After the MASSIVE cliffhanger from the previous episode, we get to the proper action here but, remember, if you're less than 18 you need to fuck off because I don't want trouble with your parents. We're doing some serious sin here. Get some ice for the trip because the prediction for today is HOT, I hope you enjoy it :3 Join me at the end for more nonsense!

TAKE ME WHEN YOU NEED ME

PART XVI

There were good reasons why SPARTAN-II and III were encouraged to not get overly attached to other people -even their own teammates- and not to engage in romantic pursuits, and they could be summed up as 'because improper emotions could impair efficiency and the ability to make rational decisions, up to the point of costing countless lives'.

For over forty years, Frederick-104 never had an issue with it. It came as natural as his commitment to duty, to the mission and to his team. Even if he had a few flirts or even fewer encounters with his preferred opposite sex, it never bothered him to part ways. Not that he didn't care, he just knew the rules and abided to them.

Rules were usually good, you just had to follow them.

But whenever it came to Inspector Lopis, the rulebook was blank.

Smart, snarky, cunning and sneaky Veta, five-foot-nothing and yet such a handful, with that beautiful tan skin and that shiny black hair, her scent spicy and maddening… so much packed in such a little bundle. She'd been the only person besides John to stand up to him and succeed with flying colors.

The heel to his Achilles.

It was like she had this huge label on her: "EXPLOSIVES - HANDLE WITH CARE". Fred knew enough about explosives as to appreciate how unstable they could be. And he understood her: she'd been through a lot. Lopis hadn't shared many details of her personal life with him and most of what he knew, Fred had gathered it from rumors and archives. Knowing her past made him acknowledge her with the utmost respect. There was a talk going on ONI spheres about a kidnapping; a young girl, in Gao. She'd been kept in a cellar for over three weeks until she managed to escape and kill her captor with a rock.

The name of that girl, allegedly, was Veta Lopis.

To Fred, she only mentioned a confined space, fear and pain; humiliation.

He suspected she'd been raped, several times.

Spartans knew what rape was. Fred considered it the lowest, worst kind of violation a human being could suffer, the hunger in him switched to rage whenever he thought about that. It explained why she didn't want anyone touching her -or her hair-, or how come she was always alone if not accompanied by the Gammas.

Veta had to be strong on her own, because she couldn't trust anyone else.

Trust, turns out, was a commodity. A highly expensive one.

And Fred found himself more than willing to pay whatever its price, for her.

They had been circling around each other for months, in and out of deployment. Then, being stationed together and mostly idle at SHIELD Base gave them plenty of time to get closer. But there was always this sort of… resistance, from her. She was comfortable with his presence, yes, still she wouldn't sit closer than half an arm away from him. She would pull chairs in front of him when they had to discuss something important. They had been on the verge of kissing wildly more than once.

Fred never thought he would crave physical contact the way he did with her.

She felt it too. She said her skin crawled when he was close, the good kind of crawl.

That's how they had come up with the code. It was her idea, basically. Veta said that, if she ever felt it was the right time, if she felt confident enough to move forward, she would lay a hand on him. He would have her complete approval, but she had to touch him first. It was her only condition. Fred had agreed to her terms, it was the least he could do.

But so far, it hadn't happened. They had been almost there once or twice, and yet…

Then came John, brother, team leader and grump extraordinaire, having a secret affair with Director Halsey, impossible to locate for hours seemingly every day, almost giving up his own life to protect her and... well, conceiving a baby with the Director. Crossing the lines. Making everything so fucking complicated for everyone around him.

A baby, for God's sake. It was ludicrous, reckless.

That was exactly what Fred was obsessed about. What could've possibly been so good, so important, that made the Master Chief himself fall so hard? Well, whenever Veta Lopis was around and he could catch her scent, Fred thought he understood it a little better…

x.x.x.x.x

Fred stared deep into the eyes of the tiny woman standing before him, hoping she could understand why he had changed tactics so abruptly. He couldn't think of anything else to do but to appeal to their code to make her snap out of it. She usually kept it in check but still couldn't control it; nobody ever truly owned the trauma within themselves and so Fred was patient. With her, he could be very, very patient.

Lopis turned her head away, nervously, with a mixture of want and anger.

"¿Me vas a dejar hablar, por favor?" he asked, a moment later.

'Will you let me talk, please?'

This time she did look at him, at his eyes. Her cheeks were flushed, her scent mixed up with arousal. She was fighting it. Good.

She crossed her arms over her chest. Everything about her combative stance screamed 'you have thirty seconds to explain yourself or I'll fuck you up' and it was scary coming from someone as small and thin as her. You just knew she was capable of fucking you up. He wanted to chuckle at the thought but restrained himself. When she gave a nod to the side, the countdown started. Fred couldn't believe he was considering a breach of protocol so seriously. The situation was dire as it was, but if he wanted Veta to trust him… he would have to speak the truth.

