Chapter Text
“Are you sure about this John?”
“I wouldn’t be asking if I wasn’t sure.”
Task force 141 had been talking about this for a long time. It was never an easy decision to make, especially in their line of work, and it was not something they took lightly.
They knew that the transition would be tricky, it would take work and patience from all of them, but they all had their hearts set on it.
“You know this is as easy as submitting a form, there is no need for me to be involved.” Kate continues.
John sighs, contemplating where to begin with their issue. While they had all agreed (eventually) that an omega should be added to their pack, it was more complicated than filling in a form and someone being assigned to them.
They needed something more specific, something that would be ‘odd’ to most.
The sound of Laswell typing snaps John out of his thoughts.
“We can’t just be sent anyone, Kate.” John says, Kate stops typing and waits for him to continue. “Me, Johnny and Kyle would be fine, for the most part. It’s Simon.” John sighs scrubbing a hand down his face and leans back in his office chair.
“Go on.” Laswell prompts when it becomes clear that John isn’t going to continue on his own.
Price takes a moment to gather his thoughts. The 141 is a great team, the best of the best, but the past few months’ something had been off. Not in the field, not yet, but if they didn’t find a way to fix their issues it wouldn’t be long.
The problem was when they were on base, they were on edge, snappy with one another and no one could settle down to unwind properly.
Kyle had been the first to say anything. He knocked on Price’s office door and waited for the older man to call for him to enter.
It was late, too late for John to still be working, but there he was, powering through paperwork and smoking a cigar.
Kyle walked into the room and immediately flopped down onto the ratty old sofa that sat in the corner of the room. He was exhausted and felt like he hadn’t had a proper rest is weeks.
“That bad, ay?” John huffed, glancing up at Kyle, who was laying on his back with one arm draped over his eyes, the other propped up on the back of the sofa and one leg hanging limply on the floor.
John smiled, he liked that his boys were so comfortable around him.
“You have no idea. I need someone to tell me I wasn’t that stupid when I was a recruit.”
“If you want, I can call your old captain and check for you.”
John carried on with his paperwork as Kyle tells him about the stupid mistakes the recruits were making that day.
They would do this quite often, John would work, and Kyle would come in, to ramble and keep him company. It was nice, more so recently when it felt like the team wasn’t clicking like they used to.
As Kyle gets more and more tired, he starts to talk about how on edge and run down he’s feeling, how the team dynamic on base was bothering him. John listens closely, letting Kyle get it all out, hoping it would help to ease some of the tension the man was feeling.
Just as Kyle is drifting off to sleep on the sofa, another thing he did regularly, it slipped out.
“Wish we ‘ad a sweet omega, probably make us all feel better.”
John freezes, then slowly looks up towards an already soundly asleep Kyle. The statement had shocked him enough to decide that he was done with paperwork for the night.
He moves across the room and places a gentle hand on the man’s shoulder, “C’mon lad, time for bed.”
John doesn’t bring it up with Kyle the following day, or at all really. What could he say? It wasn’t something the team had discussed, before or after becoming a pack. But now John can’t get the ideas out of his head.
A few weeks later Johnny makes a similar comment about introducing an omega into their pack, although John wasn’t meant to hear this one. He was passing by the 141’s rec room when he heard Soap mention an omega.
John couldn’t help but stop and listen.
“It would never work.” Kyle replied to whatever Johnny had said.
“You don’t know that. Loads of military packs have omegas. They proved it helps dynamics. ‘Specially in all alpha packs.”
“What about when we all go on a mission and they have to be left alone. We’ve both seen what that can do.”
Johnny hummed, clearly agreeing with Kyle that leaving omegas for an unknown time and with no information about their packs is borderline torture.
“Eavesdropping captain? That’s not like you.” Simon half whispers in John’s ear.
John just manages to stop himself from jumping, he hates how Ghost lives up to his callsign sometimes. The captain turns around and gives the man a hard stare. Simon just chuckles and pushes the door open, walking into the rec room.
John follows Simon in and sees Johnny quickly leaning back from Kyle, the tips of his ears turning red. He obviously thinks his superiors have heard at least some of the conversation.
Neither of the men who just entered the room say anything, they just walk to the table by the kitchenette and sit down.
It isn’t that they want to make the situation awkward, they just don’t know what to say. The tension in the room soon fades when Kyle asks Johnny about the recruits they both train.
Yet again John is left considering the possibility of an omega joining their pack.
As the months wear on in an endless cycle of missions, training and paperwork John’s pack continues to grind on each other. Every little disagreement on base has them arguing or ignoring each other and on one particular occasion physically fighting.
