We had a wedding last weekend, now we're going to get closure. Today there will be SEXY, so people under 18 GTFO yadda-yadda. You've been warned. COMMENTS ON THE GAMEPLAY REVEAL OF INFINITE ARE AT THE BOTTOM, if anyone cares to know what I think. Heads up: I don't have much to say.

AS OF NOW, WITH OVER 242K WORDS, THIS MONSTER IS BIGGER THAN RECOMPOSE. I WANNA SHOOT MYSELF ON THE FOOT, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A PIECE OF 50K PWP AND LOOK AT WHAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE! YOU PERVS! :3

TAKE ME WHEN YOU NEED ME

PART XXXII

ALEXANDRIA 2 - PLANET REACH – Epsilon Eridani System

FEBRUARY, 2563

Fred was well acquainted with the protocol, this wasn't his first fancy party in uniform. A small reception in one of the private auditoriums of the city's most expensive hotel, but still a very fancy party. The décor was nice, seemed fashionable and all according to Propaganda's guidelines. Only a few hand-picked members of the press were allowed entrance to the premises and a few pictures were taken, just enough to turn the composed smirk on the Master Chief's face into an annoyed scowl. Miss Halsey had the last word, she excused it all on her daughter being hungry, so security would take the journalists away. It was only after the floor was cleared that the Arbiter and his honor guard were led into the auditorium to join the celebrations, just as Thel 'Vadam himself has requested.

Occasionally, he caught a glimpse of silver scurrying around.

She wasn't conspicuous, of course; she wasn't hiding. But she avoided him.

He could see Veta smiling. Their eyes met discreetly more than once. She even blushed a little. Light refreshments were served in a small lounge area, and still, Fred couldn't manage to sneak anywhere closer to the Inspector.

After the refreshments, the attendance was served a very impressive dinner; most of the main course consisted of delicacies that hadn't existed on Reach in over ten years, all of it imported off-planet. Personally, the Lieutenant had never seen so many different types of forks, spoons or knives used for eating. Much like his fellow sisters in arms, he resorted to use the same fork and knife for everything, it was economic and far less complicated. Sitting between Linda and Kelly, Fred pretended to eat and engage with the small talk often initiated by the Captains, but his attention was on the other end of the table.

They had worked numerous infiltration jobs together. He knew how to keep tabs on Veta and she was obviously keeping tabs on him.

He hated to see her so quiet and far removed, sitting somewhere between the Sangheili and Doctor Anders. At least Anders talked to her. She spared a few glances to Miss Halsey, but mostly, Veta looked like she was waiting for the right time to disappear.

Linda and Kelly stared daggers at him. Especially Linda.

They weren't helping much.

"I swear, Fred." Linda started, during dessert. "If you don't go talk to her…"

Fred could've answered with a snarky bite, but instead, tried to the best of his ability to keep his anxiety in check. He mostly managed, while working on his plan. The auditorium was too small and that party was too public.

However, by the time of the toast, the Inspector was effectively gone.

x.x.x.x.x

The reception was dying down, ETA for departure was probably about thirty minutes. Captain Cutter had left, after exchanging salutes and good wishes with the newlyweds; the Sangheili wandered back into the chapel for some reason, Linda and Doctor Anders had drifted away towards the balconies. Agent Lopis had vanished, which was followed by Fred excusing himself quickly as well. Only few people remained; Doctor Halsey, Commander Palmer, Captain Lasky, John and Miss Halsey on the other end of the long table, all sitting, chatting, little Sarah asleep in her father's arms.

Kelly observed them from her seat, a little further away.

Well, Miss Halsey talked with the Commander, John just stared back and occasionally checked on the little girl. Was it correct to keep calling her 'Miss Halsey', now? She didn't know. Linda had pulled intel: apparently there was an ancient custom in which women would take the last name of their husbands upon marriage, but John didn't have a last name. None of the SPARTAN-II used last names. Maybe ONI would make up a fake name for him, so they could keep using John as the centerpiece of their advertising campaign. Kelly chuckled.

She sporadically glanced at little Sarah. It was arranged that Lasky and Palmer would take her in for the night, so John and his wife could have some privacy. She felt a little uneasy, remembering specific details about what allegedly came after the reception.

Her attention flickered when Miss Halsey stood up. Kelly sat straight on her chair when it became evident that she was heading her way, eye contact had ensued. The bride was smiling, holding the gleaming tail of her pretty dress embroidered with little crystals. It looked so tight and… restrictive. Kelly couldn't see herself wearing one of those, the skirt of the uniform already made her feel limited as it was.

Elizabeth stood close and tilted her head down, respectfully:

"Can I sit with you, Kelly?"

"Yes, ma'am." she nodded, pulling a chair.

Elizabeth thanked her with a nod and proceeded to accommodate herself.

"I hope it wasn't too uncomfortable for all of you." she said, merrily. "I know this is… well, not your scene."

"Ceremonies and Christmas balls, we know the drill."

"Oh. Well, did you have fun?"

"Good food, small crowd, no drunks and no mandatory dancing? It's Heaven, ma'am."

"You don't have to keep calling me that. Elizabeth is fine."

"You're the boss again." Kelly shrugged. "But not tonight, I guess."

Miss Halsey smiled even wider, she seemed content.

But then she fidgeted with her hands on her lap, concerned.

"You told me once that I would hurt John." she started, after a short and uncomfortable silence.

Kelly blinked, shrinking inside a little. "Yes, I remember I said that."

She thought she was protecting John. She disapproved that he had made a baby with a civilian, that he was reckless and drifted away from the team. A deep and incomprehensible part of herself rejected the idea of John having any other relationship that wasn't their fraternal bond. It seemed like a mistake. Kelly had never actively thought about it, but although she was content to see her siblings so invested… she never experienced the need to have that herself. She didn't crave a mate, she wasn't even curious about that wonderful thing Fred kept talking about, the sex.

It was so strange, sometimes it made her feel left out.

She wasn't disgusted, it just seemed… so unnecessary.

Who wanted to get in trouble or hurt when they had a future ahead being there for each other, serving, doing what they did best? They had been chosen for greater things. They had a duty. She didn't understand what was so exciting about romance. Well, whatever it was, it was there to stay and Kelly had learned to live with it.

But she did like having a niece, sort of speaking.

No matter how much she didn't agree with it at first, after meeting the child, she acknowledged her as a vital part of their family and decide to protect her. By extension, it could be said that she accepted Miss Halsey and agent Lopis into their circle as well. Well, hopefully, Fred would fix things up with agent Lopis soon and something good would come out of it. Kelly wanted to meet and protect her nephew too.

