"No, not yet."
Y the FUCK not?!
"He's not ready yet Roach I told you when he remembered last he drove a pen into his hand."
And you act like I havent been in the same room as him for 2 mnths and went thru hell and that i havnt cn it already
"Stop writing so fast you misspell shit Roach, 'Tavish is just looking ou-hey!"
"Roach stop throwing things at Toad."
Fukin MAKE me
"Sergeant!"
Capitan
MacTavish just sighed, slouching into the chair while Roach stabbed the paper he was writing on. Toad sat between the two, trying not to laugh at Roach's latest spelling error.
"Roach. You haven't seen what he's been like the past few days."
Bcuz u wont let me S
"Bug I swear captain's not doing it maliciously. Ghost hasn't been right since he woke up. Hell, he saw me 'n Meat and had a panic attack so bad they had to sedate him. Again." Toad held up a hand. "And don't fuckin' write about me seein' Ghost, that's why we know it's too early for you to see him. We weren't there til the end and he freaked."
"Aye, don't think I want to keep you two apart. You may have been there this time, but I was there right after he got out of the jungles. When I say Ghost is a right pain the the arse right now, I mean he's lashing out at everyone." MacTavish covered his eyes with his arm, sinking further down.
"Didn't you leave his room a few days ago cussin' him out?" Toad asked, grabbing the pen that Roach had thrown at him earlier and passing it back. Roach nodded a small thanks, a fist with his thumb over his fingers circling his chest. "Apology accepted."
"Yeah…" MacTavish muttered, grumbling under his breath for a moment. His phone started to ring, his grumbling ceasing as he answered. "Archer?" MacTavish held up a finger as he walked into the hallway, leaving the door open for Roach's doctor.
"Hey doc. How's your day?" Toad greeted, standing up to let the doctor occupy the stool he was in.
"Doin' well, Eric, thank you. And how are you doin' today, Gary?"
Eh still cant talk
"Right, which we talked about last time with your psychiatrist," the doctor looked down at his notes, skimming quickly before looking up with a smile. "Other than losing your voice, everything else is in order. Bones healed, organs in the right spot." He looked through his notes one more time. "You can be discharged tomorrow after one more physical."
Cool. any idea about the whole can't speak thing?
"That's somethin' your psychiatrist can help with. But I've seen people go back onto the field with worse, so you should be fine."
"If he's quiet forever it'll be a blessing for me." Said Toad cheekily, ducking out of the way of the heavier pen in Roach's arsenal. As the doctor left, MacTavish came back in, the two nodding to each other before MacTavish took his chair back.
"Good news?"
"Said he could leave tomorrow." Toad spoke for Roach, taking back the pen he had given Roach earlier. "Anything about Ghost?"
"He needs a bit more PT, but should be good after next week."
"But combat-wise?" MacTavish tilted his head back, sighing.
"A few months, at minimum."
That'll kill him
"Being on the field and having flashbacks would do that too." MacTavish pointed out. Roach frowned, looking between the two.
I still wanna c him
"I got it, Roach. I know."
So y cant i
MacTavish stood up suddenly, looking out the window unseeingly before spinning back towards the door.
"I'm going for a smoke. I'll be back later." MacTavish spoke with a slight harsh tone, walking out without looking behind him. Roach looked to Toad, who shrugged in confusion.
Think i pushed too much?
Toad read it slowly, chewing on his lip for a moment.
"No, I don't. If it were me and Archer in the same position, I'd be going crazy myself. But…bug. What you two went through was fuckin' nuts. And sounds like Ghost pretty much had to go through it twice. I think captain's trying not to push too hard."
Ghost doesn't remember much, does he?
"Not everything, no. He's been having harsh flashbacks though, like I said they've had to sedate him." Toad ran a hand through his hair. "How are your flashbacks? Bad?" When Roach didn't pick up his pen Toad gave a nod of understanding. He grabbed his book, moving back to his stool until it was next to Roach's bed, patting the pillow. "Lie down bug, get some rest."
Read me some of your book?
Toad nodded, Roach curling under his blankets as Toad started to read.
Roach knew it wasn't a walk in the park for either of them. He was worried, rightfully so, over Ghost since well…and the effect of their separation, while not harsh on Ghost if he didn't recall anything the past three months, was hell on earth for him. He knew he was acting like a spoiled brat. But the need to be close to Ghost was overwhelming on his good days. His body still screamed something was wrong, even with Toad a constant in his room the past few weeks. When Roach stopped speaking, Toad helped with communication until he could get a notebook for him, supplying him with another book and several packs of colored pencils when Roach inevitably filled the one he had then with doodles.
