Cortana blinked.

John had just, well, kissed her.

Although, to be fair, she did kind of give the go signal by facing him directly and looking at him for more than 10 seconds. This was John showing his feelings for her, she could see. Cortana wasn't all that surprised; they'd been fighting side by side since Reach went dark. But she had feelings for him too; of that, she had no doubt. She had to admit she liked it. Still.

"You kissed me." Cortana smiled, not being able to help a small smile that came to her lips.

"I did, didn't I?" John replied coolly.

"Why the hell not? No reason that I shouldn't." Cortana thought. She moved forward and planted her own kiss on his lips. She held it for a couple of seconds and pulled away to see he was grinning like Cheshire cat. "There. Now we're even."

"Can I make it un-even again?" John said daringly. But it payed off as Cortana kissed him again. More firmly this time. More... lovingly. John liked that.

"Now your way too ahead." He laughed, thinking of it as a sort of game. They continued their battle of kissing until it got to: Cortana: 7, John: 5. Then John moved his arm round to her back, and up her shirt, experimentally. His hands caressed her back, moving over smooth skin and toned muscle. Cortana giggled gently and chastised him.

"John!" She gasped, "Stop messing around."

"Who's messing around?" He laughed, then took on a shy tone. "I am... simply curious."

She stopped for a second. A few thoughts came to her. Had John ever actually experienced a woman?

Probably not, he was a Spartan hell bent on following orders, mostly.

Cortana was new to all of this, and she was of course still new to the body as well. But it was something they could both experience. Hell, Cortana didn't respect anyone more than John, why shouldn't they make love to each other? That was what she felt this was going to lead to, anyway. She leaned into his lips again, taking in his scent. He had removed her shirt in a matter of seconds. Of course, she still had no bra, she didn't seem to see a need for them, so her chest was in the open. She felt exposed, but it was O.K, because it was John.

They both fell back onto the couch as he went down on her.

Cortana lazily opened her eyes, viewing her surroundings. Living room, and warmth, TV on... warmth. She was on the couch, In the frontroom, warmth, it was so warm. She was laying down. John had his arms around her and was half-asleep, he held her closely. That'd explain the warmth.

"Good thing we had the curtains closed." She remarked wryly with a small smile, seeing as her and John weren't wearing anything. She looked to a small clock they had that was pinned on the wall. It was coming up for quarter to six.

"Nearly three hours Intimacy." She thought. That was a good thing in her mind. "John, wake up: Miranda's got to be coming by soon enough, we wouldn't do well to be here on the sofa in the nude when she comes knocking." she said quietly.

Cortana sat up, getting up slowly, and then grabbing her clothes. John grumbled, opening his eyes to view Cortana getting changed. "You know, I don't think I should go and stop you walking around the house in your pride and joy now." he said to her as she slipped on her panties. Cortana smiled.

"C'mon, you gotta get up, Miranda could be here any second.", she said as John himself sat upright.

"I am up, don't worry." he said, putting his clothes on.

Cortana noticed she had left the TV on. She put on her jeans, and walked over to turn it off, but stopped abruptly as she heard the words, "Master Chief." So she stepped back and watched. John was putting on his shirt, and he noticed Cortana watching the TV intensively, so he watched too.

"...rbiter was found with the last Spartan alive." Was heard as Cortana turned the volume up, "The Master Chief, the hero of Earth is seen coming out of the USNC Frigate, 'Forward unto Dawn', he is followed by one: Miranda Keyes: A Commander of the USNC Navy. The Elite known as The Arbiter follows her. Sergeant Major Avery Johnson who was with them when the fell into the atmosphere, was rushed to a USNC medical ward where he was treated with special equipment for his injuries. As they return, they are all revered as heroes. Stay with us to find out if they will be taking part in the fight in Africa, where..." Cortana had turned to John now, ignoring the screen.

"Good thing nobody saw you with your armour off" she said, assured.

John didn't say anything, he just got dressed. He didn't want the public eye on him, he didn't see himself as a hero, he just helped out fight the Covenant like anybody else. The focus had just all been aimed on him anyway. But at least the paparazzi didn't know what he looked like. Cortana smiled and sat down next to him as he gave a sigh, then a knock came at the door.

"That's Miranda!" She quickly grinned and ran out into the hallway.

John finished putting his socks on, and then heard the door open. "Oh hey, Cortana! Oh my god! You look amazing!"

"Come in, come in." Cortana chided, as John got up and changed the channel. He didn't want Miranda to notice they were posted all over the news.

"Hello Chief." Miranda said with mock formality, John just having entered the hallway.

"Commander" He also said with an equally mocking tone and salute.

Miranda laughed and hugged them both. "Oh, I am glad we're all here! I feel so happy that the war's finally at an End!" She said, squeezing them as best she could. John especially, it would be difficult for him to feel a squeeze hug, she would have thought. While they talked about how great things were, they went into the frontroom and sat down. Miranda luckily sat down on the couch that they hadn't had sex on.

