Turning the band on your finger usually brought you peace, but that day it did nothing to soothe your pounding heart as you stared into the distance at the field where your husband had been killed two years earlier. You could still see the scorch marks and barren ground where he had bravely put up his last fight as Koni soldiers closed in on him. He never opened his mouth to cry out as bullets ripped through his clothing, but your scream was still etched in your mind. You had been dragged away, still pleading to save him, when you saw him fall, broken, to the earth.

"Y/N," Alex bumped your shoulder with his wrist. "You still with me?"

You blinked the memory away and adjusted your plate carrier. "Yeah, sorry. This place just brings back memories..."

He pursed his lips in a sad grin. "The anniversary was not too long ago, right?"

"Two weeks and four days ago. I still miss..." Your throat closed up before you could say it. Fuck, you still couldn't bear to say his name out loud. "I still miss him."

"Price was a good leader, and an even better man. It's still hard to believe he's gone." After a moment of sullen silence, Alex motioned you with him. "C'mon, Farrah's waitin' on us."

Your eyes felt heavy as they scanned the horizon for movement, longing to glance back at the field once more. "Can't believe we finally got this place out of Koni hands and I've already got to go back to England."

"You fought well, and we appreciate your help," said Farrah as you came closer to the base's front gate. "I'm sure the Captain would have been proud."

"Thank you."

"Your evac is on the way, you should get yourself ready to go."

You scuffed a foot on the sand and followed her inside the gate. "I hate to ask for favors, but can't you tell them you still need me here? Koni still poses a threat to this place."

"And we'll be able to handle it if they try to return. I appreciate all you've done for me and my army, Y/N," she said, squeezing a hand on your shoulder. "But I know 141 will need you back soon." You forced a defeated grin and she saluted you as she walked away. "We will meet again! Hopefully next time in an era of peace."

—

Makarov's bunker was a beast to get into, even when he wasn't there. But the team wasn't there for the Koni Commander. A VIP, one of Makarov's prized possessions, was locked in this location, and he needed to be retrieved.

Ghost led the team back into the helicopter, barely missing a bullet to the helmet as he went, and hauled the bound prisoner aboard, Soap and Gaz quickly on his heels. "Fuck me, you think they noticed we're here?"

"Not at all, sir," Soap replied, his mouth curving into a white smile over his dirty face.

The helicopter shuttered and lifted from the ground, more bullets clattered off the sides of the craft. Gaz laid his head back with a sigh. "Bloody hell, I didn't think they'd let us out of there alive."

"Yeah, they really didn't want to let that guy go," said Soap. "Now let's see who this bastard is so we can taunt Makarov with him next time he calls."

Ghost grasped the rough sackcloth around the VIP's head and tore it off to reveal his face. "Sorry to do this to you, mate. It's for our-" He dropped the back to the floor and backed away, the words caught in his throat.

Gaz was quick to stand, nearly staggering sideways as the helicopter bumped with turbulence. "Price??"

John's blue eyes were heavy as he looked them each in the face, a weary smile slowly creeping across his mouth. "I was hoping you would show up sooner or later."

Ghost swiftly unbound his hands and shook one heartily. "Good to see you in one piece, Captain Price."

"Good to see you, too, Captain Riley."

"So we're not going to ask how this cheeky bastard is alive right now when we all watched him die two years ago?" Soap interjected slowly.

"They were going to let me, but Makarov said I was more valuable alive. He's done everything I'm his power to keep me alive since."

"Guess broken clocks are right twice a day." Gaz reached out and shook his hand. "Good to see you again, sir."

"Likewise." He rested his head on the seat back and breathed out a long breath before his eyes suddenly snapped open again. "Wait. Y/N, where is she? Why isn't she here?"

Soap motioned him to be easy. "She's in Verdansk helpin' Farrah and her army along with a handful of others from 141. Her mission should be just about over now."

He nodded solemnly, staring out the open door at dark ocean water whisking by. "Understood. Good..."

—

He still remembered all the streets like the back of his own hand, and each turn brought a strong sense of nostalgia with it. He was getting close, and his heart pounded wildly. There was so much he wanted to say, so much to catch up on. How had you been since he was gone? What has changed in his in his absence?

John froze at the sight of a car he didn't recognize in the driveway. Maybe you had just bought a new one. He walked past it and saw a humidor in the passenger seat. You didn't smoke cigars. No, he was reading too much into things, it would be okay. He finally stepped up on the porch and raised a hand to knock.

Doubt rooted him in place. What if nothing was the same as when he left? What if you had moved on, and his return might only confuse you? He stepped back and put his hand down at his side. Maybe it would be better if he kept his distance for now. With one last glance at your bedroom light, he walked away.