Honestly, if Toad wasn't with him as often as he was, Roach was sure he would have gone crazy.
"Stop thinking so loud Gary, I can hear your cogs from here." Toad paused his reading to poke at Roach. Roach made the motion with his fist again, moving his hand to point at his head and tapping his temple a few times. "I know. Too much in your head." Roach freed his hands, making them flat and touching the tips of his fingers together and raising his right hand in a large arc up before tapping his head before, then pointed to himself. With a smirk, he pointed to Toad, tapped his head like before and moving his fist until his thumb rested under his chin, shaking his head as he moved his fist away and pointing at Toad again. "You little bastard. I-"
"It's you, you probably deserved it." Archer interjected as he let himself in, leaning against the wall near the bed. "Saw 'Tavish head to Ghost's room earlier. What's that about?"
"Cap'n said he was goin' to smoke, probably decided to go and knock some sense into Ghost's head. That and Roach had been bothering him nonstop about it."
"Ah, bug finally bugged him enough."
That was stupid
"Toad laughed." Archer jerked a thumb in the spotter's direction, who was trying to stifle his laugh behind his hand. "Did a doc ever come to talk to you about discharge?"
Said I could leave tomorrow just one more check and I should be cleared
"Nothing about your voice?" Roach shook his head. "That's a shame. Maybe Bearcat can help when you get back."
"Bearcat?" Archer gave a nod.
"You didn't know he was a psychologist before the military?"
"Er, no. But that…explains so much." Toad bit this thumbnail as he thought back. "Hey, at least you bunk with him Roach."
Do I still?
"No one wanted to move your stuff or Ghost's." Archer shrugged
"More like since Ghost had his own room at base now no one wanted to go in and see what was in there." Toad pointed out the door. "Captain was the only one who went in while you guys were out." Roach frowned deeply as he wrote.
U guys make it sound like it was a torture chamber
"No offense to you, Roach. But to most of us all we knew was he was lead interrogator and a hardass on the field." Toad shrugged as Archer's phone rang.
I mean, yeah but like none of you ever tried talking to him?
"You were the first one besides 'Tavish to get close enough to him like you were."
"Sir?" Archer's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Right now? It's not the general, is it?" Roach watched as Archer's eyebrows shot up, locking eyes with each other. "Oh. Got it." Archer hung up, still keeping eye contact with Roach for several seconds.
"Archer? What was that about?" Toad looked between the two, Roach getting more confused by the second.
"I'll be right back." Archer left quickly after that, leaving Roach even more confused.
What was that about?
"You tell me, dude." Toad shrugged. "Any guesses?"
Well we know it's not Shepherd
"Don't think Archer'd look like that if it were." The two sat in confused silence for a few more minutes.
Maybe it's a dinosaur?
Toad sputtered out a laugh as Roach wagged his eyebrows, his own silent laugh following Toad's.
"A fuckin' what? Dude stop."
A bunch of kittens? Bunch of comic books?
"Stop tryin' to guess Roach I don't think it's any of that."
Well then what do you think it is?
"I think it's a surprise of some kind." As Roach went to write a retort, both Archer and MacTavish entered, faces oddly blank. "Uh oh." Toad and Roach looked at each other before looking at the two serious men. "How bad?"
"It's not bad." Archer spoke quickly.
"Roach, I need to fill you in on some stuff on our side after your capture." MacTavish spoke gruffly. Roach tilted his head quizzically. "Shepherd had me send out a death notice."
Are you fuckin' SERIOUS
"Roach stop." Archer managed to cross the room and snatch the pen out of Roach's hand, who instead started to gesture angrily. "Bug if you're chewing me out over anything you need to slow down I can't read you that fast."
"It wasn't my choice, he asked for them and then did them himself." MacTavish spoke calmly. "Imagine my surprise when I get contacted by your whole family by letter."
"How did-"
"We don't know." Archer cut off Toad's question. "But they were labeled specifically to John. All five letters." Roach's eyes went wide, grabbing the pen back from Archer.
What did they say
"Well, a lot." MacTavish grimaced. Roach noticed MacTavish pat his front pocket minutely. "None of it pleasant."
sorry
"Nothin' to apologize for. But, well." Archer trailed off.
What
"They're here."
