Alright, my precious Marines: two updates left after this one, one full chapter and the epilogue (which by now is chapter-length too, LOL) This time I won't upload them together, so be patient. Today we will disclose a major mystery that was hanging around and we will have a lot of sweet and some good ole' family loving because y'all deserve it. Good vibes and happy thoughts! Join me at the end for more nonsense!

TAKE ME WHEN YOU NEED ME

PART XXXIV

PLANET REACH – Epsilon Eridani System

MARCH, 2563

They had this uncanny ability to meet in an elevator full of people and greet each other good morning with absolute nonchalance. As if he hadn't been enjoying every inch of her skin until sunrise or as if she hadn't spent the night with her legs tangled around his waist, sinking in pleasure. There was a knowing smirk when their eyes met in a briefing room. An agonizing hunger when their hands touched 'by accident', while she calibrated electrodes on the prototype exo-suit. Yearning silence hung in the air as they walked by one another. But other than that, Director Elizabeth Halsey and Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 were very professional when they were working.

If you didn't know them, you would never guess they were married.

Of course, it wasn't a secret for anyone: Propaganda filtered a few photos. Thousands of articles were written, in consequence. It was an unexpected look at one of the greatest heroes Humanity had ever produced, and people loved it. If this legendary man had settled down, then there was nothing to fear; the years of war and the threat of extinction were finally about to end.

But they liked to pretend. It had an interesting edge. He was all about 'ma'am' around her, she always addressed him by title.

The personnel thought they were cute.

Fortunately, Propaganda didn't need the participation of the Master Chief right away -the news of the marriage were enough to keep things busy for a couple of months-, so John could lower his guard and do his job. He was technically on active duty, so he bunked up with his team at SWORD Base. Along with the other fifteen Spartan test subjects of the project, he went for a ten-mile run every morning, under rain or scorching sun alike. The route passed very close to the apartment complex in which Director Halsey lived with their daughter. In the sunny mornings, she took her breakfast on the balcony and saw him run by.

He saluted. She waved her hands and smiled.

They met every day at 0800 and said goodbye at 2000. But some nights, the Master Chief couldn't be found anywhere in base. The few who noticed weren't inclined to report it, they could figure what was going on.

Elizabeth was unquestionably happy for the first time in years. She felt… complete, in control. She was in charge again, she had her Spartan back. The sand-colored BDU's sat him wonderfully, he stood out in the crowd; powerful and poised, serious. Strong, attractive in that primitive, animal sort of way she couldn't explain. Edible. She giggled, both amused and aroused. The lines around his eyes and mouth made him look severe, more dangerous. Elizabeth enjoyed tracing those lines with her lips, kissing them softly in the aftermath of their frisky night encounters.

They both treasured the peace that had taken them so long to achieve.

x.x.x.x.x

There were four Spartans on the staging area, engaged in a two-versus-two match.

Their rigs were connected to a device that hung several feet above their heads, moving swiftly across the room on rails. So far, the run was going smoothly, the hardlight scenario projected in their surroundings was an obstacle course with several high ground hideouts. John was paired with Linda, Fred on the opposite team with Kelly. The objective was to capture an imaginary flag, with no other weapons but their hands and wits. The inner layer of their exo-suits had been replaced by a highly-conductive material, turned into a full-body sensor. Like a living organ latched to their skin. In direct sync with their neural implants, the suit could now predict movements with an effectiveness rate higher than anything seen before and adjust automatically to the Spartan's needs.

Cortana was up in the control cabin, her eyes on the screen before her, studying the data flow and taking notes.

Blue Team continued the exercise. They looked like they were having fun. Cortana got distracted and watched them on the live-video feed, wondering what kind of game they thought they were playing; obviously it wasn't about the flag anymore. They were evenly matched, both sides had their own plans. Fred, proving to be the best strategist, eventually caught the flag and John ran into some trouble fighting close-quarters with Kelly as she defended her teammate. However, Linda sneaked behind in the shadows to catch Fred half-unaware and steal the victory for her team. The unconventional match lasted around eight minutes and provided a significant amount of data, which made the scientist even happier.

"Alright, Blue Team." Cortana called them through their comms. "Exercise ended, we can take a break. I'll see you all back here in fifteen minutes."

Then, she waved a hand to her assistants, they could go for a while too.

