Hey, chap 5 in inbound. Think I should make these longer? Oh, and if you find any grammatical errors let me know, I'm horrible at catching them. -Jaz

The song(s) for this one are Castle Of Glass by Linkin Park, Sooner or Later by Breaking Benjamin, and In My Remains by Linkin Park (Chief loves him some Linkin Park, apparently)

Guardian of all that exists, Done. great song thanks :D


"Echo 419, on approach. ETA six minutes."

John re-checked his ammo for the 3rd time in a row, all while looking around the cargo hold. He was still thinking about a conversation he had with Stevens hour or so before the start of the mission, and it was still bothering him.

"Man, I can't wait for the mission to start, we've been cooped up at base forever, I've been just dying to get out." One of the marines said suddenly, while playing with his magnum.

"Now every time you say that, we get shot. A lot." Stevens replied, while handing a squad mate a grenade.

"Come on, the Chief knows this'll be easy a hell. Just land, shoot up the place, and do whatever the Captain says." The marine said while getting up, he headed over to the pilot while Stevens shook his head.

"And every time you say that things go to shit!"

The enthusiasm of the marines only bothered Chief further, and he leaned back heavily against the wall.

"Something bothering you, Chief?"

Cortana's voice held a note of worry, and John mentally chastised himself for letting her know something was wrong.

Thinking back he really shouldn't be thinking of it now. It was just a conversation with a fellow soldier. But, now that he thought about it, he wondered if he should be more worried about the things he's learned. Closing his eyes, he replayed the whole conversation in his head, trying to figure out what it was exactly that had him bothered hours after.

Fly me up on a silver wing, Past the black where the sirens sing. Warm me up in a nova's glow, and drop me down to the dream below...

"We lost a lot of the squad last time, Chief..." Stevens muttered, while standing next to Chief waiting for orders. John had rested, eaten, and returned to his post with the marines. He was feeling lighter after his talk with Cortana, and had decided to listen to a few bands he had bookmarked while on duty. Maybe his mood was noticeable because Stevens came over to talk to him almost immediately. Well, more Stevens talking and John letting out a few grunted replies while drowning him out with music.

'Cause I'm only a crack in this castle of glass, hardly anything there for you to see. For you to see...

"I'm... sorry to hear that, Stevens. They were good men. " Stevens looked up surprised, Chief noted that this must have been the first time he called him something other then 'marine' since knowing him. And by know, being as Stevens had told him nearly his entire life story from being from Austin Texas, his sister Kate, his tech specialist bother, his Dog Sam, John felt like he knew more about the marine then he ever thought he would.

Bring me home in a blinding dream, through the secrets that I have seen. Wash the sorrow from off my skin, and show me how to be whole again...

"Uh... Thanks, sir..." John nodded back, he was never good at consoling others, so he hoped the conversation would be over very soon now.

'Cause I'm only a crack in this castle of glass, hardly anything there for you to see...For you to see...

"It's just that, well the marines don't last long around here, with the Covenant and all..." Hoped in vain. Tilting his head slightly in Stevens direction, the marines took that as his queue to explain.

'Cause I'm only a crack in this castle of glass, hardly anything else I need to be... I need to be...

"I mean, we go out, five or six of us with one Spartan, and maybe three or two make it back, why? I know we aren't nearly as good as Spartans but why send us at all? The ODSTs would be better, hell two Spartans would be just fine."

I need to be...

Stevens didn't miss the way chief slightly flinched at the last sentence.

Cause I'm only a crack in this castle of glass, hardly anything there for you to see. For you to see, for you to see...

"I-I mean you're good on your own Chief, I'm sure that-"

"There are more marines then Spartans." John didn't like where this conversation was going, and he hated, hated, remembering that he was always the last one left.

Switching the song as it ended, he would love for the next song to drown out Stevens completely. As it started Chief glanced back at Stevens.

I want a normal life, just like a new born child. I am a lover hater, I am an instigator...

Stevens looked like he wanted to ask a question, but kept opening and shutting his mouth like he didn't know how to say it. Eventually, after a few failed attempts, he tried again.

You are an oversight, don't try to compromise. I'll learn to love to hate it, I am not integrated...

"Sir? How did, I mean if it doesn't bother you, how did they all die-"

Just call my name, you'll be okay. Your scream is burning through my veins...

"They didn't." John answered quickly, cutting Stevens off.

Sooner or later you're gonna hate it, go ahead and throw your life away...

"They...didn't Sir? But I thought most of them died on Reach..." Stevens looked up quickly, expecting the chief to be offended.

Driving me under, leaving me out there. Go ahead and throw your life away...

