"Nope. Nuh uh. Nope. Noooo."

Stephens shook his head as he paced around the room, waving his hands in denial.

"You're joking, right? Tell me you're fucking joking." Kara's silence and sympathetic expression gave him the answer he didn't want.

"Of course you're not. Well, that settles it. You've completely lost your mind. Off the fucking rails!"

She sighed. "Stephens, I'm quite sane. I've thought it over a thousand times."

"Well think it over a thousand more!" He stopped pacing and looked at her, eyes wide and furious. Actually, he looked a little scared.

"A whole world with those things running around!? That is beyond fucking dangerous, Kara! There are a million ways you could die and there's no one who'd protect you besides yourself. I'm sorry, your alien sidekick doesn't count because he can just as easily decide not to be your friend and eat you on the ride over!"

"I know, Stephens," she said as she stood, walking over and placing her hands on his shoulders. "But I'd rather risk my life fighting for the chance of a new one, than stay here and pick up the pieces of my old one."

He gave up, his face crumpling in defeat. He hated that she made sense. There were plenty of distractions on an alien planet to keep her from reliving it every day; might even make it easier to move on. But god damnit he was scared; sacred of her being somewhere where he couldn't keep her safe. Ever since the Hive, if seemed like Kara had become his little sister. He felt strongly obligated to stay by her side, show her the ropes, and keep her happy and safe no matter what. To say he had grown attached to the little stranger he'd picked up from that hotel would be a bit of an understatement. Now here she was, telling him that she wanted to be lightyears away from this place. From him. It hurt to say the least, but as always, he only wanted what's best for her (though this was a far cry from what he expected "best" to be).

Smiling sadly through pursed lips, Stephens pulled her into a tight embrace that she gladly returned, resting her cheek on his shoulder. They stayed like that for a while, enjoying the closeness that the future threatened to separate. At this point, Kara didn't need words to see that her friend understood and accepted her choice (albeit begrudgingly). The hard part was over; now all that was left was to see if this would actually go through.

Finally, Stephens loosened his grip and the two parted. He tried rubbing his eyes to disguise their redness, but Kara saw them before he could. With a little sniffle, he took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders.

"So," his voice cracked. He cleared his throat and continued. "When are you going to ask him?"

"Right now." She turned and started rummaging through the desk. "But, I need to get something first."

Kara's timing couldn't have been more perfect. Dhi'ki-de threw down his tools with a frustrated growl, glaring menacingly at his helm. He had fixed most of it, but there were just some things that refused to function despite his best efforts, so he decided to leave them for when he got back. They required someone with a more skilled (and patient) touch. He had just started to pack everything up and rebuild his helm when there was a knock at the door. Pausing, he debated about roaring and scaring off whatever Ooman wanted to intrude on him right now. He held it in, though, surprised to see that it was the lou-dte kale once again. This time, she was on her feet and without the stitching, her wounds beginning to scar nicely. Resilient little creature.

She nodded in greeting and made her way around the table, paper pad and pencil in her hand. She didn't know any hand signals for "I want to go to your planet with you" that would come across easily, so she figured drawing was the next best thing. It'd probably (hopefully) go quickly; seeing that most of his things were packed, he was obviously in the mood to go. Pulling a chair closer to him, she sat down and rested the pad on the table, her nervous fingers twiddling with the pencil. She didn't know what she was waiting for, but she saw him glance curiously between her and the pad. She had his attention, so she began.

Turning the paper so it was in the landscape format, she drew a basic stick figure at the top of the page. Next to it, she drew a larger stick figure, and for its head she did her best to copy the shape of the alien's mask. She even gave it little dreadlocks. Looking up, she pointed at the actual alien and then at its stick figure counterpart.

"You. Me," she said, pointing to the other figure. Dhi'ki-de did his best not to chuckle as he watched her, never unamused by her attempts at communication. Though the drawing was very rudimentary, it was obvious who was who. Still, he appreciated how clear she was trying to be. Receiving a nod of confirmation, Kara breathed a sigh of relief and returned to the paper, Dhi'ki-de resting his chin in his palm as he observed.

