Chapter 2 Part 1: A Distant Pasts Two Wounded Hearts.

Soon after the training sim, the team had split off. Linda went to the target range, Fred went back to his own quarters, and Chief was going to go meet up with Kelly at the sparring mats in half an hour. And in that half hour, was his first shift of babysitting.

John sighed slowing his pace to a halt, for the umpteenth time. Samus quickly fast walked over to his side, and smiled up at him. Chief gazed down at the girl, giving a small nod in reply to the smile. He silently gestured in a gentlemanly way, with his hand for her to walk ahead of him. She did so with a playful leap and led the way.

He didn't understand, all he saw when they found the young girl, was her sprinting around. All of a sudden the pace had changed, now the girl struggled to keep pace with his stride. He guessed it was due to her healing leg, and the fact that she had that youthful curiousity to her, there were so many distractions to make her lag behind.

"Chief what's that!?" the questions began.

"Storage."

"Chief what's that!?"

"The mess hall."

"What's that!?"

"Artillery." at this point Chief's eye began to twitch.

"What's that!?"

"Recreational room..." He was beginning to wonder how an almost completely silent little girl, could get so chatty once everyone had left?

"Chief wha..."

"Samus!" Chief silenced the girl, stopping her in her tracks. Samus stared at him with big watery blue, green mixed, apologetic eyes. He sighed, he didn't mean to snap at her. John tried to figure out someway to change the subject. "So how old are you exactly?" He spoke in a calm voice, escorting her into his quarters.

"This much!" Samus cheerfully held up all ten of her fingers.

Chief drew his head back. "You're only ten?!" Samus nodded. "Alright Samus you're going to have to explain to me about yourself. I'm a little confused." Chief sighed, sitting on his berth. Samus stood in the middle of the room for a moment, sadly giving a sigh she complied, and began climbing onto the berth. Chief didn't know why, but he ended up helping the girl up, he supposed it was instincts kicking in. Not thinking anymore of it, he waited for Samus to begin her story.

"I was three, my planet were attacked by Space Pirates, lead by Ridely. They killed my mama and papa, and everyone on the planet." Samus's body quivered at the images her story brought back. Chief ignored her use of youthful vocab in her story, instead he reassuringly placed a hand on the childs shoulder, and awaited for her to continue. During her story Chief got flashbacks of his own childhood past.

Her explanation to the lose of her parents and now the Chozo, reminded him of when he was taken from his family to become a spartan, and the lose of Sam and Cortana. The lose of K2L and Zebes, reminded him of Reach. Her infusion of Chozo blood, and her training. Was his reminder of the training, and the augmentations he had gone through.

Through all that Chief was thankful, he still had Linda, Kelly, and Fred. They were a constant reminder to him that, through all the hell he had been through, he hadn't lost everything.

He just wished he could say the same, for the girl that sitting beside him. "Sorry... I didn't mean to..." he began to apologies, he was surprised at how well the child was excepting all the devastation that happened, he was starting to wonder if any of the stuff she told him scarred her mentally?

She shook her head and smiled at him. "It's ok... you have probably been through worser things." Chief smiled at the mispronunciation.

"It's... it dosen't matter who had it worse Samus. You still feel like you have been wounded, no matter how little, or how big of a lose you have taken. You understand Samus?" Chief sighed.

Samus slowly nodded, understanding the Spartan's meaning.

"Well Kelly is probably waiting for me by now, I've got to get going." Chief stood, changing the subject, he seemed to be doing that a lot today. Samus slid off the bed and went to follow. Before he reached the door he did a sudden halt.

"Oof!" Chief was suddenly impacted from behind. Chief chuckled in his head, as Samus shook of the sudden fact that she just walked into a brick wall. Then with sigh, he bent down to be level with Samus. "Samus, why don't you go see Linda? I'm sure she could think of something for you to do." Samus blinked in confusion, was Chief leaving? "I'll take you to her." Chief walked straight out of the room, leaving Samus.

She almost refused to leave the room, but her anxiety of being in an unknown place without someone she knew, soon flooded her. She darted out of the room in a panic, colliding into another armoured man passing in the cooridor. She easily fell back, onto the ground, she hit this brick wall with more force. "Whoa, hey you ok?" Samus jumped to her feet, staring at the new armoured person, with no helmet.

