Finally got this next chapter out. After this I promise I'll start getting into the more interesting conflicts. However, there is one bit of news I should say before move on. In a few months I'm going to have to put this story on hiatus. Now I'm not canceling this story, not even close. I really want to keep this going for all of you who are enjoying it. I'm just goon have to put it on hold because starting in July I'm going to be serving a 2 year mission for my church in Tallahassee Florida. I won't have access to a computer saver for e-mailing my family once a week so I won't be able to update for a while. I just thought you should know before I suddenly drop off the map for 2 years. Now I', going to try and get a couple more chapters of this story out before I leave to keep an eye out for those.
Thank you all for your patience with me thus far. I'm not that fast of a writer and I've been pretty busy as I'm getting to the end the school year. But now it's time to get to the story. As always please rate, review, and of course enjoy.
Chapter 7: Expanding the horizons
The red blockade runner slowed as it approached the Tower Hanger. The ship descended onto the landing platform before a guardian and his ghost exited the craft, their banter instantly filling the hanger.
"All I'm saying is the kiss doesn't count unless it is given by the guy and it's on the lips."
"Rex a kiss is a kiss. Besides what makes you qualified to give me advice on my love life. You're a ghost Rex."
"Aaron that's racist."
"Rex unless you get yourself a girlfriend of your own you have no excuse to lecture me on the subject. Now can you make yourself useful and call Lance for me?"
"No need." A guardian called from the catwalk above the hanger's landing pads. Lance was standing above Aaron along with Kore and Val. Arron quickly made his way up to them so he could speak without shouting.
"Did you get my message?" Aaron asked.
"Yes we did. Syd and Max are filling the Vanguard in on everything that happened and the explosives have been confiscated and put into Banshee's care. How did things go with you and your girl?" Lance asked.
"It was…eventful." Aaron said before Kore wrapped his arm around the titan and pulled him close.
"Eventful? Tell me my good friend after you two yelled at each other did you, well, you know did you guys, do anything?" The exo asked before Val quickly pulled him away and pushed him off to the other end of the hanger.
"Come on Kore. Lance and Aaron have more important things to talk about." Kore cried out in protest as Val pulled him away, much to Aaron joy as he made a mental note to buy Val a drink.
Lance and Aaron walked out toward the tower courtyard as Aaron explained what happened between himself and Jewel. As they spoke Aaron was suddenly cut off when Syd hugged him and nearly knocked him to the ground.
"Our fearless leader is back!" She called out as Aaron made another mental note to make sure Syd and Kore started spending less time together.
"I am Syd. What's with the sudden display of affection?"
"You were pretty steamed when you left." Syd said her happy demeanor dropping as she let Aaron go. "I just wanted to make sure you know we still love ya no matter what."
"Thanks Syd. I actually think I needed that hug. I still got to put the lock back on Captain Jack-ass's cage." Aaron rubbed the back of his head nervously before Max stepped forward.
"Hate to break up the reunion Aaron but Cayde said he wanted to talk to you. Something about a personal report on the mission."
"Thanks Max." Aaron said as he made his way to the Vanguard hall where Cayde was waiting for him.
"Well look who it is. The Titan Aaron. Good to see ya guardian, how ya doing."
"Fine Cayde. Sydney and Maximus told me you wanted to talk to me about the mission?"
"Not just you guardian." Cayde said as he led Aaron through a few side halls to a separate room. Inside were three chairs, Jewel was inside sitting in one of them already. Her helmet was off allowing her long black hair to rest around her shoulders.
"I take it you two already know each other." Cayde asked.
"Let's just get this over with. Sound good to you two?" Aaron said taking a seat.
"Please." Jewel said as she leaned back in her chair.
"So." Aaron started. "After my team finished a mission on Venus for Ikora I got your call and…"
"No, you don't understand. I was lying, this isn't a mission debrief. Heck I was with Zavala and Ikora when Syd and Max gave us the rundown of everything." Cayde said causing Jewel and Aaron to look at each other in surprise.
"Then is this about my conduct?" Jewel asked. "If so then Aaron doesn't need to be here."
"Not that either. Though I will want to have a word on that topic with you later Jewel. No we are here to talk about you two."
"What do you mean?" Aaron asked.