"You were right." Elizabeth nodded, looking down at the gold band on her left hand. "I hurt him. I had no idea that I would, I didn't mean to… but I did. He suffered over four years because I was naïve and frightened."

Kelly pressed her lips together, hard. "Miss Halsey…"

"No, it's fine. Just let me say this, please."

Their eyes met, Miss Halsey's lips trembled. The Spartan just waited, intrigued. She couldn't recall a single instance of training that would help her deal with this.

"Are you familiar with the term 'godmother', Kelly?"

"Vague idea."

"It's like a second parent." Elizabeth explained. "A person, that can be from the family or a very close friend, that watches over the child when their parents can't do it. It's like an aunt, but… top rank, you can say." she smiled a little, Kelly frowned in confusion. "I suggested to John that you could be Sarah's godmother. You would be sharing her with Thomas, he accepted to be the godfather. He was thrilled, to say the least."

For a long moment, the Spartan just blinked and stood very still, thinking.

Miss Halsey waited patiently, although she kept fidgeting.

"Are you sure?" Kelly asked, at last.

"John says there's nobody he would trust more than you. I understand what he means."

Yes, she understood too. Kelly looked up at her brother.

Oblivious to them, John stood up in a single, graceful movement. He shifted the kid in his arms and said something; Captain Lasky answered, then the Captain left his chair and walked to the other side of the table, both arms stretched. In that solemn act, the Spartan delivered the sleeping child to the Captain and nodded his approval. His eyes were on little Sarah all the time. He didn't seem uneasy or eager to remind anyone of his territory, but he sure was alert and this was something Lasky was aware of. No sudden moves. No disrespect.

After a minute or so, John left the auditorium heading to the restroom area.

Miss Halsey had seen it too. She seemed deeply shaken.

"I won't hurt John ever again." she swore, eyes now on Kelly. "I'll take care of him. I'll take care of all of you as well. I promise."

"No, Elizabeth." Kelly cut her off, quickly. "You don't understand."

Elizabeth paled, suddenly immobilized.

The Spartan scolded herself for her awful manners. This was her brother's wife. Kelly cleared her throat and began again:

"You are part of our family now: we will take care of you. And being a godmother sounds interesting, I won't disappoint you."

The awkwardness vanished in a puff of smoke when Miss Halsey smiled again, slowly, and she stood up to put her arms around Kelly's shoulders, holding her in a close and friendly embrace. Well, shit. Of all the reactions this woman could've had with her, a hug was the last one the Spartan would've expected to happen. It took Kelly a moment to process it. It wasn't that she'd never been hugged before, she wasn't in the habit of giving or receiving many of those too often, and only her siblings and other SPARTAN-II had the privilege of getting this close to her.

"Thank you." Elizabeth sighed. "Thank you for understanding."

"Oh, no biggie." Kelly said, slightly shrugging.

Ultimately, she closed her arms around Miss Halsey and squeezed a little, in response.

It felt good. It felt right.

They would get along, given enough time.

x.x.x.x.x

"I don't feel comfortable stealing the spotlight."

"How are we stealing the spotlight?" Linda chuckled. "They're married already."

They were outside, in the ample balcony of the hotel's auditorium, looking down at the small garden. The two moons gleamed in the dark sky, every object under their light threw a sharp shadow on the ground. That same light bathed the two women: Linda was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, Ellen Anders stood a few steps away from her, both hands clasped on the front of her dress and twisting a napkin between her fingers. Ellen was nervous, Linda could understand why. She was excited too.

"I thought it would be a nice opportunity to tell them." Linda shrugged a little. "But it's your call."

Anders winced. "I'm just saying, we should wait a bit more."

"Roger that."

The Asian woman sighed deeply, then closed the distance to join the Spartan under the shadow of the wall. Linda's clear green eyes had a supernatural shine in that dim light, and it was stunning. Like cat's eyes. Her bright red hair was styled back, neatly clad in a small bun at the nape of her neck. The white dress uniform suited her well; it suited them all, she and her siblings looked sharp and professional wearing them, but Anders thought that Linda was particularly a vision by herself. The skirt was feminine enough to tell she was female and proud of it, yet it gave her the look of the hardened commando that she was as well. All strong, all Spartan.

Linda uncrossed her arms and reached out, calmly.

Ellen accepted the offer and allowed herself to drift away into the comfort of the warm, coarse grip of Linda's hands against her own delicate fingers.

They were so different and yet…

"I know you promised to tell them." Ellen murmured.

Linda laughed in her dry, characteristic way: "I'm sure John and Fred will be so busy that they won't even remember, and I'm not precisely expecting Kelly to ask."

Her knowing smile was sweet, and it had taken its time to make it that sweet.

But it had been all worth it, for both. After another moment of doubt, Anders nodded and smiled back. She grabbed the flaps of Linda's jacket and gave them a little tug.

They met halfway for a kiss.

x.x.x.x.x

Cortana caught Thel 'Vadam on the opposite side of the auditorium, with his party of guards. Although the alien guests had shared the ceremony in the pleasant company of the humans and sat with them at the same large, long table to dine, now that everything was said and done they kept to themselves by the buffet. The Sangheili were especially delighted by the food, enjoying flavors and textures like they had never known before.

There was no music or dancing, just the low drone of polite conversation.

Thel had been honored to assist to the bonding ritual, of course. Yet, even with the counseling provided by his liaison agents, the Kaidon could not help but feel that he was intruding somewhat on the Spartan tradition and customs. He was aware that their clan had been much reduced by the war, especially the Demon's generation, so he was aware that this bonding ritual must've held great significance for them. A symbol of hope that their genetic legacy could be passed on.

He frankly felt it was impolite to put himself in the middle of things, to attract attention.

Cortana, however, seemed to have a different opinion.

Upon seeing the Arbiter admiring the murals on the far wall along with his entourage, she went towards them. At first, the group of warriors was amazed at this small human female striding fearlessly amongst eight-feet-tall armor-clad aliens, but they soon regained their senses and backed away respectfully, giving her a path straight to their leader.

Thel noticed her presence by the hint of her sparkling dress in the corner of his eye. He turned around and bowed respectfully.

"Elizabeth Halsey." his mandibles had some trouble forming all the syllables in her name, but his pronunciation was serviceable enough. "Forgive me, I was not aware if I should present myself to you or if that would have been considered rude. I am still unfamiliar with many human customs."

Cortana smiled brightly up at him.

"Relax, Arbiter. You are my guest, my priority as a good host is to make you as comfortable as possible."

Her voice did indeed have a soothing quality to it. The Arbiter could understand how such a female could have entranced the Demon so thoroughly.

