Mmmmkay, This is one of my oldest fics, it was originally posted on the Nintendo Insider forums under my username, WolfTrust, before they where permanently shut down. I'm placing it here because I hope to get further feedback, and for archiving purposes. It has won an award, it placed first in the 'Fan Fiction of the Week Award' on February 5th, 2006. This piece has been altered slightly, a change of words, and fixing of a few typos, but is basically the same piece. I hope you enjoy. :)

Worth Fighting For

By Wolf Shadow

Mist. There's a lot of mist in the dark night air, and through the mist there's a white one story house. It has a large yard with flowers planted around the front porch. Through a window we can see a light on, and past that window is a kitchen.

It is warm and inviting, with bright white and foamy sea green vinyl on the floor. The counters and shelves are what looks like rich red mahogany. There's also some sleek machines that look like they're used for baking. The den, as well as the front door, are all one open room, with a hallway leading to the back of the house, and stairs that lead up to the loft.

In the center of the kitchen there is an oak table; above the table is the only source of light. There is no light bulb, in fact, there seems to be no external source, there is simply a rectangular strip of ceiling that glows, casting light down on the blonde woman that sits in one of the four oak chairs. She wears a blue long sleeve shirt and loose blue sweat pants.

Samus Aran leaned back in her seat, rubbed her tired blue eyes and checked the clock on her holographic touch screen computer. It was two a.m., earth time. She had been checking her bounty offers for over four hours. "That's what happens when you're the best of the best.", said a little voice in her brain. "Everybody wants you." She gave a wry laugh and said out loud, "Isn't that the truth. Over three quarters of these aren't worth my time." She shook her head, long blonde hair cascading down her back.

There were only two offers from the Federation and only one of them seemed urgent. Irritably she glared at the computer screen. Not so long ago she would have taken both of the Federations offers, as well as any others that caught her interest. "But the Space Pirates have been quiet lately.", she muttered running a hand though her hair. "And the Federation has been keeping a watch out for anything out-of-the-ordinary." She stood up and stretched "So there are no planets in need of saving." She gave a wry grin "Or in need of getting blown up."

She made her way to one of the cupboards. "I could go after that fugitive called Wick, he sounds like a good hunt." Reaching up and into the cupboard she pulled out a tall green glass.

"The pay is not very good though, considering how dangerous he's supposed to be." She thought as she turned on the faucet and filled up the glass.

Samus leaned back against the counter and took a drink of the cool water. It felt good against her dry throat. As she raised her glass to take another drink a soft sound caught her ear, it seemed to be a low whimper. She lowered the glass and looked around her, there was no one else in the kitchen and as far as she could see there was no one in the living room either. Carefully she walked forward, glass still in hand, until she was next to her chair. Another small whimper made her look to her right.

Standing in the doorway to the hall was a small girl. Her light blonde hair fell a little pass her shoulders and her blue eyes looked scared. She was wearing a white night shirt and held in her small arms a rather worn stuffed bear. She couldn't have been more than four years old.

"Sitara, you're supposed to be asleep." Samus said, her pulse slowing back to normal.

A tear slowly slid down Sitara's angelic face, and her lower lip trembled.

"Oh, sweetie." Samus said, that look alone was enough to melt her heart.

She set the glass down on the table, quickly walked over to Sitara, knelt down and pulled the child into a warm embrace. It never failed to amaze Samus how small and fragile Sitara seemed in her arms, and yet she was always so warm and alive.

Samus felt small arms wrap around her neck as Sitara pulled closer to her. She was shaking.

"Baby, what's wrong?

Sitara gave a soft sob "I had a bad dweem, Mommy."

"Shhhh." Samus said as her daughter began to weep. "Shh. It's okay. I'm here, you're safe. I'm here." Carefully, Samus picked up Sitara, sat back down in her chair and pulled the crying little girl against her chest.

Stroking Sitara's head she asked gently "What was your dream about, my Starlight?"

Sitara's grip on Samus loosened, as she curled into a ball, squeezing the teddy bear against her small frame. It hurt Samus more than Ridley ever could, to see her child this scared.

She closed her eyes. Memories of her life, and her pain welling up inside her. She had been through so much pain and hurt, she just wanted for her daughter to be and feel safe, even if it was just from a bad dream.

