Silver-Lining (Ghost Riley x Reader)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Let me start off by saying I'm sincerely sorry for the long ass update and I am also sorry that this chapter is going to slightly short because it is only a little over 1000 words so its not going to be that much but I still hope you enjoy.

My eyelids fluttered open as my eyes darted around the unfamiliar room, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. My once blurred vision eventually focused as I continued looking around the room.

The dim lighting and the beeping noises gave me an eerie feeling as I shifted into the bed I was lying on. A small pained noise escaped my parted lips as a burning pain shot through every part of my body, not missing an inch. I looked down at my arms to see the scattered bruises and cuts. Some cuts were deep enough to the point where they needed stitches.

The small beeping noises from the monitors poured into my ears, outweighing the silence. The sound of the door opening caught my attention. I snapped my head towards the door and watched as Ghost walked in.

My eyes studied him for a second, a small smile forming on my face. "How are you feeling?" He asked me. He stood by the bedside, his hands stuffed in his pockets. "Like I've been dragged through hell and back," I answered half-jokingly.

I studied Ghost's body language and for some reason, something seemed off. "Is everything alright?" I asked him, the concern lacing my tone as worry washed over my dull, e/c eyes. "Those two weeks you were gone... I felt different." He told me. I stared into his eyes as I listened intently. "I was ready to risk everything to get you back. And that's when I realized."

"Realized what?" I asked, cocking my head to the side ever so slightly.
"Just how vulnerable you make me."

I raised an eyebrow as I could feel my heartbeat quick, panic rising through me. "What's that supposed to mean?" I asked quickly. "I can't be vulnerable." He spoke firmly. "I'm sorry." He left the room, the door slamming shut behind him.

I felt frozen. I sat there for a long time, playing the conversation in my head over and over again. It was always one thing after another.

As I lay in the hospital bed, feeling the sting of heartbreak like a physical ache. The pain was unbearable, and I struggled to breathe through the waves of emotion washing over me. I had always been so independent, so self-sufficient, but now I felt lost and alone, like a part of me had been ripped away.

I continued replaying the conversation with Ghost in my mind, trying to understand what had gone wrong. He had been the only person in my life who truly understood me, who had accepted me for who I was, flaws and all. And now he was gone, leaving a void that I didn't know how to fill.

No matter how much I tried to rationalize the situation, no matter how many lies I told myself, the truth was that my heart was broken. I had opened myself up to Ghost, let him see my vulnerabilities and had let him in. And now, he is gone, taking a part of me with him. The pain was agonizing, and I wasn't sure if I would ever be able to heal.

My breathing only came out in low, shaky breaths as I tried to even it out. I didn't know what to do. I had never put myself in a situation like this. I never fell for anyone, and most of all I never ended up getting heartbroken.

All of this was so unfamiliar to me. The entire situation. I didn't know how to stop the tears. Each time I wiped one away, another came afterward. Finally, I managed to get my emotions under control. I hated the feeling of my heart being shattered. I didn't even know where to begin with picking up the pieces.

I inhaled deeply through the nose, allowing the air to fill up my lungs. After a second, I exhaled. Anger pricked at my flesh before seeping into my skin and reaching my veins. The anger coursed through my body, giving me fuel.

There was only one way to get rid of sadness. And that was overpowering it with anger.

I was angry about everything. Ghost leaving, Emilio dying, and everything else. My eyes settled on the beige wall, my eyes overlining all of the lines and cracks. My hands gripped the thin sheets, feeling the rough fabric between my fingertips.

The door opened, revealing Soap and Gaz. Although I could still feel the raging fire burn through my entire body, I still gave them a welcoming fire. As they sat down, I could feel the fire die down a bit. "Hey, Knives." Gaz spoke first as he took a seat beside me. Soap took a seat beside Gaz as he reached for my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You feeling alright?" Soap asked me.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I told both of them. "We heard about you and Ghost... I'm sorry." Gaz said.

I could feel the flames grow higher at the mention of Ghost. "It's alright." I shrugged it off, although the pang in my heart was as clear as day. "Well on the bright side, you're going to make a quick recovery." Soap gave my hand a little squeeze.

"And we are on the lookout for Graves. Once we find him we kill him." Gaz added. My eyes widened at the sudden news. I had forgotten that Graves wasn't there when everything went down. "I want to help look for him," I told the pair. I directed my anger towards Graves. I had told him that I would be the one to kill him- and I meant that.

The girl I was before slowly crawled her way out. The girl that was angry with the world. The girl that killed anything or anyone that got in her way. The girl I tried so hard to hide.

"We think it's best if you-" "That wasn't a question. I'm coming with you guys." I spoke more demandingly this time. "You can't let your anger get the best of you, Knives," Gaz told me. "This isn't about anger." I told him. "This is about revenge." My eyes locked onto Gaz's as I spoke clearly. "I made a promise that I would be the one to kill him and that is what I'm going to do."

"Just don't push yourself too hard, lass." Soap leaned forward, as he ruffled my hair with his hand. "Jokes on you, my hair was already a mess." I swatted his hand away, a small grin on my face.

I watched as Gaz and Soap left the room, leaving me to myself. I leaned back, drowsiness slowly settling in as I grew tired.

Eventually, exhaustion took over my body, drifting me off into a deep slumber.