Halo: Uncovering the Truth (Book 3, Arbiter x Female human series.)

Overwhelming

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

Oh gosh... He was going to hate her for this, but she didn't have any choice. It's been two days since she saw the news. It's been two days since Thel was gone as well. Long story short, she was panicking.

The door opened slowly and Bria welcomed herself in.

"Buck, I..." She looked up and was almost startled.

There was a tall, slim woman in front of her... it looked like she just woke up.

"Buck?..." Bria questioned.

"Bria," a man suddenly appeared from a hallway. Bria sighed in relief. "I know I told you you're always welcome, but it's four o'clock in the morning. I'm an old retired man."

Buck was shirtless, and the woman was in a very silky nightgown. Bria looked back and forth from Buck to the woman but didn't question it.

"So this is the famous Bria you were telling me about." The woman smiled kindly and extended her hand. Bria shook it.

Bria was suddenly shy. Not a lot of people talk about her. So she thought...

"Good things I hope?" Bria laughed awkwardly.

"Oh yes! You have amazing talents and... interesting tastes in men." The woman chuckled.

"Kid," Buck said. "Why are you here in the wee hours of the morning?"

Bria was on the verge of tears. "I'm freaking out." She blurted out.

Buck sighed. "Come here." He led her to a comfy dining room table. On the way there he snagged a shirt and pulled it on. Bria sat down.

"Drink?" Buck asked while pouring him and the woman some whiskey.

Bria shook her head. "No thank you." The last time she drank, the beast inside of her didn't like it too much...

"What's bothering you, kid?" Buck took a sip.

Bria folded her hands so they could stop shaking. "Well, Thel left a couple of days ago to go on some type of mission. This is the first time we've been separated since Kyle. I just don't understand why it's taking him this long. Do missions always take this long? I'm just worried that he got hurt, or captured, or worse. Am I just an obsessive wife?"

"Wife?... oh you're married to him?..." The woman said quietly, followed by a slight push from Buck.

Bria started crying. "I mean... you would've thought he would've called or something... right? Or send an old-fashioned letter to tell me he's okay? Wouldn't he do that?"

"He could just be in a tight situation." Buck replied. "He's too stubborn to get himself killed, or captured."

"I just feel kind of, lonely. It sucks! I've destroyed 18 dummies so far!"

"Well just know you're welcome here whenever you need a friend... just not at 4 AM please..." he replied.

Bria smiled, but for only a second.

"What else is bothering you, Bria?" He asked seriously.

Bria sighed and looked at the woman.

"I can leave if you want me to..." the woman said.

"No. No..." Bria looked down at the table. "It's not a secret anymore that I have a criminal record." She looked at Buck. "I used to work for a Brute. He was the biggest unknown criminal on the planet. He did some really bad things to me... manipulated me, killed my friend, mentally, verbally, and physically abused me. Terrible, terrible creature... my point..." Bria lifted the bottoms of her pant cuffs, revealing a slightly healed brand on her ankle. An odd symbol. Both the woman and Buck looked at it. "This is how you knew you were his." She pulled out the phone and brought up the screenshot she took of the news. "This was on the news the other day."

"It's the same symbol." Buck said.

"I killed him!" Bria blurted out "I choked him to death with a wire, and then I see this." She looked at the photo again. She started to cry again as she started to get physically sick. "What if he's back? W-what if he wants to find me? What if he has Thel?"

"Bria," Buck rested his hand on her shoulder. "You're overthinking this. Thel is probably fine. And those symbols probably mean nothing."

Bria wiped her tears. "I'm a mess..."

"Do you want to stay in the guest room until he comes back?" The woman asked. Buck shot her a look.

"I-if I could just stay the rest of the night, that would be fine..."

Meanwhile: somewhere in the galaxy...

"Argh!..." they burned him, not giving him a chance to talk. Not that he would if he could.

They laughed at him. "Where're the Swords now? I will admit, it was pretty bold of you to turn yourself in Arbiter. Especially since you know the consequences."

Thel clenched his teeth in pain. They continued to laugh and burn him with torches.

"Should I expect someone to burst in at any second? What about that lovely girlfriend of yours? I'm sure she would be a tasty snack for the pets." They chuckled again.

"... Wife..." Thel growled. He was furious but knew he couldn't do anything.

"Oh, how special. Interspecies marriage is special. But if I were you, you should've waited..."

Another burn. More unbearable pain.

They made Thel look at them. "Tell me Arbiter, does your wife know you're the most wanted criminal in the galaxy?"