made her nervous.

“Eyes up Soap.” She whispered over their comms, the Sergeant nodding as he pushed forward, clearing the long hallway as she cleared the smaller rooms near the stairs. As they got to the larger rooms, they both went in, clearing one side each, looking for anything that could set off more explosives. Gabby moved slowly, watching her steps as she moved through a large office like room, Soap checking the far side. She saw some blood on the floor and held her rifle steady as she rounded the desk and saw that the older looking man had been shot in the chest. She looked around his desk, checking for anything that would show why he had been targeted. She came up empty handed and sighed, pushing forward before she saw a framed picture hanging on the wall. The building plans. The flood layouts. It was all right there. And she saw that the door to the left of the office room they were in held the exit to the roof.

“Soap.” She called out, nodding her head towards the frame. The scott made his way over and studied the map, before looking over at Gabby.

“Let's check the roof, Lieutenant.” He said with a jerk of his thumb towards the doorway. Gabby nodded and followed him out, the muzzle of rifle just over his shoulder as they moved in sync with each other. Soap stopped at the exit to the roof and the door had been bashed in, the wood split and hanging half off its hinges. They shared a look before Soap pulled away the splintered wood so they could walk through the doorway. Soap moved slowly up the stairwell, his rifle steady as he led them through the dimly lit, smoke filled hall. His steps were silent, his body tight but not stiff. Gabby copied him, making her their backs were covered as she let him lead, making sure there were no traps in their path before they got to the roof.

Gabby heard Soap push against the door as they reached the top of the stairs, and the evening light filtered into the stairwell. Soap pushed through, Gabby right behind as she shut the door behind them. The far corner of the roof has some smoke billowing up around it, a crack in the roof showing a thin line of smoke pushing through. It made her skin crawl. The roof was large and flat with some AC units on the top. It has a small shed-like building on the top, most like a maintenance shed for the units. Pulling off her air mask she clipped it to her belt and Soap followed in kind. They looked around, before splitting up, Soap going left to check the side closer to the smoke, Gabby going right to check near the AC units. She moved slowly, her rifle at the ready, her hand just hovering over the trigger. Her dagger still in her grip running along the barrel of the rifle.

She looked over the ledge of the roof, seeing the parking garage roof from where she stood. It was clear, nothing on top of it to make her feel concerned. She kept her steps light, moving forward as she checked around each unit for anything out of the ordinary.

“Halo. Soap. We got something.” Cheddar’s voice cut through the comms, sparking Gabby's attention.

“Oi, you're not the only ones.” Soap called back, making Gabby's head snap in his direction. Only she didn't see him. She felt her skin tingle, her heart thumping a beat faster in her chest.

“Soap, Sitrep.” She called over the comms, moving forward slowly towards the shed.

“I got a bomb.”

Fuck.

Gabby spirited across the roof, only to find Soap kneeling in front of a large, hybrid style pressure cooker bomb. Wires stuck out at all areas, a thin green cylinder sitting alongside the timer. Glowing green gas like smoke moved in the cylinder, and a thin clear tub ran from the bomb to the floor and a small hole had been cut, the tub disappearing into the building.

“Alejandro, what are you looking at?” Soap asked as he studied wires, trying to figure out the best way to turn off the timer of the bomb.

“It's a clear box, filled with some kind of liquid. A tub is connected to it but I don't want to cut it because I'm not sure what kind of chemicals are inside of this thing. I don't see any timer though, or switch or anything to trigger it to open or go off.” Cheddar replied, his voice sounded a bit strained and Gabby was wondering what he was doing to sound like he was over stretching his body.

Gabby looked over the bomb, the clock not even moving. It was just sitting there. The green gas in the cylinder moved like a lava lamp, flowing up and down as it shimmered slightly in the fading sunlight. Soap was messing with some of the wires, trying to see what was connected to what, and how the tubbing through the roof was connected to the bomb and if he had a Killswitch on it. Gabby walked around slowly, eyes never leaving the mess in front of her. This was familiar, the setup, the design, she had seen this before. The green gas mocked her, dancing in its tub as if to laugh at its own joke. And she was the punch line.

Then it hit her.