Cortana peaked around Thel's elbow to see the murals he had been staring at.

"I suppose you are unfamiliar with human artwork as well."

"Yes." Thel said, glancing behind him.

"Do you know what they are?"

While some of the exact details of the murals were a mystery to him, the Arbiter was able to deduce that they depicted Spartan history. Still, with the bride giving him a chance to showcase his good manners, Thel was not about to let it slip by him.

He widened his mandibles in what approximated a smile.

"I was hoping you could show me."

With a cute smile of her own, Cortana wrapped both hands around his thick armored elbow and guided the alien gracefully towards the first mural.

This first depiction was the most mysterious to the Arbiter. In the middle of the large painting stood a giant wooden statue of a four hoofed beast. Thel was sure he had seen this creature before in pictures. Damned be the Rings, what did the human call them? A horse! Yes, the animal that the Daughter of the Demon was so fond of. Perhaps he should get her one of those, someday. A mighty gift indeed. Not as good as a sword, but still.

The wooden horse stood in the middle of an ancient city, and it was burning. Marble statues crumbled, women fled, warriors rallied to make their final stand. It was the death of a civilization, this Thel could deduce, but its significance confounded him.

Cortana helpfully provided an explanation:

"The Fall of Troy, 1180 B.C. It began when Helen, Queen of the Spartans, was kidnapped by the Trojan Prince Paris. Her abduction resulted in the largest war humanity had ever known up to that point in history. The face that launched a thousand ships." she pointed at the painting. "This is how the war ended, with the destruction of Troy."

The Arbiter nodded. Through the painting he could feel the anger echo back from thousands of years ago. Prophets be damned, he felt a little angry as well. To steal a Queen of the Spartans? The insult would have been unbearable.

"A just war, then." he commented. "But if you were ever abducted, I do not believe your mate would require a thousand ships, and he would burn far more than one city."

Cortana smiled, chest swelling with pride. "He is a romantic in a very brutish sort of way, but do you want to know a secret?" Thel nodded and leaned closer as she whispered. "That's nothing compared to what I would do if anyone tried to hurt him."

The Arbiter laughed in a deep baritone voice.

"You are deceivingly fragile! The Demon has chosen his mate well."

Cortana laughed too, guiding Thel to the next mural. The Sangheili warriors followed closely behind, seemingly entranced by the history lesson they were receiving.

This second mural was far less of a mystery, and the one that the Arbiter had come closest to guessing correctly. It depicted a small band of warriors, perhaps a few hundred strong, defending a narrow pass close to the sea. The enemies they faced were legion, stretching back far into the horizon. The red sun overhead glinted off the bronze armor. Arrows filled the painting. Swords flashed, spears were thrusted, and shields clattered together. Thel could almost hear the noise of the ancient battle and feel the weight of the impossible odds.

"The Battle of Thermopylae, 480 B.C."

"Yes." the Arbiter said in a hushed voice, he guessed correctly. "I read of this battle. The Spartans hold its name sacred." he turned to the woman. "Is it true? That King Leonidas led his three hundred against a million warriors and battled for three days until their deaths?"

Cortana nodded solemnly.

"It was an army assembled by Xerxes, King of Kings and a man who thought himself a god. He called all the warriors of Asia to his banner for a single purpose, to invade the ancient land of Hellas, what we today call Greece." the cadence in her voice changed, it was clear she was reciting something. Behind them the Sangheili entourage moved in closer to hear. "And when Xerxes saw that such a small band meant to impede his army's progress, he fell into bewilderment and called one of his Greek advisors to him, demanding answers. His advisor then said to him, 'Sire, these Spartans are unlike any warriors you have ever faced before. They mean to fight you for the pass, and are preparing themselves in the ways they deem necessary. If you can somehow defeat these men, and subdue the army which remains behind in Sparta, then there remains no tribe of men, oh Great King, which may ever be able to resist you'." Cortana bowed her head. "Of all the victories under the Sun, none, even in their combined share of honor, would ever dare compare themselves to the Glorious Defeat of King Leonidas and his Three Hundred Spartans."

"Wise." was the only response Thel could think to say.

They moved on to the third mural. The battle depicted in this painting was in another pass, deep in the mountains. One such mountain rose high into the heaven, it's peak obscured by clouds. Cortana explained that this was Olympus, home of the human gods. At the base of the sacred mountain a desperate fight was underway. Men in grey uniforms and wearing strange helmets were attempting to force their way through the pass. Artillery shells exploded, box like tanks with large iron crosses painted on the side crept along, and bombers filled the sky. Defending the pass were but a handful of warriors, all of them wounded. The Arbiter saw a man, his hair and beard gray, his uniform in tatters, attack an enemy with a ceremonial sword. A machine gunner was depleting his last belt of ammunition. A rifleman attempted to fire his weapon through eyes blinded by his own blood. Throughout the mural these last desperate moments of a battle that was clearly lost played out over and over again.

"The Battle of Greece, 1941 A.D. Adolf Hitler, another man who thought himself a God, sent his armies to invade the Spartan's ancient homeland. This time they came with two million men. It had been nearly two thousand five hundred years since the Battle of Thermopylae, and the glory of Sparta had long since faded, but still their descendants remembered. Freedom or Death."

For some reason this mural hit Thel harder than the last. These were not the golden warriors equipped in the finest armor, standing tall and proud. Instead they were poor, their uniforms ill fitting, their weapons ill suited to the task before them.

But the pride. Yes, he could see the same pride on their faces.

The Arbiter could only nod, and Cortana led him onward.

The fourth mural, and this one needed no explanation: a single, more contemporary Spartan, his helmet badly damaged, firing his rifle into an oncoming horde of Sangheili, while all around him an entire planet burned. The Fall of Reach.

His Sangheili. The planet that he had burned.

His greatest victory.

His greatest shame.

The Arbiter hung his head, but Cortana patted his elbow, trying to comfort him.

"You are not those men." she reassured him, nodding her head at those last three murals. "You were deceived, and they were not. You admitted your mistake, they never did. You are better than they were."

"Still a dishonor." the Arbiter said. "And my penance has not yet ended."

He gazed at the fourth mural for a moment longer then turned his attention to the words that stood in carved stone and black lettering above all four.

AD VICTORIAM

EX MACHINA

NON SIBI SED TERRAM

Cortana translated for him: "Towards victory, like a machine. Not for himself, but for Earth."

As she recited these words, it seemed like their sound upset her. Thel was not sure of why, to him it sounded like a strong motto, words to live by; but seeing her distress, the Arbiter thought quickly of a way to take her mind off the subject:

"I had never tried human food before." he commented, turning to the buffet. "With respect, would you tell me and my warriors more about your species' cuisine?"

