PRICE PUTS his hand on her back and gently leads her out of the room. He gives her a knowing look as Nikolai comes into the room and sits down, Price shutting the door. Gaz and Soap stand in the hallway silently.

"That was... intense," Gaz says with a half chuckle.

Ellie goes to reply but then feels a slight warmth of liquid with the intensity of what feels now like uterine cramps. She mutters to herself and walks down the hall, Soap asking where she's going. She doesn't respond as she goes to the office she's sleeping in, slumping on the old couch, hands pressed against her lower abdomen as she tries to ignore the feeling that gains strength.  Walking quickly to the bathroom she sees blood on her pants.

"You can't be serious," she whispers harshly to herself, grabbing a few paper towels to use until she can find something else.

It's been a long time since she's had her cycle. The stress from last year has made them scarce and if it ever comes, it's light and spotty. But this is what it was like for her before. Painful right out of the gate. And it explains the sour mood she's been fighting as well. Her extra emotional moments. She grabs her phone and dials for Laswell.

When she answers, Ellie asks what she can do. Laswell tells her to improvise until she can get her the supplies she needs. "Can I beg you for some Midol, Kate?" Ellie asks over the line, standing after getting herself situated.

"I'll do what I can for you, kid. I promise. How'd it go with Andrei?"

The memory of his screams and cursing comes back to her mind. "Not great. I kind of ripped one of his kneecaps off. Now I have my period. Which explains things... I hope you were able to figure things out. I think Ghost is taking out a lot of his frustration on him now that Price came in for me. We didn't get anywhere while I was in there."

"His kneecap? Nice work. But, I did get a lot of intel. Grab John and I'll see you on the call in about an hour. Try and gather yourself. I know it's not easy for that time of the month on the job."

"Understatement," Ellie mumbles, hand clenched over her abdomen as a cramp ramps up. "Who knew not giving your uterus the child it wants would have such severe consequences."

Laswell laughs on the other end of the call. "Hang in there, Ellie."

She hangs up and Ellie sighs. The urge to crawl into a warm bed and sleep has hit her like a ton of bricks. The next few days are going to be full of discomfort. She changes her pants and tries to get situated as best she can, leaving the room and going back to the boys. They're all out in the hallway and she is surprised.

"How's it going?" she asks.

"He's... done," Price states, shifting the weight on his legs.

She raises an eyebrow. "He gave intel?"

He shakes his head, Ellie looking over to Ghost who is propped against the wall, eyes closed and fists bloodied.

"Oh."

"He wasn't going to give anything," Price adds. "He has too much blind faith in Makarov. He wasn't breaking."

"Well, I have good news," Ellie says flatly. "Laswell said she got a good bit of info. Said to get on call in about an hour."

"So this wasn't a total bust," Gaz mutters. "That's good. Let's hope she got something worthwhile."

They go to set up for the call, Price grabbing Ellie's arm and making her hang back with him in the hallway. Ghost looks over his shoulder, glancing for a few seconds before walking into the room. As they stand there, Ellie crosses her arms over her chest. The insecure feeling of her possibly bleeding through her clothes hits her and she grits her teeth as a cramp comes on. She hates not knowing if anything is coming through and there's no other lady here she is comfortable enough to ask to check.

And she definitely doesn't want to bring it up to any of the guys. She knows they are grown men, but she doesn't want to talk about anything like that with them.

"You good?" Price asks firmly.

She looks at him gingerly. "What do you mean? I'm great."

"You ripped his kneecap off his leg. Just checking on you."

"I'm fine, Price. What do you want me to say?" she retorts shortly.

The sound of her aggravated tone comes back to her ears after she speaks, and Price's face gets more stone-like at the words.

"Careful," he warns. "You're still on probation here."

Ellie shuts her eyes. "I didn't mean for it to come out that way."

"I know he said a lot of personal things in there, but keep yourself in check."

"I promise, Price. I'm fine. I just... don't feel the best right now."

He grows concerned. "Are you feeling ill? Was it the blood?"

