After the Fight
Aaaaaand, I'm back! So sorry for the hiatus, my friends, but I have had a lot to do in my life lately. That includes trying to start my own official writing career, which unfortunately means I will be doing less fan fiction in the future. But don't worry; I have decided to keep going with 'On the Beach' for a while longer. I don't know exactly how many chapters this will have, but I'm gunning for between twelve and and fifteen. I also slowed down with this fic because I was running short of ideas, but recently I came up with a few more, so we're good for now.
As an added bonus, I took this opportunity to re-introduce a well-known Halo character into my story. It's stretching the canon a bit to include them, but that's the beauty of fan fiction, right? And this chapter will be a little bit longer than the others, okay?
No relationship was without its ups and downs. This was something that Cortana had realised long ago. Sure, even if there was a couple that had a seemingly ideal relationship, there was still the possibility that an argument or disagreement would crop up. Hell, it was not just possible, it was practically inevitable. And she and John were not an exception to this rule.
Still, that did not stop her from musing that it would have been nice if they could have avoided it nonetheless.
It had started out simple enough, with John getting the call from his superiors that he was needed on yet another mission out on the frontier of UNSC territory. Apparently, some insurrectionists had joined forces with a group of Kig-Yar pirates, and had been stirring up trouble. Nothing too serious at the moment, but the powers-that-be still felt that it was best if the situation was dealt with before it could potentially spiral out of control.
And John had given his trademark response; immediately and unquestioningly accepting the mission. Cortana had been there with him, and had given a response of her own; she had rolled her eyes and groaned internally. Fortunately, John had his back to her when she did this, and the person on the screen had not seemed to notice her presence.
Still, John had detected the change in her behaviour. The relationship between the two of them had long since progressed to the point where either one could easily pick up on the emotions of the other. Hell, they had been close to that point when she was still an Artificial Intelligence on a computer chip in his helmet. Now, after they had been getting intimate with each other on a regular basis, it had become much more pronounced. For both of their sakes, neither of them had said anything right there, nor had they brought it up on the trip back to their place. Instead, they had just sat in silence; one that was not exactly comfortable.
It was only after they had gotten back to the home that they shared that it finally all came out in the open. It was John who initiated the conversation; apparently he could wait silently behind enemy lines for days at a time, but staying silent in front of his girlfriend at a time like this was not so easy.
He asked her what was bothering her, and she responded by telling him unconvincingly that nothing was bothering her. He pushed the topic and insisted that something was the matter, and she eventually caved, admitting that she was starting to get tired of all the situations when he was called off to fight yet another enemy. The war was long over, and Cortana saw no reason as to why he was still risking his neck on a regular basis.
John replied that although the war was over, he still needed to keep the peace. And such a job required soldiers like him. At this, Cortana countered by saying that he was not the only soldier, and that he needed to take it easy now. Then John seemed a bit insulted by her seeming to doubt his abilities.
The conversation pretty much continued in this strain, with neither John or Cortana raising their voices to each other, but they still spoke to each other in firm and not-exactly-friendly tones. Most people would not have considered such an encounter to qualify as a fight, but to those who knew this pair, it would definitely be classified as one.
That night, John retired early, stating that he needed to be up and ready to leave in the early morning. Cortana said that she would stay up a while before coming. But instead, she stayed downstairs, mostly watching TV, and trying to calm the negative vibes that she felt in her mind. Sure, she and John had experienced their periods of turbulence, but never before had there been this level of… snideness, she supposed. It kept her up well past midnight, until she dozed off on the lounge.
The next morning, Cortana woke up stretched out on the lounge. Casting her eyes over to the clock on the wall, she saw that it was nearly ten, and she figured that she had missed John leaving. Her gaze fell upon a slip of folded paper lying on the coffee table. She picked it up, unfolded it, and read the message that John had scrawled upon it (apparently in haste). He said that he was sorry that he had to leave again, but he would try to make it up to her once he got back. He also reminded her of how deeply he loved her, and this served to pick Cortana's heart up a little bit.
Now, it was a few days later, and Cortana had done her best to keep her mind off worrying about John, mostly by throwing herself into her work. It was not as if she was worried too much about his chances of survival, but more about the potential fallout they would experience over her disagreement with him. She had never given him the cold shoulder before, and truth be told, she still did not know why she had done it this time. If she was to venture a guess, she figured it would have to be a combination of two things: her being unable to accompany him anymore, and her belief that after fighting for more than three decades he should have earned a very long break. The latter never seemed to happen due to the crises that always cropped up.
