Chapter 22: Wrong Idea

Soap POV

Yesterday was.. Stressful, between Maddison, the hospital, and Lydia. The only thing that could make things worse, was if all the volcanos in the world erupted, or if the skies pour acid, or if they ran out of left shoes. But no matter how many world ending scenarios I think of, I still have work today.

Get up, get dressed, drive to work.

I like silent car rides, ever since the separation, I get to enjoy this small pleasure of mine more. There are days where Maddison is in the car with me, and we listen to music while singing. Well, those days I don't mind the noise. I look at my rearview mirror to her car seat, I wish.. Wait-

I quickly turn my body, looking at the backseat, Where the fuck is the carseat? I turn back resting my head on the wheel. I left it in Simon's car... "YOU'VE GOT TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME" I yell out. I stand corrected, Volcanos, acid rain, left shoes, and leaving your only car seat in someone else's car. I have to say, it's not the biggest deal that he has it, I'll just talk to him when I get the chance.

Drive to work, clock in, "HOPE YOU GIRLS ARE READY FOR TRAINING" Fuck me.

Normal day, or that's I thought at least, something felt out of place. When we were being briefed on the training plan, Simon walked into the room, and told the instructor that he was going to shadow him. Not out of the ordinary, other superiors would do the same sometimes.

Check in, ask questions, and not waiting for training to finish, leave. Simon is different for sure, instead of shadowing the drill sergeant, it felt more that he was shadowing me. No, watching me. In the locker room, we all get changed into our uniforms, right outside, there he is. He's leaned next to the door, with his arms crossed, everyone who passes by him, he keeps his focus on the ground, and so do they.

When I exit the room, his eyes shift over mine, we share a glance. "MacTavish" Simon nods at me in a low tone, "Lieutenant" I say nodding back to him. That felt like the end of it, but unfortunately not, cause in the same training section, I was stood by the most motivated and energetic person I know.

"MacTavish" she shows me fake smile, "Gold" I respond, ignoring her looks. "Seems like being friends with the Lieutenant didn't get you out of training today" She whispers, looking forward. I take a breath, Already going for it I guess, "Maybe if your superiors liked you, you wouldn't be in basic training, first class private, Ericka Gold" I whisper back, looking forward.

She turns to me with a shocked look, "What?" She says, she looks around. Tapping the guy next to her "What's your rank?" She asks him. He mumbles something to her, "Oh son of bi-". I quickly tone her out, while her failures are funny, across the field he's there. The sargent is talking to him, and through the crowd, he's looking directly at me.

Well I don't know if he's actually looking at me, could be coincidental. I think... Laps in formation, conditioning, and spread out workouts across the yard. Normal day, but during each of our training segments, I would catch him looking my direction. I was planning on waiting to talk to him, but I guess I could talk to him sooner.

"OK 10 MINUTE BREAK, THEN WE GET BACK ON THE FIELD" The sergeant yells, blowing a whistle. Better time than any, I look around for Simon, somehow he's escaped my field of vision. I take a walk around the yard, Knowing how closely he's been, I'd assume he's not far. Looking around for a moment, I start to smell smoke, cigarette smoke.

In a nook, I see Gold talking to someone, then pops out a hand. A hand covered by a skeleton glove, holding a cigarette, Found you. The hand flicks ashes onto the ground, I walk over "I understand your decision for put me in the lower rank training regiment, yes, but could we talk about what they go over during it? Seems a bit harsh for new hires".

I walk over, Simon is leaned against the wall, focused on his cigarette. "I'm also in the same regiment as that rude cadet" Gold says. "You mean you're in the same regiment as me? First class, Gold" I say. Simon looks up, recognizing me and quickly looking back down.

"Yes, MacTavish, which I do want to know about too" Gold says to Simon. "GOLD, YOU DIDN'T GET ASSIGNED TO ME TO FUCK AROUND, BACK ON THE FIELD" The sergeant yells out. Gold lets out an audible sigh, "That's what I get for talking" she mumbles pushing past me. I watch as she leaves, Great, this a better chance than any.

I turn back to Simon, he throws his cigarette in the gravel, stomping it out. He sits up from the wall trying to leave also, I take his arm, pushing him back on the wall. He looks almost shocked that I've done this.

Ghost POV

"Hi Simon" John says, Shit, I look down at him, "Uh... Hi" I say nervously. He grips on my forearm, holding me against the wall. "Do you have something to do or can I steal you for a moment?" He asks. Shit, "Ok" I say, "Two things, I got your voice message, do you want to finish what you were saying? Before the phone cut off" John says.

Shit, I look down at him, he doesn't look upset by what I said, yet him pinning me here has me nervous. "What I said?" I ask, he nods, staring up at me, "I.. I'm sorry" I say. He chuckles lightly, "Why are you sorry?" John asks, tilting his head. Holy fuck, "I..I-uh.. Sorry" I struggle to say. "About yesterday? She's fine, alive and breathing, staying with Lydia for a while, but she's fine".

I feel a wave of relief wash over me, I lean my head back, resting my eyes. He lets go of my arm, "Is that why you were watching me today?" John asks. Yes, "You didn't reply back to my message, so I didn't know if you wanted to see me after everything" I say. "It was scary, yeah, but it's just something that you have to be prepared for, and I am, so it's ok, you don't need to apologize".

"You told me she was allergic, and I forgot, I didn't mean to forget but-" John grabs my arm. "It's fine, I'm not angry or upset with you, things happen" He says, "But Maddison-" he leans closer. "Is fine, she's back to being a normal kid, so you don't have to worry" John explains. "TIMES UP, GET BACK ON THE FIELD" the sergeant yells out, John lets go of my arm "Sorry about that, hopefully I didn't hurt you, Lieutenant".

