Chapter 21

Word count without Author's Note- 2,604

A/N: So... I've been silent for far too long. I want to say that I'm sorry for such long wait, everyone. A lot of things had happened in my life. I graduated from high school, took some extra courses, choosing which university to go to, family troubles, outright writers block and so much more, life has just been... Hard. But it feels good to finally be writing again. Granted I'll say that it'll be sporadic, I still want to keep writing. I hope all of you can forgive me on this.

And since it had been quite awhile, I'm pretty sure my writing has become quite rusty. So let me know if it has gotten bad or still remained the same, criticism is important to any development.

Anyhow, I've kept you too long from what has happened last time on this story. So enjoy to your heart's content.

Plus... RWBY has been doing well so far, no? So many new questions and theories for us to decipher, especially for Volume 6.

As always, I don't own Halo or RWBY

The past few days seemed to have passed by in a strange blur for Glynda ever since the conversation she had with Patrick while she lingered within her room in the academy. And the information that was revealed to her had her mind locked on the very person that the conversation was revolving around as if she had been cursed by some spell to never had said person out of her head.

Riley.

How could she be so transfixed on one person for three days straight? The answer was very obvious to Glynda, dead on right in front of her face. But her pride refused to admit it at first. She didn't want to, assuming for it to only be a trick on the mind or just a temporary distraction. But with the months she had spent with the ODST observing him as he taught at Beacon and three nights ago said otherwise.

Glynda Goodwitch was in love.

It seemed to be ludicrous at first to even think of that. How could she love such a reckless man who had very little regard to his own life? How could she find the effort to love a man who constantly butted heads with her? It was simple... He won her heart over with his actions of bravery and heroics in the face of death over and over again. He might've said he was a ghost long ago to her, but what he did spoke huge volumes compared to his words alone. On the contrary, he was more human than anyone else she knew amongst her peer group.

Glynda gently massaged her forehead to rid herself of the stress that was getting to her while her face remained a lightly tinted pink as she thought about Riley. "Oh dear Oum, this is going to be the death of me if this continues for me," She softly muttered to herself. These very thoughts she had about Riley had been distracting her even in her teaching in classes that she often had to excuse herself to calm herself down.

But once again her mind drifted off to Riley after a moment of clear thinking. "Look at yourself, Glynda. Acting like a young woman in her teens," She mused. But it deep down she knew there was nothing wrong in that. For longest time she yearned to have someone to love, admittedly being afraid to confess how she felt to the ODST due to past experiences she had in previous relationships before.

"Oh you bothersome man, how you befuddle me so."

She knew sooner or later she had to get this off of her chest lest it would drive her insane. And right then and there, she made her choice. Standing up from her desk, she gently pushed her glasses up and let out a soft huff.

"Might as well deal with it now."

Without second thoughts, she left her room, knowing where the man in her mind was with nothing to stop her now.

Riley sighed to himself as a UNSC medic was doing some final checkups on him while glancing out of the window. It was another sunny day with barely any clouds lingering in the sky. Just another day for him to linger in the world of the living once again.

Another day...

"Alright, Sergeant, you're clear to leave the infirmary. Just take it easy, you hear?" The medic told him jarring him out of his thoughts.

"Oh, yeah... Thanks anyhow, doc," Riley replied to him as he got off of the bed as the medic soon left the room leaving him alone to his thoughts.

"heh, take things easy? Easier said than done," He thought to himself rather bitterly.

The past three days had been a sort of hell for the ODST ever since that damn night terror he had because... because...

He shook his head furiously and gritted his teeth. "You idiot, stop going there," He muttered softly.

It was nothing new to Riley. Every once in awhile, the past would come to haunt him in a spectacular display to nearly render him nonfunctional as his mind would play dirty tricks on him. From the death of family members to fellow comrades that paid the ultimate price to... a lost loved one. It was nothing new. But it always drove to near points of insanity as always.

But the past three days seemed to be bearable for him. And as much as he hated the reason, he was without a doubt thankful. And it happened to be the very woman that has been hounding him ever since he had joined Beacon Academy... And the one who looked just liked her.