Heaving a sigh, Cortana rested her head in her hands and proceeded to run her fingers through her hair. Normally, she could solve whatever problem she was dealing with by herself, but this time, she figured that she could do with a little bit of help. But from whom exactly? Dr Halsey? No, as close as Cortana was to her mother, and as much as she respected her and admired her intelligence, she was not about to discuss with her issues regarding her love life. Especially when one considered that John was probably the closest thing the doctor had to a son. Kelly or Linda? Also no, they were too close to John; not a bad thing, just probably not the thing she was looking for at this particular moment. Definitely not Fred, since this probably called for a discussion with another female.
Suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, the answer came to Cortana. Even if this individual was not the ideal person to answer questions like this, they could at least provide a sympathetic ear as she poured her heart out to them. They would not judge her, but do their best to assist nonetheless.
Reaching into her pocket, Cortana pulled out her phone and made a call.
Sipping from her cup, Cortana felt the warmth and the taste of the coffee spread across her tongue. Of all the flavours that she had experienced since acquiring taste buds, she had to admit that coffee definitely ranked high up on her list. Sure, a lot of people found it to be bitter, but it was no less refined or delicious. Her creator and mother, Dr Catherine Halsey, practically lived on the stuff, claiming that she found it difficult to get any work done unless it was providing her with some much needed stimulation. Sometimes, the former AI wondered if she had inherited her appreciation of the drink from her; they did possess the same DNA, after all.
This little café, located just a twenty minute walk from her and John's place, was one of the places Cortana liked to come and unwind, and they definitely served a decent coffee. Frequently, she would bring the Spartan along, though he was more inclined to have a cola or some form of energy drink.
The hustle of activity around the café provided just enough background noise to ensure a bit of privacy for people engaged in a discussion. Right now, Cortana was grateful for this; she didn't want anybody eavesdropping on this conversation.
The person sitting opposite of her was another woman, and appearance wise, she shared more than a few traits with Cortana. The two women also looked to be around the same age, at least biologically, and most people who saw them would be inclined to think that they were sisters. And, for all intents and purposes, they would technically be right.
Miranda Keyes had suffered a terrible injury at the hands of the Prophet of Truth during the battle of the Ark; he had shot her in the back with a needler, burying a total of seven deadly spikes into her flesh. Most people would have died from such a wound, and would have been amazed that someone survived; at least until Miranda told them that she actually had died when this happened. After this, Johnson carried her body away so as to prevent it from being infected by the Flood. She was placed in a cryo tube on board the Forward Unto Dawn. When the ship was travelling through the portal back to Earth, it had the good fortune of being in the front half, and after returning, it was kept on ice for years until advancements in technology could be made to repair the damage to her spine.
At around the time that Cortana became human, Miranda was given the treatment to fix her broken body, and she was brought out of the state of death which she had been suspended in for so long. At first, the doctors thought that she would be unable to walk again, but she soon proved them wrong. Shortly after she began walking again, she packed her bags and walked right out of the front door of the hospital, seemingly oblivious to the shocked looks of the hospital staff that still expected her to be dead, or at least paralysed.
Almost immediately after this, Miranda was contacted by her mother, Catherine Halsey. The two had a very tumultuous relationship from the get-go, and as time passed, Miranda simply refused to speak to her. After her rise from the dead, she seemed to have mellowed enough to once again talk with her. Catherine emotionally told her daughter that she was sorry for being a bad mother, and that Miranda had every right to ignore her, but that even if they never spoke again, she would be happy at simply knowing that she was alive.
Miranda simply gave a small smile, and said that the past could not be changed; instead, they needed to only be grateful for the chance to still be alive after the war, and that they even had the ability to converse. After this, she wrapped her mother in a tight hug, and told her that she loved her, and forgave her for any past mistakes. It was one of the few moments in Catherine Halsey's life when she was too overcome with emotion to talk.
When Cortana became human, Miranda was one of the people who assisted her in learning the basic functions and aspects of the human body. The pair already possessed many similarities in terms of appearance, attitude and intellect, so they quickly bonded. And since Cortana's body was made with DNA from Dr Halsey; Miranda's birth mother, then technically, they were related too. When Cortana brought this up, Miranda smiled and said that she had always wanted a sister, then hugged her. Their relationship had only gotten stronger since.
And right now, Cortana was relying on her sister knowing the correct advice to give in regards to her relationship troubles.
"I have to admit that I am kind of surprised that you and John had a fight like this," Miranda said as she raised her own coffee cup to her lips. "I mean, the two of you have always come across as the perfect couple." She took as drink as Cortana gave her a mild glare across the table.
"It wasn't a fight, per se," she said, emphasising the word 'fight'. "Fights usually involve raised voices and an occasional object getting thrown."