"Come on big guy. A strong valiant Titan turned to stone by the beauty of a hunter in the middle of the Iron Banner when he knocks off her helmet. He spends the whole rest of the match trying to talk to her before they decide to go on a date. It's like an old fairy tale. And I heard your date went pretty well until you got drunk Jewel." Aaron and Jewel both stared at the exo is shock as their cheeks flushed red.
"How the hell do you know about that?" They both yelled in unison.
"I'm the Hunter Vanguard guardians. It's my job to keep taps on my Hunters."
"So you were stalking us?" Jewel accused.
"What?! No I wasn't even down in the bar. I was asleep at that hour."
"Then how do you know about it?"
"Oh Thresher saw you two and told me about it. Ya he saw everything, he told me about how you two were talking all night and about how you started getting tipsy Jewel. And I must say Aaron, a bottle of straight Vodka? Instant respect there man, really that is impressive." Cayde said as he held his fist out to Aaron for a fist bump which Aaron timidly returned.
Seeing they had no other option Jewel and Aaron answered Cayde's questions. They talked about how things were going between them but they tried their best not to telling him too much about their time On Aaron's ship. They didn't want Cayde getting the wrong idea about their relationship. After about half an hour of talking Cayde decided to let them go on their way. Once they left Cayde started to walk back to his place at the Vanguards table.
"Oh ya, their good for each other." He said to himself before walking back to his place at the Vanguard table.
Arron and Jewel walked out into the Tower courtyard in silence each of them hiding their flushed cheek under their helmets as they walked side by side.
"Well I guess we're officially a couple now, or at least to Cayde we are." Jewel said.
"Ya guess so. But is that a bad thing?" Aaron asked as he looked over to her.
"What do you mean?"
"Like, are you alright with being seen as a couple?"
"Well, are you?" Jewel asked like she was trying to avoid answering the question. Aaron slowly removed his helmet before smiling down at the Hunter.
"I am. Really Jewel I can say with all the truth I can muster that I am perfectly fine with it. I really care about you Jewel. I know this is only the second day we've known each other but do you think I would have thrown that match of the Iron Banner, carried you to your apartment after you got drunk and came by in the morning to check on you, Fight through an army of Cabal with my team to kill the Bond Brothers, and opened up about my dark past if I didn't care about you? Jewel never in my life have I felt this way toward anyone."
Jewel looked up at Aaron before she pulled down the hood of her cloak and removed her own helmet. Her deep blue eyes looked into his dense green eyes as their cheeks grew more flushed as they gazed at each other. A smile stretched across Jewel's lips as a single tear slowly trickled down her red cheek.
"Arron, I feel the same way. It's the same feeling I had when I was with Christian. It's a feeling I haven't felt since I lost him. It's a feeling I don't want to lose again." As Jewel began to cry a bit more Aaron reached out and pulled her into a hug. The chilly metal of his chest plate felt surprisingly warm against her cheek.
"I'm here for you Jewel. No matter what." Jewel pulled her head back from his chest before she wrapped her arms around his neck and slowly pulled his head down to her before resting her lips on his.
Both guardians melted into each other's embrace, both losing all sense of time and their surroundings. All that mattered now what they had each other. They stood there for a little while ignoring how the others in the courtyard may react and focusing only on the other.
"We can come back later if you need some time alone Aaron."
At least the moment was great while it lasted. Aaron quickly lifted his head and both guardians turned to see the rest of Aaron's fireteam standing near the railing at the edge of the courtyard. Val and Max were smiling the trademarked "Hunter's smirk", Lance was trying to reframe from laughing and Syd looked like she was about to start bouncing off the walls and her smile looked as if it would tear her mouth in half if it grew any larger. Kore was in the back giving Aaron a thumbs up as he held what looked like a bag of popcorn. Aaron and Jewel quickly separated themselves and regained their composure as their cheeks flushed brighter than they had ever been before.
"I think we're good. We're good right Jewel?" Aaron asked quickly trying to change the subject.
"We're good. Had a nice talk with Cayde about the dead brothers. We're fine."
"Right." Lance said as he let a chuckle escape his throat. "Anyway we thought it was about time you introduced us to your…friend Aaron."