It isn’t helping that Kyle and Johnny are getting bolder in expressing their desire for an omega to join the pack.
It’s leaving the group with a feeling of longing and a sense that they are not enough for each other, which isn’t at all true. Putting 4 alphas in a pack will naturally lead to the desire for someone softer, gentler, and more caring.
Someone they could care for.
It doesn’t surprise John when, after months of comments, Simon knocks on his office door late one night. John was very happy with the idea of welcoming an omega into their pack, despite the complications it would cause when they were all sent away on missions. However, he could tell that something about it didn’t sit right with Simon.
“What can I do for you lad?” John asks as Simon takes his seat on the opposite side of the desk.
“You’re thinking about it.” Simon states bluntly.
John watches Simon closely, he can see how uncomfortable the man is feeling. He isn’t sure of himself, not something that happens often.
John is fairly certain he knows what Simon is getting at, but he waits a moment to see if he’ll expand on his statement on his own. After a moment of silence, he does.
“You’re thinking about adding an omega into our pack.”
“Yes.”
Simon drops his head to his chest and takes a deep breath. As if he’s trying to calm himself.
“Is it just because Johnny and-“ Simon cuts himself off to take another breath “-Johnny and Kyle want it?” He asks his captain, still not looking at the man.
John sighs.
“The boys mentioning it is what made me think about it. But I do agree with them Simon.”
John tries to catch Simons eyes, but the man is still looking down, so he continues.
“We all need to let off steam, have someone around to let out the other side of our dynamics.”
John stares at Simon, trying to gauge his reaction under the balaclava hiding his face.
He hates that mask.
Once the task force had become a pack Simon rarely wore it around them. But in the past few months, as things had gotten more tense it slowly started to make regular appearances until it was back to being an almost permanent fixture.
“Packs need mixed dynamics.” John continues when it becomes obvious that Simon isn’t going to reply. “It helps them to function properly, long term. I think it will help us all feel better and hopefully stop all of the fighting and arguing. We need it Simon, for the 141 to stay together.”
“Why can’t it be a beta?” John can hear the distress in Simon’s voice, he can see the shine of frustrated tears in the man’s eyes. It breaks John’s heart to see Simon so vulnerable like this.
“Why can’t it be an omega, Simon?” John makes his voice as gentle as he possibly can.
Simon doesn’t respond he just shakes his head slowly, staring off to the side, as if he is lost in thought.
“Look, if it’s an issue to have an omega in the pack we can see how the lads feel about courting a beta, but-“
“They won’t be effective at balancing the pack dynamic. I Know.” Simon cuts in. “And it’s not what you all want. But I can’t, I just can’t do it.”
“Can’t what, son?” John questions.
“What they need, I can’t do it. I won’t do it.” Simon drops his head into his hands, the scent of his distress is thick in the small room. John stands up and walks around his desk.
He puts a hand on Simon’s shoulder causing the other man to look up at him. John nods towards the sofa in the corner of the room and holds out a hand for Simon. Simon gets up and lets himself be led over to the sofa.
“Can I take this off?” John asks pointing to the balaclava that covers Simon’s face too often. Simon shakes his head violently in response.
“Okay, son, that’s fine. Let’s just sit for a bit, yeah?” John replies gently.
They sit in silence for a long time, Simon leaning into John’s side. Eventually Simon pulls John’s hand up to the edge of his mask.
“Are you sure, son? You don’t have to take it off.” John asks, concerned about Simon doing what he thinks John wants rather than what he himself wants. It had been an issue in the past.
Simon nods so John gently pulls the mask up and off of his lieutenant’s face.
The younger man takes a moment to gather himself and his thoughts before explaining.
“I can’t hurt them, John.”
John tilts his head to the side in confusion, “Who?” He asks, feeling a little lost.
“An omega, they need it, I know. But I won’t, not after-“ Simon cuts himself off abruptly.
John sighs softly, he understands, Simon doesn’t need to finish. The lieutenant has a difficult past, there are a lot of blurred lines that he needs help navigating.
That’s okay, he has John and the rest of the pack who are all more than willing to help.
“Simon.” Price hesitates, not sure how to approach what needs to be said. “First of all, I understand. Need you t’ know that I never would ‘a made the decision without properly discussing it with the team first. We are a pack, we get an equal say. And we would never force you into something you aren’t comfortable with.” Price pauses again, wanting to give Simon a bit of time.