Sitara's crying slowed and she began to speak, her little voice trembling with every word. "I dweemed that you went off on your job and evwething was okay. But then…" and here Sitara pulled closer to her mother and began to shake uncontrollably, silent tears falling from her eyes. "You didn't come back."

Samus grip on her daughter tightened.

"And then it got all dark, and scarwy pirates came out of the sky, and they tore our house down." Sitara pulled her bear even closer. "They almost got me Mommy. But I hid and they couldn't find me, and when they weft, and the house was wuined and… and…" Sitara swallowed hard, tears still running down her face "And you were gone just like Daddy is gone." She began to sob harder than ever.

Samus sat there holding her beloved daughter close as she remembered Sitara's father. He had been the first man in a long time that had really caught her off guard. She had fallen in love with him, and she had been surprised to find that he felt the same way about her. They had only been in the relationship for about seven months when she found out the she was pregnant.

When she had told him, he had been stunned. Samus gave a painful smile. She could still remember the look on his face. The way he had tried to stutter out a sentence, how his face had broken into a smile, how he had hugged her. She also remembered how they had been separated, almost immediately after. She had gone though her entire pregnancy alone. Ironically though, he had found her just in time to see Sitara born, even more ironic was the fact that he had been infected with a deadly virus. He had died when Sitara was only a week old.

Sitara's voice brought Samus back to the present.

"Now I'm afwaid to go back to sleep. 'cause I'm afwaid that when I wake up you won't be here."

Samus didn't answer. Instead she kissed Sitara on the forehead, turned off the computer screen, and, holding Sitara close, walked toward the bedrooms. Walking straight past her own room, Samus turned into Sitara's white painted room, closing the door behind her, and walked to the bed pushed against the wall.

Gently she leaned over and set Sitara on the bed. Sitara's grip on her did not loosen.

"It's okay Sitara, I'm here." Samus whispered.

Slowly Sitara let go of her Mother only cling to her bear, watching Samus with scared eyes and tear stained face.

Tenderly, Samus pulled the covers up to Sitara's chest then gently lay down next to her.

"You don't need to be scared, I'll stay right here till you go to sleep, and when you wake up I'll still be here, okay?"

Sitara Sniffed slightly "You pwomise?"

Samus gave her loving smile "I promise."

Sitara pulled closer and laid her head against Samus' chest as her mother wrapped her arms gently around her.

Half an hour later, Sitara was fast asleep, while Samus was still awake, gazing down at the most wonderful accomplishment of her life.

"This house", she thought, "I bought this house for many different reasons. It's warm; it's over thirty miles away from the nearest city. There are miles of forest to explore, the shop is big enough to hold my ship." She smiled "But mostly I bought it for you, little one. If it wasn't for you, I'd still be living in my ship."

She should probably be checking off her bounty offers and making sure her Power Suit was ready. But those things could wait. Sitara was the most important thing in her life now, and nothing could ever change that.

"Adam." Samus spoke softly.

"Yes, Lady?" the A.I. responded though the intercom system of the house.

"Lock down the house, oh and turn off the kitchen light."

"Done… and, Samus?"

"Hmmm?"

"Remember when you where pregnant, and you were worried that you wouldn't be a good Mother?"

"Yes…."

"I have news for you…" there was a pause and then…. "You're a great Mother."

Samus smiled "Thank you. Good night, Adam."

"Night lady."

Samus closed her eyes. She didn't know what offers tomorrow would bring or how much they would really need her help, and it didn't matter, she thought, as she drifted off to sleep. Because she had something worth fighting for, and that something was Sitara.

Going through the window of the little girl's room there is the back yard. At the edge of the grass is a large shop. Within this shop is a hunter class ship and inside this ship is a Chozo crafted Power suit, one that has seen many battles and will undoubtedly see more. But for now, it rests. Flying up past the roof we cut though the mist till we see the stars.

Looking down, there is a white one story house, with no lights on. It is surrounded by cool night mist and miles of peaceful conifer forest.

Authors note:

This was actually inspired by a dream I had, and yes, some parts of this story were actually in the dream. Sitara, believe it or not, is a real name. It's Hindi, and it means starlight. Samus Aran, Chozo and all other related things belong to Nintendo. Sitara, the white one story house and Sitaras teddy dear belong to me.

Yes I know this is a very differn't Metroid fan fic than most, but hey, it's still good. :)

Hoping you've enjoyed my short fan fic.

Wolf Shadow.