Early on a Saturday morning Sniper was awakened by a frantic knocking at the door of his camper van. He got up immediately expecting it to be Scout since he hadn't seen him since early yesterday evening. As he pulled on some pants the knocking became louder.

"Okay I'm coming. Keep your bloody shirt on." When he opened the door instead of his Scout he saw a solemn looking Medic.

"Hey doctor. What do ya need?" He asked leaning against the door frame. The Medic sighed deeply before answering.

"It's Scout. We found him." Sniper was confused. The last time he saw Scout he said he was going out for a run. When he didn't return he just assumed he wanted to sleep in the base that night.

"What do you mean you found 'im?" Medic just lowered his gaze to the ground.

"Just, please, follow me." Medic walked off and Sniper took a minute but followed after him non the less. He followed him back to the base where Medic led him to the medi-bay. Sniper never liked going there because it always smelled like stale air and bleach. It gave him an ominous feeling. The feeling became stronger when Medic led him to a singular cot at the back of the medi-bay where Scout lay unconscious.

It was the most lifeless he'd ever seen the boy seeing as Scout was always so full of energy and it scared him. Scout's head was wrapped in gauze as well as he left arm. He was covered in a blanket from the waist down so it was hard to tell what other damage he had taken. It took Sniper a minute's before he could form words.

"What happened to him?" He asked. Medic wrung his hands together looking nervous.

"He was captured, by his injuries I would guess by the RED Spy and taken back to their base. While trying to get information out of him he substantiated severe head injuries and a broken left Radius." Sniper moved closer to him getting a better look at him he could tell he other cuts and bruises on his face.

"The long term effects of it may be the worse part." Sniper turns to look at Medic .

"Long term? W-will they-" He had to stop his question when the thought of what he was about to say. A feeling came over him like someone just dumped ice water down his spine.

"They won't kill him but I doubt he will ever speak again." The statement hit Sniper like a ton of bricks and every muscles in his body tensed up. This can't happen to someone like his Scout. His voice was what made him.

Most of Sniper's fondest memories of the boy was of when he would climb up into his nest and set beside of him and talk about whatever was on his mind or baseball or about back home until he went to sleep leaning on Snipers shoulder. He would never hear him sing in the shower again. Never hear the sweet sounds he made while they made love or his angry mumbling when Spy brought up as his mother.

"Does he know yet?" Medic sighs and nods.

"He was awake earlier but I put him back to sleep." Sniper was thankful that he wasn't there to see Scout's face when he was told.

"I did everything I could. I'm very sorry Sniper." Medic said putting a hand on Snipers shoulder.

"Thanks for everything." Sniper set down on the bed beside Scout and taking his hand.

A month later Sniper was driving down the highway with Scout setting in the passenger seat playing with the bobble head he found. The administrator had given him a leave for a few weeks so he could go home and see his mother. He had been released into Sniper's care so he could better explain about his condition. Both of them had worked to learn sign language to better communicate.

"Hey put that down. You'll break it." Sniper said not taking his eyes off the road. Scout gave him a bitch face and stuck it back up on the dash. Scout being quite had taken some getting used to on everyone's end. For the first week everyone had been so careful around him and it pissed him off so during the first battle he proved he could still fight. Sniper had gotten revenge on the RED spy, meaning they would be sending his body home to his family in a match box. Scout tugged on Snipers sleeve.

'I'm bored.' He signed.

"Well read or something mate." Scout didn't make a move to get up be settled closer to Sniper laying his head on his shoulder.

' Too tired.' Sniper knew he would have to pull over to get some sleep for the night soon. He felt another tug on his sleeve.

'I love you Snipes' Sniper smiled. After the incident Scout never went to sleep before telling him he loved him. A near death experience changes a guy.

"Yeah, I love you too Scout."