Recovery

Gary spent every chance he could visiting Ghost and Soap in the hospital. His arm had finally been Okayed to use fully and he was using crutches to get around.

"So when do you get a walking cast?" Soap had asked.

"Not for another two months. But hey, at least I'm on my feet."

"Why aren't you visiting Ghost?"

"He's sleeping. I didn't want to disturb him."

Soap smiled.

"So are you two a thing now?"

"He kissed me the other day. But we haven't talked about it. I want to wait till he's out of the hospital to ask him."

"Were you expecting it?"

"No."

"You mean he stole a kiss."

"Yeah, I guess you could say that."

Soap chuckled.

"He was always the bold one. I just hope it doesn't rub off on you. I like that you're more conservative than he is. Ghost would run around naked if we let him."

"Really? I didn't know that."

"You've never seen him drunk. Not pretty at all."

Gary snickered.

"I'm sorry but I can't picture Ghost as the nudist type." Gary laughed.

"We started to discuss it four days ago before Sheppard tried to kill us."

"I'm surprised that Ghost was so compliant."

"A barrel to the back of the head would make even the most stubborn of people be oddly submissive."

"And what about you?"

"I didn't want him to be killed, so I cooperated. Did they identify his accomplice?"

Soap nodded.

"It was Red."

"How'd he end up in the pool?"

"He must have been alive when Sheppard left, and dragged himself to find help, probably got up and fell into the water and drowned."

"Oh Red, what were you thinking?"

Gary sounded truly sad. It was a betrayal he hadn't been expecting.

"Red made his choice, albeit the wrong one."

"It just doesn't make sense. Red was so different. He was funny and always had a good joke. How the hell did Sheppard manage to get him to help him?"

"I guess we'll find out when the bastard is tried for what he's done."

The nurse came into the room.

"All right Sergeant Sanderson, it's time for you to go. Your superior officer needs his rest after all."

"I'll see you later Sir. Get some rest." Before Gary left he looked in on Ghost. He was still asleep. "Sleep well Ghost."

By the end of the week, Ghost and Soap had been released.

"Finally. I was going crazed."

"Ghost, you are crazed."

"Ha-ha, fuck you."

"Aw, is that any way to treat your superior officer?"

Gary had been coming to see them when he walked into the conversation. He stood there for a moment and blinked in confusion.

'What the hell?' He thought. 'Did they get some funny pills again?'

"Hey, you're here!" Soap said.

"Hi, did I miss something?"

"Nothing at all. Ghost was saying that it was about time we were released."

"Did they give you something to make the two of you act so funny?"

Ghost laughed at the wide-eyed Sergeant.

"No, it's all the pent up boredom. But you can ease it for me if you would like." Ghost said, raising his eyebrow suggestively.

"I don't think so."

"Ouch! Access denied Ghost."

"Et tu, John?"

Gary bit the inside of his lip to stifle his laughter. The three men made their way to the barracks. Ghost complaining that he was bored.

"I'll keep you company, but keep your mitts off."

"That's not any fun."

"I'm serious."

Gary and Ghost helped to settle Soap into his room and then Gary accompanied Ghost to his.

"So now that we're alone, why don't we have a hot make out session?"

"Ghost-"

"Simon." Ghost corrected. "If we're going to be a thing, call me by my real name."

Gary bit his lip.

"Simon, this is what I want to talk to you about."

"Good, cause I wanted to talk to you about this as well. You know I was only kidding with you earlier right?"

"I kind of figured that out after you said what you did to the Captain."

Ghost smiled, the conversation was going to be serious from this point on.

"I'll start if you'd like." Gary nodded. "I want us to take this as slowly as possible. I don't want you to feel like I'm taking advantage of you or if anyone were to find out I don't want them saying that you were taken advantage of."

"What do you mean?"

"Gary, you're so much younger than I am, for heaven's sake, your twenty one. I'm older than I look."

"I would have guess thirty-five at most."

Ghost smiled.

"No, I'm thirty seven."

"It's sixteen years?"

"That's a very big difference."

"Says who?"

"The entire world, it's called robbing the cradle."

Gary shook his head.

"Not in some cultures. So you think that they might think that I was coerced?"

"Yes. You're young and you are still in a very frail emotional state. If we pursue this, I would feel like I've taken advantage of you."

"Are you saying you don't want to, even after you stole a kiss from me?"

"No, I'm not saying that at all. I want to give you the love that life denied you."

"But?"

"But we need to take it very easily, more for your sake than mine."

Gary nodded. "Your turn, talk."

"I'm really confused about all this. I agree about taking it slowly but are we going to tell anyone about us?"

"That's up to you, although you should know by now that it's very hard to keep secrets in this unit."

"True. And I can't lie to save my life."

"Hey, saving your life is my job." Simon teased.

Gary smiled.

"Are we going to be keeping score, Simon?" It felt strange calling him by first name, he'd been so used to calling him Ghost or Lieutenant Riley. "That's going to take some getting used to, calling you by name."

"I like the way you say my name."

"Then I'll say it as often as possible, when we're alone. In public, I'll refer to you the way I usually do."

"That sounds good to me. Now, to start slowly driving you mad."

Before Gary could ask Simon what he meant, Simon had pressed their mouths together. It was a slow and experimental kiss but it made Gary's head spin. It was gentle, much like Simon's demeanor but it had a slightly aggressive edge to it. It was divine. Simon was pleasantly surprised when Gary kissed back, tentatively at first but then more openly. Simon pulled Gary closer, wanting nothing more at the moment than to have the younger man in his arms.

Neither of them heard the soft knock on the door, or it opening. They heard the gasp and then as they jerked apart they could hear someone yell

"What the hell is this?"

AN: I started the chapter referring to Ghost as Ghost but decided to go with his first name as he is one of the few character from MW2 that you actually know his real name. The same will go with Soap, from this point on, he will be referred to as John. By the way I don't own MW2, or its characters, other than Red who is my own.