Beyond the Stars -Shorts-

by MelodyBryte

A colaboration of one-shots, or shorts as I call them, of behind the scene moments within my Beyond the Stars fanfic. Some heartfelt moments and some weird wacky ones I couldn’t get into the chapters because there’s a lot there and I have to pick and chose. These moments will be cannon to the story; expect easter eggs. Warning: will contain spoilers if you haven’t read the story.

*note to readers* Hello and first things first, MERRY CHRISTMAS! Hopefully, you're having a SPLENDID holiday and are having the utmost joy of the season! For those who don't know, this series will be a collaboration of shorts and one-shots that act like behind the scenes to my fanfic story, Beyond the Stars (BTS)! Each set within a post will be one-shots, or shorts as I call them, within that chapter or between that chapter and whatever time that passed from the chapter before (hopefully that sense made sentence XD). These are cannon to my story, and so may and will contain spoilers for the real story! If you haven't read chapter one of Beyond the Stars, you might get really confused, and will your totally welcome to read on, not everything may make sense. All that aside, I've been wanting to post this thing for SO LONG, and it's finally here! Merry Christmas to you and your friends and family, and if you've read my BTS (beyond the stars) story, I hope you'll enjoy these one-shots and the ones to come! I'm always open to suggestions btw! Okay I'm done! Enjoy and thank you for reading!

-Officially my Own-

Shiro stepped into the room, looking around as he walked. It was fairly large, making him wonder why he'd need an office this big. Sure he was the admiral now but, what would he be doing in this room besides paperwork? The desk and chair to his left were all that furnished the room, as with so many repairs in the Atlas going on, it was all the time they could give the office. A large window ahead of him and past the desk let in every ounce of light from outside, and the white walls, bits of orange here and there in fine lines, made it feel and look warm in the morning light. Despite how nice it looked, it was still rather empty, making Shiro feel small as the weight of a leader pressed down more than ever on his shoulders. He'd never been too daunted by taking up the mantle as leader, but being admiral was a new level. He wasn't just responsible for a single team; he was responsible for so much more, including lives. The thought made his gaze lower from the window for a second.

"It'll feel more like your own with time." Sam encouraged him, stepping through the threshold and coming to stand beside the admiral. "And no small amount of your own personal tastes."

Shiro chuckled lightly. "I guess getting my own office comes along with being an admiral." He remarked, shrugging a little as he looked to Sam.

"And you deserve it." Sam replied sincerely, "You've done a lot, Shiro; not just for me and my family, but for the world as well. Your forward thinking, responsible, and more importantly, you care. You care about the little things, while also being concerned about the bigger picture. You never seem to lose what's important, and you always give it your all. I'd have no one else at the helm but you."

Shiro chuckled more heartily now. "That's more praise than I know what to do with Sam. Thank you. I'm glad you're the one who stood next to me through everything, including the ceremony. I didn't know I'd be speaking to the entire world just for becoming admiral."

"I think it's best that the world knows who's leading them, and I think they're pretty happy with you; some of the women especially." Sam gave a joking smirk to Shiro, and the admiral barely suppressed a blush, rubbing the back of his neck with a hand.

"Well, thanks for being here and walking me up. I appreciate it." Shiro now looked to Sam again, smiling.

"Not a problem Shiro." Sam replied with a smile.

A gentle knock sounded at the door, and both men looked to see a young woman, dirty blond hair tied up tight to her head, a little bit of bang framing her soft face. She stood outside the room, in heels and a formal looking suite and skirt, her smile warm but a little unsure.

"Oh, Shiro, before I forget, I'd like to introduce you to your new assistant." Sam announced as he came closer to the woman, gesturing for her to come in. Shiro blinked, rather surprised to hear the news.

"I, wasn't aware I'd be having one." Shrio admitted, coming closer and greeting her with a warm smile of his own, "Hi, I'm Takashi Shirogane." He held out his hand, forgetting that it was his robotic one and thus should have expected the awed look in her eyes as she accepted it.