Cortana laid back on her chair the moment she was alone in the cabin and pulled up the recent data on the main screen, to run some simulations of her own design. She made a few notes here and there, algorithms that needed adjusting. The next generation of MJOLNIR would be the best one yet, by far, with the addendum of this new xenomaterial processed and embedded in the inner layer of the exo-suit.

A strong knock rapped on the glass door. She smirked and hit the control. John entered in silence, holding a plastic tray with two disposable cups and a pastry. A sweet sensation of déjà vu washed over her body, pleasant and warm.

Cortana smiled widely, a grin he returned in his own composed fashion.

"Thank you." she fished one of the cups. Fresh orange juice. "Hmm, I needed it."

The Master Chief left he tray on the console and picked up the other cup, mostly milk with barely a hint of coffee. He stood quietly with his back against the wall, just observing her as she bit into the pastry with evident delight. It brought memories to his mind, too.

"How did we do?"

"Really good, actually. Not kidding, these are great numbers." she commented, turning to the screen to point out several streams of cyphers. "Honestly, you SPARTAN-II are the best test subjects; but the newer generations have a more sophisticated neural interface that needs synchronization too."

He nodded, humming. She rested her butt on the console and continued to eat, with her eyes on him. John seemed pensive. She sighed, admiring the tight fit of the prototype suit, a thick layer of semi-exposed circuitry and flexible materials that adjusted to his body like a scaled second skin. Dark-gray with light olive-green accents over the shoulders, waist and thighs. The design team still hadn't fully decided on what the final suit would be like, but she liked how this one looked on him.

He must've detected her interest. Their eyes connected.

Cortana grinned again. She approached casually, licking her fingertips after eating the pastry. This situation wasn't anything like that time so long ago, they couldn't risk getting busy in this environment. They wouldn't be alone for long, and they didn't need to raise a scandal. But she wouldn't miss a chance to tease him, no…

"What are you thinking, Master Chief?" she asked.

He smirked a little. "Are you sure you want to go down that rabbit hole, Director?"

"Always."

"I'm thinking about last night."

"What, specifically?"

"Dessert."

She blushed. Not talking about food. "You did take several servings, I recall."

"I would've taken more."

"No consideration about tomorrow, I see."

John quirked an eyebrow, slowly. "Something was different, though."

"Different?" she sipped her juice again.

"You taste different."

She blinked, stunned. "Hey, I did shower before bed!"

"It's not that. I've noticed things." the Spartan peeked into his cup, but his eyes drifted back to her quickly, still not devoid of mischief. "You look especially beautiful today."

She stopped, blushing even more. John had taken the habit of dropping little praises in the form of compliments, on occasion. Her stomach itched with a million butterflies, every damn time. It was special when he said it, because he never lied.

Cortana drank a bit more, feeling hot on the face.

"You're such a tease." she scoffed, amused.

The smirk on his lips expanded just a little. He didn't add anything.

Squaring her shoulders under the lab coat, Cortana cut the rest of the distance between them and stole the cup from his hand, to give it a taste. Too much sugar, but it was expected since Spartans needed a lot of raw energy to keep their high-maintenance augmented bodies running smooth. All that stamina had to be replenished. It was easy to surrender when she felt the warmth of his big hands on her waist, she wanted to be small and helpless and be protected. John advanced, lowering his head. She smiled, holding both cups away, thinking that perhaps they had time for a kiss.

Cortana reached up to meet him halfway; but instead, the Spartan buried his face in the crook of her neck, pulling her closer. The gesture was as innocent as it was intimate.

"Careful, my assistants will come back any minute now." she purred.

He groaned softly, taking in a deep breath. Cortana sighed, melting in the embrace. She couldn't help to giggle like a schoolgirl when he did these things, when she felt the faint brush of his lips under her ear.

"Yes." his voice was loaded with confidence. "You're pregnant."

She blinked fast a few times, shocked, but ended up pursing her lips, annoyed. It was just impossible to keep the act going, now.

"And you already knew." he accused, frowning harder.

She sighed. "Yes. My period is twelve days late, adjusted to cryosleep patterns."

Both his frown and the grip of his hands on her waist softened, John was still looming over her. In the uncomfortable silence of the reveal, they stared at one another, waiting for a proper reaction. A little hesitant, the Spartan made the first move and let his forehead rest comfortably on hers, exhaling a long, growling groan full of pride and relief. All the tension just evaporated. Slowly, staring into the deep steel-blue of his eyes, Cortana broke out a big smile for him, enjoying the feeling and the warmth of his proximity.