Miranda snorted in laughter, keeping her mouth tightly closed to prevent any coffee being sprayed. She swallowed the liquid and placed her cup back down. "Whatever you say," she replied lightly. "But you've still got to admit that the two of you trading barbs like this is definitely not how you usually do things."
Cortana sighed. "No, you're right," she admitted. "Don't get me wrong, I love him so much, and our relationship has always been strong, even back when I was just an AI. And yes, I've often gone off at him before, but I can't understand why this one was different." She heaved a sigh. "I guess it's because he has risked his neck so many times that I just got tired of it all. Is that really too hard to understand?"
"No," Miranda confessed. "But you've got to understand that John is a Spartan; he's bred for war, and he will always jump at the call. Is that too hard for you to understand?"
Cortana glared at her. "Whose side are you on?" she said.
"Both of yours," the other woman replied firmly. "I care about you both, okay? John's been a good, loyal friend for so long. He was there when my father died, and I will never forget his loyalty or dedication for that. As for you, you're my sister, and I will never abandon you either. I just think that whatever troubles the two of you are going through, then you need to work through it together."
Cortana opened her mouth to respond, then closed it again, and was silent for a few seconds as she contemplated. One of the reasons why she and Miranda had developed such a close relationship was that they had similar outlooks on life. They were loyal and cared deeply about those closest to them, but also knew to balance that emotion with logic.
Even way back when Cortana was still an AI, Miranda could see that there was more to the relationship between her and John than met the eye. Sure, there was the professional relationship of him being the Spartan, and her being his construct assistant, and most would probably not see anything more than that, but Miranda could see that it went deeper. Maybe it was because she had been working with Spartans for a long time, and witnessed the very subtle changes in John's demeanour when it came to matters of Cortana. Or it could be because she was a woman, and saw the changes in the AI's own avatar or heard them in her voice when it came to addressing the Chief. Or it could even be because of the marked similarities between the two daughters of Catherine Halsey that allowed her to notice the behavioural quirks. Who knew exactly? The point was that even in the earliest days of their relationship, Miranda Keyes saw the true underlying essence of what went on between John and Cortana.
It also came as no surprise whatsoever when Miranda picked up on the change in Cortana after her relationship with John had progressed to the physical stage. Simply put, neither woman could afford to lie to the other and pull it off successfully.
"You're right," Cortana said finally. "But that doesn't mean I can't ask for help, right?"
"Of course not," Miranda replied as the former AI took another sip of her coffee. "So the question remains: how can I ensure that you and John will continue doing the mattress mambo?"
This comment was obviously a ploy to stir the other woman up, and it worked like a charm. Cortana's eyes bulged in shock at her sister's blatant comment, and she began to choke on her coffee. It took a few seconds to stop herself from spluttering, and Miranda simply sat back with a victorious smile on her face.
"Miranda!"
"Sorry, but I couldn't resist. Your reaction was just priceless!" Cortana seemed stunned into silence, so she continued. "Besides, I can always tell when the two of you have done it the night before."
"What?! How?!"
"Because you have this certain glow about you. Also you smile more. And you have a little bit of a spring in your step."
"I hate you."
"So, judging from all of that, I'd say that the last time was…"
"Shut up or I'll throw the rest of my coffee in your face!"
Miranda simply could not hold her laughter in anymore, and she let loose a stream of chuckles. Cortana simply ducked her head in embarrassment, hoping that none of the people at the other nearby tables were paying too much attention. To be sure, she cast secret glances out of the corner of her eyes; most were too involved in their own discussions, and those that did notice probably assumed that Miranda was laughing at a joke or funny story, most likely at Cortana's expense.
Shifting her gaze back up, she saw that the other woman had stopped laughing, but still had a victorious smile on her face. Despite her embarrassment, Cortana smiled as well. This teasing was simply part of their relationship and the sisterly bond that had formed between the two of them. There were plenty of times when the roles had been reversed, anyway.
Miranda took a deep breath to centre herself. "Okay, okay, enough jibes. It's time to get down to business."
"About time," Cortana remarked.
Ignoring her sister's remark, Miranda went on. "Now, I must confess that I am by no means an expert on the topic of romance, but I do have a few ideas as to how we can make things a lot smoother."
"Can you tell me?"
Draining the remainder of her coffee, Miranda placed the cup back on the table and stood up. "I will, but we also need to acquire a few essential items."
Following the other woman's lead, Cortana finished her own coffee and stood up herself, allowing Miranda to lead her away from the café and down the street. "I assume that means that we are going to be doing some shopping."
"Correct," Miranda said with a smile as she looped her arm through Cortana's. "And then you and John can get busy making me some nieces and nephews to spoil."
"Miranda!"