Towards the bottom left, she drew a circle and some misshapen continents that could be the United States, South America, and the poles… if you looked hard enough. She drew her little self standing on top of the Earth, then slid the paper over and drew a larger circle on the right. No continents, but she drew the little alien standing atop its world. She glanced up at him again, seeing that he looked more bored than confused. At least he's getting it. Kara then drew an arrow from her stick figure to the alien planet, completing her masterpiece by drawing herself standing next to the alien. She waited a moment, letting the message sink in, then slowly set the pencil down. She turned the pad slightly so the alien could see it better, as if a different angle would make it any clearer.

Dhi'ki-de's eyes were frozen upon the page; rather, they were frozen upon the two little figures standing side by side. He knew what she was asking, but he was sure she had finally gone mad. How was he to respond? His calm, unmoving exterior did not reveal just how fast his mind was spinning. His homeworld would spell certain death for an Ooman; if the people didn't kill her, the rest of the inhabitants surely would. If he returned with her, there was no chance she would be accepted; three trophies, though one may be a Brood Mother, was not enough for the chieftain, elders, and ancients to provide her sanctuary. She would not survive.

But, she could stand a chance. The thought popped into his head so suddenly he nearly jumped. He recalled a talk he had once (with whom, he could not remember), about Yautja who would take warriors of another species and train them in their ways. Those Yautja became the n'yaka-de or the nrak'ytara; the master or guardian of the adopted warrior. It was extremely rare for such a thing to happen. If his memory served him correctly, there had not been an instance of this in the entire history of his clan. Could he risk becoming the first?

Dhi'ki-de had the authority to make the decision, and it wasn't as if this Ooman didn't have potential, but he fear the repercussions. There was a high chance he would be looked down upon and loose respect amongst the people; he supposed this could be considered "tainting" the clan by some. And if the Ooman did not achieve anything or simply perished, he would be seen as a failure by all. His eyes finally left the paper and found the lou-dte kale looking at him expectantly. She must know the risks herself (to some extent), or else she wouldn't have asked in the first place. She was resilient, tactful, strong-willed, and ruthless when it was required. He remembered the way she had been in the tunnels; eyes ablaze with a lust for blood. He could see faint flickers still lingering behind her pupils. If nothing else, that instinct to kill would be her only salvation.

Am I really going to do this? Pauk-de kha'bj-te. There are countless ways this could go wrong. But, if by the Gods this goes right, I… we… will make history and bring great honor to the clan.

Taking a deep inhale, Dhi'ki-de closed his eyes and inclined his head, taking a final moment to confirm his decision. Based off of how he was acting, Kara could tell that this was not going to be an easy decision for him to make. She shifted anxiously in her chair, her fists clenched tight enough for her knuckles to turn white and her nails to bite her skin. She was terrified that he'd say know, and she was just as scared that he'd say yes. Either way, this would change her life forever.

Finally, the alien retracted his head and exhaled, the strength of the breath rumbling deeply in his chest. His eyes opened and connected with hers; green irises searching a sea of amber. Kara's breath hitched in her throat as, without so much as a flicker of emotion, the alien slowly nodded his head. She was pretty sure she went into shock for a moment; her stomach flipped and her whole body tingled as if she had been electrocuted. In her mind she tried to figure out how to ask the next question, but Dhi'ki-de was way ahead of her. With one of his nails, he traced the arrow from one planet to the other, holding up two fingers on his other hand.

We leave in two days. Truthfully, he wanted to leave this place immediately, but he figured the lou-dte kale needed time to gather her things. Nodding vigorously, Kara gathered up the pad and pencil with trembling hands.

"Two days. Got it. Thank you." She felt all wobbly as she stood and exited the room, running into the table on the way out. Practically slamming the door behind her, Kara pressed her back against it and stared at the ceiling. He said yes. I'm leaving in two days. It still hadn't quite sunk in yet.

"Hey, you ok?" She turned to see Stephens picking himself up from where he sat. "How'd it go?"

The pad and pencil fell from her hands and she flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his torso and gripping as if her life depended on it.

"Whoa, easy there. What'd-"

"Yes…" Her voice was barely a whisper, muffled against his chest. "He said yes."

There hadn't been much time left in the day after Kara's conversation with the alien. Seeing that she was still in shock, Stephens recommended they wait until tomorrow to begin preparations. He took her back to her room, made sure she was settled, then went to the mess hall and returned with their meals. She didn't feel much like eating, but with Stephens' encouragement she finished the tray.

"You're going to need to be fully charged for tomorrow. We've got a lot to do."

