Disclaimer: This is a work of pure fiction I do not own Halo and it's characters. All rights belong to Bungie and 343 Industries and its affiliates.

This is my fourth story. I appreciate any feedback. Thank you.

Author's Note: I haven't read the books this is going purely off the games and movies so things will be different then you are expecting and I apologize for that.

Last Author's Note: Im not very good at describing combat or battles but will do my best. Sorry in advance.

Chapter 8: Resting Up More Bonding

Having cleared the majority of the LZs that Lasky needed Aala and John stopped in a cavern to take a quick break to catch their breaths and get a quick bite to eat.

Pulling her helmet off Aala let out a sigh as she breathed unfiltered air again. Her red hair in a messy bun so that her helmet would fit otherwise it would go to the middle of her back.

Pulling MREs and water out for her and John she tossed him some while sitting down against the cave wall out of sight of the entrance but still able to keep her eyes on it just in case.

As Aala opened her MREs she took a bite grimacing at the taste but gulping it down with water. She needed all the energy she could get if they were going to continue fighting today. She looked at John out of the corner of her eyes waiting for him to take his helmet off.

"You gonna take that helmet off John and eat?" Aala asked in concern since she didn't want him to collapse from exhaustion and such. Feeling hungry but nervous of showing his face in what felt like the first time in forever he slowly took his helmet off and set it beside him. Aala's gasp though made him flinch expecting her to react negatively. He wasn't prepared for her to suddenly bowl him over and start crying into his hair as she rubbed his face in her hands. His face was pale and scarred horribly from being experimented on and from the many battles he had been in and never taking his helmet off to let the sun on it. "Oh John, my poor uncle I'm so sorry." She sobbed into his hair over and over as she traced his cybernetics and scars on his face with her hands trying to help them heal or remove them from existence. Feeling better that she wasn't disgusted with him and was only worried about him. John rubbed her back soothingly until she calmed down.

Seeing his smiling but tired face made her feel a bit better cause his scars and cybernetics didn't look as intense as they did before. Placing a kiss on his forehead and temples. Causing him to gasp at her display of affection. Feeling embarrassed. "Sorry about that but your family just so you know is very affectionate with each other and the people they fall in love with. Believing that they will miss the opportunity to show them how much they care for that person if they don't." Aala told him causing John to nod in understanding before kissing Aala on the forhead and temples as well causing her eyes to widen and a milliwatt smile to light up on her face. Though a blush stained her cheeks as he caught her off guard. Seeing how bright his brown eyes were made her eyes soften back at him lovingly. Pulling away from him and missing contact with him she grabbed his MREs and water and gave them to him. "Please eat John. I don't want you collapsing on me." Smiling at her in gratitude John took the MREs and tore into them while drinking the water she gave him every now and then. He spent so long eating MREs he didn't even register their taste which made Aala smile sadly at him though she tried to hide it.

Having had their fill of MREs they decided to take a quick nap. John and her put their helmets back on just to be safe and so they could set their alarms to wake up in 30 minutes or have Cortana wake them if something happened.

John was about to sleep in a corner but before he could Aala pulled him to a more comfortable part of the cave she saw that was hidden in the dark but the ground was much more softer and had small grass strands growing from it thanks to the light leaking through a crack in the ceiling. Pulling him with her to the floor she made him wrap his arms around her while she laid her head on his chest to listen to his heart beat and fell into a peaceful sleep in what felt like forever. Dreaming of bringing John home and her mother and everyone brightening up and their wounds slowly but surely healing. John laid still as he breathed with Aala on his chest her legs wrapped around one of his legs her head directly above his heart as it beat both calmly then rapidly before calming down again. She wasn't kidding about the display of affection he nervously thought. Sure he had done similar things with his fire team and Spartans but this was different this was his blood sleeping on him.

Feeling exhaustion creeping on him, he closed his eyes and fell asleep naturally for once in his life. Dreaming peacefully as his body, mind and soul rested. Healing his body from fights he had been in a such a long time ago that he had forgotten about them. His soul clung to Aala's soul as her love and affection poured into him making him feel more alive and complete the longer they spent together.

Cortana watched all of this enviously but happily. Wishing she was the one taking care of John and sleeping on him but eternally grateful that Aala had come into their lives and was helping to heal John of his scars and demons. It would take some time but already she could feel the tension leaving him and his mind becoming a more alive and a welcoming place. She thought she knew everything about John but the brightness that Aala was helping to bring back out of him was astounding and made her love Aala gratefully for helping heal the man she loved dearly.

Having kept watch on her two Spartans she kept track of radio chatter and talked to Lasky and Palmer secretively telling them everything that happened away from prying ears. Sensing how exhausted John actually was now that he was slowly considering himself not a machine and that someone was looking out for his safety, well-being and happiness. She realized John had actually been running on empty for a long time and was actually more exhausted then even they had both realized. However when she received express orders from Lasky and Palmer to disable their alarms because they didn't want John or Aala to die in combat believing they needed them not only for the fight ahead but because they cared about both of them and didn't want to see them hurt. She had no problem following such a counter order and disabled their alarms knowing they could be angry at her but she didn't care. She loved these two Spartans and would do whatever she could to make sure they survived and got back home to their family.

Not realizing she had developed such a love for Aala a part of her rampant personality peeled off her and hid itself inside Aala's helmet without Cortana realizing it. Feeling exhausted for some reason Cortana fell dormant temporarily as her processes kept a watch on the spartan's and the radio in case something happened.