She shakes her head. "No, it's not that. Don't worry. I'm sorry... I didn't mean to be short with you. Can we just... move past it? And go see what Laswell has?"

Price is hesitant as he stands in the hallway, blue eyes looking over Ellie's face. "Fine. Let's go."

Laswell is early, and Gaz has her on the call already. She informs them that Makarov has been messaging Andrei non-stop. They are delivering someone or something to an abandoned Soviet prison complex, according to the messages on Andrei's phone. The location is in Siberia. Ellie thinks back to how just a few months ago they were in Siberia. When Ellie made a huge spectacle of jumping from the plane.

And how she got to share a tent alone with Ghost. And how she got his phone number. And how she got a great snipe shot with his help. The memory of his hand gentle on her back after she got that successful shot, the two words he told her have played in her head since then.

"Good girl."

Someone snaps in her face and Ellie comes back to reality and sees that all the guys are watching her in concern. She clears her throat in embarrassment. Price runs his hand over his beard and Ellie knows that is his tell-tale sign of irritation.

"I asked you if you were good, Ellison," Price says tightly.

"Sorry. I was... caught up in my own thoughts."

"Yeah? Something more important than this meeting? You're missing all of our plans. Do you have any idea what I just said?" he retorts harshly.

She sighs. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't catch... really any of what you said. Last I heard was we were going to Siberia."

Price laughs angrily and cusses under his breath. "What is going on with you right now? I thought you were an experienced interrogator but it seems to have gotten to you."

She starts to shake her head. "No! It's not that."

"What is it then?"

Ellie groans quietly as she grips the table. "I just... I don't feel good."

"You getting sick?" Soap asks.

"No... not that kind of ill." The men all look around at one another in confusion. Ellie huffs. "It feels like someone is carving the inside of my uterus with a knife. I'm hurting. But I'm fine. Sorry."

A look of realization comes across their features. Except Soap.

He narrows his eyes, starting to ask, "Why would you feel like-,"

Ghost interrupts, saying, "Shut up, Johnny."

"Alright," Price says, hands raised to make everyone stop talking. "Let's get our gear packed and ready to head out tomorrow morning. That's an order."

Ellie stands from the table awkwardly, cheeks burning as she rushes out of the room. She hears footsteps behind her and sees Ghost following her down the hallway. She stops at her doorway and looks at him nervously.

"I'm going to shower," he states. "When I'm done, I'm coming back here and we're finishing our talk, yeah?"

Ellie nods in response and Ghost walks away, leaving her to go inside the makeshift bedroom quietly. She waits for him on the couch and picks at her fingernails. Breaking the news to him won't be easy, but maybe he can still somehow forgive her.

About thirty minutes later he knocks on the door, waiting for her to open it and let him in. She does and offers him a small smile. He sits on the couch where she's been sleeping, arms spread and relaxed on the back and arm of the furniture piece. He watches her carefully.

"Sit." Ellie shuts the door and sits on the other end of the couch. "What else is there to tell me?" Stays quiet for a moment, Ghost saying, "I know there's something."

She sighs and runs her hands through her messy ponytail. "You really aren't gonna like this, Ghost. But I suppose I should tell you now before you find out from someone else. Cause if Phillip mentions any of it... I don't want to risk losing you if I haven't already."

He doesn't move on the couch. "Tell me."

Licking her lips nervously, she gathers her thoughts. "Do you remember back when we were working with KorTac? And we caught those Shadow members?"

He nods silently.

"Well, that's when they gave me a note that Phillip was alive. Laswell... she eventually arranged a meeting between us. He wanted to see me, but I wanted an apology. I wanted answers for what he did to us." Ellie shakes her head as she pauses. "So, I went to see him."

His gloved hands grip the back of the couch, short sleeve shirt showcasing his tense muscles, letting Ellie get a good look at the black ink that covers his arm. "Did you get the answers you wanted?" he asks carefully, words strained.

"No. He made things worse."

He cocks his head to the side, voice tight. "How's that?"