And what was on the agenda for tomorrow? Talking. Lots and lots of talking.

General Davison was the first on the list (obviously). After Kara explained everything, he had to take a moment to collect himself. The fact that she sounded completely sane and rational kind of rattled him a bit.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" he asked, running his hand through his hair.

She nodded. "Yes, General. I've made up my mind."

Whistling through his teeth, Davison leaned back in his chair. "Well, it's a damn shame to lose you. You'd have made a fine Colonial Marine. But," his eyes crinkled in a sad smiled. "I understand your decision. If there is anything you need me to do, just let me know."

"Well, I'll need to go to my house and grab a few things."

"I can get clearance for that," he said with a shrug.

She tapped her finger against her chin. "Oh, and I need you to give someone an official order."

Pulling out a blank sticky note, he plucked one of his pens out of the holder and uncapped it with flair.

"All I need is a who and a what for."

The "who" happened to be Dr. Bedford, as you probably guessed, and he wasn't too happy about the "what for."

"She wants to take it with her!?" He flung his arms out in exasperation. "Why would they allow this? This is the single greatest opportunity I've had in years to study Xenomorphs. No, not years. In my whole lifetime! And now they're just letting her walk away with it!"

The messenger held up his hands in defense. "Hey, it's the General's orders."

He muttered something along the lines of "of course it is" under his breath before furiously marching off to make the most out of the time he had left with the Xenomorph.

Meanwhile, Kara had met up with Vincent, Julian, Danielle, and Adrian in their room. They were the closest thing to friends she had made in her time at the facility, and it felt wrong to leave without telling them. Safe to say they were quite surprised.

"Damn. We didn't scare you off, did we?" Vincent asked somewhat jokingly.

"No, no," Kara shook her head. "Nothing like that. I've just considered all my options, and based off of everything, I think this is the best choice for me."

Adrian looked at her bewildered. "Moving to an alien planet? Why? Earth seems a bit safer."

She gave him a sad smile. Ah, blissful ignorance. I'll miss him. "Too many memories here."

"Hey, don't forget, she's the Queen Killer," Julian piped in. "If anyone had the balls to go live on an alien planet, it'd be her."

"And she'd kick ass doing it," Danielle said as she stood. She came over and gave Kara a hug, swaying side to side. "I'm going to miss you, Kara. We all are."

Each of them came over and took their turns bidding her goodbye. She'd miss them all equally; because of them, she had a few good memories to take with her, and she made sure to thank them for that.

"Hey," Vincent ruffled her hair. "You keep that strong head of yours on your shoulders. Literally and figuratively."

"Don't take shit from anybody."

"Don't be afraid to show them you're a fighter."

"Stay safe."

With a final farewell, Kara left and made her way through the barracks, hands in her pockets. Along the way, she ran into Stephens, quite literally; he was jogging down the hall in the direction of her room.

"Oh, there you are." He skidded to a halt and waited for her to approach him.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Well," he pointed his thumb over his shoulder. "The General's got a car waiting for us outside. You ready to go get your things?"

She tapped her temple. "Yup. I got my list. Don't worry, it isn't very long."

Stephens led her through segments of the facility she had yet to see; they passed a few offices, classrooms, conference rooms, and hallways that had signs above them that read things like "Tactical Training," "Weapon Assembly," "Drone Surveillance," etc. Eventually, they stopped in an area that looked to be a reception room. It seemed a bit out of place, but she assumed that it was meant to be a welcoming, less-intimidating entrance for important visitors. From his pocket, Stephens pulled out a black piece of cloth. Kara eyed it and looked at him with furrowed brows.

"A blind fold. Really?"

He shrugged apologetically. "Not my decision. Just a precaution so the higher-ups don't think we're jeopardizing our location."

Sighing, she turned around and let Stephens tie the blindfold around her eyes. Taking her arm, he led her through the doors and out to the front drive of the building. Kara inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with fresh, unrecycled air. Around her she felt openness, but she could clearly hear the rustling of trees nearby. As she was walked forward, the smooth steps turned to bumpy asphalt. She heard pull of a door handle and she reached her hands out, feeling the doorframe and cautiously stepped into the mystery vehicle. Stephens shut the door and jogged around the car, hopping into the driver's seat and starting up the engine.

"So, when can I take this thing off," she asked as the car crawled forward, fumbling around for her seatbelt.

"I'll let you know when. Don't worry."

