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

4 years later...

It didn't take long for Kyle to finally pass on. But four years felt like fifty for Bria. She missed Thel and Cassie and yes even Buck. Kyle didn't do anything to harm Bria, he was too weak to do anything, in fact, she just watched him wither away day by day. At times she almost felt bad for him. At times she felt like putting him out of his misery. But she kept his word and stuck by him until he passed on.

His death was brutal yet peaceful. He screamed for hours in pain but when he finally gave up, he just crumbled to dust.

So much for wishing for immortality.

Bria eventually went back to the UNSC, but not for the purposes you're thinking.

Thel and Cassie were ecstatic to see her again, knowing she was safe from harm. Cassie has been raising that child that they rescued from that one attack. She's also a nurse at the UNSC medical clinic. While Thel is still the amazing leader for the Swords or Sangheilios. And Buck retired a couple of years ago, but for some reason, he still lives on the UNSC ship. He's now like a father for Bria. A silly old father. And one of her best friends.

"Bria Wi-..."

"It's Vadam." Bria cut the man off. "It's Bria Vadam now."

This was the reason Bria returned. She had four years to deeply think about her past. What she's done and who she was. She felt extremely guilty for doing the things she did and not getting punished for it.

She turned herself in.

The man stared blankly at her. "Right..." he cleared his throat and scanned through her criminal records. "You've robbed 35 places, stole about one billion worth of items, helped torture people for information, worked for a criminal mastermind, even managed to sneak into a UNSC base without being seen and stole thousands of dollars in weapons from us, and you've been hiding from us for years."

Bria swallowed hard. She felt herself sweat. "That is correct."

"And you murdered one innocent man?"

Bria flinched, she forgot she told him about that. She still feels guilty.

"Let me ask you this, miss Vadam. What are you expecting us to do now that you've turned yourself in?" He asked.

"I-I don't really know. Life in prison? Execution? I don't know." She stuttered.

"I'm not going to arrest you on the spot." He leaned forward. "I've noticed you changed your ways. What was the reasoning for your crimes, you didn't do it willingly? You didn't want to."

Bria looked down at her hands. "I did it to pay for my sisters' treatments." She whispered. Tears started to build.

"I see." He leaned back and crossed his arms. "Where is your sister now?"

"Gone sir." She felt one tear slip.

"Rest of the family?"

"They're gone too." She sniffed.

"Bria, you won't spend your life in prison, I'll tell you that right now. The worst I'll probably do is community service for the rest of your life or rebuilding cities that have been destroyed. I don't punish good people."

"But I deserve it." Bria started crying.

"Yes, you do. It's not my choice to make, though I can persuade it. Do you want to spend life in prison, spend life away from your husband and best friend?" He asked.

Bria looked down at her ring finger. The stone shining in the light. "N-no..."

"Then you won't. I'll have a board meeting and we can decide then." He said. "For now enjoy life. Spend time with the ones you care about."

"Thank you, sir." She shook his hand and left.

When Bria walked out, she saw a sight that melted her heart. Thel was crouched on the floor in front of that kid. He was handing him what looked like rocks from Sangheilios. His eyes lit up at the sight of them. Cassie finally called him and he ran off laughing and bragging about how cool the rocks were.

Bria approached him. "You would make a great father." She smiled.

"Raising children in Sangheilios is very strict." He said.

"I would say brutal." She laughed. "I've read about it. It's a good thing we're not on Sangheilios, imagine if we had kids?" Her face immediately turned red. "N-Not that we can. I don't even know if we can, I'm just assuming it's physically impossible. I-"

Thel picked her up.

"T-Thel!"

"You talk too much." He chuckled and rested his head against hers.

She laughed. "Put me down!"

He obeyed her and sat her down.

She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. Knowing that it's over gave her peace. The mistress is dead, Kyle is dead. Though she has these powers, at least they're not killing her anymore.

There will always be a war between good and evil. But she will enjoy life as it is and have faith as it goes on.

"What did they say?" Thel asked.

"They're planning what to do with me. I deserve so much worse Thel." She said.

"I'm glad they gave you mercy." He said.

"Me too. I just don't know what to do now." She said.

"We'll figure it out together."

She smiled and held onto his arm. "I love you big guy."

"I love you too."

The end