He had promised her. She would literally smell if he lied:

"I really shouldn't be telling you this." He warned her, serious. "I've been avoiding you and my schedule is full of holes, as you put it, because I've been covering for someone else. I questioned your decisions, because I was scared shitless of what you did and, honestly, being all pumped up with adrenaline you can't really expect me not to lose it. Third, I'm 'all snuggly' with Miss Halsey precisely because she's pregnant."

"So, you got her pregnant." Lopis' voice was low and hurt.

Fred exhaled a long sigh between clenched teeth, feeling her disappointment.

"No. Veta, you got it all wrong." he shook his head, abandoning the formalities at last. "You did your research and still got it all wrong. I have nothing to do with Miss Halsey or her baby. I'm just following orders." he paused, considering again what he was about to say. Then, he dropped the bomb: "I'm not the Spartan that has been sleeping with her, John is. Or was. She's pregnant with his child."

Lopis frowned, shocked. It took her a moment to react:

"John? As in John-117?" she said, confused.

"The Master Chief, yes."

She got angrier, then. Her sweet smell became tainted.

"You expect me to believe that the Master Chief is banging Director Halsey?"

"I didn't believe Linda at first when she told us." Fred shrugged, remaining calm.

"The Master Chief?"

"Yes."

"That stuck-up, self-righteous cyborg got his hands on that hottie?"

"... yes." Fred insisted. Her scent was returning to normal, a sign that she was coming around. Good, again. "And I'd appreciate you didn't talk like that about my brother."

Lopis huffed, looking towards the floor. She was thinking hard.

"The Master Chief." she vocalized, slowly. "Makes sense. He's been missing a lot too. And she's been looking at his files as well."

"It's my duty to lead the team until he's back." Fred tried to negotiate: "You know the Chief is more dead than alive right now. And like I've been trying to tell you… I'm looking after Miss Halsey. It's the last thing John told me to do."

He raised his right hand, then, and executed for her some signals. Lopis knew what that was, she'd been trained in Spartan sign language for field operations. Her eyes grew wider when she understood.

Fred was signaling to 'protect the assets'.

After a moment of silence, the Spartan continued:

"Look, Kelly is already a little... uncooperative, do you think you can back me up?"

Her face held a whole different expression, now. He sensed she was crumbling.

"You could've just told me, Fred." she started, embarrassed.

"So, you believe me now?" he dared to move a step closer.

"Maybe I do. I think it's very honorable that you're helping your brother like that, but you should've..."

"It's dangerous and I'm worried. When Chief keeps things to himself, something else is going on." he continued, serious. "I mean, Linda just guessed they were together, but we only found out recently that she's pregnant; Kelly heard Miss Halsey say he was going to be a father when John passed out in the Pelican. Her smell..."

Fred froze mid-sentence, mid-thought and mid-breath, and looked down.

Veta's tiny hand was sitting on his chest, her palm flat against the black fabric of his undershirt. She was touching him. She was also trembling a little and looking at her own hand as much as Fred was doing a double check to actually confirm it was true.

But she was touching him, at last.

A rush of blood made him swallow hard. Cautiously, Fred put his hand on top of hers, twice as big and ten times stronger. She didn't back down, thankfully, and he wished he could just kiss her. But he had to focus. The blood rushing down and the arousing pulse of his crotch had to wait too.

Their conversation wasn't over, this was important.

"Veta." He called her out, the woman looked at him again. "Can I trust you on this?"

"Of course." she said, frowning. "I'm here. What do you need me to do?"

"First, keep it quiet. Second, help us keep an eye on Miss Halsey and make sure she's fine. There's places you can go that I cannot, or even Linda can't."

"Okay, sure. I assume she doesn't know you are watching over her?"

"No."

Lopis nodded, her shoulders were shivering again.

Fred dared to push a little further, he didn't want to scare her. With the utmost care, he touched her face, lightly; just a gentle caress with the tips of his calloused fingers. She let out a shaky sigh, closing her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Fred. I can't believe I was such an ass. God, I wasn't thinking straight." she said, mortified. "Everything seemed so…"

"I didn't mean to scare you, earlier. But I needed…"

Fred ceased talking -and breathing, again- when Lopis grabbed two small handfuls of his undershirt and pulled him closer, to slide her arms around his neck and give him a tight hug, her cheek pressed against his. For a second or two he didn't know what to do. His sharp combat reflexes told him to sneak his hands under her armpits and stab his thumbs on the pressure points to force her off him; but the feral side of his instinct told him that this was the time to attack, the female was submitting. Divided between two radically opposite views, the Lieutenant did what he thought was right and hugged her back, burying his face on the crook of her neck.

