Halo Reach- What if:5

       It was cold, yet warm.
       He could barely feel his fingertips though they were hot, but he could feel a cold wet substance on his face and chest. He tried to take a breath in, but it only came as a staggered wheeze and he coughed as it scratched his throat. He continued coughing with each breath he took, choking on the dryness of the air. It then dawned on him that his helmet was off, making him worried about what air he was breathing.
       
       Where was he? What happened? Why was pain surging all through his entire body?

       Noble six tried to get up but was stopped by an unknown force. He opened his eyes, being careful with each breath he took, and saw his own reflection in Noble two's visor.

       "Easy there, Six... Don't want to hurt yourself again."

       Six slowly lay back down, observing his surroundings as he did so.
       "We're still in the elevator..." he stated in a raspy voice, causing him to cough again.

       Kat reached for her canteen and lifted his head up with her other hand. Six tried to move away but Kat held him still.

       "I can help myself." He raspilly said.

       Kat shook her head. "Talking will only make your throat hurt worse... and besides. It's my canteen."
       Six didn't argue as Kat tilted his head back and poured the liquid into his mouth. It was warm and tasted like metal, but it soothed the dryness felt in his throat.
       After he was done drinking, Kat lowered his head back to the ground and got up to put her canteen besideher unequipped pack.

       Six closed his eyes and was about to drift back to sleep, when Kat posed a question towards him.

       "Why did you save me?"

       Noble Six kept his eyes closed as he tried to think of a formidable answer. After playing the accident over and over in his haed... he still could not come up with a solution.

       "Six?"

       Noble Six opened his eyes and turned his head back to Kat, who was now on her knees beside him. "I... I don't know." He tried to answer.

       "That's not good enough." Kat replied.

       Six pushed himself up from the floor and scooted back until he was leaning against the elevator wall. "I honestly don't know." he attempted to explain, "It just happened by natural instinct. Spartan instinct I guess... Spartans were made to protect."

       "Why else?"

       Noble Six raised an eyebrow at Kat who stared at him intentively, determined for a formidable anwer to her single question.
       Six sighed and lowered his head. "I... have other reasons that I would prefer not to tell you..."

       Silence remained between the two for what seemed like hours.

       Six closed his eyes finally and lowered his head, assuming that he had answered the question... and made a fool out of himself while doing so. He heard Kat stand up and start to walk away, allowing him to feel a little more comfortable to drift back to sleep. Everything started to feel soft and muffled once more, and his breath made a silent whistle through his nose.

       But through the hazyness of dreams, he could lightly feel a hand brush against his forehead, and lips softly kiss his skin.

         Slowly, Kat moved away from the sleeping Noble Six.
       "Thankyou..." she said softly, "For everything..." She then stood up and wnet back to her post to await the arrival of the rest of the Noble team and their evac.