Chapter 30

Location: UNSC Never Forget - Docking Bay

Date: February 5, 2533

Time: 1400 Hours

The rumble of the Pelican's engines was a steady hum as we ascended into the atmosphere, leaving the war-torn planet of Veridian behind. The air inside the dropship was thick with the smell of sweat, plasma burns, and the lingering tension that always followed a battle like that. But we were alive, and the civilians were safe. That was what mattered.

The rookies were quiet, sitting in their seats, staring blankly ahead or inspecting their gear in silence. Silva still had a bandage on his leg from the plasma burn he took during the fight, but he was tough—he'd pull through. The rest of Bravo Fireteam looked worn out but intact. We'd made it.

I glanced over at Alice, who was sitting across from me. She looked like she was running on fumes, her eyes heavy with exhaustion, but she gave me a faint nod. We had done what we came here to do, but I could tell that the weight of the last year and a half was catching up with all of us.

My gaze drifted to Sam, who was seated at the far end of the Pelican, her medkit beside her. She was leaning back, her eyes closed, her face pale. She hadn't said much since we boarded, but I hadn't missed the way she'd been struggling during the fight—the nausea, the fatigue, the way she kept pushing through despite it all.

I had tried to push the thought from my mind during the battle, but now that we were out of the fight, it was all I could think about. Something was wrong, and I couldn't ignore it any longer.

Location: UNSC Never Forget - Barracks

Date: February 5, 2533

Time: 1430 Hours

Back on the Never Forget, the squad filed into the barracks, each of us peeling off our armor with the slow, practiced motions of soldiers who had been through this routine too many times. The debrief would come later, but for now, we had a moment to breathe.

I waited until the others had dispersed, catching Sam's eye as she headed for her bunk. She paused, her expression tired but knowing, as if she had expected this conversation to come sooner or later.

"Sam," I said, keeping my voice low as I approached her. "We need to talk."

She nodded, not meeting my eyes. "I know."

We found a quiet corner in the barracks, away from the others. She sat on the edge of a crate, her hands clasped in her lap, while I stood in front of her, the words tumbling through my mind but not quite forming yet. I didn't want to push her, but I couldn't let this go any longer.

"What's going on?" I asked, finally breaking the silence. "This isn't just stress or fatigue. You've been off for weeks now, and today… you got sick, Sam. In the middle of a fight."

She sighed, her shoulders slumping as she looked down at the floor. "I know. I didn't want to worry you. I wasn't even sure what it was myself, at first."

"And now?" I pressed, my heart pounding in my chest.

She hesitated, and for a moment, I could see the conflict in her eyes—whether to tell me or keep it to herself. But we had been through too much together for secrets now.

"I think… I think I might be pregnant," she said quietly, her voice barely a whisper.

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, and for a moment, I couldn't breathe. Pregnant. The thought hadn't even crossed my mind, but as soon as she said it, everything clicked into place—the nausea, the fatigue, the subtle changes I had noticed over the past few weeks.

"Are you sure?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

She shook her head. "I'm not… not completely. I haven't had a chance to get it checked out. But the signs are there. I've been feeling off for a while now, and today… it just got worse."

I sat down beside her, my mind spinning with the weight of what she had just told me. Pregnancy. In the middle of a war, in the middle of everything we were dealing with, this was the last thing either of us had expected.

"Why didn't you say something sooner?" I asked softly, my voice more concerned than accusing.

She shrugged, her eyes distant. "I didn't know how. I didn't want to worry you. And honestly… I wasn't sure what it meant. For us, for everything."

I nodded slowly, trying to process it all. We had always kept things between us quiet, never letting it interfere with the mission or our roles in the squad. But this… this changed everything.

"I don't know what this means either," I admitted, my voice quiet. "But whatever happens, we'll figure it out. Together."

She gave me a small, tired smile, the tension between us easing slightly. "Yeah. Together."

Location: UNSC Never Forget - Medbay

Date: February 6, 2533

Time: 0900 Hours

The next morning, I went with Sam to the medbay, where she quietly asked the ship's medic for a checkup. The atmosphere in the medbay was clinical, the hum of machines and soft chatter of medical personnel filling the air as we waited for the results.

The medic ran a few tests, his expression unreadable as he worked. Sam sat quietly beside me, her hands fidgeting in her lap. Neither of us spoke much—there wasn't much to say. We both knew what was at stake, but we were waiting for the confirmation.

After what felt like an eternity, the medic came back, his face neutral but professional. "Hospitalman Third Class Green," he said, his voice calm. "The test results are positive. You're pregnant."

I felt the words hit me again, the weight of it settling over both of us. Sam didn't say anything, just nodded, her expression unreadable. This was real now. There was no avoiding it.

"Thank you," she said quietly, her voice steady but soft.

The medic nodded, his eyes flicking between us. "I'll give you some time to process this. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out."

He left us alone then, the silence in the room heavy.

"Well," Sam said after a moment, her voice tinged with both exhaustion and humor. "I guess it's official."

I chuckled softly, though there was a tightness in my chest. "Yeah. It's official."

She looked at me, her eyes searching mine. "I don't know what happens now."

I met her gaze, reaching out to take her hand. "Whatever happens, we'll handle it. Together. That hasn't changed."

She squeezed my hand, her eyes softening. "I know."

But even as we sat there, holding on to each other, the reality of what we were facing loomed large. The war, the squad, the choices we'd have to make—it was all coming, and we didn't have much time to figure it out.