lifeline

10.

Price was worried.

Florence hadn't spoken to a single one of them in days. He lived in constant fear that she'd walk out the door. To walk out the door was to put a target on her back. On her head. In the past four days, she'd single handedly added to the plethora of worry lines on his face. He hadn't shaved, hadn't eaten. There was no room in his body for food. He was too full of guilt.

He knew it was a mistake to get so involved in this mission. He'd not allowed this to happen for years... decades even. It was a rookie mistake and he'd been around the block, thrice. The guilt gnawed at his insides, slowly tainting them black as every atom within him was corrupted. There was no going back from what he'd done, no recovering the trust he'd once had with her. As much as he hated to admit it, he'd started to see her as somewhat of a daughter-figure in his life.

His eyes swept across where she was sat on the sofa. As if frozen, she was hunched over her knee, resting her chin against it. She hadn't moved for hours. The dark circles under her eyes continued to grow second by second.

He hated the hostile glares she sent his way. Hated how she left the room the moment he tried to speak to her. Hated how she resented him. All he'd ever done was try to save her and he wanted her to understand. Needed her to understand.

Ghost didn't understand Price's emotional turmoil. He'd told Price to get over it, that she'd come around eventually. That wasn't good enough for him. If he had to fall to his knees and beg for her forgiveness then so be it.

"Flo." His voice cut through the thick air. It was as though she had a force field around her, blocking out all the noises. "Florence, you can't ignore us forever. The kitchen is locked, you need to at least talk to ask us to unlock it." He hated the depths he sunk to in order to get her to speak.

"I'd rather starve than talk to you again." Her voice shook a little from the lack of use. It was in that moment that it hit Price how young she was. Although she'd been an adult for longer than she'd known him, Price saw the childish glint in her eye as she disobeyed him, as she uttered words that she knew would hurt him to the core.

"You can be insolent all you'd like Florence but you must understand we did what was best for you. We couldn't tell you why we were really here... who we really are. Why can't you see that? Why can't you see we did what we did to keep you safe!" Price slammed his fist against the thick wooden kitchen table, ignoring the annoying flicker of pain that flashed through his wrist.

Soap walked into the room, concerned by the shouting and the sudden bang. "Price what are you doing?" His voice was low and hushed as he flashed a warning sign to his Captain with his eyes. Soap had never seen Price like this, never seen this much anger and hurt in his voice. It was a harsh reminder about why they never got attached to victims on a case.

"Whatever, i'm done here." His voice dropped several decibels as he grabbed his coat from the hanger and walked out the door, slamming it shut behind him.

Soap let out a deep sigh as he turned to Florence. "Look, I get that you hate us okay? I really do get it but you've gotta give him a chance. Can't you see that he's being genuine? Flo he wanted to tell you who he was for weeks but he physically couldn't. We aren't here to make friends, we're here to protect you but at least he's trying."

Florence dropped her gaze. She knew deep down it wasn't Price that she was angry about. It wasn't any of them, matter of fact. She felt betrayed and humiliated by them all but she wasn't angry. She was just taking it out on them like she always took it out on people. It was a horrible habit she'd picked up in childhood after everything with her brother and she'd never quite been able to shake herself of it.

"I'm going to bed." She answered, refusing to acknowledge his statements but speaking in a far softer tone that she had been for the past few days. With the weight of everything that had happened pressing on her shoulders, dragging her down, she forced her weary legs to go up the stairs and to her room.

-A/N-

hey guys, sorry for the really inconsistent posting! it's only fair to let you guys know that i'm currently taking my gcses so this entire year has been hectic with mock exams and revision and such so i've really not had a whole deal of time for writing :(

my actual exams start on the very last week of april and (all things going to plan) i should finish school on the 14th june (physics exam ugh) so after that i'll have a lot of free time to write before i start college so just hang on a little while longer🙁

anyway, hope you've been enjoying so far it's taken a weird turn but i don't plan my stories so i hope it actually turns out okay😭