Riley found himself to be thinking about Glynda more often now which her found rather bothersome in the beginning due to the fact she reminded him of his happier days... And darkest as well. She was strict and annoying like her. Yet she had her moments of kindness and soft-hearted just like her.

Riley huffed to himself as that iconic UNSC saying jumped in his head all so suddenly. "Spartans never die. They're just missing in action." It seemed to be living up to it's namesake in his situation that he was in right now. A sad smile appeared on his face as he sighed softly. "Guess you never truly left, huh... Sasha."

He couldn't deny it to himself anymore. Riley had fallen for the blonde Huntress. And long ago though not wanting to admit that part. Granted she had both her similarities and differences to the deceased SPARTAN-III he had come to love, but the differences she had he did come to love. Her disciplined like nature in contrast to her rare yet witnessed humble nature. He just... loved her. And it annoyed him so much, but also brought him comfort, especially during those past three days.

He then gasped softly to himself hearing the door open and looked over. He calmed down a little seeing it was his brother and he sighed. "Patrick."

"Hey, the medic told me you're finally discharged from the infirmary. I thought I would come see you for a moment before I get swamped with paperwork again," Patrick told him with a soft smile on his face.

"Just knock next time, you bastard. You nearly gave me a damn heart attack," Riley replied back to him.

"All right, all right, little brother," Patrick said laughing softly before nodding. "Well I just wanted to let you know that the procedure you're supposed to undergo has been pushed back due to what happened to you. Ceri would want you at your best and all. She is the ONI officer anyhow, so I trust her judgement."

Riley nodded back at him and sighed softly. "Yeah, thanks for keeping me on tabs then," He replied back.

Patrick couldn't help himself as he reached out and gently placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Hey," He said softly. "You can't let the past dictate over your life, Riley. The past is the past."

"How? Tell me. How could I forget what happened to everyone? All the marines that died in my arms... Blown up with nothing left of them... Bleeding out without anything to be done for them..." Riley retorted to him being quite furious with himself. "They... They should still be alive instead of me.:

"Riley-"

"Patrick... Just leave me alone... I'll be ready for the project tomorrow..."

There was silence between the brothers before the eldest sighed softly. Though he wasn't mad with his brother so to say. "If you say so. Just take care of yourself, Riley, okay?" He said before turning around to leave the room.

Riley just remained quiet as his brother left before he gritted his teeth once more and tightly clenched his hands into fists. He was so furious with himself. How could he move on? How could he live his life normally after all that has happened? How could he be human again?

Not wanting to linger much longer in the infirmary, he went onto leave as he was discharged anyhow after getting changed into his clothes which had been washed during the past few days so he wasn't in smelly rags. All he wanted was to just be alone now.

He kept to himself as he barely said hello to any students or faculty members he passed. Not even a wave to them as he walked right out of the building the infirmary was in as all he wanted was some fresh air and return to his room eventually. He thought a quick walk would try to get his mind off on what just happened with his brother and... Glynda.

He grumbled knowing he didn't want to think about her despite the feelings he had admitted to himself. He just didn't want to deal with her at all today as he was passing a nearby cliffside the trail went by that overlooked the water.

Riley just prayed to whatever higher being was out there in hopes that he wouldn't see the blonde Huntress at all not wanting to deal with her at all today.

The gods seemed to have other plans in store for him as his ears picked up the familiar clicking sounds of heels on the stone trail he was on. He cursed silently to himself as he looked up and narrowed his eyes. "Oh fucking hell."

The very person he didn't want to see at all was walking right towards him. The familiar green eyes seemingly fixed on him as if she was trying to see right through him. Glynda marched right up to him as she soon said "Riley."

"Not now, Miss Goodwitch," Riley replied to her. Though his mind did catch something. Did she just say his name outright?

The Huntress narrowed her own eyes as she stopped right in front of him. "No, I need to talk to you right now." Glynda swore she could feel like her heart would burst out of her chest as she was standing right in front of the man she loved.

"Is it really that important?" Riley asked her being quite annoyed and wanting to be away from her as his own face was slowly starting to heat up.

