Farewell and Goodbye Part 1
Turning his head to Billy, Rocky tried to catch Billy’s attention, but failed. He tightened his grip on his fist, hoping that Billy would look at him. As he set his concentration and burst into the open, arriving in what he hope looks like a flurry of frustration. Though, Billy couldn’t hear them, but he could see their lips moving. Josh was studying the source, trying to figure a way out, while Rocky was attacking the shield, clearly trying to get to Billy.
Billy was facing Rocky, trying to get his attention, while Ryan seemed to be doing what Josh was doing.
Finally, he was able to muster up some words. “Billy!” he cried out in recognition to the child in the room. But, the voice was low in Billy's ear. He glanced at his face. In the dim light, he wasn’t sure if he was enjoying this or not. There was something unreadable in his expression.
“We have to leave, We have to flee now. There are too many men to fight.” he detected a hint of panic in his voice, his eyes fixed on Billy. He looked at Rocky as well. It seemed surreal to know that these men had been talking about him, about this, without him being there.
Billy met his gaze, an unspoken question on his face. Where was this coming from? For him, it was like being hit in the stomach. He had often thought of Rocky. He thought of him every time he looked at the picture of their friendship that Rocky had given him. He had wondered what he would say if they ever met again.
So, Billy took a step towards still looked back at their friends at the same moment that Rocky looked at Billy. Though not looking at directly at Rocky, for a moment, everyone except Rocky could not understood why Billy hadn’t stayed around, he had expected him to wait until everyone was safe. Though his eyes stayed on his opponents, until he was sure there was going to be no trouble. So, he took a step towards Rocky. And knew that Billy would had hurt him badly when he left, but Rocky had never given up hope that Billy would return one day safely.
“Billy!” The word barely reached Billy’s ears. When he did finally look away as his head turned toward the direction of his voice. He still wasn’t used to the sightless eyes, or the way they didn’t land on his face when he spoke to Rocky, but instead, stared off somewhere beyond his shoulders.
His heart ached at how dull those eyes were now. And his heart ached over when he had that paragraph memorized, and could hear the tone of his voice each time he read it. But, became aware of someone standing looking at him.
No longer relied only on his hearing or eyesight for his brain to register someone’s presence. He lifted his head and smiled. He held out his left arm, and used Rocky's voice to guide him. His expression grew more sober and that’s when the tears began. The tears and the memories and thoughts, an emotional overload all at once, came flooding in.
Suddenly he was terrified, almost choked with a need to get out of there. Rocky took a deep breath to keep from making a sharp retort. "Get out of there." he said in a tone that warned the young boy he’d best agree with him, but for a moment he felt frozen there, as if he did not want to go.
Then Billy heard, through the darkness, his own name being called upon by Rocky. They met on either side of the glass. The beam of the lantern he unveiled turned it veined and gold as he held up a hand. Billy was silent for a moment before answering and his blue eyes had filled with tears but he fought not to cry. Billy watched his face, his expression changing from his excitement at seeing him to the realization that he still can't be freed. And he tried hard… damn, he tried so hard to push it away, but he couldn’t.
It had hurt him, leaving Rocky like that, but he hadn’t wanted to be burdened with Rocky’s emotional dependence, like Elena and Stefan were. Life had been too hard for Billy to understand that it wasn’t a burden for Rocky and his friends. He just knew that he couldn’t live up to Rocky’s expectations, and so he had left. He briefly wondered if that was disobedience, but he didn’t think so.
Where did he fit in? he wasn't sure. he was still someone who'd suffered as a result of someone's actions, so he stand at the glass wall watching him. In the last two days some change has come over him and the events surrounding his death would stay with them forever.Still, there was no given reaction, then Billy shook his head. There was a pause, and what sounded like a resigned sigh.
Billy lost his enthusiasm for life and ignored the words and kept his own tone calm and gentle.
“I can't,” There was a forced quality to his voice, honestly. He don’t have that kind of power and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Even though they had lost contact with him, Billy told them there was no reason to lose hope.
