Chapter Text
Eventually, they found themselves at a park with a stunning view of the Thames, where the towering London Eye loomed over the water. The evening sky cast a golden hue over the city, the lights beginning to flicker to life. Soap and Ghost settled onto a bench, while Nicky and Peri sat on the grass nearby, facing the water.
Soap stretched his legs out in front of him, his arm draped over the back of the bench where Ghost sat beside him. They weren’t touching, but the space between them was comfortably close—closer than most would notice.
Nicky and Peri were sitting by the water’s edge, Peri absorbed in her book while Nicky tossed small stones into the lake. The sight of them—two kids just being kids—felt strangely grounding.
“You ever think about it?” Soap asked suddenly, his voice quieter than usual.
Ghost turned his head slightly, glancing at him. “Think about what?”
“This.” Soap nodded toward the teenagers. “Having kids. A family.”
Ghost exhaled, his fingers idly tapping against his knee. “Once, maybe.” His voice was even, but there was something distant about it. “Didn’t seem like a life meant for me.”
Soap tilted his head, watching him. “Maybe not before. But now?”
Ghost was quiet for a moment, watching Nicky and Peri. Peri leaned over to say something to Nicky, who only shrugged in response. Peri clearly didn’t like that as she gently nudged Nicky’s shoulder and stuck her tongue out at him.
“I dunno,” Ghost admitted, voice softer than usual. “Reckon it wouldn’t be the worst thing.”
Soap smirked. “Aye, imagine it. A wee one runnin’ around, causing chaos.” He nudged Ghost lightly. “Bet they’d take after you—brooding, quiet, always starin’ people down.”
Ghost huffed. “And if they took after you, they’d never shut up.”
Soap grinned, leaning back. “Wouldn’t be so bad, though.” He glanced at Ghost again, something unreadable in his expression. “Us. A family.”
Ghost didn’t answer right away, but his hand subtly brushed against Soap’s where it rested on the bench. Just for a second. “Yeah,” he murmured. “Wouldn’t be so bad.” Technically, they are ours until we get them sorted but they don't need to know that just yet.
Peri, her newly purchased book in hand, was fully engrossed in its pages, her fingers idly tracing the edges of the cover. She was content, lost in her own world. Nicky, on the other hand, was quiet, gazing out over the lake, watching the reflections ripple across the surface. His expression was unreadable, but there was a certain calmness about him that hadn't been there before.
Ghost kept his eyes tracking the two kids. Nicky wasn’t scowling, and Peri wasn’t coughing as much—small victories, but victories nonetheless. He didn’t voice it, but seeing them like this—settled, even if just for a short while—was… nice.
The subtle crinkle near Ghost’s eyes beneath his mask didn’t go unnoticed by Soap.
“You’re smiling.”
“No, I’m not.” Ghost responded immediately, but the slight shift in his posture betrayed him.
Soap smirked, nudging him with his elbow. “Aye, you are. Admit it, you’re gettin’ soft on ‘em.”
Ghost let out a quiet huff, shaking his head. “I just think it’s good to see ‘em this… at ease.” His voice softened slightly as he glanced at Peri, her brows furrowed as she flipped a page. “They deserve that.”
Soap’s smirk faded into something more thoughtful. “Aye, that they do.”
For a while, neither of them spoke, simply watching as the city carried on around them. For now, at least, the kids had a chance to just be—no running, no fighting, no looking over their shoulders. And for Ghost and Soap, that was enough.
As the evening settled in, the park remained lively with people strolling along the paths and children playing near the benches. Nicky continued staring at the water, lost in thought, while Peri remained absorbed in her book.
That peace didn’t last long.
A group of local kids, a mix of teenagers around Nicky and Peri’s age, wandered over. Their leader, a lanky boy with shaggy brown hair and a cocky smirk, looked them over with amusement. He nudged one of his friends, whispering something before stepping closer.
“Didn’t think I’d see an angel reading in the park today.” the boy asked, eyes scanning them with an air of arrogance.
Peri blinked, confused, before slowly looking up from her book. “…What?”
Nicky immediately tensed beside her, his gaze flicking up to the group. His grip on the grass tightened. He didn't like this.
The boy laughed at her reaction, mistaking her confusion for shyness. “You visiting London? Haven’t seen you around. Maybe I could show you around, yeah?”
Peri raised a brow, unimpressed. “We’re just hanging out.”
Another boy in the group snickered, nudging the first one. “Mate, I think she’s not interested.”
The first boy ignored him, stepping a bit closer. “C’mon, don’t be shy. "You’ve got pretty wild eyes, got a name, sweetheart?”
Before Peri could say anything, Nicky stood up, stepping between them. “Back off.”
The group paused, eyeing Nicky with curiosity and, soon, amusement. He was smaller than most of them, but the way he squared his shoulders and glared at the guy showed he wasn’t intimidated.
