Never had she felt so alone in all her life. It had only been a week since they died, since her whole world had been turned upside down. It was sudden, it had been an accident. Some idiot had been out on the road and smacked right into them. They died instantly. It was painless; at least that's what the doctors had told her. They didn't suffer. She thought she should be happy that there was no pain, but she couldn't help but feel angry. Now she was all alone.

She had been left behind. With no one who wanted her or seemed to care about what happened to her. She had no relatives; at least that's what social services had told her when they placed her in a group home. It was a nice enough of a place, but she didn't fit in there. She was different, far too different for any of them to understand. No one would talk or play with her, and in her loneliness she would replicate herself, so she wouldn't be alone. It was someone to talk to even if it was just herself/ And because of that the other kids were either scared or made fun of her, causing her to get upset and retaliate against them getting into fights.

After a week the caretakers couldn't take much more, so she was being moved to another group home, probably far away from all that has ever been familiar to her, at least that's what she thought. No one would really tell her much of anything about what was going on. She sat in the train station with her head down. The social worker walked up to her and handed her the ticket.

"Elizabeth, your train will be here in about an hour. I have another child I need to pick up across town, so the man at the ticket booth is going to watch you get on the train. Okay?" She smiled faintly.

Z looked up and nodded her head. "Okay." She looked down at her feet and for an instant she wished she had never been born. No one wanted a kid with mutant powers. She was a freak; even in school she never had any real friends. Her parents had tried to give her the best life possible, but sometimes she felt it was out of guilt. That they felt responsible for why she was different. In her mind as far as she knew her life was over. She'd go to another group home, until they too found out what she was and then decide they didn't want her anymore. She just be tossed around from place to place until she got too old for them to have to care. She hadn't even noticed her social worker at left when a kid came towards her.

"Man, I haven't had one of these in like forever," announced an older boy who sat down next to her. He looked to be around fifteen, maybe a little older. He had long black hair pulled back into a ponytail. He was wearing he an assortment of clothing. He took a huge bite of the hamburger that he had snatched from the snack bar in the connecting building of the station. It was like he hadn't eaten one in days, years even. "Man, this is so good!"

He turned and noticed that the girl sitting next to him looked very sad. She looked to be the saddest girl he had ever seen. "Oh, I'm sorry. Do you want one? I have two of them." He handed her the other wrapped hamburger. When she didn't take it, "Go on take it, I don't bite." He smiled, seeing that she could use a friend. "Well, not much anyways." That got a smile out of Z. "Well I guess you do know how to smile."

"Thanks." She took the hamburger and began to unwrap it. This was the first time in what felt like forever that someone was genuinely being nice to her and not out of obligation.

"I'm Jack by the way." He held out his hand.

"You can call me Z." She smiled. "Thank you for the hamburger. I feel like I haven't eaten in a week."

Jack nodded his head. "I know how that is. I went without food for almost two weeks once."

She looked at him, concerned. "Don't your parents feed you?"

"Nah. I haven't seen them in years," he exclaimed. "It's a long story and I really don't like talking about it." His mind drifted elsewhere for a moment…

He had only been out on the streets for six months, and was already finding it wasn't as easy as he had thought it was. Some nights he barely ate anything at all. Sometimes he was lucky enough to find some eatable food in the garbage. Sleeping was even harder to do. There weren't too many safe places to sleep out on the streets. Not too many people you can trust. Too many bad people out there who prey on kids like himself. So he decided to bite the bullet and go back home. His parents were probably worried sick about him.

But when he returned back to his home, he found another family living in his apartment. His parents were long gone. He thought about asking, but never had the courage. He was too hurt that they had just packed up and left, as if he no longer mattered to them. They were probably back with the missionaries, helping people in need like they used to. He should be happy, his parents were helping others, but he couldn't help but feel as if they had forgotten him. That they didn't want him anymore.

He sighed as the memory faded away. He took another bite of his hamburger. He didn't want to talk about his past, whether it was because it made him angry, or sad, or both, he didn't know. All he knew was he didn't want to talk about it.

For the longest moment she just stared at her burger, as if she was lost in a trance. She didn't know what it was, but she felt comfortable with him. She felt like she could trust him. "My parents died three weeks ago."

Jack sighed heavily finding himself no longer hungry. And for a moment he almost felt guilty for the way he acted about his parents, like he no longer cared about them. His problems seemed meaningless compared to this girl who clearly cared very much about her parents, and now she no longer had them in her life. They were gone and would never be coming back. "I'm sorry. You must miss them."

"Every day."

For a moment he looked around in the station, seeing they were alone. The man at the ticket booth had disappeared into the back room. "You waiting for your aunt or someone to come and get you?" He found it strange that after what she'd been through that she was all alone.

"No. I don't have any family, at least no one who wants me," she sighed heavily. "I'm heading to my second group home." She turned to face him. "It probably won't be for long though, once people get to know me, the real me. They won't like me anymore."

"Really? You seem like a nice girl," Jack answered surprised. How could anyone not like Z? "And I've only known you for a few minutes and I already like you."