So, she sat still, listening to the gears shift. Between the gentle rocking of the car, the darkness created by the blindfold, and the soft white noise of the engine, it wasn't long before she fell asleep. When they reached the safety point, Stephens told her that it was time to take the blindfold off, but there was no answer. Looking over, he saw her slumped in the passenger seat, head tilted back and mouth open slightly; she was out cold. She pretty much stayed that way for the entire 3-4 hour trip, waking up only once when they went over a bridge, grumbling something unintelligible before rolling over and passing out again. The next time she awoke, Stephens was shaking her shoulder. She squinted and groaned as he pulled off her blind fold, rubbing the grogginess from her eyes. Feeling a little woozy from sleeping in a moving vehicle, she slowly sat up and looked around with one eye still squinted shut. She caught the time on the dashboard; just past 5:00pm.

"Hey kid," Stephens said with a smirk. "Rise and shine. We're here."

Here? Where? Peering through the windshield, Kara saw they were parked in a driveway surrounded by very familiar rose bushes and shrubs. Oh. Home.

They both exited the car, stretching their stiff limbs and taking a deep breath of the humid air. Kara took a moment to stare silently at her old home, leaning against the hood of the car as her eyes roamed. The house itself looked the same; the white trim was shining as if it had been power-washed yesterday, the windows were clean, and its tan body had no marring save for the occasional dark lizard clinging to the wall sunning itself. The landscape, on the other hand, was looking a tad bit unkempt. The grass had grown past ankle height, the bushes had new growths sprouting that needed to be trimmed, the roses were in need of some serious deadheading, and a bunch of leaves and dry flower petals littered the sidewalk leading to the front door. Her mother would certainly not approve, the thought bringing a small smile to her face.

Stephens handed her the key as they made their way to the front entrance, decorative windchimes tinkling as Kara unlocked the door and stepped in. Once past the threshold, she stopped for a moment to collect herself; her heart was hammering wildly and she felt like she wanted to bolt back to the car. Fighting the urge, she closed her eyes and inhaled, her anxiety instantly melting away as a sad yet warm ball of nostalgia formed in her gut. Though it was a bit stale, it still smelled like home. Opening her eyes, she started walking down the hall into the family room. Everything looked just as it had been when they left; wedding gifts piled on the couches and floor, bouquets of flowers (now wilted) sitting on the kitchen table, and numerous cards propped up on the counter. Stephens moved past her, picking up one of them that had been blown over by the AC. He replaced it gingerly on the counter, looking around as he did so.

"Cozy." Just a polite way of saying tiny; her house made the headquarters feel endless. Still, it was warm, welcoming, and held a lingering feeling of love. Though it was small, it had been all that they needed. Home.

Kara gestured to the couches as she walked towards her room. "Make yourself comfortable. I won't be long."

Seeing her room again only made that ball of nostalgia grow bigger, filling her head with bittersweet memories. All of her trinkets, awards, jewelry, and pictures were covered with a thin layer of dust, and she instinctually blew it off of some of her more important things. Before she started anything, she sat down on her bed and took a second to just… be. One of her beloved stuffed animals, a bedraggled dog, sat on the pillows. She scooped it up and clutched it tightly beneath her chin, swallowing the tears that were beginning to build. This room didn't belong to her anymore. The girl that used to live here; who would sit at that desk to do homework, who would lay on the bed listening to music and ignore the piles of clothes that needed to be put away… she was gone. Not completely gone, though. She just got broken and was put back together haphazardly. She'd always be there, but now she has to find the right place to live amongst everything else. No, not gone, just… not the same.

Kara kissed the dog and placed it back on the pillows, standing up and smoothing the sheets. With a definitive huff, she turned and began rummaging through her dresser drawers. Based off of what the alien wore (which wasn't that much), she figured that their planet was warmer more often than it was cold. At least she hoped it was; she did live in Florida, so she didn't exactly have a parka handy. With that in mind, she gathered two pairs of athletic leggings and shorts, a few T-shirts and tank tops, sports bras (because they're much more comfortable), other necessary undergarments, a pair of newish sneakers, and a set of summer pajamas. Looking at her little pile, she was trying to think about what she'd pack it in when she had a spur-of-the-moment idea. Grabbing her guitar case, she double checked its supplies (picks, humidity packs, tuner, strings, etc.) before she began carefully stuffing all her clothes into the gaps around the instrument. Seeing that she was moving to an alien world, didn't what their culture is like, and had no idea what the fuck her life would turn into, Kara knew she'd need some form of familiar comfort. Music was her therapy as well as her (previous) passion, and she knew she was going to need it now more than ever.

