The Sanghelli opened the door and then armed the bomb.

"Chappy, one of the mothers said that she lost a child in there. Can you get him out?"

Zeus and Z ran to the other side of the ship, near the hangar.

"You get the ship ready," Zeus said, "I have to go rescue a kid."

Z nodded, and Zeus ran near a gated area.

"Freeze!" A man popped in front of him with the child, holding a gun to his head. "I'll kill him. I'll kill him and then kill you!"

Faux's yellow AI shape shimmered in his visor. "I'm slowing down time, boot. You can do this."

The man's voice slowed as Zeus' adrenaline caused time to slow. He moved as quick as a deer and threw the knife that he had drawn straight into the man's eyeball. He fell back and propelled the little boy forward, right into Zeus's arms.

"Z, is the Phantom ready?"

"Waiting on you, Makara. Come on!" 

Zeus sprinted with the little boy in his arms, the boy still shaking from the terror that he had endured.

"I'm sorry, little buddy, you should have never experienced that. You got a mom and dad?"

He shook his head yes as we ran on the Phantom.

"We're gonna get you home. But here," He took his helmet off and put it on the boy, "You need to stay protected. Let's go Z!"

It took the three of them five minutes opposed to the thirty it took to get there to get back to town. The Pelican and a disheartened Riley awaited them.

"Erica, take the boy to his mother. We have to get up to the Dusk." Riley said.  

The three took off to the Fire of Dusk. Zeus stared out of the window and watched as the ugly monster of a Covenant Corvette created a beautiful explosion, as the myriad of purple, red, and yellow fires illuminated the glassy surface around the ship. That light illuminated the ground for miles, and the people in the town all raised their fists and cheered. Their strife was over, and the Spartans had saved the day once again.

"Exodus One, Sarah Palmer would like to see you in the video chat room when you arrive. I believe you have a promotion availiable. Walden out."

Zeus sighed and watched Riley and Z speak. Riley shook Z's  hand and then escorted him to the questioning room for interrogation.

"We'll meet in your quarters, big guy." She walked away.

The familiar stench of gasoline and sweat filled Zeus's nostrils as he took his helmet off and walked down the hallway.

"Welcome back, Captain Makara."  The ODST troops saluted him and he saluted back, and then ran to the communications room.

"Commander Palmer, sir!" Zeus stood at attention as the Commander of all Spartan IV's stared at him through the big screen on the wall.

"At ease, Colonel," she said with a smirk on her face.

"Colonel? I thought I was a captain?"

"Not anymore. Due to exemplary service on Requiem and the defense of Earth and the battle of Sanghelios you have earned a promotion."

"That's quite a jump," Zeus said.

"Well, we have been getting our records together after we decided to wait for Cortana to pop up," she said. "The boredom actually helped us do something productive. We have gotten promotions out there to every Spartan who deserves it. Even Derek."

The commander liked to joke Derek because he was ranked lowest of the Spartan IV class. He almost washed out.

"No offense, ma'am, but Derek saved my life today. He deserves a little more credit."

"Your squad deserves a little more credit," she said, "they're the laughing stock of all Spartan IV teams. Especially because you have become a Chaplain, of all things."

Zeus restrained the anger inside of him and kept his composure.

"Ma'am, with all due respect, our squad works just as hard as the others. My personal convictions shouldn't matter when our team puts out higher rankings than Icarus Team, and they are shipped out to do black op missions! Colonel Makara, out."

"Spartan?" Palmer said to Zeus before he walked out. "You gained my respect by finally growing a backbone and defending yourself. Palmer out."

-------------

"You cannot be serious."

Riley threw her helmet at the wall and sighed. "Everyone, especially Icarus Team, should know that we should treat each other as brethren and stop operating on a caste system." 

Zeus sighed as he took his armor off. He felt his tags and the tags that Jon had gave him before he closed the door that blocked them from the impending doom that the Forerunner Knights had surprised them with.

The silence in the room was very awkward, and Zeus remembered the words Jon said:

"We aren't going to live forever. Take every chance you can to change someone else's world. God gave you this life for a reason. Make it count. Don't be afraid, because Riley loves you. She fell in love with you right after you got out of augmentation."

"Riley, I have to confess something."  Zeus said, before the fear and doubt could rush into his mind. He turned to face her, observing how the ceiling light made her eyes shimmer and her hair shine. In his eyes, she was the most beautiful creation that God had ever made.

"Yes, Zeus?" She looked him in the eyes and it pierced him to his soul. He started sweating and he could feel his heart racing.

"I... I think I'm in love with you. It's been this way since day one. Jon knew... he knew that I loved you enough to go to the ends of the universe to find and protect you at all costs. He and Dana and all of our former members knew before Requiem, and... they wanted me to confess for the longest time."

Riley dropped her breastplate and the loud metal clang echoed throughout the room.

"Do... do you know how long I have waited to hear those words come out of your mouth?" she said, tearing up.

He stood there standing up straight, and she slowly moved towards him. He looked at the planet out the window. With every click of her boot-heel his heart pounded heavier and heavier.

"After Ortara, I realized that I couldn't live forever. So I might as well have made the best choices I could make-"

Riley grabbed Zeus's face and looked him in the eyes. She felt his very being shake.

"I love you, Riley MacIntosh. I always will."

"I love you too, Zeus Makara."

They kissed. Zeus held Riley closer than he had ever held someone before. She was his world, as God had planned. 

"Can we stay... can we stay like this forever?" She asked, her face buried in his chest.

"Maybe, when this all is over, just maybe we could have a house here and have a family. We can retire after we kill this General and would never have to run or fight anywhere again. Then... you and me could live together in peace. If war comes again, we'll fight for each other. I love you and I couldn't bear to lose you too."

The two went to go lay down, and fell asleep peacefully for the first time of their lives.