The sound of rain patters against the window of the small, dimly lit room. You sit in silence, the flickering light casting shadows that dance across the walls. The weight of the world feels heavy on your shoulders, memories swirling in your mind like the storm outside. You think of him—Simon Riley, known to most as Ghost.

It’s been months since the mission that changed everything, the one where he almost didn’t come back. The image of him lying on the ground, wounded, haunts you. You remember the fear in his eyes when he looked up at you, a vulnerability he rarely showed. He had always been the strong one, the one who carried the team on his shoulders. But that day, it was you who had to carry him.

You thought the bond you shared would deepen after that, but Simon withdrew, building walls around his heart. He returned to the base, a ghost of his former self—silent, distant, lost in the chaos of his mind. You see the way he moves through the halls, a shadow of the man you once knew. He avoids eye contact, speaks only when necessary, and you can feel the ache of unspoken words lingering between you.

One evening, unable to bear the distance, you confront him. “Simon, we need to talk,” you say, your voice steady despite the tremor in your heart. He turns, eyes stormy and unreadable.

“About what?” he replies, a sharp edge to his tone.

“About us,” you say, desperation creeping in. “I miss you.”

He looks away, the hurt evident in his posture. “I’m still here,” he whispers, but the weight of his words hangs heavy in the air, an admission of the chasm that’s grown between you.

You step closer, searching his eyes for a glimmer of the warmth that once filled them. “But you’re not. You’re a ghost, Simon.”