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"Ghost? The hell are you going?"
"Gettin' us the hell outta here, Johnny, stat." Ghost retorts, walking passed the blatantly wailing box.
Soap falls short, eyes concentrated on the small figure restlessly squirming inside the small parcel. Rain beats down on them all, the babe wrapped in no more than a thinly knitted shawl with the rain seeping into the white material. The baby isn't dressed, not even a nappy covering it up, and there is a note taped to the box, rain staining the page as the blue ink runs off the paper.
Dearest Stranger,
Please understand why I've done this. My wife- she didn't make the labour. I can't go on without her, much less raise her child without her guiding hand. In this world of war and suffering, I'm afraid I can't take much more. I will join her now, back in her arms again, and I will rest knowing her baby is cared for. I'm sorry to-
The rest of the paper is soaking into a puddle on the floor, the writing no longer legible as Soaps eyes drift from the writing to the baby lay in the sodden box, "Fuckin' hell little 'un."
"Exfil in 10." Ghosts back is turned to Johnny, him facing a chain link fence as he seems concerned about everything bar the child in the box.
"Well what about the kid?"
"What about it?"
"What about it- Fuckin' Christ Simon, where's your bloody humanity? It's a defenceless kid, can't be more than a week old, you wanna just leave it here t-to freeze? Or starve? Or get shot by the fuckin' bastards we failed to get?" Johnnys voice is raising, shaky and unnerved as Ghost turns a little, eyes training on the alley entrance behind Soap, ensuring no one is hearing his outburst.
"We're not babysitters, Soap." Ghosts voice is unlike how Johnny has ever heard it. He feels like he knows his partner pretty damn well, knows him better than anyone else, but he has never heard such a cold and harsh tone escape his lips.
Soap huffs, "We still have a fucking duty."
There's silence for a short while. Rain beats down on the pair as Soap stares at Ghosts back, the taller man turned away from him again as the baby continues to wail. Soap yearns to sink to his knees, scoop the child into his embrace, tuck them into his fleece jacket to give them some warmth, but he won't. Not whilst he's busy staring down Ghost, trying to break through the front that he knows is Ghost to get down to his core. To get to his Simon.
Simon is a gentle man. He loves kids, has countless pictures of his nephew and has seen him horsing around with him on leave before. Not too long ago, lay under the moon and the stars, Simon and Johnny discussed retiring. Talked about marriage and kids and how they both want that. Johnny really thought they were getting somewhere. Then Price got hurt. Real fuckin' bad. And Simon blamed himself, brought Ghost back as a result, and put all those future plans with Johnny on hold, even after seeing Price making his way to a full recovery.
"Think Simon, if not us, who else? Who else but the enemy is here to take this little one and help them?"
Ghost is silent but he turns to Soap. He looks down at the baby, its screeching getting incessant now as a result of the thundering rain and he huffs out a loud sigh. He glares at Johnny a little before flicking the safety on his gun and tossing it to the ground before Johnnys feet. He quickly sinks to the ground, scooping the tiny child into his large embrace and holding them close to his chest, "Alright kid, it ain't that bad out here, hush now. C'mon, let's get you somewhere warm."
Ghost begins to move to the exfil site, baby curled up in his embrace and barely making a peep now, no more than a soft whimper escaping their tiny mouth. Ghost pauses and looks over his shoulder to where Soap is stood, completely motionless and with wide eyes. There's a certain red blush coating his cheeks but whether it's from Ghosts actions or a result of the rain, Ghost isn't sure. Still, he barks out, "MacTavish!" which startles Johnny.
"Aye, Si, on yer six." Johnny bends down, scooping up Ghosts gun too and swinging it over his shoulder, keeping his own raised as guard as they head to the site.
"You better get on your phone and get ahold of Garrick." Ghost says, only a few moments later when they crash into their exfil site, Ghost falling to the floor and holding the baby close to him, guarding their face into his neck and quietly hushing them as the rain around them picks up.
"Gaz, sir?" Soap asks in confusion.
Ghost nods, "Get him shopping, off-site. Gonna need nappies, dummies, wipes, clothes, formula, right Johnny?" Ghost- no, Simon, gestures to the baby in his arms. They look like they're lulling asleep in Simons arms, still shivering and skin pointedly off colour, but with them all soaked to the bone, there is very little to do.
Soap whips his phone out of his chest pocket, hands shaking when he rips the gloves off his hands to access it better. The screen is slippery, water droplets bouncing off of it, and Soap struggles to scroll on it till he finally finds Gaz's number and dials it. Naturally, Gaz answers with utmost confusion since he is more than aware that Soap is on a mission right now.
"Soap?" Gaz's voice is a hush, meaning he's probably with Price. Gaz is a good guy, would never get his friend in trouble for calling him from the bloody battlefield.
"If you're with Price, get out the room and listen to my next sentences very carefully, Gaz." Soap instructs. Overhead, he hears the whipping of helicopter blades and curses, the baby starting to whine again at the loud noise.