John, hearing the collision whirled around and jogged back over to a stuned Samus. "Sir!" Thorne quickly saluted Master Chief, as Samus instinctively hid behind the green armour,

Chief lifted his arms in surprise, following her quick swift move to hide, with his head. "At Ease Thorne." Chief turned his attention to the Spartan four. Thorne quickly divided his attention back to the young girl, hiding behind the much larger Spartan.

Clutching Chief's hand she effectively hid her face behind John's arm. Feeling the tiny hand in his own, John knew very well he could crush her hand without knowing it. He carefully closed his hand over the others tiny one, and gave a reassuring squeeze.

"Aw you're a little tough gal aren't you? I heard that Blue Team brought back a kid from that alien planet, but I didn't think it was true." Thorne squated to Samus's hieght. Samus ingnored his comment, and hid behind Chief even more. "Shy one isn't she?" Thorne scoffed. Chief did not answer. "I didn't know Spartan's were good playmates?" Again Chief ignored the comment, and jokes. Thorne gave one more salute, as Chief guided Samus, and continued down the hall.

As he walked, Chief felt his arm tug slightly behind as if it wasn't keeping up with him. He looked behind him, to see what the hell was touching him. Unknowingly he was still holding the smaller forms hand. He stopped so Samus was beside him once more, then released his hold on the childs hand. The tiny hand was red, from his grip he had, and he felt himself flooding with guilt. But at the same time he thought 'At least he didn't break it.'

"I'm sorry Samus, is your hand ok?" Chief took the small hand in his, and examined it carefully.

Samus answered with a giggle. "Your hands are really big, Just like Chozo!" Samus's youthful innocents, was enough to make the guilt wash away.

He smiled behind his visor, and rubbed Samus's head. "O...k... let's get going." Chief caught himself doing that odd behaviour again. Shaking his head, he escorted the child to the range.

Chief walked across the safety room, over to the door where you could enter the range. "Stay put, I'll be right back." Chief sternly ordered Samus, as he entered the range.

At that Samus quickly scrambled over to the safety glass, it was obviously not designed for childeren to gaze out of. But luckily there was a chair right next to the window. Climbing onto the chair, Samus stood on her knees leaning on the window, completely oblivious to the fact that the chair was slowly sliding away from the window. On the other side of the safety glass was a redheaded woman in a grey/black jumpsuit laying with a rifle, easily taking out every long ranged target in the simulation.

"Linda." The redheaded woman took her last target down, before Chief paused the simulation. Turning to see her armoured leader, she stood, putting the safety on, on her rifle.

"You're interrupting me for a reason, John?" Linda slung her rifle over her shoulder. John knew it irritated Linda when she was interrupted by someone, escpecially when taking her time away from her sniper. "Where's the neon kid?" Linda looked around to see no orange armour, or blue jumpsuit. The neon colours of the childs armour and jumpsuit bothered Linda, being a sniper that likes camouflage, and the element of surprise.

John looked over in the direction of the safety window, seeing Samus's small form bearly peeking over the windowsill, watching them. Linda followed his gaze, and also caught site of the child. "I'm meeting Kelly for sparring, and..."

"And thought you could drop the kid off on me, while you have fun training?" Linda scoffed, folding her arms. John stood completely still. In a way it was true, he was trying to put baysiting duty on Linda's shoulders. "I'll take your silence as a yes." Linda sighed, walking to the exit. "Well what the hell am I supposed to do with the kid John?" She hissed, as John caught up to her.

"Linda..." Chief begun as they entered the room. Samus turned to see the door open, as soon as her body shifted positions, the chair completely gave out, sliding out from under her. Linda winced at the echoed sound the hard smack against the cement flooring made. Both Spartans quickly slid to the side of the fallen child, helping her up. "Are you alright kid?" Linda asked, as Chief and her lifted Samus into a sitting position.

"I'm ok..." Samus held her right shoulder. Linda noticed, and removed the small hand, pulling the blue jumpsuit off of the shoulder. The small shoulder was bleeding from a small cut, and was completely red. Knowing A nice bruise would form there. Samus jumped up to her feet with a smile, brushing off the pain from her sore shoulder. "You have a really good shot, can you show me how to do that!?" Samus's youthful excitment caught the two Spartans off guard.

