CHAPTER 10
REALIZATION

Two weeks had passed since the initial counteroffensive. A base had been established and the Chief was spending a lot of time keeping himself in shape with simple yoga moves Samus taught him and long hikes in the surrounding area. Unfortunately, he didn't do this out of necessity, but because Samus would leave early in the morning and return back to base late at night. It was only after some time that he discovered this pattern, and began leaving her meals outside her door so she wouldn't simply waste away.
Clambering back down into the box canyon one day, Cortana spoke to her host, like she often would on these long hikes. "You think she's back yet?"
Sighing, he knew this was the question she always asked, and he knew the answer already. "No, I don't think so. She never gets back before the sun sets and you know that Cortana."
As his feet touched the grass that surrounded the base, he could almost see the AI shrug. "I dunno…she might be."
Entering the base, John stopped by his room to store his armor before heading to the café for his meal and Samus's. Upon entering, he nearly ran straight into the tray Johnson nearly put into his chest. Stunned, he took the tray with a questioning look.
Chewing on his cigar, the gruff Sergeant nodded. "She got back early today and went straight to her room. If you're lucky, you can catch her."
Nodding his thanks, John turned and moved out, trying to ignore Cortana's remarks of "I told you so!"
Upon reaching the door, he frowned. It was odd that she was home this early, but even odder that the door was slightly ajar. Pushing it open just enough to get through, he looked around cautiously. "Samus?"
"John…" Cortana's voice whispered through his head, "Look at the bed."
Turning to take a look at the standard military cot set up in the corner, the SPARTAN couldn't help but feel warm as he saw what Cortana meant. Samus had barely gotten into pajamas before flopping face first onto the cot. With a strange flush creeping up the back of his neck, John couldn't help but notice that Samus's sleep shorts were rather short and she had missed the top few buttons on the oversized shirt.
Placing the tray of food on a small desk opposite the bed, he took the blanket folded under her feet and spread it over her slender form. Watching her for a moment, the SPARTAN spoke. "Where has she been?"
"Hunting." The AI's voice was steady and well informed. "I've been talking with Adam. She's been rounding up the remaining pirates we didn't get to. I guess this is just her way of coping with her past…driving herself to exhaustion."
Silence fell around them as the battle hardened warrior watched the bounty hunter with an unusually gentle look on his face.