"Spartans never die, we're listed as MIA, right?" Chief nodded at Stevens again, maybe that would get him to drop the subject.

You're like an infantile, I knew it all the while...

Truthfully John couldn't account for all the other Spartans, he was sure a few were still around... then again, given the nature of the work they did there might be a few left... maybe he should-

"Still though Sir, you gotta wonder why they send us at all, if you can do everything yourself. We rarely even make it out."

I am an oversight, just like a parasite. Why am I so pathetic, I know you won't forget it...

"Your here, aren't you?" John turned and looked at Stevens, he hoped that he would catch the meaning behind his statement.

Sooner or later you're gonna hate it, go ahead and throw my life away...

Stevens surprised look soon turned to one of pride, and he grinned from ear to ear.

Driving me under, leaving me out there.

"Live to fight another day, right Chief?"

Go ahead and throw my life away...

Pausing the song, Chief allowed himself to have a small sad smile behind his helmet.

"Right."

John mentally sighed at least now he might get some silence. Not that he disliked Stevens, but-

"I wonder if Cortana thinks like that, given that she can die like us." Chief gave some grunted reply, and Stevens kept talking.

"Then again, she's not human so, I don't know if she can worry about anything. Or care...you think she cares about us? I mean she does look after us on the field and stuff." John was rolling his eyes in his helmet, if only you knew he thought.

"But she's not human you know? And a AI is just a copy, even a smart AI like her, so wouldn't the emotions be copies too? Sure she can be happy and stuff, but it's not the same as actually felling happy or sad, right?" John stiffened slightly, he knew that wasn't true... right? Cortana was all emotion to John, she went through all of them in every conversation they had. Those were real, weren't they?

"I...Don't think it's that simpl-" John was cut off by Stevens, who had seemed to go off on his own musings.

"And I guess she can't die like us exactly, but she can die, Sooner probably, cause of that short lifespan." Stevens stated while shooting a glace over at her pedestal.

Well, that certainly halted all thought for Chief right there. John turned fully facing Stevens and worked hard to control his voice

"Explain." Stevens looked back over at the Chief, confusion written all over his face.

"Well I'm not a scientist but my brother... Well he says Smart AIs are decommissioned after about 7 years... Something about some Rampancy thing they go through." Stevens said with a shrug, glancing back at Cortana's pedestal as if she would be there.

"Can...it be fixed?" John was sure, positive, that Dr. Halsey wouldn't let something like that happen to her Cortana, to his Cortana... but just in case, there had to be a way to fix it.

"I don't really know Chief... Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you about it. She's your friend right?" Stevens look honestly apologetic, and even John could see he actually regretted bringing it up.

Chief debated with himself for a moment before going back to his original position. He couldn't even say that he and Cortana were friends, they were so much more... but how to say that, to anyone besides her?

"She's... closer to me than anyone I've ever known." John decided the truth was the best way to go with this one.

"And I shouldn't tell anyone that or you'll kill me, right?" Stevens answered, laughing to himself. Noticing the Chief hadn't seemed to get his joke, he let out a few nervous chuckles before scratching the back of his head.

"I...uh...Yeah so friends then... but don't worry about Cortana, Sir...I'm sure that she'll figure something out or...yeah" Stevens muttered at him, looking like he didn't know exactly what to say but not how to stop talking. John, mentally chuckling, decided to help him out.

"She is something, no one is better at breaking the UNSC's rules then her... now tell her I said that, and then I'll have to kill you." John said, carefully keeping his voice devoid of ant humorous tones. Regardless Stevens got the joke and laughed a little, losing all of his embarrassed demeanor. They went back to looking over the hangar bay where the rest of the marines were finishing up preparations.

The silence that followed was not uncomfortable, and John ran through his thoughts on whatever Rampancy was...if it could be fixed...what Cortana's emotions were... Sighing, John was just about to start up his music again when Stevens piped up again.

"So are we friends then, Chief?"

"Chief? John?"

John blinked, and shook away the memories, for now.

"Normal mission worries Cortana, its nothing."

"We both know I know you better than that. You never worry, at least not about the mission."

"Later."

John's abrupt dismissal surprised Cortana, but only momentarily. She would figure out what was eating at her Spartan, but later, when she had the time. Switching to his external Speakers, she addressed the rest of the forces on the mission.

"The Covenant believe that what they call "the Silent Cartographer" is somewhere under this island. The Cartographer is a map room that will lead us to Halo's control center. The island has multiple structures and installations. One of them contains the map room."

"Pile out! Go, go, go!"

Sighing, John pulled up his rifle and walked out the hanger to join the assault.

