Carter-181 leaned against the wall as he stared at the floor, trying to get HER out of his head. Miranda Keyes fell four years ago when Truth thought it was okay to pull out a big joke, and shot her in the back. Carter wasn't there, but everything was itching him when he thinks about it. He was supposed to keep her safe, that is what he promised her. He promised her that he'd keep her safe, or if not him, Master Chief, but that didn't happen. Few days after her fallen with the covenant, he fell as well. He was probably dead somewhere, and came back alive. That was John for you. Carter became good friends with him after having a simple conversation with his AI Cortana, who does resemble Miranda Keyes in every way possible. Catherine created her.

Though, what was worse? Being stuck on Halo, or living with guilt? Carter was banging himself with this, and having her mother in the same room with him only made things worse for him. Miranda never liked talking about her mom, and if she did, she'd be blasting about how controlling she was through her childhood. Carter actually opened up Miranda, and all her secrets was in his heart. He respected her. Way too much.

And having her dead- It made him sting with pain. Catherine Halsey looks like her. Well of course, since they are family, but he could see her. Even if Miranda has different eye color from her mother. It flashed to him. Leaving him blind with Miranda's beauty. It was like he was in the same room as her again. And everything flashes back to him.

When she left him. Alone. Afraid. His nightmares continued on. The same ones over and over again, but something about these nightmares were different from the last before he met Miranda. He keeps seeing her die. He imagined it. Flood bursting, Chief and The Arbiter coming right through. The way the Arbiter tells it- It seems like they were working together for a short time, and Miranda was already fallen to the floor. A Type-33 Guided Munition Launcher striking needles in her body. Every time he has this nightmare, he wakes up in shocked. Sweat dripping down his entire body.

He was there. After words. The aftermath glued to his memory bank. When he finally arrived, he felt pain rush through his body like no other. He couldn't even breathe in his suit, and falling to his knees wasn't even the half of it. He felt tears rush through his body, wanting to jump out and surprise people, but he wasn't human. He's machine, but seeing her only made him feel human thoughts. Human feelings. She made him feel human. She was engaged with him. Two days before, anyway. She announced a special thing, making him jump from the spot, asking the girl to marry him. They were going to become a family, and now? It seems like no one in this world could ever be happy.

She was the love of his life. He loved her, and she loved him, "I should've of kept her safe." Carter mumbled to himself, thinking he was the only one that heard it, but Catherine looked at him with her blue eyes, concerned why the heck this Spartan was talking to himself. "What are you talking about?" he asked, her voice so low and concerned for his behavior.

"I-" Before he could finish, Sarah Palmer comes in, having her suit on like always. It seems like Carter never seen her without that on. His eyes even twitched to the side so he couldn't eye his own commander, and the person in custody. He has a small crush on her, like it's so bad that his cheeks flush to a red color every time the girl talks to him, but he wasn't ready to move on if Palmer ever gave him a chance, which she would never do.

His heart was still with Miranda Keyes.


Before The Events of HALO 2.

Carter walked out of the room, stretching out his neck as he pulsed pressure to it. He hasn't been sleeping good. Nightmares keep occurring. Sweat became a big problem with how he controls them at night. He never really talked to anyone about these occurring dreams. He always kept everything in. He had no family. Died back on Reach. Who the heck knows how he made it out alive, but does that really matter? He had no friends that he felt comfortable with. He was alone. And he was afraid. People thought Spartans were strong. Independent, but Carter felt more and more away from that. He knew he'll always be alone, but he ran into HER.

Her. Miranda Keyes. She was usually out on the field, doing her magic, but she was right up close. Her body almost falling to the ground, but Carter caught her right away, a hand below her waist. "I'm-"

"It's fine. I should've of looked where I was going. My fault. Not yours-" She stopped, actually looking up at the Spartan. "Spartan."

Carter smiled, twisted her neck to the side. "No, it's my fault. Don't blame yourself." He kept his eyes on the beautiful girl, not letting that smile of his wash away. She reminded him of someone, he couldn't put his finger on who it was though. He was too focused oh her looks. Her looks that blinded him. Green eyes sparking up with his blue ones.

She smiled back, laughing. "I'm quite clumsy, but shush, don't tell people that. I might get kicked out." She joked, which made Carter laugh with her.

"I wouldn't do that..." Now he was the one that eyed her name tag, "Keyes. Like Jacob Keyes?"

