The dining area was empty save for Soap, Roach, and a few others. Ghost pulled a seat out from under a table and seated himself next to Roach. He looked over at Soap who was seated across from them.

"So tell me how it went." Ghost said cheerfully as plates of food were brought to them.

Soap took a drink of water and turned the cup in his hands.

"Like I said, it was almost too easy. We got the intel and got out without any problems."

"Hopefully the intel is worth something this time." Ghost said irritated as he took a bite of his biscuit.

"Ha! Yea I hear ya mate. I'm tired of playing fetch." Soap agreed as he began surveying his food, trying to decide what to eat first.

"So how did this one do?" Ghost asked as he jerked his head in Roach's direction.

Soap shook his head.

"Absolutely horrible mate. I don't know what muppet chose him to come with me."

"The same muppet that could kick your arse I'm sure."

Soap laughed.

"Watch yourself mate."

Roach watched as the Lieutenant and Captain squabbled playfully as he chewed silently on a bite of omelet. He looked over at Ghost who was seated to his left and his eyes unintentionally rested on Ghost's noticeable scar. He had never seen such a horrid wound. He couldn't even begin to imagine the pain Ghost had went through when he was tortured for so many weeks. Ghost suddenly turned to him and Roach blinked as the long scar shifted.

"Have you lost the ability to speak mate? Your always so bloody quiet." Ghost said teasingly.

Roach smiled, glad Ghost didn't get offended by his accidental staring. That's what he loved about Ghost, as did everyone, Ghost wasn't quick to anger and he was so mellow and easy to get along with, unless the moment called for him to be serious, then you did not want to get on this guy's bad side.

"Just wondering who's gonna win this battle of the wits that's going on." Roach replied as he took another bite of his omelet.

Soap leaned back in his chair and rested the back of his head in his hands.

"The battle has been won lad, and you know why? I outrank Ghost, and if he says another word I could send him to run the course as punishment." Soap said with an evil smirk.

Ghost casually rolled his eyes and then, after taking careful aim, flicked a piece of his biscuit that was lying on the table. The piece of food flew at a blinding speed and hit Soap square in the right eye. Roach spurted water everywhere as he consequently laughed while drinking and Soap leaned forward, his hand pressed against his eye cursing at Ghost.

"What the bloody 'ell?! Ghost! Your dead!" Soap yelled.

Ghost laughed in response as he leaned back in his chair and balanced it on two legs.

"Haha! Sorry sir! It was an accident I swear!"

Soap removed his hand to reveal a red and watery eye. Tears streamed out of the eye and down Soap's cheek as he blinked rapidly.

"Aww, sorry mate, didn't mean to make you cry." Ghost said.

Roach laughed harder struggling to breathe as he coughed and choked on the water he had been drinking. Soap shook his head and smiled as he wiped the tears away.

"That was a sucker move Ghost. Payback's a bitch, remember that."

Ghost chuckled and turned his attention to the coughing Roach. He patted his friend's back in an effort to help him breath.

"Easy Roach, keep laughing and Soap will have to add you to his hit list also."

"Damn straight." Soap replied from across the table as he continued to wipe at his eye.

Roach finally stopped coughing and took another drink of water then cleared his throat. Ghost crossed his arms and leaned back into his chair again.

"You alright?" he asked with a smirk.

Roach nodded.

"I'm fine, don't know about Captain Mctavish though." He replied.

Ghost looked over at Soap who had finally cleared the tears away from his eye.

"I'll be alright. And I'll be even better when I get Ghost back for this." Soap said smiling.

"I'm terrified."

"Good."

The three of them laughed and went back to eating their breakfast. After a moment, Roach gazed over at Ghost.

"How's your side?" he asked.

Ghost swallowed the bite he was chewing and glanced down at where the wound was hidden underneath his shirt, his side still covered in bandages.

"It only hurts when I move, and even then it's not bad, I guess I've gotten used to it."

"You need to head back to the medical tent to get it checked out, the shrapnel lodged in your side caused a lot of damage and we need to make sure it's healing like it should." Soap said.

Ghost nodded.

"Alright, I'll stop by sometime today. Heard anything about what was on the intel you guys retrieved?"

Soap shook his head.

"Not yet. Shephard's men took it from us as soon as we got on the bloody chopper. If it's anything important I'm sure we'll know soon enough."

At the mention of Shephard Ghost instantly went quiet, his thoughts rushing back to the dream he had last night. Usually the nightmares he had were just horrific images that just screwed with him, but this one felt like something more. Like it actually meant something. Even though Ghost had this nagging feeling it meant something, he couldn't quite figure out what and it bothered the hell out of him.