"Of course. Everyone, this is Jennifer but she goes by Jewel. Jewel this is my fireteam. The Warlock in front is Lance, the other Titan is Sydney."
"Just call me Syd." Syd said.
"We have the twin Hunters Maximus and Valkyrie, or Max and Val. And Finally the Exo in the back is the infamous Kore-44. A word of advice, don't talk to him unless you have to. If you let him go off for a bit you'll end up putting a bullet into him or yourself guaranteed."
"It's part of my charm." Kore said which earned him either a glare or a punch in the shoulder from other four team mates around him. Jewel giggled as she stepped forward and shook hands with everyone.
"It's nice to meet you all. I'm really sorry for dragging you all down to the Dreadnaught to save me. I was in way over my head on that stunt."
"No need to apologize Jewel. We actually kind of enjoyed it. It's been a while since we had a real challenge on a mission." Lance said as the others nodding in agreement.
"That's kind of an arrogant mind set isn't it?" Jewel asked.
"Ya but it's the way we roll. It makes things more fun to think you're a nemesis of the darkness."
"I guess that makes sense. So out of curiosity what the name of your team?" Jewel asked all six of them.
"What do you mean?" Aaron asked.
"Well a lot of other fireteams I've met make a name for their team. You know a name along the lines of 'Fireteam Spirit'."
"I've heard about them." Syd said. "I haven't met them but I've heard some rumors about them."
"You'll have to tell us later Syd." Lance said as he turned back to Jewel. "But we don't actually have a name for ourselves. We've just never really thought about it."
"I have." Kore said. "And I've tried to bring it up but you guys don't listen to me. I mean I can understand why you ignore me but still."
"Are you saying you have a name for us Kore?" Val asked.
"You bet I do. Ladies and gentleman, from this day forward we will be known to both the light and the dark, as The Darkness killing Badasses of Awesomeness!" Kore yelled as he looked to sky and threw his fist into the air.
"Please tell me you're joking?" Syd asked with pleading eyes.
"I am totally serious." Kore said maintaining his "heroic" pose.
"You see Kore, this is why we don't listen to you." Aaron said.
"I might have an idea." Jewel getting everyone's attention. "If you want it that is."
"Girl, you took down a Goliath Tank on your own. I'll listen to you more than any of these guys." Syd said earning her playful glare from her male team mates which she responded by sticking out her tongue with a smile.
"Well back before Christian died our friends called us Hell Jumpers."
"I like it." Max said. "But Fireteam Hell Jumpers doesn't really ring does it."
"Well how about we keep it simple." Aaron said.
"What like Fireteam Delta or something like that?" Jewel asked.
"No not quite. Lance said it himself, we're the nemesis of the darkness." Aaron said smiling.
"I think I see where you're going Aaron. Your thinking of calling us Fireteam Nemesis aren't you?" Lance said with a smile of his own. Aaron nodded as everyone voice their approval of the name.
"Then it's settled Hell Jumpers." Aaron said as he held his hand out in front of him as one by one everyone added their hand into a stack. "From this day forward, we will be known as fireteam Nemesis." With a cheer that resonated across the tower the six guardians threw their hands into the air cheering.
Jewel smiled as she watched the group share high fives and hugs between each other. She found herself looking at Aaron who was wearing a wide smile on his face as he celebrated the small occasions with his fireteam. Aaron found himself looking back to Jewel, his smile seeming to infect the hunter as her lips curled upward themselves. For the first time in years she felt genuinely happy. She had helped avenge Christian's death and in the process, she found someone who could fill the void in her heart. For the first time in years, things finally seemed to be looking up for her.
As Jewel continued to watch Aaron and his friends she found her smile started to fade. She was happy, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen. Even since Christian died she had found that when she got a bad feeling it was usually right. Now she was getting a feeling that something big was coming, and she prayed to the traveler that this times she was wrong.
Hey I'm back again at the end of the story. Just wanted to let you know my mentioning of "Fireteam Spirit" was a reference to another destiny story by the "Fallen Paragon". It's a great story so far and I highly recommend you check it out. Also I've supplied two characters to the story myself. Also a quick word of warning my characters are similar to Aaron and Jewel. I didn't realize how similar I made them until after it was done but it was not intentional and they are different people. You'll see their personality differences if you decide to check them out. Anyway I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you next time.