Three months later...
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Ghost, Soap, Gaz and Price all clambered out of the helicopter as it landed back on base. Their mission was a success, but quite rocky. They had gone to gather intel on a suspected terrorist group hiding away in the city, and managed to find a member and weaseled the information out of him. Because of that, the entire group of terrorists were caught and their bombing mission was stopped.
"Another successful run, lads," Price called out as they walked to the building. "First round's on me tonight."
They all headed in to change into civilian clothing, and went to go eat out to celebrate their victory. The four of them squeezed into a booth that barely fit all four of the brawny men, and looked through their menus.
"You getting first round of food too, Price?" Gaz teased.
"Not likely. I've seen the food Soap can pound back." Price winked at Soap, who gave him the finger. "Still don't know where you hide it all."
"All below the waist, my friend," Soap replied, earning a laugh from everyone but Ghost.
They ordered their meals and Soap checked his phone while Price and Gaz continued a conversation about a UK football game. Ghost glanced over at Soap's phone and saw him answer a message. Peeking at the name at the top, Ghost saw "Ellie" written there.
His heart hammered in his chest at the sight of her name. Soap hadn't mentioned her at all since she had gone on medical leave months ago. Ellie made it clear enough that she didn't wish to see him again, especially now that she had gotten transferred somewhere else.
"Who you talkin' to?" Gaz asked Soap. "Got a girl we don't know about?"
"I still say man," Price piped up.
"Seconded," Ghost added, feigning that he knew who he spoke of.
"First of all, fuck all of you," Soap grumbled. "Second, it's Ellie."
"Sgt. Collins?" Price asked, taking a sip of water.
"Used to be Sgt, yes."
"Used to be?" Ghost asked curiously.
Soap let out a sigh and put his phone face down on the table. "She didn't want me to tell any of you until she was ready, but Ellie told me a few weeks ago that it's okay if I told you all where she's been."
"Didn't she get transferred?" Gaz asked him.
Soap shook his head. "That's what she told me as well, but she erh... she got honourably discharged."
"What?!" Price and Gaz said in unison.
Ghost glared at Soap as he looked at them all to see their reaction. "Why would she lie?" Gaz asked.
"She was struggling with her mental health," Soap explained. "The dismissal got confirmed in the middle of her medical leave. She moved away and got herself a great job, and began therapy. She's doing really well now."
"Where did she move to?" Ghost demanded, making Price and Gaz look at each other.
Soap gave him a dark look. "That part she hasn't told me. She's been posting on Instagram and Facebook a lot, but any word of location is never mentioned."
"Let me see."
"Why the sudden interest, Simon?" Price questioned him.
Ghost didn't answer him, and Soap didn't touch his phone. "I'm not showing you, Ghost," Soap explained. "Out of everyone around this table, you're the last person she wanted me to tell."
His jaw clenched under the mask, and he stared down at the table. The day she left the base for good was burned into his mind. She was physically and mentally broken, mainly because he was shit at expressing any other emotion other than anger. He had always wondered where Ellie had gotten transferred to, but was never able to figure out where.
Now he knew why.
The topic of Ellie was soon dropped, and the men started a new conversation, but Ghost wasn't paying any attention to it. He kept his mouth shut like he always did, and ate his food without so much as a word. But all he could think of was Ellie. Was she doing okay? Where was she now? He hated that he was genuinely worried about her, it made him feel weak.
Once dinner was done and the four of them were heading for their cars, Soap said, "Ghost. A word?"
As Price and Gaz left, Ghost turned back to his friend, who had a stern look on his face. "What is it, MacTavish?"
"I don't want you going after Ellie."
Ghost raised an eyebrow at him. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't fucking pretend around me, Ghost," Soap growled. "Everyone saw how pissed off you were when she left. Ellie's moved on from us, from the military. Leave her alone."
"What makes you think I'd try and find her?" Ghost asked flatly.
Soap shrugged and threw his hands up in the air. "Maybe because you didn't like how she broke your heart."
"She didn't --"
"Oh come off it, Simon. It was obvious enough how you felt about her when she left."
"Nobody knows how I feel about her," Ghost said in a warning tone.
Soap's face softened slightly. "Then if you actually do care about her, you'll leave her alone. She doesn't need you to go and throw a wedge into the life she's made for herself."
Ghost stared daggers at Soap, but he returned it just as strongly. "I don't give a single shit about where the girl went," Ghost said in a menacing tone, stepping close to Soap. "Is that clear, MacTavish?"
Soap smirked at his angry expression and nodded as Ghost stormed off into the night. "Loud and clear, L.T."
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Ellie locked her car as she grabbed her beach bag, and headed for her usual spot. The day was hot, almost 100 degrees, and Ellie immediately knew she wanted to have her lunch break at the beach. She only lived about fifteen minutes away, so it gave her lots of time to enjoy the day while she could.
Going to her spot near the water, Ellie laid her towel down and began to apply her sunscreen as she sat down. There were a few dozen people scattered around the beach, some swimming, some bathing in the sun like Ellie was.
Her black bikini hid very little, so she had to cover most of her skin with the sunblock. Laying back on the towel, Ellie set a timer for half an hour on her phone before letting out a contented sigh.
Her mental health had improved greatly since she left the military. As soon as she went on medical leave, she began searching for a job down in Florida. She had always dreamed of living down in the sunshine state since she was a kid. Thankfully, her knowledge of numerous languages got her a great paying editing job that let her work from home.
Ellie found a cheap little apartment and moved in within a week of her medical leave. She worked tirelessly six days a week for that month of medical, despite the doctor's warnings, saving every single penny she could. She began therapy for her depression after a few weeks of her move, and it helped her greatly.