Cortana's face immediately brightened again. "I would be delighted."

The Arbiter glanced back at the mural depicting the Fall of Troy.

"Question." he said, and Cortana tilted her head up. "Are you Queen of the Spartans, now?"

Cortana gave a brief snort of laughter, but then her face grew suddenly serious.

"Why yes, I am; and you should be politer towards royalty." she quipped, ironic.

Suddenly realizing his grievous social indiscretion, the Sangheili leader made a strange sound in the back of his throat. He should have bowed lower and not dared to be so informal with her. After all, the Demon always spoke of his mate with the highest of praise, respect and cherish, how could he not have guessed? Thel straightened his back.

"Yes, Kaidoness."

This time Cortana could not contain her laughter, but she proceeded to accept the Sangheili ceremonial greeting.

x.x.x.x.x

Catherine Halsey stared for most of the evening, taking little notes in her mind, mostly. She was discovering a side of Elizabeth that she'd never seen. Well, she knew her daughter was a brilliant scientist and a successful businesswoman, competitive, a tad arrogant and naïve, a lot more compassionate than her and perhaps even more romantic. She took some pride on Elizabeth's beauty and the fact that the girl knew how to use it, always popular with the opposite sex.

She was a good mother, way better than Halsey herself ever was. No fear to admit it.

But she never thought of Elizabeth as a wife. Wife to John, nonetheless.

The diplomatic way in which she managed the guests was exemplary, ever the center of attention. The good Doctor didn't miss how her daughter talked to the Arbiter, sharing anecdotes about a so called 'Demon'; Elizabeth laughed, at some point, the Sangheili leader reared his head back and moved the mandibles that made his mouth in a non-threatening fashion. His lavish golden armor clattered. The alien offered his huge clawed hands with the palms up and, following protocol, Elizabeth answered the ceremonial salute between Kaidon and Kaidoness: placing her own hands onto the Sangheili's palms, allowing him to give her a gentle squeeze. Her smile was dazzling.

Oh, how beautiful and genuinely happy she looked.

In love, fulfilled, ready to tackle down the entire Universe.

The good Doctor felt a pinch of envy, a bit shameful and a bit deserved.

Halsey wondered if she ever looked this happy in the brief time Jacob was part of her life. If she ever laughed so lightheartedly, if she ever had a moment free of judgement or worry. She had loved her Lieutenant, to an extent. As much as she could love anyone that wasn't just as perfect as she wanted them to be.

At least, Elizabeth had fought for her happiness, and would continue to do so.

x.x.x.x.x

Now that the Master Chief had excused himself and his brand-new wife was over there talking to the Arbiter, Palmer relaxed. It was just Tom and her, and the child.

The Commander was pining really, really hard.

Seeing Tom hold that sleeping kid did something to her hormones, it wasn't good. He looked after little Sarah as if she was his own daughter -and for a long time Palmer had been fooled-, everyone knew how much he liked the idea of having children. Also, everyone had suspicions, but it was also a universal truth that Tom was incapable of lying: if he said that his marriage to Elizabeth Halsey had been purely a cover-up, the Commander believed him.

Well, Palmer was convinced that the kid had been named after her, thus making more evident how hung up the Captain was on their failed relationship, still, after all this time. Of course, she had no idea that Elizabeth's second name was Sarah, so she just assumed. But he looked really good with a toddler in his arms, and Palmer found herself envying the child a little. All things considered it was after midnight and little Sarah was probably way past her usual bedtime. Lucky girl.

"Were you serious, about watching over her with me?" he asked, softly.

Palmer's eyebrows shot up, when she came back from her little daydream.

"Yeah, absolutely. There's a shuttle back at zero-nine-hundred, right?"

"Zero-nine-hundred." Tom nodded.

"Sure. No problem." she shrugged. "Not that you're going to need any help, I figure."

"No, but I could use the company."

Their eyes met, subtly. Two very similar shades of brown, one definitely warmer than the other but both quite interested. Palmer licked her lips, decided to not be the first one to look away. She had always been aggressive that way, but Lasky was also a tough nut to crack whenever he wanted it. However, Miss Halsey did an overacted curtsy that the Arbiter responded in kind, and Palmer glanced at them, losing the stare contest against her will. The bride picked up the tail of her dress and left towards the balconies, the Sangheili proceeded to head towards the exit, with his guard. Hm. Maybe it was time to pack it up and leave the party, since everyone seemed to be drifting away furtively.

"We owe ourselves a talk, don't we?" Tom commented, patiently.

Not really, no. Unless he had something to say that she hadn't heard before.

Their relationship was ashes. There were a few embers, but would those embers be strong enough to restart a fire, again, and keep it going? Well…

"I think we do." Palmer agreed anyway, softly.

"Your room or mine?"

She smirked. "… you're a Captain, I'm sure your room is better."

Tom snickered, shaking his head.

She had decided to end it all when high brass proposed her a promotion to Commander and sovereignty over an entire platoon, with a station on Sanghelios assigned to aid and protect the Arbiter. It was a dream come true. Tom understood the magnitude of the opportunity and it all boiled down to going back to be friends.

The thing is, Palmer felt kind of hurt when she found out that he had married.

Part of her hoped that the Captain would wait for her. The hopes vanished quickly and for a long time Palmer dedicated herself to accept that they were back where they started, when she was first appointed to the Infinity. It was better to have Tom as a friend than as nothing at all, and so she soldiered on. Always loyal, always there to support him. Eventually, after the campaign on Sanghelios was over, she returned to the Infinity and became leader of the ship's Spartan garrison.

She tried to be happy for him, above all. Until that night on leave when they were both drunk as fuck, subsequently ended up in a bed together. Tom spilled all the beans in the aftermath of an intense session of good old sex. He told her things she shouldn't have heard, like for example, that little Sarah was the daughter of John-117 and he had sworn to protect both the kid and the mother. That he had married just in case, so he would have the right to request full custody if something happened to Elizabeth or to the child's father. It was a sensitive situation.

The Commander was so shocked that she had to take a full week to process it, both this delicate intel and the fact that she had slept with Tom again. Slowly, everything became clear. She'd been in command of that man, the Master Chief; she came to understand why the Arbiter had been such a fucking pain in the ass about the Spartan's limited privileges regarding an alleged 'progeny'. Why the Chief was pulled out of Sanghelios so quickly; ONI had tried to cover it up until they couldn't control the situation anymore.

God, it had been right in front of her all the time, and she had no fucking idea!

But, hey: the marriage wasn't real.

