*** A huge thank you to my Beta, AngstyShenko! Hope you all enjoy this. Please let me know what you think. This will be a short story, I'm expecting no more than 10 chapters. ***

New York, 2146

He watched as his mother's casket was slowly lowered into the ground. He hated the thought of her being in the dark by herself, she'd never liked the dark. He knew it was a silly thought, he was old enough to understand that she wasn't in there. That it was just her body, and she was gone. She didn't feel anything anymore, not even scared. And he'd never feel her again either, she'd never hug him again. He felt his grandfather's hand on his shoulder, and looked up at the older man's face. He was looking at the casket, too. He looked sad, and that surprised Steven. His mother had always talked about how stern a man his grandfather was, although she never spoke badly of him. Although she had grown up the child of a well to do family, she had insisted on raising him on her own, without any help from her parents. She said it was because she wanted him to have a different life than she had, she wanted him to be happy. Steven always thought he would have figured out a way to be happy and rich, but he loved his mother, so he never complained.

"Come along son, it's time to go." His grandfather said as he led him away from the grave. They walked to the car, and rode back his grandparent's house in silence. Steven looked at his grandparents. His grandfather was a tall man, his hair was all grey, so Steven had no idea what color is had been naturally. His eyes were blue, like his, but that was the only similarity he saw between them. Now his grandmother was different. His mother had looked exactly like her. Even at her age, which Steven didn't know for sure, she was beautiful. Her hair was blonde, but she probably colored it like his mom did and her eyes were a bright emerald green. But although she shared the same features as his mother, she was nothing like her. Where his mother had been kind and warm, his grandmother was cold and distant. She'd barely said a few words to Steven since he'd arrived in New York, and she'd never touched him. Steven's mother never talked about his grandmother at all, and he had been surprised when he found out she was still alive. His grandfather was a quiet man, but Steven could see the kindness in his eyes. He saw no kindness in his grandmother's eyes, and that made him miss his mother even more.

They pulled up to the house, well no, it wasn't a house. It was a mansion. Steven had never seen anything like it, except on vids. He'd been there a couple of days already, and hadn't even seen all of it yet. As they walked up to the door it was opened by Marcus, the butler. Steven still couldn't get over that one. When they were finally inside, Steven heard his grandmother speak for the first time that day. He kept forgetting what she sounded like, that's how often she'd spoken around him.

"Marcus, make sure the boy is bathed and fed. And that his bags are packed for the trip tomorrow." She was taking off her gloves and handing them over to Marcus as she spoke.

"I can take a bath on my own, you know. I'm twelve, not two."

"Of course, you can."

"And where are we going? I didn't know we were going on a trip?" He'd just arrived from Argentina, and that had been a long enough trip for him. All he wanted to do was get some sleep and not have to go anywhere. He felt like he'd done nothing but move around since his mother had gotten sick.

"We are not going anywhere. You will be going to the Washington Alliance Training Academy, your new school."

Now that he didn't mind. He'd always loved school, not that that was a popular opinion to have in his old neighborhood, but he hadn't cared. "Okay, but why do I need my bags for school?"

His grandmother was already walking away, apparently having decided she'd already given him all the information he needed. He looked at his grandfather. "Son, Washington Academy is a boarding school. You'll be living there."

"But I just got here." Not even here two days and they wanted to get rid of him. Didn't they care about him at all? Sure, they didn't know each other, but he was their grandchild. He was beginning to understand why his mother had left. He couldn't imagine someone like her, who was always smiling and singing…always happy, living in a house like this. With someone like his grandmother.

"It's for the best son. You'll live at the Academy during the school year and you'll spend your summers with us. Your mother went to boarding school as a child, and she loved it." His grandfather put his hand on Steven's shoulder again. Steven was sure that was the only way he knew how to express any comfort or support, and as little as it was, he appreciated it.

"She went to this one?" His mother had never mentioned going to a military school.

"No, no she went to an all girl's school. Your mother would have been miserable in military school." Steven was surprised by the small smile that appeared on his grandfather's face as he remembered his mother. "No, I chose this because I was a military man myself, and I had a look at your school records. You are a very intelligent young man, and I think you'll do well at Washington."

Steven wasn't sure what to think. But the thought of spending his days in this huge mansion with just his grandfather and grandmother for company didn't seem that thrilling, so maybe this would work. "Okay, I guess I can try it."

"Good, good. I know this is for the best." His grandfather said as he walked away.

New York City, 2152

"Hey Hackett, I am shocked! Sh...Shocked I say!" Mason stumbled around a few of his friends to reach him. "You, young man, are drunk off your ass!"

"I am not! Yet!" Steven laughed, as he threw his arm over his friend's shoulder. "But I'm getting there!"

He was almost there in fact, and was having the time of his life. (And why shouldn't I?) He'd finally graduated from the academy a couple of months ago, and tomorrow he was off to boot camp. He'd spent the last six years of his life working his ass off at school and spending his summers miserable back at his grandparent's home. Because that's what it was, their home, it had never been his. And he planned on never seeing it again.

"Well don't get too drunk, she's back." Mason pointed towards the door of the bar. Steven looked over and smiled.

Standing at the entrance the sexiest girl in the bar, she might not have been beautiful, but she made up for it with a killer body. Not that she was ugly, no she was pretty, too. Lizzy was a goddess, or a devil, he wasn't sure. She had long red hair and green eyes. She was wearing a green dress that Steven swore she'd painted on. "Damn that girl is trouble."

Mason laughed. "She sure is, but I bet she's worth it."

"You'd win that one." He replied as he walked up to meet her at the door. "Lizzy, you look hot!"

"Why, Steven Hackett you say the most romantic things! My Romeo." She smiled at him and he felt a stirring in his pants. He'd been after her for months, and she'd done nothing but string him along, before they'd finally started seeing each other a month ago. He was sure she was just after him because he had money. He had no illusions about them being the real thing or any such nonsense. In fact, he was pretty sure he didn't like anything about her, except for the fact that she liked to have fun. That was fine with him. He had no interest in falling in love. He had plans for his life, and meeting someone and getting married were not a part of them. He was a good looking man, and he'd never had any trouble getting a date. Mason liked to say that Steven could get laid in a room full of nuns. He hadn't tested that theory, but he thought he might be right. Right now, though Lizzy was keeping him entertained in and out of bed, and that was good enough.

"If you wanted romance, you should have gone for Mason." He took her by the arm and led her to the dance floor. The song was slow and perfect for getting close, and he didn't hesitate. Pulling her tightly against him as they slowly swayed side to side. He lowered his face to her neck and placed a few kisses along her collarbone and up to her ear. He raised his lips and whispered in her ear. "You know I'm leaving tomorrow, why don't we just get out of here now and go back to your place?"

"I know, and I plan on giving you a proper farewell. But first we are going to dance." She pressed herself closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm not stupid, Steven. I know we aren't going to see each other after this. Let me enjoy it while it lasts."

He pulled himself back so he could look at her face. He was taken aback by the sad look in her eyes. Had he been wrong about her? Did she actually have feelings for him? (What does it matter? I'm leaving tomorrow, and she's right. I'm not coming back.) Regardless, he felt a sudden pang of guilt when he looked into her green eyes. He had a sudden thought of his mother, and remembered the same sadness in her eyes when she'd realized she was dying. When she realized she was leaving him alone. He'd tried his best to make her feel better, to promise her he'd be okay. He couldn't bare another set of green eyes look at him like that. He didn't love her, but that wasn't her fault. "Alright Lizzy, tonight we dance until you've had your fill. Whatever you want."