"Julia Baker," The woman replied, her delicate hand rather small in the robotic one of Shiro's, "It's an honor to meet you! I've heard many good things about you admiral! I look forward to working with you!" Her growingly excited tone made Shiro chuckle a little.

"Thank you. What will you be helping me with?" He asked her curiously, allowing their hands to part.

"Paperwork, reports, appointments, and many other business related things. I'll make sure everything is organized and neat before it reaches your desk sir, and I'll simplify the big stacks to make your time easier as admiral." Julia replied with a bright and eager expression. Shiro didn't know how in the world anyone could be that bright and eager when that much paperwork would be their everyday job; the very thought made him feel sick.

"I'll be glad to have you here, Julia. I think I'd lose whatever I have left of my brain if I had to do that much paperwork all on my own." Shiro was surprised to hear Julia laugh loudly at his joke, causing him to chuckle with her, Sam chuckling between them. A moment of silence stretched a little too long after their laughter.

"Well," Shiro and Sam spoke at the same time, and Shiro cleared his throat, gestured for Sam to continue with whatever he intended to say, "thank you for your willingness to work, Julia. I'm sure you'll do great as Shiro's assistant."

"Of course! I'll be outside the door at my desk whenever you need me." Julia implied, her dark brown eyes looking to both men as she smiled. Shiro recalled the desk he had seen outside the door of his office, and now brightened in knowing who it was for. With a little wave, Julia saw herself out, closing the door behind her. Both Shiro and Sam chuckled a little in the quietness of the room.

"She seems sweet." Shiro commented, unable to get her smile out of his head; as if he somehow recognized it.

"Yes, I think she is, and a hard worker. I knew she'd be a good co-worker for you." Sam replied, "But anyway, take some time to get settled in. I'll see you soon." Sam replied, and he saw himself out, leaving Shiro alone.

With a sigh, Shiro came to the window and looked out. The Atlas was above ground, but still needed many repairs and adjustments before taking off to space. The view his office allowed him was one that made him smile. Beyond the Galaxy Garrison grounds, was open lands far as his eyes could reach. He could see the clumps of civilization in little pockets off to the right, but most of the view was the wild countryside. Pockets of the local terrain's rocky hills and cliffs was on the left, and reminded Shiro of many hiking trips he'd taken through that area, Keith having joined him on nearly half of them.

A smile crept to his face as Shiro remembered younger, innocent days. Days when he felt sure of himself and who he was, rather than feeling like he was the scrambled pieces of a dead man's memory and body. Ever since the Kerberos mission, waking up to an arm that wasn't his own, and from then on, Shiro felt like he had lost pieces of himself. His own body didn't feel like his own sometimes, causing him to feel like he was just floating with no solid ground. No solid memory of his normal life for him to hold onto, and then try and stick back together again. Coming back to Earth, some things had immediately come back, but not everything.

Family. Home. Things practically everyone knows to an extent, whether they're good memories or bad, and Shiro didn't remember a thing. Not until one dreary day, when Iverson had asked a question which sent bells ringing in Shiro's head. The heartbreaking discovery afterwards which took place within a single name and face, forever shown on an honorary stone alongside thousands of others. Shiro felt strings in his chest being pulled as those thoughts came once again. It made him remember what was in his coat pocket, and why he had brought it. Shiro pulled a book from his coat, and a faint smile came to his lips as he opened it, reading the hand written note inside.

'I think you'll like this one' was all the note said, but the handwriting and initial under the words somehow made it all the more important. Shiro recalled the book he had come to adore over the years as he flipped through the pages. It was a book about life, a single life at that; a sixty something year old looking back on his own story. A book about enjoying life while it's here and now, taking every opportunity to rise and make the best of every moment, before it's gone. Celebrating a life, even if it doesn't feel all too special, or meant for greater things. Shiro had taken the book to heart, especially after coming to terms with the illness that would eat away at him until he was a useless thing in a bed.

If he was going to die, mine as well live life the best he could. It's why he aimed for the top every time, not to be better than everyone else, but to give everything his all, and see how far he could get before the fall would begin. Sometimes that meant stepping down and lifting someone else up; feeling that sense of pride when they did great things. Shiro had held people up, just as people had held him up, and he believed all things, good and bad, worked together for a purpose. Not all good things ended in a happy ending however, a sad truth Shiro had come to terms with after discovering Adam's death.

