Escalation

John couldn't help but smile just a little himself. After having been alone so long, spending so much time not knowing how much of his family was still alive, here stood the three Spartans he'd missed the most. The three people whose presence he'd wished for more than anything in the closing days of the war, and his conflict with the Didact. He would have swiped his fingers across his faceplate, but they were in a crowded hangar and a part of him wanted to keep the gesture strictly between himself and his team. It was, after all, one of the few things that was purely Spartan-II.

"I'm going to check over the engines. This bird was recently rebuilt, and I really don't want to get stranded on a Halo because of shoddy repair work," Linda said. She then turned toward Kelly, "Besides, I don't want to have to jump out of a pelican with failing engines either. From what you told me it doesn't sound fun."

"I'm never going to live that down, am I?" Fred asked with a small shake of his head. "You weren't even there."

"Lucky me," Linda quipped before she turned and moved around the dropship to check on the repairs.

Fred let out a long breath before he looked to John and got back to business. "I'm going to make you lead on this mission, John. You have an idea of what we're up against. All of us read the reports, but you're the only one with actual experience."

John was a bit conflicted at the notion of being put in charge. On one hand that was where he was comfortable, leading the other Spartans; but at the same time Fred was a higher rank than he was now, so it wasn't proper chain of command. "Yes, sir," John said, knowing that orders were orders - even if they made him feel like he wasn't following orders.

"Don't think I'll get used to that one," Fred said with a slight smile. "I'm going to go check our orders again. I don't want another mess like LIMBO." 

"That was a bit of a fiasco," Kelly admitted. "Though I think those llamas were as surprised as we were. This time I would prefer having up-to-date intel."

Fred nodded and moved away, but John noticed him glance back at them for just a moment. Kelly watched Fred leave, and she must have seen something John didn't because her gaze then shifted to the floor and she frowned slightly. When her eyes did move up again they were squarely on John. She smiled and John couldn't stop himself from smiling back. If she'd had her helmet on he would have swiped his fingers on her face plate, not caring who saw. He wanted her to know he was smiling back, but he didn't dare take off his helmet. It had been too long since he'd had a good sleep and he was still relatively tired. He didn't want her to see that, not now, not after she’d waited so long.

"How about I show you what kind of gear we've already collected and you can tell us what we might be missing." Kelly turned to walk into the Pelican and John followed. Kelly led him to the front of the ship, before the doors that would seal off the pilot’s area, where they had a rack of assault rifles. "We have MA5Bs for everyone and a couple of shotguns, though Linda decided against bringing her sniper rifle. The reports indicated that DMRs should be adequate for anything we find. Anything else you think we should bring?"

"Did you really think I wasn't coming back?" John asked. He hadn't planned the question, but it was nagging him and he wanted an answer.

"When did I say that?" Kelly asked, furrowing her brow as she tried to remember.

"Just a few minutes ago," John informed her.

"I said I didn't think we'd see you again, not that you wouldn't come home," Kelly corrected. "Now, do we need any other weapons?"

"The weapons are sufficient for Prometheans," John assured her. "So why then did you think I'd return, but not see you?"

Kelly frowned at him now, setting a hand on her hip. "I guess I figured we'd be dead. The UNSC exhausted every trail or hint toward where to find you, and there was nothing. That just left exploring every galaxy, system by system, until they found you - and that takes a long time."

"I still don't understand," John said, frowning behind his helmet. "How could I truly come home if there was no Blue Team to come home to?" Kelly’s frown vanished and for a moment she just stared at him before her features softened and a smile spread across her face. It wasn't the same smile John was accustomed to, but rather a mix of sad and happy. The kind he’d seen on family members of soldiers as they returned home safe. Kelly reached out and drew two of her fingers across his face plate. "You don't need to do that," John informed her. "I can see your smile."

"Yeah, but that comment deserved two smiles," she explained. "I really missed you, John."

"I missed you too," John said, letting her smile infect him until he was smiling as well. He reached out and gently took her helmet from her hands and she let him. John ran two of his fingers across the reflective surface of the visor to make a smile before he handed it back to her.

"Oh, is the big bad Master Chief afraid of showing his face to a harmless woman?" Kelly teased.

John looked around the Pelican and then looked back to her. "I don't see any harmless women." There was something comforting in how easily he slipped into his old habit of exchanging teases and taunts with her.

"Someone's been practicing their flattery." Kelly smiled wide. "But seriously, John, it’s been five years."

"And months without showering," John reminded her. "My suit's filters can handle it, but I don't think that you can. After five years I think you can wait long enough for me to take a shower first." Hopefully that would at least by him some time to get some sleep.

Kelly sighed and took a step toward him. "Let's make a deal. You step into the cockpit, and you get to keep your helmet on." John didn't quite know what she wanted, but if it got her off of the subject of removing his helmet he'd agree. John moved into the cockpit and Kelly followed him. He was caught off guard as her arms wrapped around his neck and he found himself in a tight hug. John wrapped his arms around her waist and they stood in the privacy of the Pelican for a few seconds, just enjoying the chance to have a moment alone.

Or at least they’d thought they were alone, because suddenly there was a knock on the front glass of the cockpit. John turned to look over his shoulder and saw Linda on the other side, smiling cheekily at them. "It had to be her," Kelly muttered. Linda slid out of view and John slowly released Kelly. "She's going to be insufferable."

“What else is new?” John said. He looked to the back of the Pelican as Linda appeared in the rear hatch of the vehicle.

“You two have no shame,” Linda said mockingly. “Just wait until I tell Fred about this.”

Kelly sighed again and John smiled; happy that for the moment things were as he had never hoped they would be again - him and his team, his family, having a moment of rest between missions.