call of duty · modern warfare · soap mactavish · traumatic brain injury · aphasia · hospital · recovery arc · task force 141 · angst · ghost
The hospital air was cold and antiseptic, a silent world far removed from the roar of gunfire that had almost taken him. Ghost sat like a statue in the chair beside the bed, his eyes locked on Johnny. His sergeant’s movements were uncoordinated, his speech thick and stumbling, each word a battle against the damage carved into his frontal lobe. Survival had been granted, but at a price that hung heavy in the quiet room. Johnny leaned forward suddenly, a spark of confused energy in his eyes, utterly unaware of the grief etched into Ghost’s still face. "Aye, you even listenin' to me? Ghost?" he asked, his voice straining against the weight of his injury.