This next part John has to be careful with, he doesn’t know what Simon will be comfortable with hearing right now. He knows what the man is worried about.
Omegas need to ‘go down’ or ‘float’, without it they are more prone to dropping, sickness, and distressing. Most omegas enjoy or need an element of pain to achieve this headspace, something that most alphas enjoy talking part in. It provides a sense of authority for them and the knowledge that they are taking care of their omegas needs.
“Second, not all omegas are like that.” John continues. “They don’t all need…That. I can’t speak for Gaz and Soap, but, it doesn’t really do anything for me.”
Simon is nodding along while looking at his lap, John hopes that the man is taking in what he is saying.
“Look, if it can’t be an omega then ‘ats fine son. We’ll ask the lads how they would feel about a beta joining the pack instead or we’ll find another way to settle better while on base. But not all alphas need dominance like that and can get to the same headspace by protecting and caretaking.”
“Johnny and Kyle –“ Simon starts but John cuts him off.
“Johnny and Kyle might not need that either, we haven’t actually discussed this. Nothing they have said in the last few months points to that being something they want out of this.”
Simon scoffs, “what are the chances of that.”
“If I ask you something, will you be honest with me Simon?” John’s tone shifts from gentle to something firmer to show Simon he needs honesty.
Simon nods looking to Price for the first time since sitting next to him on the sofa.
“Properly honest Simon, not what you think I want to hear or what you think would be best for the team.” John emphasises to make sure Simon will actually think about his own welfare.
Simon nods again still meeting Price’s eyes.
“If Johnny and Kyle are okay with it and I can guarantee an omega wouldn’t ever need anything like that, would you be okay with one joining our pack?”
“He needs someone who can go down without needing to be dominated.” John replies to Kate after only having paused for a moment.
“You need an omega who is less submissive?” Kate questions slowly not sure that she is understanding John.
“No. Simon can’t hurt them. Even if they’d enjoy it and needed it. He can’t do it and he can’t have us do it.”
“Okay.” Kate stops, waiting to see if John has more to say on the matter.
“I know it’s an odd request Kate, I don’t even know ‘ow you’d get that information about an omega. I just… Please help me. The boys all need someone, I need someone, and Simon is tearing himself apart thinkin’ it won’t work ‘cause of him.”
John sighs and continues “he thinks it’s either no one gets what they need ‘cause of him and the pack suffers, or we get an omega that needs something he can’t give and he’s failed.”
John hears Kate hum over the line.
“I’ll see what I can do John, but I’m not making any promises. It’s not exactly something that’ll be on a personnel file and it’s definitely not something that an omega would admit to, given how that can be treated.”
“Thank you, Kate, really. I owe you.”
John puts the phone down and puts his head in his hands. Now all he can do is wait and hope that Kate can work her magic.
Captain Price is already seated at the head of the meeting room table when the rest of the 141 walk in holding the scented items John has requested, his own scented t-shirt is already in the bag at his feet.
John observes the looks of nervous excitement on Johnny and Kyles faces as they walk into the room and take their seats at the table. Simon is wearing the ever-present balaclava again, stopping John from seeing how the man is feeling. Once they are all seated around the table John begins to explain the situation.
“Kate called.” He starts. “She thinks that she’s found someone that fits what we need.” He looks around the table trying to gauge each of their reactions. It has been 5 weeks since his call to Laswell and his unusual request.
“Feel like there’s a but comin’.”
John sighs, Johnny is right. Laswell has found someone that she believes will fit well with the 141, however it was not the call he had been expecting.
“If it was just down to me, I’d already be in the plane. But, we are a team and it’s important we are all on the same page and okay with everything before this decision gets made.” John again looks to each member of his pack before his eyes land on Simon.
“So, what do we need to know?” Kyle asks drawing Prices gaze over to him.
John leans back in his chair. “She was a combat medic and was on active duty until around about a year ago.” He waits a moment. It is common for omegas to be part of military packs, it makes sense, it helps packs stay balanced and more in tune with each other. It is unheard-of, however for omegas to be trained for combat and placed in the field.
“Why was the lass trained?” Johnny asks, looking concerned, as he has every right to be. Between heats, distressing, nests, going down, and their biology, it is virtually impossible for an omega to remain healthy in field conditions.
“Kate said that it was part of an initiative that was rolled out a few years ago. I don’t have much more information about it, but we can look into it if we need to.”
“Why was she pulled from active duty?” Simon questions. John looks back to the man, he is particularly nervous about how Simon will take this part and almost doesn’t want to tell him.
“Shortly before she got pulled, she was transferred to a new pack.”