—

Despite not wanting to return, it was nice to be in London again. You saluted at the Captain's arrival and his eyes looked unusually bright. "Good morning, Captain Riley."

"Good morning, Y/N. How was Verdansk?"

"Wild, but we got Koni on the run," you said as you fidgeted with the band on your finger.

He hummed quietly in response. "Did Price make it home alright?"

You froze. "... what the fuck?"

Ghost's brows furrowed. "Did he not come home...?"

"No, Ghost, you held me back as he died two years ago, remember?" He opened his mouth to speak again but you cut him off. "No, you know this time of year is hard for me; why would you say something like that?" You shook your head and walked out toward formation.

"Hey, Y/N!" Gaz called when he saw your face. "Did you and Price have a good weekend?"

Your disgust welled up as tears in your eyes. "Fuck, you too?" Gaz looked confused. "Yes, I spent my two days off grieving because I couldn't do it in Verdansk. I popped a beer and left it by a picture of him on my mantle and finished off each day crying myself to sleep. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Wha- no! What are-"

"Fuck this," you snarled. "I'm going home. I can't do this today. Riley can report me AWOL if he wants, I don't care."

As you walked away, Ghost came to a halt beside Gaz, his phone pressed to his ear. A groggy voice answered on the other end. "You didn't go home?" the Captain rasped.

John sat up in bed and raked his fingers through his untamed brown locks. "No... Laswell got me a hotel room."

"It's been two days, Price, and you didn't tell your wife you're home?! We just made fools of ourselves asking Y/N how your weekend was together, and she still thinks you're dead!"

His head sank. "I didn't think I should disrupt her night by coming home."

"Go home, John. If nothing else, she just needs to see you."

—

Dinner didn't appeal to you as you lackadaisically swirled a glass of wine. Tears stung your eyes but never fell as you gazed longingly at a picture of him on your bookshelf across the room. You had avoided looking at it for so long, it felt foreign now.

The soft knock at your door certainly couldn't be Captain Riley. You sniffed and wiped the traces of tears from your eyes so you were at least half presentable when you opened the door.

John's steely blue eyes met yours and you nearly collapsed. "What...? No, you...?"

His frame was thinner now, but he still stood tall and strong like a Captain. His brows curved low onto his eyes and he stepped closer, prepared to catch you if you took a dive for the floor. "Hey," he hummed softly. "I heard what happened this morning, I'm so sorry I didn't come home earlier. Ghost and Gaz didn't mean anything by what they said, it was my fault..."

You reached up to touch his face, as if afraid he might be imaginary. Suddenly you stopped and pushed him back away from you; he didn't budge. "Sorry... sorry? What the fuck?!" You pushed his hands away and bared your teeth at him. "I watched you fucking die, and now it turns out you're alive and home, and all you can say is sorry?! And the team knew about it before I did??"

"I know, it was a mistake..."

"Why wouldn't you immediately come home? Or just tell me you're okay?"

"I didn't think you wanted to see me." He averted his eyes and his throat bobbed with a hard swallow. "It's been two years, Y/N, and I was afraid if you had chosen to move on with your life, coming home might only make it harder on you."

"Move on?" you echoed.

"... I came back the first night I was home..."

"What?!"

"I saw the car in the drive with the cigars in the seat. The car might be yours, but the cigars... you don't smoke..."

You slipped the band off your finger and held it in inch from his nose. "You think I could just move on when I promised you were my one and only? Do you think two years undoes everything we had? Do you??" He was solemnly silent as you continued. "The car is mine and so are the cigars. I started smoking yours when you were gone because it made me feel close to you." You wiped away more brimming tears with the back of your hand. "I could never forget how much I love you, so why in God's name would you think I didn't want you to come home? I still love you!"

John instantly crushed you in a hug, burying his face in your neck. Your body shook with sobs and you clutched his shirt, trying desperately not to crumble to pieces on the floor. He kissed your head and your cheek, careful to wipe away your tears and tuck a few unruly strands of hair out of your eyes. "I love you, too, Y/N. I love you, and I'm here now. I'm sorry it took so long."

You squeezed him tighter and kissed his face, pulling his face closer to kiss his mouth. "I'm angry at you, but, God, I'm so glad you're home." You kissed him again. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too," he murmured, voice cracking at the edges. "For two years, I only dreamed of seeing you- holding you- again. It still feels like I'm dreaming..."

You kissed his neck under his jaw and you heard him stifle a gap. "Me, too... I don't want to wake up."

He held your fingers to his lips and breathed out a long, weary sigh. "What if you woke up next to me?"

A brush of excitement warmed your chest and you kissed him again, wiping away one last tear. "I would like that..."