Moments like those were so precious...

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted it to be your birthday gift." Cortana explained, rolling her eyes. "Dinner on your next leave day, I planned to break it to you and Sarah right before ice-cream. It was such a great idea."

"So, I ruined it."

"Kind of." she laughed. "I still love you."

The kiss they both were expecting finally came, she fully gave in. It was a rather chaste exchange, even knowing John and how easily things escalated with him. He kissed her first on her lips, then on the corner of her mouth and her cheek, heading to her ear.

"Thank you." the Spartan whispered.

She shivered, feeling the ring of his voice deep within her flesh.

No, definitely not the time to get overly excited.

"I didn't do it all by myself, you helped a little." she joked. "I can't wait to tell Sarah."

Cortana decided to leave her front door pre-configured, so he could enter the apartment in the middle of the night. She bit her lower lip, burning and already daydreaming about the celebration rendezvous they would have.

He clearly picked up her spiking arousal, because…

"Who's teasing who now, ma'am?"

"Can you blame me?" she shrugged, still holding both cups away from her.

"Yes, it would be highly unprofessional."

She scoffed. "Master Chief, do I need to remind you how unprofessional you can be, sometimes? Absolutely shameless."

"No, ma'am, I remember just fine."

"Are you sure? Because I can…"

Her eyes wandered down, to the crotch of his suit and the latches that she could just so easily tear apart and open to give him some room, and maybe even give him some relief if he really wanted to… but John knew when to shut down his brain and give in to the animal impulses, and when not to.

Maybe even better than her:

"Mind your assistants."

"Of course." Cortana arched an eyebrow, a little disappointed.

After a few more seconds of very explicit tension, they made a huge effort to step away from each other. The cup that contained more milk than coffee returned to his hand and she returned to the console, to remain at a safe distance. It was useless, anyway; the atmosphere had shifted and now euphoria filled the air, reflected both on the content smile that crawled up her lips and the warm look on his steel-blue eyes.

He had completed the mission again, flawlessly: another baby on the way. Cortana knew how much this pleased him, she felt exactly the same.

"Well, we can have a beach day." she shrugged. "There's another thing I want to show you, that would make a nice gift. Just keep this secret for now, will you? It's still early and I want to be sure it's going to stick."

John accepted both proposals with a nod, just when Cortana's assistants returned.

The rest of the day's testing happened in pleasant good humor and renewed ferocity, a couple of facts that the other three Spartans didn't fail to notice.

x.x.x.x.x

He'd been to many beaches, but never like this. A memory of a dark storm with purple lightning and a massive plasma beam blasting everything on its wake just flashed through his mind, making him blink faster. The air had a strong scent of salt and moisture, with a faint aftertaste of rotting sea-life. A distant child's laughter and a dog's bark mixed up with the sounds of the real beach and his own daughter, who was now running away…

Seagulls flew in circles looming over their heads, squeaking loud.

A picture ripped off a dream. Something about it itched in the back of John's mind.

They reached the strip of beach coming out from behind tall grass through a path of flat rocks that headed to bone-colored sands, littered with seashells of all kinds and colors. Spots such as these were rare, since the focus of Reach's terraforming efforts was located on the most affected mainland areas; removing thick layers of glass was a difficult task, the coasts weren't as important as the fertile farmlands. The process of reseeding the seas was a complicated and hard one since the water temperature had shifted dramatically during the glassing. But this specific area was untarnished, several kilometers South of SWORD Base and far from the rebuilt city. It was too far from the urbanization for anyone to come down on a regular basis. The dark sea waters loomed in the distance, waves as tall as houses… it wasn't exactly the best zone to go for a swim either, and John was wary.

Main reason why he didn't miss track of Sarah.

"Do you like this, John?" Cortana asked, holding a hat over her head with one hand.

She was lovely in a light-blue summer dress and rubber slippers. He caught a glimpse of metal on her neck; the silver ball chain was back in its rightful place, holding the tags she considered so dear.

"It's quiet." he commented, taking a deep breath.

She sighed, happy: "It's perfect."

The Master Chief hummed, he didn't take his eyes away from his daughter.