But before she could say anything Soap reached up and tugged on a yellow wire, and the clock sprung to life. Gabby gasped, yanking Soap back as he let out a frustrated howl.

“Get out! Everyone get out now! Run!” Gabby all but screamed through the comms, her hand on Soap's vest strap deathly as she pulled him away from the bomb. “It's going to go, get out of the building NOW!” Soap was on his feet then and began to run alongside her, heading for the door to the stairwell. Gabby grabbed his arm and tugged him, shaking her head.

“No, we can't go that way. It will blow before we reach the 2nd floor. We have to jump to the parking garage roof.” She told him as she began to run to the far side of the roof. But before they even made it half way, the beeping of the timer went silent and in the next breath a loud bang filled the air. Gabby went flying through the air a few feet, the heat from the explosion warming her back as she landed on her stomach and rolled. She began to choke on the smoke, the fire already spreading up the walls of the factory.

“Halo! Soap! Come in!” Cheddar called out over the comms.

“Sergeant. Lieutenant. Sitrep.” Ghost. That voice in her ear belonged to Ghost. Gabby sat up, watching as the flames raced high through the crakes forming in the roof, not far from her feet.

“Shit. Johnny we have to go!” She yelled out before smacking the button on her comms to set it to 2 way, so she could go hands free. “We are still on the roof!” She yelled into her throat mic, Soap getting up from where he was thrown.

“Blood hell the roof is cracking!” Soap bellowed, watching as the paper thin crakes began to form all around them.

“Run Johnny! Don't stop!” She threw off her air mask, ditching the tank to lighten her load. She knew she could make the jump from the factory roof to the parking garage with ease, parkour coming naturally to her. It was Johnny she was worried about. His body wasn't used to making such a large jump, his legs not used to making such a harsh landing. She prayed to God he would follow her lead and make the jump in one piece. She rather him buried a bit then dead.

“Holy shit!” Soap yelled as the roof began to crack more, sending flame that seemed hotter and brighter into the air.

“Jump Soap!” Gabby leaped over the edge of the 2 foot tall wall around the roof of the factory, letting her body soar through the air towards the parking garage roof. The roof she was aiming for was only 2 stories high and while only a 2 cars width from the factory, it was still a long jump and a far distance to drop. Her rifle was strapped to her back, her knees close to her chest, her arms out to help her balance as she moved through the air. Her feet touched the lip of the roof below her and she went into a roll, protecting her head before popping up.

Turning quickly she saw Johnny flying through the air, but he was losing momentum fast. His height was definitely to an advantage, but Gabby was a good 30 if not 40 pounds lighter than him, and was able to have more air time due to that fact. His body weight, plus the weight of his gear was dragging him down. She raced to the edge as his arms and legs began to flail, trying to reach out for the ledge. His fingers brushed the edge and Gabby punched forward, grabbing his arms as his body smacked against the side of the parking garage. Fire filled the space between the parking garage and the facility, the sickly orange flames leaping and snapping as they followed the green tinted smoke on the ground.

“Hold on!” She cried out, the concrete edge digging into her stomach as she tried to get a better grip on Soap's arms. She looked down, and all the sudden the man below her wasn't Johnny. Blue eyes turned emerald green and dark brown hair became midnight black. The fire danced below his body, the pain in her arms from holding his weight shot down her spine. But Gabby became frozen, staring into the eyes of a ghost, the feeling of blood on her hands and the smell of smoke overcoming her mind. The air in her lungs became non-existent, her mind a haze. She was no longer in Las Almas, but back in Berlin watching someone dangling above the flames. It wasn't a sunset in the background, it was the ugly print of wallpaper on walls and the thick smoke that filled the air. It wasn't a man in a blue shirt and green military vest looking up at her, but one in a black shirt and black vest with blood dripping from his mouth. She was no longer in the present but fully in the past. And that fear roared through her, filling her ears with white noise, making her heart stop beating, making her limbs feeling like they weighed a thousand pounds. She snapped her eyes shut as she held onto the ghost below her, begging God not to take him away from her again.

“-on Lass, pull!” That wasn't Marsh’s voice. Gabby blinked, her ears ringing so loudly the voice sounded murky, far away. “Gabby, help me up!” There, it was deeper, gruffed sounding then Marsh. There was an accent to the tone of the voice. Shaking her head Gabby felt her eyes focus and suddenly it was Johnny's bright blue eyes looking at her, not the green of her dead partner. It was his voice speaking to her, not the smooth tone she had once loved.

