This is why Cortana means so much to the Master Chief...

The battle was over, the humans, victorious. The charred village was filled with cheering Marines, and dead Covenant. But the humans did suffer some losses.

"Marines!" barked Johnson, getting the attention of the twenty survivors, "We ain't got no time for partying! Gather the dead, I'm calling for evac."

Chief wasn't concerned at all with the Marines, or even the fact that they'd won. It was all for nothing if he couldn't find her.

Corrine.

Johnson walked over to the statue-like cyborg. He knew what the Chief was looking for.

"Sorry Chief, there's no sign of her in the village."

The Master Chief just nodded, and started walking towards the beach on the outskirts of the village. He stood at the edge of the ocean, the waves beating gently against his bloodstained armor. He heard the cry of Marines as they stumbled upon the bodies of their friends. Chief tried not to think of Corinne. She was most likely...

"Sir!" Chief turned to see a Marine pointing down the beach from him. He looked, and saw a form, lying at the edge of the water. With his enhanced vision, he saw it was a woman...

Oh my...

With super-human speed which only a Spartan can possess, Chief ran the yards between them in seconds, he screeched to a halt, and fell to his knees right next to Corinne. She was writhing gently, all of her strength gone. Chief reached up, and removed his helmet, exposing his scarred face. He gently picked her up, and she looked at him. Recognizing him as her lover, she said, weakly,

"John..." she gasped and clutched her abdomen, "It hurts John."

"Don't worry Corinne," he said, his eyes burning with tears that hadn't been there in years, "I've got you."

He looked down at her bleeding abdomen, and almost cried out in emotional pain. The wound was so severe, he knew she was already gone. He held her closer, and felt her hand go to his face.

"I love you." she said, barely a whisper.

"No," he choked out, "Corinne, no!"

But she was already gone.

As the waves washed in and out around them, the last tear that would ever escape the Master Chief's eyes splashed into the ocean, and was lost in the sea...

Along with Corinne...