The mission went...well... let's just say John nearly had to force Stevens back into the pelican with the few surviving marines. Going underground in the pelican had been one of the many worrying moments, and now trudging through a swamp, Chief was deciding he did not like how this mission went at all. At least he had Cortana for company, and her amazingly annoying song choices for him.

"You're the strangest person I've ever known, Cortana." John dropped his hand to his side, and let out a exhausted sigh.

The song she was playing was from some remix he didn't care to learn the name of, and it was giving him a headache. It was ending, he thought, so he pulled up his playlist while it finished.

"But I'm not...not really anyway." Cortana, said lightly, nothing in her voice showed any emotion but humor. She had heard the conversation John and Stevens had, and while it did bother her, she thought she had done a good job of covering it up. Until now anyway. She always thought her emotions were real, despite being a highly advance AI. Now however, she questioned if she actually felt them or...

"Oh you are, right up there on the top of the list." John replied while going back to the his playlist, looking for the bands he was listening to before. He sleeted a song at random, and waited for her reply. She was taking longer than usual, and before he could ask is something was wrong, she spoke.

Separate, sifting through the wreckage I can't concentrate. Searching for a message...

"That's not what I meant and you know it." She managed to cover up most of her sadness, but a little showed through in her voice.

In the fear and pain, broken down and waiting for the chance to feel alive...

John, just catching her meaning, almost stumbled in surprise.

Now in my remains, are promises that never came...

"You're as real as anyone I've ever met, and you know that."John said with emphasis on the last word. But she'd never actually know what it's like to feel happy, not like he would. That and her damned expiration date... how could he understand?

Set the silence free, to wash away the worst of me...

"No, I'm not, I'm as real as any AI you've met. I'm...I'm programmed that way." She said, there was something in her voice that sounded...defeated. He didn't like it.

Come apart, falling in the cracks of every broken heart...

"You aren't like any AI I've met." John stated tentatively. He didn't want to get angry, he knew how to control himself but...why was she thinking like this now? After everything, she was questioning herself now?

Digging through the wreckage, of your disregard...

"How many have you met then, John? They can all be programmed to feel, you know. Doesn't mean its real." The venom in her voice surprised John, and he couldn't help but feel a wave of anger wash over him at it. How could she tell him that when she knew she was more real than anyone he had ever met. When she made him feel alive, how could she tell him she wasn't?

Sinking down and waiting for the chance to feel alive...

"If you're not real, then why do you care, about everything, about me?" He said with even more anger then her herself, and it stunned her.

Now in my remains, are promises that never came...

She didn't have time to answer as his radar blipped with hostels. John was silently thankful, now he had something to take his anger out on.

Set the silence free, to wash away the worst of me...

Stalking forward, he came across a few grunts and jackals. He was only slightly disappointed that it wasn't something more challenging.

Like an army, falling. One by one by one...

He didn't even bother with his gun, charging the first jackal from behind he grabbed its neck, and shoved his knife in as deep as it would go. Ripping the knife out, he dived behind a fallen tree.

Like an army, falling. One by one by one...

Letting his anger loose, he preceded to decimate the rest of the hostels with just his knife and well timed punches. He couldn't even explain why what she had said had angered him so, but this would help...he hoped.

Like an army, falling. One by one by one...

Cortana was silent the entire time, trying to formulate a answer for him. She couldn't understand why he was so furious with her... maybe he wasn't mad at her per say but more at...what exactly?

Like an army, falling. One by one by one...

"Well?" John asked coldly. After dispatching all the covenant in the area, he pulled out her chip and pulled out his helmet and was staring her down. His music was still playing from the speakers, it helped her focus.

Now in my remains, are promises that never came...

"I'm programmed to?" She said it more as a question, and immediately knew she was wrong. His eyes hardened, and the look he gave her spoke volumes.

Set the silence free, to wash away the worst of me...

"You weren't programmed to call me John, were you. Try again."

Like an army, falling. One by one by one...

"Well...I never said I was a normal AI, right?" Her normal humor fell flat, and he didn't react to what she said.

Like an army, falling. One by one by one...

"What's you real answer?" As the music died, so did her nerve... she looked down, staring at the ground beneath him. A far off gunshot echoed through the area, and she was reminded of the mission they were on.

"I... Don't know. Do you?" She hoped he question would sidetrack him, give her more time to formulate a answer for herself.

When he didn't reply, just continued to stare at her, she resolved to figure this out with him later.

"Put your helmet back on, we have a mission to complete." John finally reacted, silently replacing her into his helmet and shoving it back onto his head.

"We will talk about this."

Cortana could almost feel the command in that statement, and she knew she would dislike that conversation.

"Later, you have things to shoot."