It's been a long time. I finally got around to writing the sequel! The Gears story didn't go so well and I haven't really been on a computer much lately. Girlfriends caused the delays. LOL. Any, this is the second part to the story "Human" so if you are a new reader, read it first. Welcome back any fans of the original. You guys really were awesome.

Chapter 1: Bride to be?

The music began to play. John stood, suave in his tuxedo in front of the collective crowd. He scanned the mass before him, waiting patiently for his bride to be. A black limo pulled up and a woman swathed in white emerged. Her face was covered in a veil. She turned, somehow knowing where he was. John smiled, watching her intently. Cortana lifted the veil gently and began to walk up the aisle. Suddenly, there was a burst of plasma fire and she was sheared in two....

John gasped and sat up in bed. He was breathing hard and fast. Cortana shifted beside him and sat up. She put her hand on his arm and said "John? What's wrong?"

"Bad dream. Nothing to worry about." He said slowly, still marveling at how vivid it all was. It shocked him. John had seen thousands of fellow soldiers die in the line of duty but his former AI partner's death terrified him. Fear was something he had rarely truly experienced, but now a simple dream caused him trouble.

"Are you sure?" said Cortana, looking over at him. She had very seen him worried or scared before. Even facing death didn't shake him. He was a living legend. John, Spartan 117, destroyer of Covenant. He had killed thousands, if not more. What could shake him up so badly?

"Yes." He said, kissing her gently.

"It's nothing. Nothing at all."

Several months after the final covenant incursion…

"John."

"What?"

"What do you think about a green theme for the wedding?" said Cortana, pouring over a stack of planning books taller than a Hunter.

"Ha ha ha. Very funny." Said John, aiming a ball of clay at the back of an unsuspecting Arbiter's head.

"John, be serious! You're an adult. Act like it." she glared up, her hair framing an intense gaze.

The Spartan rolled the clay between his hands. He looked at his feet, mocking shame.

In the last few months John and Cortana moved out onto one of the colony worlds know as Timgad. It was a partially industrial world because of the covenant attacks. The raids destroyed entire cities, cutting the planet's original population to a third in only days. The world was green, with sprawling jungles intermingled with the gigantic cities.

They had only recently moved in to their new house, so pretty much everyone and their grandma had to come over to visit and give them house warming gifts. Some of the gifs from the aliens were almost unidentifiable, so they were pushed aside. John still wonders were that one crawled off to.

At the moment, the Arbiter, several grunts and Kelly were around, just hanging about. Kelly was cooler these days, calmer. Her trade mark sense of humor hadn't faded and even played jokes on some of her comrades. She even had settled down with a nice marine named Hicks. John was happy. She was one of the last of his Spartans and he didn't want to hurt her.

A grunt waddled in, holding a card. John looked over at the creature. It jabbed the piece of construction paper forward gently and said "To Spartan, with love."

John looked over the card with mild interest, examining the image carefully. Cortana set down her book and walked over, giggling at the grunt's comment.

To john it looked like a pickle wrestling with an orange with a face. Hell, he didn't even understand the writing at the bottom of the page. His grunt was a little rusty.

Cortana said "Awww! That's so cute!" she patted the grunt on the top of its head and smiled. "John, it's you and him hugging."

The Spartan looked at the grunt and weakly tried to smile. He was still so used to having to blow them up. It was weird to have one handing him a card of them hugging.

"Erm, thanks little guy." He responded.

The creature squeaked in approval.

The arbiter cast a look of despair toward the grunt and shook his head. These were the troops under his command? Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

"Spar- John. How goes the preparations for your soul bond?" he said, towering over the Spartan.

John looked at the alien helplessly. After all the things he'd seen and done, marriage terrified him. The feeling was alien to him. "Me married? Never. I would have never thought in a thousand years that I would find love. But, here it is." He thought, smiling at Cortana.

"Uhhh, fine. Just fine. Why do you care?" he said.

"Good. I just don't want to have it sprung upon me." Said the Arbiter, shrugging. He had little know about these things. Back on his homeworld he had little to do with females for he had a valiant career to pursue and had no spare time. He had never really thought about this error until now. How foolish he was, to pass up his admirer's affections. "What an idiot." He thought, shaking his head.

"Hey John. Cortana." Said Kelly, practically skipping into the room.

"What's up Kelly?" said John.

"Oh, nothing. Just been thinking alittle."

"I know I'm gonna regret this, but about what?"

"Just wondering if you guys were thinking about having kids anytime soon." She grinned evilly. John didn't have anything to say and Cortana just blushed abit.

"No, we haven't even talked about it." said Cortana, adverting her gaze.

The arbiter, never missing a beat said "Kelly, can I show you something?" as he lead her out of the room, winking to John as he went.

"Thank God that's over." Sighed John.

It's great to be writing again. This story currently has focus but I'm entirely open to other ideas. If you have any, make a mention if you want me to include it.