By the time her second month of retirement started, she had purchased a simple little house in Miami.
Ellie quickly got a promotion at her job that only allowed her to work 5 days a week but for twice the pay. She agreed and eagery leaped into the job. Since then, she's had weekends to herself, and got to go to the beach whenever she went on her hour long break.
Things couldn't be better for Ellie.
Her phone's alarm went off too quickly, and she reluctantly got up from her spot in the sand. Tucking all of her stuff back into the beach bag and wrapping a new towel around her waist, Ellie slipped on her sandals and headed back for her car.
As she loaded her items into the trunk, the hair on the back of her neck stood up. It felt like someone was watching her. Ellie instinctively grabbed for the crowbar she had laying in the trunk, and she looked behind her.
There was nobody anywhere near her. She looked around the area, but found nothing and nobody even giving her a second glance. "Paranoia, Ellie," she sighed, dropping the crowbar and shutting the trunk. "Too much sun."
She drove the fifteen minute drive and parked in the driveway of a little two story house. Ellie felt a grin grow on her face as she looked up at the home. Every time she looked at the building, she felt proud of herself for getting out of the military before her mental health spiralled down more. She had grown up jumping from foster home to foster home, never having one place to call home.
Now she did.
After staring at her home and feeling grateful for it all, Ellie gathered her things and headed inside to finish off her day.
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Ellie closed her laptop just after five that evening. It was Friday, so she didn't have to touch it until Monday morning. She stretched out her body in the chair and yawned. It felt like a Korean food night, so she picked up her phone and ordered delivery from a local shop she frequented.
Not long after she hung up, Ellie put on a big white comfy sweater and some booty shorts. She checked herself in the dresser mirror, and fixed her hair that was all ruffled up from running her hand through it all day. She had shaved off half of it, so the side where her scar from the gunshot was visible. A strip of her hair was dyed the same colour as her green eye was, and she let her hair grow down to the middle of her back.
Ellie had also gained a bit more weight since she left, but she didn't mind. She felt so good about herself now that a few extra pounds meant nothing to her.
As she headed back downstairs, her phone began to ring. "Hello?" she spoke as she went to pour herself some wine.
"Hey you!" The cheery voice of her coworker Tori filled Ellie's ear. "You gunna come out with us tonight? It's Fridaaaay!"
"Nope, not tonight," Ellie laughed as she grabbed a wine glass. "I just ordered myself some korean food, I'm gunna drink my wine and enjoy a movie."
"Seriously?" Tori pouted. "Come on, El! You never come out with us! You need to get your big latina ass out and dance with us! Might be a cute guy here and there if you're lucky."
Ellie shook her head but grinned. Tori had bonded with Ellie when they first met, and they had become close. Ellie hadn't spoken about her childhood to her, or anything about 141 and the military. Tori always had something to talk about to the point where Ellie rarely got a word in, which was fine with her.
"I'm not looking for a hook-up, Tori," Ellie replied, taking a sip of wine. "I'm enjoying my single life as it is."
"Pleeeease?" Tori pleaded.
"No, thank you!" Ellie laughed.
"You know I'm going to keep asking, right?"
Ellie sighed and twirled the glass on the counter. "I know, and my answer will still be no."
"What about tomorrow night? Just for a few drinks!"
"... Maybe."
"Good enough for me! I'll be stopping in tomorrow night, Ellie! Bye!" The woman hung up, and Ellie let out a loud sigh as she took a big drink. She loved Tori, but she got to be a headache sometimes.
Ellie turned on a movie and waited for her food to arrive, which only took about twenty minutes. When she heard the doorbell, Ellie grabbed her wallet and made her way to the door, hoping it was her favourite delivery man.
Sure enough, the face of an older asian man was waiting on the other side of the door, making Ellie smile. "Good evening, Jimmy," Ellie said in korean, giving a small bow.
"Hello, dear," he replied cheerily, handing her the food. "Busy day?"
"Not for me, what about yourself?" Jimmy gave a small shrug as she paid for the food. The first time Ellie had Jimmy deliver food, she spoke to him in Korean when she noticed he had trouble with english, and it delighted Jimmy to hear her speak it. Ever since, he was always the one to deliver her food, even if he was late getting off his shift.
They gave each other a little bow before Jimmy left. The smell of the food made Ellie's stomach growl loudly.
Ellie brought her food over to the living room, and turned on the TV. Organizing her food on the table, she grabbed the chopsticks and dug into the kimchi first.
Halfway through her meal, a little beep was heard near the kitchen, drawing Ellie's attention. She grinned when her roomba she had named Frank began the route around the floors. "Hello to you too, Frank."
Ellie had glued googly eyes to the roomba when she purchased it. It always made her laugh to see even when she was having a rougher day than usual. He was the closest thing to a pet she was willing to get.
The little eyes were heard jingling when Frank bumped into a chair and turned to go in another direction. Ellie grinned and finished up her meal. She swept the few crumbs onto the floor for Frank before bagging up the garbage. She used a wet napkin to clean the rest of the table, and stepped over Frank as it made its way to the coffee table.
Ellie grabbed her wine glass to refill it while she brought the garbage to the bins under her sink. She had some jjigae and sushi left, so she put them in the fridge before pouring herself another glass.
As she set the bottle down, there was a knock at her door. Ellie rolled her eyes as she carried her glass to the door with her and unlocked it.
"Tori, I already told you I'm not --"
Ellie's glass almost fell from her hand when she opened the door and saw Ghost standing on her front porch.