“J- Johnny?” Her voice cracked and she groaned as he pushed his legs up against the wall, pulling her slightly before he was able to put his boots against the concrete.

“Aye, come on!”

Gabby huffed and pulled with all her strength, helping him walk up the side of the building until he could throw a knee over the ledge and pull himself up. She fell to her back after letting go of his arms, her shoulders screaming in protest. “I'm really getting tired of blowing up.” She let out a dramatic sigh to which Soap answered with a slight chuckle.

“Aye, not a fan at the moment Bonnie.” He leaned up on one elbow and looked over at her. They laid there for another beat, before their comms started to explode.

“Soap. Halo. Come in.”

“Halo, Soap, are you okay?”

“Gabby, Soap, answer the comms!”

“Johnny. Gabrielle. I got eyes on. You broken?”

The last one made Johnny snort, and Gabby pushed up so she was sitting up right. “We are okay. On the parking garage roof.”

“Any injuries?” Alejandro’s voice barked over the line.

Gabby knew she had some new bruises blooming across her body and probably a cut or two somewhere but she was too exhausted to really check. Soap sat up and rolled his neck, before clicking on his comms. “No, a few scrapes but nothing bad that I can tell.” He answered Alejandro. Gabby pushed up and stood, feeling her legs shake a bit and her head hurt slightly on the side. But she knew it wasn't anything bad, or Johnny would have clocked it. So she ignored it for now and walked towards the edge of the roof, looking down. Firefighters were fighting the fire below, the flames a neon orange as they danced in the air. It sent a shiver down her spine before she followed Soap down the stairs of the parking garage, moving slowly to make sure they didn't hit any traps that could have been laid. Once they reached the ground floor and went out the main door, they found Alejandro, Hudson, and Willis standing there waiting for them. Ghost was nowhere to be seen but Gabby figured he had to make his way down from his overwatch spot.

“Ayhh! I thought you said you weren't injured?” Alejandro snarled, pointing at Gabby. She stopped in her tracks and cocked her head. She reached up, feeling warm stickiness on the side of her face and pulled her hand away. Her hand came away covered in red, the blood mixing with the ash and dirt on her skin. It made a paste-like thickness on her fingers, and she felt her vision start to tunnel.

Blood.

Ash.

Thickness that stuck to her skin like a glove. She tried wiping it off with her other hand, but it only smeared more, making it cover her other hand and some of her shirt sleeve. Her breathing started to race, her heart thundered in her ears. The air became hard to breathe.

“Get it off. Get it off. GET IT OFF!” She chanted like a prayer, rubbing and scraping at her hands trying to pull away the thickness that coated her skin. It felt hot and suffocating, like it was seeping into her bones. Tears began to slip down her cheeks, mixing with the blood making it drip down her chin letting it splatter against her vest. She started to hyperventilate, her eyes snapping up but she didn't really see what was in front of her. She heard the sound of water and bolted towards it, voices calling out but they sounded so far away, so far under water she couldn't hear them. So she ran, she ran for the source of the water and found a hose on the ground. Flipping the switch on the water poured from the nozzle, the coldness hitting her like a brick wall. She let the water run over her hands and arms, soaking through the sleeves of her shirt as she watched the ash, dirt and blood swirl and mix together as it ran down the skin of her fingers to a puddle on the ground.

Gabby felt like she was in a river of syrup, thick and slow, pulling her under with each breath she pulled into her lungs. She felt floaty, like her mind wasn't truly hers. She saw the water, she saw the puddle forming at her feet, she felt the coldness on her skin, but it felt so far away. Like a dream world she truly wasn't a part of. Her knees gave out and she dropped to the ground, sobs tearing through her chest as she slumped against the wall of the parking garage, blood, ash and dirt smudged across her face and arms, the hose running cold water across her boots but she didn't feel the cold, her arms around her drawn up knees as her body shook. The fire casted a glow to the sunset, painting her in orange and red lighting, the shadows dancing around her like long lost friends wanting to take her hand and pull her into their depths.