"If you're feeling up to it, I want some training to begin tomorrow. I don't know how long we are gonna be sitting on our asses and I don't want the boys to get lazy." Soap said.

Ghost didn't respond, instead he stared blankly ahead.

"Ghost?" Soap asked and Roach stopped eating and looked up.

Ghost blinked and focused on Soap.

"What?"

Soap gazed at him for a moment.

"What?" Ghost repeated confused.

Roach chuckled and shook his head.

"I said I want some training done tomorrow if you're feeling up to it." Soap said.

"Oh…alright." Ghost replied dryly as he drank some of his water.

"You feeling ok?" Roach asked.

Ghost gave him a small smile.

"Yeah mate I'm fine, just thinking."

"What about?"

Ghost sighed.

"Well…last night I-"

"Captain Mctavish!" a voice called from behind Ghost.

Ghost turned to see Meat standing at the entrance to the dining hall.

"Sir there's a fight outside the barracks!"

Soap sighed irritably and quickly rose to his feet and made his way out of the dining room followed closely by Roach and Ghost. The fight was between Neon and another member nicknamed Reaper. Ghost wasn't surprised to see Neon involved, he was probably running his mouth, like always, and pissed Reaper off. Reaper was larger than Neon and faster, and Ghost held back watching with slight amusement as Neon got his ass kicked. Soap lunged forward and grabbed Reaper, ripping him off of Neon, and throwing him backwards into the dirt.

"Enough!" he yelled.

The rest of the Task Force had gathered around to watch the fight and Ghost walked around them.

"Alright it's over, get goin, come on." He said waving them off.

Slowly the group began to break away and get back to whatever they were doing. Ghost grasped Rocket by the shoulder as he tried to walk by.

"Not you. Tell me what happened." He said.

It took Rocket a moment to recognize Ghost without his mask, but once he did he pointed over to Archer.

"I didn't see what happened, I was in the barracks when I heard yelling but I couldn't make out what they were saying. I heard Archer's voice yelling at someone, so he may know what went on."

Ghost looked over at Archer who was standing a short distance away with Toad.

"Archer!" Ghost called as he released Rocket and beckoned to the sniper specialist.

As Archer made his way over to him, Ghost turned and watched as Soap helped Neon to his feet and Roach struggled to keep Reaper from attacking again.

"Yeah?"

Ghost turned back to Archer.

"Do you know what happened mate?"

Archer's eyes widened as he recognized Ghost's voice.

"Ghost? Wow, I was beginning to think that mask was glued to your face."

Ghost smiled.

"Very funny mate. So what 'appened?"

Archer nodded in Neon's direction and Ghost's eyes followed. Soap was talking to both of them, the anger at their behavior evident on his face.

"Neon was running his bloody mouth like always," Archer said from beside Ghost, "It's about time someone shut him up."

"What was he talking about?"

Archer sighed and shook his head.

"You mainly, it seems he's still a bit bitter towards you after what happened at the training course the other day. He wanted to go on that mission with Captain McTavish and was pissed when he didn't get the chance and instead came out of there looking like a fool who got attacked by Picasso."

Ghost chuckled at that.

"But it pissed me off, so I yelled at him a bit. Then he shoved me and Reaper jumped him before I could react." Archer finished.

Ghost nodded.

"Thanks mate, that's all I needed to know."

Ghost began walking towards them and Soap turned to him as he approached.

"Well Ghost, what do you think we should do with these two?"

Ghost locked eyes with Neon and held his gaze until Neon turned his eyes away. Ghost turned his attention to Soap.

"From what I've heard Neon seems to have a bit of a problem with me."

Soap's eyes widened and he focused on the nervous Task Force member.

"Well, seems we have a bit to talk about then. Head to my tent. Now."

Neon instantly walked away and Soap turned his attention to Reaper.

"He attacked when Neon shoved Archer. In my opinion he's off the hook." Ghost said from behind Soap.

Soap nodded.

"Alright, Reaper your free to go," he said then turned to Ghost, "I'll take care of Neon this time mate. I'm tired of his attitude."

"Sure you don't want me to handle it?"

"I've got it. He's never had to deal with me personally, so he should be straightened out when I'm through with him."

Ghost chuckled and crossed his arms.

"You can be scary as hell when you want to be."

"You have no idea," Soap said as he began walking away, "there's still payback headed your way for flicking food in my bloody eye."

Ghost laughed as he turned and headed back to his tent.