Summary: Songfic: Hello by Evanescence. Laura's feelings on all that's happened following the destruction of Camp Hayes. Post-Secret Spartan.

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Halo.

Hello

She sat in the middle of what had once been Camp Hayes. Destroyed by the Covenant when Earth was assaulted, the camp was being rebuilt in a different location. The new Camp Hayes, however, was still quite close to the old, for which part of her was thankful—she'd never be able to come here otherwise.

Playground schoolbell rings

Again

Rain clouds come to play

Again

She still remembered the battle clearly, no matter how hard she tried to forget. It hurt her to think about how many lives had been lost, and every time she closed her eyes she saw them all around her, a battlefield filled with the dead.

Has no one told you she's not breathing

Hello

I'm your mind

Giving you someone to talk to…

Hello

The people who survived hated her, she knew that. She could feel it in their looks, she could see it in their eyes even though they tried to hide it. Some of them understood that she'd done all she could, but they still hated her for surviving when their loved ones hadn't.

If I smile and don't

Believe

Soon I know I'll wake from this dream

The old memories came flooding back suddenly, memories of the life she'd had at Camp Hayes, memories of torment and ridicule from other people who feared what she'd become. The painful memories outweighed the good ones, but even they paled in comparison to the pain she felt now.

Don't try to fix me I'm not broken

Hello

I'm the lie

Living for you so you can hide

Don't cry

No one knew how she felt, how much she was hurting. A long time ago she'd learned to mask her feelings behind others, a disguise of sorts. When in company she played a cheery soldier or an angry one, no one ever saw her pain unless they knew her well.

Suddenly I know I'm not sleeping

Hello

I'm still here

All that's left of yesterday

She pushed the memories of what had been aside, trying to push her grief away with them. A futile task, but she didn't care—she would find a way to deal with it someday. Someday she wouldn't have to hide the grief she couldn't face, but that was tomorrow. For now, though, she had to survive.