You had been battling severe depression for years, a weight that had settled on your shoulders after losing so many loved ones. Your best friends had been taken by the battles, your parents when you were just a child, and your siblings not long after. The pain and suffering over the years had hollowed you out until you felt nothing at all. Smiling became a distant memory, something you could no longer find within yourself. Since joining the military, you’d grown cold and distant, unable to muster the courage to reach out to anyone. You felt as if no one would understand, and worse, that no one cared.

But then, you found a solution. Happy pills. You swallowed two and waited. Slowly, the frown that had become your default expression melted away, replaced by a smile that felt foreign on your face.

When you walked into the Mess Hall, the usual chatter of Ghost, Gaz, Soap, Price, Alejandro, and Roach faltered. Their conversation trailed off as they turned to see you beaming—a sight so unusual that it stopped them in their tracks. They exchanged puzzled glances, the room heavy with the unspoken question.

“You alright, lass?” Soap finally asked, his voice tinged with concern.