Chapter 1: Halsey

Reach: February 28, 2525

"Congratulations Dr. Halsey, it's twins, a boy and a girl!" The Doctor announced, extending each carefully into her arms. "What will you name them?" He asked curiously.

"Miranda, for the girl." She answered precisely, she was expecting a girl after all. "And for the boy…" She trailed off, perhaps not quite preparing for this one. Still every child has to have a name, and this one was HERS, so it needed to be perfect.

She thought for a few moments more, and a smile slipped on her face. "John." She answered certain, thinking of the rather lucky boy she met before.

"Absolutely not." Replied a man at her side. Not her husband, but still someone she cared for greatly, and now he's the father of her children. "You already have one John; I don't think the universe can handle two."

"He's my son," She argued. "I can name him what I want."

"Yes well, he's my son too, and you already named our daughter." He replied with crossed arms and a hard stare, betrayed by the small smile on his face.

"Fine." She allowed it with a roll of her eyes. "You can pick his first name, but his middle name will be John."

"Alright." He thought for a moment. "Nathan, he's Nathan John Halsey."

"Nathan, and Miranda Halsey." She rolled their names off her tongue, each making her smile a little bit wider. "You know what? I like them. I think they will too." Looking at each one more time, taking notice of their every feature.

"Dr. Halsey?" Asked a bright, young nurse. "It's getting awfully late; do you care to rest now?"

"In a minute." She responded, holding her children carefully in her arms. "I'd like to enjoy this moment just a little bit longer."

"Of course, Dr. Halsey." The nurse didn't leave, but sat on a nearby chair, content to wait.

Once more, Dr. Halsey looked down at her infants, so young, so much potential. She wasn't sure when or how, but she knew her children would make her proud someday. They will be her greatest creations. 'Mother's intuition.' She thought fondly, looking at their peaceful sleeping faces.

….

Reach: March 30, 2531

'Mom's gonna kill us.' I thought to myself. "Why, I mean seriously, why do I keep letting you talk me into these things?!" Yelling at my sister isn't going to fix this, but it does make me feel better.

"Because you love me?" She questioned, and might I add, that is a very good question right now.

"Miranda this is serious!" Yep, yelling helps, I don't know why more people don't do this, I feel great. Well, discluding my impending doom anyway, kind of puts a downer on the mood. "When mom sees this-"

"When mom sees what?" Asked a much older, much scarier female voice. Turning my head, I see the most intimidating scientist in the galaxy, no wait- the universe. A.K.A: Dr. Catherine Elizabeth Halsey, or as I like to call her, my mom.

"Hi mom." Miranda greeted meekly, stalling what would probably be the greatest scolding of our young lives. Okay, I love her.

"When mom sees what?" She asked again, this time more sternly. And now I'm not sure how much I love Miranda again.

"Don't be mad?" I asked/begged. Looking at her with my most adorable puppy dog eyes.

"We'll see, now start talking young man." Completely immune to cuteness, begging, and any form of mercy really, mom pushes on.

"Well Miranda, thought that your lab could use some color, and asked me to help paint it." Clearly selling my sister out to get at least some leniency was the best decision anyone made ever. "And I thought it would be really nice, so I wanted to help. But she thought it should be painted red."

"Because red's the best color! It's way better than painting it blue, Nathan!" She exclaimed boldly, falsely, seriously why do I ever listen to her.

"One; no, it's not, Two; a red lab is just stupid Miranda, it's a lab not a firehouse, and Three; blue is infinity time better than red!" Not the best argument, but I think I made my point pretty clear.

"And how exactly," Mom interrupted before the argument could get any more heated. "Does this 'Red vs. Blue' battle, end in my lab being covered in paint?!" Well, duh.

"She started it!"

"He started it!"

Okaayy, so maybe not duh? While me and my sister stare death daggers into each other's eyes, mom just facepalms, and gives that kind of strangled sigh she always has when she's frustrated. Then of course, to make matters worse, our dad walks into the room. Our dad who doesn't even live here, great. I am so happy. Honest.

Dad takes one look around the room, then at us, then at mom, and says. "Well, at least it's better than seeing nothing but blank walls." Yes! Score one for dad! My father Ladies and Gentlemen, Lieutenant Jacob Keyes of the UNSC.

Mom doesn't look as amused. "Excuse me?" She asked in a very deadpan voice.

"I'm just saying, it's got no character, take your fancy equipment out, and it's virtually an asylum." Good point, dad.

"Well given who I live with, that doesn't seem so far off the mark." Good burn, mom.

"You know, if you put up a poster, or something that the kids wouldn't have done this right?" Dad is on fire tonight!

Mom just rolls her eyes, like she always does when she's tired of arguing something stupid. I should know, I'm speaking from experience. "No dessert for the week, for either of you. Regardless of my lab's decor, you have no reason to throw paint at each other. Even if blue is better than red." I love my mom, tough but fair, and always right.

"Well I'm gonna have to disagree with you, dear." What are you up to dad? "Red is way better than red." You're dead to me dad.

"Duh!" Miranda shouts intelligently. Which is weird because she sounds like a total idiot.

"Are Nathan and I the only sane people in this house?" Mom asks wisely. "It's not even close, no competition, blue is better than red. Hands down." The best argument from the best scientist ever. Of all time.

The argument didn't end there of course. It quickly evolved into one of the greatest arguments our household has ever held. Shouting and screaming, comparing all the things that make blue great, and red suck. Like flavors, or characters, even places.

The Red vs. Blue battle ended when Mom got frustrated, and exhausted enough to say this. "Alright, alright. How about we say this? I'm right. The end."

"You can't jus-"

"Nope." Mom interrupted. "Roll credits, curtains close, show's over." Well, can't argue with that? "Now, let's have dinner, arguing really works up my appetite."

...

It was a nice dinner, and one of the best we ever shared together. If I had known it would be one of our last, I might have said some things differently. But I didn't know that, all I knew was that I was having a great time with my family. Maybe that was enough.

Mom never did make us clean up that paint, and to my knowledge she hasn't done it herself. She might have been mad at the time, but I like to think she'd look back at it and smile. Just another way to remember her kids.

A couple of days later, I figured out why Dad was over. He came to take us with him, I was never sure why, and I never got the chance to ask him or mom. Maybe we were distracting mom from her work, or he thought it wasn't safe for us. I guess I'll never really know. All I do know is that it was a tearful goodbye with promises to call and visit, that were occasionally kept.

It was a tough time for me and Miranda, and I hope you'll forgive me, but I'd rather not remember it. Some memories are great, and there one's you'll keep with you always. But some... some are best to just let go.

In a way, it was the moment that changed my life, for better or worse.

But that's enough reminiscing about the past, at least for today, so until next time.

This is Lieutenant Nathan J. Halsey, of the UNSC, signing off.

Journal Entry; 001