Palmer had become the Captain's confidant, without even wanting it. She was the first person Tom talked to about what was going on, every little development in the case and the things the kid did. They began to drift closer and closer. Now, Elizabeth and Tom were divorced, he was a free man again. The embers were still burning. None of them said anything about a relationship…

And still, Palmer could sense how much this man needed her.

Talking again didn't seem like such a bad idea. Maybe, this time it was her who had to say something he hadn't heard before.

"Alright." Palmer started, standing up. "Time to pick up shop. I'll excuse us with the bride, you can get going if you want."

Tom shifted the sleeping child in his arms and stood up as well. "I'll wait here."

Damn. Palmer's hormones were about to riot.

Maybe, someday, Tom would hold a son or daughter of his own.

x.x.x.x.x

She escaped -because she literally escaped- right under his nose after the toast, when they were about to start with the messages for the newlyweds. He didn't even see her leave. It was his fault, anyway; he had been unforgivably slow, choosing to keep to himself most of the reception with his stomach twisted into a knot instead of doing as Linda and Kelly said. If only he had been confident enough…

Well, maybe he was indeed a little intimidated by her. She had that effect on people.

Veta was striking in her silver dress, with her dark hair down and little to no makeup. She was naturally gorgeous, but this was an entirely different kind of beautiful: he'd never seen her like that, never even imagined that she could turn into an entirely different woman with just a change of clothes. For a Spartan that was mostly used to see females in uniforms of all sorts, that sparkly dress was sorcery and it made him nervous. Hot, excited, eager.

She was a five-foot-nothing goddess and he was going slowly insane.

She was on Reach now; he would find her. And they would talk.

The thing is, Fred wasn't expecting to catch her in his way to the restrooms.

"Lopis." he gasped, shocked.

She turned around immediately, equally surprised, hand going straight to the long slit on the side of the dress. She stopped halfway there when she recognized the man standing a few feet away, but Fred's blue-green eyes shot to that split in the shimmering fabric and caught a blatant glance of her slender, toned thigh, smooth caramel skin and a black elastic strap tightly secured around her leg.

A holster's strap. Was she armed? At a wedding?

Where? She was so small, and she usually carried such big guns…

Fred blinked and regained his temple, quickly.

"You slipped away. I guess we taught you well." he commented, dryly.

"I knew it was a bad idea and decided to leave." she explained, not very amused.

Her voice, so smooth. It felt like velvet rubbing the back of his neck.

Fred approached carefully, trying to look as harmless as he could manage.

The last time they were this close, he'd made the grave mistake to touch her before she allowed and that had contributed to her negative reaction, to the increase of his anxiety and the disaster that followed. The truth was that he didn't want to feel like this, he didn't want to be angry, he didn't want to lose her. He just wanted an answer from her. But apparently, the Inspector was adamant on avoiding him because she looked around and aimed for the exit, without another word.

"Lopis!" Fred's deep baritone thundered in the small hallway.

She froze, shrinking her shoulders. Big mistake, again. He winced.

"We shouldn't be talking, you know that."

Fred snorted, now annoyed: "Veta, my brother and leader just got married. And you knew I would come after you."

"… Elizabeth invited me. I wanted to talk to her."

And yet, he never saw her approach Miss Halsey through the duration of the evening.

Was she having second thoughts, now…? Fred barreled on:

"So, you know. You're thinking about it, too."

He didn't really have to say what he meant, exactly. Veta was probably more informed than anyone else about the whole 'operation' to declassify the SPARTAN-II and III. And she knew what it implied, she knew all the possibilities it could bring for two people in their situation.

They had a son in common.

A son that ONI had forced her to hide from him and to give up.

The Lieutenant was stunned to know that she had done such a thing. He knew Veta, her way of thinking, her ideals. She didn't hold cherish for the UNSC, even way less for ONI itself; she'd been taught to distrust them. And yet, she had succumbed: she shipped her son to her cousins on Gao, so they would raise him.

She said she had made a choice.

What did Osman tell her, that could've forced Veta's hand in such a way?

He was dying to know. He needed to understand, to…

"Can we just talk for a minute?" Fred started again.

Veta sighed and closed her eyes, trying to relax. She turned around to face him, over six feet away. She tried to look nonchalant but an unhealthy tension made her narrow shoulders shiver. It only made Fred more nervous, it was just like that last time; except that back then they had been in the middle of the jungle, she was in her baggy black BDUs under the soaking rain and looking scared shitless, paler than a ghost. The Spartan didn't like seeing her in this state of distress, knowing that he was the source; Fred was terrified that she would reject him again.

She couldn't control it, sometimes. Trauma rooted deep.

The Inspector lifted her chin. "What exactly do you want to talk about?"

"In private." he nodded towards the bathroom.

"Okay, but let's not get improper, this is not the time…"

Improper? Really?

They knew each other way too well to hang on to formalities.

"Inspector, right now every thought I have about you is improper." he growled. "But if it makes you feel better, you have my word that I'll try to keep it civil."

She moved her mouth, but no words came out. Instead, she licked her lips and nodded.

Fred acted fast, knowing that timing was everything with her: he opened the door to the restrooms and moved a few steps away, with both hands held on sight so he wouldn't pose a threat. The small woman muttered her thanks and walked swiftly inside, then he followed. The room wasn't big but it was properly lit, with a nice marble countertop with two sinks, twin mirrors and four little closed stalls. Fred swallowed hard when it was Veta who closed the door and locked it behind her.

She turned to face him. He straightened up, looking regal.

"Remember when you accused me of sleeping with Miss Halsey?"

"Me trajiste aquí para hablar de eso?"'You brought me here to talk about that?'

"Do you remember?" he insisted, serious.

Veta sighed again. "Yes, I remember. I remember everything."

Now it was his turn to lick his lips, trying to avoid certain specific memories. No, that wasn't the day Gabriel was conceived. But that was the kickstart.

"You didn't stop until you got the truth out of me. Even the classified parts."

"Fred…"

"Please." he interrupted, gently, and took the white cap off his head. "Talk to me, Veta. This past year has been torture. I have dents in my performance evaluations."

She blinked a few times, overwhelmed.

"We already talked about this. I had to make a choice."

"So, you don't feel about me the same way I feel about you."

She wasn't exactly looking at him, Fred couldn't see her flush.

"Menos mal que te ibas a comportar." she moaned.'So much for keeping it civil.'

They weren't too far from each other, just a bit outside arm's length.

Veta took a tentative step forward, then another.

The Spartan kept still, watching her every move and evaluating it.

