***updated Pidge didn't come to the Garrison until after the Kerberos mission

Where It All began - Part 1

(Lance)

Today was the day, the day he would find out if he got accepted into the Galaxy Garrison. He had been fawning over it ever since he could remember. Thoughts of flying into space, thoughts of flying the ships they took into space, thoughts of looking at the stars.

He told his Abuela and Abuelo every day when he was younger about the crazy missions and discoveries he would make. As the baby of the family everyone wanted him to get in, that was why everyone was at his house tonight, well, almost everyone. Lance walked over to the fireplace, there hung a picture of his abuelo, he held his hand around the frame and closed his eyes. He could feel him, watching over him every day.

Abuela came up and held her hand to my shoulder, "He would be so proud of the de que hombre you have become." I kept the tears in, I always tried to put on a brave face around Abuela.

"Lance! Lance! Lance!" it was Veronica, she just got home for the weekend from the Garrison, oh yeah, that was his awesome big sister, who had been at the Garrison for a couple years now. She was no pilot in training, but he still looked up to her, she was the light in his world.

Veronica ran into the living room and scooped him into her arms, "I have the letter, Iverson recognized the last name and let me bring it home to you in person."

She looked so happy, I wonder if she had already read it? The whole family heard her burst into the house and made their way down. My brothers and sisters, niece and nephew, my mom and pop-pop. The energy of our house filled me with joy, even if that letter were to say I didn't get accepted in I would be happy because everyone came just to support me, and I know they would support me no matter what I chose to do with my life.

"Are you ready Lance?" Veronica asked placing an arm around me and handing me the letter, I stared at the black envelope outlined in gold, this was it, could my dreams finally be coming true?

"Lance McClain, congratulations on your acceptance into the Galaxy Garrison class of 2XXX, your attendance will begin in August 1st," I read aloud, and I felt the tears start coming down, Veronica hugged me, Luis ran over and threw us both into the air. Marco and Lisa came in for a group hug. Silvio and Nadia jumped around us. Mom and Pop-pop both got teary eyed too, which only made it harder for me to keep it together. Abuela just smiled from her chair, she kept looking back and forth from me to the frame on the wall. She made eye contact with me and nodded, my dreams were coming true.

"Lance I am so excited now that I can see you every day I can start teasing you so much more again," Veronica said grabbing my cheek, I pushed her away, everyone else laughed.

"You have to let me be a big man at the Garrison Veronica, I am going to be the best pilot they ever saw, you can't be teasing me," I said blushing. I didn't want her to tease me, but I was excited to have some family there, after all family was our everything. Not having Veronica at home these past few years all the time was so hard, I thought about what that would mean when I left. It's okay, Veronica comes home almost every weekend, I could come home with her, and the family would still be happy together.

The next few months flew by as I anxiously awaited to move into the Garrison. Veronica started telling me twice as many stories, I was already falling in love with the Garrison.

"Hay mijo, I will miss you so much, you better call or text me everyday, and come home on the weekends," Mom said squeezing me so tight I thought my bones were going to break.

"Veronica take good care of nuestra hermano, I know you will, but he tends to find trouble a lot," Marco said messing up my hair. I was going to miss this, but I knew I had to reach the stars for Abuelo. I told him I would. I could feel him looking at me from the stars above.

Veronica and I made our way for to the transportation system, I just had a small bag, the McClain's never had much, I just brought some pictures and clothes with me.

When I arrived I found myself completely overwhelmed, this place was huge. I felt so tiny in all the massive hallways, Veronica helped me check in and set up in my dorm. The first year we lived with in gender separated dorms with our entire class. As you found your area of study and teams you were divided up differently. There were quite a few people in my year. So many different faces. I found an empty bunk, Veronica helped me set up my things and said she would meet me for dinner later.

A boy just about my same height but of a bigger build walked up to me and stuck his hand out, he avoided making eye contact with me. He had darker skin than me and black hair.

"Name is Hunk, guess we are bunk mates...if you are okay with that?" He said before I even had a chance to shake his hand. I firmly grabbed his hand with both of mine.

"Perfectly okay with that, my name is Lance," I said, he turned his face towards me finally, he had big brown eyes, soft and gentle, the Garrison was getting better by the minute, I already made a friend and I just barely got here.

The two of us finished setting up our stuff, and made our way around the facility.

"So, what do you want to specialize in?" I asked him, the more time I spent with him the more I could tell he was a big ol' fluffy teddy bear.

"I want to be a mechanic, my dad used to teach me everything he knew about cars and other engines, then one day we witnessed a Garrison launch, I told my dad I wanted to mix and make engines for ships like that," he said, I smiled, being at the Garrison was so much nicer than normal schools. People there didn't have dreams, and they were always so mean. I shuddered as I thought about the people who used to push me around when I was just a small dainty boy. "What about you?"

"I want to be a pilot," I said, it was a fairly basic answer for people here, a lot of people who came to the Garrison wanted to be pilots, but I knew I could do it, no, I had to do it. "Ever since I was little I would dream about dancing through the stars."

"Well maybe when we get older I can be your mechanic, we just need to find a communications cadet now," Hunk said laughing.

It would be a year or so before we would meet our spunky communications cadet, his name was Pidge.

Classes began. Hunk became my genius saving grace, turns out he was super smart. I didn't have that going for me, and then once pilot trainings began I realized I wasn't the top at that either.

I watched as all the aspiring pilots began to one-up me. I needed to be better. I didn't know how to be. Maybe if I befriend one, maybe we can practice and compete with one another in friendly competitions.

I had my eye on this kid named Keith, he had disaster black hair where the curls somehow managed to point every which directions at the end. He had a lone-wolf personality, so maybe he just needed a friend, he didn't talk to anyone else in the class, and I was part of the friendliest group in class.

"Hey it's Keith right? My name is-" I got up and walked to his desk after class ended, but he cut me short.

"I don't care, leave me alone," he said holding up his hand in my face. From that day on I was sure Keith was out to get me. I hadn't even known what I did to make him hate me so much.

That was also the day that I started to change. It didn't help that Veronica was getting busy on the weekends and I didn't want to travel home by myself. Pilot assessments were coming up so I spent the weekends practicing day and night. I wanted to beat Keith, make him regret not talking to me, not wanting to become my friend.

Maybe I was just hurt. I missed my family, and wanted to expand mine. I wanted someone to give me a hug. Some days I would say in Veronica's room, she wouldn't get home until really late though.

I was so lonely.