Shiro took in a deep breath in the near empty room, and began to casually walk around, the open book his friend had given him so long ago in his hands. The emotions began to rise as he kept looking to Adam's note, and he felt that in the lonely emptiness, he could finally speak of what was held inside.

"You used to say that, a room was never truly your own until you put something you found special inside. When you've made a home for something close to your heart in a room, then that room becomes your own….." Shiro spoke aloud softly, trying to swallow the lump quickly forming in his throat, "Well…. I'm going to be in this room a decent while once we leave Earth and, with how much I sleep now, I doubt I'll be seeing my bunk all too often." He chuckled mildly, fighting against a sob that wanted to sneak into his own laugh.

Shiro came back around to the window, noting the window sill was a perfect width and length for things to be placed. "So, I thought I'd live by that rule like you did… So maybe you'd stay with me..." He voiced, looking out at the landscape outside the window with eyes that were quickly becoming red. Slowly, Shiro placed the now closed book on the window sill, remembering how Adam had always done so with his own favorites. While the water in his eyes was quickly gathering and blurring his vision, he looked out to the shadows and lights of the rising sun, and forced a small smile.

"There, now it's officially my own…." He said quietly, the sorrow finally rolling down his cheeks, "Thank you, for everything, my friend."

-Samples Pt. One-

A little bit more should do it. The perfect little tweak to make it all come together. Get it wrong, and there was no turning back; only all the way back to the beginning, again. What was about to happen required the utmost skill, the steadiest hands, and no small amount of confidence. Frosting in hand, Hunk began the delicate process of getting every curve right, making it small enough to fit, but not so much that no one could tell what it was. He could feel the sweat form on his brow, and was torn between whipping it away to not fall onto the art, and risk moving his position and losing the flow. It all required a single stroke, and despite how nerve racking it was, Hunk felt his own excitement rise as he neared the end. He barely had enough control to not make any sudden, jerky movements as he ended the line. Looking at his fine work, his eyes near watered.

"It's, perfect….." He said aloud, almost tearfully, overlooking the image of a Voltron lion's head on a bite sized cupcake. The lines were thin, but the taste was strong enough to make it noticeable with the cupcake's flavor. Hunk sighed, and his eyes slowly moving over to the many countertops already filled with trays upon trays of cupcakes ranging in a rainbow of colors. The task of putting a differently colored lion head on each one of them would have been near impossible with one cook alone, but thanks to a specially designed machine which could scan and practically replicate a pattern, he wouldn't be having too much trouble getting them all done. It was after all only six o'clock in the morning.

-New to the Crew-

How long had she been walking? It couldn't have been for more than an hour, right? Every hall looked the same, and she had barely seen anyone at all. Much as she hated to admit it to herself, there was no other conclusion; Acxa was completely lost. She felt almost like a wild animal running blind through an endless maze. The Atlas was nothing like any of the galra ships she was used to navigating, and it seemed to be far larger as well. Everything was rather unfamiliar, causing her to question every turn. She just wanted to find out where all the basics were, the briefing room, the cafeteria, everywhere she'd need to be, especially where the Blade's of Marmora most often met for their own meetings. She had been rather interested in either joining their ranks, or being an outside help to them if they'd take her, since Acxa didn't want to hang around with no real purpose or appointed job for much longer.

As Acxa strolled along and crossed an intersection, she heard a voice from down another identical hall.

"Hey, Acxa, over here!" Acxa looked to her right to see a young woman with short, brown hair and glasses approach, and a spark of a name came to Acxa's mind.

"Oh, Veronica, right?" Acxa asked as the woman drew closer, a young man beside her.

"Yeah, that's me!" Veronica replied to her in a greeting tone, "Oh, and this is one of my teammates, James Griffin." She gestured to the dark haired man standing next to her, who smiled politely in greeting. "So where are you off to?"

