I HAD to put this together to make up for the delayed M chapter. I HAD to. I felt really bad that I've been pushing it back... so THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL 100000000000% BE THE M CHAPTER. I SWEAR.

^.^ I'm also sorta happy that I'm making you all anxious for an update! It makes me happy! XD

RESPONSES

xXdeathsangelXx- Lol yeah, I don't know WHO IN THE HECK would say no! They be ca-waaazy! ^_^

Fenlon- I love how polite your answer was. "Yes please." XD Made my day.

MW2LVR- 100% agree with you. Massacre his lips. Sounds like a plan!

Dragonmorph- Yes, Dunn is having his shining moment... XD he's my favorite in the Army Rangers (he's HAWT!) Glad it makes you laugh!

Dunedain789- Best chapter ever? Eh, chapter 22 will be your favorite chapter... XD I guarantee it.

Emily 'Gadget' Robins- Mckinley isn't screwing anything up. You can tell by this chapter :D Oh, btw, LOVING your story "Habits!" I haven't had time to review, but I DO love it. XD

Arhani Daforcena- I can see why you like Makarov and MacTavish better *wink wink*. So Ghost is mine, if that's fair. XD

Scented of Roses- Aww, I HOPE I'm not killing you with the wait! You're one of my favorite reviewers! LOL man, isn't Dunn AMAZING? Oh well, he can deal with my using-his-name-to-simulate-random-suspenseful-music.

QUESTION OF THE CHAPTER: So far, what's your favorite part of this story? I want honest opinions! XD I'm just asking this so I can get a good idea on where to insert One-Shots later on...

Love you all! Read, enjoy, and review!

ecto1B

Chapter 21:

Yes

Mckinley Front

Desperate.

A word meaning "Showing extreme urgency or intensity especially because of great need or desire."

Yeah. That was Ghost.

I'm not quite sure how I picked up on it, but something about the way his eyes hungrily tore across my body betrayed him. I almost expected him to lick his lips, to wring his hands, to growl even. Yes. That was Ghost. Looking like an underfed male model (Had to throw that in there somewhere) in a skintight (sexy) black turtleneck that exhibited his flawlessly sculpted abs.

How could I say no to that?

Lt. Ghost

It was as if a single lamp had been switched on above our heads.

I really don't know what possessed me to ask Queen that random question. It had seemed like she had been leading into it, just waiting for me to suggest it. Her timid words and body language were giving off the vibe that she wanted to.

But how should I know? Yes, I drabbled a bit through high school, but I learned my lesson. I hadn't had any relations with a woman in a few years. Maybe I was a bit rusty. Maybe I had interpreted the signs wrong. Maybe she wasn't ready?

Mckinley Front

Silence stretched between us as I debated on what to say. Yes… no… yes… no… I went back and forth in my mind. Good things, bad things… there was no end to the list I was creating. I really didn't want to say no, that was the problem. If I said yes, things would get going and I was worried I'd embarrass myself somehow. Only once had I gone that far with a guy, and it had been a year ago. What if I messed up? Would he not like me any more? Had Ghost ever done it? He seemed confident enough…

Still, I continued to debate.

Lt. Ghost

She was truly beautiful. That's really what I meant earlier when I said a lamp had suddenly turned on above us. Seeing her true beauty was spectacular. Her long, thick, blood-red hair… her wide grey-hued eyes… her elegant hourglass frame… she was much unlike any woman I'd ever encountered.

But not only was she appealing on the outside, she was absolutely gorgeous on the inside as well. Flaws didn't matter. A fear of being underwater was easily disregarded. "Caring too much" for fellow soldiers turned out to be quite a positive defect. She was humorous. Bubbly. Sympathetic. Protective. And—like I've mentioned before—she had the purity of an angel. And this angel was completely capable of curing my madness. My insanity.

I can clearly remember the night I rushed home to find my mum, brother, sister-in-law, and nephew strewn across the floor beneath the Christmas tree in masses of blood. All I wanted at that moment was death. Death was surely easier than going on living without my family. Everyone I loved had been destroyed. I had no more purpose in life. I almost ended it right there. The gun in my hand taunted me—licked my palm and whimpered forlornly. The barrel of the gun begged to make contact with my temple, and the trigger screamed to be pulled.

How am I still alive today? I ignored the hopeless wails of my gun and thought about the consequences. Roba would've won if I'd given in to death. He would've been able to chuckle mirthfully to himself, pleased that the problem was gone. I knew I couldn't give him the satisfaction. My heart—thought battered and slashed on that night—slowly began sealing itself back up again when I thought of the prospect of thwarting Roba's plan. I would live a good life, and defeat him. Conquer him.

Soap healed much of my ragged heart with his friendship. Having a friend like him at my side was a breath of fresh air. He gave me something I'd been reluctant to touch: trust. With his help, I began defying all that Roba had wanted to happen to me. But still, my heart was not healed.

And then Queen came stumbling along.

For once in a long time, I felt the damaged pieces of my heart be put back together. And the slender, careful hands of a red-haired beauty were responsible.

I could not deny it any longer. I craved her. I wanted her. I needed her.

I loved her.

Taking a deep breath, Mckinley breathed a single word, enveloped with pounds of powerful emotions and regrets.

"Yes."

Dunn: ... Oh shit. Here it comes...

DUNN DUNN DUNN DUNN DUNN DUNN!

ecto1B: Hey! I like overworking the hot Army Ranger! ^_^

Dunn: *mutters under breath* GOD FORBID WOMAN!

ecto1B: REVIEW PLEASE!