AUTHOR'S NOTES : Sorry that it took me so long ! I've been so busy with Christmas Shopping and work, and being with my baby niece ! But here you go, hopefully this chapter will suffice ! And I'll have the new one up soon ! Thanks everyone !

...

Master Chief.

...

Occasional beeping sounds echoed through he comm room. Cortana's holographic figure wasn't visible at the moment as she worked busily sorting through the vast libraries of date and stored information. For a while she had been tracking the covenant movements and although they tried to bypass the door into the facility, they had no luck and soon lost interest. Since then, the covenant had been examining and creating bases at old ruins. There had been several run ins with marines, which meant that they weren't left alone and someone from the frigate in space orbiting the planet, was relaying orders and messages, but wern't returning their own until...

" Chief," Coratna said, her blue holographic body appearing. " I think I've got something. An encrypted message from the UNSC Hurricane. " she said informing him.

Turning from his position, he acknowledged Cortana's words with a nod of his head. " Good. How long until it's opened?" he asked standing straighter.

"I'm going through the encryption now. I'll be done in five minutes." she said." Shall we inform the lieutenant?" she asked looking over at her.

His eyes fell upon Rachel. She was seated at one of the terminals. Bent over, her arms crossed over one another and her head resting on top. She had fallen asleep. Granted they had spent quite a few days, and nights, in the comm room trying to contact the human frigate. Not to mention the training on top of it all. John didn't blame her for being exhausted. He was feeling some of it as well, but he spent the duration of his time in his armor so it wasn't that bad.

"No. Let her rest. We can tell her in the morning." he stated simply as he looked over at Cortana who nodded in return.

It was just then that T.I.M entered through one of the holes. Hovering around Rachel, it examined her sleeping body. " Shall I awake and escort her to her room?" it asked, the optic widening then condensing.

Chief stepped in between T.I.M and Rachel." No. I'll take her to her room." he said in a stern tone, causing the orb to back up.

" If you insist." it replied in its synthetic voice.

Turning, Chief slowly bent over and pulled Rachel back proceeding to gently lift her from her seat. Holding her bridal style, she stirred slowly, but didn't wake. Her long brown hair spilled over his arm as he held her. Turning slowly he exited the comm room and proceeded down the hall with her in his arms. He cast a glance down at her noticing how peaceful she looked. Taking the time to marvel at her soft looking porcelain skin, her long auburn hair, way past regulation length and her full lips. Chief had always known and saw her for the attractive woman she was. But, it was only at a time like this that he had the chance to marvel at her beauty and appreciate it.

The past few weeks that he had been in the facility with her he had gotten to know her, had become close to her. When he found out she was a Spartan he would be lying if he said he wasn't happy about it. It made him feel less alone. The training they went through and the conversations they had brought them closer each time. He not only appreciated her beauty but also her strength and prowess in fighting. He knew she was pure and a true representation of what a Spartan was.

Finally reaching her room, the door opened and Chief entered. Approaching her bed he set her down gently, pulling the blankets up to keep her warm. Casting one more glance at her, he turned to exit the room but stopped when he was pulled back by a hand on his wrist. Turning his head he saw that Rachel was awake and had a firm grip on his wrist, stopping him from going anywhere. Truthfully, if he wanted to break free he could with no problem but, he didn't want to.

"Chief?" she said sleepily. Looking around lazily he could tell she noticed this wasn't where she fell asleep. He watched as she used her other arm to push off the blankets. He then turned his hand around now holding her wrist, stopping her.

"You need to rest." he said to her and she blinked up at him. " The work can be finished tomorrow. I promise you'll wake up to good news." he said in a reassuring tone.

She slowly raised an eyebrow and he could tell that she wanted to question it. Instead, he was slightly surprised when she nodded and laid back down pulling the blankets over herself. " Goodnight Chief." she said with a smile.

Nodding slowly he exited the room and made his way back to the comm room knowing that Cortana had ample time to get that message opened. As he entered the room eh walked over to Cortana as she looked up at him with a raised eyebrow and half smirk .