With everything packed, she zipped up the case and shouldered the guitar (thank God it was a backpack case). She had taken one step towards her door before she stopped in her tracks, her necklace tree tugging at the corner of her eye. Slowly, she turned towards her dresser, sight locked onto two necklaces dangling side by side. Both were golden lockets with an ivory center; one oval shaped with a colored rose, its green stem and red bud a shock against the white, and the other a perfect circle with a yellow sun in splendor smiling at her. She gingerly cradled the pendants, opening them with shaking fingers. Though it shot a twinge of pain through her heart, seeing the pictures made her smile almost happily. The rose locket held the young faces of her parents, and though they were from separate pictures, the joy in their expression would make you think that they had been sitting together. The other one held photos of her brother; his baby picture, and an image of them when she was about eight and he was about four. They were smiling so big their eyes were practically closed, and they had their arms wrapped around each other in that awkward little kid hug; cheeks smushed together and squeezing so tightly that they could almost touch their own shoulders. Her knobby little knees were bent so she was at Lukas' height, making the pose even more outrageous. She couldn't remember the exact events that led up to that photo, but she remembered that it had been a good day and they had been so happy.

Pulling herself from the pictures, she gingerly snapped the lockets shut and lifted their chains off of the tree. Looking in the mirror, she put them on and adjusted them so that the rose hung below the sun before tucking them into her shirt. It had the longer chain anyway. She exited her room after one last, long glance, seeing Stephens fluffing up the pillows on the couch.

"Oh, that was quick," he said as he straightened his back. He smiled sheepishly as he pointed at the pillows. "Sorry. Straightening up felt like the right thing to. Um, I wanted to be courteous I guess."

"It's fine. Actually, would you be opposed to helping me clean?" She set her guitar case down against the wall. "Like you said, it just kinda… feels right."

Stephens, the gem that he is, gave her a wide grin. "I'd be more than happy to."

And so they began. Dusting, vacuuming, wiping down counters, cleaning the bathrooms, straightening the bedrooms, sweeping the front walkway. Kara even skimmed the pool. While they worked, she began telling Stephens stories about different things around the house (paintings, heirlooms, etc.). A habit she had gotten into since she was about five. He listened quietly and made sure not to ask too many questions. Seeing her open up and speak freely about the life she had, watching the different emotions play across her face, was quite therapeutic (for both of them). He felt more at ease about her state of mind and thought that she was going to be okay in her new home. She'd still feel the hurt, but it looked like she was getting the hang of managing it. You'll be alright, kid.

By the time they had finished, the light outside had turned golden and the sky was streaked with orange. Checking the oven console, Stephens saw that it was nearly 7:40pm.

"Yeesh. If we want a chance at a good night's sleep, we better get going."

Grabbing her case, Kara gave the house one more look, quite satisfied with their work. It wasn't much of a parting gift, but she knew they would have appreciated it. Stephens exited first and she followed, closing the door and locking it behind her. Her hand lingered on the handle only for a moment, giving it a small squeeze before letting go. Goodbye.

She opened the back door of the car and laid her guitar case on the floor. Taking a step back, she saw that the car was a brand new silver Ford Explorer with black trim. Not that it mattered, but she just found it odd that they weren't given a black Sedan or something. You know, the usual government stuff. When asked, Stephens just shrugged.

"They wanted it to be less suspicious and blend in with the rest of the neighborhood."

With their seatbelts buckled, they backed out of the driveway and drove out toward the main road. The sun had sunk halfway below the horizon, shades of violet starting to darken the edges of the sky. Kara leaned her elbow on the door and propped her chin up, silently watching the landmarks she knew by heart pass by in a blur until they reached the highway.

"When do I need to put the blindfold back on?" she asked, still looking out the window.

"Now for a while," he said as he merged lanes, staying on the northbound route to Georgia. "Want me to turn the radio on?"

