Okay, first, the reviewer shout-outs: Thanks to MasterDerp5885, CaptainHall, , and ScrumtousToast for your awesome reviews. Next, I'm thinking about posting a slash fic of Archer and Toad… Not sure what I'd call it if I do, probably something cheesy like 'Sniper's Eye' or something like that… But what I want to know is: should I do it? I already have most of chapter one (and it's really long already…) written out on paper, it's just a matter of, should I post it(gonna write it whether I post it or not)? Anyway, here's Chapter Fourteen, not really sure where I'm going with this anymore but I will eventually get right back into the MW3 story line… I'm probably gonna focus more on the Archer x Toad for now, until I figure out the details for Dash x Ghost… (So, so sorry this took so long… I got stuck on Shepherd's interrogation…)

Thanks for Reading, Fly High Aim Higher

~Spitfire out

*Archer's POV*

Just as I predicted, Toad didn't sleep as well as he had been before he knew that my injuries were as bad as they were. No matter how many times I assured him that I was okay now, he still fussed over me. He even went as far as to sleeping in the chair next to me, which was nothing new, it was just that he rarely even did that, he just sat there, watching me, making sure I was still okay. I loved him for it though. He was concerned, as any good mate would be, but he was beyond concerned, he was borderline panicked.

I decided I had to do something to calm his nerves and went against every bit of sense I had that was telling me to stay put, and stood, or at least tried to… Soon as I was on my feet, Toad was rushing to help me get back down and call Doc… I couldn't put any weight on either side apparently, with a sensitive spot under the left side of my ribs and a bunch of sensitive and torn muscles and nerve endings in my right leg, standing up wasn't an option.

"Ian! What the bloody hell were you thinking?" Toad worried as I cringed, letting my weight rest on my back as I lay down again.

"That I needed to get you to stop fussing…" I said quietly once the pain passed.

Toad sat back down next to me, "Well, you certainly got my attention now…" he said in almost a whisper as he took my hand in his and held it firmly.

"When did I not?" I asked pointedly.

"Good point," Toad murmured, pressing his forehead against mine.

"Even before we were friends, I had your attention, must've taken some time to plan that prank of yours…" I said with a knowing smirk

"Quite some time indeed," Toad replied, standing up before Doc came in only seconds later, effectively ruining the moment.

I had to stop myself from scowling at the intrusion.

Doc looked quickly between Toad and me, and I had since placed a hand over the sore wound under my ribs.

"What happened?" Doc asked bluntly.

"This muppet tried to stand up," Toad answered, gesturing to me, I just rolled his eyes at my partner's worry.

Doc just gave a short chuckle and turned to me, "You hurting?" he asked, eyes obviously locking on the hand that I had placed over the knife wound.

"No more than usual," I answered bluntly.

"Right…" Doc said sarcastically, he didn't believe me, of course he didn't, "Move your hand then…"

I did and Doc removed the bandages that covered the wound, peeling back the gauze gently. The wound was gruesome, even with the stitches holding it together. It didn't look like any of them had popped though so that was a good thing. Doc gave a satisfied huff and rewrapped the injury, moving onto the knife wound in the back of my knee. This one was even more gruesome, but it was hard to tell which one was worse because of the stitches. I could definitely tell though, the knife had ripped through a particularly sensitive spot and it hurt like hell, even with the pain killers. Doc finished checking the injury over and rewrapped it.

"Lucky you didn't pull the stitches…" he said under his breath, "Just stay put and get some rest," he added before leaving.

"You scared the shit out of me," Toad said, crossing his arms as he kept pacing.

"Yeah, yeah, just sit down will you," I responded grumpily.

Toad chuckled, "Someone's not in a good mood," he joked, sitting down.

"Ya think?" I replied bluntly.

Toad chuckled again and leaned closer to me, "Is it because we were interrupted, or because you're hurt?"

I muttered something unintelligible and Toad just smirked, "What was that?" he asked quietly, moving his face closer to mine, a mischievous look flashing through his emerald eyes.

I opened my mouth to mumble a response, just to be difficult because I knew Toad was enjoying this, but as soon as my lips parted, Toad's mouth captured mine yet again and I melted into the kiss almost instantly.

"Both," I said breathlessly when he pulled away.

*Dash's POV*

It was time to get the answers we wanted from Shepherd. Ghost was going to handle the interrogation but I was going to be there anyway, no way was I going to miss this.

We entered the room where Shepherd was tied to a wooden chair. Next to him was a tray with an assortment of knives and scalpels, a six round .44 Magnum revolver, a car battery with jumper cables, and other weapons.

Ghost stepped up to Shepherd, who seemed extraordinarily calm for someone about to get the shit beat out of him.

"Why the bloody hell, did you attack us?" Ghost asked his voice no more than a growl.

Shepherd just chuckled and looked Ghost in the eye; at least, he would have, if Ghost weren't wearing his sunglasses and mask, "Well, I obviously failed so no point in hiding my innocence," he shrugged to himself, "You have no idea how Price got into the Gulag, do you?" he asked, finally responding to Ghost's question as calmly as if they were just having a casual conversation.

"I'm asking the damn questions," Ghost growled back.

Shepherd chuckled again, "I'll take that as a no… The information on that DSM links me to striking a deal with Makarov quite a few years ago, I couldn't risk it coming back to haunt me, so I tried to tie up the loose ends."

I was surprised he just told us straight up like that. Usually they take quite a bit of 'convincing'. I speak from experience when I say that actually. Ghost kept asking Shepherd questions, punching him when he gave rhetorical answers or sarcastic comments in return, but I had long since tuned it all out, thinking about my past spec ops mission. There were a few reasons my files had more black ink than Ghost's, which was saying a lot.

