The trial finally came. It took place during the second week of May. Katie was sitting in the witness box, telling all of the details she remembered from the robbery.  Soap was there. Ghost sat in the back, waiting for her to be excused so he could protect her when she left the building. No one was prepared for what happened next.

Katie was leaving the courthouse with Ghost behind her. Soap stayed back, knowing the press might be there. Suddenly, he heard the sound of glass breaking, and Katie screaming.
"Bloody hell!"
He screamed.
The crowd went wild and started shouting.
"It's an acid attack! Get the fuck outta here!" Ghost shouted over the din. Soap jumped into action, rushing out of the courtroom.
"Katie!" He yelled frantically, running towards where she fell. A shattered bottle lay near her, a smoking liquid pooling around her.
"Katie! Are you okay?!" He knelt next to her and grabbed her wrist, turning it. She was trying to get her coat off, which was smoking as the corrosive liquid ate away the fabric.
"Oh god..." she breathed out, trying not to cry. Blood trickled down her chin. Soap yanked her coat off and tried pouring his water bottle over her arm where the acid hit.

The trip to the hospital was frantic, but the doctors knew what they needed to do. Katie was okay; the acid didn't make much contact with her skin to cause a major burn, and she had some minor cuts from the glass.

"Katie, let's get away for a while," Soap said when they got home.
"Where?"
"My family has a cottage back in Scotland. Why don't we go there for a while? It's out in the country, there shouldn't be any risk of people finding us."
Katie agreed instantly. They packed a few bags and headed into the night, heading into Scotland. The journey took almost a whole day.
When they finally reached the cabin, it was surrounded by trees. A big deck wrapped around in an L-shape. There was a stone fireplace inside, with a deerskin rug in front of it. In a corner was a wood stove.
"How long do you plan on staying here?" She asked curiously.
"As long as you need. There's running water, and everything is solar-powered.  Everything is fully stocked. We'll find somewhere else to live too once we figure things out...I'm just happy you're safe." Soap explained.
Katie nodded, looking thoughtful.
"Can we cook something for dinner tonight?" Katie wondered.
"If you'd like. I think there's some cans of soup in the cupboard." He replied. He made them some soup for dinner. They sat together at the table talking about anything and everything until the sun went down. Katie was drained from the long drive, and they decided to go to bed.
They woke up the next morning, Katie lying in Soap's arms while he slept peacefully. He stirred slightly, tightening his grip around her. He kissed the top of her head before waking her.
"Morning sunshine. Time for breakfast?" He asked.
"Yeah...but maybe later? I'm really tired," she yawned.
"Sure thing. Breakfast sounds fine to me."
They made pancakes and eggs. After eating breakfast, they walked outside.
Soap stood with his arm wrapped around her waist.
"How about a walk in the woods? We'll explore some. I would spend hours out here when I was a boy. " He suggested.
"Okay."
They set off into the forest together, walking through some fallen leaves that crunched under their shoes.
"This used to be my favorite place." He smiled nostalgically.
"Really?" Katie glanced at him questioningly.
"I'd be out here sometimes with my cousins and siblings. We'd pretend it was the Middle Ages. I always wanted to play the hero. I'd climb the trees with my toy sword, imagining I had to fight my way through hordes of enemies. And then my dad would always say, 'Be careful, you can fall and break your neck,' and we'd laugh. When I was older, I'd come out here and hunt and fish. My dad and I loved the outdoors."
Katie thought about what he was saying. She remembered the times she'd spent playing in the woods. She remembered the thrill she felt whenever she'd hear birds singing in the distance. It sounded like an old friend. The leaves were fully green, and warm sunlight filtered through other branches.
Small animals skittered across the ground and ran off into the woods. It was peaceful.
They continued walking for a few minutes, enjoying the peace that blanketed the area. Then, Katie heard the rustling of trees, and Soap pointed to a female deer. A tiny fawn followed her, running alongside her mother. It was a cute little creature. Katie looked over at Soap, grinning at him.

"Wow!" She breathed.
"She's a beauty. Come on love, let's take a picture of her and the baby." He grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the tree. They snapped the pictures and Soap handed her his phone.
"Thank you. This is so nice."

When the deer left, Soap pulled Katie down another trail.
"Come on, there's something you're going to love!" he beamed,  his eyes practically shining.
A few moments later, they reached their destination.
It was beautiful. A pond filled with blue, turquoise water sat in a large clearing surrounded by trees. Small white flowers were dotted here and there.  A small waterfall was falling into the lake below them. The air smelled sweetly of moss and lavender. The entire area felt magical.
"Beautiful. Thank you Soap." Katie smiled.
"Anything for you." He smiled happily back at her, kissing her forehead softly.
"Let's go sit under the tree. The sunlight will probably feel good after being cooped up inside all day," he said.
Soap led Katie to a spot under the tree, and they sat down.
"Do you want to stay like this for a while?" He asked.
"Yeah....let's just sit here for a bit." Katie closed her eyes. Soap pulled her against his chest. She rested her head on his shoulder and he began running his fingers gently through her hair.