Chief smirked under his mask, at Linda's dumbfounded expression. "Um well... you need to be able to concentrate, and have patients." Linda mumbled.

"I could does all that!" Samus replied, speaking in her youthful incorrect vocabulary. Linda quirked an eyebrow and smiled.

"Ok, meet me at the door." Samus nodded and quickly ran to the door, as she was ordered, by Linda. Linda then turned to see the kneeling Master Chief staring at her. "Shut up..." Linda shoved Chief, before escorting Samus into the range. Chief shook his head with a smile, gazing out the window he watched Samus bounce across to the spot where Linda was sniping. With all of Samus's high energy, John wished Linda luck on sharp shooting training.

At that thought, another one came across his mind. Linda wasn't as quiet around Samus, like she usually would be around someone new, that she didn't know well. Chief was beginning to think that Samus's presence was influencing himself and his teams odd behaviour. "John where the hell are you!?" The annoyed voice of Kelly came onto his com, taking him out of his thoughts. He swiftly pivoted towards the exit, and left. "On my way Kelly." Chief ended.

Kelly was impatiently standing by the mats, with her arms folded. "About time. You're like fifteen minutes late, what the hell kept you?" Kelly scolded Chief as he entered. "And where's the kid, you lose her already?"

"Kelly one thing at a time. Sorry I'm late, I had to drop Samus off with Linda." Chief replied with a sigh.

Kelly smirked. "Couldn't bear to part with the kid, and leave her with a sharp shooter that never misses?"

Chief folded his arms. "Comforting Kelly, really." He sighed. "Can we just get on with sparring."

"Yes sir, we most certainly can." Kelly's words dripping with her quick witted sarcasm, made Chief roll his eyes shaking his head, as he stepped onto the mats.

At the Range.

"Ok just to be safe you better put on some armour." Linda suggested. Samus nodded activating her power suit. "Ok you have to tell me. How do you just throw your armour on and off like that?" Uncharacteristically Linda spoke in a curious manner, she had never really done that before.

"I use my mind." Samus replied. Linda was confused and Samus read that. "My power suit is powered by my mind. That's why it's so hard to keep on during a battle. I was just getting trained on how to keep it on, then those bad aliens came..." Samus sighed.

Linda nodded. "Well then you have an understanding of concentration. Excellent, lets start up some targets, you take them out with your current weapons. Then we'll see about rifle use ok?" Linda stepped off to the side, to the control pannel to the range.

"When do you think I can use the sniping shooter?" Samus pointed to Linda's rifle.

"Right now keep your core focus on taking your enemies down, without losing concentration on your suit. If you do good then we can try." Linda started the simulation.

The whir of machines came, and Samus went on guard. Pointing her arm cannon at the coming targets. Taking out each target on level one and two, Linda nodded in approval, and switched the training level to three. Multiple targets popped up, and came fast. Catching Samus, got caught off guard, whirled around and shot two targets behind her. Not thinking anything of it she forgot the sims behind her, getting shot by the simulators, she spun around in frustration. More targets began to pop up and move in, her suit flared, as she began to lose her concentration. Slowly her suit dissolved into her zero suit, and left her defenceless.

Linda was about to stop the simulation as they got a few more rounds into the kid, but paused, when Samus begun to fight hand to hand with the simulation targets. Taking the remaining targets down with ease. Samus panted, as the sound of machines powering down came in earshot. "Excellent work on bringing down your targets. But if those were Elites you'd probably be dead." Linda approached Samus, who nodded in understanding, as she was still catching her breath. "You lost your power suit. What happened?"

"I...I... to many..." Samus stuttered.

"Too many excuses, you couldn't be more correct." Linda folded her arms. Samus was about to speak but didn't get the chance. "No! What happened was you lost concentration. You let yourself panic, and in that flustered panic, you lost concentration. If I did that with my sniper rifle, I would miss all my targets. Missing my targets means I don't have me teamates back, and if I don't have their back I get my team, and myself killed!" Linda's tone was harsh, but Samus had been through enough hard lessons to understand, the tone was for teaching her to understand the realism and tragedy that could happen.

"Sorry." was the only response Samus gave, locking her gaze on the floor.

