Chapter Six: Middle Girl Secret

Michelle crept from her room and made her way silently down the long hall. They were holed up in the remains of a once grand hotel; now just a war torn shell of itself. A mouse squeaked and Michelle heard it scurrying somewhere ahead of her.

Not a mouse…probably a rat…

She shuttered at the thought.

It was so dark, and there was junk and trash lying around everywhere. Brandon had set traps at random along the halls and barricaded the staircase. Michelle side stepped the alarms and began wiggling through the barricade. Suddenly, a flash of lightening bathed the hall in flickering light and a clap of thunder sounded in the distance. Stumbling as she pulled free of the barricade, Michelle broke into a run and disappeared down another hall.

She rounded a corner and pushed through the first door. Crossing a small room she went straight to the window and crawled out onto the fire escape. Winding down a flight, she crawled through another window and made her way back out into the hall. She hurried along and stopped at room 207, the 2 dangled upside down.

Pausing, Michelle listened to make sure no one had been following her. Then, softly knocking, she opened the door.

"Mee-shell," a voice chittered, "missed you."

Michelle giggled, pushing the door closed. She felt hands close around her waist and she turned to see the leathery beak and the glistening plumes of the Kig-Yar. She smiled and he appeared to be smiling back at her in his own way.

"You're still here," she mused, "I thought you'd get hungry and wander away."

He cocked his head sharply and clicked his toothy beak, "I not leave."

She giggled again and ran a hand over the Jackal's feathered cheek, "Did you eat while I was gone?" she asked, brushing past him as she dug in a pocket.

"No," he croaked softly, clicking his claws together nervously and drooling at the thought of food.

"Well, Siv" Michelle beamed, "you're in luck. I have a special treat for you."

He squawked in excitement and the feathers on his head stood up. Clacking his teeth noisily, he watched as she pulled a can and an opener from a pocket. Stepping close he cocked his head to one side.

"Too…Too-na," he rasped.

Michelle giggled again, watching as he straightened, peering at her with big, glassy eyes. He clearly knew what a treat was.

Fumbling with the opener, Michelle turned the dial and peeled the circular top from the can. Siv licked at his maw and drooled in sloppy droplets onto the floor.

"I can't let you starve," Michelle said, discarding the lid and tucking the can opener back into a pocket, "I'm sorry I was gone for so long, but we found my friend…"

She passed the can to the patiently waiting Jackal and sat in silence while he awkwardly snapped and slurped at the can.

Staring off at nothing, Michelle recalled how fiercely Melody had cried over the Elite's battered body. The two women had been unable to move him so Melody pulled blankets and sheets and pillows from several of the rooms and piled herself on the wet floor, refusing to leave his side. She just laid there for hours, crying to herself and petting his face…

Seeing her faraway look, Siv quickly slurped the last of his food and tossed the can into a growing pile of garbage in the corner. It was not like Mee-shell to look sad.

"Is something wrong? Need help?" he asked, stepping near and bunting her shoulder with his snout.

They may have been different in many ways, but the emotion in her face crossed the species boundary. He knew she was lost in troubling thoughts.

Michelle suddenly laughed mirthlessly, "You're not going to believe it," she said, raking a hand across her face, "when we found my friend she had an Elite with her."

Siv crooned, the feathers of his head rising and falling in interest.

"I mean, an Elite," Michelle huffed, "and she almost shot Brandon. All because he hurt it…him…whatever…"

She crossed her arms angrily against the thought of losing another friend over something so…so silly.

"But, Mee-shell," Siv whispered, "you would do same for me?"

He had inched closer to her, genuinely concerned that she thought of him as disposable in the way she clearly thought of the Sangheili.

"Eww," she groaned, "No, Why would…" she let the statement hang out there for a few seconds before sighing, "You know what, fish breath, my brain hurts, it's way past time to go to sleep."

Michelle climbed into the huge bed, fluffing blankets all around and rearranging pillows. She had always told herself Siv was just a useful pet, following her around and waiting like a dog. Even when they were locked in the brig of a Covenant cruiser she had joked that once they escaped she would kick his ass for being such a pest. But now…no, she wouldn't let anyone hurt him.

Siv walked to the end of the bed and rested his clawed hand on her blanketed leg. He could see her through the darkness of the room looking back at him. She smiled.

He really was more than an annoying pet that wouldn't stop following her. He had always been waiting; and patiently endured the hell of her trauma after she had been questioned by the UNSC.

"Hey, Siv," she finally said, "It's going to be a long day tomorrow," she yawned, "get some rest. You never know, maybe Brandon and the Elite will have a big old fight and we can finally watch Blondie get his ass kicked. Wouldn't want to miss that, would you?"

Siv chittered then crawled into the bed, rooting around until he had created a comfortable nest. Michelle was curled on her side, her back to him. Finally settling in, Siv tucked his head against her.