A/N: Okay…here is the chapter that, admittedly, I have sort of been dreading. Reach gets dragged into Red Base by Tex, and it will all just…go on from there I guess. Plus, I wanna answer a question I have been asked many times: will Florida die? The answer is: Yes, but not from the allergic reaction we see in (I think) Season 3. Instead…well, no more spoilers lol.

*Chapter 18*

As Reach was grabbed into Red Base, he managed to pry the hand covering his mouth off. It was Texas, who had a certain light in her eyes that he couldn't identify. "Quiet! We don't want the idiots upstairs to hear us!" The former Spartan let out a hiss, his brown eyes slits. "What the hell are you doing!?"

Texas rolled her eyes and dragged him by his collar towards her. "Shut up and let me handle this, Reach." Her face was tinged red, and Reach's own heart was pounding in his chest, his body heating up. 'What the hell is going on here? Why is she…?'

'Attention dumbass: why do you think she was acting the way she has been?'

He slapped himself mentally, letting out a sigh. 'How could I have been so fucking dense? It's so obvious a blind bat could see it from the other side of the galaxy.' He finally understood, and as if she was reading his mind, Texas gave him a small smile. "It took you long enough. Honestly…you are so dense."

Reach let out a grunt, running a hand through his short hair. "You weren't exactly straightforward yourself, either." Texas rolled her eyes, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Oh, just shut up and put your arms around me already."

Awkwardly, the black/red Freelancer obeyed her, placing his hands on her waist. 'What the hell is she planning on? I seriously doubt that she's asking me to do the tango with her…' His face was flushed red, and he could feel the sweat trickle down his back uncomfortably. 'Get a grip on yourself. You aren't that awkward child in the back of the class with the giant Coke bottle glasses who fumbles over the cute girl in the front. You're a Spartan...'

Reach tried to control the heat that was flooding through his body, and his eyes took notice of the fact that Texas was drawing him in closer. "Reach…there's something I have to tell you." The former Spartan tried to control his breathing as well as his body heat, but as Texas opened her mouth that completely flew out the window. "I…think I'm in love with you."

'Are you going to reply or just sit there like a blithering idiot with your mouth open now?' Reach asked himself crossly. "Tex, I…um…" The blonde Freelancer sighed and kissed him, silencing him. "Just shut up." He closed his eyes, slowing his breathing down as the two shared their first kiss together. 'I think I might have lost this one…'

The two then heard a door to their left open, and Texas pulled her lips off of his, her eyes alive. "You know…for a guy who has absolutely zero experience, you've got good instincts." Reach opened his mouth to reply when Private Donut poked his head out of his quarters, looking at the two. "Um, sir? What are you two doing?"

Reach looked at the Private, his eyes blunt despite the beating in his chest. 'Keep calm…' "Having a personal moment, Private. I heard that you captured the Blue Team's flag, as well as regaining ours." 'He might be the most naïve one on this team…'

Donut opened looked nervous, about to explain when the Lieutenant raised his hand. "No need. You did your duty well. And yes, I know how someone made you go to a store that doesn't exist." He sent an unamused look towards Texas, who smiled and whistled innocently, her hands on her hips. "I wonder who that could have been~?"

Preventing a frustrated sigh from leaving his lips, Reach rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I also understand that there may be confusion due to your armor being the same color as Sarge's. As a result, you have been given your own…unique suit." 'Why the hell did Command send him a fucking pink suit?'

Donut seemed surprised, yet his eyes betrayed his enthusiasm. "Really? Where is it?" Texas smirked as she walked forwards, and she pointed to a room containing spare armor suits. "In there. It has your name on it." As the Private bounded away inside, Reach gave her a look. "Why did Command feel the need to listen to you and send him a pink suit again? Is he…?"

"Fruiter than a pack of Starbursts? Yes," the black Freelancer replied dryly. She let out a yawn, stretching her arms. "So…should we, you know, continue where we left off~?" Reach hesitated, about to say otherwise when he received an affectionate headbutt to the shoulder. "Oh, liven up, will you? You are way too uptight…"

Reach let out a grunt, his eyes locking onto hers. "Well…" 'Speaking of armor…maybe I need new shoulder pieces.'

'Really? Texas just asked you to kiss her and you're thinking about fucking armor? If Emile or Jun were here, they would never let you live this down.' He could picture the two members of Noble Team, both encouraging him and endlessly teasing him at the same time. 'I honestly never thought I'd ever say I'd miss you bastards…' As much as Emile drove him crazy with the endless teasing about Reach's incident with Kathy during training and stopping at 69 during a workout, he got along with him better than any of the other members of Noble Team. Though that might have had something to do with the fact they were able to hold their liquor better than just about everyone.

