Her heart stops for a moment, her movement freezes, and time stands still. The voice was dark and cool, but even through the doors, she could hear the concern in the voice. The voice with the British accent, the voice she thought she would never hear again. Ghost's voice.

Everything starts to spin before her eyes. Is she already hallucinating? No, no, that was just impossible. But the voice. The pounding begins to fade into the background. She was completely empty. Was it already this far, was this really the end? Her gaze flicks for a moment to Bones, who stands on the floor in front of her. He had stopped eating and lifted his gaze. He looked toward the door. He had heard something too. The pounding continues. Someone was really at the door. Again, the voice. "Amalia, please!" It was the same voice again. It was his voice. Her legs start moving on their own. Slowly, hesitantly. How could this be? The steps echoed through the hallway. The ringing.

Suddenly, the hallway was longer than before. She starts to walk slowly, while everything around her shifts. The walls were no longer the same, the doors started to blur. But for Amalia, only the door in front of her remains in focus. The pounding starts again. Is the door actually moving, or is it part of her reaction? She feels movement under her legs. Bones notices how nervous she is; she doesn't know what's going on, she just knows that Amalia is nervous. It was like during training. He presses himself between her legs, ready to pounce but also ready to follow her lead for the moment. Above all, it gives her a sense of security.

She gets closer but stops in front of the door for now. It was dark. She sees the light shining through the keyhole. The sunbeam makes the dust dance through the room. She reaches out her hand and watches as the dust continues to move through her motion. It holds her for a moment. She hasn't cared about anything for a long time. She hears someone banging on the door again. The strength starts to fade slowly. "Come on, I know you're in there. Please, open the door!" Her hand hangs in the air a few meters before the door. It was painful, just the thought that it could really be him. It was hope and pain that completely overwhelmed her.

Opening the door could provide her with all the answers. It could tell her if she was just hearing things. But it would destroy the hope; it would shatter that little feeling of happiness inside her forever. Again. Her hand starts trembling. Bones starts growling beneath her. The knocking stops for a moment. "Bones?" The growling stops immediately, and he starts whining softly. He hears it too.

"Amalia, if you don't open the door, I'm going to break it down. You know I can do that!" His voice had changed. It was still concerned, but now it was serious. She knew he would do it. He would do anything to make sure his family was safe. But he couldn't do everything anymore; he was dead. Her hand starts to pull back. Ghost was dead; he couldn't be standing outside her door. "Amalia, I'm counting down...!"

The woman closes her eyes. And what if not? What if there's still a chance? "5" But why would Soap lie to her? They were a family, after all. They didn't lie; they stuck together, always. "4" And yet it was the voice. The way of speaking. Bones' reaction. "3" And what could happen to her anyway? If she opens the door and it's not him. She could just close the door again, and nothing would change. "2" And if it really was him... then she would get an explanation.

Even as the thought flashes through her mind, she reaches out her hand and wraps it around the doorknob. She hadn't held it in her hand for so long that it felt wrong. She quickly throws the door open and looks at the person in front of her.

Ghost. He stands in front of her and just stares at her. He's wearing regular clothes, but he still has his mask over his face. In his hand, two bags. Probably the groceries for this week. His gaze is shocked as he looks Amalia up and down. Then Bones jumps out from under her legs and onto Ghost. Amalia can't move, she just looks at the other. How can this be?

"Whoa, Bones, calm down!" The voice... it was really his. He sets the bags down beside him before getting down on his knees and gently stroking the dog. "Ghost!" her voice is still incredibly hoarse. Ghost immediately lifts his head again to look at her. This time, his gaze falls on her arm. "You're bleeding. What happened?" Ghost reaches out his hand and takes hold of Amalia's arm. His touch was cautious but gentle. Despite the gloves, he was warm. The slight touch jolts the woman out of her thoughts. This was really Ghost; Ghost wasn't dead. She starts to realize what has really happened. She draws back her hand and hits Ghost in the face with all her might, while tears slowly make their way down her face. His face turns away for a moment due to the blow. He lets go of her hand and puts it confusedly on his cheek. "What was that for?" Ghost asks, momentarily confused. The woman shakes her head. "You're a damn asshole. Shit, I thought you were dead!" She doesn't know how she manages to scream; she doesn't know where she finds this strength. Maybe it had been inside her the whole time. Maybe it was the desperation she had directed against herself all along.

Ghost pauses and just looks at her for a moment. There was pain in his gaze. "I'm sorry... Amalia, really... I didn't want to, I...!" Her tears get worse as she takes a step forward and wraps her arms around the soldier in front of her. He's alive, he's still alive. Ghost immediately wraps his arms around the woman and holds her tightly. It wasn't a dream.