She reached out to grab the bill of the cap he held in his fingers, and Fred allowed her to take it away. The Inspector clutched it with both hands, the little purse hanging from her wrist, and put the cap on her chest, holding it as close as possible to her heart. The neckline of her dress wasn't deep enough to entice the imagination, but still, it was low-cut enough to make him wonder.

"You know well how I feel about you, Fred. We have a baby boy. A son I haven't seen in a year and that I miss terribly." she said, his evident uneasiness was making her nervous as well. "And I've missed you too."

"Then, what's going on?"

She bit her lip, doubting. "Shouldn't we… I don't know, take it slow?"

"Elizabeth and John didn't wait." he said it plainly, taking a step forward. "And we wasted enough time, already."

The Spartan was standing so close now that his shadow dropped over her, and she had to turn her head up almost all the way to follow those pretty eyes of his. There was almost an unnatural gleam in his stare.

Fred was handsome, but in dress whites… he was a prince. A total prince.

Veta frowned. "Well, she's one of the richest, most powerful women in this side of the galaxy. She's got nothing to lose, Fred. We're just plain us; the same way ONI once saved my ass, they could make me disappear and you would never find out."

"Just… just tell me what you want." he shook his head. "I'll make it happen."

Her pupils dilated at the sound of those words. She chuckled, languidly.

"I always forget that you Spartans are hardwired to go against all odds." she whispered.

Veta closed her eyes, then, and took a deep breath in.

Fred stopped breathing himself when she extended her hand towards him and brushed with her fingertips the pristine fabric of his uniform's jacket. Timidly, she undid one of the clasps and even more carefully, she slid her tiny hand inside, feeling the soft shirt he wore underneath, the hard muscle below that.

So warm, so familiar. The Inspector gasped, yearning.

"What do I want? A family that I can see and hug whenever I wish. A big family."

A deep and foreign kind of relief flooded the Spartan's veins.

Tentatively, he placed a hand on her bare shoulder and, since she didn't flinch away, he dared to grip a little tighter and pull her closer. She didn't resist. Veta's head barely reached his chest and that was just the way he liked it: he loved towering above her.

"Are you sure your little body can take it?" Fred quipped. "Gabriel is a big boy, I'm… concerned about how that birth went."

She narrowed her eyes, between suspicion and amusement.

"It was a c-section, Lieutenant smartass."

"C-section?" he winced. "That's got to be tough."

Veta gave him a scorching look, still pretending to be offended.

"You would've agreed to anything if they told you your baby's life is in danger." Her words had an edge of sorrow. "Hips too narrow, yadda-yadda. Low chance of survival and all that. I didn't want to lose him."

She let the white cap on the countertop behind her. There was a bit of hesitation on her part, but at last, determination flashed in her hazel eyes. She began to pull on the rest of the clasps of his jacket, opening the flaps, sliding her hands under the t-shirt so she could feel the raw skin beneath. God, the texture, his masculine scent. She felt the contours of every scar and recognized them all.

She had missed him, yes.

"I didn't want to lose the only thing I had left from you." she whispered.

Her feisty hands moved down to the button of his white dress pants, undoing it and running the zipper down quickly. There was already a considerable bulge in there, which didn't surprise her.

Fred grabbed her shoulders with both hands now.

"Gabriel doesn't have to be the only thing you have of me." he sighed, looking down at how her small hands yanked his underwear down to pull his raging hard-on out. He smiled at the innocent look on her face, encouraged to continue the verbal foreplay: "Is everything okay there? Same as you remember?"

She swallowed hard, just like she had done every other time.

Veta still didn't entirely get how come that thing fit in her and made her feel so good. She wrapped her tiny hand around it and leaned forward to kiss the tip and give it a sensual lick all around. To hear the Lieutenant groan under his breath made it all he more arousing, he had such a deep, sexy voice.

"Cómo olvidarte?" she purred, her eyes singed him. 'How could I forget you?'

It was going to happen, no escape now.

This wasn't the same as a year before, when they had that ugly argument. She had been too hurt to listen, and Fred had let his temper get the best of him. Everything was different, now. They had chances, there was a light of hope. If they played it smart and were strong enough, perhaps their own happy ending wouldn't be so far away…

"I want you pregnant again." he blurted out. "And I want to be with you all the way."

Fred's eyes were so bright that she felt the heat in her very bones. Veta shook.

"What a coincidence, Lieutenant." she gasped, hypnotized. "I was going to beg you to knock me up again, so we can finish fucking things up together."

She took him in her mouth and used her lips and tongue mercilessly, both hands working slowly the way that she knew would drive him mad in less than a minute. Yes, she knew this Spartan well enough. They had plenty of idle time between their missions; time well spent in tents, sleeping bags, rocky floors and just between tangled sheets and wonderful sensations.

They shared a lot more than time, back in those days.

Veta hummed, the vibrations passing right through from her lips to his manhood.

"I want to see you pregnant." he groaned, throwing his head back a little. "I'd love to see you pregnant all the time, so often that you have to quit ONI for good."

His words were rough, harsh; it was the other side of him talking, for sure. That hungry beast he usually kept well tame and leashed. She hissed and licked him all the way from base to tip, sliding a hand inside his briefs to rub and squeeze the heavy sack underneath; then looked up at his eyes while still moving her hands.

Her ministrations stopped all of a sudden. Fred growled.

"Well, Fred; that sounds very impractical… but kind of hot, too."

Veta stood up and pulled on the skirt of her dress, spreading it open by the slit on the side to sneak her hands underneath. First, she ripped off the band that held a knife strapped to her thigh and let the weapon fall to the floor -so, it wasn't a gun but a knife, a huge-ass knife-. Then, she hooked her thumbs on the black underwear she wore and pulled it down, stepping out of it only to leave the garment hanging on one of her fingers.

They stared at each other for a couple of seconds, tense, waiting…

Well, she was feeling bold. It had to be the champagne in her blood, she had drunk half a bottle anyway. No turning back now.

Veta tied the panties around the base of the Spartan's cock, making a tight knot.

She arched an eyebrow and smirked. It might as well been a white flag.

Fred understood immediately. He lunged forward and picked her up, light as a feather, both hands and cock disappearing quickly underneath the shimmering fabric of her dress, nuzzling against the hottest spot of her tiny body. She was so slippery, soaking wet, waiting for him; with a suffering moan, Veta squirmed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Now they were eye to eye, nothing else in between.

"I don't want to be away from you, ever again." he continued. "I don't even want you working for ONI anymore, I mean it."

She kissed him hard. Veta got lost in the bliss of the moment and enjoyed the taste of his lips and the rough caress of his teeth trying to bite back. It was her who broke the kiss and moved through his clean-shaven jaw, kissing and nibbling, until she reached his ear:

"Oblígame." she defied him, with a husky grin. 'Make me.'

