Location: Rooftops of AMBER Base
Beaumontia, Epsilon Eridani system
7th July, 2543
10:59pm

"Is Emile still raging?"

"You know he loves his baby girl."

Celestina-A178 shook her head at that, giggling to herself. She leaned against the solid railing of the rooftops of AMBER Base, her body facing her best friend of 13 years. "And I love his nickname for me."

"What, you're saying it's better than mine?"

"Don't be silly, Jun!" The giggling continued. "'Princess' is a thoughtful nickname. It'll always been one of my favorites."

"Oh yeah?" Jun walked up to her, joining her at the solid railing. "What will it take to become your all-time favorite nickname?"

I don't know. Maybe by telling me that you feel the same way about me as I do about you? "I can think of a couple of things..."

"I'll bet," That was followed by a chuckle, and then by a 3-second silence. "Emile just hates that Team Phantom is going to be down a member and that member is you, Celest."

"But it's only for a short while though," She said. "It's just a small operation with Yuri. I'll be back before he knows it."

"He'll come around. He's just being a big baby."

"I know, right?"

The two shared a hearty laugh at that. Beaumontia's gorgeous moon hung over them and Jun just loved the way it sparkled in her soft hazel eyes. "Look, I know it's just a little operation, princess, but I want you to take good care of yourself. Tell Yuri that if he doesn't look out for you, then I'll unload a sniper round into his ass."

Celestina raised her hands up in front of him. "Whoaaaaa, watch out! We got a badass over here!"

"I'm serious, silly girl."

"Jun," She dragged in a playful manner. "It's going to be okay. I'm sure of it. We will complete the mission and I will be back in your strong arms before you know it." She reached forward and squeezed both of his biceps to further illustrate her point.

"So does that mean I don't get a hug right now?" He questioned just like a little child.

"Aw! How can I resist this face?"

That was more than enough for the male Spartan. Celestina wrapped her arms around his neck, his arms around her waist, trying to hold her as close as possible. It almost felt like the first time they shared a hug, back when they were 6 years old, going on 7, and he knew how frightened and traumatized little Celestina was. Hugs between them were practically tradition now.

"I know you're a little scared. Just remember that I believe in you," He then said softly. "Nothing's gonna happen to Yuri either. It will be okay."

That definitely made the corners of her lips rise. "Thanks, sweetie. You're the best! I love you."

How I wish you meant it. "D'aw. Love you too, princess." He said as they pulled back.

Celestina's heart skipped a beat. How I wish you meant it. How do I tell him? It's impossible. We're not allowed to be... That's the least of my worries. If I tell him, what if it destroys what we have? I don't want that. I'll just die. Yet, if I try... "No, Jun. A-as in... As in I..." Her voice was stammering with so much nervousness.

As in what? What's she trying to say? Is-is it...? "As in you...?" He left that sentence open for her to complete.

"As in I love you for being the best friend a girl can have!" Goddamn it, I can't...

However, Jun was not having that. Something in his gut told him that Celestina was driving towards the other thing - the thing he had wanted to say the most. "Celest, don't get me wrong but... but I feel that you're trying to tell me... something else."

Shit. "Well... what do you think it is?" She attempted to put up a confident front.

"I think it's something more than what you're telling me. Just tell me, please."

She was wondering how the hell could he not hear her beating heart. She could hear it thumping in her head. "I love you, and I don't mean it in the way I mentioned earlier."

It took an insane amount of discipline not to pick her up and kiss her right then and there.

Jun was going to say something when Celestina added the next few words: "Ever since we've met, you've being doing everything you can to make me happy, to keep me safe. To keep me from blowing my own brains out when I couldn't take the nightmares from what happened on Convergence V. I guess that I... I love you for the fact that you take such good care of me. Like I was family."

He grinned at her, trying to hold back his laughter. "Good to know. Because I feel the same way."

"Y-you feel th-" The words were caught in her windpipe and they had no intention of coming out. She just stared at him with her big eyes, shocked out of her mind.

Her expression was causing him to lose it. "Celest, come on! This is supposed to be a serious conversation!"