"That's it kid. I don't want you to be sorry for what could happen if you loose concentration." Linda sighed. Samus looked up at her apologetically, Linda stared back with straight eyes. "Sit." Samus was confused. "Sit, down." Linda repeated, this time more sternly. Samus slowly went down, sitting crosslegged on the floor. Linda soon did the same. "Close your eyes."

"Wha..."

"Close your eyes!" Linda was getting fed up with repeating herself. Samus tightly screwed her eyes shut. "Relax, and breath." Linda calmed her tone. Samus relaxed her muscles, and exhaled. "Good, now just focus on your breathing. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale." Samus did as she was told, but felt silly doing it. She gave a small giggle, opening one of her eyes. "Hey focus, and no peeking!" Linda gave Samus a playful smack. Samus closed her eye with a smile, and went back to focusing on breathing. Linda said nothing more until the childs face was straight, and relaxed. Samus began to get so relaxed she was almost falling asleep. Linda caught that and smiled, knowing it was time for the next step. "Ok now focus on your heart beat. Feel the steady rhythm as you inhale, and exhale. Don't forget, keep relaxed." She continued to guide. Linda examined the young warrior, no swaying, straight back, her posture was perfect. The steady rising of the girls chest indicated she was calm and focused. "Now, your power suit is part of you. It's all connected to your heart rate and your steady breathing. Continue your concentration, inhale, exhale." Linda breathed in sync with Samus. The last step was now going into motion. Linda watched, as small orange particles morphed together over Samus's form. The orange suit began to flare, even more, Samus kept her composure, her eyes still shut, breathing steadily. Soon enough Samus was fully armoured, no flaring, no dissolving, or malfunctions. Linda was proud her method of meditation, came as a great asset, and understanding for Samus. "Open your eyes."

Samus fluttered her eyes open, to her HUD. She looked down to her surprise, she was in her armour with no problems, or malfunctions, she didn't even know she had activated it! "How did I?" Samus looked up at a now standing Linda.

"Mind over matter. Use that as your key tool to keep your suit on. The steady breathing, and the pulse of my heart, is the only thing that help me when sniping. If I tense up and hold my breath I loose concentration. I also loose, oxygen, and blood flow to my brain, which causes me to loose my aim." Linda explained.

"How does you fire your gun then?" Samus questioned youthfully.

Linda smiled. "I exhale when taking a shot, releasing my energy into my rifle, and into that bullet." Samus was astonished, why didn't she think of that? "Now with that advice, take it and put it to use." Linda went to the control panel once more. On her way to the panel, she was feeling uneasy. She was completely out of her character, she was speaking a full on conversation with a child. Although it was a lesson she was giving, it was still on the odd side for her. Somehow the presence of the girl, made her feel completely comfortable with having a conversation.

"I'm ready!" Samus waved at Linda, who was deep in thought. Linda nodded and restarted level three. The simulation began with the many targets, that had stressed out and made Samus loose focus. Samus began breathing steadily, focusing on her heart beat, and the connection it made too her power suit. Raising her weapon, she inhaled. Exhaling she released her energy into her cannon, firing at each target, never missing. Picking up movement from behind, she quickly transformed into morphball. Rolling out of sites, and flanking the sims from behind, by planting a bomb behind each target. Rolling back to the front of her stunned targets, she shot them down quick without flaw.

Samus began squealing jumping up and down with joy. "I did it!" rushing over to Linda who was turning the simulation off. Linda all of a sudden went frozen when small arms wrapped around. "I did it Linda! Did ya see, did ya see!" Samus looked up at the stunned redhead.

"Uh, yeah... kid... I.. uh.. saw yeah." Linda awkwardly answered, slowly prying Samus off of her.

"Your matter of mind worked!"

"Mind over matter." Linda corrected, walking to the exit.

"Mind over matter, worked!" Samus repeated correctly this time, deactivating her suit. She followed in tow of Linda.

"Yes, maybe next time, after some more practice, you can try the rifle." Linda replied cleaning her rifle.

Just then three Spartans entered the room. Samus eagerly ran up to the tallest one, bouncing up and down like a rubber ball infront of him. "Chief, Chief! Linda taught me time of matter..."

"Mind over matter." Linda sighed.

"Mind over matter thingy, and I kicked the sims butt!" Samus continued her excited bouncing, waving her arms in an excited manner.

Master Chief grabbed hold of the flailing arms, bobbing his head up and down, to the pace of Samus's bouncing. "You did?! Good job, Samus..."

