Next Day
I enter the kitchen, my leg still in pain. But the pills Archer gave me were helping a lot. I start pulling down the tools to make tonight's dinner. For the record, I do most of the cooking because the last time any of the guys tried to cook….it didn't turn out so well. Let's just say none of them can touch the stove and leave it at that. I've busied myself so much that I don't notice Roach slink in. I reach for a pot and over extend my wrist, cause me to yelp slightly out of shock.
"Are you OK?!?!??" he said suddenly. His outburst causes me to jump.
I look at him, "Whoa! When the fuck did you get there?!?" I ask, catching my breath after the shock, my heart beating loudly in my chest.
Roach shakes his head, worry weighing heavy in his face. "Never mind that, are you OK?" He asks. I open my mouth to answer but Roach continues talking, "If your hurt then that means you can't cook and if you can't cook we're all going to die. And it'll be my fault 'cause Mactavish told me to make sure you don't get injured and I'm sooooooo dead-" I slap him across the face, shutting him up. God, since when did he talk so much?!
"Roach, calm down! I'm fine; I just stretched my arm a little too far. I tend to do that a lot." I reply cooly. Roach blinks, staring down at me.
"Oh….you sure?" he asks, still worried I'm only saying that to make him chill out.
Rolling my eyes, I answer, "Yes, Gary, I'm sure." I said, using his real name instead of his code name to get through to him, "Now what's this about Mactavish telling you to watch out for me?"
Roach stares at his feet. "Yeah…after the….stabbing incident, Mactavish ordered me to make sure you don't get hurt on my watch and if I fail, he'll kill me!" he said nervously. A sly smile falls onto my face.
"Oh really." I said curtly, then falling to the ground in fake pain, yelling in a fake surprised voice, "Ow! I've fallen and hurt myself on Roach's watch!" Out of no where, Mactavish appears and beats on Roach. All the while, I regain my composer. Mactavish walks away and Roach stumbles up bruised.
He gives me a look of disgust, "That wasn't very nice!" he huffed, crossing his arms.
I stick my tongue out at him. "I know!" I answer childishly. I turn and go back to work on making dinner. Its then Roach notices my bandage is loose on my leg.
He points it out, "Your bandage is loose….want me to get it?" he asks.
My eyes look down at it as I'm preoccupied with other stuff. I nod, turning around to face him. My face is stuck in the cook book, finding the recipe for spaghetti. Roach kneels down reaches for my leg. It's then Ghost walks in. He stops short, and we freeze. Without warning, Ghost's hands are around Roach's neck. I blink, trying to grasp what just happened.
Ghost is screaming at Roach. "What the FUCK did you think you were doing soldier?!?!?!" he growls. Roach chokes, trying to justify his actions.
I toss the cook book on the counter and run over to them. "Ghost, for cripes sakes your killing him!!" I shriek, trying to pull him off to no avail. Then my eyes fall upon the water sprayer on the sink. I grab it, turning the water to cold. I spray them both. "Hey, cool it you two!" I hiss, forcing them apart. My worry was more on Ghost attacking Roach then vice versa. I push Ghost lightly, bringing his attention to me. "Hey, HEY!! EXPLAIN YOUR ACTIONS NOW, SOLDIER!" I yelled, speaking with authority I didn't have. I pause, damn that felt good, I thought as I stifle a laugh.
Ghost's eyes share a look of indifference to Roach. "It looked like he was going to do something-." He murmured.
Roach coughs, regaining his normal breathing pattern as he looked at Ghost with an annoyed look. "Oh my god, I was just going to tighten her bandage!" he said, taken a back by Ghost's accusation.
I nod, agreeing with Roach. "Yeah….but I get how you could think since from where you stood it looked like that." I mumble. Ghost blinks and scratches the back of his head. "Sorry about that Roach. It's just, I see Erin as sort of a younger sister and-" he starts.
Roach holds up a hand, a soft smile on his face. "It's cool, I know how it feels to be an older brother." He answers, sadness present in his aqua eyes and I'm now interested in learning the back story of the statement. But Roach changes the subject to my bandage. "Um, bandage?" he said, tentatively.