Reach slumped his shoulders in defeat, sighing. "Fine." Texas smirked and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him gently again. "I think this is one fight you simply can't win, Reach~."

"Don't rub it in…"

"Mreow chicka mreow mreow~."

-0-

Tucker gulped as the Pelican landed, for it meant that he had a lot of shit to explain to Captain Flowers and Maine. 'Please kill Caboose first…please kill Caboose first.' The white Freelancer approached him, his giant knifle in his hands. He stopped in front of Tucker, letting out a sharp hiss followed by a deep growl.

Tucker swallowed, trying to think of what to say when Caboose interrupted from where he was, tied up to the side of the Blue Base by duct tape. "Not my fault! Tucker did it!" The aqua soldier turned around, his anger overpowering his fear of the massive Freelancer. "You're the one who shot Church with a fucking tank!"

Captain Flowers approached them, holding his hand up. "Now, now. There's no need for this. It is a pity that Private Church has passed, but there's nothing to gain by pointing fingers at each other." Tucker rolled his eyes in frustration. "If this asshole listened to us, Church wouldn't have been shot by our own fucking tank that happened to be driven by this idiot!"

He went to grab Maine's knifle, but the white Freelancer picked him up with one hand, growling in irritation. As Tucker squirmed and tried to get free, he heard Flowers clear his throat. "Maine, let him down. I'm sure he is just upset and shocked by the death of his teammate."

The aqua soldier then got placed down on the ground, and his shoulder started to ache from getting yanked up by the giant brute. 'Good God that hurt…why is this guy so fucking strong for?' As he massaged his aching shoulder, Captain Flowers used a small knife to free Caboose from the duct tape. The blue soldier landed on the ground ungracefully, making both Tucker and Maine groan in frustration. "What an idiot…"

The white Freelancer growled in agreement, walking into the Blue Base and making it clear by his growling and hissing that he didn't want to be followed. 'Well…he's certainly pissed off. Too bad he didn't stab Caboose…it's not like any of us would miss the asshole.'

Captain Flowers sighed and shook his head, helping Caboose up to his feet. "I'll go and retrieve Private Church's body from the cliff face. Tucker, tell Agent Maine that-"

He was cut off by the crack of a Sniper Rifle. The Captain gasped out, falling on the ground with a bullet hole in his chest. Tucker jumped back, startled. "Son of a bitch!" 'Oh God, someone shot our fucking Captain!'

Maine ran out of the base, his knifle in his hands. He crouched next to Flowers, who was breathing slowly. The massive man let out a furious hiss, resting his hand on the Captain's chest before standing up, his domed visor glinting in the pale light of dusk. Maine looked up at the cliff face, and Tucker swore he saw a faint flicker of movement at the very edge of the cliff. 'Something or someone is up there…'

"Caboose! Throw me the Sniper Rifle from the base!" he yelled out. The blue soldier threw the long range weapon, and Tucker caught it, looking through the scope. And sure enough, on top of the cliff, was a person wearing standard issue white armor with a golden visor. In their hands was another Sniper Rifle, and the aqua soldier gulped. "Maine! We've got someone wearing standard issue white armor!" 'If anyone is going to know who this assassin is, it'll be Maine.'

Maine turned to him, letting out a deep growl before yanking the rifle away from him. The massive Freelancer looked through the scope, but the mysterious assassin knew he was being watched and vanished. But, his job was done. Captain Flowers was mortally wounded.

Tucker looked at his dying Captain, who was struggling to breathe. "M-maine…as my last act as Agent Florida of Project Freelancer, I entrust…the Blood Gulch Blue Team to you." He let out a gasping breath, panting hard. Blood slowly trickled from the wound, and the Captain let his head sink.

Flowers, or as he revealed, Agent Florida, was dead.

Agent Maine stood up, and Tucker was surprised as the massive man took off his domed helmet. He scratched his bald head, and his dark eyes were filled with anger and a sense of loss. Maine let out a deep growl, picking up Florida's body and carrying it away from the Blue Base. A small fiery red figure appeared on his shoulder, its head lowered. "Agent Maine, you know the standard procedure. If a Freelancer is killed in action, we must destroy any equipment to prevent any from falling into enemy hands. Especially those of the Meta."

Maine let out another growl, placing Florida's body on the dusty ground. The red figure nodded, seemingly understanding him. "I agree. We need to contact Agent Texas and Agent Reach immediately to inform them of the news."

