Call of Duty Oneshots (Mostly Ghost)

The Thereafter

Death is peaceful.

The act of dying, not so much.

Especially in the military. It's nothing but blood loss and pain, bullet wounds and grief.

Emotional turmoil mixed with the physical aches, sometimes all one can wish for is a peaceful death – rest.

At least, that's what Simon wanted from himself. He wanted, honest to the god he didn't really believe in, to die of old age.

He had it all planned out.

In his bed, alone, and nothing but his wary bones to keep him company with maybe a cuppa to help his calloused hands stay warm. It would be all he needed.

But it wasn't what he got for there was no escaping Death's plan no matter how hard he tried to evade it. Bullets had punctured holes in him so many times before, but this time was different.

It wouldn't stop, the bleeding. Scarlet soaked through every tourniquet, and his fingers were shaking too badly to stitch it all up, to keep it contained. Too weak, too unsteady, too tired.

Much like he hadn't thought to die at a young age, Simon hadn't considered there to be a life afterwards.

Afterlife. Heaven. The thereafter to all of the grief.

But when looking upon the person he thought he'd never see again, no longer did doubt linger in the back of his head.

"Mum?" His voice sounded so small, so free of corruption for once.

Her smile welcomed him as did her ever-open arms, forever ready to embrace the boy at whatever age he was willing to come to her while they both lived for Simon would forever be her baby boy. The boy who didn't deserve any of the taxing trials life threw at him.

"Come on, dear, let's go home."

He didn't think twice about how small and clean his hands were when she clasped them into hers or how she had to crouch so low in order to pick him up after he didn't waste another second of hesitating to run to her.

Once more, she could keep him safe within her arms, and fear had no room in a place where nothing could harm them now.

The demons who had hurt the two of them in the physical realm could not dare to dream to reach them here.

And when they arrived home, the rest of his family who had made amends with before even they passed were there, too, to welcome a boy who had suffered a life someone should not have endured at all.

Dying had not been peaceful, but this... this made it all worth it as long as they got to stay just like this.