Voices called out to her, but they sounded so far away, so deep under water. Her eyes stayed closed, too afraid to open them and see the phantoms of her mind in the light of day. Tears slipped past her eyelashes, making the pasted stuck to her cheek drop down her jaw. It was hard to breathe, the air stuck like a thick fog in her lungs, choking her. The sound of a beam falling into the flames rang through the air like gunfire, making her jump, slamming her back against the wall of the parking garage. Her eyes wide and wild, unseeing what was really before her. The pained gasp that slipped past her lips filled her ringing ears. Her body trembled and her mind raced.

Gentle hands touched her arm and she yelled, throwing herself away from the touch, as if it had burned her skin. She pulled out the knife from her vest and held it between her and the ghost that wouldn't leave her mind's eye. She snapped her teeth shut and tried to make out the shape before her, trying to figure out who it was that kneeled at her feet.

“-by. Please. Come on, it's just me. You're safe.” She knew that voice. She had to know that voice. It wasn't the ghost that haunted her mind. No, it was softer, younger. She knew it. Why couldn't she see who it was that was speaking?

“Gabs, take my hand. Let me take you home, yeah?” God she knew that voice. It was one that she knew all her life. It felt like home. It washed over her like warm summer rain. It was soft like honey, a kind. “Déjame ayudarte, por favor, hermana.” (Let me help you, please Sis.)

Her eyes came into focus, the sound of the language of her youth filling her ears, making the ringing dim as she looked up at the owner of the gentle hands. “C-chedz?” Her voice broke, thick and heavy as she spoke the name.

“Yeah, it's me.”

Her eyes met his hazel ones and sob crocked from her dry throat as she launched herself into his open arms and buried her face into the crook of his neck. “Quiero ir a casa.” (I want to go home.) She whispered into his collarbone and she felt his arms wrap around her before she became weightless as her brother picked her up and held her tight to his chest.

“Lo sé. Lo sé. Voy a cuidar de ti.” (I know. I know. I'm going to take care of you.) He whispered into her hair as he began to move. A soft hand touched her arm and more whispered words floated on the air but her mind was too heavy and syrup-like to process what was being said around her before her eyes drooped shut and her mind shut off, sending her into the warmth of darkness.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

She felt like she was floating. But the air was thick and soft under her back. It didn't make sense. Her eyes felt heavy and her limbs felt stiff. She moved slightly, feeling soft clouds touching her skin. Trying to force her eyes open, she ran a stiff hand down her face, her mouth filled with cotton. Her eyes cracked open, the space outside of her eyelids fuzzy and dimly out of focus. With a groan she sat up some, feeling the softness shift under her skin, and she realized she was on a mattress.

Gabby blinked again and her eyes registered that she was in her room, the sun had all but gone down. She could still feel the grime and ash on her body, her hair matted to her neck. She was stiff, her head hurting slightly. Pushing off the blanket she threw her legs over the edge of the bed and saw that she had been put in shorts and a T-shirt, the dirt haphazardly washed off the exposed skin. Gabby stood up on wobbly legs and made her way slowly to the bathroom, flipping on the light switch. She blinked harshly at the sharp light that hit her eyes, trying to let them adjust to the brightness.

The face in the mirror that greeted her was not one she enjoyed seeing. A thin cut lined her hairline along the left side of her face, the blood had been washed away but her hair was still matted down. Her eyes were hollow, dull looking. Her skin was pale and still had splatches of ash and dirt. She shivered before looking away, grabbing towels and a wash cloth and moved to the shower. She turned on the water and waited till the water started to run warm before stripping down and stepping into the spray. Gabby groaned as the hot water prickled against her abused body, working into the stiff muscles. The water ran cloudy as it poured down her body, swirling down the drain. She hung her head, letting the spray wash over her and watched the water drip from her nose and chin, meeting the water looking at her feet.

Gabby felt the memories of what happened come back to her. The emotions gripped at her heart again and it made her clench at her chest, as if she could grab her own heart and hold it as it broke all over again. The water hit like needles again her sore skin, making her feel that she was in the present, but her mind was still in the past. The flashes of memories both from two years ago and 2 hours ago mixed together, forming their own new torturous movie in her mind's eye. It forced a sob into her throat but it didn't come any farther. It sat there, choking her as she continued to watch the water, now running clear race down her skin to the porcelain tub floor.

