Jayla Rin, Striker Titan, was lying on her back, on a flat roof. She had purposely found a darkened part of the tower, so she could see the stars.
Her ghost, Orrin, settled with her.
"It's been a pretty quiet weekend." He said after a few minutes of silence.
Jayla nodded. "Yeah. Too quiet. I like to keep busy; it keeps me from thinking too much."
Orrin looked sideways at her. "I think that's called escapism; that can't be healthy…" Jayla smiled a bit. "Well...everyone needs a little escapism at one point or another."
She looked over at her ghost. "You know it's been a year, Orrin? He's been gone for a year today."
Orrin bobbed understandingly. "You're right...it has been. Imagine that...I knew you didn't think you'd make it, but you did."
"L.J was a huge help." Jayla admitted. "The last person i expected would have been a help in all this."
Orrin hovered above her face and rested on her forehead, lightly like a butterfly and Jayla smiled bigger.
"Reno-13 would be proud of you." He said.
Jayla blinked as tears stung the backs of her eyes. "You...you're just saying that." She said quietly.
"When have i ever 'just said' something?" Orrin asked. "Be serious!"
Jayla rolled her eyes at him and blinked some more. "You really think so?" She asked after a second.
"I know so." Orrin answered. "You came back, even when you didn't think you could. You've continued to make your lives matter, even after sustaining probably the greatest loss you could ever have. Hell; I'm proud of you!"
Jayla sat up straight, and caught the ghost in her hand. "Okay, are you TRYING to make me cry?!" She smiled a bit.
"No…I…" Orrin paused for a minute and hovered back into the air from her hand. "I just want you to know. I don't want you to be discouraged." He admitted.
Jayla smiled bigger and reached out her hand to gently rub the top of his shell with her finger. "But thru it all, I never lost you. You're truly the best, and i don't tell you often enough, i really don't."
"You are my purpose. You've given me everything I could ever want. The only thing that makes me happier is to see you fulfilling your purpose."
Just then, they heard scraping on the side of the wall, and their team's Hunter, L.J, climbed up onto the roof with them. "Any good stars out tonight?" He asked.
Jayla scooted over and he settled next to her. "A few." She answered. "It's still early yet tho."
L.J nodded in agreement.
"Man...a year already." He said after a minute.
Jayla thought he meant since he'd been on their fireteam.
He's a month or so early but correct…
She smiled. "You're right. I think it's technically another couple months or so, but-"
"No...you told me your mission to Titan was today, a year ago." He clarified.
Jayla was surprised and touched that he remembered the anniversary of Reno's death, even tho he didn't know her at the time.
"You're...you're right." She said quietly. "I didn't think you'd remember."
L.J shrugged. "I knew it would probably be a rough day for you; i wanted to be sensitive."
Jayla rolled on her side and looked at him. "How long has it been for you? Since your mission to Mars?"
L.J took a deep breath and let it out loudly. "Eight years, ten months. 16 days." He answered.
Jayla nodded. "Does it get any easier? The anniversaries, as the years go on?"
L.J shook his head. "It's become a part of my life, in the sense that it doesn't shock me or make me sick to think about anymore...And i remember them especially on the day of their death...but no. No, it doesn't get easier."
Jayla thought about that for a minute and then nodded. "I understand."
She looked up as she heard soft steps land on the roof next to them.
It was their team's warlock, Darren Vol. But instead of his usual ornate robes, he was in an exceptionally-comfortable looking sweater, and loose linen pants that allowed him to sit comfortably for meditation. His black hair was pulled in to a small, neat bun at the back of his head.
"I thought i heard you both up here." He said. "You do realize there's meditation going on in the room below you?"
"In the dark?!" Jayla was surprised. She thought she had purposely picked a spot no one else was in.
"Yes, part of it is in the dark." Darren answered. "What are you both doing?"
"Looking at the stars...just talking." Jayla answered.
Darren nodded. "I see. I have some star charts down in the room below us, if you'd like to see them. All accurate and in season, of course."
Jayla sat up. "For sure! That would be awesome; thanks!"
The warlock floated gracefully down to the room he had just come from and came back with the charts. Jayla realized he had copied them down himself.
"Thankyou so much...will you be at breakfast tomorrow? I can get them back to you then."
Darren was quiet for a second. "I actually have a moment; would you like me to show you the best ways to use them?"
Jayla was surprised. Darren didn't usually care for social interaction.
"Umm, sure! If you don't mind…"
"Were you in the middle of a...personal conversation?" Darren asked. "I don't wish to interrupt."
Jayla shook her head. "No, no! Not at all. Please join us!"
Darren nodded appreciatively and laid out the star chart on the flat roof. His ghost, Merin, illuminated them with a soft glow.
They alighted the charts with the sky, and talked about their names and positions for a while, before they finally fell silent again. Each watched the sky, and found peace in the stillness, only broken by the breathing of the others.
Finally, Darren turned to Merin, and she materialized something small into his hand.
"Jayla." He sat up. "I have something for you."
Jayla looked over at him. "For me? Really?"
Darren nodded. "L.J, you're welcome to participate as well, of course.
I've been studying meditations for honoring the deaths of loved ones, in preparation for this day. You aren't the only one who has kept track of the day we lost Reno-13. If you'd like...i thought perhaps we could do the meditation together. And...and i think Reno would be proud of the way our fireteam has been reforged, stronger than before, in his death. It's the greatest thing one can hope for their friends."
Jayla smiled sadly, but her heart was full. "I'd love to. Thankyou Darren. I'd like to think he'd be proud of us too."
She took his hand and L.J's as they arranged themselves in a triangle position with their legs crossed and their ghosts on their knees. "You both have made this difficult day into one of honor and remembrance, and growth, instead of sadness like i expected it would be. I thank you."
Darren flicked his finger and a small purple flame flickered out the end of his thumb. It illuminated the item Merin had materialized into his hand; a small candle.
He set it in the center of the triangle. "Let's begin then. Take a deep breath...focus on the flame, and listen to my voice..."