Straight into her sweet, compelling scent…

He'd been caught so off-guard that someone as tiny as Lopis could move him. Maybe it was just the gravity that made them drift close, stronger than ever.

They stood like that, just resting against each other, for a long moment.

"... we hadn't talked in almost a week, I was... I was feeling..." she started. "I'm sorry."

"I missed you too, Inspector." Fred interrupted her, summarizing everything they both meant to say. "It's been crazy. I haven't slept in over fifty-six hours and... damn, you smell so good today."

Veta snorted, she obviously didn't receive comments like that often.

He stepped closer to engulf her in the embrace, pressing her small body onto his. She felt so warm, so soft. The shiver of her flesh vanished after a few seconds, her breath eased as well. Fred closed his eyes and let himself relax a little, just enough to savor this victory. He'd fantasized with this day.

Until she tensed up again and pushed him back, breaking contact almost completely.

"What's that in your pants?" she asked, her voice had now a hint of horror.

She was looking down, below his belt. The Lieutenant closed his eyes. Oh, right.

They had been arguing fiercely, and she smelled so fucking good…

"Well, you've been yelling at me for a while." Fred said, at last, softly.

"You… get a hard-on when people yell at you?" she seemed disgusted.

He growled under his breath, annoyed: "Not people, just you. When you get angry and you challenge me, you turn into this wild little thing and I… you don't know the things you do to me."

Now he sounded like he was trying to apologize. It was getting more ridiculous by the second. He wanted her. She was aware. She'd been aware for a long time, too. They were both adults. He'd never experienced this blinding degree of attraction for anyone else, ever before, and…

And now he was trying to find a rational explanation to her sudden rejection.

There was this extremely awkward moment in which he thought she would jump off the chair and run out of the room. The door was right there, after all.

But instead, Veta pulled him in again and she kissed him.

The touch of her velvet lips wiped his mind clean, then set him on fire with the power of a supernova. She was aggressive, she felt in control. She attacked his mouth with skill, something that almost shocked Fred off his socks. His hands went to her hips as she pressed her body against his with a lustful grind, her scent was growing more and more enticing. She wanted it. Her whole being wanted it.

The female sought to mate, that raw animal side of him knew it.

Tentatively, once more, Fred slid a hand down to her ass and squeezed. She moaned and bit his lip, everything below his waist twitched.

"I'm not mad." Veta mumbled, her breath heavy. "I just didn't realize it was so big."

Fred almost choked on a snort, this was absolutely unprecedented.

Inspector Lopis. Touching him. Kissing him. Pushing him over the edge.

Another jolt of heat shot down to his groin and made him ripple. In response, Fred took the liberty to draw a rough trail of kisses and nips along her jaw, towards her small ear. She shuddered. It was so satisfying to feel her tremble for the right reasons…

"Take your shirt off." Veta ordered.

"Careful, Inspector. You're getting bossy." he smiled mischievously.

She pushed him back once more, her hands went straight to the buckle of his belt.

"Do it before I change my mind." she barked, ferocious confidence flashed in her eyes.

x.x.x.x.x

From her secluded space between the racks, and half-hidden under a pile of blankets, Cortana was stunned. So much had happened in such a short time that her mind was racing. She'd been angry, almost feeling betrayed by Lopis, then she'd felt heartbroken when she got to understand some of the many layers of the complicated dynamic between her and the Lieutenant, then warm to see them reconcile, and now…

Now they were obviously going to fuck, Lopis had already undone the belt and front of Fred's pants. He was shirtless. She didn't know what to do.

'Am I supposed to stay here and wait until they're done?' Cortana thought, ashamed.

'You could just say hi. Maybe even ask to join.' the voice rebutted, with a toxic giggle.

'This is wrong, I should tell them I'm here and…'

But she realized that she would be interrupting something very special.

She understood that this was to be the first time ever they would be together, like this.

'I assumed they had been doing it for a while now.' she mused, feeling compassionate about them. 'But he's been waiting for her. Fred must really, really like her.'

She couldn't ruin this for them! It was amazing how they understood each other, the silent dance of courtship developed with mesmerizing precision. Lopis had more than a rough background, Cortana was aware. Fred was commanding and tough -a little less than John- yet his every move was calculated to contemplate her comfort. Tiny, striking Veta Lopis had tamed herself a Spartan. Cortana could swear that she felt in her own skin Fred's jarring need to demonstrate his affection for her with something more than just words.

He trembled, keeping his instinct in check for her sake.