The little girl was laughing and screaming, running at full speed across the sand with her pretty yellow full-body swimsuit and fisherman's cap. Part of him was tempted to fetch her, but if she kept in his sights the other part considered Sarah was safe. The girl knew that she couldn't go into the water without an adult, so she was chasing crab-like critters and other harmless sea animals that popped out of the white sand as the waves receded.

John relaxed a little. A tiny little bit. At last, he turned to look at Cortana. She pointed out a place near some boulders and they settled a camp there.

This was a whole new experience for the Spartan; besides from being perhaps his first time wearing gear that hadn't been handed to him by the UNSC, he'd never been to a beach just to kick back and do nothing. Cortana kept saying that this was the essence of having a day off; it was hard to accept the absence of tasks to complete or information to take in. The Master Chief still did what was most natural to him, though: he set up their things on the big blanket Cortana had spread under the refuge of the boulders.

"What do you think of this spot, hmm?" Cortana's good humor didn't falter.

He examined the area with a critical eye this time, turning slowly around. Maybe five hundred yards from the water, the boulders offered high ground plus a defendable position. The winds mostly blew from the sea. There were no big obstacles nearby, which made any approaching enemy easier to spot. It had a good strategic value.

"Seems safe. Good visibility." he shrugged.

Cortana nodded, warm emotions reached her eyes and made them shine brighter. Her dazzling smile captivated him immediately.

"Good. Because I'm going to build us a house here." she stated, content.

"A house." the Spartan repeated, crouching beside her.

Even huddled down like that, his shadow loomed over hers.

For a long minute, John stared at her while she pulled packs of food and canned drinks out of the cooler, indifferent. Oh, but she wasn't just being casual, no; she knew things that he didn't…

Cortana nodded again: "Yes, a home for our family. You, me, and our three children."

John didn't reply but didn't miss the miscalculation in their total amount of offspring either. Now the smile on her lips turned playful, she continued:

"Remember when you said you would fuck twins into me?" Cortana quipped, stealing a glance at him. He was about to protest, but she pushed on: "Seems like you got my ovaries excited and they decided to drop two eggs instead of just the one. I'm carrying twins." she shrugged a little, entertained. The look on the Master Chief's face was unnervingly stunned. After a moment, she couldn't hold it back anymore and laughed with all of her heart: "I'm not joking! Ellen tested me. It's twins."

She sat on her heels, holding a glass bottle of soda in her hand. She looked pleased.

"Twins?" he mumbled, at last.

"Yes, John, two babies at once. It can happen."

Well, if he had been thoroughly satisfied to confirm that she was with child again, this new intel only made his pride grow deeper. Instinct stirred up in him, singing him praise in a language age old, primitive. He and his mate didn't just effectively secure new offspring, they managed to produce even more than expected. Two at once. Not bad. All he managed to do -at least, until he could find the proper reaction- was to answer her smile with one of his own, sighing deeply. It was enough for her to understand.

Cortana crawled closer to him, kneeling by his side, and left a big kiss on his cheek.

"Happy belated birthday, I guess!" she hugged him, pressing her lips onto his temple. "Everything will be alright, I promise."

"That's my line." John quipped.

He sneaked an arm around her waist and gave her a gentle squeeze, pleased.

Sarah caught them so close and together and decided she wanted some of that, too. She ran back to her parents carrying a huge red crab in her hands, excited to show them the poor creature. Cortana yelped, eyes bulging out in fear; the thing looked menacing, it was bigger than a dinner plate and dangled its many legs and pincers in the air with fury. It obviously didn't like being carried like that. John, on his side, only snorted in amusement.

Something about this girl always put him automatically in a good mood.

"Can I keep it, Mama?" Sarah asked, holding the crab closer to her mother.

She looked so happy, her steel-blue eyes were bright and wide open.

"What? No, sweetie, absolutely not!" Cortana said, shaking her head in horror. "It's a wild animal, it wouldn't make a good pet!"

Annoyed, Sarah turned to her father: "Papa, please?"

Cortana shot him a glare, her cheeks were getting red. The Spartan's amusement grew.

"What's its name?" John asked calmly.

"Chip."

"Did the crab tell you that?"

Sarah nodded, proud. The critter must've gotten tired because it stopped moving all of a sudden. It didn't help much that the girl was holding it with its legs up, exposing the most vulnerable parts of its chitinous body. John gave her a gentle smirk.

"This beach is it's home, crabs live by the sea." he said, simply. "Do you want to take Chip away from its home, from its family?"

