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As expected, it didn’t take long for Simon to pack his things.
All he really had was a few pairs of clothes, his guns, and his knives, as well as a few other personal items. It fit in one duffel bag that was situated by the door. Johnny still rushed around packing, as he had neglected to last night, claiming that he’d have plenty time in the morning. Simon sat at the kitchen table, sipping his tea, and waiting. He had his skull balaclava tucked securely into his pocket, so he could slip it on before they got onto the plane.
Laswell had managed to organise a small plane to take them from the nearby airport back to base in England. They could have used a normal airline, but between the frankly excessive number of illegal and dangerous items they were carrying, and the nature of their position, they were taking a private military plane instead. Simon was secretly glad that he wouldn’t have to be surrounded by screaming kids and other people for an hour and a half. He had always found any kind of public transport more akin to torture than a good travelling option, as being packed into a tight space with that many other people made his skin crawl.
A knock soon sounded at the door, and since Johnny was currently wrestling with his duffel bag, trying fruitlessly to zip it up, Simon went to open it. His socked feet slipped slightly against the floor, and he couldn’t help but look forward to when he could just wear his boots inside without Johnny whining that he didn’t want to sweep later.
Checking through the peephole revealed Abbie and Jacob, the young boy clinging onto his mother’s arm, waiting impatiently to be let inside. Their nieces and nephew had begged endlessly to be allowed to see Simon and Johnny off, and their parents had finally caved. Simon would have scoffed at their weak resolve but having been victim to Elodie’s puppy eyes in the past, couldn’t truly blame them. Abbie had agreed to drive the pair to the airport, and Clara, Elliot, Elodie and Rosie were meeting them there.
He opened the door to let them in, uncomfortably aware at his lack of mask. His hair was ruffled and messy, and he quickly brought a hand up to attempt to smooth it down slightly.
“Mornin’ Simon,” Abbie grumbled, heavy bags under her eyes, a symptom of the early hour. Jacob wasn’t deterred by the just-rising sun outside, it seemed. He gazed up at Simon reverently, like he was the single coolest person in the world.
“Is that your superhero costume?” he asked in awe.
Simon glanced down at what he was wearing. Camo cargo trousers, and a plain grey t-shirt with ‘L.T Ghost’ printed on the breast. His dog tags also hung around his neck, standard military wear overall, since they would be back on base within the day. He would never admit it, but Jacob’s reverence of his uncles was endearing.
“Yeah, it is,” Simon told Jacob, who’s face filled with delight.
Johnny then poked his head around the corner into the hallway, coming out when he saw who it was. He was dressed much the same way as Simon, but his shirt was black, and had ‘Sgt Soap’ stitched neatly on the front instead. His hair was even more messy, although he had shaved down the sides the previous night.
“Hey Jakey,” Johnny picked Jacob up and held him on his hip while the little boy hugged him tightly.
Simon’s chest twisted painfully; Jacob was a little too similar to someone else that he once knew, what seemed like a millennia ago. The Simon he was today felt like a different life entirely.
“Do you have to go?” Jacob asked Johnny, his lips twisting into a pout “You only just got here!”
“Uncle John’s got some very important work to do,” Abbie told the boy, who nodded solemnly, no doubt crafting his own tale of ‘superhero’ work.
Johnny placed Jacob down, ruffling the kid’s hair.
“You lads ready to go?” Abbie asked, glancing down at Simon’s bag and looking Johnny’s dishevelled state up and down.
“Just a minute,” Johnny said, hurrying back to the bedroom to finish his packing.
“He’s been saying that for the last 35 minutes,” Simon said, drawing a laugh from Abbie.
“That’s our John, most annoying little shite under the sun,” Abbie said with a fond smile in proper older sibling fashion.
Simon wondered what it was like to be the youngest sibling, the baby of the family, as Johnny was. Even though Tommy was the younger of the pair, he had never been babied or protected by their parents. Simon felt a stab of guilt. He had tried his best to protect Tommy, but he’d failed. Even when they were kids, he hadn’t been able to spare his little brother from his father’s rage. And when he was an adult, when he had finally started to make something of his life-
A hand placed firmly on his shoulder tugged him out of his spiral. Johnny was staring at him with a small frown, and Simon reached up to put his hand on top of Johnny’s and give a quick squeeze that told his boyfriend everything he needed to know.
“Let’s get going, Captain’ll have our heads if we’re late,” Johnny said, passing Simon’s bag to him and grabbing his own.
The four of them headed out the door, Johnny flipping the lights off and locking the door, tucking the key into his pocket. Johnny had paid Abbie to come round to the flat occasionally to clean up and make sure everything was in order while they were away, so that the pair would have a home next time they found themselves on leave.
Once they were situated in the elevator, Johnny shuffled closer. Simon stiffened slightly before relaxing when Johnny took his hand, rubbing his thumb over Simon’s knuckles in a slow, repetitive pattern. It was painfully domestic, a reminder that they’d have to go back to the distance being on duty put between them. While the 141 and their allies didn’t care (apart from Gaz’s teasing), it wasn’t exactly fitting for a Lieutenant and his subordinate to walk around the hallways holding hands. Simon knew that he’d miss the near constant presence that was Johnny’s hand in his, or the unconscious way Johnny would lean on him whenever they were idle.