'Wait a minute, did he just praise a child in a playful tone?' Linda, Fred, and Kelly even shot him an odd expression. Releasing his hold on Samus, he cleared his throat. "Excellent work Linda." Chief rubbed the back of his helmet. "What, no good job Linda?!" Kelly elbowed Chief teasingly, with Linda smirking along with her, while Fred hid his expression behind his visor.

"Enough!" John sternly ordered. The last thing he needed, was too be not seen as the serious commanding officer he was. The two ladies cleared their throats, quickly standing at attention.

Samus was confused, why did he get so angry, they were just teasing him? John glared at them for a few moments, before allowing the two to relax. "As you were."

Linda, and Kelly obliged and relaxed themselves. "So how'd wrestling go?" Linda sighed, and continued back to her cleaning.

"Good, I only pinned Chief twice. Then Fred came in, and versed him, and it was like watching two bears fighting over a honeypot." Kelly shrugged.

"That's not funny, we do not fight like that." Fred disagreed, with Kelly's point of view.

Samus couldn't help but giggle at the Kelly's choice of words, seeing Chief as a bear would be a pretty funny sight to see.

"I think your argument has been overruled." Kelly smirked, gesturing to Samus.

Chief noticed the atmosphere when Samus was around, once again, had changed the teams personality.

"Chief can I spar with Kelly too?" Samus tugged on the Spartans hand.

"Uh, um perhaps another day Samus." Chief replied, with a shrug.

"Aaaw... Ok." Samus sadly sighed.

"How about we wait until you're all healed, and you get used to your surroundings, before we get too carried away." Kelly put her hand on her hip and smiled at Samus.

Samus stretched and yawned. "Ok." it had been a long devastating day for Samus, she was once again exhausted, from all the wondering and training she had done.

"Sleepy?" Kelly leaned down to Samus's level.

"I'm not sleepy..." Samus refused to admit it, and put on a bright smile, as a cover up. But her droopy eyes, and limbs gave her away. Kelly smiled, it was no use lying to Spartans who could read anyones body language like a picture book. Even though a tired child was a simple read for just about anyone.

"Have you talked to the Captain, or Admiral about her, sleeping arangments or, where she is staying?" Fred leaned towards Chief.

The thought had never even crossed his mind. "Well no..." Just as John was trying to speak, the Captain walked in.

"I thought I'd find you guys here." All Spartans immediately stood at attention, and saluted the commanding officer. Samus was confused at the sudden change of mood, as soon as the captain had entered. Seeing how the team was standing perfectly straight, and still, she thought she'd do the same. And attempted to copy them, and stand at attention. Chief seeing her attempt out of the corner of his eye. Couldn't help but admire Samus's attempt to copy, and do the same as them.

"At ease, blue team." The team complied and relaxed, Samus was still standing at an attempted attention.

"Relax." Chief nudged Samus's arm. Samus did as she was told, and went back to standing at her usual stance.

"So have we gotten anymore info from our new, little, guest?" Lasky gestured at Samus. Samus being shy once more, hid herself behind Chief.

"It's alright, the Captain dosn't bite." Kelly pulled Samus out, to Master Chief's side.

Being to tired, she didn't argue and stood beside Chief, clutching the Spartans arm for safety. John didn't seemed bothered by it, as he wasnt currently using his arm at the moment. "Just a bit of background, and some information on how her suit works, sir." Chief replied with Linda.

As the team babbled on about stuff to Captain Lasky, Samus began to doze in and out of sleep. Tiredly leaning against Chief side, she waited for he boring talk to stop. So she go back to talking with the team. They seemed to only get really boring when someone else came in, espacially when someone important came in.

"Sir, we were wondering about a place for her to sleep, where would that be?" Master Chief finally asked, before the Captain was about to leave.

By the time Lasky answered, Samus's was loosing the battle to keep her eyes open, she was now, practically hugging Chief's arm. "Hmm, I would have to check the ships data to see if there's any available rooms, that and we are currently trying to find an appropriate caregiver for the child. But for now, I suggest keeping her close, I'm sure one of you could sacrafice, and allow the child to bunk with you?" Lasky made his way to the exit, and the team saluted. "I'll let you guys decide on that one." Lasky exited the room.

