Safer With A Ghost - Part Two | Simon "Ghost" Riley

Chapter Ten

Months Later

The days had passed slowly in the beginning, the boys waiting impatiently until they were able to visit Price and Konig, and finally able to tell them what happened to Ghost. Konig felt sorrowful but it, of course, hit Price differently. "This is my fault." Price said over and over when they told him. Soap and Gaz did their best to assure him it wasn't. It wasn't anyone's but Graves' fault. Laswell and, after fully healed, Price took it upon themselves once again to pull more special forces; A team that hadn't been assembled before and they were tasked with hunting him down.

Though it had affected everyone, Ivy seemed to take it the worst. She just got him back only to be torn away from her again. Life's cruel joke that had been played on her before. Here's a man to love. Hold on, let me take him away. Here, have him back. No, I changed my mind, you can't have him.

She tried to cope, but it became absolutely dreadful and empty as each day passed. She cried nearly constantly, sobbing herself to sleep as she slept in Ghost's T-Shirt. Waking up without him was hell, always reaching for someone that wasn't there. Opening her eyes each morning came with regret, not wanting to be there without him. Ivy walked around mindlessly, her eyes always red and puffy from the endless stream of sorrow that fell from her eyes. When does this get easier? She didn't want it to be easier, though, she only wanted Ghost back. Her dreams full of their times shared and her nightmares filled with seeing him lifeless on the bed, his empty eyes staring back at her.

Soap and Gaz had been granted leave, spending almost every waking moment with Ivy to make sure she was as okay as she could be. Ivy walked everyday with Soap and Gaz who tried to talk to her about anything to help her, but she only nodded and smiled shortly before staring back at the ground, her mind consumed by Ghost. The memories she regained were reminders of there was never to be another, at least for a while. Eventually, Ivy couldn't drag herself out of bed for a few days. Gaz and Soap tried to get her to come out. "Doc says he's made progress." Soap tried. "Yeah," Gaz continued, "They said he can move his hands." Ivy sighed, "They've said that for weeks." she said with an empty tone. "He's not going to wake up..." Ivy said as she choked back a whimper. "You don't know that." Soap said quickly. "What if he doesn't, Soap?!" Ivy shouted, growing resentful towards everyone that told her the same lie day in and day out. "What am I supposed to do if he doesn't wake up?!" She shouted once more. "He will," Gaz responded loudly. "You can't think that way." he finished with a lighter tone. "We're going to see him today, if you want to come." Soap said softly. "I don't know Soap..." she said above a whisper. "It might help the both of you." Soap suggested.

As they sat in the waiting room waiting for the nurses to finish whatever they were doing, Ivy's mind went back to the day the mission had failed.

Flashback

Ivy stood up slowly, walking towards the doctor wanting to know what he had to say, yet hesitant as she didn't want her life to be torn away from her once more. She stood in front of the doctor waiting, her body shaking from the fear with Soap and Gaz on each side of her. The doctor took a deep breath, "He lost a lot of blood and there's a significant amount of trauma and we don't know if he'll pull through." he said with a low, regretful tone. Ivy's breathing increased as she reached for Gaz and Soap for stability. "We got the internal bleeding to stop," the doctor paused as he looked at the floor, "He's conscious but he sustained a head injury that should've killed him." A short moment of relief was swept away immediately. "He's pretty banged up, I won't lie. How he pulled through I don't know." "Can we see him?" Soap asked as if he read Ivy's impatient mind. The doctor nodded, "I'm not sure if he'll respond or wake up but you can go one at a time." he smiled a remorseful smile. "Give us a moment." he said before disappearing behind the door once more.

Ivy turned to Gaz and Soap, tears filling her eyes. "It's alright, Ms. Ivy." Soap assured as he rubbed her arm, "You should go first." Gaz said quietly. Ivy shook her head, "You two should go before me, he-" "He'd want you to go first." Soap interrupted as he shook his head lightly. Ivy's heart ached as she looked at the two friends in front of her, knowing they felt the same pain she felt. "I can't- I don't know what to say..." Ivy said with a stutter. Gaz smiled gently, "Say whatever you want, talk to him like you normally would." She nodded. After a while, the doctor came back to see them, "He's ready," he said quietly with a gentle smile. Ivy stood and hugged Soap and Gaz before following the doctor to Ghost's room. The walk seemed to take forever. The doctor stood aside, letting her inside the room first. "Take your time. You can touch him, just be mindful of his injuries and tubes." he said gently. Ivy nodded before moving the curtain aside and walking in. Ivy stared at Ghost, lying motionless on the hospital bed, tubes seemingly coming from every part of him. The sight made her feel completely helpless, wanting to help but couldn't. She walked closer, keeping her eyes on his unmasked face. He won't be happy about that. She smirked to herself before standing next to his bed. His eyes were closed. His face was immensely bruised and his bottom lip was cut through on the left. His body was covered with a gown, but she could see his arms matched his face; bruises and wounds that were bandaged or stitched back together. Ivy gently rested her hand on his, feeling the top of his slightly cold wrist. The sensation frightened her internally, fearful he'd never place another warm hand against her cheek. Tears fell from her eyes, the beeping and humming of the machines too loud in her ear, as if it was mocking her that life could take him away from her at any moment. Her knees felt weak as she stood above him.

She took a deep breath and glanced around, feeling slightly embarrassed. "H-Hi Simon..." she smiled through tears as she looked at him. "I'm sure you can't hear me, but–" she sniffed and choked back a sob, "I wish you could." The sob escaped her throat, and she broke down for a moment before containing it once more. "I wish you could hear that I got our memories back and I need more with you." The room grew quiet once more except the mocking of the machines. "I've asked so much of you already but I need this one last thing from you." she begged quietly through her sobs. "I don't want to lose you again. I don't want to have to give another stranger the best part of me, because it belongs to you." she shook her head, wiping the tears from her burning eyes, and laid her head gently on his chest. His faint heartbeat gently filled her ears. She closed her eyes, needing to keep the sound of his heart in her mind if he didn't wake up. After a moment and letting go of more tears and emotions, she kissed Ghost's hand gently. "Please, Simon." she whispered. She stood up straight and turned to walk out of the room.

Present

Ivy was broken from her trance as she heard Soap say her name. "Ivy? Go ahead, we'll wait out here." he said gently with a smile. She nodded and walked into the room. As she closed the door, she opened the curtain and saw Ghost laying there as he always did. His hair seemed to be longer, making her smirk internally. Hates his hair long. "Hi, Simon." she said quietly as she took his hand. Tears burned her lids, "Uh, been harder the past few days. I miss you so much, it physically hurts." she said through a shaky voice. "Funny, I always thought that quote was stupid, but now I believe it.." She looked at his now healed face, only light scars appeared on his skin. She darted his eyes over his features, missing the way his lips looked as he smiled. The way his eyes wrinkled when he laughed and the way his stubble tickled her face when he kissed her. The emotions had become overwhelming, feeling fresh like they were one the day of the mission. She cried quietly into her hands as she stood beside him. After containing her sobs, she wiped her face. "If you don't wake up, I'll never love again." she whispered as rubbed his hand, warmer than she remembered. She stood up, gently kissing his cheek before turning to leave the room. On her way out, she turned to face him again and smiled with a deep ache in her heart. As she turned the knob, she heard a sound behind her making her freeze. When she turned, her tear soaked eyes widened. "Ivory?"