"It's really nice to see you both somewhere that isn't a war-zone." She said to the two. "And your body is amazing Cortana, you look like Dr Halsey. By the way, did you dye your hair?" So many things she had to say.

Cortana laughed, smiled, and said, "One: Thankyou very much, I'm happy that I can be something entirely different, and 2: Nope. I was 'born' with this colour hair. The guys who created my body decided it would be funny. But I like it."

"That's good." Miranda said, "Oh! and someone else is here too!"

"Can I come in now?" Johnson said as he walked into the frontroom.

"Johnson! You're O.K!" Cortana said, getting up and giving him a hug.

"Good to see your still kicking." John said to the Marine.

"It'll take more than a light bulb to put me down." he said proudly. He took a cigar out of his backpocket. It seemed like he had an Infinite amount of them. He was going to light on up, matches in hand.

"No, no, no, no, no. No smoking in this house, Sergeant" Cortana said seriously, "You can go to smoke out the front, or back, if you like, though."

Johnson seemed annoyed by this. "Since when did you care about smoking?"

"Since I walked past a couple of people smoking down the street, and I decided that It smelled god-awful and made it hard to breathe. I have to look after this body, and second hand smoke is worse for wear." she continued, "If you want to smoke though, feel free to do so outside."

Johnson thought about it for a second.

"Nah, it can wait."

"No you don't." Miranda shouted as she hit the ball back. They were all in the pool outside; playing beach-ball. Miranda had hit the ball back to Johnson who had hit it in her direction. John was on her team. And Cortana was with Johnson. They had been playing for half an hour now.

"I got it!" Cortana said as she just hit back, falling down under the water with a splash, she arose a second later. wiping the water off her face, and pushing her hair back out of her eyes. Seeing as John was taller and much stronger, he was better. But he hit the ball as gently as he could. The ball went back and it flew past Cortanas hand by a mere centimeter.

"Dammit." Cortana said laughing, "4 - 1 to you guys! Give a girl a chance." She grabbed the ball and chucked it in the air, jumping. She hit it with force and it sped towards John, who knocked it in Johnsons Direction, Johnson hadn't been paying attention, and so it hit him on the forehead.

"Damn!" He said as he was knocked backwards into the water. "Watch it, Chief!"

Cortana and Miranda just laughed. John was getting out.

"Don't wanna play anymore?" Miranda said to him.

"No, I do. I'm just getting something to drink. Anyone else want something?" He replied. Miranda and Johnson said yes.

"Make mine a beer, I haven't had one of those for ages." Johnson smiled.

"What does beer taste like?" Cortana asked. She, despite her 3 weeks of bliss. Had not attempted to try a beer.

"Watery, and bitter. It's an acquired taste" Johnson told her. "Probably to much of a drink for a lady" he finished with a smile.

"Nah, I'll try one."

While they all mellowed out in the pool, John came back minutes later with 2 beers, and 2 glasses of orange juice. He handed a beer to Cortana, and chucked the other across to Johnson, who caught it. They had already been uncapped, so Johnson was glad he caught it properly. He placed the 2 glasses on the side of the pool, got back in, and handed Miranda a glass. He then took his own one.

"Ah, that is much better." Johnson said after a few mouthfuls.

Cortana made a sound that sounded like: "Ugkk." Johnson knew she wouldn't like it, and laughed.

"Told you so..." he said, taking another swig of his own drink.

The sun was down as it was now near to 10pm. Johnson was drunk. He had raided the fridge, and taken many beers and spirits outside to the pool with him. And so, he was kind of out of it. John and Cortana were just sitting and admiring the stars, while Miranda was getting ready to leave.

"I'm gonna head off. Johnson came in his own car, but he's pissed. Is he crashing here or do you want me to take him off your hands?" she asked the them. She was more than happy to take care of the Sergeant.

"It's fine, he can stay here for the night, we have extra rooms." Cortana replied back.

"Okay then, see-you. Bye Johnson." she said to them, hugging Cortana as they said their goodbyes to her, and then Johnson as she passed through the house, "See-you soon Johnson!" She said, opening the front door, it then shut and she was gone.

"See-a" he groggily replied. He was staring at the floor.

"I'm helping him upstairs." John said, getting up and walking over. "I could carry him."

Cortana laughed, "Like a baby?" She mimed cradling an infant.

"Hah, yeah, I could."

"No, that's fine." Johnson mumbled, "I can do this." he stood up, but he swayed a bit.

"Nope, you need help, yet again." John smiled.

He helped Johnson upstairs, and he fell onto a guest bed and was fast asleep in minutes.

Cortana and John went ahead and shared Cortana's room for the first time.

Holy crap, this is finally re-done, and up! Yay, finally.