The team all exchanged looks with eachother. Chief didn't seem to care at their reaction, he was reacting in his mind at the moment, he was having mixed feeling about the thought. And came up with the conclusion that one of the ladies could take the girl, they would know what's best for Samus. "I say we let the kid choose." Fred suggested, knocking John out of his thought's.

"I agree." Linda nodded.

"Me too, and I think she's already chosen." Kelly gestured, to the practically slumbering little girl, hanging onto John's arm. "And a good choice it is."

John sighed, he honestly wanted one of the girls to take Samus. They would know how to deal with a little girl, better than he would. They had better protective instincts for a child. "If it helps we can all take turns John. But you're up first." Kelly responded to the sighs.

"I can just give her my room, and I'll go into cryo, until the next mission comes up." Chief suggested.

Kelly shook her head. "John, if you don't recall, I'm pretty sure we were assigned, to be guardians of this little one right here, until otherwise. I count that as a mission, don't try too avoid this."

"I'm not avoiding..." he sighed in defeat. "You're right Kelly, we were assigned a mission, I shall see it through." Chief addmited the female was correct. He then shifted his position, to a more comfortable stance, causing Samus to open her exhausted eyes.

Samus gave another fight, to keep her eyes open, before being lifted up. With her tired blue mixed eyes, she stared into a golden orange visor.

Chief had lifted the little girl with ease, he almost sent her through the ceiling because she was so light, but luckily relaxed his muscles, and stopped himself from doing so. As he held her out infront of him, Samus gave another small yawn. The yawn apparently couldn't help but creep a small smile onto John's face. He was glad he had his helmet on, although the situation didn't seem as big of a deal, when he looked to see his team with the same smiles. Chief then closed the space between him and Samus, bringing her limp form to rest on his chest.

Samus instictively wrapped her arms around the Spartans neck once more. And didn't take long, before she easily relaxed into a peaceful slumber. Kelly smiled. "Aw she likes you." she couldn't help but coo.

"...I know..." Chief sighed heavily in reply to the comment, making his way to the exit.

"Hey don't think of it as a bad thing Chief. At least someone like's you, for you. And not for what you've done." Fred mentioned.

The words had stopped Chief in the middle of his stride, he stood silent at the exit, for a brief moment. "You should all get some rest." John said, before exiting the range safety room, with Samus in his arms.

Chapter 2 Part 2: Haunting Nightmares.

Fred was right. Beside's his team, Halsey and Mendez, no one had ever liked him for who himself. Which actually made him a bit confused. He was silent, boring, and showed no emotions what so ever. How could a child possibly like something like that? Although the kid somehow had been bringing all of those things out of him somehow. But still Fred's words were true, Samus liked him for him, not because of his legendary background.

Entering his quarters he sighed, placing Samus on a large chair in the room. He began to take his armour off, taking his helmet off first. He placed it on the chair, next to Samus, and continued to take the heavy gear off. By the time he was done, now standing only in his jumpsuit. He turned around to grab his helmet, so he could place it on the table next to his berth. But instead, he saw Samus curled up in a ball with his helmet. As if it were a teddy bear. Chief's OCD kicked in, he always put his helmet on the table, so it was a quick grab incase of an emergency. And it being snuggled by a little girl, was not about to stop him from putting it in it's usual spot on the table.

Slowly, ever so carefully, Chief pried his helmet from the little arms, it felt like he was defusing a very sensitive bomb. Successfully taking the helmet, he placed it on the table, where it belonged, and spun back around. "Chief, you going to night to?" a tired young voice spoke. Chief stared at the child across from him, she was tiredly rubbing her eyes. "Going to night?" He could only imagine she meant, going to bed. Those tired blue eyes were now staring at him, waiting for an answer.

He noticed Samus didn't seem to be alarmed at all, that he was out of his armour, or the fact that he was extremly pale in colour. She even knew who he was, she didn't even question who the pale man infront of her was. Given the fact, she had never seen him out of armour, until now.

John slowly sat himself down on his berth, across from Samus. "Yes Samus, I am..." It had been a while since he had slept in a berth, instead of a cryo tube.

"Ok." Samus settled herself in the chair and sighed, slowly falling asleep. To Chief the position she was in looked most uncomfortable. But to a kid, or someone who could turn into a ball, he figured it didn't really bother the girl.