“Relax, mate,” the first boy scoffed, holding his hands up in mock surrender. “We were just talking.”
“Yeah? Well, she’s not interested,” Nicky snapped, fists clenched.
One of the other boys chuckled. “Aw, what’s this? Your little boyfriend getting protective?”
“Not her boyfriend, her brother,” Nicky shot back. “Now get lost.”
"Wait—hold up," he said, pointing between them. "You two are, … siblings?"
Peri raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. And?"
Another kid, a girl with a skeptical look, tilted her head. "But… you don’t even look alike. Like, at all."
Nicky scoffed, already annoyed. "Ever heard of half-siblings?"
The first boy shrugged. "Yeah, but still—she’s, y'know, light-skinned, curly hair… and you’re just… pale."
Peri crossed her arms. "Same dad, different moms. Not that it’s any of your business."
The girl still looked unconvinced. "Huh. I just thought siblings were supposed to at least kinda match."
Nicky rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, guess we missed the memo."
The cocky boy smirked. "Well, she’s cute, at least."
That was all it took. Nicky’s fists clenched, his jaw tightening as he took a step forward. "You wanna run that by me again?"
The tension crackled in the air. Peri quickly stood up, placing a hand on Nicky’s arm. “Nicky, let’s just go.”
But it was too late. One of the kids muttered something under his breath—something about Nicky looking like a fucking skeleton—and that was all it took.
Nicky’s fist shot forward, landing a clean punch to the guy’s jaw.
A full-on fight broke out. Nicky fought hard, landing punches wherever he could, but he was outnumbered. One of the kids tackled him to the ground, causing another to kick him in the ribs, making him grunt in pain, but he didn’t go down easy—he grabbed the boy’s leg, yanking him off balance.
Peri jumped to her feet. "Nicky!" Stop it!” But another one of the kids shoved her aside, and that was the last straw.
A blur of movement—then suddenly, the cocky boy was on the ground, groaning in pain as Nicky wrestled him down, fists swinging. Another kid tried to yank him off, but Nicky twisted and slammed an elbow into their stomach. Nicky fought hard, landing punches wherever he could, but he was outnumbered. Peri tried to get the other kids off of him, jumping on one of the boys' backs and hitting him.
By the time Soap and Ghost noticed the commotion, Nicky was already throwing another punch, his lip split and eyes burning with rage. “What the hell—” Soap’s eyes widened when he spotted Nicky in the middle of the scuffle.
Ghost’s voice cut through the chaos like a gunshot. "ENOUGH!"
His presence alone was enough to freeze everyone in place. The local kids turned, suddenly realizing just who they had been messing with. The sheer size of Ghost, combined with the deadly edge in his voice and a black mask that only covered half his face, sent them scrambling back.
Soap stepped in, grabbing Nicky by the back of his shirt and pulling him away. "Bloody hell, kid, what was that?"
Nicky jerked out of his grip, breathing hard, fists still clenched. "They started it."
Ghost looked at the group of teenagers, who were already backing away. "Piss off. Now." His tone was lethal, leaving no room for argument.
Some of the boys didn’t need to be told twice—they turned and bolted. The few stupidly brave other tried to look tough, as if they were just told off by a giant of a man.
Peri hurried over to Nicky, worry all over her face. "Are you okay?"
He wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, still seething. "I’m fine."
Soap exhaled sharply. "We turn our backs for five minutes and you start a damn street brawl?"
Ghost studied Nicky closely. The boy was still tense, his breathing shallow. This wasn’t just about some dumb kids at a park—this was years of fight-or-flight instincts, of never backing down because backing down meant weakness.
Peri rushed to Nicky’s side, grabbing his arm. “Are you insane? What is wrong with you?”
The remaining teenagers took this as their cue to leave, dragging their injured friend away. One of them shot a wary glance at Ghost before muttering, “Bunch of freaks…”
Soap huffed, crossing his arms. “Right. We’re leaving before we get London’s entire police force breathing down our necks.”
Ghost didn’t release Nicky right away, his cold stare boring into the boy. “We’ll be having a talk about this later.”
Nicky yanked himself free. “Whatever.”
As they made their way back to the truck, Peri walked ahead, fuming. Soap shot Ghost a look before exhaling. “Kids, man.”
Ghost just shook his head. “Bloody nightmare.”
—-------------------------------------------------------------
The drive back was anything but pleasant—thick with tension, the kind that made the air feel suffocating. The only sounds were the hum of the engine and the occasional turn signal clicking as Ghost navigated the streets. No one spoke.
Nicky sat in the back, arms crossed, gaze locked on his lap. He hadn't said a word since they got in the car. Peri, on the other hand, stared furiously out the window, her jaw tight, fingers drumming impatiently against her knee. Soap stole a glance at them through the rearview mirror, his mind replaying the fight.