"Well, I was looking for the briefing room mostly, and all the other important areas of the Atlas." Acxa explained, "Though I think I made a wrong turn as I've become rather, lost."

Veronica chuckled. "Yeah, the Atlas is quite a maze when you have no clue where anything is at. It sounds like you could use a tour. We were on our way to meet up with the rest of our team; if you want, you could tag along. We'd love to show you around if you have nowhere to be."

Acxa thought it over a bit, soon finding that she didn't really have any better options. "If you wouldn't mind me joining, it'd be helpful to get to know the Atlas."

"We wouldn't mind at all. I'll show you around, and since you're new to the crew, I'll introduce you to some friends of ours." Veronica smiled warmly as she began to lead the way with James, whom Acxa gathered was probably the quieter type. She followed behind Veronica, glad to at least have someone who knew where to go, and would help her get connected with the ship's walkways and rooms of interest. The thought of having to remember the names of a few more strangers was a little intimidating, but Acxa wouldn't let that deter her from getting to know her new allies and coworkers. It'd been a while since she had teamed up with anyone, and while her old team beneath Lotor's control hadn't been horrible or perfect, she found herself welcoming a different set of opportunities.

-Rinse and Repeat-

The world was black, but he felt every part of it around him. He was neither fully absent, nor present within the real world. A solid form held him to the ground, kept his mind from straying too far away, and as he held onto it, it held him. The Black Lion's consciousness was binded with Keith's, like two separate strands which twisted together to form a strong rope. Through the lion, he felt the air, the very essence of all around him, and he could tell not everyone else was in as deep.

"Is everyone still awake?" Keith had to ask, opening his eyes a little to look over at the other lions through the windshield of his own. Immediately, there was a slight snort over the com from Pidge.

"Yeah, yep, I'm here." Pidge tried to cover up her drousied tone.

"Dude, I woke up asleep." Lance was completely deadpan in his tone and level of seriousness.

"I was almost there, but then I became, distracted." Allura admitted, slightly sheepish.

Keith sighed slightly at their responses.

"I'm all good over here." Hunk piped up, rather cheerful and awake.

"Says the only one of us who's never awake in the morning." Pidge replied to him, a little dry in her tone.

"I will admit, that's kind of weird for you Hunk." Lance had to agree. "Did we all switch minds with him or something?"

"Focus, everyone." Keith reminded, calling the attention of his team. "This might not be the kind of training we're used to, but along with training our reflexes and coordination, we also need to train our thoughts and will."

"You sound like an old samurai master, Keith." Lance replied dryly, making Keith frown a little in response.

"He is right, however." Allura reminded, straightening herself in her seat to be more aware of her posture, "Our lions need exercise just as we do. If we do not take the time to bond with them regularly, it will be harder to do so under pressure or greater distractions."

"You should be able to tap into their consciousness and feel the world around you through them." Keith added, looking to the tired faces of his teammates on his screen, "It's a useful strategy in tight places where our vision is limited. The lions can feel and see things we can't, and so the more you tap into their side of the world, the more you'll understand the world itself."

"Alright, I see your point." Lance conceded, giving into Keith's point. Keith left it at that in the hopes everyone would get back to their exercise, but he barely closed his eyes for three seconds before Lance spoke again, "But do we have to do it at the butt-crack of dawn? You're just asking for us to fall right back asleep."

"If we don't starve before then. Who's even had breakfast yet?" Pidge added in agreement, and she sighed, "And why am I asking that and not Hunk?"

"I'm actually surprised about that too." Hunk agreed as a matter of factly.

Keith gave a heavy sigh of growing annoyance. "It's the same rinse and repeat routine we've been doing for the past few months. I don't understand why it's so difficult."

"We're not routine drill sergeants like someone I know." Lance replied dryly.

"And who exactly would that…." Keith trailed off from his growing irritation as his mind registered Lance's enphises, and he soon sighed. "Let's just, do another thirty minutes."

A compile of groans came from Keith's team, even from the princess. Keith sighed again. "Fine. Twenty-five."

"Fifteen." Pidge quickly bargained.

"Twenty." Keith told her more firmly.

