John opened his eyes to see Cortana looking down at him.

"Hey, handsome." She greeted.

"Hey." He murmured in reply.

"Feeling better?"

"Yeah, just a little sore."

"You need to take a bath." She told him.

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, probably, though I prefer showers."

"Then take a shower."

"If you'll let me out."

"Oh, right." Cortana mumbled. "Why do I bother locking the door?"

"I don't know." John admitted.

She slipped off of him and then off of the bed. She teleported in the key and unlocked the door, teleporting the key away. She opened the door just as he managed to get off of the bed. He staggered over to her.

"Follow me." She began walking down the hall.

"No problem." He said, following her.

They reached a staircase and climbed up it, to the next floor. They walked down the hall. Cortana opened a door on the left, showing an average master bedroom. She walked to another door on the right and opened it. She walked in. He followed her. They'd entered a very large bathroom. There was a huge shower next to a large bathtub. He walked up to the shower and pulled the curtains aside. He stepped into it and began to close the curtains again when Cortana pulled them back again.

"Care if I join you?" She asked.

He gave her a long look before stepping back for her to join him. He pulled the curtains closed while she turned on the water. The water was warm enough so it just barely burned his skin. He stood directly under the stream of water, letting it rinse blood from his hair. It trickled down his back, stinging and cleaning out his other wounds. He turned around, letting it run down his chest, abs, and stomach. He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.

John felt Cortana's hands run through his untidy hair, smoothing it. He opened his eyes to see her, soaking now as well. He grinned and so did she. He grabbed her and pulled her close, so that their bodies touched. He bent down and kissed her. He placed his hands firmly on her back and she wrapped hers around his neck.

They stayed that way for five whole minutes before pulling apart. Then John turned off the water as Cortana got out and dried off. Then he got out and dried off as well. They walked over to the mirror. She grabbed a comb from on the counter and handed it to him. She grabbed a brush. He combed his hair into his favorite crew cut style as she just straightened hers.

"I'll be back in a few minutes." She told him, leaving the room.

John just raised his eyebrows after she'd left. Then he spotted another door and opened it, spotting a toilet. He entered and closed the door behind him. He quickly did his business and exited that room. Then he washed his hands and began to wait patiently.

His stomach rumbled just as Cortana re-entered the room. She giggled as she heard it and he scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. She held his black civvies, not to mention that she was also wearing regular clothes. Probably the first time that he'd seen the blue woman do that. She handed him his civvies and he put them on.

They left the bathroom and went through her room, and back into the hall. They entered an elevator and she set it for the first floor.

"Where are we going?" John asked as the elevator moved downwards.

"To my favorite bar." Cortana told him.

"That's nice." He replied.

There was a ding as the elevator stopped moving. The doors opened and they walked out. They reached the front door and exited the building. They walked along the main street of the city. Then they entered a dark alleyway and turned left to a door. Cortana opened it and they walked in.

There were people everywhere. They were drinking and having a good time. Quite a few of them had guns, making John uneasy. A few were snogging drunkenly.

John and Cortana walked up the counter, only to hear some drunk lunatic yell at them from behind.

"Got a man, Cortana?"

John whirled around and punched the man in the face. The drunk got up and pulled a gun from a back pocket, aiming it at him.

"Goddammit." He muttered.

He jumped out of the way as the man fired it and uppercutted him, so that he flew a few feet. He walked up and took the pistol, aiming it at him.

"Stand down." Chief ordered.

The drunk man just nodded, got to his feet, and scampered away. He gave a small smirk of satisfaction and turned back towards the counter, only to hear a familiar voice from behind.

"Chief?" Came a familiar voice.

He turned around, recognition surging through him. "Lasky?"

A grin spread across Thomas Lasky's face.

John glanced at Cortana. "Buy the drinks, okay?" He turned back to his old friend. "How'd you know it was me?"

"You're too demanding, in and out of armor." His friend laughed.

He chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Used to being out in the field, not relaxing in the city."

"You'll get used to it soon enough, Chief." Lasky assured him. "Well, I gotta get back to my group. See you around."

"See you." He responded, watching his friend walk away.

"It's always good to see old friends." Cortana told him as he turned back to the counter.

"Yeah." He agreed, setting down the pistol and grabbing his glass. "Cheers?"

"Cheers." She lifted her glass into the air and hit it against his.

Then they pulled their glasses back and drank them, John finishing his in two swift gulps. He slammed the glass back on the counter, getting the bartender's attention. He gave the man a nod and his glass was refilled. He drank it all again and slammed the glass back onto the counter.

"Don't drink too much, John." Cortana suggested.

"Okay." He responded, grabbing the pistol and backing away from the counter. "I'll meet you outside in fifteen minutes."

"Got it." She replied.

John held the pistol at his side as he walked through the different groups of people in the bar. He spotted young Anthony Madsen and gave him a nod of greeting. The lad grinned and gave him a wave, turning back to his group to laugh at something funny.

He spotted a group of four boys, who were talking drunkenly. One let out a loud laugh and took a big gulp from a bottle of alcohol, spitting half of it out as another boy thumped his back.

Out of nowhere, a gunshot rang out and John felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. He let out a cry and collapsed to his hands and knees, rage coming over him. He turned to face Madsen.

"I read the newspaper the other day." The lad told him. "Your identity has been revealed, Chief."

"I don't care anymore." He glared at the young man. "What reason have you got to shoot me?"

"I can shoot whoever the hell I want." The Spartan retorted, getting in his face.

John slammed his fist across the boy's face. "Regretting that one yet?"

*X*

Cortana watched as Anthony got up, standing face-to-face with John. The younger Spartan's abs bulged out more than John's did and his legs were just slightly longer. The older soldier had slight facial hair, unlike the other, who had none at all.

She watched admiringly as the lad punched John in the gut, though the older man didn't flinch. John slammed the kid to the ground, picking him up and throwing him across the room. With a jolt, she realized that he was drunk. Probably never gone to a bar before, she thought, rolling her eyes.

Madsen staggered to his feet, a few cuts on his face. An angered look had crossed his face. He grabbed a chair and hurled it at Chief, hitting him straight across the face. Before the older Spartan could move, an empty glass flew through the air at him. It shattered on the ground in front of him.

"Is that all you got?" The drunken Spartan shouted.

A small grin had crossed Madsen's face. "Meet me tomorrow at the Battle Rink. Be there at eight o'clock sharp. Got that?"

"You'd bet I do." John's eyes narrowed. "Challenge accepted."