Halo: Awake and Alive (Book 2, Arbiter x Female human series.)

Let it out

"You're still alive?" She heard his voice but the pain didn't stop.

"Kyle..." she cried out. she noticed a figure in her blurry vision. It was him.

That was easier than she thought, but she couldn't fight him.

Her arm was tossed back as they hooked on a wall. Kyle had trapped her! She groaned and tried to break free.

"What are you doing to me!?" She yelled at him. She couldn't use her powers at all.

A fist connecting with her stomach knocked the air right out of her. But her vision cleared when he grabbed her face and made her look at him.

He softly kissed her lips. And as much as she hated it, she couldn't do anything about it.

"You should be dead." He said as his hand started traveling. Slowly unzipping her jacket.

She grew hatred for him until a pulse from her power pushed him back.

He looked at her but quickly smirked.

"Your power has grown stronger." He said.

"Release me and I'll show you." She glared at him.

He laughed and somehow morphed his hand in a sharp object. Bria's eyes grew.

"Not before I kill you!" He swung his arm towards her. She braced for impact, but a roar made her freeze. Arbiter jumped right in front of her and shoved Kyle to the ground.

"Thel!" She screamed.

He shouldn't be here! She thought.

Kyle and Thel fought as Bria tried to escape. She pulled and pulled on the objects that were holding her down, but it failed to release. Finally, she thought of something else. She built up as much power as she could until her hands were on fire. She grunted and pulled and finally she was free. She looked over at Thel and Kyle. Who were still fighting? She walked over and held her hand out towards Kyle, her power pushed him to the ground. She held him there so he couldn't move.

He chuckled. "Aren't you two cute?"

Bria pushed harder making him groan.

"This is your demise, Kyle. You've hurt people long enough." She said.

He made eye contact with her. "Do you really want to stoop down to my level?" She froze but kept her grip on him. "Y-you already murdered someone, what's one more right? Do you really want this to control your life?" She felt a breeze. "Become a monster? Let the guilt eat you alive?!"

"Shut up!!" She yelled and crushed him more. The breeze grew to a wind. Thel looked around as the wind grew more violent. He knew exactly what was happening.

"Bria..." he tried to get her attention, but she focused on taking Kyle's life.

"Face it. You're worthless! You should've died that day I locked you up! You can't save yourself! You'll die with the guilt of murder."

"Shut up!" An explosion of fire irrupted sending Kyle and Thel flying a few feet away. Bria landed on her knees. The wind was in full storm.

Thel landed hard but got up fast. He checked to make sure he wasn't on fire. He looked around for that hybrid, but he was nowhere to be found. Plus it was very difficult to see in this wind storm.

She was going to get herself killed.

Thel charged through the wind, trying to find Bria. He finally saw her on her knees sobbing in the middle of the storm.

"Bria!" He called out for her. She looked at him, her eyes were glowing purple. It almost frightened him.

He took a few more steps towards her.

"S-stay away!" She yelled and quickly looked down.

"I do not fear you." He said.

"Y-y-you should! I could hurt you!" She shouted.

"I know you won't." He stepped even closer. "You need to calm down." And rested his hand on her shoulder.

Bria cried. "I can't control it..."

"Look at me." He said. She slowly looked up at him. The wind started to die. "Fight it. Control it." He said. "I believe in you."

The wind soon completely vanished. Bria looked around.

"I'm so sorry." She rested her head on his chest.

"Do not apologize."

"But I let him get away." She wiped her eyes.

"We will get him again. You need to rest." He said. He helped her get up and they went back to the ship.

"Can I... Tell you something?" Bria asked when they got back to the ship.

Thel looked at her. "You need to rest. You used too much power." He said.

"Please Thel. It's important." She replied. He stared at her as she took a breath. Was she really going to do this?

Yes. Yes, she was.

"I... I really care about you..." She said.

"And I care about you." He replied.

"Yeah but... This is different. And it's going to be weird coming from me, but after that near-death encounter with Kyle, I just thought I need to tell you this..." She ran her fingers through her hair. "I think... I think I'm in love with you." She said.

He stopped and stared at her, with no facial expression. If only she could read his mind.

"I know. I know. It's weird coming from me because I'm human. And I don't even know if Sangheili love is the same as human, but I just thought I should tell you before something happened to either of us." She looked down at her lap.

"Bria..." He began.

"No no. It's okay. We're just partners, right? I'm just stupid." She faked a laugh. "I'm... I'm sorry I even said anything." She began to walk away.

But she was surprised when he caught her arm.

He stayed quiet and she wondered why he was still holding onto her arm. What was he going to say?

"Bria..."

"All squad members of the last mission, please report to the docking bay. All squad members of the last mission, please report to the docking bay." They heard over the intercom.

"We better get going." Bria shrugged and walked out of the room.