She shrugged nonchalantly, saying he could listen to whatever he like. Panning through the different stations, he found one that was well-rounded in multiple genres and turned up the volume. Neither talked much at all as they drove. It wasn't until they had put the South Carolina border a few miles behind them that Stephens said it was time for the blindfold to go back on. Muttering at its absurdity (she was leaving Earth, who would she tell?), she tied the blindfold around her eyes and reclined her chair, crossing her arms with a sigh. Much like before, it didn't take long for her to fall into a deep sleep. Stephens ended up having to wake her again, this time by poking her in the side. She groaned and swatted at his hand.

"We're here already?" She looked at the console. 12:05am.

"Yeah," he said, stifling a yawn. "Come on, let's go before we fall asleep in the car. I'll grab your stuff."

Stumbling out of the car in a bleary haze, she slammed the door behind her and felt around blindly until her hand met his arm.

"Easy there, you almost clocked me in the face."

They made it inside and Kara gratefully took the blindfold off. That thing was really disorientating when you're tired. She peered up at Stephens and saw that he looked just as tired as she felt; his features sagged and there were dark circles growing beneath his eyes. Together they zombie-shuffled their way to the barracks, the halls seeming to grow longer as they got closer. Finally, they reached Kara's room. Stephens handed her her case and clumsily tousled her hair.

"G'night, kid," he yawned again. "See you tomorrow."

She bade him goodnight, closing the door behind her and plopped her case on the desk. Kicking her shoes off she flopped on the bed, not bothering to change. Sleep found her a soon as she hit the pillow, and thankfully, it was tranquil and dreamless.

When Kara awoke on her last day on Earth, she did what most people would probably do; sleep in. Hey, the concept might not exists on an alien planet, so you might as well enjoy it while you can. She lounged in bed for an indeterminable amount of time, stretched out on the sheets with her arms resting on the pillow behind her. She forced herself out of bed around 11:30am, but only after scratching her head and feeling just how greasy it was. I need a shower. Entering the bathroom, she peeled off her grimy clothes, set her necklaces on the sink (she hadn't noticed she'd slept in them), and stepped into the little alcove that was more of a stall than it was a shower. She sighed contently as she lathered up her hair and body, taking a childish moment to wipe some of the foam into her hands and mush it between her fingers.

With her shower over, hair dry, and a fresh set of clothes on, Kara made her way out into the hall with her dirty clothes in hand. She popped them into one of the laundry shoots on her way to the mess hall, returning the wave of a few random Marines as they passed by. Must have been part of the story-time group, she thought as she continued on her way. The mess hall was in her sight, the smell of food making her stomach growl, when suddenly her path was blocked by a Marine.

"Kara Morgan?" He was one of those burly babyface types, and he wore a grey cadet cap that cast his eyes in shadow.

"Yes."

He snapped to attention. "Ma'am, I have been asked to escort you out of the facility. A car is waiting for you."

Another one? Now what?

She followed him soundlessly back towards the reception area, complaining quietly to herself as they went through the whole blindfold thing again. He walked her outside and into the car, and as soon as her door closed the car started moving. Huh, guess the driver was already here. Thankfully, this trip was much shorter than before; no more than ten minutes at least. They ground to a halt, and after receiving no instructions from her driver, Kara opened the door and yanked that damn blindfold off. She was standing mere feet from the shore of a gorgeous lake, the faint breeze creating small ripples across its nearly glassy surface. The water stretched on for at least a mile or so, and it was surrounded by rolling hills of evergreens, oak, and maple trees. Nothing broke the tranquil silence of this place besides a few animal calls, the lapping of the water, the retreating car engine, and one lone man calling out a greeting.

Stephens sat at a lone picnic table that seemed way out of place; it looked like it had just been put there recently, and it still smelled of fresh timber. She gave her friend a warm hug and sat down across from him, still marveling at her surroundings.

"How many calls did the General have to make to pull this off?"

"A few," he said with a chuckle. "But, it's your last day on Earth, and he agreed to help me do something special for you."

She crossed her arms on the table and sighed. "Well, this a pretty nice way to spend the afternoon." It was then that her nose caught a whiff of something deliciously familiar and her jaw dropped.

"No you didn't!"

With a triumphant smile, Stephens revealed a large plastic bag filled with numerous Styrofoam take-out boxes. Her mouth started salivating as he placed them each on the table, listing them off in a southern drawl as he opened the lids.

