A/N: Hello! Thanks for clicking on this little story of sorts. When I had first written this fic back in 2014, I honestly had no intention of posting it until I was finished with the bulk of other stories that I had in a pile on my desk. But then, on June 19 after I found out about the tragic death of Anton Yelchin, I finally decided to return to this story. I'm still in the process of revising it, and I'm still working on adding the events of Beyond. I hope you enjoy!
1.
Spring rolled around like any other season, and died off faster than a blink of an eye. The subtle rays of the summer sun began to bear down wherever it could- from the distant horizon to the Starfleet Academy campus.
As the last days of May rolled around, seventeen year old Skylar Pike had started to become used to the feel of sweat dripping down the back of her neck and plastering her bangs to her forehead, along with the bitter sensation of a parched throat. Everyday, nothing seemed to change- waking up, dragging on her cadet uniform, rushing in a half conscious daze to her classes, leaving, starting her shift at the campus café (Starway Café, best coffee and pastries in San Francisco!) and collapsing in her bed at the end of the day.
Leaning against the counter, Sky drummed a thick black marker on the silvery surface. Starway was normally crowded with cadets and professors alike, but with it being the end of May, most cadets were packing to return home for the summer. But not Sky. If she wanted to graduate by the end of the summer semester, she'd have to stay.
The bell on the door rung as it swung open, and Callima Eve walked in. A full foot taller than her, the Acamarian girl was nicer than most. She still wore her cap and gown from the graduation ceremony earlier, and a bright smile.
"You're looking at the new senior medical officer of the USS Archangel!" Callima announced as soon as she reached the register. Sky grinned at her friend, reaching over to give her a high five.
"That's great, Call!" She said. The Acamarian girl looked around. "I have never seen this place more empty."
"Yeah, don't remind me. Malia is going to kill me when she finds out we didn't sell any Anna's lemon and raspberry tarts today."
"I always wondered what was in them." Callima shook her head. "Anyway, I just dropped in to say hello, and that I saw a cute boy at the ceremony. He looked your age."
Sky's face turned red. "Was my dad there?" She asked in a slow tone.
"Yeah, he gave a speech ya know. A pretty good one too." Callima said, reaching over to take a sip of Sky's coffee.
"Course he did." Sky scoffed. It had been three years since her sister Rosalyn died on a mission scouting out a planet that seemed habitable. Three years since her parents just didn't know how to deal with having only one daughter instead of two. Three years since the greatest dad in the world, Christopher Pike, decided that he wasn't worthy of the blue mug Rose and Sky gave him for his 40th birthday. Three years since Sky had to put her life on hold to keep an eye on her mother. But since then, Sky and Christopher barely spoke. He tried, really, really hard. Just not hard enough for her.
"When are you and Cher moving out?"
"Two days." Callima smiled. "Any idea who the vermin that will invade our room are?"
"I don't know, but they're supposed to move in on Tuesday." Sky said, snatching her coffee back. "Hopefully they won't mind Olive. I mean, in case she gets sick and starts barking."
"Please, nobody can look at that dog and not love her." Callima said. "Well, I gotta go. Cher wants to get a head start on packing."
She gave a small wave as the Acamarian girl walked towards the door. "Bye."
"Oh, and you know that boy downstairs Eric? He's throwing a party, like a little graduation party. You wanna come?" Callima asked as she reached the door.
"Nah, I have a lot of work to do. Thanks though." Sky responded, starting to tap the marker again. As soon as her friend was gone, she glanced at the clock mounted on the wall. Another hour here, just another hour of any other day.
.::.
By the time Skylar's shift was over, the sun had begun to set. Grabbing her backpack from the back room, she said goodbye to the manager Ella before starting to walk towards the other side of the campus to the dorm building that looked like all the others.
As soon as she opened the door to her dorm, she was greeted by a yip of excitement from the large German Shepard that was barreling towards her.
"Hello, Olive." She said, bending down to allow her to cover her face in affectionate licks. "Did you hold down the fort today like I told you to?"
Olive had been hers since Rosalyn died. Her mother and father had taken her to the animal shelter to pick out a dog to keep her company. Olive had been a puppy then, and Sky had fallen in love with the amber eyed dog as soon as she saw her. It has taken a lot of persuasion for the Academy board to allow her to keep her in the dorm. But in the last minute, her father managed to convince them.