John hopped out of the transport that he had hitched a ride home on. He grabbed his bag and thanked the driver before turning around and heading straight for the door. It had been almost a couple of weeks since he had been called out to deal with those damned insurrectionists and their opportunistic Kig-Yar suppliers. Heaving a sigh, he started to wonder if maybe Cortana had been correct when she said that he had no reason to drop everything and fight once more every time his superiors barked the orders.
Cortana; she was what had occupied his mind for most of the time that he had been gone. That was usually the case anyway, but the circumstances under which they had departed had haunted him ever since. Most people would not have considered their disagreement to be a fight, but given the exact nature of their relationship, it might as well have been one anyway.
Inserting his key into the lock and turning it, John made a mental promise that he would try to find some way to make it up to his lover, no matter what. With that he opened up the door.
The lack of lighting was the first thing that John noticed as he entered the room and closed the front door behind him, locking it as he did so. It was far from pitch black, of course, but nowhere near as bright as it usually was. It was almost as if it had been made that way on purpose in order to achieve a certain… ambiance.
The second thing that John noticed was the aroma that seemed to be drifting throughout the room. Scented, aromatic… he figured that it was jasmine with a little bit of lavender. Did Cortana light some candles?
And the third thing was yet another smell; one that cut through the scent of the candles. The smell of something cooking, and whatever it was, it started to make his mouth water.
(AN: I couldn't figure out what the food would be, so use your imagination to fill in the blanks, okay?)
"Ah, you're home. Good."
Turning at the sound of her voice, John saw Cortana standing there with a smile on her face. She was actually wearing clothing that would be considered 'smart casual'; a buttoned blue blouse and knee length black skirt with black stockings and heels that were at least three inches. It was a new look for her, and John could not help but think that she looked very good in it; especially since it helped to accent her hourglass figure.
"Cortana," he began softly, reaching out to take her in his arms. "It's so good to see you again. Although, I cannot help but notice a few things you've done a little bit differently."
"Really?" the former AI asked coyly.
"Really. For starters, something smells good."
"Mm-hm. That would be the dinner. I thought I'd make something nice for the hero's return," she practically purred with this comment.
John responded by pulling her in even further. "And the scented candles and mood lighting? I assume those would be part of your little 'welcome home' celebration?"
"You assume correctly, my dear."
"Well, I have to admit that, even though I appreciate it – very much, I might add – I am still a little surprised by the fact that you went to such measures."
Cortana pushed herself away from him a little bit and looked straight into his eyes. "Well John, when we last saw each other, we didn't exactly part on the best of terms. I guess I just want to make up for that in some way."
John raised his eyebrow. "Because we had a little disagreement? Cortana, every couple goes through that sort of thing, and when compared with them, ours would probably be considered minor. Listen, I know you were just expressing your concern over me going off and fighting for perhaps the thousandth time, and I can completely understand that. I get concerned about you too, you know?"
"Really?" Cortana asked, raising her eyebrows.
"Really," John said solemnly. "When you were being held captive by Gravemind on High Charity, there was hardly a moment when I was not worried about you, or what that freak could be doing to you. And now that you're a human, I worry that some accident could befall you, or that someone with a grudge against me would come after you just to get to me. You're not a chip in my helmet anymore, Cortana, so I can't easily protect you. I worry about that all the time."
John's heartfelt admission shook Cortana to her core. Very rarely did the stoic soldier allow his vulnerable core to show, but knowing that he held her and her wellbeing there was both heart-warming and gut-wrenching.
It was at times like that that she realised how much she truly loved him.
Wrapping her arms around his neck, Cortana leaned up and placed a kiss on John's lips. "Well," she said with a smile, "looks like we'll just have to protect each other to the best of our abilities then, won't we?"
"That we shall," John agreed before returning the kiss with even more passion. After a few seconds, they broke apart. "Now, I'm hungry. Is dinner almost ready?"
"Of course it is," Cortana replied as she led him into the dining room. "I timed it right to be done just as you came home."
"Naturally," John rolled his eyes as he said this. "You always were punctual and able to time everything properly."
"Just sit down and eat, my love."
Though culinary skills were not originally part of Cortana's wealth of talents, her amazing intelligence and rapid adaptability meant that it was understandable she could pick up new skills fairly quickly, so John was not too surprised at how managed to pull of something like this. It was one of those behavioural traits about her that he loved so much. And the meal was absolutely delicious. After nearly a fortnight of living on military rations and MREs, even a sub-par meal would have seemed gourmet to him. But this was in another league entirely!
"You said that you were hungry, but I didn't know how much," Cortana laughed as she observed John digging into his meal with much fervour.