"Call it good for the day and go eat?" Lance suggested. "Man, how am I turning into Hunk this morning?"

"Let's just focus for another twenty minutes, then we'll go eat." Keith decided before they got too far off topic.

"Pancakes sound good?" Hunk wondered aloud.

"So long as they have chocolate chips in them." Lance replied.

"And orange juice on the side!" Pidge piped up eagerly.

"Guys, I've already set the timer. Now focus." Keith tried to bring them back as he closed his eyes once more. A moment of peaceful silence passed for only a minute.

"There's bacon in the cafeteria, right?" Lance wondered, breaking the silence.

"Bacon, sausage, and eggs. Oh, and pop tarts." Hunk replied, knowing the ins and outs of the kitchens like his own back home. "Mm, I can almost taste it."

"Stop, you're making me hungry." Keith told them all in slight irritation, closing his eyes a little more tightly to try to and keep his mind off distracting topics.

"Did your mother bring any more of her homemade donuts, Hunk?" Pidge had to ask.

"Oh yeah, along with some of those protein bars Keith was really into." Hunk replied.

"Alright, forget it. Let's just eat!" Keith gave up, feeling his stomach now growl angrily in the demand of breakfast. He was oblivious to the shared looks of triumph from his team as he went about getting up from his seat. He might not have gotten them to bond in the way he wanted this morning, but they certainly knew how to work together in the form of persuasion.

-Samples Pt. Two-

The day was moving on, and Hunk was eager to get his cupcake samples out to the taste testers. With a little cart that shelved a good stack of the darling cupcakes, he was soon on route through the halls of the Atlas, flagging down anyone who didn't look too busy, and more than willing to offer a few samples to the curious.

"Whachya got there, Hunk?" Sam asked in spiked curiosity as he passed, his attention completely distracted from the datapad he held.

"Just a few test runs of my newest recipes for some mini cupcakes." Hunk replied, his chest puffed a little.

"They look amazing, especially with that little lion head in the middle! May I?" Sam wondered.

"Of course!" Hunk pushed the cart a little closer so Sam could see all of them clearly. After a moment of deciding, he tried one of the green iced cupcakes.

"Oh, is that mint?! I never thought of that as a cupcake flavor, though maybe I've been living under a rock my entire life." Sam chuckled, his mouth already watering for the second bite of the little thing.

"Good choice for the green then?" Hunk asked hopefully.

"Holt seal of approval!" Sam said with a thumbs up, still chewing."Mint also happens to be Katie's favorite, so I'm sure she'll love it!"

"Fantastic! Thanks!" Hunk was quickly off down the hall in search of new taste testers, jotting down in his note book the results for the mint cupcakes. He wasn't far down the hall when he spotted Pidge and Matt walk around the corner.

"No way, you finally got to level eighty!?" Matt asked his little sister in amazement.

"I think you can refer to me as a pro from now on." Pidge replied in a puff of pride, earning Matt's chuckle.

"Hey guys, you up to try a few new cupcakes?" Hunk asked them. Almost everyone in the hall perked up in interest, including the Holt siblings, and soon approached in a sudden eagerness for sweets.

"Hey, the green is mint! Have you tasted that one yet Pidge?!" Matt asked, looking over to his sister and chuckling to see her already stuffing two more in her mouth.

"What're you guys doing?" Lance asked in a perk of curiosity, just arriving to the small crowd and coming to stand behind the Holt siblings.

"Cupcakes!" Pidge said through a mouthful, still chewing.

"Oh cool, they look just like our lions!" Lance's eyes sparkled at seeing the blue and red frosted cupcakes. He grabbed the red one first and popped the whole thing in his mouth. "Wait, I was expecting strawberry flavor from the red. The cinnamon is a nice change, Hunk! And you can't beat blueberry muffins!"

"Thank you, thank you." Hunk bowed properly in humble jest, making the paladins and crew members around chuckle. The flourish of complements that came from every person filled Hunk with a warm bubbliness, and once the crowd had moved on, taking a few cupcakes with them to give to friends and coworkers, he moved on with a hop in his step.