His words resonated within Cortana's ears, so low and so arousing:

'Are you going to lay a hand on me, Veta?'

'You don't know the things you do to me.'

It definitely sounded hotter when John said it. Between these two it was almost… cute.

She sighed, quietly, feeling warm in the chest again.

Cortana's eyes drifted towards them, again. She couldn't see that much now that Fred was almost in-between, but she caught on when Lopis took off her jacket and the black t-shirt she wore underneath, exposing her slender frame and the comfortable brassier. Then, she let her dark hair down, falling over her shoulders in luscious swirls. Her skin was sun-kissed, beautiful, soft and smooth. She was perfect. Small breasts, curvy hips, full lips and intense eyes. All that beauty hidden under baggy, plain clothes. Fred was huge and rugged compared with her, and yet he was the one shivering with expectation.

Like a trained beast in front of food, awaiting the command of his master to eat.

Lopis' hands went behind her back and the bra came loose, falling off her shoulders.

Next, her sensibly smaller hands grabbed Fred's and drove them to her perky breasts. She lunged forward for another kiss. Cortana swallowed hard. The contrast of Fred's huge, pale and veiny hands against her smooth, caramel skin was breathtaking, not just as he felt her breasts but also as he ran his palms down her waist and hips. His fingers stopped on her belt, he quit kissing her for a moment.

She nodded. He resumed and undid her belt, loosening up her fatigue's pants.

Just when he was about to slide a hand under her black panties, Fred halted.

Strikingly fast, turned his head to look over his shoulder.

Like a bloodhound on a trail, he inhaled deeply, eyes affixed into the nothingness.

Cortana covered her mouth with both hands and crouched a little lower in the nest of blankets, shocked. Shit, shit, shit! He knew she was there, hiding. Didn't he? Did he smell her presence? Did he hear her? A few seconds went by, Cortana could feel her heart beating hard inside her ears with terrifying clarity. Her cheeks were hot again.

"What's wrong, Fred?" Lopis asked, cautious.

"I thought I heard something." he whispered, distracted.

Lopis pulled his face back to her and kissed him, the Lieutenant seemed to forget about everything when their lips connected again.

'This is wrong.' Cortana thought, relieved. 'I'm in the wrong place, at the wrong time.'

So, to give them as much privacy as she could -even if there was this reckless instinct in her that pulled her curiosity, trying to encourage her to watch- Cortana turned away from them and pulled the blankets around her, trying to make herself invisible.

Still, she couldn't help but envy them a little. It looked so easy…

x.x.x.x.x

Veta swallowed hard, biting her lower lip.

God, she just loved to look at him. The Lieutenant was handsome for a UNSC thug, she had always thought that. Every nerve in her body wanted to rebel at the idea of feeling this way over one of them, one of the enemy, but it was just impossible. Ever since the first time she saw him half naked at the infirmary, on Gao, broken arm in a sling, all battered and bruised but still standing tall like a warrior… she knew there was something about him. She didn't feel that brutal apprehension, he didn't make her uncomfortable. He was smart. He made jokes, sometimes. He was fierce, didn't put up with her shit.

He challenged her, the same way she felt she could challenge him.

This was a man that didn't make her feel helpless.

He was a Spartan and she knew well he wasn't a fluffy bunny, but still…

Keeping a hand on his shoulder, she ran the other one freely over his abdomen, feeling every hardened muscle, every crest and valley. He was carved like a Greek statue, having him all to herself was just… mouth-watering. That V shape between his hips, leading down to so many promises. He was so warm, his pale skin still smooth even with the scars and tracks of old stitches.

She couldn't believe how bold she felt, her heart was racing so, so fast.

When her fingers traced the rippling muscle that wrapped his ribcage, he flinched.

She found his eyes. Her smile grew wider as a soft blush overtook Fred's face, he was so transparent for everything.

"Does it tickle?" Veta asked, tenderly.

"It's just that... people usually don't get to touch me like that." he sighed, now pressing his lips on her temple. He put a careful hand over the stitches on her right arm, the heat of his palm was incredible. "But this is nice. Feels really nice."

She kissed his neck, appeasing the raging pulse of his blood. It was also a kindness, she decided. Veta figured that, for the most part, the Lieutenant was used to getting punched, kicked, stabbed, blown-up and shot very often, and in a good day maybe he was prodded, tested, weighed, groped and measured more than anything.

She felt the heat coming to her cheeks, along with a pinch of sadness.

Nobody ever had shown him this kind of affection, and it bothered her to confirm. It was like when she found out the Gammas weren't even fifteen years old, all over again; her instinct awoke with a roar.

She just felt this enormous urge to protect him.

And, of course, to let him get close. As close as to become one, for a brief moment.