"We've got ourselves some jambalaya, some shrimp n' grits, fried green tomatoes, calamari, a catfish po'boy to share, southern fried and grilled chicken tenders, a couple cans of Sprite, key lime pie for dessert, and…" He flamboyantly set the last box in front of her. "Your crawfish étouffée."

Kara could hardly believe her eyes (and nose). The smell of the feast alone brought back memories of a tradition her family had; at the end of every school year, they'd go out to eat at a small New Orleans style restaurant to celebrate her and her brother's achievements. That was where she discovered her favorite dish, and she never ordered anything else every time they went. It looked just the same; a big ice-cream scoop of white rice surrounded by spicy little crawfish, swimming in a savory sea of étouffée sauce and chopped green onions. She practically snatched the plastic silverware from Stephens' hand, diving into the dish with as much grace as her ravenous appetite would allow. Her eyes closed and she sighed in utter bliss; it was absolutely delicious. She offered some to Stephens before she ate it all, which he gladly consumed.

"Damn," he licked his lips and pointed his spoon at the dish. "That is good. Now I get what all the hype was about."

They shared every bit of the meal, Kara smiling at Stephens' constant exclamations of how "damn good" everything was and that he'd "have to eat southern food more often." Despite the heartiness of each dish, they ended up eating every last bite, even the key lime pie. By the time it was gone, she felt like she had gained at least ten pounds. Neither had experienced such fullness in a very long time. It was quite satisfying.

With an exaggerated groan, Kara pushed herself up from her seat and walked around the table, sitting down besides Stephens and facing the lake. He scooted himself around so that he was facing the same way, rubbing his swollen belly as he did.

"Oh man. I'm not going to eat anything else for a week!"

She laughed, listening as the sound was swallowed up by the vastness of the surrounding forest. With a big exhale, she scooted closer and leaned her head against his shoulder. He adjusted his arm so that it was wrapped around her and not pinned against the table. He held her close, both of them watching the late afternoon light danced off of the water. No one needed or wanted to say anything. All they wanted was to share the peaceful silence.

This feast would be something she would remember for a long time. Yes, the food was spectacular and she laughed her ass off at Stephens' reenactments of the crazy things he and his friends had experienced over the years, but those weren't what made this so meaningful to her. Honestly, it was simply just the fact that he did it. He had taken the time to set this all up, bring her favorite food (plus some), and make sure that above all, she was happy. Everything that had been weighing on her mind was forgotten for the time being. In this moment, there was no alien planet, there were no Xenomorphs, there was no hurt. It was just them; two friends sitting together by a lake and enjoying a meal. She would be forever grateful to him for granting her this small bit of normality in a life that had become everything but.

The sun had begun to set behind the hills when they decided it was time to head back, the breeze picking up a cold bite as the sky entered its twilight phase. They packed the empty food containers and trash into the plastic bag and began walking back to the base; again, Stephens' idea. He replaced his arm protectively around her shoulders, and like before, the only sound was the crunch of their shoes on the pavement as they enjoyed each other's company. It was just them. Him and her, brother and sister; not by blood but by bond. A bond strong enough to last across the vastness of space and time (literally). They knew that, no matter how far apart their lives may take them, they would always have each other. Though the chances were slim, both held hope of reuniting someday. Oh, there were no words to describe how much one would miss the other, but those were worries for another time. For now, they were together; walking alone beneath a star-filled sky. Looking up, Kara wondered if one of those twinkling lights was her new home.

The day had come. She awoke, showered, dressed, and checked everything thrice over. The lockets burned cold circles into her flush skin, making her shiver as she walked towards the labs. Dr. Bedford was waiting for her outside the doors, the Xenomorph sitting on the ground with the clasp around its neck. He released it as she approached, letting it scamper over to her. She bent down and picked it up like a toddler, cradling its hind quarters with one arm while it held onto her shoulders. Bedford offered her no well-wishes; he simply gave her a curt nod and left, his coat fluttering in his wake. Asshat.

General Davison and Stephens were waiting for her outside of the alien's conference room (he wasn't there now, it was just the rendezvous they picked), and she was quite the sight to behold. Face set in a deadly serious expression, guitar case on her back, two Xeno skulls tucked under one arm, and one live Xeno in the other. Yeah, she got quite a few looks in the halls.

