Chapter 10: Return
Date: 2529
Location: Infinity
Cortana had fallen asleep on the way back. She looked peaceful. John carried her in and everyone just stared.
"Reports sir," his commander asked of him.
"Just wait, I have to put her in a bed," John said as he ran down the hallway to his quarters. He sat her down in his bed and covered her with a huge down comforter.
He creaked the door closed and ran back to the landing pad where his commander stood waiting.
"What did you just carry back to your room John," he asked.
"Cortana, I'll explain," John said, telling him all the information he gathered on his mission.
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After the very long meeting John sleepily made it back to his quarters. He'd stripped down back to his underclothes, and put his armour away. The only thing he wanted to do was to relax. He was put through too much things in the last few weeks. No one had gone through that much pain.
He'd sat down beside Cortana and brushed her hair out of her face. She moved under his touch.
"Is that you Chief," she mumbled.
"Yes," he said, " And you can call me John now, since you know, you can live without me as a guiding hand," he finished.
"I'm not leaving your side, AI or not, I'm still protecting you with my life, and leading you," Cortana said sleepily.
"Okay, I'm glad you are here with me," John said as he lay down beside her.
"Thank you, John," Cortana said as she snuggled deep into John's chest.
"Being asleep is a weird thing, you know. It's like being in a suspended state where your mind replays images. It's quite a confusing concept," she said yawning.
"That's dreaming sweetie," John said cuddling her. "It is. I hope you are in my dreams tonight Cortana, I always wish for you to be there." John said kissing Cortana's forehead.
"I hope you are in mine as well," she said pulling the sheets over her shoulder.
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The next morning John woke up with Cortana wrapped around him. Her hair was splayed everywhere and she was bundled up underneath all the sheets. She was probably still adjusting to the different temperatures and how to maintain them.
John got out of bed to get something to eat for breakfast. He pulled the bagels from the cabinet above the stove. He put them in the toaster and it automatically heated up.
"What's that wonderful smell," Cortana asked groggily around the corner. "It smells wonderful."
"Bagels, you want some," John asked as he put another one in the toaster.
"Sure, but how do you consume it," she asked. "How must one eat that?"
"You chew it with your teeth and swallow it," he answered. He felt as if he was teaching a child.
Cortana went and picked it up off the plate and nibbled a bit off the corner.
"It's quite delicious John," she said smiling taking bigger bites.
"Just don't eat it too fast or you'll…..," John was interrupted by Cortana's choking on the bagel. A great way to start a morning.
He performed the Heimlich maneuver and she finally coughed out the piece lodged in her throat.
She began to laugh.
"That was scary Cortana, don't do that again," John reprimanded her.
"But it was funny because I was choking on a measly piece of bread," she shouted through her laughs. She continued to lay there on the floor laughing and that made John smile knowing that was a real laugh and not a machine.
Hey guys, this is the end of the fanfic, soon there will be an Epilouge, so don't worry. I might pick this story back up later this spring or summer! Comment below for how you feel about that, I don't know if I should. There will also be a NEW, yes, NEW, fanfic out shortly for those Whovians out there, I am writing a Rose and 10th Doctor fanfic, its the couple that I adore the most in the Dr. Who series. Live long and prosper ~PiinkSkyy