Veta cupped his face with both hands and kissed him again, it felt so good.

She moaned when he finally snuck a hand in her underwear, his big and callous fingers rubbed that space between her legs, the small nub that had been pulsing for a while now, making her feel all hot and bothered.

"So, what are you going to do with me, hm?" she asked, between heated kisses.

Fred stopped and gave her a look that ripped another shiver off her spine. Of the good kind. His blue-green eyes were dark, there were a lot of promises in there. He pressed his fingers in the right place, hard, and the message was complete: 'I want to fuck you through the floor and fill you with babies', everything said.

Veta's mind exploded just imagining it. Good Lord, had he always been this hot?

"I wanted you ever since the first time you yelled at me." he said, instead. Too much of a gentleman to be so direct with words. "I am yours, Veta. Make of me what you will."

"You're such a prince, really." she hissed, aroused. "Pants down. Now."

"Yes, ma'am." he grinned.

Veta pushed his sneaky hand away and stepped down from the chair. Fred took a few steps back, moving towards the first wall of racks. It took her a few seconds to get rid of her boots, socks and the rest of her clothes; standing fully naked in front of him, with his hungry eyes wandering slowly all over her… it was such a liberating experience.

Nobody owned her body but her.

She would just lend it to Fred for a while.

They would both enjoy it, but she would be the one in control.

Therefore, it was Veta who pushed him until Fred's back hit the rack. Nowhere else to go. She bit her lip again, nervous; her hesitant fingers tangled up on the waistband of his underwear, pulling it down enough to set him free. Her whole body writhed upon the sight of his cock. Indeed, she had no idea. It wasn't monstrous, but it was a generous size that could be problematic for someone as inexperienced and petite as her.

She looked up; the Lieutenant was serious, but she caught a hint of humor in his eyes.

Oh, he was thinking exactly the same.

Well, she was felling bold and reckless, so, why not?

"Sit down, will you?" she indicated him, her fingers trailing very close to his groin.

"Here, on the floor? The door is right there." Fred pointed with his head.

Veta barely registered the position of the exit; they were already naked and evidently, there was no turning back, why should she care?

"What is it, Lieutenant? Are you chickening out?"

He frowned: "No. I thought we could use a table or something."

The Spartan complied, anyway, and lowered himself to sit on the grated floor, before her. Veta kneeled between his legs, very aware of his blue-green stare and the demanding presence of his manhood, sticking out between them. Now or never. She wrapped her small hand around him and began to stroke, slowly at first, then increasing the pace. She couldn't remember the last time she'd done something like this or with whom, but the mechanics were still fresh in her mind. Fred's breath hitched, he threw his head back.

With immense satisfaction, she heard him growl when she pressed her tongue on him. She couldn't really take much of his cock in her mouth but tried her best anyway. It was exhilarating, the notion of this massive man completely at her mercy sent another thrill down her spine… and raised other concerns.

He seemed to be enjoying himself maybe a little too much…

After a few minutes, Veta felt it under her hands: he was getting there. And she wanted to take him all the way, to make him cum in her mouth and taste him, to own his pleasure. Too bad that he sneaked a hand under her chin, gentle but firm:

"No, Veta, wait." he begged, almost out of breath. "Not like this."

She blinked, maybe a little disappointed, but nodded.

So instead of complaining Veta crawled onto his lap, reaching out for a kiss, aligning the hungry, sensitive flesh between her legs right with the hardness of his cock… she was ready to let him in. She couldn't help to quiver; it had been a long, long while since the last time she'd had sex with someone she trusted, on her own will and desire. But Fred's hands clasped firmly around her narrow waist and everything stopped. This time, she frowned. He must've sensed her annoyance, because he kissed her lightly.

"I don't want to hurt you." Fred muttered, his thumbs rubbed circles on her hipbones, a calming gesture that was welcome. "Let me do something first."

Veta nodded and accepted his hand.

The Lieutenant helped her stand on her feet and she complied, waiting eagerly for what was next. She certainly wasn't expecting him to pull her in, to feel the heat of his mouth on her lower belly, kissing and nipping and going down. A little shocked, Veta grabbed the edges of the shelf before her and steadied herself as Fred pulled one of her legs to rest atop his shoulder and dived in, finding the place right where she wanted him the most.

He gave a tentative taste to her already wet folds and she had to hold back a moan.

Fred attacked mercilessly. Veta failed to keep it quiet, then.

"Oh, Christ." she prayed, inhaling sharp.

The leg that kept her standing buckled. He came to the rescue sneaking the other arm around to hold her up, with his hand firmly set on her backside. She thought she heard him chuckle, but that could've been just her imagination. Heat was rising from her belly and all the way up, intensified by his touch.