"Right, okay, I'm alone. The hell's going on?"
"I got a job for you that you can't tell Price about till we're back, okay?"
"Shoot buddy, I got you, whaddya need?"
"Supplies. Off base. I need you to go to a supermarket or a store that does kids stuff or whatever. I need newborn stuff, nappies, onesies, wipes, formula, bottles- everything, Gaz, you get that?" Soap demands. The wind is whipping the weather into his face, harsh rainfall beating his skin like a bullet and he impatiently snaps at Gaz as the helo lands just a few hundred yards from them, Ghost already on his feet and beckoning for Johnny to follow, "Gaz? Copy?"
"Yeah, I copy. I- the fuck do you need that stuff for Soap? The hell have you done?" Gaz asks.
Soap jumps onto the helicopter, lying his weapons flat on the floor and sliding the door shut as the sudden warmth reaches his bones in a matter of seconds. He huffs, "No time for questions, can you get it for us?"
"Yeah, I'll head out now."
"Thanks man, fuckin' owe you big time for this. Tell Price ETA of an hour, he's gonna wanna be on the tarmac for this."
Gaz soon hangs up and Ghost is glaring at the other soldier in the back of the helicopter, the one staring with wide eyes at the baby in his arms. Soap starts shimmying out of his tac vest, unzipping his fleece and feeling his shirt underneath. It's wet, maybe only damp, but still not particularly comfortable. Still, he holds his hands out to Ghost, a silent gesture to hand the kid over, after pulling his shirt off and slipping his wet fleece back over his body. When holding the baby, Johnny smiles, cooing at the little one who looks up at him with bright blue eyes. Johnny lays the baby in his lap, slipping the shawl off of them and drying them lightly with his shirt. He realises the baby is a little girl and smiles before wrapping her up in his shirt, hoping to warm her up. She seems to enjoy being swaddled, settling right into Soaps arms when wrapped like a gift.
Soap holds her the entire flight, hushing her when the turbulence startles her, stroking her head lightly. Despite the circumstances, she is a perfectly ordinary baby. He runs his fingers through the light wisps of hair on her head, cradle cap adorning her now dry scalp, and he wipes her runny nose on the left over material of his shirt. Ghost sits across from him, watching him the whole time, eyes not wavering even once. Just as the base comes into sight, Johnny tucks the baby against his chest, sipping his jacket up with her inside of it, aiming to keep her as warm as possible before she's inside.
True to expectations, Price is on the tarmac, leaning on a crutch as the helicopter lands and the baby begins to wail again at the sudden motion of the helo hitting the ground. Ghost shifts to Johnnys side, gathering up their weapons and slinging them both over his shoulders. He places a hand on the small of Johnnys back as they slide out of the helo, rain finally letting up and changing to a soft, barely there drizzle.
As they walk over to Price, him seemingly confused as to why he's on the tarmac, the baby wails loudly, all the noise and bustle of the military base startling her, and Johnny rocks his against his chest lightly, shushing her as Ghost looks down at her, checking she's okay. Her little face is resting outside of the jacket, the rest of her curled in Soaps arms, and she seems tired, hungry and disgruntled. Price stares at the unsurprising domesticity at display before him just before he shakes his head and barks out, "No!"
Both Johnny and Simon stop in their tracks and stare at him, "Sir?" Soap asks.
"I relented with the mice, I relented with the cat, I even relented with the fucking birds in South America but you are not keeping a fucking baby on base." Price says.
"We weren't going to ask you to." Johnny laughs, still holding the crying baby close as she quietens her whimpers.
"Good. I take it this means those retirement requests you two were talking about will be handed in soon?" Price stares at the baby and his gaze softens just a little.
Johnny and Simon look at each other and both shrug at the same time, "Can't say we've really had time to talk about it yet, Sir."
"Right well you have till tomorrow to let me know. I want the baby off the base by then, can't have a kid here, bloody thing will grow up crazy."
Price hobbles off, seemingly finished with the conversation. Johnny and Simon just stand there in the cold, the rain finally ceasing, with very little to say. Soap looks down at the baby and furrows his brows, "Simon?"
"Hmm?" Ghost finally pays attention to the pair.
"I think she just pissed in my shirt."
And Ghost just howls with laughter.
A week later, much to Price's disapproval, the baby is still on base. Simon took her straight to medical whilst Johnny cleaned up, where he argued that babies should come with microchips like cats after they found nothing on the baby in the system. Nothing from a family with a missing father and baby, nothing about it at all. As much as they knew was that she's a girl, likely Irish going off the writing in the note they found of her, and that she's more like three weeks old. Gaz had met Simon in medical, arms full with everything baby related as requested, and Ghost was more than thankful for his help. Gaz stayed whilst Ghost dressed the baby, getting her in a nappy and a vest before pulling a white onesie over her small body with bears on the front. Gaz, ever the excitable one, showed Simon the matching hat and insisted she wear it.