As Rocky looked down at him, his face now illuminated by the overhead light of the door. Once he saw him smile, and shake his head. He hadn’t been sure what to expect, but this really wasn’t it.
"Billy?" There was concern in his voice, but slightly puzzled by the look on his face. He thought he was offering Billy the reassurance he wanted, but it didn’t appear that way.
Rocky's voice broke into his thoughts, it was done with a perfect unstudied naturalness. His brow creased below that expanse of his head. Then the lines smoothed out and he smiled. "I have to do this.” he said with as much sincerity as he could muster. There was a little block in his throat, and he tried to swallow it away. Began to think, looking back on it, that something bad had already begun to happen to him, but he was too fixed--mentally and emotionally--on doing his duty to notice.
During that time, he longed for home; he wished to be any place but where he was. His wishing was in vain, as were his cries. He was far from home and the family he loved more than life. They couldn’t help him, not this time, for it would take a miracle to get him out of his current predicament. He’d made a fatal mistake; of that he was sure. But he was innocent, he was sure of that as well.
Billy just caught the look of distress on Rocky’s face as he looked down. It was enough to see his eyes mist over and he gave an involuntary shudder as he fought to keep in control.
Rocky looked at Billy wanting an answer that might help him understand why he had had to cope on his own. Rocky slowly shook his head. There were tears streaking down his face. Looking at him instead; suddenly realised that he found that he hadn’t noticed his presence yet and he was able to listen to the heart to heart conversation. He had been so consumed in his own grief that he hadn’t thought about Billy and what he was going through.
A deep sense of sadness filled him. Since, Billy doesn’t answer. Instead, he take a step back, all of a sudden feeling stupid that he asked. Why would he not tell me?
"Billy, what are you doing? You’re not supposed to be in there." he yelled on the verge of a fresh set of tears, but there was a little edge to his voice that didn’t escape Billy’s notice, who was cool and detached, apart from where Rocky was concerned and he lift his eyes to meet his through his lashes, frowning with his hands fist on the wall, getting annoyed.
Rocky looked at him with his strange eyes--bloodshot, distant, on the verge of tears . . . and yet calm, too, as if crying was not such a bad way of life, not once you got used to it. He even smiled a little.
Rocky took everything in stride, nothing ever bothered him, darkness never seeped in deep enough to stain his happy-go-fucking-lucky attitude, his hands blocking his face but not the sobs he could hear. Each one chipping away at his image of him.
Billy backed away from his meltdown unsure of what to do. He wasn’t the comforting one and he was very close with Rocky making all of this a lot harder.
Out of nowhere, while he watched in horror, his tight fist banged against the glass wall like it would soothe him.
Rocky inhaled his tears and congestion, swiping his shirt down his face trying to clear away the fact that he was still crying. Unfolding a paper from his pocket, he saw a photo of Billy and him.
“Go ahead. I know you’re dying to say I told you so,” his voice was horse and broken into sharp shards.
"Yeah, I am. I used to think that I couldn’t do anything right, that I didn’t deserve my powers,"
Billy said in a not-quite-steady voice as he spoke to him in a low voice, so not even Josh and Ryan, would overhear.
But his golden eyes just grew wider and he stared at Billy in utter disbelief. He swallowed again. And then somehow found the courage to speak. "But there’s something that I can do."
Silence.
He didn’t move one muscle, the kind of confidence that didn’t need actions to prove he meant what he said, it was just clear as day. But watching the strongest person he know break… it made him feel even more fragile.
Billy was dumbfounded. He couldn´t speak, couldn´t think. All thoughts that were left whirled together in his head. And centred around one thing.
For a moment, mercifully brief, Billy saw the pain burning away from Rocky's face and revealing the watery blobs of jelly which had been his eyes.
The words hung in the air. Billy could have answered in a few ways. He could have reminded him that everyone had known the danger when it comes to the town they reside in. But that would be worse than saying nothing.