I flutter. "Oh, I almost forgot!" I laugh, hopping onto the counter. I hand him my leg, not really thinking much of this action. Roach gulps, his face reddening as he wraps the bandage tight. He legs go of my leg and I hop off the counter, checking the tightening job. "Nice!" I commented, then shooing the two of them off, "Now outta da kitchen! I have to make some spaghetti!" Roach scoots out and I think Ghost follows casually. I place some garlic in the pot and turn the stove on, letting the garlic cook. It's then I remember I need tomato paste. When I turn to go get it, I nearly collide with Ghost. I jump back, "JEBUS, Ghost! Ninja much?" I said my voice high.
Ghost smiles, but his green eyes don't share the same feeling. "Course, it's the only way to freak you out." He answers shortly.
Scowling, I cross my arms, "Who told you could come back into the kitchen?" I said flatly, not liking it when people watched me cook. It felt like I was on some reality cooking show, like Hell's kitchen or something.
Ghost shrugs, "I did." He said plainly, not seeing what the big deal was.
I point to the door, "Please vacate the kitchen." I said simply, not wanting to come off as stingy. Ghost simply leans against one of the counter, "Mmm, is that anyway to talk to your lieutenant?" he said slyly. I blink, Ghost rarely flaunted off his title so I stop let up. "Well I'm just saying, I don't like it when people watch me cook because it's like I go into my own little world. And I don't like it when people come into my world, it's like 'whoa, man! Just, whoa….this is awkward!' I mean, you try concentrating on something when someone is watching every little move you do!" I mumble.
Ghost crosses his arms, "What do you have like, paranoid cooking?" he said, a smile appears on his face but is quickly extinguish, "Anyway…on to business. Erin….what happened back there was pretty…..suggestive."
I look at my feet, "It LOOKED that way, and it wasn't supposed to be suggestive." I mutter under my breath. Ghost continues on, ignoring my comment, "What if the captain saw that?" Shrugging, "Well, I'm pretty sure he'd have the same reaction as you did." I said curtly.
Ghost shakes his head, "Erin….it looked like you were leading him on." He said quietly.
The sentence hits me like a slap and I look at him, shocked, "Excuse me?! Are you accusing me of leading Roach on?! What do you think I am a slut?" I stop, looking at him, "Oh my god, you're so calling me a slut!" I stare him, mouth a gap.
Ghost shakes his head, "No, nothing of the sort. Just don't go leading guys on." He said. I put my hands on my hips, "Ghost I-" I start. But Ghost holds a hand to stop me. "Let me finish. Please be careful with how you act. You're on a task force with mostly guys. Some of who haven't seem a woman since, who knows how long! Watch your self." He said coldly.
A smile forms on my lips. "Jealous, oh don't be!" I said, sarcasm faintly present in my voice as I pinch his face. Ghost grips my wrist, glaring down at me. "Don't." he said shortly, obviously telling me I've struck a nerve. Jerking my hand away, I give him a look. "Gosh, I was kidding..." I mumble under my breath. I turn back and notice the garlic is done cooking, so I add the tomato sauce and paste. The silence is awkward and I eventually break it. "I can take care of my self, thank you VERY much!" I hiss.
Ghost shifts uneasily, knowing I'm offended by what he said. A sigh is omitted by him, "Look, I'm sorry if I upset you. I just don't want you to get hurt." He said, relaxing in his voice and presence.
This makes me feel bad for being offended. "No, don't apologize. I know you're only looking out for me. I appreciate it, I really do." I said calmly. I stir the sauce occasionally. It's then my mind wanders to Roach and his statement of knowing how it feels to be an older brother. This intrigues me and I look at Ghost. "Hey, do you know what Roach meant by 'I know how it feels to be an older brother'?" I said, hoping Ghost knows.
Ghost shakes his head, "No, I haven't the slightest clue. Besides, you should know since you read everyone's file." He said, pointing out that fact.
I smile sheepishly, "Yeah, but I wasn't necessarily looking for that information. So I don't really know either." I said. Looking back at the sauce, I then add the meat balls. "So anyway, how's-" I start, looking back at Ghost but he's disappeared. I pout, "Hmm, guess that's why the call him Ghost. He has a knack of disappearing." I turn back to what I was doing, looking at the cook book and nearly jump out of my skin when I see Ghost standing there.
"Funny, I would have thought you'd say it was because I almost evaporate through walls." He replies, laughing slightly.
My eyes twitches, "My god, I swear I've almost died of shock 3 times today…" I mumble, letting my heart relax.