The Ghost and the Phoenix

Part Five

By the next afternoon, the recruits had returned and Ghost was once again occupied with their training. Not that he minded. It was good to have something to redirect the focus off his sudden fascination with Captain Carter.

'More drill?' Soap asked as he stood behind Ghost, watching the squad form up on the parade ground. 'It's the fourth time this week.'

'They've gotten sloppy.' Ghost replied.

'Aye that might be the case, but marching in a straight line won't save em.'

'It's called discipline MacTavish, look it up.' Ghost glared at him from over his shoulder.

'At least the views good from here.' Soap gave a short nod in the direction of the hanger. From where they were standing they had direct line of sight into the building. As if on cue, Mel appeared at the doorway with Jackson deep in conversation.

'I hadn't noticed.' Ghost lied, turning his attention back to the squad with only a quick glance in Mel's direction. 'Now if you don't mind, kindly piss off and find someone else to annoy.'

'Aye Sir, with pleasure.' Soap gave Ghost a sly smile as he walked away, realising that the lovely Captain Carter had captured the attention of their hard headed Lieutenant.

......

Over the next few missions, Mel and Jackson proved themselves to be an experienced flight crew. They worked exceptionally well together, doing their best to ensure the safety of the men on board the chopper. They quickly earned the respect of the men, which spilled over into all their interactions with the unit.

Within weeks it was as though they'd always been a part of the team. The men of the 141were very selective and fiercely loyal, which was why they were one of the best in the world. It wasn't often new members were received so favourably and by the majority.

These days it was a common occurrence to hear laughter coming from the Rec room during free time, the team hanging out together sharing stories and playing games. Even Ghost, who generally preferred the sanctity of his room, found he was enjoying the new atmosphere of the 141. Not that he would admit it.

Another thing Ghost wouldn't admit, even to himself, was his fascination with Mel that seemed to grow each day. Through his observations, Ghost had worked out there were three sides to her so far.

There was Captain Carter, the intelligent, hardworking, professional soldier who ran a tight ship but was also approachable. She was a natural leader, highly respected by her peers and subordinates alike.

There was Phoenix, the talented pilot who was focused, strategic and did what she needed to do for the success of the mission, and the welfare of the men under her care, sometimes at great risk to her own safety.

Finally, there was Mel, the lovable Aussie larrikin with a quit wit and wicked sense of humour.

Considering her size, not much seemed to intimidate her, definitely none of the men of the141 who towered over her. Ghost had seen her stand her ground with so much fire, he was almost sorry for the poor bastard on the receiving end.....almost. Otherwise, she had a way that made people happy just being in her presence,

This was part of the reason Ghost found himself agreeing to a night out with the team at the local bar instead of staying at the base to catch up on paperwork like he'd planned.

Seated at one of the dimly lit back tables, Ghost nursed a glass of whisky as he relaxed into the couch. He was glad they'd arrived early enough to get one back here. He was well aware of the attention his balaclava drew, so preferred areas where he could be less conspicuous. The last thing he needed was some drunk idiot trying to challenge him to fight. They hadn't been off base for a night out in ages and he didn't want to ruin it for the others.

Gaz and Soap gave a small cheer when Mel and Jackson arrived a little later, shoving beers into their hands and herding them to the table. Ghost felt his stomach tighten as Mel came into view.

Her deep red hair, normally tied in a bun, fell in a cascade of soft curls past her shoulders, framing a face with very little makeup. She wore a lowcut blue top, black jeans that hugged her curves in all the right places and black boots. It was in stark contrast to the other women that frequented the bar. Ghost thought that even with their short skirts, high heels and layers of make up, not one of them held a candle to Mel.

Ghost sat up a little straighter when Mel sat down next to him, already chatting away with Gaz. She took a swig from her beer before turning to Ghost, a huge smile on her face.

'You made it. Soap wasn't sure if you would come.'

'Yeah, someone has to keep an eye on these idiots.' he answered a little more gruffly then he intended, his voice suddenly a little husky.

'Well, you're going to have your work cut out for you.' she chuckled, pointing towards Soap who was heading back to the table with a huge tray of shot glasses.

'Oh for fuck's sake MacTavish.' Ghost sighed. 'He's challenged you to a drinking comp hasn't he.'

'And a dance off apparently. He wasn't too clear on how that fit in though.'

'Probably doesn't know himself.' Ghost shook his head. 'This is gonna to get messy.'

'More than likely.' she agreed smiling.

.....

A couple hours later, Soap was resting on the couch next to Ghost as they watched Gaz, Jackson and Mel on the dance floor. The big Scot was definitely worse for wear, the bottle of water in his hand signalling his defeat.

'How is she still dancing?' Soap mumbled, his eyes half closed as he gingerly took a sip of water.

Ghost didn't reply, instead he was focusing on a man standing near the dance floor who was watching Mel, a sleazy smile on his face. When the song ended and they began to walk back, the man followed Mel all the way to the table stopping close behind her.

'Hey baby, nice moves out there.' he whispered near her ear.

Ghost clenched his fists, a sudden urge to connect them to this guys face. He saw Mel close her eyes and shake her head before turning around to face the man.

'Thanks but no thanks.' she told him flatly.

The man laughed, before stepping closer and placing his hand on her waist. Ghost jumped to his feet, but before he could take the two strides to reach her, the guy was screaming out in pain. Mel had grabbed his hand from her waist, twisting it behind his back before pushing him away from her.

'Crazy bitch.' he spat, rubbing his arm and glaring at Mel. His eyes widened as Ghost, Gaz, Jackson and Soap all appeared behind her.

 'Time to go lad.' Ghost commanded. Luckily, the sleazebag left quickly and he didn't have to ask twice. Turning to Soap, who was having a little trouble staying upright, Ghost placed a hand on his shoulder. 'Home time for us too Johnny.'

'Aye Sir.'

......

The next morning, Soap was sipping a coffee at a table in the Rec room nursing a massive headache. He was suffering through the sounds of Ghost making tea, the spoon hitting the inside of the cup louder then he liked when Mel and Gaz walked in.

'Morning.' She said brightly, heading to the fridge and grabbing a protein drink. It was obvious from her attire she had just returned from her daily run.

'Now you're just takin' the piss.' Soap told her, barely able to move without his head pounding let alone contemplate any form of exercise.

'I warned you.' Jackson said entering the room. 'She can drink most guys under the table on a bad day.'

'Aye, lesson learned.' he moaned.

'That'll be the day.' Ghost laughed.

'So about our bet.' Mel asked as she pulled up a chair next to Soap, an evil grin on her face. 'Cloths and sponges in the blue locker, bucket is next to the tap.' She said sliding a set of keys over to him. 'Depending on the amount of bugs plastered on the outside, it should only take you an hour or so to wash the chopper.

Soap groaned, placing his head on the table while he tried to ignore the laughter that filled the room.