“Who-“
“All information regarding that transfer has been redacted from her file.” John cuts Kyle off knowing that he was going to ask who requested the pack transfer. Price continues, “a while after the transfer she stopped talking and had to be pulled from the field.”
“Does Laswell know why?” Simon cuts in looking down at the table, brow visibly furrowed through the mask on his face.
“Kate suspects abuse, her file was flagged once after an annual physical, but the reason was removed, and no further action was taken. She hasn’t been for a physical since.”
Yet again John finds his eyes moving around the table to look at each of his men, one by one. Silently evaluating how they are all taking the new information about their potential omega.
Adding an omega to an existing pack dynamic is already disruptive in the best circumstances, to try and integrate someone who has a history of abuse is a whole added challenge. One that could be even more difficult given Simon’s past.
“So, what happens now?” Johnny asks, looking around at everyone in the room.
“We make a decision, together. If you have any more questions or concerns about how this will go you should voice them now.”
“What makes Laswell believe they are right for us?” Simon breaks the silence.
“Kate said there are some notes in her file that imply a ‘heavy hand’ doesn’t help. It’s done the opposite and caused her to distress on multiple occasions.” John is careful, not wanting to get into too much detail about what Kate said was actually written in the file. He doesn’t want to make Simon feel uncomfortable. “I can get you her file, although Kate said that most of it has been redacted.”
“That’s odd, no?” Kyle questions. Sure chunks of their own files are redacted but the were high ranking SAS, a lot of what they do is off the books anyway. And mostly mission related stuff only gets scrubbed, hardly ever personal information.
John nods, “It’s odd, but I’m sure it’s to do with whatever initiative she has been trained under or to cover up mistreatment by higher ranking officers. I’ve seen it ‘appen before.”
The group of men go silent for a moment, all considering the condition this omega may be in and how they might be able to make her feel comfortable in their pack. Johnny is the first to voice his opinion, “I’m in.” He nods to his captain looking determined.
Kyle nods beside him, “Me too, captain.”
Everyone in the room now looks to Simon. They can’t see his face because of the damn mask that he’s always wearing again, but John can see the pinched look around the man’s eyes. He isn’t entirely comfortable with this situation.
John mentally chastises himself. He’d gotten excited when Kate called and said that she had found someone that she believed would fit. He should have spoken to Simon in private first to warn him of the circumstances and to take the pressure off of making this decision in front of the team.
“Simon-“ John wants to offer the man some space and time, maybe a talk just the two of them, away from the rest of the pack so that Simon can talk it out, but he’s cut off before he can offer.
“I’m in too,” Simon sounds determined but that doesn’t necessarily mean that he is comfortable or confident in his own decision. John wants to push and question but he can tell that wouldn’t go down well with the younger man.
“Alright then lads.” John says looking around at them. “Hand over your scents. I’ve got Nikolai on standby in the hanger.”
“Why are ye takin’ scented items? We could just scent when she gets here.” Soap asks handing his 141 hoodie over to Price to put into his bag.
Simon is the one to answer, “If she’s been abused she won’t be comfortable getting close and scenting Johnny. We’ll need to give her space and time to feel safe with us.”
“She might be okay with scenting, Soap, it might just help her feel safer to recognise our scents when she gets here.” John adds on.
“So, you’ll be back today?” Kyle asks trying to sound casual, but John can see and hear the man trying to hold back his excitement clear as day.
“Yes, Laswell’s got all the paperwork ready to be processed once I get there. She knew that if we all agreed we’d want to get her somewhere safer as soon as possible.”
Once John has packed the scented items into his bag and shooed Johnny out of the meeting room, after having to tell him three times that ‘no it would not be better to go and meet her all at once’, he is ready to go. He stands to leave the room that only himself and Simon now occupy.
“John.” Simon calls just as John is about the go through the door. The captain turns and looks at Simon, waiting for him to continue. “It’s bad, ain’t it?”
John sighs and walks back into the room a couple of steps. “Kate wouldn’t tell me too much yet, but yeah.”
Simon nods.
“Are you going to be okay son?”
“I’d be worse off knowing that I was the reason an omega stays in an abusive pack.”
“It wouldn’t have to be like that, I could talk to Kate she might be able to get her a transfer out into a different pack. You come first Simon. If you aren’t okay with this, I can stop it now. The lads won’t mind.”
“No!” Simon says sharply. “I want this just as much as the rest of you.” He walks past John to the door. “I’ll be fine.” He states as he walks out of the room. Letting the door slam behind him.