"You took me by surprise!" She chided, slapping him on the chest.

"Ow!" He grunted, shielding his chest from her. "Well, I'm sorry. I guess I should have been more forthcoming with my feelings!"

"You should! I got lucky!"

"I don't know, princess," Gaining major confidence, he closed the gap between them, swathing his arms around her. "By the looks of this, I'd say I'm the lucky one."

His action prompted her to put her arms around his neck casually. "That is so sweet of you to say, Jun."

They stayed like that, in pure bliss, with neither of them saying anything just for a short second because they were taking the time to grin and giggle at their situation. Both of them couldn't be happier.

Jun's voice dropped to a whisper. "Say it again, Celest."

"Say what again?" She asked in a teasing voice.

"You know what."

"I'd much rather show you." She said as the fingers on her right hand trailed over the tattoo of a fistful of arrows on the left side of his face.

"Well then, what's stopping you, princess?"

Nothing was stopping her, nothing at all. So she leaned in to press her lips against his for the first time and it felt like the best feeling in the world.

Location: Jun's office, Hydra Base, Mars
December 25th, 2552
9:48pm

"Jun?"

That same night, the former NOBLE Team member was sitting comfortably on his office's leather sofa, ever so engrossed in his data pad as he was looking through his potential recruits. "Yes, Death?"

"As today is Christmas and it is our first Christmas ever, I thought it was only right to give you a present," The AI console had beamed to life and Death stood right in the center of the cylindrical vertical console.

That elicited a smile from Jun. "Aw, Death. You didn't have to. Hell, I didn't get you anything!"

"You did not have to and you never have to," He said. "Because you have already given me the greatest gift of all and that is the gift of life."

That statement warmed the sniper's heart immensely. He almost didn't have a reply to that. But he managed with, "That is so sweet of you to say, Death."

"I think of the most perfect things to make you blush, do I not?" Jun felt a smirk coming from the faceless AI.

"What, you're hitting on me, now?"

"Do not be ridiculous! You are not my type!"

Jun's forehead connected with the arm of the leather sofa as he tried to hold back his laughter. What a comeback.

Death also let go of a dark chuckle. "Come, Jun. Eyes front. My gift will be on display."

So Death activated his special ability to appear life-sized and brought up a large holographic blue screen in front of his carrier. The words "UNSC" appeared on the top left of it. What Death had brought up was a profile on someone. A profile picture then appeared - she had soft hazel eyes, shoulder length deep red hair that was parted down the middle, and her skin was just slightly tanned.

If Jun hadn't been sitting on the sofa, his data pad would have landed on the floor instead.

"Death..."

"Celestina Jenette Devon. Former Spartan-III of Alpha Company. According to the records, Lady Celestina resides in the military base entitled Starwave, right here on Mars as the head trainer there. She had been discharged from the Spartan-III program in 2549 after having been diagnosed with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder," Death then turned his faceless self to the gawking Jun. "It is to be noted that she has been completely cured from the disorder."

Jun managed to get to his feet and stood in front of the holographic screen. His eyes ran all over it - her biographical and military information, reports from psychological evaluations and notes... this was her entire profile, right in front of his eyes.

"Death...? Just exactly what kind of protocols did you break for this? And why?"

If Death could, he would be smiling right now. "You have been staring at a holo-still of her for 4 months now. I think it is time to actually communicate with her. We have her location now so it should not be a problem whatsoever. And as for breaking any protocols..." He moved away from the screen and to his carrier instead. "I would have done this for you sooner but I was still learning. As I learned, I also learned how to be as stealthy as you were. I was in and out of ONI's database instantly. After all, it is easy to find someone in the Spartan program with the name 'Celestina'."

"I... can't believe you actually found her," He turned to his AI. "Death, this is amazing! You're amazing!"

"If Lady Celestina is the key to your happiness, Jun, then I will do whatever it takes. You are my little Spartan and there is nothing I would not do for you."

"Well trust me, buddy," Jun sat a hand on Death's shoulder and squeezed, just before turning his head back to the holographic screen. "I'm gonna be happy for a very, very long time."