Though what took him off guard was when she slightly puffed her cheeks up and soon shouted "Just let me talk to you for a moment, damnit!"

The ODST was taken aback from this as his own heart raced from her close proximity to him as he stood still. And Glynda seemingly took this as her opportunity as she nodded and calmed herself down. "I... I just want to say that I'm... Sorry," She announced.

"Sorry? Sorry for what?" He asked being confused.

"I'm just... I'm just sorry that I just seemed to treat as nothing but a dense headed man like Ironwood. Even after what Ozpin told me about your special day to respect the fallen, I still... I still didn't take in account of your own life... The losses you had... Your brother told me when you had your night terror," Glynda bluntly told him trying to get it out of her system.

Riley froze up looking at her. "... What did he tell you?"

"Everything... From your parents... Fellow soldiers... And... And Sasha."

Silence enveloped the two like a blanket as Riley stared at her with shock in his eyes that slowly looked away from her. "So he told you, huh? Typical of him. He's always trying to help me move one... Easier said than done."

Glynda looked at him as she trembled ever so slightly before nodding. "Yes, he told me." She nibbled on the inside of her mouth for a quick moment as she soon said. "It's the past. There's nothing else that can be done."

Riley seemed to tense up more from this when she told him this. But it wasn't the end as she continued. "Riley... I know the losses I had could never compare to yours... But I know myself how to lose people. Those I cared about and loved. I know how it's like." Glynda closed her eyes and took in a deep breath before nodding. "But you shouldn't let any of that hold you back from living your life. Many times I wanted to give up after losing so many friends of mine... But I chose to live so their memory could live on as well. Because we can cry our lives away. But if they were here, they would say"Go forward. You must keep moving on." I'd know those you've lost would say the same thing as well."

This here seemed to strike something deep within Riley as he looked at her with utter shock before shaking his head. "No... No, you don't understand. The sins I carry are mine to carry alone. I've kept going on for how many years now and I'm still here! They never grew older and got to enjoy life! And I'm still here lingering like a damn spirit! What kind of god allows that to happen!" He shouted at her unable to keep himself back now.

Glynda stepped back from his statement before she glared at him and stamped her foot forward. "Then let me help you carry your sins then!"

"And why do you care so much, huh?! Why dote on a broken person like me?!" Riley screamed at her as tears threatened to fall from his eyes now, his stubborn will being the only thing keeping them from doing so as he turned around to leave not wanting any of this anymore.

This here seemed to be the last straw for Glynda. And her body seemed to move on it's on as she swiftly reached out and snatched his hand and pulled him back. He turned to look at her before she soon shouted the most unexpected words in his life as her tears fell freely from her eyes and her body shook.

"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU, DAMNIT!"

Riley's mind went into overdrive from her statement as she looked up at him with tears streaming down her face. Glynda sniffled softly before she took another brave step forward as she slowly removed her hand from his and gently placed both of hers on his face.

"Oh you bothersome soldier... You don't need to be alone forever... Because today is the last day you'll be alone," Glynda declared before she pulled his head down and did it. She closed her tear filled eyes as she pressed her lips to his.

Riley felt his entire body nearly freeze up from this and eyes wide. He looked at Glynda as she was kissing him in near desperation to show him the love that she bore for him. He was unsure of what to do in this moment as he felt hesitation from the Huntress as she slowly began to pull away. But his heart and body moved on it's own as he pressed back against her lips and closed his eyes as well. Pent up tears well worth years had finally began to fall down his face.

The two stood there for what felt like an eternity as their lips remained pressed together as their tears were of joy and hearts racing happily. Doubts seemed to have faded away with all worries and fears in this moment that they shared together.

And for the first time in a long time, Riley no longer felt guilt or pain resting upon his shoulders. All he felt now was the warmth of love he thought he had lost long ago.

The Ghost finally had love once again.

Well I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and the outcome for these two. It was honestly one of the pieces in all of my writing I did enjoy doing.

It was good to be back writing again. I'll do what I can to pump out some more stuff out. Thanks again, everyone. Stay safe and keep moving forward.