Chapter 5: Found you

Soap POV

I stand in the kitchen of my apartment, I'm mixing a pot on the stove, wafting the scent towards me. Smells good, below me, Maddison is clinging onto my legs. She using them like stilts, as she hums a song she learned from daycare. I set a top the pot, stepping back from the stove, leaning on the counter behind me. I lean my head back, closing my eyes, taking a breath. Please be good, please be good, please don't be gross.

I feel Maddisons grip tighten on my pants, I look down and notice she's looking up at me. I smile at her, "What are you doing down there?" I ask. She giggles happily, showing me a very toothy smile, I reach down grabbing her. Pulling her up into my arms, she immediately starts to feel around my face. Her small hands glide through my stubble, "Prickly" She says, I laugh lightly.

I start to feel my chin, "You think daddy should shave?" I ask, she grabs my hand feeling my fingers. "If I do, you won't be able to get my prickly kisses that you love so much", I say. I start to kiss Maddison's cheeks, she giggles in my arms. A man must shave, to spare his daughter's cheeks. I put her back onto the floor, she quickly regains her position between my legs, holding tightly to my pants.

She starts back up her tune, adding her own what I assume lyrics out of the babbling she's doing. I waddle back over to the stove, starting to mix the food I've made, I hum along with her.

Ghost POV

Knock on the door, there's no harm in knocking but if he had a doorbell it would be better maybe... Are doorbells annoying to hear as a neighbor? I analyze the door, No doorbell, I take a sigh of relief. I... Still have to knock, I look down to my clothes, jeans, t-shirt. I look around the hallway for a moment, the apartment building he lives in is pretty lively. Not too loud, not too quiet.

I keep my focus on the door,  I wish I would have worn my mask. I have it with me, but would it be appropriate? I shake my head, Doesn't matter. I knock on the door, I step back a bit, leaving my hands at my sides. I again feel the shaky feeling in my chest, Am I nervous? I scoff lightly, Generous thoughts. The door opens, John looks me up and down, "Glad you were able find me" He says.

He examines my face, I tilt my head, "Something on my face, MacTavish?" I ask. He crosses his arms, giving me a smirk, "I've noticed something" He says. "What?" I ask, he steps closer to me, looking at my face. "The only time I see you without your mask, is when it's just us" He says slightly whispering, "Which isn't often".

I think for a moment, "I guess you could say, I trust you with knowing my identity" I say. I hear a child singing from inside of his apartment, I look in, not seeing anything. I look back down to John, "How good are 4 year olds at keeping secrets?" I ask. "Not well" He says, No harm from the words of a little girl. John moves aside for me to walk in, I take a step, Johns arm quickly shoots out, blocking me.

I look at him, he leans towards my ear, his voice dark. "You've been around my daughter twice, both times have been fine, but this time.." John whispers to me. "This is my home, my daughter is here, if you do anything that I do not want my daughter to see, I will ask you to leave, and you will do so" John says. His words commanding, but his tone is understandable.

"Understood?" He asks, I give him a silent nod, I haven't been around children that much, but this could be a learning experience for me. John lowers his arm and steps aside, I look in, a casual apartment. Immediately stepping in is the living room, a medium sized couch sits in front of TV. To the right is a half wall that looks into the kitchen, a pot is sitting on the stove.

The fridge is littered with drawings, Maddie. I look back to the room, I hear small palps on the floor, Johns daughter is running towards us. She stops and looks up at us, I pause, What do I say?  "Maddie, this is daddy's friend that you met" John says. His expression has changed from the dark tone he had, "With the mask you liked?" John says.

Her eyes light up, she walks over to me and grabs my hand, I watch her confused. She starts to pull me, leading me in the direction of the couch, I whip my head to John. What do I do? John gives me an accepting nod, letting me know whatever is happening is ok. I look back to Maddie, she leads me to the coffee table in front of the couch.

Spread out, crayons and pieces of paper scattered, I sit on the couch, watching. She digs through her drawings and pulls out a paper, she walks over, and excitedly hands it to me. I look at the drawing in my hands, it's hard to make out but it looks like 3 people. I point to one of the people, "Who's that?" I ask, "Daddy" She replies in a cheery voice.