"And then some." The tired voice of her roommate, Elodie, said. The older girl sat on her bed with papers spread out across the mattress.
"Thanks for watching her, Elodie." Sky said, moving towards the table placed in the center of the room. Olive padded after her, her bushy tail wagging.
"Callima and Cher move out soon." Elodie said. "Yeah, I heard." Sky responded, opening the bag of dog treats. Once Olive was fed and settled down on Skylar's bed, she began to tackle the work that had appeared on her assignment pad.
She'd spend a few hours working and occasionally talking with Elodie until it was done and then take Olive for a walk.
And every day, it stayed exactly the same. Not changing. Ever...
... until one day, a stack of boxes sat outside of Callima and Cher's old dorm. And two boys were wrestling with a blue colored couch when Skylar stepped out of the elevator.
"It's not going to vork, Luke." The boy with pale curly hair said in a thick Russian accent. The other boy, Luke, grunted. "With all running you do, I'd think you could haul a couch up a few steps."
She raised an eyebrow. These are the people who are moving in? She thought. "Hello." She said.
The Russian boy jumped nearly a foot in the air, letting out a squeak of surprise. "O moy bog!" He exclaimed in Russian. The couch dropped on his side and Luke swore under his breath.
Sky raised her eyebrows as the Russian boy turned around to face her. She waved slightly. "I'm your neighbor." She nodded at the couch. "Nice couch."
"Thanks." He said. Luke cleared his throat. "Are we getting the couch into our room, or are we having a block party right now?"
Sky rolled her eyes. "Nice to meet you too. I'm Skylar."
"Chekov, miss, Pavel Andreievich." The Russian boy said.
"I'm Luke, in case you care." Luke said, giving a sarcastic wave.
"Ignore zis one." Pavel Chekov remarked, sitting on the arm of the couch. "He's mad at ze Academy Board, although it is his fault."
"One teensy party in our apartment while Russian wiz kid over here was visiting his parents and we get booted to the Academy dorms ." Luke shook his head.
"Three teensy parties vhile I vas at home." Pavel Chekov responded. The other boy shrugged. "Whatever, it's only for the summer."
"So you guys live off campus?" Sky asked.
"Until last veek." Pavel Chekov answered. Skylar nodded slowly, looking at the door. "You guys aren't going to get that in there if you don't take the cushions off." She said. "And I'd advise not throwing anymore parties. The girl at the end of the hall Georgia is the biggest suck up teachers' pet I've ever met."
"Thanks for that bit." Luke rolled his eyes. "I think I know what I'm doing."
Sky shrugged. "Whatever. See you around." She said before opening the door to her dorm.
"Sky! Did you meet the new neighbors?" Elodie's voice from the bathroom called as the door closed and Olive came barreling towards Sky.
"Yeah!" She called back, scratching Olive's ears. "They seem nice."
Elodie opened the bathroom door, dressed in a short black dress and her hair in a messy bun. "The black haired one is a bastard." She informed her.
"The other one seemed nice enough." Sky said.
"What was his name? Payton? Patrick?" The older girl sat on her bed, strapping on high heels.
"I think it was Pavel." She said, setting her bag down and plopping down at her desk. Elodie wrinkled her face. "That's weird."
"It's Russian, I think." She said, opening her Advanced Theory of Astrophysics textbook and shrugged. "You're all dolled up."
Elodie smiled. "Party at the Skywalk, wanna come?" Sky gagged. "Like I want to go back there."
"That guy was totally into you!" Her roommate protested. Elodie picked up a pillow and tossed it at her. "You're never gonna get a guy if you smack everyone that is into you in their face."
"I don't need a guy! I'm going to be single forever." Sky said, leaning back, scratching Olive's ears who was lying next to her.
Elodie sighed over-dramatically, picking up her communicator, and walking towards the door. "Well, if ya change your mind, it's at Skywalk, you remember where that is?"
"Yeah." Sky said. "Don't get too drunk."
"I make no promises." Elodie joked as she walked out the door.
Olive whimpered as the door closed, resting her head between her paws. Skylar looked back down at her book. Come one, Sky, focus. She told herself, but no matter how hard she tried, her mind was glued to the image of the officer's face that day. The day Rosalyn died.