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Only a few days later the pair made their way towards the large, brown brick building that housed Samus's apartment. In an unusual move for the SPARTAN, John had insisted on walking Samus home, even though she protested.
Jogging up the last flight of stairs, Samus sighed again. "I told you, you don't need to do this John. I'm fine."
"And I'm telling you, I'm still escorting you."
The pair came to an abrupt halt at the end of the hall, paused by something at the other end. A large alien was standing before one of the doors, apparently trying to reach the resident inside. He was a deep blue in color, and seemed to be partially built out of blue-green ice crystals.
Resisting the engrained response to pull Samus behind him and attack, John stiffened. "Friend of yours?"
The cheery tone Samus replied with was not expected at all. "Actually, he is!"
Striding past his outstretched arm, the blonde called out the figure, who turned and approached her, nearly dwarfing her in size.
"Rundas!"
Approaching, John watched as the other alien spoke in a hoarse voice that seemed confident to the point of being cocky.
"It's been quite a while Samus. I wasn't sure if you were home." He seemed to focus on the SPARTAN. "And who is this?"
Smiling, the blonde bounty hunter made introductions. "Oh, Rundas, this is the Master Chief. Chief, this is Rundas; he's an old friend of mine."
They nodded at each other, but people passing by would get the impression of two male tigers fighting for dominance…and a female. It seemed that only Samus was ignorant to the tensions, since she turned to Rundas with a friendly smile.
"So what brings you to this part of the world? I thought you went back home."
He shrugged. "I was in the area, thought I'd look you up. Are you free for dinner tonight?"
Opening his mouth to answer for her, Samus cut off John with a swift and well worded reply. "I just got back from my last mission and I really didn't feel like cooking…I'd love to go. What time?"
"Five?"
"Perfect. I'll meet you downstairs then."
As Rundas left, Samus lead John into the apartment and pushed the door closed behind her. "Don't mind the mess…I'll get to it eventually."
Disappearing down a side hall, John got a good look at the living room. The mess consisted of fifteen or so files piled on one side of a sofa. A small digital clock sat on a side table reading four thirty. Biting his lip, the SPARTAN was tempted to start pacing, but resisted. Why did this bother him so much? It was just dinner. A meal with a companion, nothing more. And yet…
"Samus?"
Peering into the only room with the door open, John found himself staring into a small bathroom where Samus was doing something he had never seen her do before.
She was applying mascara.
Blinking, he took in her appearance. She wore the same pair of jeans and sneakers, but she had changed into an empire-waist top with short, flowing sleeves. It was a deep plum color that complimented her pale skin. Snapping himself out of it, he looked at her as she worked with her eyelashes.
"Yes John?"
"How long do you think dinner will be?"
"An hour or two…why?"
"I…" He fumbled for an excuse. What would sound natural? "I wanted to stay here and compare data between myself, Cortana and Adam."
Leaning back and putting on the cap, Samus nodded. "Sure, why not? I'm sure he'd appreciate the company…if you want, you can wait until I get back to go home."
"Yes." Replied the SPARTAN, trying not to sound too eager.
He watched with a blank face as she slid a keycard into her back pocket and made for the door. Pausing, she looked over her shoulder at him. "You sure you'll be okay by yourself?"
Nodding, he wondered as she closed the door if she knew that when she did that he had gotten warm all over and was certain his stomach had decided to take up gymnastics.
Flopping down onto the couch after searching for an outlet for Cortana to link into, the SPARTAN sighed. It was no big deal; she was just having dinner with an old friend. That was it, and nothing more would come of it.
"…JOHN."
Jerking up, the warrior sought out Adam's almost stern voice, blinking in surprise. "Yes?"
"You've been sitting there for the past ten minutes looking like the sky is falling. Are you all right?"
Nodding, John attempted a smile, but found himself managing only a half hearted grin. Exhaling deeply, he rested his elbows on his knees. "No…I'm not."
Materializing as her usual amethyst hologram on the coffee table, Cortana put her hand on her hip and looked at her partner with inquisitive eyes. "What's wrong Chief?"
Shaking his head, John ran a hand through his short brown hair. "I don't feel right about this. Letting Samus go with that…that…alien. She shouldn't be doing anything too stressful after that whole incident."
Watching him stand and begin to pace, both computers shot each other knowing glances. Adam spoke, his tone even and logical. "Samus can take care of herself Chief. Besides, she's known Rundas for a long time and he won't hurt her. You're not required to watch her."
Turning abruptly to look at the computer, John seemed exasperated. "I know that, but it bothers me that he thinks he can just come up to her home and walk off with Samus while I'm standing right there!"
Barely suppressing a laugh, Cortana stepped to the edge of the table. "John, relax. It's not like she's your girlfriend or anything."
"I know but-" He stopped dead, reality slamming him full in the gut.
It was in that moment John, the Master Chief, Spartan 117, realized how far he had gone. He hadn't even realized what was going on until now…how could he not have seen this? Over the span of almost a month this had slowly been growing within him and now…only now…it had been so gradual, he didn't see what he should have known since the moment he walked out of the infirmary that first day.
He was hopelessly, inexplicably, and desperately falling for Samus Aran.
Sitting down hard on the couch, the Spartan simply stared at a rather unremarkable spot on the coffee table. Why didn't he see it? All those excuses he made to be near her, to comfort her, to hold her hand…
Cortana made a slight noise by clearing her throat, raising her eyebrows once she knew that her partner was refocused on her. He spoke slowly. "You…you knew?"
"Since day one." The AI affirmed, smiling broadly. "Pretty much everyone knew before you did…except for Samus."
Looking at the wall monitor for Adam's confirmation, John was torn between annoyance and laughter at the fact that he was the last to figure it out. Adam seemed to be laughing as he replied. "We would have just said it, but that would be far too easy and certainly not as much fun as this was. Besides, this is something you have to figure out on your own."
A long silence settled between the three. After a moment, John spoke, his voice a little bit hoarse. "I don't suppose you'll tell me where to go from here?"
Cortana laughed, a sound akin to crystal wind chimes chinking against each other. "Now
Chief, where's the fun in that?"

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Samus pushed the door of her apartment open, sliding in silently. It was later than she had anticipated…almost eight thirty. She had wanted to be home closer to six thirty so as not to worry John but...
Pausing after setting down her shoes, she looked around for her companion and allowed a warm, almost motherly smile to creep over her face.
John lay, sprawled across her couch with a book open in his hand. Adam flickered to life across the room.
"Oh good, you're home. " His voice was soft so as not to wake the sleeping Spartan. "He just conked out there and we've let him be…figure it would be cruel to disturb him."
Smiling, Samus looked back at John before heading into the kitchen. "You did the right thing. He's been tired lately…he didn't give you too much trouble?"
"Not at all. We went over our data, confirmed points and then he just poked around a bit before falling asleep there."
Putting on some water to boil, Samus set aside a mug for tea and a pack of artificial sugar. "I can't blame him."
"You can't blame me for what?"
Turning, Samus found herself staring at John, who was rubbing his eyes as he stood in the doorway to her kitchen. Apparently he just woke up.
Before she could say another word, John sat at the breakfast bar on the other side of the counter and spoke. "How do you know Rundas?"
Sighing and turning back to the pot of water, Samus shook her head. "It was a long time ago…I took a bounty and it was one that he had taken as well…so we worked together on it. He became rather…smitten with me and was insistent that I return to his home planet with him. I declined, because he was my friend, and nothing more, but he's never really given up on the idea that one day he'll take me back to his home and make me his 'queen'."
Pouring the now ready tea into two mugs, she pushed one across to John. He looked visibly relieved….over what, she couldn't place. He nodded after a long moment. "Oh…I see then."
After another somewhat awkward silence, John raised his mug. "Here's to a job well done."
Raising her own mug, Samus smiled, meeting his chocolate brown gaze. "I can toast to that."
They both sipped their tea, never breaking the contact. Each seemed to be slipping deeper into the others gaze, one into pools of the purest blue, the other into near black pits. An unsaid understanding hung between the two of them, shimmering in the air like mist.
And while John would never say it aloud so as to preserve their friendship, he knew in the same way he did about battles, that one day he would be able to tell Samus everything he had felt in those three weeks. But until then, he was more than content to sit at her breakfast bar and sip tea while she talked about life.