Chief laid himself down, staring at the grey ceiling. He closed his eyes, thinking about the changes he went through since Samus arrived. He had been more talkative, and had shown more emotion. But Chief knew he wasn't the only one, his team was also feeling the same effects. Soon John lost his deep thoughts, in a cloud of sleep.

Standing infront of an army of Space Pirates, smoke, and ash lingering in the background. When the smoke cleared, a large dragon like figure appeared clenched in it's talons were the bloody, shredded, bodies of Rodney Aran and Virginia Aran. With a deafening, bone chilling, screech from the dragon, it tossed the bodies into the burning ground below. Where a tiny little toddler stood crying, the splatter of blood that came from the dropped boddies, painted the child, from head too toe. With a quick flash Samus was suddenly in her suit at the training field on Zebes. Covenant carriers flew over head, while the multi raced army charged on the ground. Slicing through the native Chozo's, an energy sword from a Zealot sliced the head off of grey voice, like a hot knife through butter. While another Zealot pierced a sword through Old Birds back, blood spurting up through his chest. The Elite tossed the body infront of two Hunters, who did not seem to care where they stepped, effectively crushing the bird like alien. The crunch of bones echoed through Samus, taking her attention away from the charging gun on the carrier above. Finally hearing the hissing charge of the large weapon, Samus looked up to see a large ray of death, and destruction soring down at her.

In a panicked gasp, Samus fell off the chair onto the floor. Her heart beat was racing, tears begining to fill her eyes, she jumped to her feet, rushing to the side of Chief's berth. "Chief!" Samus choked through tears, shaking the large muscular arm hanging off the side of the berth.

Chief jolted himself awake, sitting straight up, in a panic he grabbed the combat knife under his pillow. Turning to see his waker, he saw nothing but his door. Hearing heavy sobbing, Chief looked down to see a small, upset, girl in a blue jumpsuit. Chief, lowered his weapon, and stared at her for a few moments. Why was she crying? Was she hurt again? Did she fall of the chair, and hurt her head?

"Chief! Ri... Ridely... beated... my parents and... threw... the bodies at me... an... and... then... the bad covaments aliens... stabbed... Old Bird... an... Grey Voice!" choked out, tears beginning to pour down her face like a waterfall.

A nightmare, of course. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He sighed, scratching the back of his head, he hadn't been in this situation before. Chief thought to himself, they never got training on how to deal with youth. Yet again, being assigned to look after a child was probably never on the list, in the Spartan training program. He decided to go by his instincts, instead of making something up on the spot. He attempted to dig deep, down, inside his core of solitude, for whatever nurturing, nature he had. He hoped his instincts would have the right answer.

"It's ok now." Picking Samus up, he placed her on his lap. Samus still sobbing, pressed herself against the toned chest, and closed her eyes. "You had a bad dream, that's all..." Chief said the words, but didn't believe them. He knew very well, the nightmare was based off of what really had happened, maybe just a little more extreme if that was possible.

"Bu... but I couldn't protect them!" Samus, clutched the Spartans arm, and cried louder.

Chief winced at the added volume Samus gave when she wailed. Kelly was on one side of the wall and Linda on the other, and the last thing Chief wanted to do, was wake those Spartans up.

"Ok... shhh" Chief put his hand on the back of her head. "Samus, you were, three, unprepared, and untrained, you couldn't do anything." Chief told Samus the truth.

"I should have though!" Samus, looked up with tear filled eyes.

"Samus you couldn't have. Look if you continue your training, you will grow stronger and grow past this, and eventually take down the ones who brought you this grief. You can rise up above this, and help put and end to this missary those evil forces have caused, across the universe." Chief spoke clear and sternly. Hoping he didn't push the wrong buttons of the emotional rollercoaster, that was flying down the tracks. But the sobbing had quieted, his short little speech seemed to have calmed Samus down.

Samus looked at the floor, then looked back up at the pale man holding her. "I'm never going home am I?" Chief gazed up at his door across the room, as if it had an answer written on it.

"No..." His answer had no emotion. But was understood by a few more silent tears.

"Where am I going to live now?" She had lost two homes, and had no idea where she would end up next. She would be lucky if she ended up floating through space, on a peice of space junk.