Ellie's heart is ramming against her ribcage. "He... wow, I don't even know if I can say it out loud." Her hands are on the sides of her face, pressed against her burning cheeks. She squirms on the couch.

"Say it," he whispers harshly.

She swallows thickly as she confesses, "He kissed me. And, he asked me to marry him."

The way Ghost's spine straightens is chilling. He stares at her for what seems like an eternity. Unblinking. "And?"

"And what?" she asks incredulously.

"What the hell did you say?" he spits out.

Ellie gives him a look of disbelief. "What do you think, Ghost? Do I look married to you? That was back in January, for goodness sake! It's November. I said no. I slapped him. I told him about us. He begged me on his knees for me to be with him. Wanted me to come with him." She gestures to herself sitting on the couch. "I'm here. The only reason I ever worked with him the few times I did was because Laswell wanted me to. And no, I didn't tell her about his proposal."

"I'm not sure what to say."

"I don't expect you to say anything, Ghost," Ellie sighs. "I don't. I want you to know the truth. I couldn't tell you. I've said the same to Price, Soap and I'll say it to whoever I need to until I'm blue in the face — I didn't enjoy keeping it from y'all. It ate away at me every night. And that kiss... that hurt. I didn't like keeping it from you, but I couldn't tell you! Because if I did, I'd have to betray Laswell's trust by revealing he was alive. And Ghost... this job comes with many secrets. You know that. There is probably a lot you can't tell me you've done. I won't hold it against you. I won't ask you to tell me. So, please... don't be mad at me. Please."

Ellie's eyes sting, and she squeezes her eyelids shut to keep from crying.

"If you're done with me, I can understand. But, all I ask is that you not give me the silent treatment. The cold shoulder. You're still my Lieutenant until Price decides he doesn't want me anymore," she stammers, throat becoming thick with tension as she suppresses her cries.

He shuts his eyes as he slowly takes off his mask. His eyes are bloodshot when he opens them.

"I don't fault you for keeping something confidential, Ellie," he finally says, voice laced with pain, deep and guttural. "I can't. I have so many things I can never tell you. Just seeing him on the screen after everything he's done... knowing he's not paid for any of it." He flexes his hands as he pauses. "Then Laswell telling us you've been working with the bastard on top of it all... saying it like it was the daily weather report." His hand runs through his light brown hair, messing it up. "You keeping your word to her isn't my problem."

"What is the problem?"

"Feeling like Phillip Graves is always going to come between us."

Her eyes widen slightly at his words. "He won't. He hasn't."

"You cared for him deeply. Now he's alive. And asking you to bloody marry him. How do I compete with that?" he demands, facing her fully.

"Compete?" she repeats in disbelief. "There is no competition. Anything that could potentially happen between him and me is long gone, Ghost. I don't want to be with him. If I did, I wouldn't be on this couch right now."

Ellie notices the twitch in his jaw before he speaks. His voice is firm. "Do you mean that?"

"Yes," she whispers back, nodding her head.

"You don't want him?"

"No."

"Who do you want?" he asks thickly. "I want you to say it."

She blinks fast, fighting the tears. "You."

"Say it."

"I want you."

He sets his jaw. "Just me."

"Yes. Only you."

His hand goes out, finger pointed at her as he leans in close. His features are hard and sharp. The brown in his eyes is ablaze as he speaks, voice low. "From now on, you understand that it's only me. And it's only you. No one else. There is no room for anyone or anything else. That's our agreement." His jaw twitches again. "I don't share with anyone. I don't toy with the idea of leaving if I'm giving myself to you. And I expect nothing but the same devotion in return. I am jealous. I am yours. You are mine. That's the deal you're making with me."

His voice has a hidden rage behind it as he practically growls out the last few words.

"Yes. That's the deal I'm making with you," Ellie states, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I promise you that. And you promise it in return?"

"I do," he whispers back. His hand finds hers for the first time in days. He gives it a gentle squeeze after their cathartic conversation. "And, love?"

"Yes?"

"If I see Phillip Graves, I'm going to kill him."

a/n:
screeching!!