"I guess that my line of work can do that to you," John said, pausing from his eating to take a controlled sip of his wine.
"Touché, my dear," Cortana said, raising her own wine glass in a mock toast.
The couple proceeded to polish off both of their plates, and then took some time to finish off their respective glasses of wine. "I must admit," John said, "that was probably one of the best meals I have ever had. I had no idea that you knew how to cook something like that."
Cortana tilted her head back and drained the rest of the liquid in her glass. "That you very much," she said, then stood up and began collecting the empty plates and used utensils and transfer them to the sink. "It's a new skill, actually. I must admit that I was still a bit bothered about how we parted ways last time, and decided to pick up some new skills to help smooth things over."
"Really?" John asked with genuine mild surprise, as well as a little amusement. "You decided to learn how to cook a gourmet meal in order to ease any potential tension that we might be having?"
Cortana shot back a mischievous smile. "They do say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach."
The Spartan simply rolled his eyes and shook his head with a smile. Cortana's outlook on life definitely seemed to be a combination of simplicity, analysis, stubbornness and optimism; she would simply look at a problem, find the most effective solution, work hard at making it happen, and never let anything get her down. It was at times like this that he realised how much he truly cared about her.
Leaning back, John finished off his own wine, set the glass on the table, and regarded his girlfriend with a look that was both daring and playful. "So," he said lightly, "I don't suppose there is anything else that you splashed out on in order to, uh, 'smooth things over'?"
Hearing the playful challenge, Cortana smiled and walked over to her lover. She gently grabbed his hand and pulled him out of his chair. "Perhaps," she giggled. "But first, there is something that I want to talk about."
She guided him to the living room and made him sit down on the lounge before taking a seat next to him. Almost immediately, John's arm went around her, and she reached out to grasp his other hand in between both of hers.
The former AI fixed her gaze on the Spartan's; her piercing electric blue irises practically captivating him. Those beautiful eyes were enough to make any human stop in their tracks, whatever they were doing. On more than one occasion, they had even work with other races; even Sangheili. In many of those instances, the target of the glare was forced to step backwards, lest they find themselves the subject of something less than favourable. Never with John though; no, whenever Cortana looked at him with those eyes, it was with warmth and comfort, even if the situation itself was a negative one.
She did not beat about the bush either, instead diving straight into the subject at hand. "I feel like I owe you an apology, John." He started to open his mouth, but she cut him off. "No, let me finish. It was wrong for me to question your role in life. In fact, given the very nature and history of our relationship, then logically, there should be no reason whatsoever for me to pop off at you like that. You're a Spartan, and I used to be your AI partner, so I should know you better than anybody else. Admittedly, whenever I was in your helmet, I could never actually read your mind, but still…"
John chuffed a laugh. They both knew that she was rambling a bit, but he simply stayed quiet and let her continue.
"I guess the fact that I am not actually with you anymore means that I no longer know where you are or what is happening to you. And I'm somebody who has almost always known what was going on, especially in regards to you, so I probably see myself at a bit of a disadvantage now. And maybe the other day was simply the time when the stress of not knowing just got too much for me." She paused in order to take a breath and steady her nerves, which had begun to quiver. "But you are someone who keeps his promise. And you have always promised to come back to be, never once breaking that. But I still feel like I need to say that I am sorry for acting up, so… I'm sorry."
A soft smile touched John's lips, and he took Cortana's face in his calloused hands, planting a gentle kiss on her lips. "I still feel as though there is no need for you to apologise, but if it means that much to you, then I accept your apology."
Cortana heaved a sigh of relief and gave a bright smile. "Well, I'm glad that's out of the way. Now, I can give you the other part of your 'welcome home' gift."
Deciding to play along, John leaned back. "I don't suppose it has anything to do with the new clothes you are wearing?" he hinted at suggestively.
Feigning innocence, Cortana stood up, and positioned herself in front of him as he sat back on the lounge. "Sort of," she said with a trace of playful humour in her tone. "Do you like what you see?" She did a slow turn, showing off her new clothing. John ran an appreciative eye over the apparel of a form-fitted blue blouse, the smooth black skirt that clung to her waist and calf muscles, the black stockings that encased her smooth legs, and the three-inch black high heels. Cortana had the sort of body that most women would be envious of, and she usually looked good no matter what she wore. But this new getup definitely did wonders at complimenting her beauty, not to mention accentuating her figure, so John could find no reason not to like it.
"I must admit," he said, "it really does suit you. Very, very much, as a matter of fact." Cortana giggled at his tone, which was starting to become a bit lecherous.
"Really?" she teased. "Well, then I'm sure you'll like this." With that, she turned to face him head on, and slowly began to undo the buttons on her blouse, one at a time.