Turns out, the Lieutenant had skill. She was almost ashamed of enjoying it this much. Veta choked in a yelp when he carefully slid a finger in, exploring her, and squirmed in his hold. He placed a gentle bite on the soft skin of her inner thigh. She melted, her heart was leaping inside her chest, out of control. When he tried a second finger in, she reached the heights of her resistance and fell off the edge…

"Ay, Fred, por Dios!" she squealed, in Spanish.

He accompanied her all along the ride, as she undid herself in the orgasm, intense and burning through her veins. The first she'd experienced with another person, in years.

And it was so good.

She lost her strength for a second there and let herself fall, only to be caught by Fred's trustworthy hands. He lowered her back onto his lap, still displaying that playful smile on his face. Veta pecked his chest and stirred, tracing a beeline of kisses all the way up to his mouth. She spent a good long time exploring him and her own taste on his lips, her small breasts firmly pressed against the strong beat of his heart. Fred's hands were getting busy again, running up and down her back.

"You're welcome." he sneered, smug.

"Oh, you kept that one well hidden, didn't you?" Veta panted, smiling.

She noticed her thigh was rubbing against something hard and hot.

All the little demons inside of her burned again as she stood on her knees, trembling.

"Do it, Lieutenant." she commanded, breathless. "Do it, please."

Fred shushed her gently, his big hands trailed down her spine to grab her ass.

"Easy, Inspector." Fred whispered, against her throat. "You know? I like it when you call me Lieutenant with that husky voice of yours." kisses under her jaw, as he wrapped a strong arm around her waist. "I also like it when you moan." a kiss on her ear, then he made the turn back to her mouth, to bite her lower lip. Veta gasped heatedly when she felt the hot tip of his cock caressing the sweet spot between her legs. "And I know I'll like it so much more when I'm finally inside you, and you're begging me for more."

"Oh, God, I can't take it anymore…"

Veta pushed down slowly, digging her nails on the hard muscle of Fred's shoulders, accepting him in. With a low growl, he endured and made his best effort to guide her. Their bodies connected effortlessly, better than she had thought; after all, it was the most natural of acts. It took her only a moment and a few tentative pushes to accommodate his girth, the rest came logically, so easy…

It hurt a little, that was true. She hadn't done this in ages.

Instinct was stronger; Veta felt her own hunger grow inside, the need for the thrill.

So, she rose on her knees again, let herself fall. It was easier, and it became even easier when she repeated the movement, aided by his strong hands now firmly grabbing her hips, leading her. Veta raked her nails across the Lieutenant's chest, something he didn't seem to dislike at all. Encouraged, she pushed harder, bounced her own weight on his lap faster and faster, closing her eyes, allowing the sensations to take her along for the ride.

And it felt so damn good.

Hot and electrifying, her body so loose and those old fears finally vanishing.

She was free. This was the man she wanted, the one she had chosen. Veta let her head fall back and the moans drop out of her mouth when she couldn't hold them back anymore. It was time to enjoy herself, to enjoy him as well, to live a little.

Fred's own throaty groans and grunts just made her feel hotter. Powerful.

She did all those things to him.

She was so small in his arms and yet… it didn't scare her. On the contrary: the man sitting under her was a Spartan, knowing that she had him all for herself was exhilarating. The strong touch of his hands was fire, the feel of him inside her was driving her crazy, Veta felt another wave building up deep down.

Yes, yes, please. More. She needed this, she had to have all of him.

"Harder, Fred." she begged, thrusting her hips onto his. "Please, I need it."

Another growl was all she got from him, sensing that animal roaming under made her skin prickle. The Lieutenant held her hips tighter, making the tiny woman on his lap squeal. The attack continued and Veta endured it with a lustful grin on her lips, immensely pleased. So good, so deep, so intense. She noticed beads of sweat forming on his forehead, the skin wrapping his tight muscles was already slick; she saw hers was shining as well and her grip on him had become slippery.

Hot and heavy, she kept riding him hard. She could feel it, almost taste it.

Oh, yes. It was coming.

And he was coming as well. The veins on his neck pulsed furiously.

Veta pulled the sweaty hair away of her face and braced herself, dominated by the push and roll of his hips under her, drilling hard into her, driving her insane. She threw her arms around his neck and brought Fred's face closer to hers, their foreheads pressed together, their breaths mixing up in a raw display of the most visceral passion.

"Do it!" she swallowed hard. "I want you with me all the way. Inside."

His blue-green eyes pierced her own. Fred hesitated, his voice came out coarse, next:

"That's not a thing to say lightly to someone like me."

"I don't care. Don't pull out, Fred."