Z laughed. "Just wait." She turned back towards her hamburger, just staring at it, wanting to take a bite, but at the same time not feeling very hungry. "I'm different. I'm not like other kids."

"Oh. I see." Jack nodded his head. "So you're really a sea monster disguised as a little girl."

Z laughed again. She didn't know what it was, but she felt comfortable talking to Jack. He made her laugh, which was something she hadn't done much of in her thirteen years of living. "Almost."

"Not a sea monster, hmm." He looked at her and laughed. "A lizard then."

Z just shook her head smiling as she rolled her eyes at his silliness.

"Okay not a lizard and defiantly not a sea monster," exclaimed Jack. " Okay, I give up."

"You sure you want to know?" She turned to him looking him right in the eyes. She wasn't sure if she should tell him, afraid to once again have her heart crushed. She wasn't sure if she could handle Jack not accepting her after feeling such a connection with him. "Once people find out, that's usually when they start running."

"Try me. I've lived out on the streets for the past two years, so I've seen scary." Jack smiled warmly at her and placed his hand on top of hers. "Come on. I promise I won't run away." He wasn't one who was easily scared away.

She thought about it for a moment. For so long she had wanted a friend, wanted someone who wouldn't be afraid of her, someone who would accept her, who wouldn't make fun of her and wouldn't run away. Could Jack be the friend she had been wishing for, for so long? "Okay." She took a deep breath, as she took a leap of faith. "I can replicate myself." She put her head down, afraid to look into his eyes, afraid to see what she had seen so many times before.

"Really?" Jack nodded his head. "And I thought I bizarre."

"Wait… You mean you're not scared?" She looked right at him and for the first time she saw eyes that weren't afraid. She saw eyes that were full of understanding and acceptance. She couldn't believe he hadn't run away or called her a freak or a weirdo, or some other hurtful name, that so many had called her. It was like he understood, like he knew what it was like to be her. "You're not freaked out?"

"No, why would I be?" he exclaimed with a bright smile. "Man, I bet you could clean your room and do your homework in no time flat." He had never thought it was possible to be so excited over something, but learning that there was someone else like him with powers, was the best thing ever. He wasn't alone. "Man I would love to have what you have. All I can do is walk through walls."

She looked at him weirdly, had she heard right? "Wait, did you just say you walk through walls?"

"Yep." He laughed. "What, did you think you were the only human with strange powers?" Truthfully so had he, but now he knew that wasn't true. He began to wonder if maybe there were others like Z and him out there.

"Yeah." She smiled. "But I'm glad to know I'm not the only one."

"Me too." Jack smiled. He really wasn't alone. There was someone else like him who felt the way he did. "Hey, what would you say if I asked you to come with me?"

"On the streets?" She wasn't so sure if she liked the sound of that. She knew the streets were dangerous, especially at night. It was no place for a young girl. It wasn't even a place for young boys. Too many bad things could happen.

"Yeah. I promise I'll look out for you. I'll be like your big brother." He grinned. "Unless of course you like being bounced from one group home to another." He held out his hand. "What do you say, Z?"

She thought about it for a moment; although going to the group home would be a safer place, it wasn't exactly in her best interest. She was different, and no one would even be able to begin to understand what she was going through. But Jack, he was like her, he was different. He understood. He knew what it was like, to have no friends, to have people run away from you. She smiled brightly. "Well. I did always want an older brother."

"All right!" He stood up and took her hand. "Let's get out of here, sis."

Today they honored the memory of their fallen comrade, Commander Dashel Jackson the third. His family, friends, teammates and fellow officers and cadets attended the funeral and ceremony. Tears of pure sorrow were being shed, both for Dash and the family he had left behind.

"Today we remember Commander Jackson for the man he was. An honorable Ranger, a loyal friend, a loving husband and father. I don't think there is a person in this room whose life hasn't been touched by him. We are all better to have known him." Cruger looked around the room. This hadn't been the first time he had given one of these eulogies, to honor and remember a fallen Ranger. The last time it had been Commander Wesley Collins, one of the best Rangers the academy had ever had. And like Wes, Dash too left behind a family, small children, who still needed their father.

Sky started to block out what Cruger was saying. He had heard it before, and it wasn't that he didn't care, because he did. He still remembered the young man who had given him his father's helmet and spoken highly of him. That seemed so long ago now. And now almost a decade later, Dash was gone, like his father. He had left behind three very young boys, much younger than he was when his father died.

He eyed the young three boys, sitting closely to their mother and grandparents. He was reminded of sitting close to his grandfather and Lisa. And now they too were out of his life. His grandfather had died a few years ago and he hadn't heard from Lisa in years. They had once been so close, and now had become strangers. She had a new family now… Part of him wanted to be angry with her, but he just couldn't bring himself to be. In the last letter she had sent him, she seemed so happy. She had moved on with her life. He couldn't be angry with her for that.