Her skin felt too tight across her bones, her lungs too small to truly breathe. Her mind was like a thick pool of honey. She felt trapped in her own body and she balled her fingers and let it pound against the shower wall, the dull ache that raced up her arm forcing her back to reality. Tears she didn't realize she had been crying dropped from her chin, mixing with the almost too hot water to disappear down the drain of the tub. A small cry slipped from her lips and she closed her eyes, tilting her head back to let the water wash over her face, letting it wash away the last bit of memory from her skin.

It felt like years had slipped past, but it had only been minutes, but Gabby dragged herself from the shower and grabbed the towel waiting on the skin. She wrapped the fluffy blue towel around her body and grabbed the green one to wrap her hair into. She ignored the mirror on the wall and went back out into her room and went for her dresser, grabbing a large black band T-shirt, a pair of red mid thigh spandex shorts, a sports bra and underwear. She tossed the items on her bed and began to dry off her body, running the soft fabric of the towel over the sore muscles. Once she felt dry enough she pulled over her underwear and bra, snapping the little snap over the front zipper into place. She then grabbed her shorts and shoved her legs through the holes, forcing the fabric up and over the thick muscles of her thighs. Once that was done she grabbed the shirt and shoved it over her head, letting the soft cotton fall down her torso.

She sat on the edge of the bed, her hair still wrapped in the towel, her back slumped as she looked down at her bare feet. The soft glint of something on her nightstand caught her eyes and she glanced sideways to find that her daggers and switchblade had been placed there. Reaching out she picked up the matte black handle of the knife, letting the weight settle into her palm. She flicked open the blade and stared at its shine in the dying sunlight coming through the window. The smooth black blade gleamed in the last raise of sunshine and the light from the bathroom. It was sharp with crisp lines and promises of deadly power. The shine spoke of care, the point at the end spoke of hours crafting the sharp edge of the blade. It spoke of freedom.

Freedom from the pain, from the memories, from the haunting weight that tore at her mind. Freedom from the string that tightened around her heart with each beat, the sand that filled her lungs with each breath. Gabby stared at the knife, begging for it to give her the answers she needed. She held the blade up higher, watching the light catch on the sharpness and she knew it would take one quick blow and it would be over. She would find peace. A tear slipped past her eyelashes and slid down her cheek, landing on the black shirt below her chin. One move and she could find freedom from the torment she has been in for the last two years.

But then the two small letters engraved into the black metal caught her eyes. Two small, perfectly placed, perfectly shaped letters pulled her from her thoughts. S.R.

Simon Riley.

Gabby was no fool. You didn't wear a mask and hide your body, shield yourself with fabric and resin for fun. You did it to protect your mind, your soul. You did it to hide from the darkness that followed you around like a dog. She heard the stories, she listened to the whispers of the man who survived fuck all and walked away nothing more then a ghost. She knew the damage that came from being the last one standing, the one that walked away but the rest didn't. She didn't wear a physical mask like armor, but she still hid who she was to protect herself.

Gabby knew enough. After she joined the 141 she wanted to learn more about her teammates she'd still to meet. To know who they were not just as a soldier. Ghost’s folder was literally no more than just white pages with black bar lines across it. Barely any words visible it was so classified. Much like her own folder. But she did enough digging, using all her CIA training to know about his Mexico mission, the betrayal he went through. She knew it was why he wore the mask, as a way to suppress the trauma. Much like how she hid most of her life from the outside world, Ghost did the same. Her own folder was mostly black lines on paper. Only two people saw the whole thing completely: Laswell and her old Captain.

Even Shepherd, with all his clearance, couldn't read all her past mission reports before she went solo and took his offer to be his private assassin. They were so top secret their black lines had black lines. Though Gabby had no doubt that Price saw more of her folder then she'd cared for, thanks to Laswell. She knew it was important he knew what kind of skills she brought to the table, and really it was better he knew more about her past then the rest of the team, but it still made her skin crawl slightly. The things she had done,the things she had seen, was not meant for the eyes and ears of others. Most people in the military or government didn't even know the nature of 97% of the missions her old team has gone on. They simply woke up one day and their problems had been solved in some sort of bloody manner. And it was better that way. The less people that knew what she was capable of, what she had been a part of kept her and her old team safe.