Fred frowned. Hard. In a way that made his gentle features turn dangerous.

He was usually composed, diplomatic. But she knew this dark side, there was a mighty beast awaiting the moment of release, roaming under. She wasn't afraid of it.

He reached down and guided himself to the right spot. It usually took a while to work his way into her and Fred really hated rushing it up, but they didn't have much time. Soon, someone would come looking for them. He thrust up harder than usual, sliding in after a few tries. She mewled upon the coarse feel of the lace rubbing roughly on her exposed labia and clit and hid her face on his shoulder, biting the thick fabric of his jacket to withstand the sudden pain of the invasion. It faded rather quickly, she wasn't frightened. Fred had to chew his own lip to resist, too.

The height difference between them was absurd, but it turned him on so damn much. All meager curves and strong muscle, a scent of rain and musk that called his instinct like nothing else. No matter the pressure inside her tight body, squeezing the life out of him, strangling him when she reached her peak of pleasure. She was so small and yet, she intimidated him. She stood up to him. She drove him crazy.

They had no business doing this, and yet they just craved it.

After more than two years apart, it surprised them how much their bodies remembered the other so well. In a few more thrusts Fred's manhood was fully sheathed; she had adjusted nicely, the sharp pain was gone and only the burning desire remained.

Half-dazed, Veta felt him throb and shiver. So, he was overwhelmed too.

"How can it be bad if it feels so right?" she whispered, her hands grazed the back of his neck, sliding her fingers through his short, dark hair.

"Damn true, Inspector."

The Lieutenant conceded a few minutes to recover, staring intensely into each other's eyes until that growing arrogant smile on her pretty lips made him ravenous. Gripping her ass with both hands, Fred began to bounce her meager weight in his arms, every thrust taking a little less effort; her body was still so tight that he was afraid to hurt her.

She tried to keep it quiet, but it was never easy. Her soft moans were almost cute.

"I want us to get married too." he confessed, in a rough snarl, as he controlled the pace of their lovemaking by sheer strength. "I want this every day, I've never wanted anything more than I want you."

Veta's panties soon became soaked in her own fluids; the heat of the moment fueled the Spartan's stamina and he took her slowly but confidently all the way to a first explosive orgasm. She resorted to kiss him to prevent the scream building up in her throat. The small woman tensed up inside so, so much, that Fred almost thought that they were going to pass out together. He kissed back, roughly, to stay focused while she ran through her release, squirming, trembling in his arms.

Things were losing meaning in her mind.

Instinct was taking over them both, the need to be barely more than male and female doing what was most natural between them. Any complaint she could've had melted down in a cascade of moans. She pressed her forehead onto Fred's cheek and tried to survive the experience with her sanity intact.

Yes, she wanted this every day, too.

She wanted to wake up every morning and see those beautiful green-blue eyes.

"Te amo, Fred." the tiny woman whispered, her breath was ragged. 'I love you, Fred.'

"Louder!" he shouted, fierce. "Let them hear!"

"I LOVE YOU!"

She let the Spartan handle her like a broken doll, focusing on the pleasure. So intense, so brutal at times. It was so easy to let go. This was the man she loved, the ferocious badger dressed as a polite officer, she trusted him completely…

Her mouth was open but no sound came out of it, only short, intense breaths.

Veta's body twitched and writhed under the command of her Lieutenant, sinking her further and further down into that scorching mess they liked to call 'non-relationship'. She couldn't speak, not even moan properly. All she could do was clutch tightly to the flaps of his jacket and endure the second wave; this time she did scream, thrashing her head back and arching her body almost violently.

Insane, it was just insane.

God, she had missed him, she had missed this!

"YES!" the Inspector cried, out of control. "I LOVE YOU! AH!"

The Spartan growled, burying his face in the crook of her neck, moving her at his will and pace, feeling his own release approach so fast and so hard. The husky ring of her voice lashed on some very sensitive nerves, a delicious electricity shot all the way up his spine like a touch of lightning and…

He thrust one last time, sheathing himself wholly in her, grinding their hips together as close as possible as he came. Fred saw all the stars simmering in the dark edges of his vision, felt his own pulse throb in his ears. He choked on a desperate groan, pressing his mouth against her throat so he wouldn't roar himself.

A third thundering orgasm swept over her, her brain just shattered.

Veta howled, her body convulsed and received gladly everything he had to give. It felt so amazingly good, such a tremendous relief and a terrible mistake again.

Just like that time in her tent, in the hot jungle of Gao, two and a half years ago when her little Gabriel was conceived.

She didn't care. Whether it was bound to happen or not, she didn't care…

They were moaning together, shaking. He was aware that he was standing -but barely- and she was pressed against his hard body, slender legs wrapped around his waist and head now lying limp onto his shoulder. She couldn't put two thoughts together. Fred kissed her cheek in a sloppy, fatigued way and leaned back against the countertop, resting his weight on it until he could just be sure they wouldn't drop together.

For a couple of minutes there was only silence, again, filled with their shallow breaths.

A strong knock on the door made them both snap awake. Fred's irate gaze flew to the white panel, he literally stopped breathing and every hair on the back of his neck bristled in response to the threat:

"Fred." came the voice from outside, demanding.

Oh, fuck it all to Hell…

"John." the Lieutenant answered, tense.

"Couldn't you wait an hour until the reception was over?"

"No?"

He glanced back at Veta, carefully. She covered her mouth with both hands, restraining either a panicked scream or a burst of laughter.

"Fine." the Master Chief sighed. "Just get to your room, don't make a scene."

"Roger that."

They didn't hear him leave, but Fred knew his brother was gone. After a long moment of quiet, she couldn't hold it in anymore and just laughed, burying her face on the Spartan's neck. Her body shook and twitched, succumbing to the feeling.

"I swear, people call me the stuck-up one." Fred snickered, infected with her humor.

Carefully, he disengaged their bodies as gently as possible and placed the small woman back on the floor, holding her hands until she could stand with confidence. Veta was still laughing, she dropped forward and exploded against his shirt. Her shoulders were shaking. It was a mixture of hysterics and genuine good mood. It didn't make her any less aware of the warm flow drooling down her thigh, dripping to the floor, but that other reality would take a few more hours to sink in. Ultimately the laughter died and she sighed, half amused and half concerned.

"That was so good." she murmured. Veta wrapped her arms around his waist, in a tight hug, ignoring the warmth of the soaked lace in the front of her dress.

He sighed, pleased. "What about my proposal?"

