A/N: A chapter I'm been wondering whether or not to write because of the nature of it. But hey, it's fan-fiction! Enjoy! :)

Summary: Celestina has a little secret that she's struggling to tell Jun.

Location: Spartan Training Bay, Hydra Base
Mars
23rd November, 2553
9:03am

"GOOD Morning, Lady Celestina! Exquisite day, is it not?"

"I guess so, Death."

"And YOU! You are getting lovelier every day!" He complimented with a hand cupping her chin.

For that, she smiled gratefully. "Aw, aren't you just precious?" Although… the smile then disappeared. "Cut the act, Death. I know why you're here."

"Oh?"

Celestina straightened her back after leaning over the railing to watch the new batch of Spartans train. "Jun suspects that I'm keeping something from him so he's appointed you to do a little detective work and play some mind games with me in order to figure out what exactly that is."

Death was silent for just 2 seconds. "In my defense, Lady Celestina… I did warn him that you were rather intelligent."

She gave him a genuine sweet smile for that. "Thanks, but I can handle my own problems. Tell Jun you couldn't get anything from me."

He bowed at that. "As you wish, Lady Celestina," Death spun around to seemingly leave, but he halted his action and titled his head to her once more.

"What's up?" She asked.

"This might be an error on my part but…" He turned his full body to her again, while scanning his surroundings. "I am… detecting a second heartbeat."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Heartbeat? Death, you're in a military base; there are thousands of heartbeats here!"

"Nooooo…" He dragged. "This is different…"

Speaking of hearts, Celestina's was beating like a drum at Death's actions. After glancing around, Death finally set his sights on her stomach, bending over and eying it suspiciously.

With the jig up, she grabbed his shoulders and forced him to look at her, while she wiggling her finger at him. "You CANNOT tell Jun!"

"Oh my goodness!" He squealed like a little child. "Am I going to be an uncle?!"

"Can it, Death, someone might hear you!" She took a quick peek around.

"I apologize but I cannot contain my happiness!"

She sighed deeply, mumbling her next words, but it was enough for the AI to hear. "I'm glad someone's happy about this…"

"My lady?"

"It's nothing," She waved her hands in front of him. "Look, you really can't tell Jun. Death, I need you to back me up on this!"

"But he cannot be kept in the dark!" He said with awe.

"I'm just trying to find the right time! So in the meantime, I need your word that you can keep this a secret from him."

"I-"

"Pleeeeeeeease?" She tugged at his arm. "For your Lady Celestinaaaaaa?"

"Well, I…" Maybe it was lingering habit he had inherited from Jun, but Death could not bear to disobey her request. "Alright. For my Lady Celestina."

Location: Celestina's private dorms
10:26pm

"Is the princess still in a bad mood?"

As she was lying on her back on the bed, Celestina removed the pillow she had been using to cover her entire head with. "I'm not in a bad mood!"

"… Doesn't sound like it to me." Came the reply from the bathroom.

With a mighty growl, she dumped her pillow over her face once more.

Jun emerged from the bathroom and joined Celestina on her bed with a light jump, pulling the pillow off her face. "What's wrong? A fictional character in your audiobook having troubles?"

The corner of her lip curled into a half-smile at his question. "Lucky guess. The main character's upset because she's keeping a secret from her boyfriend."

"Why? What's the secret?"

"They… haven't revealed that yet. But she's worried that her boyfriend would get made at her."

"Well, I hope it works out for them," Moving her fringe away from her eyes, he then asked, "I have an idea. Why don't we visit Christian?"

He saw her entire face light up. "Really?"

"Well, if it will cure this period of sadness, I'll take you everywhere you want."

"I think seeing Christian might do me some good. Yes, I'd love that!" She told him, beaming.

"Then it's settled. We'll let Musa know and he can give us a day off."

Location: Caden's residence
Losantiville, Seven Hills, Mars
25th November
9:25pm

"You cheated."

"I'm just good, Jun!"

"Well, that's only because your aunt teaches you and she's quite the shark." Jun replied as he reshuffled the cards in his hands.

"But she says you always let her win!"

"I used to, but then when I tried to get serious, she would destroy me!" He revealed. "She doesn't believe me when I tell her I'm trying."

While Celestina was having a chat with her aunt, Jun and Christian were bonding over a game of cards, as they always did (as long as Caden did not know). They were sitting on the floor, leaning against the side of Christian's bed. He had just beaten his uncle again in a game of poker and the truth was Jun was letting his nephew win. Why wouldn't he? Christian was a bundle of energy, and now his family.

"Jun?"

"What's up, buddy?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"How come you and Aunt Celest don't have any kids?"