“No,” he replied, flatly, and looked up at him with steady eyes, but he cut in. " I can save all of you." his voice had grown softer with every word. He was shivering. When he finished, he found he was barely able to look into Rocky´s eyes.
Rocky couldn’t believe what he was hearing. "But it’s all or none!" he yelled in a troubled voice that reeked with unspoken fear that he might somehow lose this special friend of his. When he spoke, it was a low rumble, a half breath, like it was cracking his ribs all over again just to say it.
This couldn’t be, thought Rocky, not the kid who had saved his life on more than one occasion, only to find out later that they would become close friends, very close, each of them staring at the opposite wall. If there were mirrors, they would have seen endless versions of themselves.
And suddenly from behind them, Ryan yelled as loudly as he could, "incoming!"
A jet was howling through the air in their direction. Rocky hoped for a moment that it hadn’t spotted them, that it was just hurtling past on its way to somewhere else. That notion was quickly dashed when the jet angled straight down toward them and opened fire with a strafing run.
Everyone was scattered in all directions, and it was just Rocky’s luck—or maybe it was by design—that the jet appeared to be zeroing in on him. It chewed up ground behind him, and he knew that it was catching up. It was only a matter of seconds before it overtook him, and there was nowhere for him to hide.
And suddenly the jet exploded, blown right out of the air.
The concussive force knocked both Rocky off his feet, and he fell flat onto the ground. Rocky threw his arms over his head to protect it as huge chunks of the fighter bounced all around him. He saw the head of a pilot, go rolling past, and—with the sound of the explosion still ringing in his ears—he looked around to see where the blast that had destroyed the jet had come from.
They stood outside of the open area for a few seconds, getting their bearings. Josh had equipped them with sturdy LED lanterns, but it didn't feel like the light fell very far. There could be anything lurking ten feet away, Josh thought. And there probably was. Ryan shut down his lantern and just . . .disappeared. It was startling, but they knew he was going to do it, at least; the plan was that he'd get out ahead and save the world. Ryan lifted his head and smiled. He held out Josh's left arm, and used his voice. As the walkie-talkie clicked a moment later--no voice message, just the quiet electronic signal and to guide Billy.
“Go . . .” Ryan paused for a moment, seeking an appropriate descriptive based on the brief bit of conversation he had absorbed from Rocky and those who had been whispering behind him.
The radio jumped to life as Josh heard the words he dreaded most. Stood straighter, glanced sideways at Josh, and moved his lips closer to the pickup so he could lower his voice. "We're okay. "
Billy slowly looked up. The clouds did look threatening, but there was no smell of storm in the air. They should still have time to go and return—with all of them working together. He hesitated and then looked into Ryan's eyes.
Josh’s security stormed the open area, when he came running to their side hoping for answers. “Sir, there hasn’t been a breach. We aren’t sure what’s happening. We need to lock it down now. No one in or out.”
“If we are to do something, we need to do it now!”
Billy voice was soft and authoritive. Then looked back over his shoulder at the people standing behind him and raised his voice so that everyone could hear his words.
“What do you want us to do?” he asked, losing interest in the subject. “Guard Rocky,” he called back to those behind him. Josh checked his ink to Kathryn and found it closed. He sighed in relief as it showed she was shielding herself.
“and I will protect your back.” Ryan moved to stand at his side.
Then Rocky pleaded wordlessly, and to Ryan he nodded at once almost before he was conscious of doing so. He smiled slightly at how easily he could bend him to his wishes, and it occurred to him and automatically he rose and moved to stand at Josh's side. As Ryan stepped up next to Josh as both the men nodded agreement with him, but he knew he was right.
Billy explanation was cut short by noises ahead. But, had to fake not knowing what he meant when Rocky looked at him confused, waiting for him to explain. His labored breaths had him worried enough after his heart was almost physically broken to match how he felt now.
Shrugging, he gave him the best performance I could knowing how committed he was to being his characters. "Yeah."he said, although he felt a lot less confident now than he had before.
“What do you mean?” he says, genuinely concerned.
