Whew! Almost a month since my last update--ok, maybe not, but it feels like it. Anyway, it's another short chapter, but I've been a bit busy lately (exams and so forth coming up). Hopefully I'll find the time to keep going, though. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Halo.

Chapter Eleven: Rescued

"Chief, what just happened? I'm detecting an increase in your pulse and thyroid output…"

"Cortana, I don't want to know," John abruptly cut her off, something he hadn't ever done before. Cortana was intrigued, to say the least.

"Okay, fine, no need to be so pushy. Some of us actually care what happens to you, Master Chief." After a moment she added "I suppose it has nothing to do with why Hawkes is sitting in the farthest corner of the cave." The AI could sense his hesitation, and almost 'smiled'. Good, maybe now he'll let on as to what's bothering him. Cortana wasn't above using trickery to accomplish her ends, and if getting the Chief and Hawkes together meant sending him on a guilt trip, so be it.

John sighed inside his helmet, then proceeded to relate the happenings of the past five minutes to his AI and friend. "I went to check her wound, like you suggested, and she…she kissed me. I didn't expect it at first, but when she pulled back, I started kissing her."

"And you hated it, is that what's bothering you?" Cortana processed the equivalent of a smirk at the Chief's reaction.

"No, I enjoyed it! I shouldn't have been able to, but I enjoyed kissing her! It…it was…" He couldn't find the words.

"So why did you stop?"

In a quiet voice, John replied, "I touched her back. I wanted to bring her closer to me, for some reason, and when I touched her, I touched her wound. She cried out, and…She thinks she was the one to blame for all this."

This is worse than dealing with a small child, Cortana mused. "Chief, it's no one's fault. The two of you were attracted to each other the moment we had that briefing in Ackerson's office. It was only a matter of time before something happened."

"You knew?" His shocked reaction was almost worth the effort of making him feel guilty—almost. Now he thinks I've been holding out on him.

"I guessed, based on the physical reactions from when you two met. I didn't say anything at first, I wanted to be sure. Now I am sure, and both of you are avoiding each other like the plague. Why?"

"She's ONI, and besides, regulations on military fraternization—"

"And how many times has Ackerson bent the rules around Hawkes? She's his protégé, Chief. If she wanted he'd probably bend the rules again."

John was about to reply when a communication crackled through his helmet speakers.

"—do you read? Repeat, UNSC Athens to ONI operative RedHawk, do you read?"

In answer, they heard over the COM, "RedHawk here, good to hear from you Athens. What's happening topside?"

----

"RedHawk here, good to hear from you Athens. What's happening topside?"

"We've pushed back a good chunk of the opposition, and we have teams securing the objective and the outlying areas," the COM crackled in her ear. "Status report."

"One injured, no other casualties. We're holed up in some caverns not far from the archive. No visible contacts nearby, but I'm not holding my breath."

"Understood." A brief pause, then Jessica heard, "If you can, start heading back to the archives. A team will meet up with you there and escort you and the Master Chief to debriefing."

"Roger that, we're on our way." Jessica disconnected and turned to the Chief.

"Let's move out, the UNSC is waiting for us."

----

"Hold still, Lieutenant," the Athens'medic voiced calmly as he applied more of some stinging, smelly ointment. It was all Jessica could do not to snap at the poor man. This crap hurts worse than the actual burn! And don't even get me started on the stink. Craning her neck around, she looked over her shoulder at the medic standing over her.

"What exactly are you putting on there?" she asked in what she hoped was an even tone.

"Our strongest burn treatment yet. I have orders to make sure you're both in top shape before debriefing."

Which won't happen until we reach Earth, she thought glumly as she settled back on her stomach. Being back onboard the Athens was a bit of a relief, because it meant they were away from Olympus. Jessica had one of the best (in her opinion) medics in the Navy looking after her, one of the best crews sending her home, nothing to worry about other than the lousy meals (which she planned on looking into shortly). So why am I uneasy? As if I really need to ask. The answer to her question entered the door and looked her square in the eye.

"I'd like to have a word with Lieutenant Hawkes."

----

"I'd like to have a word with Lieutenant Hawkes."

"Master Chief, the lieutenant is still being treated for her injuries," the medic replied icily, apparently not happy with John's request. Where's Cortana when I need her? he thought, even though he knew she was "occupied" in the ship's computer systems.

"It's all right, Doc," Hawkes intervened before John could reply. "I waived rank for the mission, since he knew more about the Covenant than I did. He probably wants to discuss something we found planetside." She hissed through her teeth as the medic applied a bandage to her freshly-smeared back. "That hurts like hell, Doc."

"It will, that means it's healing. You'll be back to normal by the time we reach Earth. Just try not to move too much." John was thankful for his years of training and discipline; the glare that Hawkes shot the medic was amusing, to say the least.

"Can I at least be cleared to walk around, or am I going to be stuck on my stomach for the return trip?"

"Yes, you can walk, Lieutenant, just no running, and no shadow-boxing either." The medical officer chuckled quietly, and John forced himself to suppress the image of Hawkes in tight black shorts.

"Good. Then if you'll excuse me, I apparently need to talk to the Master Chief." Hawkes eased herself off the medical bed and escorted the Chief to her cabin.