Giving the shining black blade on last look, letting a finger trace over the engraved letters, she snapped the blade shut, holding the weight of it for a moment in her palm before carefully laying it back down on the nightstand. She then pulled the towel from her head, patting dry her long wavy hair until it was only slightly damp and then she began to braid it, weaving the thick strands together down her back and tying it off with a simple black hair tie. She stood and tossed the towel over the chair in the corner of her room. Her brain still felt like pudding, her body sore and unhappy with the day's events. But she moved forward, making her way to her door and opened it silently. The hallway was quiet but light filtered up the stairs. She made her way barefoot down the hall and took the stairs without a sound. Voices begin to float up to meet her, tickling against her ears as she got closer.

“- nothing I've seen before.” Hudson's voice greeted her first as she reached the bottom of the stairs, keeping hidden still from the group in the kitchen.

“Aye, I've seen a lot of bombs in the work, but nothing as weird as that one.” Johnny joined in. “The thing was so damn touchy.”

Graves hummed, running a hand through his hair. “Ive heard about bombs like that but never seen one. It's not by a normal player I'm used to dealing with.”

“Damien.”

The whole table went silent, all eyes snapping to the doorway where Gabby leaned against the doorframe. Her arms were crossed and her braid laid over her shoulder.

“Hey, you're awake.” Hudson stood, walking over to her with a concerned look on his face. Johnny was sitting with a heating pad on his knee at the table. He flashed her a half smile when she met his eyes.

“His name is Damien Tretiak.” She spoke again, her voice still slightly hoarse for not being used. “He is a German born Russian biochemist that makes fancy pressure cooker bombs turned into science experiments.”

“How do you know this?” Alejandro asked, the look in his eyes hard.

Gabby took a long deep breath before explaining more. “Because I've been on the receiving end of his toys before.” Her right hand reached for her left arm on reflex, rubbing the scar there with her thumb.

“Germany.” Graves spoke the one word but it sent a shiver down Gabby's spine nevertheless.

“Yeah, Germany.” She softly replied, feeling the ache in her chest squeeze slightly. Hudson placed a hand on her shoulder and rubbed it gently, his eyes never leaving his older sister's face.

“How sure are you that it's this… Damien?” Graves questioned, leaning back in his seat.

Gabby narrowed her eyes at him and stepped forward off the wall, walking closer to the table. “His calling card is the green mist in the cylinders attached to the bombs. My old team had a few run-ins with them, we never were able to get a sample of the stuff, but we know it makes fire burn hotter, faster, and is able to burn through metal more than normal fire.” She explained, trying to keep her tone level.

“What would a German biochemist have to do with the Mexican Cartel?” Rudy spoke up, leaning his elbows into the table.

“Whatever it is, it's not good. Damien is not known for running in the large circles, he sells parts to larger buyers but never actually works with or places bombs for them. Normally it's the smaller outfits, ones where he has a better chance of escaping.” Gabby rubbed her jaw, trying to piece it together in her mind. “Though I lost his trail about a year back. If he's getting more cocky, he'll start working for the bigger players if the money and the risk was worth it.”

“How long have you been hunting him?” Ghost spoke up for the first time, drawing Gabby's eyes to him. He was in a plain fabric balaclava, the white skull print pattern faded slightly. His honeyed blue eyes bore into hers, as if he could just read the information he needed right from her mind.

She licked her lips, suddenly feeling like her throat was dry. “Four years. I lost his trail last year but have kept up the search. But then Hassan became target number one for Shepherd so Damien got pushed to the back burner for me.”

“Got a bit of a vendetta there Princess?” Graves smirked, his hands coming up behind his head as he leaned back in his chair. If Gabby could growl like a dog bearing its teeth she would have. She kicked out, her heel slamming into his shin making him yelp.

