"Good for you, Chief" she says, patting his side as she slips around him towards the open door. Before she can get half a step towards the door, the collar of her shirt is grabbed and pulled, making her fall back by the armored spartan's side. She looks up at him with a slight pout.

"Where do you think you're going?" He questions sternly.

"Nowhere, considering my feet no longer touch the ground." To emphasize her point, she looks down at her toes which, even pointed, barely touch the ground, the chief holding her up too high for her to reach. Also as a result of his handling, her arms are parallel to her body till the elbows, where they dangle at that point. She looked like a scarecrow in scrubs. He didn't lower or release her but instead lifted her up further onto one arm. She caught herself with two hands on her shoulder to keep her from going over it. She wasn't going to be a sack of potatoes again. He walked her back to the hospital bed and set her back down on the edge, another point where her feet couldn't touch ground. She glared lightly up at him, but he didn't seem phased.

"Orders are to stay put and recover." He states firmly. She kicks her feet back and forth lightly, trying not to strain her wounded core.

"I know the orders, but I'm not a soldier. I don't have to listen. A little walking around isn't going to kill me. I'm past the critical stage and I've been in this bed for almost two weeks already! I'll go crazy if I stay here any longer! And I'm certain my legs will become useless if I don't do something soon." She argued. He grabbed her firmly by the shoulder and pushed her down onto the bed. She didn't try fighting him, the spartan was twice the size of her, it was obvious he had at least that amount of power, if not more. She laid down on the bed as directed with little more than a frown as she looked up at him.

"Party pooper." She mumbled as he grabbed the ends of the blanket she'd kicked off in her haste to get to him and pulled them back up to her chin.

"Why are you here, anyway?" She asked, sticking her foot out, letting it hang over the side of the bed just to annoy him.

"I was told to check on you." He states vaguely.

"Why?" She asks, quirking an eyebrow.

"I didn't ask. Talking isn't-"

"Your strong suit, I know." She says with a roll of her eyes. He pats her head.

"Follow orders and maybe I won't have to come in here." She sticks her tongue out at him.

"What if I ignore orders just so you'll come back?" She counters, earning her a light-for Master Chief-smack on the head.

"I have things to do. You can behave and recover." She puffs out her cheeks and grumbles but snuggles back into her covers.

"The forerunners, right?" She asks, referring to his comment on being busy. Chief looks at her for a long moment.

"Skuttlebutt." She states simply. He sighs softly and nods.

"Of course. Yes. The forerunners." He says. "It'll take me away from here for a while so you'd better behave and take care of yourself. I don't want to come back and find out that you let this ship fall to the aliens." He states, only half joking. She nods in understanding, face serious for once.

"Don't you worry about that chief. Go do your job, I'll keep these guys safe!" She declares proudly. He pats her head.

"Take care kid." He says before turning and walking to the door. Hearing shuffling and the padding of bare feet on the metal floor behind him, he stops, turning just in time to be tackled by the girl. Her arms wrap around his hips and squeeze as tightly as she can, her face buried in under armor at his stomach. Not really sure what to do, he lets his hands fall lightly on her head and back, just waiting. Before long she looks up at him, eyes filling with tears but a determined look on her face.

"You be careful too, Chief! I have a bad feeling about this mission. You'd better come back to us safely!" She tells him firmly. He pats her head.

"Alright." She pulls back from him and he lets her, his hands dropping to his sides.

"Give me your word, Chief! Promise me that you'll come back safely!" She demands. He nods.

"You have my word as a Spartan." She nods sharply and snaps into a salute.

"Then go kick some alien ass, Master Chief. We're all counting on you." He brings his hand up to his helmet in his return salute before the both of them lower their hands and he turns again, walking out the door and leaving her standing there.

"Be careful, John." She whispers, tears running down her cheeks. She watches him till the doors snap close, cutting her off from the spartan in more ways than she would have ever thought at that time.