Once upon a time there was a chick (let's call her yappichick) who wrote a Halo fic called Moving Forward for yuletide. She posted it and thought that was the last time she would ever write in that universe. Her muse, however, had different plans.

This universe is based around the 2010 Happy Halodays card. The concept of the AU in a nutshell: most everyone (with the exception of Miranda Keyes) in the UNSC survived the events in the Halo trilogy and John and Cortana, along with Johnson and the Arbiter, make it back to Earth through the Portal in Halo 3.

There are references to all of the games (of course), The Fall of Reach, Human Weakness (from Halo: Evolutions), and Halsey's journal (from the Halo: Reach Legendary Edition). The first chapter is copied almost word for word from my "Moving Forward" fic, so if it looks familiar that's why.

A huge thanks to my Babe for betaing this sucker and my f-list for listening to be rant and panic and squee throughout the process. This story is complete and I'll be posting a chapter a day until all nineteen chapters are posted.

One last note, this has absolutely nothing to do with my other crazy AU, "Under the Surface".

The party was over, the fire had nearly burnt itself out and everyone had left.

Except Cortana and John.

She sat cross-legged, appearing to hover slightly over the holotank. She watched the Master Chief as he stared into the last remains of the fire. He silently swallowed the last gulp of beer before setting the mug on the ground next to his helmet.

Cortana knew something was bothering him.

During the Christmas party, John had been as social as she had ever known him to be, even going so far as to make conversation with Johnson and the Arbiter, but as their friends and colleagues started to leave, Cortana noticed a subtle shift in his mood. Once the last of the group left, Cortana didn't address the pensiveness that had settled over the Chief, knowing that he would talk to her when he was ready.

Finally, he turned away from the crackling fireplace and looked squarely at Cortana. "You've received new orders." There was a tinge of accusation in his voice.

He knew.

She hadn't expected for him to learn about her new assignment before she had the chance to tell her himself. "You found out about that, huh?" she asked, trying to keep her voice nonchalant.

"When were you going to tell me?" Though his voice was even and almost emotionless, his eyes were looking at her with a mixture of hurt and confusion.

She stood up and started walking in a tight circle. "Tomorrow morning. I wanted to give you one night away from the UNSC and their redeployments. But," she said as she stopped pacing, holding his gaze, "I would never leave without saying goodbye, John."

He flinched slightly. Whether it was because she used his given name or because he didn't want to say goodbye, Cortana didn't know.

"Doctor Halsey said that you're going to be deployed by the end of the week," he said, frowning slightly.

Of course it would have been the doctor who told John of her new orders, Cortana thought with a wave of annoyance. Couldn't she have given him one evening of peace?

Aloud, she spoke none of her frustration. "The UNSC is eager to start reterraforming glassed planets to try to boost morale. I can't say that I blame them," she said, shrugging slightly. "Reach is their first priority. They want me there to make sure that any sensitive material that somehow survived the attack doesn't fall into the wrong hands."

"I know," John replied. He shifted in the chair, turning away slightly from the AI. "I requested to be assigned on the Unto the Light."

Cortana raised her eyebrows. That was her ship. Quickly, she hacked into the personnel assignment for the Light's crew. Sure enough, John's request and Lord Hood's subsequent approval were there.

"But you hate deep space travel," she sputtered, still bewildered by this new information. "You just destroyed the Flood. You could choose any assignment you wanted."

"I did," he rumbled.

Suddenly the conversation had taken a turn that Cortana, despite her vast knowledge, had not been expecting. Surely she was reading into the Chief's words. "Is the rebuilding of Reach that important to you?" she asked, keeping her voice light.

He raised his right eyebrow, as though he was surprised by her coyness. "You know why I requested this assignment, Cortana," he chided softly, turning back to face her.

Cortana was taken aback by his directness. Maybe it was the alcohol talking, maybe it was the release of emotions after being repressed throughout the Halo campaign, maybe it was the simple fact that his helmet was off, but she couldn't remember a time that John had ever been so forthright with her.

Yes, she knew his reason for deciding to volunteer to serve on the Light, but there was a part of Cortana that wanted-no, needed-to hear the words directly from the man sitting in front of her. "Tell me," she whispered, not wanting to break the thick yet not unwelcome tension that had settled over the room.

There was a long pause as he considered her words. So much time had passed that Cortana thought he had decided not to acknowledge her request.

She looked at his eyes, noticing the swirl of emotions running through them. His jaw clinched several times before he finally spoke. "I'd miss you."

They weren't the exact words Cortana had wanted to hear, but it was the closest to a heartfelt confession she would likely ever get from the Spartan.

She took a step closer to him. "I'd miss you too," she replied softly.

And, if she was honest with herself, it was that simple fact that had kept her from telling John about her new orders as soon as she had been given them. After he had gone to High Charity and rescued her from the edge of the abyss, from the clutches of the Gravemind, it was nearly impossible for her to imagine performing any mission without John at her side.

She longed to reach out and touch him, but knew it was impossible. No, the only thing Cortana could offer John was an intangible yet unshakable companionship.

It was enough for the both of them for now, Cortana decided as she noticed his eyes soften at her declaration.

She cracked a smile, easing away from the tension. "I guess that means you'll be keeping me busy while I try to keep you out of trouble." She sighed dramatically.

He flashed a rare grin at her. "Funny," he replied dryly. "I was thinking the same thing about you." He stood up and grabbed his helmet off the ground. "The next time you get a new assignment-"

"I'll tell you. I promise," she quickly assured him.

He nodded, pleased. "Good night, Cortana."

"Good night, John."