"Price?" I asked as I stepped into his quarters. 

The Captain reared his head to look at me and a half-charmed grin appeared on his mouth. "Oh, (Y/N), come in." He pulled a chair for the corner of the room and scooted it towards me. "Have a seat. What's going on?"

I sat down in the chair and folded my hands; it felt kind of strange not standing in his company, and it was even more intimidating to have him standing over me as we talked, contrasting our usual conversations standing face to face. "I'm not sure if MacMillain told you yet, but I figured I'd just be sure you knew: I'm packing my things tonight to go with Alpha Team to Russia."

His brows set, but he was chuckling. "You're abandoning me for that motley crew? Lord, I must have done something really wrong..." But then his humour faded and he looked a tad more serious. "Why are you going with them? You're Bravo Team."

"I know," I said. "But they needed someone to help them navigate the area a little better, since they're having such a hard time avoiding ambushes and what not, and I know how to do it. So... I asked Mac and offered to join them; he said I could."

Price stood motionless, his steely blue eyes fixated on me. "... You went above my head to go with them?"

I nodded slowly, realizing that I hadn't even given him a chance to talk about it with me.

He pulled up his own chair and sat down across from me, resting his elbows on his knees and leaning forward with a deep sigh. "... You realize how dangerous their missions are, don't you? A lot of those men don't come back."

I smirked at him. "Yeah, I know, but to quote Eowyn from Lord of the Rings, 'I am no man'." I giggled. "I know how dangerous it is, but remember, I don't run from danger; I run to it."

"That's what scares me..." he said, trying to smile, although there was a gravity of truth in his statement. "How long will you be gone?"

I hesitated. "... For the foreseeable future, sir."

His brows raised.

"They said it could just be for a year, but it could also be until the war ends. It just depends on how long they need me."

He looked down at his hands. "Well, I'm glad you're going with them. It's just such a shame that we have to let you go so soon."

My heart sank a little when he looked up at me again. Price and I had grown so close over the last year, and to leave him right then was a very hard decision, but I knew I couldn't let Alpha team get slaughtered if it could be avoided. I knew the Ultranationalist tactics like the back of my hand; hell, I ate, slept, and breathed everything Ultranationalist for the last year! Alpha Team needed me. 

I slowly rose to my feet. "John," I said, causing a visible jolt down his spine. "If I could find a way to help them and still stay here with you and Bravo Team, I would. Don't think I'm jumping at my first chance to leave you guys." I touched my hand to his shoulder with a soft grin.

Price pursed his lips and patted my hand. "I understand." He stood. "Go get packed; I don't want you to miss your flight out of here."

Eighteen months had gone by, and Price had not heard a word from me. Radio silence was a necessity in Russia, as it was incredibly complicated to keep the Ultranationalists from tapping into our com links and other communications. I would have sent letters, but honestly, I was too worried someone would intercept my message; whether it contained sensitive information or not, I didn't want anyone reading what I had to say to Captain Price

... Especially not my new leader, Captain Young. He didn't even like remotely intimate friendships between different ranks. Sergeants could interact with sergeants, privates with privates, and so on. My friendship with Price- if it was even just that- would be frowned upon by Young, and I didn't want to chance any kind of drama with him and MacMillain if they were too concerned about it. 

But all that time without him made me miss him all the more. I wanted to see his face again and hear his voice. But thank God I wouldn't have to worry about that much longer.

I was coming home.

"Soap!" I whispered shrilly as the Lieutenant strolled by me. 

He stopped and gave a start when he saw me. "(Y/N)! You're home? When did ya get back...?"

I slapped a hand over his mouth with a long, obnoxious, "SSHHHHH!!!!" I released his head long enough to let him breathe. "Not so loud! No one else knows I'm home yet."

"Why not?" he asked in a hushed tone.

"Because I wanted to surprise Price, and I don't want anyone to tell him." I sighed. "I might need some help."

Soap smiled. "Really? I think I could be of some assistance..."

"Price!" Ghost called, running into Price's quarters. "Price, come quick!"

The Captain turned around with a shocked expression. "What, Ghost? What's happened?"

"We got a package from Russia, sir- a large one. It has a note on it; we think it's from Makarov."

His nape bristled and he ran after Ghost to see the package. They both stopped inside a gathering hall to see a rather large, wooden crate with an envelope on top with the Ultranationalist seal on it. Price pulled it off and opened it, all of Bravo Team watching him with eager faces to hear what it said.

Price read aloud, "It seems we haven't had much time to talk; maybe this will close the distance?" He looked at Soap. "... What the hell does that mean? Do you know what's in the crate?"

"No idea, sir." he replied.

The Captain hesitantly pried at the lid only to feel it move freely away from the opening. Whatever it was, Makarov didn't seem terribly worried about it getting damaged. He pulled the lid back to look inside.

He gasped as I leaped out and threw my arms around his neck. His cry of terror turned into a nervous laugh. "Bloody hell, woman!" he yelped. "The least you could do is send yourself from Alpha Team; I thought you were Ultranationalist supplies!" He wrapped me in his arms as he laughed, burying his face in my neck.

I held him in a tight hug. "That would take the fun out of it, though." My fingers played along his spine and shoulders. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too." he hummed. He then held me at arms length. "How long are you home?"

My smile broadened. "For the 'foreseeable future.' We knocked out the Ultranationalist communication centers in the south, so they don't need me anymore."

He smiled again and pulled me into another hug.

The team was a confusing blurb of joyful exclamations, laughing, and joshing Price. They were so busy delighting in the home coming that they hardly seemed to notice when Price pulled away and held my face.

But not one man in the room neglected to notice when he planted a kiss on my lips. Soap and Ghost gave an, "Ooooh!" while Roach tuned pink with surprise, and the Privates yelled their own versions of, "Get some!" Normally I would have told all of them to sod off, but I was too busy being caught up in the moment to do anything. 

John pulled away again, but in the mere second it took for me to recover, I kissed him again. I'd been gone far too long to just let him get away with only one kiss. 

Later that night John and I sat on the porch swing in front of his house watching the stars glinting on the blanket of blue sky. His arm was draped over my shoulders, and my head rest on his chest. I could hear his heart beating steady and strong, and his soft breathing in my ear. I reached up and put my hand to his cheek to guide his mouth down to mine again.

"I've missed you so much, (Y/N)." he crooned.

I smiled. "I've missed you, too John." I said as I kissed him again.

His hand suddenly clutched mine. "What so you say we make up for lost time inside."

"What would be different if we made up out here?"

"... Specifically upstairs in the bedroom...?"

A blush touched my cheeks, but I couldn't say no to his offer. More than anything right then, I wanted that. I nodded, and hee took my by the hand and led me inside, both of us giggling like children the whole way.