"You're crazy, I…"

"Fred, please, I'm…!" Veta couldn't finish her plea. "Ay, Dios mío, ah!"

Heat burst in her womb and rolled wildly across her body. Her back arched, she clawed at the back of the Spartan's neck. Fred was quick to cover her mouth with a hand, to muffle down the primal scream that escaped her lungs as she came, shaken from head to toe, her inner muscles strangling him inside her velvet grip. He couldn't resist it anymore and spat out a curse, slamming into her one last time, grinding with a rough vengeance. He wasn't in control of his instincts anymore, it was open season now.

Fred exploded with her, spilling everything he had deep inside.

He realized a little too late; whatever the damage… it was already done.

Slowly coming down from her ecstasy, Veta found she had difficulty to breathe. Fred's heavy hand pressing down on her mouth and his massive arm around her were crushing her in a hold meant to keep her pinned down as their bodies pulsed together.

But there was no fear, only the furious rush of her blood loaded with dopamine.

No, nothing to fear. This was Fred, the Lieutenant, the Spartan.

The man she had come to know and respect, to want and ultimately, to love.

She dug a finger between his ribs and he seemed to come back to his senses, taking his hand off her mouth. Veta inhaled deep and relaxed fully, letting her body drop limp against him as Fred eased himself back against the rack, breathing hard. He loosened the grip of his arm around her and his shaky hand came to rest on the small of her back, protectively.

For a few minutes, none of them spoke.

It was a silence loaded with a certain dizziness and many questions.

The Lieutenant groaned, later. "That was interesting. And good."

"It sure was." she exhaled, a little tired but mostly satisfied. "Long, long time."

"Yeah… same. It'd been a while."

She kissed his neck, enjoying the impression of his cock still hard in her, the slick and warm sensation of their bodies joined. A satisfying thought flooded her mind as much as his seed flooded her womb, now; as she tried to dismiss this last fact too.

"The best thing about wearing plain clothes is that nobody can track me. No one knows where we are right now." Fred smiled, a little giddy. Then he sighed. "Fuck, I hope nobody is looking for me. I want to stay longer."

After a short moment to rest, she propped herself up to be eye to eye with him.

Her tousled, sweaty hair and haunted eyes caught his attention immediately:

"Fred, look. I'm thirty-two, I've spent most of my life staring at the ugly side of things. Pursuing horror and pushing people away." she started, placing that comforting hand on his chest again. With her eyes closed, she leaned in to steal a kiss, which he responded in kind. "But you… you are the first man I've met in years that doesn't… I don't feel wrong around you. I don't want to push you away."

"I know." he mumbled back.

She opened her eyes, her fingers tracing nonsense on his skin, over his heart.

"Do you, really? If you knew half the shit I carry on my back…"

"And you will tell me, some day. Today you can smile for me, Inspector. Deal?"

He attempted to move some loose strands of hair behind her ear, but she gently pushed his hand away and looked down, uncomfortable. Fred understood and instead, that hand went to pull her chin up, reaching out for another kiss.

"I don't know how much longer we'll be able to do this, but…"

"I know." she said it, this time. She knew what he meant. "Let's not think about that."

Veta smiled at last, a little explosion of pure happiness blossoming in her chest.

She felt him stir inside, still deeply lodged in her but hungry for more.

"Lieutenant?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"How do you feel for another round?" she smirked, feeling bold again.

Fred chuckled. "Why, I thought you'd never ask."

He dismissed his boots and the rest of his clothes, naked and exposed as she was. Fred lay the tiny woman down on her back on a nest of scattered blankets, strategically modeled to offer her maximum comfort.

Then Fred approached her ear and, with a mischievous smile, murmured:

"I ride on top this time."

She chuckled: "Okay, but..."

"You just have to say it, Veta." they kissed again as he settled above her, pulling one of her legs over his hip, feeling the underside of her thigh and the firm flesh of her backside in the same swift brush of his hand. "The last thing I want to do, is hurt you."

They contemplated each other for a few seconds, she barely a third of his size and her hands still trembling a little; him, a mass of tense muscle waiting for the cue to let go. Her small hands went to cup his face, bringing him closer.

She said something to his ear, as she set her palm flat right above his heart.

Just a few words that made Fred choke on his breath.

It was something he wasn't expecting to hear but awakened everything still dormant in him. The Lieutenant lunged forward and captured her mouth, devouring her with untamed hunger; the powerful Spartan in him slowly getting loose, pouring all over her, consuming her. Fred knew that precaution was mandatory, but some things just couldn't be avoided; instinct was stronger. Veta let herself enjoy the way his coarse hands handled her, how he traced her every curve with hungry kisses, nips and flicks of his tongue, taking extra time to attend to her breasts. She mewled and begged for more, approaching her bliss. He complied with absolute dedication.