The girl's brow furrowed, thinking hard. Her feet, covered in sand, shifted.

"No." she admitted.

"Then you should leave it here, where it belongs."

"But it's my friend!" she pouted. The crab moved its pincers slowly.

Sarah continued to pout, her brow wrinkled even more. She didn't like this. To put an end to the dilemma, John stood up and pointed at the water. The girl turned around to find that the tide was getting lower and a lot of other crabs like hers were getting out of the sand, probably to feed.

"They're looking for Chip." John said, his voice softer than ever. "They wouldn't leave their friend behind."

The Spartan shared a look with his wife, sort-of asking how he was doing.

Cortana smiled a little, pleased. "We could come visit some other time." she added.

After another short deliberation, Sarah made a choice and wrapped her fingers around her father's pinkie, pulling. She seized the crab with the other hand, holding it by the hard carapace turned upside down in her palm. The creature came back to life instantly, wiggling its legs again.

"Help me find his friends, Papa." she pleaded.

"Yes, you two go and take Chip back to where he… or she, belongs and then we sit to eat." Cortana encouraged them, with resolve. "Your Papa and I have something important to tell you, Sarah."

The hours at the beach went by pleasantly, collecting shells, playing games, enjoying food and observing the banter between Cortana and Sarah. The little girl's laughter had a sound akin to music. It made the Spartan smirk often, more than once strangely reminding him of times all the way back to his own childhood. It eventually became time for Sarah's nap and she decided she wanted to take it in her Papa's arms. So, John sat with his back on the boulder and picked her up; he gave the tiny monkey a minute so she could make herself ready, and then fell back into his vigilant state, ever the guardian.

Cortana put her tablet aside, to sit next to her Spartan leaning onto his arm.

For all of Sarah's astonishing intelligence, the girl had a hard time grasping the concept of the pregnancy and how the heck there were two babies inside her Mama's belly. Cortana considered it was just a matter of time, it would be easier to explain it to her when the bump started to show. Which, considering, wouldn't take long. John was at a loss of words, still, so he didn't even try to talk about it.

What the Spartan managed to explain was the bond. She would have siblings; brothers and -or- sisters that she would grow to cherish and respect, that she would take care of and in return, they would take care of her as well. Cortana listened in silence as John rubbed his daughter's back and told her innocent stories of his days as a trainee, a few adventures he could recall shared with his siblings from Blue Team, with all the Spartans of his company. Sarah fought to stay awake for as long as she could, to hear more, but she fell asleep after a few minutes.

Cortana took in every word and kept them in her mind, thinking.

She would love to shove these precious moments on Jameson Locke's face.

x.x.x.x.x

To hear John talking about the past brought her some unpleasant memories, things that she'd been ignoring for years in pursuit of the happiness they had been denied. Doubts and uncertainties, mostly.

Not her fault, not his either, just gaps that required some filling. Maybe this wasn't the right time to ask about it, but…

If not now, when? She couldn't bring this up while they were working, and the scarce moments they had to be alone, she'd rather occupy them with more pleasant and interesting activities. It didn't take much longer for her to break the silence, and dive in:

"John… there's something I've been trying to figure out." she began, fidgeting with the bottlecap of her drink. "I would like to hear your version, if you want to talk about it."

John frowned a little and looked at her, with his palm now resting on Sarah's back as the girl continued to sleep. The sun was starting to set behind the boulders, they would have to leave the beach soon.

"About what?" he responded.

"Kelly warned me not to bring this to you, but I want to ask about Parisa."

John froze. His eyes quickly zeroed-in on Cortana's face and for a few minutes he kept unnaturally still. That was a name he hadn't heard in ages, and with reasons: it was highly classified, and it elicited emotions he didn't want to feel again.

Not voluntarily, at least.

"Do you know who I'm talking about?" she insisted, softly.

"Yes." his answer was sharp, fast. "Who told you?"

"My mother, first. I thought that she was lying, that she was making it all up so I would stay away from you. So, I asked Kelly. She didn't say much about it, just that… you felt responsible for what happened and were very distraught."

Distraught. Mild word, but accurate enough.

Nearly thirty years after that half-assed mission, John knew that the scars had healed. It hadn't been all his fault, it took him time to accept that. The memories wouldn't go away, but the images didn't haunt him like they did back in the day.

"She died." the Master Chief reminded her. "Your mother didn't lie."