"She looks like a mashed potato." Gaz commented.
Ghost didn't have much to say to that but he took to calling her 'Tato' until he and Johnny decided on a name for her. That was something as well, apparently he and Johnny are adopting her? There wasn't a conversation to be had, it was a mutual agreement they made when signing their retirement papers that yes, this is their kid and they'll do their damndest to take care of her and raise her well. The adoption was surprisingly easy, considering she's an unknown baby with no origins. They even tried DNA testing her but she showed no matches to anyone on the system. The retirement is what's taking the longest to process, the higher-ups not exactly thrilled to be losing two of their best members, especially the Ghost, but they eventually process the paperwork and the 'boring shit' as Johnny calls it and they're officially ex-military.
The week on base is spent with them learning to be parents, taking it in turns feeding and changing and fretting over things they haven't got for her. Price overhears Johnnys meltdown and orders some things to go to their apartment in Glasgow so they don't need to panic on their first day back. Easily overlooked things like a nappy bin, changing station, sterilisation equipment and then some basics like a cot, a baby monitor, and 'a very special teddy from Grandpa Price'.
Nessa Éabha MacTavish-Riley is the name they give her upon the adoption. Her middle name, pronounced like 'Ava', is a nod to her Irish heritage and her first name is indisputably Johnny's input since everyone on the base groans about the Scottish name. Simon loves it though. He still calls her his little 'Tato' or 'Spud' if he's being playful, but Nessa, Ness, it's the perfect name for her. He searched it up and found that it means pure. It's related to butterflies and Simon thinks that's beautiful.
When they make it back to their flat, cold Glaswegian air nipping at their ankles as Johnny lets them in, Simon can only stare as he sees the nervous and apprehensive look on Johnnys features. When they head inside, there's an abundance of packages for them to pick up, all with Sgt. Soap and Lt. Ghost addressed on the front, showcasing their form Price. Soap drags them all inside as Ghost cradles Ness, sitting her upright in his lap as they sit at the breakfast bar, her head resting on his chest. He watches Johnny unpack the boxes upon boxes of baby things and Simon visibly watches Soap relax a little at each new thing that tumbles from the boxes.
When he unwraps the little toy, a soft cream comfort blanket with a bear head stitched onto it, Johnny moves in front of his family and tickles under Ness' chin with the bear, a delighted squeal escaping her lips as she reaches out for the bear. Simon reaches a free hand out to Johnny and grabs his hip before he can move away, grasping Johnnys hand tightly when he stays in front of him.
"What's going on?" Simon asks, referring to the overwhelming amount of stress he can practically feel radiating off Soap.
He sighs, "Just thinkin'. Too much, probably, but we've got a lot to do here Si. All this from Price helps but we've still got so much more to do. Gotta set it up, get into a routine, actually raise her all whilst moving out-"
"Moving out?"
"Si, it's a one bed flat, she can't sleep in our room forever," Soap laughs, "Besides, this place isn't particularly baby friendly. We need a house, somewhere quiet with a nice garden in a good school catchment area and-"
"Johnny, stay in the present. She's only just a month old, don't worry about schools yet," Simon laughs. He sees Johnny still looks reserved and stands up, "We can look for somewhere new, yeah? Make a temporary set up now. It'll be hard but it's only for a little while, yeah, till we get something sorted that suits us all?"
Johnny nods, "I'm sorry, I just want everything to be okay for when she starts remembering her childhood. I don't want her thinking back on her Pa crying from stress and her Dad bein' the only sane one in the room."
"I don't think she'll be looking to me for sanity, love." Ghost jokes and Johnny laughs a little. "How about we set up some temporary stuff here, call it a night for now and then tomorrow, we ring your parents and my Mum? Sure everyone will be thrilled to meet little Ness, ay?"
Johnny smiles and leans into Simon a little, lips meeting his and tenderly kissing him for what feels like the first time in forever. Truthfully, at work, they only shared little pecks when alone and since getting Ness, they've barely had time for that. Now though, with their lips interlocked, and with Johnnys arm looping around Simons waist, Johnny knows everything will be okay. Even if Ness is gurgling with joy beneath them as she waves her little arms around, Price's toy dangling loosely from her fingers. Johnny makes a mental note to send a video of her with it to Price.
When they pull away, Simon runs a hand through Johnnys hair and plants a kiss on his forehead softly, Soaps eyes closing in delight at the action. Simon offers the baby out to Johnny who takes her with glee as Simon makes his way to the bedroom, dragging the Moses basket and nappy changing station with him.
Johnny looks at Ness and pulls a face momentarily. He shouts out, "You only gave her to me because she needs changing didn't you?"
"Can't hear you, busy building, very busy!" Simon teases back and Johnny just rolls his eyes.
"Just hurry up with the bloody changing station, arsehole."
"Language."
"Ah, you heard that didn't you?"
And the silence that follows tells Johnny that he's won that argument.