More Than Human

Chapter 64: It's Me and You

"Kate!" Roach ran forward, Precious still in hand.

Kate did her best to hug him around the dragon, "You have no idea how good it is to see you, Gary." She ruffled his hair and examined the antenna there, peering over his shoulder to examine his wings. "I'm so sorry I didn't question Shepherd sooner."

"Not your fault."

"If I hadn't trusted him so much-."

"Shut up." He told her firmly.

She snorted at his bluntness, "Fine, fine." She looked down at where Precious was looking up at them, "I see this one is still as spoiled as ever."

"C'mon, Kate. You know you love her." Price argued.

Precious crawled up onto her shoulders before she could protest, rubbing their cheeks together.

"Alright, alright. Watch the horns, little miss." She pet the dragon reluctantly, but her slight smile betrayed her fondness.

She made eye contact with Soap. Soap grinned in her direction. They hadn't had a chance to talk after she had helped him detonate Hassan's missile. She looped around and gave him a little squeeze from the side.

"Glad to see you're still alive, Sergeant."

"Glad to be alive, Ma'am." He told her.

She made the rounds greeting the team. She introduced herself to König, not seeming at all intimidated by his size.

"Now then." She turned back to Price, "Where's our boy, Captain?"

Price huffed, "That's actually why I called you, Kate."

Within the next ten minutes the whole team journeyed back to the greenhouse atrium and had crossed the little bridge. Rudy and König both stopped to look at the koi pond. They definitely weren't normal koi. Bright metallic streaks of gold and silver separated the different colors. They refocused themselves at the sight of the little potted tree.

"Oh." Kate breathed, slowly approaching and sinking down beside him. She examined the long burn along the bark, checked the state of his leaves. "How long?"

Price joined her beside him, "Not sure. Makarov had them all for two weeks. Been almost a week since we got them all back. If I had to guess, maybe two weeks?"

"Why'd you call me? I don't know anything about this."

"Thought he might want a hug from you when he's back." Price told her, "The more of his family here the better. Farah and Alex couldn't get here just yet. Told 'em he'd understand."

"I'm only here for three days, John." Kate told him, "Last time it took you longer than three."

"Well, last time there were other factors." Price insisted, slightly sharp, "I can do it, Kate."

The team all noted the slight twinge of desperation in his voice that he'd been trying to conceal for days now. He took a deep breath and focused back on the tree.

Laswell placed a hand on his arm, "I know you can."

The next two days were steadily more miserable. Price was always either in his magic study, or beside Gaz. There was always someone by the tree's side. Usually it was Soap. He spent most of his free time curled up around his pot in wolf form. Ghost had to pull him away to eat and move his muscles.

Price was growing less and less sure of himself. He had been trying all of the things he had done in the days leading up to Gaz emerging the first time. But nothing seemed to be working. Until eventually, he ran out of things to try. On the night before the third day, he decided to stay up late and read to him like he used to. The moon was high above the greenhouse. The half moon lit the space in a cool lighting.