“Be glad his is bigger than the one I have for you, Phillip. And don't ever call me Princess again.” Gabby sneered at him as he rubbed his leg, shooting daggers from his eyes at her. She looked at the team around the table but her eyes went back to Ghost. Locking onto the eyes behind the black paint. “Look, the skeletons are dancing in my closet but there's nothing that won't fix itself by morning. I'll be right as rain tomorrow. That was…. Things with Damien hit too close to home for me. For my old team. It's a sore spot and tonight felt like deja vu of a mission I had been on. I got it under control.” She told everyone, but especially Ghost. She felt like she needed to prove to him that she wasn't one marble short of the whole bag being scattered across the floor. She saw his eyes soften just the tiniest bit, and his chin dip in a nod.

“No one here is questioning your readiness for this mission Gabrielle. Rest, and then tomorrow we take on Valeria again.” Alejandro spoke softly, his eyes soft and caring.

“Aye lassie, you save m’ fat arse tonight. I'm grateful.” Johnny smiled warmly at her, patting her elbow from his seat. Gabby smiled at the Scot and patted his shoulder before nodding to the team and taking her leave. Hudson gave her a look and she just shook her head, knowing he'd check on her before he went to sleep. She made her way to the stairs when a hand grabbed her elbow, halting her.

“You need to get a grip on whatever this is Gabby. Soldiers die all the time.” Graves spoke harshly, his voice low so the others didn't hear their conversation.

“So having human emotions is wrong?” She asked, glaring over her shoulder at him.

“No, but having an over dramatic freak out over something as dumb as fire isn't a good look. You're better than this, a decorated war hero. Grow up and act like it.” His words had bite, meant to dig deep into her mind. Gabby just held his gaze, a smile pulling at her lips.

“Sure, I'll grow up when you learn how to.” She ripped her arm free from his grip, stepping up onto the step so she was taller than him. “Just remember Graves, we are both Shepherds hunting dogs. But he likes me better than he does you.” She added before making her way up the stairs, leaving him stunned at the base of the staircase. She walked down the hall to her room and stepped inside, leaning back at the door with a sigh. Her head slumped forward, her chin to her chest, her arms leaning back against the door. After a beat she pushed off and walked to her bed, grabbing her phone from her nightstand and dropped onto the soft mattress. She scrolled through her social media for a bit, seeing her friends lives through the screen. Weddings, babies, engagements, vacations all scrolled by as each picture started to blend together.

A knock on her door pulled her from her doom scrolling. Standing up she walked over and opened the door, to find her brother standing there with snacks, a pillow and a projector in his hands.

“What's all this?” She asked, stepping aside to let him in. Hudson smiled and walked into the room, dropping the pillow and the snacks on the bed before he moved around setting up the projector to aim at the wall.

“Give me your laptop please.” He asked, waving a cable in his hand. Gabby shook her head with a smile, going for her desk to grab her laptop. Powering it on, she handed it off to her brother who plugged the cable into it. Once he did that he set up Disney onto the screen, pulling up Tangled. “Movie time!” He sang out, jumping onto the bed like a five year old. Gabby laughed, watching the playful look on his face as he propped up their pillows and blankets.

“What brought this on?” She asked as she climbed into the pillow fort he was making, setting in and grabbing a package of gummy bears.

“I want to spend time with my big sister, is that a crime?”

Gabby just chuckled. “Of course not.” Hudson clicked play on the movie, grabbing his own snack of peach rings and settled in. The movie started playing, the only light in the room after Gabby flipped off the overhead light. She settled into the pillows, leaning against her brother as Flynn Rider came onto the screen. She needed this. A sense of normal. Movie nights in bed had been a weekly thing growing up, spent in one or the others bed in a half made pillow fort with snacks shared between them as they watched their favorite movies. Even after joining up, if they were home at the same time movie night still made an appearance. It soothed her, bringing peace to her wounded mind. Laying her head into his shoulder she let out a sigh as Rapunzel sang and danced about.

“Thank you for this.” She whispered as Hudson hummed along to the song. His arm came up and wrapped around her, rubbing up and down her arm.

“You always took care of me as a kid. I like returning the favor now and again.” He replied, before he went back to humming along to the song, his toes wiggling back and forth under the blanket draped across their legs. Gabby closed her eyes and listened to his deep hum, and the sound of the music playing from the movie. All the dark thoughts from earlier didn't stand a change against the warmth and love she felt in that moment. Safe and wanted.