As red figure spoke, Tucker remembered something that Church had said about not letting any more Freelancers get involved. 'I know Church told us to not let them get involved…but this calls for desperate measures. Sorry dude, but fuck you. We need more reinforcements.'

-0-

Reach was putting the finishing touches on the newly repaired Warthog when a message from Sigma flashed across his HUD. 'This can't be good…' Shutting off his external speakers, he picked up his Battle Rifle, loading a clip. "Eta, play it through."

Sigma appeared on his HUD, looking solemn. "Reach, I'm afraid that he have a double dose of bad news. Agent Florida has been assassinated, and the Alpha's body has been destroyed." The former Spartan's brown eyes narrowed, and he stood up. "Are you serious? Who was it?" 'Who would have murdered Florida in the middle of Blood Gulch?'

Sigma shook his head, sighing. "That, I'm afraid, is where it gets difficult. He was struck in the chest by a high velocity round from a Sniper Rifle, but one of the Blue team soldiers has had a positive armor identity. Agent Maine believes that the assassin was Agent Wyoming."

'Wyoming! He must be acting on behalf of either the Director or the Meta,' Reach let out a hiss. "Has the Alpha's body been recovered?" 'We can't just let it sit and rot on a cliff face in the middle of a Goddamn box canyon in the ass-end of the galaxy.'

"Maine has considered it, but we can't afford to risk leaving Florida's equipment in the open, and we don't want to lose another one of the Blues," Sigma stated. "He has requested that you and Agent Texas report to the Blue Base to hold a proper burial ceremony for Florida, as we are the only three Freelancers left."

'It'll be fitting for a man who didn't deserve to be another victim of the Director's ambitions for the Meta,' Reach breathed. "I'll inform Texas. That is, if she isn't beating the living shit out of one of my men or making them go to a store that doesn't fucking exist."

Sigma nodded. "Very well. Maine and I will be waiting for you." The AI ended the call, and Reach placed the last few pieces to onto the Warthog. 'I never expected Wyoming to be brainwashed by the Director…but it seems as if we have another enemy to worry about.'

He walked away, passing a worn out Simmons. "Simmons, I'm entrusting you with a special task." The maroon soldier stiffened, gulping nervously. "Y-yes sir!" He wasn't the next in line in the chain of command, but so far, he had proved to be the smartest out of all the Reds, even though he was a bit of a kiss-ass. 'It'll be good experience for him. If he lives long enough.'

"I'm placing you in temporary command of the Red Base until Texas and I return," Reach stated. "Which hopefully, should be only a few hours at most." 'It won't take long to reach the Blue Base, but the burial ceremony might be.'

Simmons nodded quickly. "Yes sir!" He ran off, and Reach walked into the Red Base, where Texas was waiting with wide eyes. "I got the message from Sigma…I can't believe it. Why Florida?" She lowered her head, her shoulders slumped. "He was one of the nicest people I ever knew…he made North and Wash seem like Maine."

"He was a good man," Reach murmured, the blonde Freelancer leaning into his chest. He gently brushed her hair, looking up. "Come on. We'll go to the Blue Base to hold the burial." 'We need to do it properly. If anyone deserved a twenty-one gun salute, it's Florida.'

Texas nodded, placing her helmet over her head and grabbing a Battle Rifle. "Right." The two Freelancers were silent as they passed the Warthog, with Sarge still working and humming his song about shooting Grif in the head with his Shotgun. The red sergeant took no notice of them as they left the base, the cool dusk air making the cooling fans in their helmets unnecessary.

Reach saw the blown up tank, still smoldering, along with the name 'Sheila' written on the side. '…I don't think the tank's name is really Sheila. I honestly can't believe Command would send the Blue Team a Scorpion…'

He let out a soft sigh, glancing up at the setting sun as it cast shadows across Blood Gulch. 'Fighting for so long…you soon forget the little things. How long has it been since I stopped to look at a simple sunset? Probably since the day before the Covenant glassed Emerald Cove.' He remembered being that angry, terrified little kid who saw his home get destroyed and wanted to lash out. 'I am not that same child anymore. No one alive knows my real name.'

When Noble Team first saw him take his helmet off, Kat and Jorge assumed that he was of American descent. But in truth, his mother was Scandinavian and his father was apparently a mix of British and German. Reach didn't even remember them, or anything from before he joined the Spartan III program as a volunteer. Sometimes, he almost forgot his true name.