Jun glanced at him curiously at the 10-year-old as he picked up his glass of scotch. "Kids, you say? Why all of a sudden?"

"Well, you and aunt Celest have been so good to me! I always think that you two would be awesome parents!" He answered heartily.

The Spartan-III smirked that Christian's enthusiasm. "Well, buddy… your aunt and I have only known a life of war. It's not something we're really interested in, you know?"

Titling his head, he then asked, "But how do you know for sure what Aunt Celest feels?"

"Not to brag, but I know your aunt inside out. It's kind of my thing." He took another sip.

"I'll bet!" He chuckled at that.

"Okay, my turn to ask you a question, but there's something you have to promise me."

"What's that?"

"You won't tell your aunt Celest that I asked you this. At all." With that, he presented his fist to the boy.

Christian collided his own fist with Jun's. "Promise!"

He leaned in close, worried as if Celestina could hear him somehow. "If your aunt was in trouble, she would tell me, right?"

Of course, Christian could not understand why Jun would ask him something like that. "What do you mean?"

"Well…!" Burying his entire face in his large hands, he rested against the side of the bed, appearing to drown his unspoken sorrows. "You aunt has been keeping a secret from me but for the life of me, I can't figure out what it is!"

Thought amused by his uncle's actions, Christian was going to try his best to help him out. "Maybe she'll tell you later?"

"You think?"

"I really don't know. Girls are weird, Jun."

Location: Celestina's office, Hydra Base
10:34pm

Celestina leaned against her desk, deep in thought as she waited for Jun to walk in. He was conversing with Musa about tomorrow's augmentations session and would join her in her office in a little while.

She felt as if there were a hundred and one voices in her head, all battling for dominance. When to tell Jun about her little secret? He was already suspecting her and he could usually tell when she was lying to cover her tracks. Celestina was probably – no, obviously the only one who knew Jun inside out. She was his best friend, his family. However, this one thing – she could not figure out how he would react.

"Finally got rid of the old man," All the thoughts in her head dissolved when the door to her office slid to an open and one of the Commanders walked in. "Don't get me wrong: he's great company and all, but I've always found better company in the princess."

She was definitely happy to hear that. "I had a great time."

"So did I. Even though one might not define getting repeatedly defeated at poker by a 10-year-old as a 'great time'," Jun stopped at a distance from her. "He's a sweet kid. I'm glad to be a part of his life."

"You're family, Jun. It's only right." She said solemnly.

That did it for Jun. Time to jump in headfirst. "Okay, Celest, what's going on?"

"Huh?"

"Let's not pretend, princess. You've been acting shady for the last 6 days now. I've been explaining away your changes in behavior but a guy can only take so much!" He told her distraughtly.

She folded her arms across her chest. "What did Death tell you? You sent him on a scouting trip, didn't you?"

"I have no idea what you're taking about." When Celestina continued to glare at him, showing him that she was not to be fooled, Jun gave in reluctantly. "Death did warn me that you're rather intelligent."

"That'll teach you a lesson," She said with a smirk. "But I don't blame you. You're used to me telling you everything. I keep one secret and you're losing your mind. It's actually been really entertaining."

"So tell me," He begged. "What's going on?"

She held her breath. How to put this in words? "I don't know how to tell you." She sighed dejectedly.

That was only raising more alarms for Jun. "You can. You can tell me anything. It's how it's always been between us. Celest, if you're in any kind of trouble, Musa and I will do whatever it takes to protect you."

"I'm not in trouble. At least… I don't think I am. I can't tell, but probably. I don't know!"

"It doesn't matter; you don't have to deal with it alone."

"Well…! I… It's like this…" Each time she opened her mouth, only partial words or air would come out. Would his Spartan training prepare him for this bomb she was about to dump on his bald head?

"I'm gonna turn 50 by the time you actually say it!"

"Okay, okay!" She released another epic sigh, as well as the two words. "I'm pregnant."

"… Wait, what?" It was as if he did not pick that up.

"I-I said I'm pregnant."

He gawked for a few seconds and that made Celestina even more scared than she already was. Oh, I'm fucked.

"That's it? Oh man!" Much to her surprise, he placed a hand over his heart, relieved. "I thought it was something life-threatening! You really scared me! I-" He then paused. It was as if the reality of the news finally hit him like a ton of bricks. "Wait… did you just say that you're pregnant?"

She nodded, though timidly.

Jun gasped, as if he had been widely offended. "Christian, you jinx!"

Her eyes squinted at that. "What?"

"Nothing," He waved it off, getting back on track. "Wait, I don't understand. Why didn't you tell me the moment you found out?"

"One reason? I was afraid you'd freak the fuck out and be mad, but I can see that's not the case."