John did not say anything, but merely placed his hands behind his head in an exaggerated relaxed pose and continued smiling. "Oh, yeah," he breathed. "I'm definitely liking this."
Cortana giggled and continued with what she was doing. After undoing the last button, she pulled the blue fabric away from her flesh, revealing another seductive garment; a black lace bra, which cupped her already generous mounds in a way that almost seemed to make her seem more ample. Flicking a quick glance at John's crotch, she saw the faint stirring of movement beneath the fabric of his pants and knew that she was having the desired outcome.
Not wanting to waste any time with talk, she silently stepped forward, allowing John to reach out and place his hands on her waist and draw her in closer. Kneeling on the lounge and straddling his waist, Cortana leaned back and gave a breathy moan as she felt his mouth descend upon the tender flesh of her neck and move downwards to her breasts. The Spartan's tongue traced lines around the edge of the fabric, teasing the delicate flesh there. At the same time, she felt his hands stroke the sensitive skin along her waist and move up to the underside of her breasts. Those calloused hands were famous for handling deadly weapons and striking the life out of an enemy combatant, yet they just as easily stimulated the senses of Cortana's body in a way that made her head spin.
Focused mostly on the kisses that John was lavishing upon her upper body, Cortana was only vaguely aware of the fact that he was pushing back the blue fabric of the blouse, pushing it off her shoulders and down her arms, fully divesting her of the garment. Not caring in the least about this, she decided to respond in kind, reaching down to grab the bottom hem of his olive t-shirt and pull it upwards.
As Cortana removed John's shirt, she took the moment to also push herself off the lounge so that she was once again standing on the floor in front of it, her black heels giving her a bit more height than usual. Deciding that she wanted to tease her man a little, she turned around so that her back was presented to him, and hooked her thumbs on the top of her skirt. Slowly and seductively, she began pushing the garment down her lower body, bending over as she did so and presenting him with an oh-so-tantalising view of her rounded posterior, not to mention the black lace panties that she had been wearing underneath.
The skirt dropped to the floor, and Cortana stepped out of it, turning back to her man, and placing her hands on her hips in a model's pose that she knew would serve to turn him on even more. It had the desired effect. Seeing his beautiful and curvaceous lover standing before him an a matching set of black lace underwear, the transparent black stockings that encased her long legs up to her calves, and the high heels, John felt his breath catch in his throat. To him, she was always unbelievably stunning, but seeing her like this seemed like another thing entirely, and he felt his heart rate begin to increase.
Cortana gave a seductive flip of her hair. "I take it from the look on your face that you like what you see?" she said in a tone that was equally seductive.
"Absolutely," John replied huskily. He roved his eyes up and down her form, taking in every breathtaking detail of her. He wanted to sit back and just enjoy the view a little while longer, but the demands of his body were arguing otherwise.
As a Spartan, John was well known for possessing a great deal of self-control, but when it came to the amazing love life that he and Cortana had, that tended to fall by the wayside, and this particular situation was no exception. He wanted to hold off on making the next move and just admire the tantalising sight of his woman standing there wearing decidedly sexy garments for as long as he could, but his self-control could only go so far. Finally, he could wait no longer, and set about removing his pants.
Cortana knew full well what John would be wanting, and she was more than willing to grant his wishes, so she got down into a kneeling position and situated herself between his knees. As the Spartan pulled the fabric of his pants away from his crotch, his manhood sprung into view. Licking her lips, both in preparation and anticipation, Cortana reached out and wrapped a slender hand around the hardened nine inches of flesh, giving it a few gentle strokes. After a few seconds, she leaned over and took the organ in her mouth and proceeded to give him a blowjob.
The Spartan leaned his head back and let out a groan as he felt the former AI please him with her mouth, working the blood-filled shaft with her lips and swirling her tongue around the tip. With the occasional hum and soft moan, she sent vibrations through his manhood, which proceeded to give him jolts of ecstasy that coursed through his body like sudden shocks of electricity.
John reached forward gently and placed his hands on either side of Cortana's head, running his fingers through her soft hair and urging her on with her oral ministrations. Any thoughts in regards to the disagreement they had before his departure was virtually non-existent at this point. In all likelihood, the pair would have probably made love upon the Spartan's return, but during his life, John had listened to people – soldiers, officers, civilians and whatnot – who had been in relationships. Many had professed that having make-up sex after a fight was one of the best that could be had.
Right now, John was more than a little bit inclined to agree.
Running his hands gently down the sides of Cortana's head and neck, John moved them down her back to the lace fabric of her bra. Working nimbly, he undid the hook in just a few seconds and slowly began to pull it off. Aware of what John was doing, Cortana continued with her actions as she allowed the bra to be pulled forward and off her shoulders. Now topless, she continued with the blowjob for a few more seconds before stopping and moving to stand up.
