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

Her truth

      After dropping Bria off at the medical bay, Thel went for a walk to wait for her to wake up. He decided not to be in the room when she awoke, she could still have those tendencies.

      She heard frantic speaking as he passed a room, he noticed Tyra pacing back and forth talking to herself.

      "I knew she couldn't be trusted. I knew she-" she stopped when she noticed Thel. "Master!" She ran up and embraced him in a hug. She quickly noticed what she did and backed up, put her hands behind her back, and nodded once. "Master." She cleared her throat.

"Tyra," he replied. "What is troubling you?"

She looked like she was on the verge of tears. "Bria, she-"

"She tried to kill me." He said. "And you had knowledge about this?"

"I-I was going to warn you, Master. But she trapped me in a cell and by the time I got out, she was gone." She looked up at him. "I'm so glad you're okay."

      He reached out and touched her shoulder in a comforting way, she hung her head low.

      "Is she...-"

      "She is in the medical bay, I had to do something to her. To help." He replied.

      Tyra nodded. "You should go check on her. I hope for the best."

      "As do I." Thel said and walked off.

      He hesitated by the door, what if she still hated him? He needed to tell her the truth. Even if she was delusional. At least she would be somewhat restrained.

        "She's awake." Someone spoke startling Thel. He looked over at a nurse. "The room is kind of dark, but her eyes were sensitive to the light." She smiled and walked away.

      Thel took a breath and turned the handle. He entered the room, which the nurse was right, it was dark.

      He saw a silhouette of her sitting up on the bed, her back was turned to him and she stared at her lap. He cautiously walked closer to her but keeping his distance. He didn't know what to do or what to say. But he was glad that she was at least okay. At least as far as he knew.

      "You're not the one I fell in love with..." she spoke slowly, her voice was raspy.

       He stopped and froze. Did she get her memories back?

       "How could you do such things?" She spoke again quietly. It sounded like she was suppressing tears.

     She looked at him and his eyes finally adjusted to the dark, she had a blood-soaked bandage on her head, probably from where she hit it on the wall. Her eyes had bags under them. She didn't look well at all.

      "Do, do you remember?" He cautiously asked.

       "Of course I remember! I remember everything and I remember the things you did. How can you do this? Betray us!" Her voice was starting to raise. He saw a slight hue of purple in her eyes.

      "Let me inform you." He replied. She clamped her mouth shut and stared at him. Both of her hands were in fists. "You remember everything? Me? How we met?" He asked just to make sure.

      "Yes. Everything." She replied.

      He sighed and took a seat a good distance away from her. "Bria, I'm one of the largest criminals of the galaxy. What you heard about me was true. But I did none of it against the UNSC. It was with a covenant group that we had a peace treaty with." He sighed once more. Regret all over his face. "I broke that covenant by stealing their weapons and killing their innocent. Women... children...."

       Bria broke out in tears. "How could you do that?"

      "I-I was desperate and paranoid. I thought they would have done the same thing. They threatened to hurt you." He looked up at her tear-filled eyes. "That mission... I turned myself in and they nearly killed me."

     Bria looked away and wiped her eyes.

      "I was prepared to die. But I wasn't ready to lose you." He spoke. "I apologize that I kept that from you. I didn't want to hurt you."

      She remained silent. Her shoulders shrugged and she was trembling.

     "I hope I didn't break your trust..." He spoke softly to her now. "I would understand if you couldn't forgive me, but I wish one day you will." He stood up to leave.

      "Thel!" She yelled. He froze near the door. She was still shaking, he could hear her sob.

     Suddenly he felt an embrace from behind him. Her tiny human arms held onto him while she rested her head on his back. She continued to sob for a while. She tried to speak but couldn't get words out.

     He missed this. They both needed this.

     "I forgive you." She said in a whisper. She let go and he turned around. "Everyone makes terrible choices, and what you did is unforgivable. I've done my fair share just in the last couple of months. But you dealt with the consequences even if it meant death. But you got a second chance, you got a million chances. So I will give you a second chance." She said.  "I love you, so so much. And I don't know how Sangheili relationships work, but with us, it requires communication and trust. Thel, I trust you with my life. But you could've told me a lot sooner and we could've figured things out together."

     He felt relief that she forgave him but still had guilt upon him.

     "I'm sorry I tried to kill you..." She cleared her throat. "I wasn't me."

     "I know." He replied. "I thought I lost you forever. That you would never remember me."

     "You and me both." Bria smiled but quickly frowned. "I did so many terrible things... I had such a thirst for power."

     He reached over and gently grabbed a strand of her hair. "But you're still here. You have a second chance."

     She smiled and held onto his hand, kissing his palm. "I should go apologize to Tyra if she doesn't try to kill me. We were getting pretty close."

     "She's a good soldier."

     "Seems very protective of you." Bria chuckled. "Oh, and I have to check on Hejiro and Cyva and Flas, I bet they're concerned too."

      "Whom?" Thel questioned.

     "Oh, Hejiro is a Jackal that I kidnapped." She said.

    "No, you said Cyva and..."

     "Oh and Flas, the Elite and Grunt that helps out Tyra. They're a part of the Swords, aren't they?" She asked.

      Thel pondered. "I don't recall those names."

     "You mean, you don't remember recruiting them?" She asked slowly.

     Thel shook his head.

     Bria thought about it. The memories from when she lost her memory were hazy, but she defiantly remembered those two. They helped with finding Thel but disappeared on Sangheilios... But they seemed to care about what happened to them on Sanghelios. But soon after she told them, the massacre happened to that clan...

     Tick...

     Bria's heart dropped. So did Thel's.

     Tick...

     "Uh, Thel..." She hesitated.

    Tick...

     "Spies..." He said.

     But it was too late.

    BOOM!...