"She made it look like a big deal, like it was… a bad deal, actually."

It was getting a little difficult for him to speak, for some reason: "It was."

"… would you tell me about it?"

"She…"

John stopped. His stare drifted towards the wild waves and the seagulls surfing the air currents. He narrowed his eyes, trying to bring order to his thoughts. The incident was a lot clearer in his mind than what he had expected, and although he had managed to put it all aside and keep going, it still made him uneasy.

"She came to me." he said, a moment later. "I was tired, on edge. She smelled… good. Everything went haywire, I couldn't control it."

The words came out of his lips fast and hard, like the burst of a geyser.

He was young and excitable. She was pretty and extremely fertile.

John and his team had just saved their lives, the defectors were stressed and scared. He was out of his armor when she found him, there was a major repair that couldn't be put off anymore. Parisa had been one of the most vulnerable targets and wanted some solace, from him specifically. For some reason he never understood. Spartans didn't usually fall for such things, they were used to keep their temple under any circumstance.

But it was the first time something like this happened to him.

He tried to put some distance. It was useless, that animal part of him sensed that the female was ready to reproduce.

He could see her face. The scene played in his mind the same way. Nothing was said. She approached, closer than any civilian had ever been allowed to be. She reached his lips. The sensory response had been devastating; it scared him, shaking the very foundations of his training.

John looked at his wife. He noticed now that Cortana resembled Parisa a lot; they both had dark hair and blue eyes, their skin was fair and unblemished. No, they didn't smell the same, but on a subconscious level he could make a faint connection.

"There was… a silent agreement." the Spartan said, no details were necessary.

Cortana frowned with sadness, pressing her lips in a thin line.

John still remembered the desperate and wanton look in her clear eyes, while Parisa rode him with abandon on the dirty floor of that bunker. He was about to explode. She was approaching her own peak of pleasure as well. They both knew she wasn't on birth control; her scent was clean and demanding. She wanted it, she wanted to mate. The young Spartan was too overwhelmed by the discovery to reject it. Parisa didn't back away; at the very last moment he panicked but instinct was stronger. John had seized her hips, roughly, and kept going, stunned, controlled by a need so raw that drove him temporarily insane. There was no relationship, just… a simple understanding. She would offer him the chance to pass his genetics down to a new generation, he took it gladly; in fact, he took the chance several times during those days they were waiting for backup. It went close to becoming a problem, but everything was over soon.

John never knew if she conceived or not. Parisa was killed during the extraction.

Some blurry images circled back around his memory, coming to the surface.

It wasn't the first time he had lost someone in battle, and still, John experienced a grief like no other. It tore him apart. She had been under his protection and he failed, there was a hidden side of him that lamented the offspring that never was. It was a type of pain he was entirely unprepared for, unknown and unreasonable, that John had to hide from his siblings; so, when Blue Team finally returned to Reach…

"Doctor Ford helped me." the Master Chief added, calmly. "To maintain my authority intact, he forbid me to discuss it with my team. I had to be vague with Doctor Halsey if she asked."

If anything, the man that had modeled their behavior would know what was wrong and would fix him. So, Ford helped him. He helped John deal with the aftermath but whatever he did, it didn't take away all the memories.

Stunned and with tears in her eyes, Cortana rubbed his arm, kindly.

Halsey had been right; he did narrate it in a detached way, almost mechanical. Cortana was certain he hadn't said even ten percent of what was in his mind, but she accepted the few words the Spartan shared. If one wasn't good at reading between the lines or at reading John himself, it was easy to think that he didn't feel much about it.

But she knew better. She knew him, she understood.

Her father had offered John a way out, before her mother could get to him. Maybe that was why, now, he could observe the events from such a foreign perspective and explain it all so coldly.

"Were you in love with her?"

"No." he admitted, looking away again.

"Kelly used a strong word. She said you mated with her. Aren't we mated, too?"

"I don't know what that was." he shook his head, confident. "But it didn't feel like I feel about you."

Cortana brushed a stray tear from her cheek with the back of her hand.

John felt a spike of distress and pulled his arm around her shoulders to bring her under his protection, clutching both of his girls -and children to be born- closer. To say it out loud had an unexpected effect on him.

It was like opening a cage to let something fly away.

"I came to you as well." Cortana started later, softly. "Why did you accept?"

"It seemed right. To leave something behind, just like you said."

