AUTHOR NOTE: I'M FREAKING OUT. YOU WON'T BELIEVE HOW MANY THINGS ABOUT THE ACTUAL CANON OF HALO 5 I NAILED WITH THIS STORY WHEN I STARTED WRITING IT BACK IN FEBRUARY, 2015. I AM SO FUCKING SHOCKED. I CAN'T EVEN. I JUST WATCHED THE CUTSCENES AND I CAN'T EVEN…

Set between the events of H4 and H5 - Tangent timeline ignoring very few facts and subplots from Halo: Escalation - Romance/Adventure/SciFi - Human!Cortana - Lots and lots of plot twists! SERIOUSLY. This story should be called "plot twist" instead.

FULL SYNOPSIS:

He somehow accepted it, even when her loss was tearing him apart. John did what a soldier does: he kept moving, almost non-stop. There was only one way to go and it was forward, away from her and the memories of her death.

A year and a few months after Cortana's demisal, John returns to active service aboard the UNSC Infinityjust to find out that a human female was captured trying to avoid security; a female whose features, voice and wits are the very same of the Cortana he once knew in digital form. Her will to get back to her SPARTAN was stronger than anything, because they promised to take care of each other.

She was his shield and sword, but now she's fragile and desperate, she needs him. Cortana is not the only one who avoided Death. John may have neutralized the Didact for good, but now he faces a greater threat: the sins of his past. And his biggest sin was to let her find her way beneath his skin.

He may be the target, but he's not the only one in danger.

The universe just became a far more dangerous place to live in.

RATED M FOR VIOLENCE AND ADULT THEMES

++Only the writing, some OCs and original content created for this story belong to me. This story cannot be reposted, redistributed or sold without my consent or Bungie, Microsoft and 343 Industries' and review! Be nice.Also, thank you for your patience and help,RedShirt047andArmoredFury. The information you provided is priceless.