Hunk moved on through the halls, visiting the nurse area on his way and seeing Allura and Coran down the hall, he flagged them down and quickly came over.

"Cupcakes? I don't think I've heard of such a thing." Allura replied to Hunk's question, and she inspected the trays with inquisitive blue eyes. "Oh, they look adorable Hunk! Which one should I pick?"

"Whichever one catches your eye; pick all them if you like!" Hunk smiled brightly, waiting eagerly for the altean's response. Allura chose the pink and red ones, Coran trying the blue and yellow. The warm and delighted looks that soon spread on their faces were just what Hunk had hoped for.

"Oh Hunk, they're delicious! What flavor is the pink one?" Allura wondered.

"Sweet strawberry!" Hunk's smile only grew.

"It's lovely. It reminds me of a similar taste back on Altea. Do you plan to make more?"

"Of course! Hopefully I'll have it all perfected before we leave Earth!"

"They really are quite phenomenal!" Coran agreed, licking his lips and missing the bit of frosting caught in his mustache. "I wasn't too bad of a chief in my day as a matter of fact. I perfected a special and sweet treat which Alfor and his wife loved, including Allura!"

"Oh yes, how could I ever forget! That must be what I'm thinking of now!" Allura's expression lit up in a way Hunk realized he hadn't seen in a while.

"Would you be able to recreate that recipe with Earth ingredients do you think? Or ingredients from other planets?" Hunk now wondered, looking to Coran hopefully.

"Perhaps, though many of the ingredients were found only on Altea. Perhaps substitute ingredients could pose a decent comparison, if we looked hard enough. But yours is nearly parallel!" Coran was now twisting the tip of his mustache in his fingers, thinking and recalling the recipe as if it were a well remembered book in his head.

"You'll have to let me know if you ever want to try making it!" Hunk told the man, snapping Coran out of his wandering thoughts.

"Of course!" Coran agreed with a bright smile.

"Thank you for sharing your cupcakes, Hunk. The strawberry reminded me of home like nothing has in a long time." Allura's eyes softened as she smiled a little more sincerely, grateful. Hunk nodded with a warm smile of his own, and offered the alteans a few more of the strawberry cupcakes before moving on. He was nearly out of samples, and hopefully would have an empty cart by the time he reached the kitchens.

Spotting Shiro and Keith as he turned a corner, he quickened his pace eagerly to where they stood.

"I just feel like we can be doing more than, what we've been doing." Keith was telling Shiro in a tone that was rather devoid of energy. "We have a lot of ground to cover with a lot of big questions. I guess I'm just getting a little impatient."

"And we'll find the answers, Keith." Shiro affirmed, giving the paladin a confident look, "I know it feels like we're doing nothing, but once the Atlas has its feet off the ground, we'll be able to start pursuing some answers for our questions. And remember, patience is also a form of action."

As Keith nodded in understanding to his statement, Hunk arrived and gained their attention. "Shiro, Keith, I have some cupcakes here if you want a taste of them."

Both mens' eyes brightened, and they drew closer, eyeing each one.

"They look incredible Hunk! How did you get the lion heads to all look so similar?!" Shiro asked in bright eyed awe.

"A useful machine in the Atlas kitchen basically copied and pasted a design I crafted by hand." Hunk explained.

"Red, blue, yellow, green, pink, white, and purple." Keith said aloud. "What's the occasion?"

"Just a little sweet something for our trip through space." Hunk shrugged, Shiro trying to decide which one to try first. "For the long days of travel, we can have some sweets to brighten things up!"

"The white isn't, coconut, is it?" Shiro had to ask, part of his tone a little wary of the taste.

"Oh no, the white is vanilla, and the yellow is lemon." Hunk assured. "I've never known many people who like coconut, but a few crew members have asked for it, so maybe in the future."

Shiro almost gave a look and sigh of relief and picked up one of the white ones, stuffing the whole thing in his mouth. Keith chose the purple in curiosity.

"Chocolate is a good choice for the purple." Keith admitted, "Makes sense, and its not too rich. I like it."