"There's some standing stones around here too. There's a family legend that says these rocks were worshipped by the Picts long ago, and that it's one of their main sacred places. It's been there for as long as anyone can remember. We should look at them tomorrow. If we're lucky, we might get lucky and see something interesting," he chuckled.
"You mean like ghosts or fairies?" She teased.
"Maybe both."
"Sounds perfect," she mumbled. She laid her head on his lap, closing her eyes.
"You are the most precious thing in the world to me. Every single day I am thankful. I know that my job won't make it easy, but I wouldn't mind you being with me forever."
"Me neither," she whispered. Her heart swelled with happiness and warmth at his words. Soap continued stroking her hair gently, keeping silent.
After a while, they decided to circle back to the cabin.
Once they were back, Katie collapsed onto the couch, still holding Soap's hand. They ate dinner, Katie making flatbread over the firepit. Soap made a fire in the fireplace, and he and Katie sat on the rug in front, enjoying its warmth. He kissed her neck,  and she giggled.
"What is it?"
"I haven't laughed in ages. You have no idea how good it feels," she sighed.
"Good. I hope I've been able to bring a smile to your face today." He told her honestly. She kissed his mouth softly. He buried his fingers in her soft hair, deepening the kiss. She moved to straddle his lap, and he placed a knee between her legs, pressing himself against her hardening core. His hands slid down her hips, gripping her ass tightly.
"Soo....can we...?" She stuttered nervously.
"Of course." Soap whispered huskily.
Katie slid his t-shirt off, revealing his muscled torso. A few tattoos were inked on his arms, and she ran her fingers lightly across them. He moaned quietly at her touch, leaning in to kiss her passionately. She broke the kiss, staring deeply into his eyes, her lips red and swollen from his kisses. His eyes glistened with lust and desire.
Her hands were exploring his chest and stomach. Soap gripped her shoulders,  pulling her closer to him until she straddled his lap completely. They both groaned as they kissed again. Soap slipped his hand underneath her shirt, tracing the outline of her body. He lifted his hand away and started unbuttoning her blouse.
"Are you sure?" she asked breathlessly.
"More than sure." He husked, his hands unbuttoning her jeans. He pulled them off roughly, tossing them onto the rough hardwood floor. They both lay back in the rug, tangled in each other's limbs. Her eyes fluttered closed. He watched her breathing slow, feeling the rise and fall of her breast against his chest. He leaned forward, trailing butterfly kisses along her jawline and collarbone.
Her skin burned beneath his caresses. His strong hand ran along her smooth back, unclasping her bra.
"Sweetheart, you're perfect," Soap whispered, lifting her and carrying her bridal style to the bed.
"Johnny, wait..." Katie said, sitting up and pulling a blanket over herself.
"What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?"
"No, no, nothing. It's just..." she sighed, "I've never had sex before..."
"Oh, honey...this is something special. It's very different than anything we've done before. You'll be fine. Trust me."
He climbed in beside her, wrapping his arms around her. Her slender hands undid his belt and jeans, and she pushed them down. He was wearing grey boxer briefs. His hand cupped her face, turning her towards him and kissing her softly.
"Relax. Don't be nervous, I promise you," he whispered. Katie smiled shyly, and she allowed him to pull her close. He gently traced patterns on her naked back, sending shivers down her spine. He gently removed her underwear,  slipping it aside. Her nipples hardened instantly at the sight of him. They pressed against his stomach, causing him to chuckle.
"You're so beautiful," he whispered, placing a tender kiss on her belly. His tongue brushed against her navel, causing goosebumps to erupt on her bare skin. His strong fingers went to her cleft, and he stroked it gently, feeling her getting wet. He rubbed her gently, moving slowly to pleasure her.
"I'm so hot," Katie moaned. He kissed her gently, letting his tongue slip past her teeth.
"You're burning up, but then, you'll let go and I'll catch you." Katie arched as the tension increased. He massaged her clitoris, causing her to moan loudly. A slight tremor raced through her, and he continued teasing her with his finger. Finally, she came apart in his hands, moaning his name softly.
"Oh, Johnny....you feel amazing....so wonderful...." she gasped as her legs trembled uncontrollably. She sank back into the mattress, panting.
"That was just the first part...it gets better." He grinned wickedly. His hand traveled down her side, brushing over her waist. Her body jolted slightly, a shiver of anticipation running through her.
"Hold onto me..." he whispered. Katie looped her arms around his torso.
"Don't worry, if I do this gently, it shouldn't hurt."
Katie nodded silently, biting her lip anxiously.
With great care, Soap brought himself to her, slowly pushing into her. She let out an audible gasp, her body tensing slightly.
"You okay?" He muttered lowly.
"Just...give me a second."
He entered her as gently as he could, not wanting to hurt her. She was so tight. It hurt slightly, but it didn't stop him from trying harder. Her muscles clamped down on his cock and he thrust into her with more strength. He groaned as her warm, silky walls clenched tightly around him.
Soon he was coming as well, and he grabbed her tightly, burying his face in her neck.
"Steaming Hell!" He groaned, collapsing next to her. They were both spent and sated, panting heavily.
Katie curled up on him, resting her head on his chest. He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer. He pressed soft kisses against her cheek.
"I love you," she mumbled sleepily.
"I love you, too. " He replied, tightening his embrace on her.
"It was nice to spend time with you today.....and just to relax....with you, I felt...like nothing mattered anymore. Like maybe...just maybe, I could live my whole life like this." She yawned.
"What would you do when I have to go on missions?  Would you be okay without me?" He asked quietly.
She thought about it for a minute, thinking about the possibility of never seeing him again. She hated what would happen if he were to leave. It was hard enough already. She knew she couldn't let him go.
"I'll find a way to cope...as long as I know you're safe. I don't think I could handle losing you. Not after everything."
Soap hugged her tightly, pressing a kiss to her forehead. He was glad she was so happy now. He pulled her close to him, playing with her honey-gold hair.
"My lovely lass, I'll always protect you no matter what."