Returning to a standing position, Cortana pushed her hair back with her hands; a movement that allowed John to behold her naked breasts in all of their curvaceous glory. Looking down on him – something where she was given a boost by the high heels she was still wearing – she gave him a smouldering look with her electric blue eyes. It was a look that clearly said 'I want you so badly, and right now!'. The Spartan was obviously reciprocating this feeling, and he eagerly shed his pants. Now, he sat on the lounge without a shred of clothing on his muscular form, and a look on his face that let his girlfriend know that he was more than ready to continue.
Reaching down, Cortana hooked her thumbs in the bands of her lace panties and pulled them down her long legs. They dropped to the floor, leaving her wearing nothing but the black high heels and the transparent black stockings that went up to her calves; a truly sexy sight on a woman as beautiful and curvaceous as her.
Without saying a word, Cortana stepped forward again and positioned herself on the lounge, straddling John in a kneeling position. She shifted forward until her now-moist womanhood was positioned directly over his hardened organ. John helped her get into a perfect position, and poised the tip of his manhood at her opening before assisting her in gently easing down onto the shaft. Cortana breathed out a soft moan of pleasure as she felt her man's hardness fill her, and then slowly began to move her body up and down his length.
As she started to bounce up and down in John's lap, Cortana gave a small mental thank you to Miranda for her assistance. On their day out together, she had been the one to suggest that Cortana buy some new clothing and the sexy underwear, and had gone with her to the shops. She had also put forward the idea of making the gourmet meal to start things off, and even encouraged all the other things, such as the mood lighting and scented candles. Despite the teasing, the former AI had listened to her sister and followed her suggestions. And clearly they were paying off right now.
Any further thoughts of Miranda – or anyone or anything else for that matter – were pushed out of Cortana's brain as she continued to move up and down the length of John's hardened manhood, gradually increasing the tempo all the while. As their pace quickened, so too did Cortana's gasps of pleasure, and she leaned her head back as she felt waves of euphoria begin to wash over her.
With her head thrown back, John was treated to the unbelievably erotic sight of her long, slender neck and the gentle bouncing of her firm and ample bosom. His hands were originally on her waist in order to assist in her movements, but he moved them upwards, running them gently across her flesh as he did so. He gently cupped her D-sized mounds, squeezing them and gently pinching her delicate pink nipples. This new, and yet all too familiar, sensation was enough to make Cortana let out a groan of pure ecstasy.
Liking the sound that his girlfriend just let out, the Spartan decided to go even further. He leaned forward and began to kiss, lick and suck on her breasts; starting on the flesh around the nipple before moving to the pink bud itself. He started on her right breast first and then moved to the left. The whole time that he did this, Cortana moaned softly, and eventually stopped her bouncing to hold his head in her hands, attempting to draw him in closer. Instinctively, she continued to grind her hips against his, sending ripples of pleasure throughout their bodies.
For about a minute, the couple simply continued like this, and as Cortana persisted in her grinding movements, she started to feel the sensation building up inside her that told of her impending orgasm. Given John's Spartan physiology, he probably still had a way to go before he reached his own climax, but Cortana would willingly ride him as long as she needed to in order to bring this encounter to its end.
But it seemed that the Spartan had other plans. As the pleasure was starting to build up inside Cortana, John made a sudden movement; pushing her off of his manhood. Before Cortana could vocalise any kind of protest, he had swiftly moved her around so that she was placed on the lounge next to him, and then gently eased her upper body down so that she ended up lying flat. John flashed a quick grin at her as he shifted himself around so that his head was in between her legs. "Hope you don't mind me changing things around on you," he said.
Despite her initial surprise, Cortana could not help but smile. "Not at all," she replied with a giggle. "Sometimes I like it when you turn the tables on me."
"Like that night when we were using the cuffs?"
"Something like that."
John just chuckled and then lowered his face down to her womanhood. Flicking his tongue out, he began to tease the sensitive flesh, causing Cortana to let out a few involuntary bucks of her body. Almost immediately, she felt the growing sensation inside her that foretold her climax.
Instinctively, Cortana began to grasp and squeeze her own breasts, letting out moans as she felt the dual sensations of both this and John's actions with his tongue on her clit. It was only a matter of seconds before she felt herself being pushed closer and closer to the edge of her pleasure, and then over it. Giving another involuntary buck upwards with her hips, she gasped loudly as her orgasm rippled through her.