Simon threw both of their bags into the boot of the car, and paused slightly when it was time to get in. He didn’t want to let go of Johnny’s hand. But one of them would have to sit in the front, the other in the back with Jacob. Johnny squeezed his hand and tilted his head back to kiss Simon on the cheek before letting go of his hand.
“Won’t be long, promise,” he said, walking around to sit in the passenger seat, leaving Simon to slide in beside Jacob in his booster seat. His hand felt freezing cold, and his cheek burned.
The drive, as Johnny had promised, was short. Everyone was too tired for much chatting, and music floated softly from the car radio as Abbie muttered under her breath about the traffic. Johnny kept glancing back at Simon to make sure he was alright. Unnecessary, maybe, but Simon’s cheeks still heated slightly anyway.
When they arrived, Clara and her family were already waiting for them. Johnny greeted his nieces by picking them both up in turn, hugging them tightly and spinning them around.
“Sad to see you go, Simon,” Clara said with a small smile, and Simon nodded, making an expression he hoped was a smile.
“Yeah, come back for Christmas, will ye? Ye make John more bearable,” Abbie added.
“If we can get the time off,” Simon huffed.
He couldn’t help but be a little stumped by their words, despite the ease in which he answered with a well-trained response. The thought that someone that wasn’t in their little circle of military would be saddened by his departure, that would want him to return, was astoundingly foreign. He found that he didn’t mind.
Soon, the group was approached by a pair of military pilots, who both saluted Simon, standing at attention.
“At ease, I’m assuming you’re our ride?” he said, slipping back into the role of Ghost with ease.
“Yes sir. Captain Price is waiting on the runway with the plane,” one of the pair said, lowering his arm.
“Price is here?” Johnny said with a grin.
“Probably wanted to get out of some meeting,” Simon mused.
He pulled out his balaclava and slipped it on, the familiar feeling of the fabric against his face, Jacob’s eyes widened in awe.
The group followed the two men out onto the runway where a small plane sat, Price was leaning out of the door, and jumped down to greet them once they got close enough.
“Skiving off are we sir?” Johnny asked, throwing up a lazy, two-fingered salute.
“Let’s just say I’d rather be on a plane with you two today than meeting with higher ups who want to discuss budget cuts,” Price said.
“Shit, that’s saying something considering its these two,” Abbie added, and Price laughed.
He scanned the group, as well as the kids hiding behind their parent’s legs, well, apart from Elodie. She sauntered straight up to Price and stuck out her hand to shake.
“Hi! I’m Elodie, are you Uncle John and Uncle Simon’s boss?” she said.
Price returned the handshake, amused at the loud girl before him.
“That I am, I trust they’ve been behaving themselves?” he asked, crouching down to be on level with Elodie.
“Yeah! Uncle Simon bought me a toy,” she said with a grin.
Simon shot Price a withering glare when the captain looked up at him with a smirk.
The two air force men had already thrown their bags into the plane, ready for take-off, and were standing somewhat impatiently besides the plane. Johnny took notice and nodded at them.
“Alright guys, say bye,” Clara told the kids, who all lunged at Simon and Johnny.
Johnny grabbed Simon’s shoulder to pull him into a crouch so the kids could properly cling to both of them. It was a mess of arms and hands and tight grips, but Simon didn’t feel uncomfortable. No, he felt safe. With his family. Jacob pressed tightly to his chest, Rosie huddled against his side, Elodie’s arm wrapping around his shoulder. And Johnny’s comforting, steady presence at his side.
A click drew him out of his thoughts, and he looked up to see Elliot blushing slightly, holding a polaroid camera.
“Thought you’d want something to take with you,” he said, handing the blank photo to Simon. He nodded at the man, hoping that it showed his gratitude. While he definitely couldn’t keep the photo on him (who knows what would happen if the enemy got hold of it), it couldn’t hurt to keep it in his room on base. Johnny hugged both of his sisters and shook Elliot’s hand before heading towards the plane with Price. Simon glanced down at the kids for a final time.
“Promise you’ll come back?” Elodie asked. “You have to pinky swear,”
The little girl stuck out her pinky, adorning her face was a determined expression that Simon so often saw on Johnny.
“I promise,” Simon said, linking his pinky with Elodie’s. It was almost comical how much larger his hands were.
“Come on son, I can only get out of meetings for so long,” Price called, and Simon nodded before hoping up into the plane and strapping himself in next to Johnny. The doors were slid shut, and he watched as the small family made their way off the runway, Rosie giving them a final wave. He didn’t stop looking at them until they vanished from view.
Once they were most of the way to base, Simon finally took the time to glance down at the polaroid picture clutched tightly in his hand. It had fully developed, and he smiled behind the mask. It showed him, Johnny and the 3 kids in a group hug, Johnny was smiling brightly, and Simon’s eyes were crinkled to reveal his own joy. He tucked it carefully into his pocket, knowing that he would hold onto it forever. A small, physical reminder that he had a family waiting for him, and a family right by his side.