CHAPTER 11
FINALE

The two warriors had bid each other a good evening and left the other to their thoughts. A week passed. John had pondered the best way to tell Samus how he felt, with little help from Cortana.

Finally, as the sun set and the SPARTAN watched it disappear over the horizon, Cortana spoke.

"John?"

"Hmm?" He turned and looked at her, chocolate brown eyes sharp and attentive.

"Why don't you go see her and just tell her straight out how you feel?"

The simple suggestion seemed so alien to the SPARTAN. He blinked and looked utterly confused by the thought. The amythest AI giggled at the stunned look on her partners face.

When he didn't reply right away, she sighed. "Look. Tomorrow morning, just go over there and talk with her. What harm can it do?"

Looking back out the window to where the last few rays of sunshine were sliding away, the SPARTAN nodded. "Yeah..."

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Morning dawned with a gold haze hovering over the world. The Master Chief strode quietly over to the apartment complex that was now so familiar to him. However now he came here with a mission, something he needed to do.

Upon reaching Samus's door, he found it slightly ajar, so with a little nudge, he poked his head in.

"Samus?"

Unlike before, the room was now in a total state of disarray. Samus was kneeling in front of a suitcase that was spilled over the floor, clothes half folded.

Stepping fully in, John chuckled and jammed his hands into the pockets of his standard issue army pants. "Going on a trip?"

Samus didn't answer, but stood and sighed heavily, a pair of pants folded in her arms.

Realizing that his attempt at a joke had hit on the truth, John swallowed hard. Something in his chest gave an uncomfortable lurch. "You're leaving?"

The blonde didn't meet his eyes. "I just got the order this morning. The Federation wants me to head to the Dasha sector and do some recovery work on a rogue planet. Some of our men went down there and haven't been heard from since. I...I don't think I'm coming back."

She finally met his eyes. Both warriors were silent, just watching the other for the longest time. Finally, John approached and removed the dog tags from around his neck. Taking her hand, he coiled the cool metal in her palm and closed her slender fingers around them.

Tearing her blue eyes away from her hand, Samus searched his face, which wore a bittersweet smile. "John, I can't..."

"Take them. I can get new dog tags..." John released her hand. "I can't get a new you."

Looping them over her head, they jingled a little as they settled against Samus's chest. "I'm going to miss you."

Putting his hands back in his pockets, Chief nodded. "When do you leave?"

"First flight I can make. It's going to be a long trip."

With a bitter smile, the Chief made his way out. "Who knows, maybe we will meet again."

As the door closed softly, Samus smiled absently at the place John had just been. "Maybe..."

FIN