Jacob Keyes was her father. Captain Jacob Keyes of The Pillar of Autumn. Carter heard that it was taken down by Convnant, but news that the captain was alive is true. He was alive and well, from what he heard. "Yeah, that's my dad. Kind of the big reason why I found myself in this business. To make him proud." She shrugged her shoulders back, "You? What is your real name?"

Carter Hartman. Say it, Carter. Do it. You know your real name, but Catherine made sure you weren't him anymore. "Carter-118, but Carter Hartman is my name." It was uncommon for Spartans to say their real name. Do you see the Master Chief sitting himself up, and actually alerted the whole marines about how he's John... Whatever. Whatever his last name is.

"Carter. That name looks good on you." She was teasing him, and a hand was now on his shoulder. He was quite taller than her, which was basically the cutest thing Carter has ever realized. He looked at her hand, "No need to compliment me, ma'am." He stated right back, only making Miranda take her hand off his armor. He actually felt a spark.

"I have some free time later. Surprising, since we're fighting in a war, but do you want to- Hang out or something? Grab some lunch tomorrow?" Miranda was pretty nervous, he could hear it in her voice. There was no need for her to do that, anyway. Carter would probably do worst, "I'm up for that."


Carter shook his head as Sarah breathed in and out of her nose, looking at the worst person you could have on this ship. Catherine Halsey. She kidnapped kids for Spartan research. He wasn't against her like everyone else was. Sarah, although, hated the old lady with a passion. She gives her enough snarky looks that would take 10 pages up from her own journal.

"I don't know why Lasky brought you in, but if you do something stupid to this ship, I'll make sure to shoot you. In the skull." Palmer pointed a finger at her combat pistol that was hanging on the side of her belt. Carter put a hand on Palmer's chest, shaking his head at the Spartan. "Don't."

Palmer rolled her eyes, "I'm just giving her an order. She's here to look into that didact thing, nothing else."

"I built the ship anyway, I should get some respect." Catherine pointed a finger at the two Spartans, "And I created you almost. Be happy about that."

Palmer almost ripped Carter's arm off, even with his suit on perfectly. She was about to fight the old lady, but now Carter had two hands on the girl's shoulders. Keeping his eyes on her. Blue attacking Brown. "Don't. Lasky would be pissed off."

Palmer didn't speak, only flicking her body away from the hand's of Carter. "Right. You deal with her." And there she walked out.

Catherine started to chuckle, "Oh dear. I never thought my Spartans would actually hate me."

Carter looked back at her, "Don't act like you're important. You're not even ranked, so I'd shut your mouth." He sounded like he was yelling at Miranda. The night where everything that was perfect actually went to hell. Miranda was pissed off at him. Worried that he died or something on their first match on Earth. He wasn't responding to him. He was knocked out by explosives, bolting his body to the ground.

He remembers how hard she slapped him, and kissing him right after. Her eyes started to tear up, and her finger was smearing in his blood. The place where not only two days later he'd find out that he has a scar. A large scar indeed and through night sessions of cuddling, she just stroked her finger across it. Kissing his lips, and saying, "I love you."

He started to shake his head, now eyeing the ground once again, "I'm sorry."

Catherine didn't answer him, only the sight of her shaking her head. "You should've of said sorry to my daughter."

His ears perked up, only hearing her say 'daughter.' His mind again bolting to Miranda Keyes. Commander. "What are you talking about, old lady?"

"My daughter was in love with you, and I knew that you asked her to marry you. Two days before she died. I get it."

"You stalked her, or something?" Carter asked, now sitting himself right next to the lady. Her grey hues coming in formation with his sight, "Don't answer that. I don't want to know."

"I wouldn't tell you anyway, but yeah, I knew that she loved you. Jacob told me about you. The mystery guy. She said that she met a guy, and he was super cute. Not even ten minutes after... She felt like she found THE one." Catherine rolled her blue eyes, shutting them closed, "First loves never die."

Carter didn't say anything. He only felt his body begin to itch. It wasn't a rash or anything like that, but he was happy. Happy that she knew that he was the one for her. Her first love. Her last love. "Even the last ones..." He nodded his head, his fist now in a ball.

"Did you love her?" She asked, now looking at the side of the Spartan.

"I really did. I loved her a lot, and I wish things were different."