"I agree," Shiro added, finishing his mouthful, "and the vanilla melts in your mouth really well. They're amazing!"

"Good to hear!" Hunk replied brightly, jotting down their thoughts in his notebook. "Now I just have one final person to ask!" Hunk was off eagerly down the hall with the cart, Shiro managing to snag a few of the other flavors before he was too far away. Keith smiled brightly, and accepted one of the red cupcakes Shiro soon offered for him to try.

Hunk was soon waiting in high anticipation, waiting for the decision of the final judge. He had arranged the most fresh and brightly colored cupcakes on a single little plate, and presented it with a napkin in case it was needed. He sat with his notebook in hand, waiting eagerly.

"They're all so cute, and in so many colors!" Shay exclaimed, holding the plate tenderly as she finished with the purple cupcake. She went on to try the last two remaining, pink and yellow. "Oh, those both taste really good Hunk! I really like them! And they're the perfect size as well!"

"So, ten out of ten?" Hunk asked, hopeful as his face brightened.

"Twelve out of ten!" Shay chuckled sweetly at his expression. "Next time you make some, will you show me how?"

Hunk gasped at her question as if she had just asked him to go on a date. "Yes! Of course! I'll be making some more here soon! Do you want to see how I made the lion heads?"

"Sure! Let's go!" Shay replied in excitement, and quickly followed right alongside the Yellow Paladin as he eagerly made his way for the kitchen.

-No More Tears-

The trail was not the same, but it wasn't completely unrecognizable either. Parts were overgrown, shifted by landslides, or simply faded. It brought back familiar memories just the same as she walked. While alone, she also felt as if she wasn't walking all on her own. She had grown so used to being alone in the past, it had become a familiar sound to her. Ever since crashing to Earth however, being saved, loneliness had felt different.

Krolia was a little guilty of going on this special hike without Keith, but she was aware that she needed this. The clarity. The final word of sorrow, before she would tell herself to start moving on. Along with these memories joining her as she walked, there came a looming cloud that dampened her spirits, distracting her from the beauty around her. She was aware that these emotions tended to come as distractions, or things to keep her in tears late at night when there was no one to see or hear. She had deducted only one way to go on, not to rid herself of the emotions, but to let herself be able to move on through life without them pulling her down. Today would be the day, and of that, her mind was set.

Krolia reached the summit within a few hours, having hiked the trail so many times in the past, it felt like nothing. The sun was just beginning to set, but her vision was a little better in the darkness than humans, thus she wasn't all too worried about nightfall approaching. Krolia breathed in deep and sighed, a cool breeze grazing past her. She felt it gently blow her hair back, as if purposefully wanting it out of her face. It reminded her of a similar scene long ago, though all those years ago, she hadn't been alone. Krolia closed her eyes, allowing her mind to go back to that day.

She let herself remember the setting sun that late summer day, and the growing care she had developed for the man who had pulled her from her crippled ship. His kind words. His soft voice. The feeling of his arms around her when she had once felt burdened and unsafe. His deep eyes looking tenderly up into her's.

Krolia opened her eyes, suddenly afraid to let that scene play all the way through. Her eyes stung, her vision suddenly blurring a little. Like so many times before, she felt the urge to turn away, to push the tears away. She wanted to run from that wonderful memory which she knew would lead to more tears. She felt her hands quiver along with her lips, and hated how it made her feel fragile and weak. Why did she put herself through such things? Such pain? Why had she even come here?! In some grand plan to move on and be happy once again?! A pitiful attempt to recover from the reality as if it had never taken part of her heart?! To pretend death was no cruel taker of a life before the right time?! Did she really think everything would be fine if she did this?! Her foot moved to begin the turn to walk back the way she came, but Krolia planted her other firmly where she stood.

"No." She ground out the word in almost spite, clenching her fists and closing her eyes tight to forbid the tears from falling. "I'm tired of running from this. Tired of letting these things control my days…." She gathered her breath to calm herself, and it came out shaky as she opened her eyes, looking out into the sunset.