And back then, with Parisa… although he couldn't explain it, he felt something along those lines. Not on a conscious level, for sure. That stolen and repressed part of him wanted to escape, to find an outlet.

She had been the outlet, even if a few times and for a few days.

All of this led Cortana to be honest herself. Between tears and mostly anger, she spent some time telling him all the things she never said before, due mostly to lack of context or opportunity. She didn't want him to get anything wrong, she wanted him to understand how those feelings broke her and made her feel guilty. How that anger fueled her determination to make things right for him. She wanted her Spartan to know that she was deeply sorry for treating him just like everyone else ever did, for all the wrongdoings and the provocations, for the harsh things she'd said to him in the early days, when they were two strangers trying to make a baby.

She wanted John to understand that she had used him, and it had been wrong.

He had already dismissed it, but she told him again how sorry she was for ordering him to take her to the depths of SHIELD Base, to look for her research.

And when she was done, finally free of her restraints, Cortana cried in his arms.

Those were strange moments for the Spartan, the emotional overload certainly affected his ability to respond and the only thing he managed to do, other than to stay still and listen, was to hold the woman close until her distress dwindled. When he acknowledged that she was better, John leaned in to leave a kiss atop her head.

"Everything will be alright." he promised, confident.

Sarah continued to nap, quietly, on her father's shoulder. Oblivious and innocent.

If anything, they were closer than ever. Stronger than ever.

x.x.x.x.x

JULY, 2563

Five months and a half into a pregnancy of twins, Cortana couldn't believe how big her belly was and how difficult it had become to walk, sit or even sleep comfortably. Work, in this stage, was becoming a nuisance. She didn't want to take her maternity leave yet, it was too early and she knew that overseeing operations in SWORD Base from home wouldn't be the same. She was more involved than ever with the MJOLNIR Mark IX Project, and she hated delays as much as her mother did.

Most of all, taking her leave now would mean saying goodbye to John too early.

The Spartan himself was rather amused to see her waddle around, complaining that she needed a new wardrobe because none of her clothes fit her anymore. In his honest opinion, her face looked a bit fuller, but it wasn't a reason for concern. If anything, it stirred up his demons even more. She was an exceptional female.

Her scent was sweet and maddening, that hadn't changed.

"My workshop and offices will be downstairs." Cortana explained. "Here."

The virtual blueprint expanded, she pointed her finger at the underground section of the house. The subterranean bunker had three main levels connected by a cargo elevator, with at least two emergency elevators for quick exterior access. The part above ground seemed rather simple in comparison, two stories with several bedrooms and bathrooms upstairs, the rest of the common-use areas and amenities were located on ground-level. The design of the building was simple, blocky, typically post-war. There was a front yard with a big pool, all of it surrounded by a thick concrete wall, several sheds and smaller buildings that, John supposed, had to be garages. It lacked a security checkpoint by the main gate, in his expert opinion, but it looked solid.

The real power was behind the blast-door-type walls of the house, she had designed the place to be one of the most advanced facilities on Reach. To be a home for their family.

"What do you think?"

"I have security concerns." John commented, arching an eyebrow.

"Oh, you can discuss your concerns with the architect." she gave him a sarcastic smile. "I'm sure he can accommodate a few turrets, sniper nests, sand-traps, trenches, even a big-ass moat and a full array of motion sensors here and there."

"Doesn't sound bad."

"Overkill." she rolled her eyes. "Security will be handled by a different contractor."

Not UNSC related, for sure. Cortana sighed deeply, placing both hands on the small of her back to give herself a massage. Her feet were so sore.

"Are you okay?"

"It's fine, I just want to get back to the apartment and take a bath."

She deactivated the hologram and picked up the small projector from the foreman's worktable, dropping it back in her pocket. Pulling the long flaps of her cashmere coat over her prominent belly, she went up the half-completed concrete stairs with the Spartan close behind. They reached the roof of the unfinished building and took a good look at the area, it was windy and cold; the winter season was closing in. The sky above them was clouded.

Still, the lazy waves licked a pristine coast of bone-colored sand that stretched miles on each direction.

"Do you like it?" she asked, leaning into him.

John nodded, acting as an effective wall against the elements.