Sky sighed heavily, as he watched as Dash's teammates handed the three boys their father's helmet. He wondered if, when they got to be his age, would they even remember their father. Would they remember the sound of his voice? His laugh? The way he would tuck them in at night? There were days he felt like he was forgetting his father, like he had forgotten his mother. The memories were there, he just couldn't grab onto them, as if something was preventing them from coming out. The painful memories of having to grow up without both his father and mother overflowed in his mind. And in that moment he swore to himself, that never again would he allow himself to feel this way, the pain of loss and loneliness. Even if that meant being alone….

"What do you mean, she didn't get on the train? You were supposed to stay with her until she boarded the train!" yelled Cruger into the phone.

"I am sorry, Commander Cruger, but there was another child that I had to meet with across town. Which is why I told the man at the ticket booth to keep an eye on her and make sure she got on the train all right."

"And did he see her get on the train?"

"No. From what he told me he turned away for a few minutes. When he returned she was gone. He tried looking for her but couldn't find her anywhere."

"I see. And when he last saw her, did he see anyone else with her?"

"He said he saw her talking to an older boy. He thought the boy looked to be fifteen or so, a street kid."

"And was the boy still there when he returned?"

"No, he was gone too."

"So your assumption is she took off with this boy."

"It's possible, sir. the local police are already out searching for her. We'll find her, it's just a manner of when."

"Yes. You had better." Angry, he slammed the phone down.

"Problems?" announced Kat as she walked into Cruger's office.

He sighed heavily and ran his hand down his face. "Elizabeth Delgado is missing. She didn't get on the train as planned, it's believed that she ran off with some street boy."

It had only been a few days ago since he had learned of the accident that killed Elizabeth's parents. And how the group home she was placed in wasn't working out, which was why he was going to permit her into the academy earlier then originally planned. They were already going into the process that would allow those who were under fifteen years of age into the academy.

That is why he had gotten hold of social services and had asked them to send her here, but she lived way across town and would have to take the train to get to Newtech City. He had even gotten a room ready for her and was planning on returning the necklace that she had lost two years before. Now none of that seemed possible; first it was Jack and now her as well.

"She'll turn up, eventually."

"I hope you're right."

Kat smiled faintly and started out of the office, but suddenly a thought came across her mind. "Sir." She turned around. "What if this street boy that she was talking to was Jack?"

He didn't answer right away. It was possible he supposed, but it would have to be a one in a million chance that it had been Jack. But stranger and more miraculous things had happened. He had become accustomed to Earth beliefs, about a greater power, watching over them. Was it too good to be true? Or was it life's way of working things out? He couldn't know for sure, but he felt an ease of relief of knowing that someone was watching over them, even if he couldn't directly see or know it's really there. Sometimes seeing isn't always believing, sometimes you have to look further and see what's within. "Anything's possible."

A few days later…

Sky entered into the Command Base and found Cruger at his post, as usual. Earlier in the day he had gotten a message, asking him to meet with Cruger after dinner. He had been dreading it all day. The last time they had spoken had ended on bad terms, and he wasn't sure if he could look at him in the same way. But knowing he had to suck it up and put that behind him, he walked up to Cruger promptly. "You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Yes." Cruger cleared his throat, although he was still angry at Sky for his behavior. He knew he had to make amends with the young boy, who had been through so much already. "Next semester, which is only a few months away, we will be getting a very important new cadet, Sydney Drew, and I would like you to show her around. If all goes as planned she might be moved up to C squad."

"Moved up to C…" One look from Cruger and he decided not to finish his sentence. "Of course sir, I'd be glad to show her around."

"Good." Cruger nodded his head and then the awkward silence started. This hadn't been the only reason he had called Sky down. But the other reason was a little harder for him to approach. He was never very good at making apologies or admitting he was wrong. "How have you been doing?"

Sky was a little caught off guard by the question but answered it anyways. "Fine. I guess."

He nodded his head and coughed silently. "Good. I know that Commander Jackson's funeral may have brought back some memories, about your f….."

"I'm fine sir. Really," he said all too quickly. "Could I be dismissed, I have a test tomorrow and I need to study."

"Of course." Cruger sighed as he watched him go, knowing very well that Sky wasn't fine. Though Sky may able to hide it well from others, he couldn't hide the hurt and pain that lay deep inside of him from him.

Sky nearly bumped into Kat, on his way to his dorm. "Sorry, Dr. Manx."

"It's all right. I've gotten used to cadets bumping into me. And Boom blowing up things." She started to ramble on, but saw the weird look on Sky's face. "So, you headed down to the game lounge with the other cadets?"

"No. I was going to head back to my room, and do some studying," he told her.

"Oh, okay."

"Later, Dr. Manx." He started back the hall, but Kat wasn't quite done with him yet.

"You know, Sky..." She watched as he looked over his shoulder. "You were right about one thing. You don't need anyone to protect you." She paused for a moment looking into his eyes. "You already do that all on your own." She smiled again at him and then went on her way.

Did he? His powers, his curse, as what he would sometime call it, enabled him to create protective shields. Had his own power consumed his body, not allowing anyone to come inside? It was what he wanted. Wasn't it?