"Joseph," Krolia breathed as if he could hear, and part of her did wonder if he could, "I don't know what to say. You know I miss you. You know I wish we could have had one last time together. One last peaceful day…." A small smile made it to her lips, as she felt herself open up like she always had been able to do with him in the past, "Our son has grown into quite the young man. Everyone who knows us says he looks like me, but I see your eyes in his every day. He's inherited that same tone of yours, while still making it his own. You always said he'd blow us away, and he has, and still does…. You had such hopes for him…. I've no doubt that you're smiling, as you watch from above."

She was silent for a moment, gathering her courage, her strength. She was ready to move on, and no longer live in suffering silence over and over again. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, sighing. "No more tears."

The memory came back, slow, but soon fading to crisp colors and images. Joseph's eyes looked up into her's, waiting as he knelt on a single knee. The visage drifted to his face coming closer to her's, brushing locks of hair from her cheek. His hand gently coming to hold the back of her neck as he pulled her closer to him, his fingers reaching up into her hairline tenderly.

"From the bottom of my heart, I love you." His words reached her thoughts, spreading through her; fueling the sorrow and want to hear his voice. To feel his arms around her, making her feel safe, and wanted. His eyes, which could in a single moment, express every emotion of his heart to her, and somehow reflect her own.

A sob, quiet and strong, cracked Krolia's expression. Her head bowed, the tears now coming faster and harder. Her hand reached to her ring finger, where a silver band still held her vows along with her heart. She gazed at it through her blurred vision, and cried harder, nearly crippled by the pain in her chest. Slow and gentle, Krolia stooped to her knees, and sat in the dirt, clutching at the ring on her finger; holding it close to her chest. In the bright and final rays of the sun, Krolia let herself cry for the first time without holding back. Without holding onto a single sob for fear of being too weak. Without shame. She might not be human, but she was mortal, and mortal hearts broke, faded, and crippled. She hadn't been able to say one final goodbye, she had a right to cry.

Time moved on, the beginning of the sunset turning to near its end. Only when barely a shed of light was left, did Krolia finally lift her head and look to the fading light. She placed every ounce of her grip on the pain, the sorrow, the dark side of memories which kept her in a cage; she let everything that pained and kept her from moving on fade with that sun's light. She held close every memory, but let the pain of their coming leave her within that moment. Krolia breathed in the fresh air, breathing out the tears and pain.

Would everything be fine? No. Could she finally move on with the strength to not let such pain imprison her? With a growing smile that gave her a feeling of peace she had never felt in such a way, Krolia stood from the ground, and whipped away the stains of her tears. The pain would never go away, but neither would the choice she made to never let it cripple her life either.

"I can't wait until the day I get to see you. Until then, let this be my final goodbye."

For those who've lost,

Let this be the day you shed your last tears,

And live on in ever-rising excitement,

For the moment you see them again

And never have to ever say goodbye

If your missing someone this year, and have been unable to move on, please take courage and hope.

God's not finished with you yet, and trust me, He's gonna do amazing things through you! Someday soon you'll look back and see the pain had a purpose. I don't pretend to know you or what you face; the daily struggles you might have had since your days began. But I know He cares and He's gonna see you through it, and better yet, He's gonna walk and lead you through it.

All you need to do is let go, and let Him take the wheel. Take His hand and let Him lead you. He's not gonna let you fall. He's not gonna let you be alone. If you are afraid, tell Him and let Him know. He's always listening and waiting for you to pour out your heart to Him, even in anger. Because even in your anger He loves you and wants to hold you close! He just wants to hear your voice as you talk to Him. He just wants to have a relationship with you like the best father with his beloved daughters and sons! You can tell Him anything, so don't hold back. Even if you're cursing his name and screaming and asking "why", He still wants to hear from you. He's got the whole world in His hands, and so that doesn't mean He can't handle whatever's on your heart.

My hope and prayer for you as you read this is that you'll let the start of this year, this day and every day after, be one where no matter what, you stand up and stand out from the lost worldly crowd, and you say "It is well with me Lord, because I know and trust that You have a good plan." Because trust me, He does, and no matter who you chose to become or how far you stray, His reckless love with never stop following you, even to the end of your days.