Without a word, Davison led the way to yet another unfamiliar segment of the facility. At first, there was a whole lot of nothing except for blank walls. Then, suddenly she found herself in a massive underground hangar with more stretching off into the distance on either side. There were all sorts of planes ranging from fighter jets to bombers, drones, tanks, heavily armored vehicles, trucks loaded with four-wheelers and motorcycles, and the list went on and on. The hangars appeared to also serve as a runway, as the light from the open door was a very long ways away. Thankfully the General had a golf cart-like vehicle with driver waiting for them, so she threw her case and skulls in the dump bed and climbed in, adjusting the Xeno so that they could all sit comfortably. The trip through the hangar was quick and painless, the blinding light of day making Kara squint as they exited onto the massive stretch of tarmac. She shielded her eyes as they adjusted, trying to get a better look at what they were approaching.

It looked like a giant, two-legged silver crustacean. The front of the ship, which rested on the ground, arched upward and flared out much like the head of the Queen. It's top curved inward and then flared out at the back, the body of the ship slimming out as it angled up off the ground to meet the back thrusters. Two large, vertical thrusters grew out of the sides of the ship and helped stabilize it on the ground. Its hull was sleek and spotless, save for a few ridges and indents that were simply for an aesthetic affect, and as far as she could tell the only window on the ship was at the front. The red-tinted material was one-way, so she couldn't see into the cockpit. It was kinda smaller than she expected it to be, but at the same time it seemed a bit big for just one alien.

They drove around to the rear of the ship to see the back door ramp lowered and the alien standing at its base, waiting for them with his arms crossed. Well, waiting for Kara. The cart came to a stop a few feet away from the ship, and the three disembarked. Before gathering her things, Kara set the Xenomorph down on her seat so she could give proper goodbyes. General Davison was first, reaching out and shaking her hand.

"Good luck out there, Miss Morgan," he said with that grandfather's smile. "You won't be forgotten. Take good care of yourself."

"I will. Thank you, General," she said, smiling through pursed lips. He saluted her and then returned to the cart, giving her and Stephens some space. The Marine had told himself not to cry, but with the ship right there, everything became so real all at once. Kara was leaving, and there was a good chance he'd never see his little hero again.

"Oh, Stephens," she said as his lip wobbled a bit. The two embraced, a bittersweet smile on both their lips.

"Damn it, kid," his voice cracked. "I'm gonna miss you."

She tightened her arms around him. "I'm gonna miss you, too. Thank you so much for everything. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you."

"Same here," he said as they pulled away. Before letting her go, he checked her eyes to make sure that fire was still there. It was. She's going to be just fine.

As she collected her things, Stephens looked at the Xenomorph waiting patiently in the cart. It looked back at him, cocking its head to the side.

"You take good care of her," he ordered, pointing a mildly threatening finger at it.

Rolling her eyes, she picked up her Xeno and gave him one last smile. "Goodbye, Stephens."

He smiled back, eyes watery. "Goodbye, Kara."

With that, she turned and walked up to the waiting alien. Dhi'ki-de's impatience for the Ooman's farewell ceremony grew to hostility as he realized she intended to bring the kiande amedha pup with her. A low growl emitted from his chest as Kara approached. She glared at him as the Xeno squeaked and clung to her out of fright, tightening her arm around it protectively. They stared each other down for a moment, then Dhi'ki-de chuffed and shook his tresses, walking up the ramp in a huff. Fine. If she wanted to bring it, by all means bring it. It won't last a day.

Kara's footsteps echoed hollowly as she followed the alien up the ramp into the ship, her mind still not quite able to comprehend what was happening. The sound of hydraulics caused her to turn around, seeing the ramp starting to rise. Her eyes darted outside almost frantically, seeing Stephens still standing on the tarmac. He caught her gaze as the door was nearly closed, smiling and raising his arm to wave. She took a mental snapshot, vowing to never forget that smile. She tried to set the skulls down to wave back, but it was too late. With a hiss and a thunk, the door sealed itself shut, and she was plunged into darkness.

Hey guys! Sorry for the long chapter, but ah! It's the end of the beginning! When I started, I didn't actually think I'd get the story this far, but all of your positive feedback has helped motivate me to keep it going. Thank you guys so much for that! Just a little PSA: my summer classes are starting up Monday so updates might slow down again like they did in the fall. Don't worry, there is no way I'm abandoning this story now. I'll keep writing and update when I can. Thank you to all of the firsts who've stuck through and to all of the new readers as well! Love y'all! See you in the next update! :)