"I'm mostly confused. Mainly because-"

"The augmentations screwed up my insides? Well, it turns out the human reproductive system can be a bitch!"

"I... wouldn't have put it that way but okay. What are the other reasons?"

"I just… don't know what to do!" She almost squealed.

"What do you mean, princess?"

"I mean… What would we know about raising a kid?" She questioned, pushing herself away from her desk. "We've only known a life of war. I don't know how to run a family; all I have are those 7 years with my own family and I've only got bits and pieces! How does one even raise a baby in a military base? What would we be able to give him? Or her? What could we possibly offer the kid? Teach him how to snipe a motherfucker from 50 yards away? How to stab a guy in the face? Just… how are we supposed to take care of a kid? It's just unreal!"

He listened intently and then slipped his hands into the pockets of his pants. "You make it sound like you don't think you can be a good mother."

She shook her head vigorously. "I can't be. I couldn't take care of myself for the majority of my life. I depended on you. A brand new life is going to be dependent on me now and how am I supposed to do that?"

Nodding at her words, he casually made his way towards her. "First of all, you and I are in this together, so you're not alone. And second of all… I remember this mission we had as Team Phantom. 2545, I believe. The Covenant invaded the small colony of Decorence. We were called to assist and save as many lives as we could. We drove the Covenants off this neighborhood and you entered this house after detecting a human lifeform and… you emerged with this baby in your arms. You held her as if she was the most precious thing in all of existence. You spoke to her, sang her your lullaby. You refused to move on to the next location until she was in the right hands."

Of course, Celestina could not fight the grin as she herself recalled that day. "Major Owens was baffled. Did he honestly think that calling me 'crazy' and a 'freak-of-nature' would offend me?"

"Owens was always a jerk, anyways. You, on the other hand-"

"I was just doing my job. To protect the innocent."

"A job that you were perfect for," He added. "Come on, princess. You think I or even Emile could've handled that situation better? We wouldn't have known the first thing to do. Probably just stare at each other in confusion. Celest," Jun then took her hands. "You're naturally warm and loving. This Spartan life never hardened you like it did to others. I think you'll be a great mother to him. Or her. It'll be fine."

With a heavy sigh, she pulled away, needing to take a seat on the sofa. "I'm just worried… that we'll get in huge trouble. Yeah, we're no longer in active duty but that doesn't change the fact that we're Spartans. I'm scared of the consequences. ONI's gonna kick our asses. What will they do to us? And him? Or her?"

Jun followed her to the sofa, sitting right next to her. "We're part of the Spartan branch, princess. Not ONI."

"But we used to be. Surely they'll get involved and try to do something about this and it won't be pretty."

"ONI will have to kill me if they want to lay a finger on you or our kid."

It was hard to stop that smile that was forcing its way to her lips. His bold statement also caused her to giggle.

"I knew that would make you laugh."

"Actually…" She glanced up at his face. "It sounds like you want to give this a try."

"That depends on what you want, Celest. The choice is yours."

She fell silent at that for 3 heartbeats, as if she was scared to say the next words. "If we can't do this, there'll be hundreds of families who can give him a better life. It wouldn't be right to take the other road. This kid's innocent after all."

"Fair enough. Giving him up would definitely be better than the other road." He nodded at that, completely understanding. Or so she thought.

This was one of the moments where he let his mask slip. "Tell me the truth." She requested. "I highly doubt you want to give him up though. In fact, I'm really surprised that you're taking this lightly."

He snickered. "Lightly? Oh no. I'm terrified. Panicked. I'm still wondering how come I haven't fainted yet. I mean, let's face it: between the two of us, you're better fitted to be a parent. I'd be a terrible father! But if I have to think about it… considering that the kid's my blood, I don't see how I'll be able to part with him after he's born. He's our family."

"You're right. It's… actually a pretty amazing thing," She smiled. "These past few days, he or she has been quite the influence on me. I've been super careful about where I step or what I eat."

"Are you sure? Because you've been eating more than usual. I was wondering where you packed it all."

She pouted at that. "I'm not fat, am I?"

With a smile, he patted her head. "You're perfect, don't worry."

"We'll need to tell Musa, though."

"I'm sure Musa will help us out. He loves us after all. At least… I think he does."

A gleeful laughter left her upon hearing that and it took her a few seconds to calm herself. "You really think we can do this?"

Jun could not say for sure. This was going to take their lives in a completely different direction. "I honestly don't know. Guess we'll have to see, won't we?"

She gave him one final nod. "Yeah," Celestina did, however, had one final question. "You think he or she will pop out wearing MJOLNIR armor?"

A/N: Hope you've enjoyed! :)

I'm also opening to taking ideas for all these extra chapters. :)