*Three Years Ago*

Name: Amber Collins

Call-sign(s): Dash, Hotshot, Rival, Runner

Age: 19

Training Results:

- PFT: Perfect Score

- Shooting: 285/300

- Stealth Ops: 45/50

- CQC: 60/70

- Tactics: Perfect Score

- Record track time (4.82 Kilometers (3 mi)): 3 min 32 sec

Commander Eval: Candidate shows complete devotion to duty and displays the belief and trait of loyalty above all else. Collins will never turn against team/superiors but shows hesitance in following orders believed to be misguided. She is commonly found running the track or honing sparing skills. Shows stubborn tendencies and refuses to admit injury or sickness. Over all capable command but not recommended for position of first command but is highly recommended for secondary position of authority.

Status: Active

I was reading over my own dossier after going through SAS spec-ops training. Honestly I wasn't supposed to have access to the dossiers, but they never tested my hacking skills, which were quite impressive, to say the least. Apparently I was one of the best. I didn't doubt the accuracy of my scores, it was the Eval I wasn't fully expecting. Not recommended for first command but highly recommended for second? What sense did that make? If I was given second command I'd eventually get first when the team leader was inevitably killed in action, so if they didn't want me to be first in command, they wouldn't recommend me for second either, right? Apparently not… I shrugged to myself and closed the file out of my computer screen and deleted any evidence of me downloading it, heading to my rack shortly after.

I woke up the next morning to find that I had been accepted to an elite spec-ops squad in the SAS, Echo Squad. I was going to be their new second in command, the one before me had been captured and killed in action. I was no fool, I did my research, did a little hacking to get it but I was good enough not to get caught. Turns out, it was the CO's fault that his second had been captured in the first place, and when the rest of Echo had gotten to him, the CO, Nathan Huey, had ordered the everyone else, which was only three people, to stand guard outside while he went inside. The interesting part was what wasn't in the report but in the old second's kill-cam* that no one had bothered to look at. Huey had shot him on the spot, put the pistol in a dead man's hand and killed the commander of the base with his other pistol, since he had been carrying two.

I didn't want to be under this guy, but I did at the same time. I just wanted to expose this guy, but I had to deal with my dispatches and take my place in the elite squad. I didn't honestly give a shit about being elite, or about awards, or any of that shit, I just wanted to do my job. That, and I had a feeling I was missing some details, so I'd find them out, then I'd take the bastard down, if that was still the case.

My first arrival on their base came with the assignment of a mission to the squad. Lucky me, get to show my skills and prove to a squad of men that I'm fully capable. Hell, I toped most of the 'men' in selection, time to prove it.

The mission went off without a hitch… almost… I had to save a couple of the guys' asses from being caught, but other than that it was smooth sailing, right up till the end when the commander of the base we were infiltrating just so happened to show up with a battalion of soldiers at our exfil before our chopper got there.

We had to give up our weapons before the chopper got there and we were led away as the pilot called in an ETA of five minutes, but we couldn't respond, they had taken our radios too, I had only overheard the call in from the team's radios the enemy soldiers were holding.

*Two Days Later*

I was right, just like always, I was right. Huey was a traitor and the one who tipped the Russians off on our location and exfil point and time. He was behind it all along and he was the one doing the interrogations too. That only made it all that much worse, he was the team leader, he knew everyone's weakness, he had even managed to find mine during the short time he'd had me under his command. Damn shoulder… thought I had hidden it well enough… Somehow Huey found out about my damn bum shoulder though. He was the only person to ever find out, I had to wonder how he did it.

The bastard left me to die after giving up on getting intel from me. I was too much of a smart-ass for him apparently. He was the team leader; he ought to have more info than me, right? Wrong, completely and utterly wrong. I had more dirt on everyone in spec ops than anyone else did. Not to mention I had found out about the anonymous task force that was scouting out new members. Apparently, these guys were the best of the best, and even more covert. One of them had been assigned to my squad for the scouting and I knew exactly who it was. Unfortunately, Huey killed him before he could file his report in to the 141's captain.

I managed to escape my prison after being left and that's when Shepherd found me, wondering the desert of Afghanistan. It was then that he recruited me for the Task Force 141.

*Present Time*

There was a sharp whistle, "Hey, Dash? You okay?" I tuned into the hypnotic British voice that sounded concerned.

"Huh? Yeah, yeah, I'm good, just thinking," I answered, snapping out of my flashback.

I looked over to see Shepherd unconscious. It looked to me like Ghost had only used his fist to beat the living shit out of him.

This was the second time a superior had betrayed me. Hopefully, it wouldn't happen again.

After a while of Ghost and I chatting MacTavish called the two of us and Roach to his office.

"With Shepherd gone Price and I are the highest ranks in the 141. Which means, I'm going to need a stronger base of command; Dash, I'm moving you up to second lieutenant. Roach, you're now sergeant major," he said simply, pausing shortly, "and before you start: don't bother with the formalities. Dismissed."

We exited without a word. I didn't question Ghost's presence at the meeting, I knew that the second in command needed to witness it if no one else did, that way it was official, and about as formal as MacTavish was going to get with it.

Okay, this feels really short but it's probably longer than I think it is… I just gave up on getting it any longer because I've taken too damn long trying to get this up. So here you go! By the way, I'm now doing one-shot prompts in case you didn't know, please feel free to leave a prompt(it can be a word, phrase, number, anything) in the reviews or send it to me as a PM, I'll get to it as soon as I see it! If you have any requests for this story as well, I'd love to hear them!

Thanks for Reading, Fly High Aim Higher

~Spitfire out