To Rocky’s astonishment, Billy froze in place, and he turned his head in the direction from which the plea had come: he could have taken that moment to lash out. Instead he made no move at all, waiting to see how this unexpected interruption would play out.
Billy agreed, drawing himself up. “I… I have to do this,” he said, feeling like he was choking on the words. His voice was so faint he thought, at first, he had not even heard him. Still, insisted with all traces of seriousness embedded deeply into his dark features. He stopped in mid-sentence, reflecting on the sudden thought, deliberating over the realization.
“You don’t understand.” his voice seemed even farther away than it actually was be seen as he nibbled on his lower lip, clearly anxious. It was totally endearing.
It took a long moments to recover his breath.Billy tried to speak and couldn't. He could, though. What he said next was the longest he ever heard him speak. Well, okay, he probably don’t like to reply. He doesn’t need to threaten him with a good time when he is already chasing death.
Who was Rocky standing before him and speaking so resolutely? The same tentative, almost timid youth he had so recently seen off as emotional and mental scars that had been left behind. Shifting his gaze, he eyed Rocky standing silently behind him. No—he had become something else. Something more.
If he could turn back the hands of time over the last few years and foresee what would befall him,
Rocky would have taken Billy out of harms way, if necessary, and made sure that Billy was safe in another town away from the dangers that lurked.
Rocky smiled through the tears that had refused to stay behind his eyelids.
There were tears in his eyes as well.
"All of my family gets to live and none of them gets hurt. " He said in a husky voice. He looked quickly around at the confused faces, then directly into his eyes. It was like a brick wall had been built between them, and it was getting harder and harder to reach in and find the real Billy.
The boy had changed so much over the past few weeks. He had been a confident young man full of energy and laughter who filled the house with love and joy. Now the boy was sullen and withdrawn and spoke rarely unless asked a question, and even then it was a battle to get some sort of answer.
Rocky swore to himself that he didn't care how long it took, but he, Ryan and Josh would be there every minute of the day and night, if necessary, just to bring Billy back safely.
The tears were coming faster now, tickling his cheeks and staining his lips with salt.
"Billy, I’ve never had a family. You know that. Everybody I’ve ever cared about, they all left me. My mom, my dad, everyone."
His eyes closed and he gritted his teeth tightly to force back the pain. When he opened them again Billy was still there. The expression on his face had not changed. His smile was weak and tortured, so he shook his head, reliving the pain, the suffering made real. " So when I found you guys, I had to hang on and I’ve been hanging on too tight."
Billy knows the two of them have endured enough misery in their lives. He smiled at the sight of the two, once companions, knew something more. They deserve to find that bit of happiness together.
Yet, he found himself scanning the grounds, searching for more faces. The faces of his friends, those he’d never see again.
Billy laughed a little at their serious faces, wiping his eyes self-consciously. “I…I didn’t mean to cause a fuss. But, you."
Tried, to speak but the words jumbled together. His throat moved and he drew in another faltering breath. “No, you need to leave,” Billy said. And he didn’t think he could explain it to himself at the moment.
Forced a smile into his voice and picked up the moonstoon Bonnie had given him, holding it out to him. As he took his free hand, holding it tight, with Rocky's blue eyes fluttered open. They could see the pain lurking in the dark depths.
“You need to get as far away from here as you can. Take the moonstone with you. Protect her at all costs." Billy spoke softly, as if he could control the agony by parceling out the amount of breath it took to speak. There was a brief silence and a subdued laugh on the line.
"He will not rest until it is his. Everyone needs to split up and go their separate ways. If we aren’t together, we can divide his resources. It will confuse him for a while. He will need to regroup, form a new plan, before he can come after any of us.”
“Split up?” Rocky asked, shaking his head and a single tear tracked down his dirty cheek. “You can’t be serious.—”
He could see Rocky didn’t really believe him, so at the expense of additional pain he took a deeper breath and relax as he spoke strongly. "Rocky, I won’t let you go on thinking this way. Look at me," he demanded, and Rocky reacted instinctively to his voice. Billy spaced his words carefully, forcefully. "It was not your fault," he said. “He doesn’t want them as badly as he wants her and the moonstone. You are a hero, Rocky. You can find someone who will give you a child, and you're gonna watch him grow."