Nicky’s technique had been reckless—wild, like an animal backed into a corner. He was quick, sure, but there was no strategy, no real concern for his own safety. Just pure aggression, like he’d been fighting to survive, not just to win. That needed to change. If they were going to keep these kids from self-destructing, he’d have to start drilling some discipline into that anger.
Ghost, meanwhile, was fuming—but not at Nicky or Peri. He was pissed at the whole situation. It shouldn't have escalated the way it did. They couldn’t afford this kind of attention. The last thing they needed was trouble following them back to base.
The silence stretched until, finally, a small voice cut through it.
"Sorry… for fighting."
Soap blinked and glanced up at the mirror again, catching sight of Nicky’s face. The bruises from before were just starting to fade, only to be replaced with fresh ones. His lip was split again, a smear of dried blood at the corner.
Ghost exhaled sharply, keeping his eyes on the road. "Don’t apologize for defending yourself," he said, voice gruff but controlled. "Apologize for losing control."
Nicky’s fists clenched in his lap. "They were talking shit."
"And? You think throwing punches makes it better?" Ghost shot back, his voice steady but firm. "That kind of reaction makes you predictable. Easy to provoke. You wanna win a fight? You keep your head. Not lose it."
Nicky didn’t respond, his jaw tightening. Peri finally turned from the window, her glare shifting from the passing streets to Ghost. "So what? He was just supposed to sit there and let them talk trash?"
Ghost didn’t flinch. "No. But there’s a difference between standing your ground and starting a war you can’t finish."
Another long silence followed.
Soap sighed and ran a hand down his face. "Look, we’re not mad you stood up for yourselves. We get it. But you two can’t afford to go around swinging at every idiot with a mouth. Not now, not ever. You’re smarter than that."
Peri huffed, crossing her arms. Nicky just looked back down.
Ghost glanced at Soap before speaking again, his tone softer this time. "We’re not saying don’t fight. We’re saying pick your battles… and learn to win them the right way."
The rest of the ride passed in silence. But this time, the tension wasn’t just anger—it was something else. Something heavier.
As soon as they pulled through the gates of the base, the tension in the car felt like it tripled. The moment the engine shut off, Ghost turned in his seat and shot Nicky and Peri a hard look.
"Out. Straight to your room. Now."
Neither of them argued. Nicky shoved the door open and climbed out, still scowling, while Peri followed, arms crossed tightly over her chest. They both knew better than to test Ghost when his voice had that edge. Without another word, they trudged toward the barracks, their silence just as loud as their earlier argument.
As they stepped inside, they passed both Gaz and Price, who had clearly been waiting for them. Gaz raised a brow, watching as the two teens stomped past without so much as a glance in their direction. Peri, normally the more talkative one, didn’t even acknowledge them. Nicky’s fists were still clenched at his sides.
Price exhaled sharply through his nose. "What the hell was that about?"
Soap and Ghost exchanged looks before Ghost rolled his shoulders, exhaling in frustration. "Got into a fight."
Gaz scoffed. "What?" He looked toward the door where the kids had disappeared. "How bad?"
Soap shook his head. "Could’ve been worse. Nicky held his own, but it was a mess. No control, no discipline—he fights like a cornered dog."
"They got into it with some local kids," Ghost added, his voice low, almost growling. "And now we’ve got unwanted attention on our hands."
Price crossed his arms, his sharp gaze flicking between the two men. "You two let them out of your sight, and they end up throwing fists in the middle of London?"
Soap ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "It escalated fast, Price. Some little shits started runnin' their mouths, and Nicky lost it. Peri tried to stop him, but…" he trailed off, shaking his head. "Point is, we need to handle it. He fights like someone who’s used to fighting for survival, not just to win. That’s dangerous."
Price frowned, considering that for a moment. "They hurt?"
"A few bruises, but they’ll live," Ghost said. "Still. We can’t have this happening again."
Gaz let out a low whistle. "Guess that explains the walk of shame they just did. You grounding them?"
Ghost nodded. "Damn right. They’re staying in their room tonight. No more roaming until we figure this out."
Price sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Bloody hell. We’re trying to keep these kids off the radar, not get them involved in street fights."
Ghost’s voice was firm. "It won’t happen again."
Gaz glanced toward the door again, shaking his head. "I’ll give it a day before Nic gets sick of sitting still and starts stirring up trouble again."
Soap chuckled dryly. "I’ll give it half a day."
Price wasn’t laughing. He looked at Ghost, his expression serious. "We’re running out of time with them. If we’re gonna keep them safe, they need to learn fast. Or next time, they won’t just be fighting some punk ass kids."
Ghost’s jaw tightened. "I know."
And that was the problem.
Soap had picked up Peri’s book before they left, debating whether to return it to her now or wait until dinner. He ultimately decided to hold onto it for later.