Their allowed time together had gone by so fast; it had been busy yet satisfying. It was enough to see the growth of the twins in the womb and for Sarah to learn several new skills. For the construction of the house to be decided and started. For Fred-104 and Veta Lopis to finally get married and retrieve their son from Gao under Cortana's guard. For the queen to set her pieces in place and make her presence noticed.

The couple spent a few minutes observing the surroundings, until she flinched.

John's head snapped in her direction, alarmed. Cortana hissed under her breath, caught his hand quickly and placed it on the bulging curve, with a big smile.

"There it goes, again. I swear, they're playing Gravball or something!"

A small smile pulled the corner of the Spartan's lips. The twins were moving. The first time he got lucky to be there and feel them, he was shocked. John couldn't compare this to any other experience he had ever lived, part of him lamented not having been there when Sarah was in the womb. To notice those soft bumps under his fingers and palm, to see the weird ways in which her skin stretched when a tiny foot pushed inside her, it was…

Strange, yet it felt so natural. So real and right.

It took him a while to get used to it, but in the end, it was worth it.

"You're leaving soon." she sighed, holding his huge hand sprayed on her belly. "We'll be living here already by the time you can return. So, you know, just make sure to come back… okay?"

John had been issued new orders that would take him far away from Reach. He had no idea how long this engagement would last, and it was a given that a team from Propaganda would be lapping at his heels. The Spartan didn't want to say it out loud, but they knew that it was very likely he was going to miss, again, the birth of his children. And yet, what kept him at ease was the confidence that in this occasion nobody would deny him his rights over these babies. Never again. He would get to see them, in due time.

He let out a long sigh, in sync with her. Cortana rested her head on his chest.

In a moment of inconceivable weakness, he found himself thinking if it wasn't time to retire from active combat.

Maybe to be transferred to the Spartan Reserve and be available to act in the direst of situations, when a soldier of his caliber and experience was truly required. Take a desk duty in the meantime. It sounded horrible, but…

Was it wrong to want to spend more time on Reach, with them?

Taking a training post to somewhat honor his own mentor, Senior Chief Petty Officer Franklin Mendez, wasn't a bad idea either. It wouldn't make him less of a well-known and decorated member of the military, and everybody knew that the SPARTAN-IV needed a good shape-up. It was an excellent way to keep using his skills in benefit of the UNSC, just a few years back he had graduated some fine cadets. Besides, Propaganda would certainly like to have him more accessible; he could endure their antics if necessary.

"We'll keep in touch." he said.

"Promise me you will be safe."

Both knew that he couldn't possibly guarantee that.

But this wasn't just any regular soldier, and he kept his promises no matter the cost.

"I will." the Master Chief nodded, confident.

TO BE CONTINUED

How about that? The stud keeps his word LOL she's pregnant with twins! I just couldn't resist to the joke, it was lying right there. Okay, so, the Parisa incident has been all cleared (I teared up here, sorry, it was just so sad in my mind) and now John must go fulfill his duty, remember that he had leave privileges and were limited in time. Anyway. Next chapter before the epilogue we will be jumping ahead of time a little and there will be more wholesome surprises. It will be good for the soul, the happy ending at last :3

Ah, I'm gonna miss these moments so much: greetings for the non-logged readers!

My friend REXSOKA, thank you for your input, it's much appreciated. I'm not an expert in fictional technology so I just assumed. Thank you for stopping by!

Dear CHIKAHPOX, why, thank you very much for the compliments! I have written a couple of novels and published them on Amazon, but they're in my native language (Spanish). If some day I translate them, I'll probably post that information on my profile. Stay safe, thanks for the support!

My dear FROG31791, thank you for the support and the good wishes, I hope you're doing well!

AJ, mate, I'm pretty sure that's why John was so angry :P he really can't bear the idea of Cortana with other men, he's the only one for her and he's gonna make that very clear LOL thank you for stopping by!

My man/woman B93, If anything, John is proud of his discipline and ability to think with a cool head (even if his ideas are crazy, sometimes) and well, yes, that's the thing… sometimes if you can't fight them, you have to join them but keeping a knife well sharpened. Cortana isn't dumb, she knows she can be betrayed any time. Thank you so much for your words, I hope you stick around to see the end!

And the GUEST never thought Halo and erotica were two words that could work together… thank you! LOL I never thought about it that way, I like your approach.

Thanks so much to all of you for coming back every Sunday! Please, don't forget to leave your thoughts in the box below to keep supporting this story! It's all because of you, my friends. Have a great week!