Roach shot up, scrambling off the bed and shaking his head vigorously.
"Hey, hey easy." Archer held up his hands. Roach took a deep breath, opening and closing his mouth. "Breathe, bug."
"That wasn't the reaction of someone ready for a reunion." Toad pointed out. Roach gasped, shaking his head again. "Or is it? Goddamn it Roach write it out."
I havnt herd frm thm since b4 last op i havnt sent anything since b4 that they hate me they HATE ME I ca
MacTavish grabbed his hands from their frantic scrawling, gripping tightly.
"Stop. Calm down, Sanderson." Roach didn't realize he was crying, tears spilling onto his notebook. "They don't hate you. Need you to take a deep breath." Roach nodded, trying desperately to follow his breathing exercises.
"I'll let them know to wa-" Archer stepped back from the door as it swung open with considerable force, an almost identical clone to Roach standing in the doorway.
"I'm not letting you fucks make me wait-" The man in the door froze when he and Roach made eye contact, and Roach wasn't sure if it was him or his brother who made the first move. He was just suddenly aware of being hugged almost too tightly and the both of them crying. Roach could hear Toad and Archer mumble to each other as MacTavish walked back to the door. "You motherfucker." Roach wasn't ready for the other set of arms around him, hiccuping as he tried to look.
"I swear Gary Sanderson if you weren't dead already I would kill you my damned self."
"It's a female Roach. What the fuck that picture he had wasn't photoshopped?" Roach heard Toad whisper to MacTavish.
"Meet Ashton, and Amanda. Roach's twin and older sister." Roach leaned back, barely untangling himself as he looked at Amanda. "You should see their mum, Roach's a carbon copy of her."
"Gar, what happened to you? You look like someone took a buzz saw to…everywhere." Amanda looked him up and down, dark green eyes critical to every scar Roach knew was new on his face, focusing on the one over his eye and down his cheek. He was confident she could also see the marks on his collarbone extending down his shirt, grateful Ashton had a good enough grip on him so she couldn't look herself. He pulled Ashton so they could sit down on the bed, glad Archer had the foresight and managed to tear out his last scrawled page.
A lot. Too much plz dont ask rn
"I wasn't planning to until this." Amanda pointed to the notebook. "You can't talk?"
"It's some form of PTSD. Docs aren't too sure since muteism usually only shows in children when dealing with trauma. Roach is a bit special." MacTavish gruffed out, motioning to Archer. "Go ahead and grab the others, since they jumped the gun." Archer gave a nod before walking out, Roach looking up quizically.
Dont like how you said 'special' cap
"It's because you are, Roach." Toad smirked, Roach taking his pillow to throw it.
"'Roach'? Who's 'Roach?'"
Me
"Why? You hate bugs." Ashton poked Roach on the cheek, the both of them leaning heavily on each other.
purple hearts i have 8 of em
"The one you get for being wounded in combat? Jesus fuck. Gary." Amanda stared at Roach, who shrunk down. "Are you serious?"
Yeah
"Gar." Amanda and Roach stared at each other, Ashton reaching to the small stack of notebooks that Roach had filled out, flipping through it.
manda
They all stopped and turned to look as Archer walked in, Roach stumbling up to hug his mother tightly, feeling his dad and little sister cocoon him a split second later.
"Oh thank God you're okay! I can't believe my baby-" Roach's mom sobbed as Roach just hugged her tighter.
"C'mon, you two. Roach needs to be with his family right now." Roach heard MacTavish speak softly, Toad grunting as he stood up. "Roach, we'll be-"
"You'll be in the hotel sleeping, you twat. Toad will be in the room down the hall." Archer interjected. Roach managed to look up, noticing Archer was almost supporting MacTavish as he swayed on his feet. "You bastard I told you to sleep. Roach, if you need anything, send a text." Roach gave a nod of thanks as the small hug pile separated briefly. As his three comrades exited, Archer still scolding MacTavish, Roach grabbed his notebook, opening a new page. He held up a finger to his mom, looking at the fresh sheet before starting to write.
I'm sorry.
This doesn't feel weird at all
like, this chapter. I dunno I did know I wanted to have Roach see his family, trauma and all that. Sorry it's been a weird few...months? I will say that I'm still not OK with what they did with MW3's story. That shit kinda hurt. A lot. Like. No. Sorry it's let me blab like an idiot to anyone who still reads these
if you see any issues with this chapter, or if it feels off let me know