John ceased his movements while he allowed his lover to experience the scintillating throes of her orgasm as well as the aftereffects. After a few seconds, her breathing began to slow and become steadier, and the Spartan know that it was time for this passionate lovemaking session to enter its next phase. Repositioning himself in between her stocking-wrapped legs, John leaned over her as he aimed his still-hard organ at her womanhood again. Rubbing his tip against the opening a few times, he moved his hips forward, easing himself inside her again.
Still on a high after her climax, Cortana could not prevent the sudden gasp of pleasure that she felt as she felt John enter her once more. Looking up at her man with passion-glazed electric blue eyes, she instinctively wrapped her stockinged legs around his hips, and urged him in further. The Spartan was only too eager to comply with her wishes, and he increased his movements, going harder and deeper with every thrust.
Moaning in pleasure, Cortana felt her toes begin to curl instinctively inside the high heels that she was still wearing. With each jolt of pleasure that coursed through her body, she felt herself wriggle in delight under her man. She continued to urge him in deeper; tightening her grips around his waist with her legs, and using her hands to pull forward on his shoulders.
Through the haze of euphoria that had started to settle upon his mental state, John became vaguely aware of the fact that Cortana's fingers were gripping his shoulders and back so strongly that she felt her nails digging into his flesh. Considering the fact that he had been shot, stabbed, caught in explosions, and subjected to various other forms of physical pain in the past, this current occurrence was minor, but it still made his head spin a little. Though, judging from the glazed and positively euphoric look on Cortana's face, she was probably not even aware that she was doing it. Of course, he did not care in the least, anyway. Instead, he continued thrusting in and out of her, grunting softly as he did so.
The couple kept their pace for one minute. Then two. Then three. John maintained his thrusting in and out of Cortana's warm and moist womanhood, feeling the soft walls constrict around his shaft. Before long, he felt the sensation emanating from deep within his own body, letting him know that it was time to bring this whole event to its conclusion. And from the way that Cortana's breathy moans were increasing in both frequency and volume, she seemed to be reaching her own peak as well.
John slowed his pace slightly and looked down at the former AI. Though she was in a state of pure bliss at this point, she still retained enough conscious thought to look up at him with her piercing blue eyes and answer his unspoken question. She gave him a small nod, and this spurred him on; thrusting in harder and faster each time, and her urging him in deeper by tightening her grip on him.
Seemingly as one, John and Cortana began to gasp and moan louder and faster; the couple reaching their point of release almost at the same time. No words needed to be exchanged between the two of them; their bodies did all the communication that was necessary, and they were in perfect sync, right up to the peak, and they went over it as one.
Cortana leaned her head back into the cushions of the lounge as she had her orgasm, giving a groan that sounded more like a strangled scream, albeit one of pure ecstasy and bliss. At the same time, John thrust inside her as deeply as he could, grunting his own climax, and she felt his warm fluids gushing deep inside her womanhood. It had been a while since he had come inside her and the sheer feeling of it made her head spin. John's body twitched a couple of times as he let loose another few spurts inside her, before he was finally spent.
He let his body down, making sure not to squash her as he did so. Instinctively, she rolled to the side so that he came to a rest next to her, and they wrapped their arms around each other. They just stayed like that, in each other's arms, and his spent manhood still inside her. They remained in this position for an hour, and then another. Neither wanted to break their intimate embrace; not to mention the fact that their session had left them both feeling physically drained.
Eventually, it was John who broke the silence. "You know something, Cortana?"
Looking deeply into the eyes of her lover, the former AI responded. "What, John?"
The Spartan continued. "I had heard a saying somewhere, I don't know where exactly, but it said that after a fight, having make-up sex was the best kind you could have."
Cortana could not help herself. "You heard that too?" she said with a giggle, and the couple laughed together, their past problems forgotten.
Okay, this chapter actually proved to be a serious challenge for me! I don't know why, but I kept stumbling. So I hope it suits your tastes.
For the record, I've always seen that since Cortana and Miranda are both daughters of Dr Catherine Halsey, then technically they would be sisters, wouldn't they? I for one think that the two of them would have a pretty close relationship, and so I decided to insert it into this story. But if any of you are thinking about requesting that I make a threesome, I'll tell you right now, it ain't happening, so don't bother asking. The love in this fic is exclusively John/Cortana, end of story.
By the way, I think this chapter might actually be longer than the original 'On the Beach' chapter! Hmm, I think I've outdone myself.
I wanted to finish this off earlier, but my family and I experienced a tragedy this past week. Our dog passed away on the 7th of August. She was 14 years old (which is practically ancient in dog years) but she lived an incredible life. Still, we'll miss her greatly.
Anyway, I am back in the game people! I will attempt to crank out another chapter in the next few weeks or so.