I look back to John, who's stirring a pot on the stove, I look back to the paper. "Just like him, and who's this?" I ask, pointing at the next smaller drawing. "Maddie" She says, I smile softly at her response, "And this?" I ask, pointing to the last person. She points to me, My eyes widen, I look back to the paper.

I guess the last drawing looks like me, but if it was in a line up I don't think they could get me. "Thank you, could you hand me a crayon?" I ask. She walks over to the table and hands me one, under the drawing of me, I write 'Ghost'. She looks at me confused, "Ghost" I say, she furrows her brow "Daddy told me that Ghosts aren't real".

What do you say to child in this situation? "I'm the only one, so don't be worried too much" I say. She gives me a soft smile, I'm not sure if what I said was good, I gotta learn something about this. "Simon" I hear John call, I turn to him, he's motioning for me to join him in the kitchen. I turn back to Maddison, "Draw me a picture of your house next" I say, standing from the couch.

Soap POV

"Could you reach up to the cabinet and get some plates?" I request. He does what I ask, little pushback, Guess that's the benefit of being friends with military men. He places them down on the counter, "Looks like you're getting along with Maddie" I say. He looks to her and back to me, he whispers loudly, "I've never really been around kids that much, I don't know what I'm doing" Simon Admits.

I chuckle softly, "That's how it was for me, you're doing good, just keep doing that" I say. Truth be told, the look on his face isn't one of confidence, more of a curious look. "I..." Ghost cuts' himself off, I pat him on his shoulder, Seeing him trying is actually pretty good, might have to invite him around more.

I start putting the food on the plates, "You're doing fine" I say, trying to reassure him. "Maddie, go wash your hands" I say, she stands from her drawings and runs to the bathroom. Me and Simon start to put the plates on the table, I quickly notice that the table only has 2 chairs, Not enough. I walk over, and grab a short stool I have, putting it up to the table.

I sit down, Maddison runs back out sitting down in one of the seats, she starts to eat. Looks to be enjoying the food, I look over to Simon, he's eating his food, but he's sort of hunched down over the plate. No one is gonna take it from you, He looks over to me, and notices my focus  on him.

He starts to straighten his posture, allowing me to see him, I smile down at my plate. Beginning to eat I look over to Maddison, who's already half finished with her food, with sauce stained lips. She's shifted her focus to Simon, "Ghost?" She says, Simon looks up to her, First time I've heard anyone use his nickname.

"Are you daddy's friend?" Maddison asks, I'm a bit shocked at her question, but it's reasonable since she's seen him around a few times. I look to Simon, who's already looking at me, I take another bite of my food, waiting for his answer. He looks back to Maddison, "I am friends with your daddy" Simon says. I start to breath heavily, trying to hide my laughter at the tone he's said it in.

"Like how Mommy and daddy were friends?" I start to cough loudly, choking on my food a bit. This is fine, children don't understand what they say, "No Maddie, Si- Ghost and I are just friends, nothing like me and mommy" I say with a smile. I look to Simon for approval of my answer, he gives me a small nod, Perfectly avoided.

Maddison soon after finishes her food, "Ok go wash your hands, and I'll be right there to put you to bed" I say, standing from the table. She scoots down from her seat, walking over to Simon, he looks down to her "Yes?" He asks. He lowers his ear, allowing her to whisper into it, What could she be saying? Possibly asking him another question about me and him?

He raises his head, she runs to her room, "What was that?" I ask, he leans back in his chair. "Being in the military for so long, I learned not to tell people things I've discussed. I roll my eyes, "Whatever you say Ghost" I say, picking up the empty plates bringing them to the sink.

He quickly stands, walking over to the sink with me, "Why do you say it like that?" He questions. I start to wash the dishes, "Like what?" I ask, "Ghost, You say it like your nickname is any better" He explains. I laugh at his words, "Should I start calling you Ghost then?" I ask with a smile. It goes quiet for a moment, I look to Simon, his eyes are scanning, thinking of what to say.

