You were in your room, enjoying the rare peace and quiet of the apartment you shared with your brother Soap, who had been away on missions for months. Suddenly, you heard voices coming from the living room. You knew no one was supposed to visit, so you got up, curious and slightly confused. As you stepped into the hallway and peeked around the corner, you froze.

There he was – Soap, your brother, finally home. But he wasn’t alone. Sitting on the couch were three men you immediately recognized: Captain Price, Roach, Gaz, and Ghost. The room felt both familiar and strange, filled with the presence of these elite soldiers.

Soap spotted you and jumped up, a broad grin on his face. “You!” he called out, rushing over to give you a tight hug. “I’m back!”

You hugged him back, still amazed. “You’re really here,” you whispered, then glanced at the others. “And you brought the Task Force 141?”

Soap nodded. “Yeah, the guys managed to get some time off, and we thought we’d spend a few days here to unwind.” He scratched his head and added “I wanted to check if it’s okay with you if they stay here for a while. It’s your place too, after all.”

You looked at him, then at the men who were watching you with varying degrees of curiosity. Captain Price gave you a respectful nod, while Gaz, Roach and Ghost remained silent. You felt the weight of the situation but could also see how much Soap and his team needed this break.

“Of course,” you finally said with a smile. “You’re always welcome here.”

Then you remembered that your boyfriend Elijah was coming over soon. You inwardly sighed, wondering how Soap would react when he met him.

Soap patted you on the shoulder. “Thanks, you. I knew I could count on you.”