Moved behind Billy, put a hand on his shoulder. "She will be a great asset to you. You will find a Warrior ten years after that who will protect you in your quest. Do not guard your heart against her, for she is your girlfriend. She will know things, like I do. Trust in what she says, and she is not like the others.” And then his eyes slid lower, widening a bit.
“Yeah, yeah, ha ha, very funny,” Rocky said, but there was laughter in his voice.
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I just read the part about Price asking Ghost to leave the military with him and settle down on the ranch and it had me laughing my ass off at the thought of Price being all "eh you'll probably not even meet Goose, she won't bother you at all!"
When you have some time, I'd kill to see the day after Goose and Ghost have their little sleepover and are discovered by Price. Just, the pure horror I'm imagining on Price's face when he realises that Ghost was sleeping with his *baby*, has me cackling to myself. Poor Simon wishes he'd been KIA, because surely that would be less terrifying then the look on his old captain's face.
So I did write the "aw fuck this is Price's kid" ages ago, I've linked it there. But I can always write more Ghost and Price, so I'm gonna write more of them.
You leave the little back house, scurry away from the clashing energy of your father and one night stand, and Price takes your place. The door closes behind you like a tolling bell. You feel bad leaving Simon to the wolves, but you've never seen your dad so upset.
"How the fuck was I supposed to know that was Goose?" Ghost cuts, facing the silent fury in Price's eye the same way he always has, head on.
"She got my fucking name, took you back to my god damn farm, what else do you want a birth certificate?" Price grits out.
"Wasn't exactly thinkin' about that at the time," Ghost can feel the gruff slip of his voice, the early morning and late night of it. A lingering reminder of you. One he thought he'd be happier to have.
"Ghost," the warning way Price says his callsign is far removed from the soft way you'd sighed his name, "I'm-" he cuts himself off with a growl, strips his hat off his head and pinches his nose. Fighting himself over how to address the elephant in the room.
"Use your fucking head," he finally settles on, the bite of Price's voice would make a lesser man flinch. It steels Ghost's nerves, makes him clench his fists. "You even know her name?"
Ghost feels his nose wrinkle in annoyance, or disgust, it's so hard to tell sometimes. Of course he does, you weren't some barracks bunny only around for a little fun, you were- you were what he wanted to be, bright and human and so tantalizingly real. Of course he knew your name, whispered it to you enough times that the walls probably knew it too.
That isn't how Price takes his silence.
There's another short swear, a stilt of accented anger from Price as he snaps his hat against the wood door. The sharp whip of canvas jerks Ghost back to the present. His captain stares him down, weighing his options. There's no sending him back, they both know there's nowhere to go back to. The same way there's nowhere to abandon him here. The two of them are tied together in this even through the worst of it.
Price points his hat at him, keeps him down the barrel of his aggression. "You stay the fuck away from my daughter," he keeps his attention on Ghost just long enough to be sure he's gotten the point before turning towards the door. "Chores start in ten, I'll introduce you to Goose and that'll be the last you see of 'er."
"Yes, Sir," Ghost drawls, poking the bear in the hopes it'll relieve some of his own anger. Price's hand closes tight around the door handle. Even from the back the commanding anger that radiates off of him is oppressive. Ghost straightens his posture on instinct. Whatever Price was going to say he seems to think better of, tugging the door open and slamming it behind himself.
In the privacy of the empty room Ghost drags a hand down his face, covers his eyes, crouches to drag his fingers through his hair. There's a spiderweb in his chest that feels like it's splintering his ribs. His fingers are cold, the house is cold. You took all the summer heat with you, all the short warmth of his feeble attempt at starting over, gone in an instant.
He should have stopped trying a long time ago. Simon Riley is dead, long live the Ghost.
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