Author's note: Hey, sorry the chapter's a little late but my editor (aka my boyfriend) was a little slack this weekend :P. Hope you enjoy because I had a blast writing it!

It was fairly late by the time Tristana made her way home but that didn't faze her in the slightest. Instead she bounced along the path in an elated, leisurely pace. She had made it in! All those years of sweat, tears and hard-work had finally paid off. And now she was well on the way to her dream. She couldn't wait to get home and tell her father!

A small, niggling voice in the back of her mind told her it was the other parental figure she had to worry about. But the blue girl was currently too happy to care. Her mother wasn't home till late tonight anyway. She would work out what to tell her later.

She was still humming the gunner ditty Artemis loved so much when she reached the gaudy mansion her family called a house. Tristana made her way around the side to the kitchen door, only to come to an abrupt stop half-way through at the sight of the prim, blue woman sitting at the table inside.

Keeping her eyes fixed ahead and walking as fast as she could without drawing attention to herself, the teen tried to get to through the kitchen without a word. However, luck wasn't on her side.

"Tristana," her mother's voice pulled her up short, one step from the kitchen door. "Where have you been? It's already getting dark. And what are you wearing?"

The blue girl glanced down at the exercise clothes she'd donned for the test before looking back at her mum.

"Where's dad?" she asked, hoping to divert the attention.

"Something happened with the Mothership and he had to go into work. I figured I'd come home early instead. Now don't change the subject."

With a sigh she turned to fully face the woman. "I was with friends," she answered vaguely.

Pearl, however, just narrowed her eyes. "Tristana Chevalier, do not lie to me. I called both of your friend's parents and they told me you weren't there."

"You called my friends!" Tristana shouted indignantly. "I'm sixteen, stop treating me like I'm five!"

"For your information, I called to tell you of the change in plans, since I figured you might like to know," was the frosty response. "And sixteen or not, you are still my daughter. I will treat you however I see fit."

"Fine, you want to know where I was," throwing caution to the wind, Tristana pushed on recklessly. "I was at the final exam for the Megling program. And you know what: I got in."

The air between mother and daughter froze as the uncomfortable silence stretched thin. On one side Tristana stood defiant, waiting for her mother's judgement; daring her to argue as she stood across from her opened mouthed.

Then, the blue woman's face hardened. Her mouth closed to form a thin line as her blue eyes narrowed into an expression identical to her daughter's (though neither would ever admit it).

"Are you telling me," she spoke in a forcibly calm manner, "that you lied to me and went behind my back – not once but multiple times – to apply for the violent and dangerous profession I explicitly forbade you from trying out for?"

The pale yordle eyes her mother carefully but she didn't back down. "And if I did?"

Pearl let out a long, aggravated breath through her nose, "Then I'd tell you to pull out. That there is no future in that line of work and that my daughter is above that sort of thing."

"No."

"What did you say?" The words were forced out like shards of ice. Pearl drew herself up, standing as she did so. "Tristana this is insane. I know that others make it out to be some glorious duty, but it's not. Yordle's die doing that work. There are a slew of soldiers who are permanently injured, tortured or go insane from the things they go through. Don't you understand that?"

"Of course I do! Do you really think Artemis only told me the good parts of her job? I'm well aware of the darker side too."

"Artemis! This was her idea wasn't it," Pearl's expression closed off but before she could start on what a poor influence the warrior was, Tristana cut her off.

"You know that isn't true. It has always been my idea. I'm the one who's wanted to be a gunner long before I met her. In fact, Artemis was just as worried about me as you are. Why do you think she told me about the gorier details of her job? Because she wanted me to have a clear picture of what I would be signing myself up for. She wanted me to know all about the pain and the danger that came with all the glory and adventure. But when I still wanted to do this she supported me. Why can't you?"

"Because I'm your mother and I know what's best for you."

With that, the blue woman turned and headed into the main area. However, Tristana was far from done with the conversation. Stomping after her, she yelled, "No you don't! You just want me to be like you. But guess what: I'm not! I'm my own person. I don't want to spend my life in fancy dresses and politics. I want risk and adventure! I want to do something worthwhile! Like protecting the people of this city while also being true to who I am. Or am I above that?"

Pearl rounded on the girl, finally losing her temper, "You think I don't do my job to try and better this city? There are thousands of jobs that you can go into to do that. But no! You just want to mindlessly pursue the one that'll get you killed!"

"You don't know that!"

"Yes I do! What do you really think happened to your friend? Do you honestly believe he's simply missing after all this time?"

"Don't you dare say that about Teemo! You don't know that he is!" Fury and pain filled the girl with a steely determination as she closed the final distance between them.

"But you don't know that he isn't. It's time to finally face reality and grow up Tristana!"

"Well maybe I would if you would stop treating me like a child. I'm old enough to make my own decisions!"

"You may be older but you still live under my roof. While you do, what I say goes. And I forbid you from being a soldier!"'

A brief flash of hurt crossed the teen's face before it hardened. "Then I'll leave."

Turning on her heel, she marched towards the door, ignoring the older yordle behind her.

Pearl gaped at her retreating back before she snapped. "Tristana, don't you dare go out that door!"

The girl's stride never even faltered.

"Don't be stupid Tristana. Tristana? Tristana! Tristana stop!" Desperation filled her mother's voice, causing Tristana's hands to shake as she opened the front door but she wouldn't stop now. She couldn't.

Without a word she slammed the door behind her. It didn't do anything to silence her mother's cries but it made them the only thing to follow the young yordle as she stormed off down the street.

