The Good, the Bad, and the Didact

Comfort

The Didact turned to notice me step away from him. I was fighting to hold back tears. The sight of watching those people get composed had left me emotionally affected. Even though the people on that station were not anyone I knew personally, they were still part of my race. I tried to save them, and I had failed. The Covenant did not cease fire, the humans on there did not evacuate fast enough. I didn't want to blame myself, but part of me wanted to for not getting them to safety in time.

But the Didact was at fault too. I remembered back when I spoke to him without armor. That was his good side, and I knew it. However, he didn't know it. He seemed to go back and forth between his kind side, and his evil side. The evil side took over him, and then when the good side came, he was not aware it was present.

I looked at him with tears in my eyes, until I couldn't hold them any longer. "You knew this was going to happen Emily." The Didact warned.

A tear dripped down my cheek. "I know.....but......it didn't have to end like this. I tried to save them, that way no one would have to die,"

"I had to make sure the Composer worked. And it does. They are not dead, they will be reborn as part of my army,"

I continued to wipe my tears, but they were impossible to keep away, they fell like rain. I didn't want to cry in front of the Didact, but I did. So they would be reborn as Promethean Knights, as much as I didn't like that idea, I did not want to argue with him. My heart raced, I knew my feelings for the Didact were stronger, and perhaps strong enough now to reveal them. I hoped that if I were to say it, he would trust me enough to not kill me for it. That was why he had good in him, he was kind to me and I loved him for it.

I quickly wiped my tears away. "Didact........I.....want to tell you something...."

The Didact walked closer to me, I looked at him, my eyes were still red, but the tears would not be gone long.

"Speak Emily," He said,

I was starting to lose control of the tears coming. I didn't think I would love him so much to have trouble making the words come out. All it took was three words, but all I could do was look at him with tears that once again began to fall.

"Didact......you've.......you've been so kind to me. You....gave me everything I couldn't have before......and I know I can't say it again, because you said you'd......kill me. But the reason why......I think that way about you......you know, it's not just because you're actually......nice to me, and all even if you don't know it......It's also because I...........I.........."

But my words were choked off, not by him interrupting but by myself. I couldn't say it, why was it so hard to tell him how I felt?

"Tell me," The Didact pleaded in a calm voice.

I couldn't respond for a moment, my eyes sparkling with tears that fell like a rainstorm. I looked away from him. "I can't......I can't say it no matter what. You'll hurt me, you might even turn me into one of them....I'm sorry. I can't say it." I said, sobbing.

No answer at first, but at that moment something happened that I did not expect at all. The Didact's arms went around me, and pulled me up against his broad armored chest. I stopped crying instantly as one of his hands went below my shoulder and the other on the back of my head. My heart was going at a probably a trillion beats per minute as he held me against him.

"It's all right, I won't leave you." He said tenderly.

I had never heard him say that before, nor had he spoken with a tone like that. I laid my hand on his chest. He was strong but gentle. I could not reply to those words, they were the most affectionate words he had said to me since my capture. He had good in him, and he was showing it right now, much more than he knew.

"Shall I have my Prometheans take you back to your chamber?" The Didact asked.

"No, I would rather stay here with you." I told him.

The Didact did not answer after that, instead he held me as if he had never held anyone in all this time. I leaned against his chest and he looked down at me. I wish I knew what he was thinking as he held me in his arms but all I could think of was this: I love him. I really do love him, and I don't think I've ever felt this way about anyone. But I do, and it's him. I don't care if he is ancient, a different species, and wants nothing more, but to turn humans into war machines, I love him, I can't let him go. I could feel his arms holding me tighter, but gently and I guess it was safe to say it was passionately. Could it be he felt the same way? I could only hope it.

Time passed, and I didn't know how long we stood here in this tender moment. I didn't want him to let the embrace go. I wished it would continue forever. The Didact fondled me now, his hand stroked my back, and I could feel his fingers running through my hair but very small strands of it. He didn't want to hurt me. The feeling of being in his arms brought me not just love, but strength as well. After an unknown time had passed I heard him speak once again.

"Know this Emily; you will not get another chance like this." The Didact whispered, but I did not hear him completely. I was too caught up in the moment of being with him like this. Then his words echoed in my mind, and I lost consciousness.