Halo: Awake and Alive (Book 2, Arbiter x Female human series.)

Attention

About two days later, Bria was sitting on a bench in the armory, polishing a new DMR. Her new DMR to be exact. She found it, claimed it, she's even tempted to engrave her name in the side.

The truth was, she was trying to distract herself. The fact that she's dying is weighing on her shoulders. It left her feeling hopeless and depressed. Thel has been so busy with the Swords of Sangheilios that she hasn't seen him much. But she found everything that could distract her from her distraught. And some of those things worked.

"Well, howdy stranger." Her head popped up as she recognized the voice. Spartan Buck walked to where he was just in front of her.

"Buck!" She smiled and looked up at him. And to his surprise, she stood up and gave him a hug.

"Oh! Good to see you too." He said and awkwardly patted her back. "You look... Different."

"I feel different." Bria said.

"Yeah. I heard about your uh..." He didn't exactly say it, but Bria caught on.

"News spreads around fast here?" She frowned.

He gently nodded his head. "I'm sorry. How are you coping with this?" He asked.

"About as good as anyone who got told they were going to die in a month." She says. "It's a lot to bare. Like, this is it? I'm just going to die? Without doing anything important?"

"Hey, that's not true. You're a hero." He placed his hand on her shoulder. "You got revenge for your family. Heck, you and Arbiter killed that scientist... Thing... And saved Sangheilios."

She sighed. "I just wanted more than this. My whole life I've just done stupid and terrible things."

"Haven't we all?"

"I always wanted a family. A good faithful husband. A kid or two. Living peacefully in the mountains. I wanted to be a nurse and have a good career. I still have dreams I want to make a reality." She let a tear slip.

"Well, I've seen miracles happen. And I believe that you'll fulfill those dreams." He added.

"Buck I'm literally being eaten alive." She replied.

"Yeah, I forgot about that detail." Buck whispers making Bria chuckle.

"Are you going to miss me?" She joked.

"Sure. I mean I don't even know your name still, but I'll make sure to give a long speech at your funeral." He said.

Bria smiled and looked down at her feet.

He then touched the necklace that Thel gave her back on Sangheilios.

"Sparkly. Where'd you get it?" He asked.

"Oh, you know... Thel..." She felt her cheeks heat up.

"He got it for you?" He raised an eyebrow.

Her cheeks heated up even more. "H-He carved it out for me... When w-we were back on Sangheilios..."

Noticing her tomato red cheeks, he asked "Is there... Something you're not telling me?"

Bria looked away unable to answer.

"Oh my..." He whispered.

Bria sat down and covered her red face. Buck sat next to him and grabbed her arm.

"You actually like him?" He asked.