They approached the Blue Base, where Maine was waiting for them. The massive Freelancer's shoulders were slumped, and Reach could see Florida's body on top of what appeared to be hacked down trees from the top of the cliff. 'Funeral pyre…fitting.' Eta flashed up briefly, his head lowered. "Standard protocol still applies. We can't afford to let any Freelancer equipment fall into either the Meta's or the Insurrection's hands."

Reach sighed, looking at Texas. "Got a light?" The black Freelancer shook her head, glancing at Maine. "You?" He nodded, picking up a torch and lighting it with a lighter. He lit the stack of wood, and stepped back as the flames rose up.

Reach drew the Battle Rifle from his back, checking it to make sure it was fully loaded. "We don't have the seven people we would use for something like this…but we can fire seven times together." 'This is how we will send you out, Florida. Not with a grenade or flamethrower, but with a bang.'

Maine and Texas each grabbed a Battle Rifle and stood next to him. "Present arms!" They aimed at the sky and fired seven times, the bursts echoing in the canyon. When they finished the twenty-one gun salute, Reach looked back at the Florida's funeral pyre. 'Farewell, Captain Butch Flowers. I hope you find peace.'

The orange flames licked around Florida's body, eventually turning the dead Freelancer's body into ashes. The wind started to whistle through the desert canyon as darkness fell, the only light being provided by the smoldering embers. Being a desert, the temperature dropped rapidly, and one of the Blues walked over to Maine, his teeth chattering. "S-sir, d-do w-we h-have a-any o-orders?"

Sigma flashed up, shaking his head. "I'm afraid not, Private Tucker." The white Freelancer let out a growl, and both Eta and Sigma snickered. "On second thought, it seems Maine wants you to stop freezing to death and get back inside the base, where there is heat."

"Can't I stand by the fire instead?" Tucker objected. He looked over at Texas, and started to whistle. "Hey, sweet-" He was cut off by Maine grabbing him by the shoulder and throwing him into the base, where Reach winced at the loud crash from inside, along with a cry of pain. "Ow! Fuck!"

"Moron," Texas and Reach muttered at the same time, bringing a deep grunt of amusement from Maine. He took off his helmet to run a hand over his smooth bald head, and he growled as he felt the stubble growing on his chin due to the lack of razors.

A soldier wearing standard issue blue armor walked up to Maine, an Assault Rifle in his hands. "Um, yeah…Tucker has started doing something weird to himself while watching a home movie." Reach and Texas face-palmed and sighed as they heard a shout of protest from inside the base. "Shut up, man! It's my 'Alone Time'!"

Maine put his helmet on and stalked into the base with an irritated hiss, and Reach and Texas winced as they heard several loud thumps, followed by several cries of pain. "Well…that can't be good."

"He shouldn't be watching porn then," Reach muttered dryly. "There's a time and a place for that, and it's not now." They heard the unmistakable sound of Maine shooting his Brute Shot, along with a whine of protest. "Come on! Not the China vs. Japan Lesbian 3-way!"

Sharing a glance, Reach and Texas walked into the Blue Base, where they stumbled onto a sight that was both amusing and strange. Tucker was tied to the wall by what appeared to be cable wire, and Maine was stomping around and shooting his Brute Shot at the aqua soldier's porn collection. "Well…that's predictable." 'Goddammit Florida…how much of this shit did you let the moron bring? It looks like he robbed a sex shop.'

Texas picked up a case that was miraculously still undamaged by Maine's path of destruction, and she smirked. "Oh, I have a horrible, horrible idea…" Reach saw the case, and he was at loss for words. "…" 'Finnish and Swedish Lesbian Nymphos? What the fuck…'

He gave her a hard stare. "You are not letting my men watch that. That's just going to give Grif another reason to be a lazy bastard." Texas shook her head, and Reach swore she had on a Cheshire Cat grin. "Nope~. I plan on doing something a bit more…cruel and unusual. We swap Donut's gay tentacle hentai for this, and make the asshole who's tied up over there suffer." She jerked her head over to the struggling Tucker.

Reach sighed, resting his head in his hand. "You are a horrible person…" Texas butted her head against his shoulder, grinning. "And you love it~."

"Grrr," Maine growled, chuckling deeply. The black/red Freelancer leaned against the wall, closing his eyes briefly before looking up at the ceiling. "Don't you start either…"

'I swear, it's almost like you and Florida were placing bets or something…'

A/N: Well? Romance, Florida being assassinated, the horrible scheme to make Tucker mentally scarred…(Maybe I did have too much to drink while writing this lol). Still, I hope you enjoyed it, and until next time, see you!