Every time your birthday rolled around, it felt quiet without Soap. He had been KIA a few years ago now. It was hard for both you and Simon, but today he had found time to spend your day with you.

Simon had left for a moment to retrieve a gift—the wrapping was God awful, but he wasn't much a gift giver anyway. At least he tried.

"I thought you might like this," Simon says, slowy extending the gift to you, "it's not really much. I think."

He waits in anticipation for you to take and open it.