"Do you think that's smart?" she asked him.

"What?" he said, clearly dumbfounded by her question.

"You have gotten really close to the lieutenant. "Cortana said slowly crossing her arms.

"She's a fellow Spartan. Her and I are probably the only ones left. We were always taught to protect our brothers and sisters." he answered logically.

"That's not what I meant John, and you know it." Cortana said, the smirk growing.

He cast her a sideways glance and then to the screen. " Open the message." he instructed.

Defeated Cortana simply nodded her head and turned to the screen as the message appeared.

CAPTAINS LOG : 143

0900 HOURS , AUGUST 23 2..ERROR.

UNSC FRIGATE HURRICANE

It's been a couple of weeks since we heard from the ground team sent with Master Chief. the ambush at the ruins must have been a success. We've also lost track on a Lieutenant Rachel Fleming who I've only been informed recently was a Spartan. How she managed to escape the facility is unknown to me, though she may have been the reason it went dark. I need time to look into it.

CAPTAINS LOG : 145...

14:00 HOURS...ERROR

UNSC FRIGATE HURRICANE...

It's only occured to me how that Spartan 102, or Rachel, may know of the facilities work. If word gets out that I was involved, it would be bad. Even worse than being stranded in this damn orbit. She needs to be found and killed. Word of that place can definitely not get out. The covenant wants us out of here and they're closing in fast. Damn these engines! Damn my bad luck ! ..

...End log..

Chief stood in silence. Everything about those two entries angered him. He was tricked into looking for data that was never there so he could be killed. The captain knew all about the vile experiments conducted in the facility, and he ordered for Rachel to be killed. Not if he had any say in it.

"Chief, I've also managed to hack into the covenants comm channels tracing it back to their bases. They have enough explosives required to destroy this place." She informed him.

He nodded absent minded to her words, still angered and focused on the message he had just read. The part that bothered him the most was that the captain wanted Rachel dead. It wouldn't happen and Chief would make sure of it. " Get the co-ordinates ready. We leave in the morning." he instructed as he turned to leave.

Cortana simply nodded at Chief's command and then disappeared into the system.

Walking through the corridor Chief was upset at the thought of Rachel dying. He couldn't quite figure out just why it mattered so much to had lost many soldiers, and spartans before. It was part of the job. The only time he ever felt this way was when Kelly was lost. But he card for Kelly, deeply, and different then he had any other. And now, now he cared for Rachel, like he had Kelly, but different at the same time.

He never got a chance to tell Kelly, to show her He waited too long and then lost his chance entirely. He lost her. He wasn't about to let that happen again. His speed quickened and his heart raced. It was a feeling that he wasn't used to having. Stopping in front of her door he paused. Contemplating whether he should say anything at all. Besides, she was sleeping. Lifting his hand he rested it on the wall beside her door and let out a sigh in his helmet. It had taken him a while but now he fully realized how he felt about her. He needed to tell her, he wanted to but, he didn't know if tonight was the right time. Turning to leave he decided he wasn't quite ready yet and headed to his room for the night.

...

"Why not?" Rachel's voice rang out clearly displeased.

"It's not our best option right now." Chief answered.

"Not our best option? That asshole knew all along about everything and he purposely sent you to die! I'm pretty sure the best option is to get to that ship and make him hurt!" she said angered.

"No." Came his answer again, cocking his gun as they headed towards the exit of the facility. They were both outfitted in their armor and ready for the mission. Well, almost ready.

Clearly frustrated, Chief stopped when she rushed ahead of him and turned, blocking his path. " Give me one good reason why? Other than it's not our best option bullshit." she said.

"There's more important things here at stake. The flood is our biggest concern. We can't waste time running off to get revenge when the threat of a galaxy resides just several floors below us. Once we take care of them then we'll take care of him. But we do it my way, because I won't risk losing you to him!" he said raising his voice a bit at the end. Silence ensued over them. " We've got a mission to do." he said as he brushed past her and exited the facility.