She managed to make it several blocks before the anger fuelling her ran its course and she collapsed with a sob. Kneeling on the side of the road, she scrubbed at the tears but it did little good as more rapidly replaced the ones she'd futilely swiped away.

What was she going to do now? She couldn't go back home. Tristana's resolve strengthened; there was no way she was going back and standing down now. Not when she was so close to achieving her dreams.

But where was she going to go? She couldn't intrude on her friends (as much as she knew they wouldn't mind). Ziggs' parents had enough yordlings to look after and Rumble's family lived on the other side of the city to her school and training.

You know, if you ever need anything… Artemis' voice from earlier came to mind. And so, with a deep breath, Tristana rose; heading down the street with a new purpose. She ignored the tears still running down her face as she steadily kept walking.

One foot in front of the other, she told herself. It was the only thing she could manage at the moment.

He was running.

Around him the trees swayed and warped; reaching their dark, brittle limbs to catch at his fur and tear at his face as they tried to slow him down. Tried to stop him from running away.

Away.

Away…

Away from … he didn't remember.

Where was he running from? Where was he going? Where was he? Who was he? He didn't know.

He could feel the answers there; floating in the abyss of his mind. Swirling and colliding underneath the blanket of nothing covering his consciousness.

Smothering everything but the command to run.

Run.

Run…

…So he did.

Despite the aching in his muscles and the burning of his lungs. Despite the stinging cuts he vaguely recognised he had or even the deep, searing pain of his left arm screaming under the void in his mind. The limb hanging by his side; concealed by a blood-soaked rag he didn't remember wrapping.

He ran.

Ran.

Ran…

Despite the grief constricting his heart and the terror scratching at his mind.

The fear.

The anger.

The horror.

For something he couldn't even recall.

Couldn't recall.

Wouldn't recall.

Because recalling would require stopping. And he couldn't. Or else it would all catch up to him.

So he ran. Crashing through the undergrowth and past the tall trees with unseeing eyes.

Only to slip and crash to the unforgiving ground. The air abandoning his lungs and leaving him gasping for breath amoungst the dirt.

Frantically, he struggled to get to his feet. The urge to run screaming at him.

Only to stop – for it all to stop – at the sight before him. Staring at the well-hidden shack before him.

A shack he remembered.

Home, his mind whispered. The word slicing through the hysterical clutter of his brain and bringing a peace with it.

Home? What was home?

Several figures came to mind. Blurry, indistinct figures. But familiar.

Bright.

Love.

Peace.

Home.

Yes. He needed to go home. That was where he was running. He remembered that now.

Home.

Home.

Home…

Artemis sighed, running a hand through her thick, red hair. Today had been a long day.

The gunner had been prepared for a busy day, the moment she'd been asked to help evaluate the new recruits. However, nothing could have prepared her for the emotional upheaval that had been her evening.

From the moment she had answered her door to find Tristana standing there, Artemis had known her whole evening had just been tipped into chaos. But that hadn't stopped her from ushering the girl in with a gentle hand. Nor had it stopped the surge of protective worry that swelled up as she had set the teen up on the couch, with a blanket and a cup of sweet tea while tears continued to stream down the girl's face.

Gradually, the normally bright yordle had managed to get out the confrontation with her mother between the sobs, causing a fiery anger the swell within the older yordle.

Artemis had known of course, that Tristana's mother wouldn't be happy with her getting in. And, in a small way, she agreed. The Megling Commandos line of work was not an easy one, nor a forgiving one. But at the same time, she knew just how much Trist wanted this. She also knew just how great a Megling Tristana would become if she continued with her dream. And maybe it was biased of her, but she couldn't help but feel proud to know that.

Artemis had found a kindred spirit in Tristana from the moment she'd met her and, as time went on, the caring, confident yordling had grown to become the younger sibling Artemis had always wanted. Someone she wanted to see grow into an incredible, young woman and a charismatic fighter.

Maybe that was why she hadn't hesitated to offer her place for the yordling to stay.

After gently talking her down and reassuring the pale, blue yordle that she was welcome to stay as long as she liked, the gunner had guided her to the spare room. Reassured that she was okay and didn't need anything, she had given the teen space before quietly calling her father to let her family know that she was safe.

The white-furred yordle had turned up a few hours later with a bag full of Tristana's stuff and a sad smile, staying long enough to give the honey-coloured woman his thanks before swiftly heading home to calm his wife. Artemis had given the bag to the still downcast girl, relieved to see a genuine smile at the note topping the pile.

Then she had retreated to the main room with an exhausted sigh and collapsed on the couch. There she stayed, trying to unwind from the tiresome day only for an urgent knock to sound on her door. With a groan, she flipped her mass of curls out of her face as she slowly made her way towards it.

The knocking continued at its breakneck pace, prompting her to call out, "I'm coming! Don't break my door down!"

Finally, she threw open the door, but her glare dissolved at the sight of her deputy's expression. The mix of fear, hope and sadness causing her own stomach to bottom out.

"What happened?" she asked before the soldier could get a word in. Somehow, she knew that her night had only just started.

Ah! I've waited so long to post write this :D! I've had the fight between Tristana and her mum planned from the beginning and it's so satisfying to see it finally posted. If anyone wants to know, I have a couple of specific songs for the characters and 'Second Chance' by Shinedown is the one that fits Tristana in this chapter (at least in my head).

Hope you enjoyed it! And I hope this makes up for last chapter being a little on the filler side.