Fred had the sudden need to flatten up her sweaty hair, brushing it off her clammy face. He hadn't noticed, not until a drop of his own sweat rolled down his temple and neck to drip onto the collar of his jacket. God damn, it was so hot in that restroom.

She was looking back up at his face, those hazel eyes full of hope.

"Hmm." she hugged him tighter, rubbing her cheek against his chest. "Didn't the Chief say something about a room? How about you spend the rest of the night 'convincing me', Lieutenant?"

Fred narrowed his eyes.

He nodded: "And you will tell me everything, while we're at it."

x.x.x.x.x

In another secluded balcony of the auditorium, Cortana stretched her arms above her head and breathed in the fresh air of the coast. The transparent crystals sown into her dress sparkled beautifully under the light of the two moons, turning the garment into a real work of art. It costed her a fortune, but she could check this out of her list, now: marrying in a gorgeous dress.

She sensed he was behind right before John's hand landed on her waist, protectively.

"Hey there. I wondered where you went."

He kissed her hair, right above her ear. She giggled.

"Bathroom. But it was occupied." there was a hint of humor in his voice.

She figured he just was in a good mood. "Bummer."

Leaning into her Spartan's solid presence, Cortana closed her eyes for an instant and enjoyed the quiet of the night. It was well past midnight, the reception was literally done for and a total success. They were alone. It was the perfect time.

"You owe me something." Cortana turned and extended her arm wrapped in white silk, offering her hand. "Dance with me, please?"

John frowned a little. "There's no music."

"It doesn't matter. I just want a dance with my husband."

Every time she said that word, something felt really nice in his gut.

To emphasize that he didn't have any formal training in dancing wouldn't do, Cortana had been teasing with this the whole dinner. John accepted with a long sigh and grabbed her hand to follow her lead: she intertwined their fingers together and held them up, then she guided his right hand to her waist and placed hers on his shoulder, previously picking up the short tail of her dress. She stepped closer, looking up to his face with that dazzling smile. He was stoic. The steel-blue stare under the black bill of his uniform's cap was a monument to resolve.

"Nobody will see us, I promise."

"That's not the problem." he frowned.

"Of course it's not the problem." Cortana rolled her eyes, amused.

He looked so fine in that white uniform, for fucks sake.

She shivered, releasing a sigh. God, she couldn't wait to rip those stiff clothes off him.

"Please, try not to step on my toes."

"I won't."

"Just sway with me, watch my feet and then repeat."

Cortana moved to the side, he followed. Then she came back to the previous spot, John did the same. She stepped up the game by humming a melody under her breath, just to have a rhythm to fall into. John, being the swift learner that he was, caught on it fast and after a few seconds, he was moving in sync with her, with a lot more grace. She chuckled again, delighted. Then they began to draw circles on the narrow space of the balcony under the moonlight, not too fast, not too slow, staring into each other's eyes. John recognized the song she was humming; a classical piece, he'd heard it in Doctor Halsey's office many times when he was in training.

His eyes fell for a second on her delicate hand, nested in his palm. On the golden shine of the ring on her fourth finger, the ring he put there. She had to leave his tags behind for the sake of the pictures, but that ring made him feel… triumphant? Well, it was a victory, in some sort of level. The sound of the music she was producing accompanied them in their dream-like state as they danced, holding each other close and moving at an even pace.

It was so strange for the Spartan. But doing it with her felt good, fun.

"You are a surprisingly good dancer." Cortana observed, impressed.

"Must be a talent." he smirked.

She chuckled and halted, hooking a finger on the collar of his jacket so he would lean down. The kiss that followed had a hint of hidden mischief in it, John could easily taste it in the way she bit his lower lip.

"Let's get out of here." Cortana whispered, huskily.

All she got from him was a small, shameless grin to die for.

TO BE CONTINUED

VERY SPECIAL THANKS to Cor Tenebrae again for adding to this story, the scene of the conversation between Cortana and the Arbiter was written by him. For those who can't catch the hint, Kelly is totally aro-ace and she's a godmother now!

NOW, ABOUT INFINITE. I'll say this: I don't like the new armor design. It makes John look like a goddamn toy. I wanna grab him by the arms and pose him like an action figure. I was all in for this more 'realistic' look we got in H4 compared to the early ages of H1-H3 when console technology was limited. I won't discuss weapons, gameplay, enemies, graphics or that stuff because (I can't stretch this enough) I DON'T PLAY THE GAMES, I'M HERE FOR THE STORY. I like the possibility of an open world, tho, it might be the only thing that could convince me to play a Halo game. I like Brohammer, he seems cool although he's lucky he had his mental breakdown in front of John because if this had been Palmer, she would've slapped the shit out of him. I'm very worried that… like, we lost. WE ACTUALLY LOST. To what, to Cortana and her gang? Infinity -THE FUCKING INFINITY- got fucked, what happened to Lasky and HIS gang? Where is Blue Team in this? No Cortana AI anymore, I take it, not even a new model? The Created are done for? Infinity being fucked means Locke is dead, as the speculation goes? This is 2560, last time we saw Chief he was in Sanghelios in 2558, how did we miss TWO YEARS? WHAT HAPPENED TO BLUE TEAM? AND RED TEAM? If four hours into the game things are this level of fucked, I'm worried about every other character that 343 brought in since H4. Now, I KNOW there's supposed to be at least one book prior to release that should fill some gaps, but I need more NOW! I feel pretty bummed. I don't want to argue, just vent.

Before we go, a couple of greetings for the non-logged readers:

The GUEST that wants to see Sarah as an adult and possibly a Spartan, my headcanon is that John trains her and she becomes one of the finest of her generation, and then goes to team up with a hard-headed Spartan asshat that will drive her crazy and they will fall madly in love if they don't kill each other first… but whether I'm going to tell that story or not, I'll think about it. Thank you for the support, darling!

My friend B93, I enjoyed a lot writing Cutter. Regarding John and Cortana's fate in the hands of ONI, well, next week we will have answers. Thank you for being here!

LIZZY OF DUNWICH, my dear, well… you seem to ask the right questions at the right time. I've had these chapters written for over a month now -yes, technically the story is finished on my end- and hopefully what we've seen today counts as answers because the main focus from now on is wrapping up John and Cortana's happy ending. Thank you for tagging along!

The other GUEST that can't believe John gets married… well, this is an AU, anything is possible. He might as well develop a taste for reading teenage vampire romance novels for what we know. LOL no. But still, thanks for dropping your thoughts.

Let's meet again next Sunday, the wedding night comes! We're going to get DANGEROUSLY sexy! Leave your thoughts in the box below, please, your reactions are just so pure. Have a nice week!