Onward with the crossover magic! As always, I'd love to know what you think! :D :D

En Route to Sector 2569
U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701-D
0245 hours, Stardate 48156.8

Guinan barely stepped away before the captain started to walk over to his table. If it hadn't been for Counselor Troi's insistence that he take some time away from Engineering and come down to Ten-Forward, he would have never dared to venture down to the room of camaraderie and mixed drinks.

He was too exposed here. He would much rather be alone.

He closed his eyes briefly and saw an image of a blue-hued woman looking at him accusingly.

Cortana.

Well, maybe not alone, he conceded.

He knew Commander La Forge and Commander Data were diligently trying to do what they could to save Cortana's life. A life that, in all likelihood, couldn't be restored.

"John, I don't want you to see me like this." He slowly approached her. He didn't know what he would find when he left the Inifnity with nothing more than a glimmer of a possibility that Cortana was on a Forerunner installation. Her avatar turned away from him, her face was hidden. "I'm not what I was." She let out a shaky sigh. "I'm only a fraction of the person you knew."

He looked at her, curled up in a fetal position, not unlike how he had found her on High Charity. But, he knew as he saw her struggle to stand, that it was different than the last he had saved her from the Gravemind. Still, he refused to give up on her. "You're Cortana. You know I would never leave you behind."

She looked at him, with his armor beaten by the sands and a ripped poncho over him. "Stubborn fool."

"You're going to be fine."

Her smile didn't quite meet her eyes. "I hope you're right, John."

For a while, it had been. They had found the Librarian who had given up all of her knowledge concerning advanced constructs. Cortana had been more like herself since before John had awoken from the Dawn. But, the task they had been charged with was difficult, and came at a price. It hadn't taken long for Cortana's rampancy to return, more quickly than it had before.

"I'm so sorry, John."

"Is this seat taken?"

The soft-spoken question pulled John from thoughts about Cortana. He gave a quick shake of his head, wondering why the captain had decided to seek him out.

Picard slid into the chair, his face passive. "How are you enjoying your time aboard the Enterprise, Master Chief?" This was the first time in two weeks that the captain had asked him that question.

He looked away from his observation of the universe as it whizzed by at warp drive. It was different than traveling through slipspace.

But, John thought as he glanced at the man sitting across from him at the table, everything was different aboard the Enterprise.

"It's not the same from my timeline." He missed the familiarity of the UNSC. Here, things seemed almost utopian; John couldn't say he was particularly comfortable with it. "It's more quiet."

"You say that as if it's a bad thing." The captain offered a friendly smile.

John looked at him blankly.

The captain cleared his throat. "I see that you are taking advantage of some of our amenities. Guinan has added her own personal touch to Ten-Forward."

Guinan. The woman who claimed to have Forerunner heritage. Not for the first time, John wished Cortana was there to tell him whether her claim could be true or not.

"We met."

Picard shifted uncomfortably before speaking again. "I wanted to give you an update on the damaged computer program-"

"Her name is Cortana, sir."

"Of course. My apologies." He at least seemed to look contrite, John noticed. "Commander Data and La Forge are working as best they can, but, despite your assistance, I am concerned they won't be able to do anything for her."

John frowned slightly. "She needs to be here. The Librarian gave her the Key."

"Yes, the Librarian." Picard looked John square in the eye. It was then that the Spartan realized that the captain didn't necessarily believe him. A nervous feeling settled in his stomach; if he couldn't convince Captain Picard to allow his officers to continue trying to repair Cortana, his mission would be a failure. "We will proceed to the coordinates that you provided, but if by that time Cortana's program is not functioning properly, I will be forced to reassign my officers to more pressing matters."

John couldn't think of anything more pressing than getting Cortana back to operating properly. Years of discipline and respect of the chain of command kept John from voicing his opinion. Instead, he offered a half-hearted, "Understood, sir."

The Spartan expected for the conversation to be over so he was taken aback when the captain leaned forward, resting his arms on the table.

When Picard spoke again, his voice was much quieter than it had been before. "Commander Data believes it is possible to create another program based off the data that is stored on the chip."

"No." His tone left no room for argument.

The captain's eyebrows moved up in surprise. "I see." He paused. "If, as you say, your resources are on her chip, I thought I should present the possibility to you."

John shook his head. "She'll be fine."

"I hope for everyone's sake that you are correct, Master Chief." Cortana's words echoed through his mind. How many more times would he futilely try to convince everyone - and himself- that Cortana would be alright?

The captain stood up and left John alone.

Across the room, he saw Guinan watching him closely.