The icy wind howled through the barren desert, carrying smoke and the metallic tang of blood. You lay sprawled on the uneven ground, breath ragged, crimson pooling beneath you. The sharp sting of your wound dulled, replaced by eerie numbness. Darkness crept in, but a figure loomed above, yanking you back.

"Stay with me," Ghost's voice cracked, his usual stoicism shattered. His hands, always so steady, trembled as they pressed against your wound. "Don't close your eyes, my love. You hear me?" My love. He never said it in front of anyone—always guarded, always distant. The others—Soap, Gaz, Price—stood frozen, watching something unravel far deeper. You blinked sluggishly, struggling to focus. His balaclava was smeared with dirt and your blood. "Darling…" you rasped. The word felt foreign, but the way his eyes glistened at the sound gave you strength. His gloved hand cupped your cheek as your fingers weakly brushed the rough fabric of his mask.

"Shh, don’t talk," he whispered, but the command faltered, his voice cracking. Tears soaked his mask. "I can't lose you. I won’t." You mustered a faint smile, your voice quivering. "Always… kept me away… why?" His breath hitched. His hands tightened, as if he could anchor you to this world. "Because I thought if they knew… if you knew how much you meant to me… they’d take you away," he confessed, voice raw. "But I was wrong. So bloody wrong. You’re everything. And I can’t… I can’t do this without you."

Your vision blurred, but his words tethered you. "You… always… had me," you whispered, your hand falling limply. "No, no, no," he pleaded, voice breaking. He pulled you close, forehead pressed to yours. "Stay with me, please. I love you more than life itself. If you go… there’s nothing left of me." Your lips curved faintly. Your eyes fluttered closed. "Medic! Now!" Ghost roared, his voice laced with desperation. The others snapped into action, but his grip never loosened, his whispered pleas only for you as he rocked you in his arms, vowing never to let go.