My title light on his tongue, he smirks at me, as if us staying professional is a joke to him. With that same refrain, he pats my arm and turns to leave, before he turns the corner I grab his wrist, pulling him back to the wall. A surprised look on his face, "Uh hi" John says, I look down at him "Hi" I say quietly.

His eyes shift around, "Is there something you need to tell me?" John asks. I look him over, his blue eyes looking into mine, his shirt creased with sweat, his comforting presence. I rest my head on his shoulder, closing my eyes, wrapping my arms around him. He jolts slightly, stunned by my behavior.

Soap POV

"I'm sorry" Simon says into my neck, his voice muffled, I feel like I'm missing something. I pat his back, unsure of how to deal with this, This is.. Nice, but I do have to get back on the field. "You ok? What's going on right now?" I ask confused. He adjust his head on my shoulder, moving closer to my neck "I don't want you to not trust me, do you trust me, Johnny?" Simon asks.

Johnny? I look around, not being able to see anything due to the obscured nook we're in. We're at work right now, so this it's strange to hear him call me by my name. "Lieutenant, this is not the best time nor place to discuss things like this" I say. Stay professional, he might not be but when I get off, I can send him a text or something.

"Please.. Johnny.." Simon pleas to me, I'm slightly taken aback by his words. I feel his hand lift my lower half off the wall, starting pull my shirt from it's tucked position. I feel my face get hot, "This feels very inappropriate of a Lieutenant and his subordinate" I say. He says quiet, reaching his hand into shirt, along my back, Something is clearly going on.

I grab his face, pulling him to look up at me, his eyes sad. "MACTAVISH! Get back on the field doesn't mean lingue around, where are you?" The sergeant yells out for me. I get up from the wall, pushing Simon back, Fuck. Simon leans his side against the wall, reaching over, pulling me by my belt loop.

I pulls his hand off, walking out of the nook, "Maybe when we're not at work, we can have a proper conversation" I say. I start to tuck my shirt back in I look up and notice the drill sergeant, looking my direction, Fuck me. "Did you not hear me call everyone back to the field? You better have one hell of an excuse" The sergeant says, walking my direction.

He stops, a shocked look covers his face, I turn around. Simon pops out the spot, adjusting his mask, looking my direction. "Lieutenant.. I didn't know you were here" the sergeant says, he averts his gaze to the gravel. "I didn't realize that you having a.. Conversation with MacTavish, apologies sir" the sargent turns and leaves.

When I said Fuck me, I didn't mean make it look like I got fucked, I let out groan. I turn to Simon, whose focus is still on me,  I walk over to him. He keeps his hands at his sides, looking me over, I lean in. "After work today, we're gonna talk about this, and everything else" I say.

I turn walking away back into the field, Shit shit shit shit, I walk back into the group of people. Taking my position back next to Gold "There's no way that he put me down in the cadet class, grudge holding motherfucker" Gold says. Back to this I guess... I FORGOT TO ASK ABOUT THE CAR SEAT, OH SON OF A- "OK EVERYONE, GRAB SOMEONE, DOWN AND GIVE ME SIT UPS, HOW MANY? UNTIL I SAY YOU'RE DONE".

I look around quickly, "No point MacTavish, come on and hold my feet" Gold says, laying on the grass. I look down at her, moving her leg with my foot "Why am I holding your feet?" I question. "Cause, in order to show the Lieutenant I don't belong in this class, I'm gonna show how much better I am than the rest of you" Gold says, patting her shoe.

I sigh, God, I wouldn't be angry if you just chose to strike me down. I sit on the grass, holding her feet down "What's your Goal?" I ask. "You job is to count until I stop, or if you find out you can't count that high, sorry to hear about it" she lays down and starts her sit ups. I count along, realizing that this isn't the harshest thing I've done here.

"Mactavish!" The sergeant yells out, I turn and he makes a motion for me to come over. Shit, I stand, walking over "What can I do for you Sargent" I ask. "I want you to do push ups, I got a couple questions for ya" The sergeant orders. "Yes sir" I say, getting down "So do you know Lieutenant Riley?" he asks.

"Don't we all, sir?" I question, "Point taken, but I can't say I've ever seen him like that before" he says. "Like.. What sir?" I ask, between breaths "Calm, not a pain to see, and after seeing whatever I saw between you two, I have a feeling like you have something to do with it" he says. "Me?" I ask, he looks down at me "How many are you at?" He questions.

"One, sir" I respond, "How are you still at one? Can't multitask MacTavish?" he questions. "Better than most sir, if I stay at one, than I always have one more" I say. "So what did I see earlier?" he asks, I look ahead of me, in the distance, Simon is standing with his arms crossed, looking over the other cadets. and Gold *cough*

"Just a conversation sir" I say, "A conversation where you had to tuck back in your shirt, and the Lieutenant had to adjust his mask? Both sounds and looked like you two did a little more than talk" he says. I stay quiet, focusing on the push up, he crouches down next to me. "Does he take his mask off when talks to you?" he asks.

"Is that important?" I ask, he scoffs, "Just taking an interest in my lieutenant who's noticeably different, that's not bad to ask" he explains. I stay quiet, "Be honest.." he gets closer to me, leaning in, "Does he fuck you with the mask on?" he asks. I stop, standing up "What do you think--" my eyes quickly shift behind him.

"Curious, Sargent?" I look to see Simon standing behind him, unpleasant look in his eyes.

Fuck...

{I don't really have anything to say after finishing this one, hope you enjoyed!}