Chief of Staff's quarters,
Spartan-IV training station
November 2553

An orbital training station is definitely ideal; Celest and I can see all the stars we like. Jun thought as he gazed out of the wall-sized window in his quarters. It's so peaceful out there.

"It's so peaceful out there, I bet,"

He glanced up to see Celestina, having just entered his quarters with a smile on her face. "In space?"

"Yeah," She took off her leather jacket and placed it over one of the two chairs at the kitchen table. "Look at all those beautiful stars. Too bad they die out after a while."

"But some of them remain stable, some for millions of years. That's some endurance. Reminds me of you."

"See, I knew you'd sneak in a compliment somehow!" She giggled, meeting up with him next to the window. "When did you get so flirty?"

"I don't know about all that. I just know what to say to you."

"Flirt."

"You like it." He replied with a smirk.

With another laugh, she leaned in to steal a quick kiss from him. It was after that that her grin suppressed into a small smile. "So... I'm hoping that we can skip through any bullshit, and you talk to me."

"Pardon?"

"Something's bothering you. I know something's bothering you, but you won't talk to me about it."

Shit. "But there's nothing bothering me, Celest."

"I've seen the way you've been looking at me for the past week. There's… pity on your face. I know we were apart for a few years and I know my memory isn't all that great. But you and I have always been on the same wavelength. I know when something's not right with you."

It was foolish of me to think otherwise. "You've just run out of patience in waiting for me to say something, huh?"

"Haven't got an eternity, sweetie," She took his hand in hers. "I told you the awful truth about the consequences of my head injury. Our relationship almost didn't survive that, but it did. So… whatever this is, I know we'll be fine."

Jun studied her face in silence. That pity on his face that she was talking about, it was obvious this time.

"I'm your partner. And… even though it isn't official yet, I'm your wife. Whatever it is, I'll protect you."

He could not help but smile at her declaration. "It's not me, Celest. It's you.

Her face remained unchanged, but she did take in a breath. "Did the doctor say something?"

"Oh no, no, no. If anything, nothing's changed in that regard."

"Can't tell if that's good or bad," She said, her attempt to break the tension. "Then... what is it?"

"Celest," He found the courage to hold both her hands as he prepared himself to say the words that he knew would shatter her world. "I found your family."

Jun watched as she furrowed her eyebrows at his statement. She was trying her best to register the words, but it did not seem that they would stick. Not those words. "Y... You what?"

"One of the soldiers I went to go recruit for the program. When I saw his name, I thought it was just a coincidence, but it wasn't. Not when I went to go find him at his hometown."

"Who… is he?"

"Your brother."

Celestina pulled her hands away and backed up upon hearing that.

"I know it's hard to believe, but I've got the proof. Pictures of them, news articles, everything they've been through over the years that they've been living on Vespera. It's an outer colony in the Cygnus system."

She was clearly trying to fight back her tears as she took in this piece of news. "What... do you mean... by family?"

He was not liking the fact that she had begun breathing heavily. "Caden is alive, as I've just told you. Both your parents as well. And your twin sister."

"No!" She yelled as the tears finally fell. "No, no, no! It CAN'T be! Everyone is supposed to be dead!"

"Celest..." He hurried to take her into his arms, to which she pushed him away.

"Show me the proof! Show me!" She demanded.

Jun held his saddened expression as he walked over to his desk and began fiddling with the keyboard there. A holographic screen projected over his desk, and it gave Celestina a clear view of the man's picture, his name, and other biographical details.

He observed as Celestina studied the man's face. She attempted to place the man as her brother, but it was clear that she was having great difficulty in doing so. "I don't recognize him."

"You've barely looked, Celest."

"He doesn't look anything like Caden!"

Jun fell silent.

"What?!" She questioned aggressively.

"You don't remember what he looks like, do you?"

"Well, fuck you too."

"Celest," Her brother's picture moved upwards as Jun scrolled down to the man's family details. "Look, princess. He was born on Convergence V. His parents are Leon and Annaliese Donatelli. He has younger identical twin sisters, Christine and Celestina. Except that you're the one listed as deceased. They're all alive. I've spoken to your brother. Celest," The calling of her name got her to look at him. "I've met her. I've spoken to Christine."

She shook her head. "It can't be…"

"Please, Celest-"

"It's not true. It's not true!" Her tears were streaming down her face at that point.

"But it-" He halted his words as soon as he saw the blood beginning to trickle from her nose. He hurried over to her, pulling a handkerchief from the inner pocket of his jacket. Celestina was trying to stop the bleeding on her own, a string of profanities leaving her mouth. "Come on, have a seat." He beckoned her towards the chair on the other side of his desk.

She pressed the handkerchief to her nose as Jun ran his hand over her head. "Is it your head? Do you need any painkillers?"

"What did he say?" She instead asked, quickly finishing up at dabbing her nose. "Does he want to be a Spartan?"

He knew that his partner could not be bothered with her health at the moment. The answer was more important. "Yes."

What that meant was that soon enough, Celestina would be reunited with her brother.