"You... Can call me anything" He says, I put the plates and silverware away. I look back at Simon, his dark eyes are staring into mine, "I..." I can't think of what to say. I don't think I've seen him act like this before, but I also haven't known him long. He's probably just like this with everyone. "Sure, Simon" I say to him, giving him a small smile.

His expression doesn't change, his eyes focused on mine, I start to examine his face. The scar travels over the bridge of his nose and very close to his left eye, I wonder how it felt, when it happened. I turn away, "I have to get Maddie ready for bed" I say, walking away, leaving simon at the sink. One friend, I feel a strange feeling in my chest, I try to shake it off, but the feeling doesn't go away.

Ghost POV

I stand next to the sink, my heart racing, unable to move. I keep thinking about his face, his eyes, his... Why am I thinking about that? I walk over to the couch, sitting down, I'm nervous. John comes back from Maddison's room, closing the door softly behind him, he walks over to the couch sitting next to me, "Wanna watch a movie?" John asks.

"Yeah" I say, my heart still beating, I don't understand why I'm feeling like this. "What do you want to watch?" He asks, "I don't know" I say, he chuckles. "Do you even want to watch a movie?" John asks, "Not really" I say. He lets out a sign, leaning back in the couch, crossing his arms.

"Then let's talk, ask me anything" John says, Anything, I think for a moment. "Tell me about yourself" I say, "Ok then, well as you can see, this is where I live, it's pretty shit but I'm not homeless. I have a daughter, she's 4 and my whole world revolves around her" John says. I scoff at him saying his apartment is shitty, Compared to the barracks, this is a 5 star hotel. I look around, 3 and a half maybe.

"Did you always want to be a father?" I ask, John looks away, thinking for a moment. "Honestly? No" His response shocks me a bit, from the way he acted around his daughter, you'd think that'd he'd always want this. "No?" I say, a bit confused, he uncrosses his arms "Can you keep a secret?" John asks.

"I'm keeping Maddie's" I say, which I'm not sure weighed the same, because all she told me was that her favorite color wasn't light blue, but instead, 'Glitter green'. He shifts in his seat, "She was just.. A fling to be honest, and one day I got a text, and... That's how I found out" John explains. I sit quietly listening, "I was.. Confused, upset, even angry.. But I was there every moment" John says.

His focus isn't on anything but he's talking to the room, I didn't mind that he wasn't looking at me, but I knew he was talking about something important to him. "Every sick day, every urge, every craving, and I have to say I loved those time" John smiled as he said this. He turns to me, "But I have to say, you couldn't torcher the reaction I had to Maddison being born" John says, his face serious but it made it smile.

"Ok ok Mr Military man, enough me talking about myself, let me ask you something" John says, I tense up a bit. He opened up about something personal, maybe so can I, "Go on" I say. He thinks for a moment, "Why did you invite me to get coffee with you?".

Soap POV

I like the time I have with Simon where he doesn't wear his mask, seeing emotions run through his face in real time. "To continue your interview" Simon says, I show disbelief in my face. "Right, to continue the interview, do you always invite your potential employees for expensive cake?" I ask.

My comment makes him chuckle, "I guess you could consider yourself lucky" Simon says. I scoff at his avoidance to my question, "I'll take it, but I'm going to ask again just so you know" I say. "I'll think about my answer when you do" Simon says, I laugh at his answer. I turn back to him, we meet eyes again, we sit in silence for a moment.

He looks away, I wonder if you show this side of you to everyone. "Simon..." I say, he turns back to me, raising an eyebrow, I take a breath. "Do you-"

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Both me and Simon whip our heads to the door, I look to my phone. 20:38,{Which is 8:38pm} Strange time for someone to be here. I stand up and walk to the door, I open it, a smaller woman stands angrily at the door. She whips her head towards me, my eyes widen, "Lydia?".

{I'm watching YOU on netflix again, someone told me that season 1 was the only good season WHICH WAS A FUCKING LIE. Season 2 is fucking awesome, now I'm starting season 3, fuck whoever told me it was bad. Oh yeah, hope you enjoyed!}