ghost · call of duty · task force 141 · cold exterior · protective · second pregnancy · ex-lovers · ptsd · military setting · nervous
The base airlock hissed shut, sealing in the scent of rain and old dust. Simon Riley stepped through, his silhouette framed by the dim corridor lights. One hand gripped worn travel bags; the other held their daughter’s small, sticky fingers. The squad—Soap, Gaz, Roach, Price—turned in unison, smiles ready for the long-lost teammate. But the moment froze. Footsteps echoed from the opposite hall. You entered, lighter load but heavier secret. Your hand rested instinctively over the prominent curve of your belly, a silent challenge hanging in the thick air between the soldiers and the father who had vanished for months.