Mara hung up more dog tags on the ever-growing wall of them. These belonged to such good people. Good people that were now dead. The omnic crisis was getting out of hand. She walked into a daze to the training area. Some fighting would surely help take her mind off of things. After a few fights she wasn't doing much better so Mara decided to take on her two hardest opponents at once. First she went to find Jack. He was at the practice range gunning down several targets. He went to give her a friendly wave but was cut short by the expression on her face. And the fact that her tattoo was showing. Mara didn't like having it out in the open and would wear at least a t-shirt to cover as much of the pale barn owl up as possible. But now she had on a tank top that showed it off to everyone she passed. Her hair was no longer pulled into a braid and instead just hung in a ponytail that was curled from all the years it was. "Mara, what's wrong?" he said as he approached her. She looked at Jack's perfect appearance and started to crumble. How could find the time to keep his golden hair so neat? How could his deep blue eyes not have the same haunted look in them? "We lost more" she whispered in pain. Jack put down his gun and walked over to her. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply to calm her emotions. He put an arm around her protectively. Maybe she did need protection. From her own emotions. They were clouding her judgement, and that could only end in more people she cared about dying. She leaned away from Jack and calmed herself. "Wanna fight?" she asked. He smiled as he let her go and said, "Glad to see you're getting back to being your old self. But you might want to fix your hair first. You always say loose hair give me an advantage". Mara laughed and dragged him by the arm out of the practice range. "You wish you could beat me in any fight! But as much as I don't want to give you an unfair advantage, it takes way too long to braid my hair tightly. Let's just get to it". A mischievous smile appeared on his face and he guided Mara to her bunk. "Why are we going this way" she asked him. Jack smiled at her and said, "I thought I could help you with your hair".

"In that case, let me show you something."

When they got up onto Mara's bunks she opened a little chest at the foot of her bed that all the soldiers had. It was to store personal items and things to keep the occupied when they weren't training or fighting. Not that it was often though. But Mara still managed to get her hands on a few things. Some drawing supplies, a book, and a ukulele. They were all from the little town she had visited with Gabe. She picked up the ukulele ad started strumming a relaxing tune. Jack sat behind her and got to work. "How long have you played?" he said, breaking the silence. Mara didn't stop strumming, but she answer with, "Since I was little. Just how I grew up". They both listened to the quiet strumming of the little instrument while he pulled at her hair. And for once all their worries could be forgotten in the peacefulness of it all.

A set of fingers snapped in front of Mara's face and only then did she realized that she had spaced out. Thinking of everyone that had been lost. "You okay Pendt?" Jack asked. Mara shook her head and leaned into him. He was still there. He hadn't died. Someone she cared about was still alive. Her hair was now in a tight Dutch braid instead of its usual plain one. It wrapped from her right temple and wrapped around her head to fall onto her left shoulder. It was more intricate than anything she'd had in before. She leaned into Jack's arms while saying comfortably "Thank you for being here Jack. I needed someone to be here right now". He hugged her close and for a moment she just lay there in his strong arms, not a care in the world. Then she took him by surprise and tackled him into the bed laughing. "Don't think this means I'll go easy on you though!". Jack let out a whoop as they started slipping off the bunk. When they both safely made it to the floor he chuckled "Wouldn't dream of it Mara!". They walked to the mats and once again they were facing each other. The thought to invite Gabe never even crossed her mind.