More Than Human

Chapter 48: What Sort of Brother?

Soap felt warm and comfortable despite the throbbing in his head when he woke. His ear flicked at the sound of low, murmured talking, and the soft crackle of a fire. He blinked open an eye to find that he had shifted in his sleep.

From his position on Ghost's lap, he could see a fire burning in the fireplace, and could now piece together the voices of his teammates speaking. He let out a little huff to let them know he was awake and their talking momentarily ceased.

"Morning, MacTavish." Price told him.

Based on the lighting in the room, it wasn't actually morning. Nighttime.

He nudged Simon's arm with his snout and flopped a paw in the direction of a blanket draped over the back of the couch. Ghost seemed to get the message and wrapped it around Soap's body loosely so that he could change back and remain covered.

He stretched and wiggled until his little whines turned into the strained grunts of a man and he was back in his usual body. Just a little embarrassed to be sitting butt ass naked on Ghost's lap in front of everyone, blanket or not.

"How are you feeling?" Rudy asked from across the room, clearly he was giving the fireplace a wide berth.

"I've been better." Soap admitted, "Feel better after that nap I think."

"What triggered it, hermano?" Alejandro leaned forward, setting a mug aside.

Soap hummed, "Think it was that dumb tree. No offense Gaz."

"None taken. As long as you weren't talking about me." His fellow sergeant chimed in.

Price had ducked into the kitchen and returned with a bowl of some sort of soup that he handed him. Soap was glad it was something lighter for his stomach. He found that he didn't have much of an appetite after those fresh memories.

Ghost must have been able to read it on his face, "What did you remember, Sergeant?"

"I think I had a family. No, I know I had one. I had a whole set, Mum and a Dad. And... two siblings." He closed his eyes and thought hard about it, "Brother and a sister I think."

There was a certain level of novelty to the idea. At this point, he knew their fates. But for a man who had previously thought his parents had just ditched him at an orphanage and simply didn't care about possible family connections, it was a little thrilling to know that both his parents had been around, and there had been three of them. Three whole MacTavish pups. The very idea!

The room had gotten quiet as the whole team waited for him to continue on.

"My mother shoved me in a tree to hide me and lead the bastards away. Guess they must have found me anyway." He muttered, shoving a spoonful of broth past his teeth.

Rudy looked like he knew a story much like his, intimately, "The others?"

He and Soap locked eyes for a moment, "Must have caught my mother too. Think I remember her bein' with me in one of those cells. Shot my father, bullet must have been silver, 'cause it took. And-." he had to pause momentarily. He felt like he almost choked on the words involuntarily before he managed to grit out the rest, "shot the other two pups. Saw 'em lyin' there."

Rudy nodded almost sagely. It was no wonder he and Soap got along so well. They had both been through very similar situations. Rudy had lost his pod, and Soap had lost his pack. It did, however, give them some extra information. It wasn't just the children that Makarov had been collecting. If it were, Soap's littermates would have been taken with him.

Everyone in the room was seething. And Soap looked like he was barely holding it together. He didn't like being in this state. He was supposed to be the happy one. The bubbly one. The team puppy. Now he looked like a kicked puppy more than anything else.

"I dinnae even remember their names." He murmured softly, staring at a fixed point on the ground. He wanted to remember, but he was coming up with nothing. He could remember the feeling or rolling around and wrestling together. Falling asleep on each other in a pile. But he couldn't even recall their faces.

What sort of brother was he?

"Oh, Johnny." Ghost cooed.

Soap hadn't even realized he had said that last part out loud.

Ghost gently took the bowl from his hands and set it aside. He pulled Soap closer to his chest and set his chin on top of his head. Soap couldn't help but lean into his warmth, any trace of embarrassment flitting away.

Ghost exchanged a look with Price. They both wanted to order Soap to remain home from their trip to the lab the next day, but that would entirely defeat the purpose of going. To help jog Soap's memory. Try and figure out where Makarov was currently holed up and bring him in. They couldn't do that if he wasn't there.

It was worrying, though, that the pains and reactions seemed to be worsening. As if getting his memories back was akin to unscrewing a cork. Having to drive in and twist to continue making any progress.

Even if they suggested waiting, they both knew that Soap would say no. The man was determined, and no one could blame him for that.

They would continue with the plan that they had laid for the trip tomorrow. And hopefully everything went according to plan.

But when did they ever have that luxury?