Things got rougher, eventually, but Veta endured and didn't stop him. She wanted this man, deep down she wanted everything from him.

She enjoyed herself, but most of all, she trusted him with all her heart.

x.x.x.x.x

Cortana returned to ICU-7 five hours after she had first left, with her supplies.

She was a little bit shaken, but she got herself to work immediately: after another quick assessment of the room, she set the collapsible cot next to the wall and perpendicular to the medical bed, since there was not enough space beside it. She left a thermal blanket and a pillow on it, it would have to do. With a steel stool to the left side of the bed and another one near the room's door, Cortana considered she was well set.

Anyone would think she was crazy. She was refusing the luxury of quarters with two rooms and a private bathroom in exchange for this. She would have to walk half an hour to get food and use the floor's general facilities for her personal needs. But she didn't regret it. Wrapping her shoulders with the blanket, she sat on the stool by the bed and peeled off the lid of her meal, then proceeded to eat.

When she was done, Cortana took her appointed meds and put the tray aside, to rest her chin above her own arm, comfortably set on the edge of the bed.

John's hand was right there. She only had to stretch her fingers, and…

She looked at his face, still half-covered by the breathing mask and the bruises.

No, she wasn't crazy. She felt incredibly guilty, that was most of all.

Despair set in her chest when she found nothing else to do but listen to the slow sounds of the machines. Cortana was now alone with her thoughts and found that her mind could be an overwhelming place. Under no circumstances she had expected her little trip to the storage room would be like that, and she definitely wasn't expecting to spend that much time hearing the sounds of someone else's lovemaking. For the most part, she tried to be a good girl and not to peek.

Well, she peeked once or twice. It made it all worse.

How was she supposed to look at them in the eye, even more so knowing that Fred would be looking for her? God, she could already see herself blushing and stuttering. She'd heard private things, seen them perform private acts. Cortana couldn't lie, a naïve part of her envied them, envied what they had. Their intimacy, the feelings they shared; because it was fairly obvious that there was a strong bond between them.

This fierce little woman and her Spartan. It seemed so easy. It looked so easy.

You could see how deeply they felt for one another, it was so out in the open…

What had disturbed Cortana the most were the things she heard. The secrets he shared. She didn't understand the signs the Lieutenant made for Lopis when he was explaining her the situation, but she could deduce the meaning from what he had said. Guilt intensified in her chest. She remembered the operating room almost two days before, when the Master Chief jerked awake and grabbed Fred's arm…

She pulled John's cold hand between hers and her body shuddered.

"You were half dead and still resisted long enough to tell your brother to look after me. After us." Cortana muttered, fighting the painful knot in her throat. Tears rolled down her cheeks, inevitably. "I'm not leaving you alone, John. I promise. You will live to see…"

She stopped, swallowing hard.

What was she about to say, huh?

'You will live to see your baby.'

Oh, that was so cruel. So, so cruel.

'That was not the deal, Elizabeth. Don't do it.' the voice argued, in her head.

'He did this for us. I ordered him to escort me. He complied and got himself almost killed. This is my fault.' she insisted, tough.

'Don't make promises you know you can't keep, missy.'

That was so true, and it hurt so much.

Cortana dropped her head, hiding it on the crook of her elbow. Her fingers grabbed his cold hand tighter and she trembled whole, keeping her voice low as she cried. She cried for a long, long time, letting it all out at last. She cried her guilt and her pain, her feelings and her exhaustion. She had no idea what to do.

Nothing hurt her more than knowing she was the second smartest and most influential scientist in all the galaxy, and there was nothing she could do to help him. She had to sit on her hands and wait for her mother, like a good girl. And get ready, of course.

When her mother arrived, another kind of battle would begin.

TO BE CONTINUED

Phew! Another long chapter. Looks like everything that's coming will be long from now on, good for you my friends. Fred and Veta hit me like, she's a tiny atomic bomb and the moment he can get his hands on her, things are going to explode between them. I love their shenanigans in Halo: Last Light and Halo: Retribution. They entertain me very much and give me life while 343 keeps ruining John and Cortana's relationship. I want at least one of our Spartans to have something nice in their lives, and if it has to be, I'd love it to be Fred (because I love that sassy hunk to bits). Anyway, Halsey won't arrive until chapter 18 but… BUT, chapter 17 comes WITH LOTS OF TENSION so stay tuned because this will be a huge reward for some and a sweet revenge for others *evil laughter*.

Don't forget to tell me what you think, Marines! Cheer me up, Cortana's sadness makes me sad too. See you next Sunday!