Chief thought about what she had asked. It also brought back the last conversation the Captain had with his team. Lasky had said they were searching for a caregiver for Samus. Who in the right mind, would suit the caregiving position for a child that's a lethal, fully equipped, human/alien hybrid? He almost Chuckled.

"Well, I don't know. But you are welcome to stay with me and the team until we figure something out." Chief reassured, once again with that unusual behaviour. He even looked down, smiling at Samus.

"Chief, you're the awesomest!" Samus hugged the Spartan, to his surprise.

"Alright, you think we can get some rest now?" Chief lifted Samus, walking back to the large chair.

Samus nodded, as the Spartan laid her down on the chair. Once again her droopy eyes begun winning the battle of sleep once more. Chief smiled, turning back to his own berth he stopped for a moment.

Samus then shifted her position, as a warm fuzzy blanket covered her small form.

Morning

Chief sleeping soundly without a blanket, currently faced the wall in his slumber. Making him oblivious to his helmet being slid of the table next to him.

A poke in the back made him groan, his eyes kept shut as he rolled over, his back facing the wall. Another poke, this time to his forehead, made him open his eyes slowly. After his sleepy eyes cleared of fog, he met face to face with his helmet.

"Morning!"

Chief gasped, visibly jumping, hitting the back wall.

"You have a big head!" the familiar muffled voice of a young girl, came from under the helmet.

"Samus... you..." Chief rolled his eyes, taking his helmet off the girl.

He stared wide eyed, at the frizzy, blonde hair sticking up on end, once he took the helmet off the giggling girl. He had practically pulled a knife on her last night, and now she had the nerve to surprise him in the morning? She was either crazy, or just liked to push buttons.

Shaking his head, he suggested. "Samus, why don't you go see if Kelly is up?" if Chief wanted to teach Samus about pushing to many buttons, Kelly would be a good hard teacher for that. "She's the room on the right, right beside us."

"Ok!" Samus quickly bounded out the room, knocking on Kelly's door.

"Who's there?" a sigh, from the other side of the door.

"Me!" Samus replied.

"Who the hell is me... kid?" a confused voice, recognized the youthful one. "Uh, come on in." Samus obliged and entered. Kelly was finishing doing her brunet hair, up in the mirror, when she turned around to see the long, frizzy, blonde mess of Samus's. "What the hell, did you get zapped by something?" Kelly quirked an eyebrow.

"Nope, had Chief's helmet on." Samus repleid, balancing on her toes. Kelly chuckled at the thought of Samus's small body, with that large helmet that John has.

As Samus played with her own hair, blowing the long strands out of her face. The frizzy, mess was begining to annoy Kelly. She looked over her shoulder, at the table her mirror rested on, and saw one red hair tie. 'Good enough' she thought grabbing it, and a hair brush. "Kid, come here." Kelly ordered politely. Samus bounced, Kelly wasn't surprised, and expected that she would. "Stand infront of me, turn and stare at the door." Kelly directed, and Samus complied.

Samus was patient, while Kelly quickly brushed her long hair. Samus winced everytime the Spartan found a tangle. Then suddenly, after a few abrupt moves, they were done. "There, that looks better." Kelly smiled at the long, pony tail she gave Samus.

Samus stood on her toes, to attempt to look in the mirror, at her hair. Kelly saw this, and took the mirror, holding it infront of the child, so Samus may see her newly, done up hair. "Thank you kelly!" Samus thanked Kelly with a hug.

"Alright kid. Why don't you save that cute, cuddly, touchy, feely crap, for someone who's, big and cuddly. You know, like Chief is." Kelly pryed Samus off, and lead her back to John's room.

"Chief, Chief! Look what Kelly did!" Samus bounded over to the Spartan, who was suiting up.

"Kelly did your hair, well then..." Chief quirked an eyebrow at the tall lady in the doorway.

"Yeah so what. I can't believe you let her out looking like that?" Kelly scoffed.

"She's a child Kelly, her hair is going to end up like that anyway." Chief secured his chest plate armour.

"Easy for you to say..." Kelly muttered, stepping into the room.

Samus bounced onto the chair she slept on, grabbing the blanket, she bounced to the bed. And began neatly making the bed.

As the hiss of Chief's helmet locking into place came, he watched Samus make his bed. Then a question from Kelly, turned his attention. "So who are you dropping the kid off on today?"