~Hey! You stuck around for chapter two! I'm proud. But yeah, chapter synopsis=Lucy decides whether or not she's going, and tells her sister about her leaving. But yeah, disclaimer again!

Don't own the franchise, all I own is the story and the characters of Lucy and her sister.~

~Timeskip/Author notes~

"Words/Sounds"

Actions/Descriptions

Thoughts/Flashbacks

"Flashback/Thought speech"

Chapter two, How Long?

After the discussion with Mrs. Hartman, Lucy went back to work. She programmed firewalls and built malware detection programs for the company, it was not easy, but then again, she always liked a challenge. She was taken out of her mind by a sudden buzz from her phone, her sister, Hannah, was calling her.

"Hey Lu, Jona texted me, told me you were getting reassigned?" Hannah questioned, slight worry evident in her melodically high voice.

"Jeez, he's told you already? I love the man like a brother, but he cannot keep his mouth shut." She said, laughing slightly. "But anyway, yeah, it's true. I was picked to go on a training thing for the government, part of this contract the company is in. I've got six months before I might leave, but I don't know how long I'd be gone, part of the whole secrecy thing. I still have a choice of going or not, but I think I will, it seems like a good opportunity." She said with a small sigh, thinking over the possible benefits of going. It seemed good enough, the only thing worrisome to her was that she didn't know how long she'd be gone.

"Really? Can you ask how long you'll be gone? Also, you will call or text every single day while you're gone. I will not have you running off like you-know-who." Hannah said, pain evident in her voice.

"You know I won't, now are you gonna be able to survive the winter without me? You and I both know how easily you chill, Heat Leech." Lucy teased, using a childhood nickname for her sister.

~Flashback~

A cold day in Oklahoma, yet another wet winter. The farmers would rejoice, but the two young girls sitting huddled in the corner of a drab, dank little room would argue. Their thin, pale arms were wrapped around each other, shaking despite the ragged blanket around their shoulders. Their faces were drawn, and the older one had cuts and bruises on her dark liddled face. She was pushing her sister more towards the corner, protecting her with her body, acting as a shield from the cold draft in the room. "L..L..Lucy, you have so little blanket" a tired, high voice whispered. "I'm fine, Hannah, try and sleep, okay? Once you get some rest, I'll go and see if I can find some food, there's gotta be something I can get you." Came the tired, scratchy reply. The younger sister's reply was to curl up more around the elder. "You know, you're acting like a leech, Hannah, a heat leech." A small laugh graced the ears of the elder, it'd been so long since they'd have had reason to laugh...

~End Flashback~

"Lu, you know I hate that name!" Whined Hannah, her voice teasing.

"Yes, yes I do. Now isn't there a kid in the background I hear? Also known as my adorable nephew?" Lucy questioned, hearing the babbling of her four year old nephew, Elijah.

"Yes, it is a kid you hear, but said kid was supposed to be down for a nap.. If you'll excuse me for a second." Hannah said, leaving the line dead for a minute of two.

Lucy laughed, she loved her nephew, no matter how he got into her family. While Hannah was dealing with Elijah, Lucy got a few more lines of code in her program, and saved it. No need to keep open files, well, open.

Hannah eventually came back, and the two sisters finished talking to each other, each telling the other they loved them at the end of the conversation. It may have been odd to some, but the two girls past made them very nearly inseparable.

After the conversation, Lucy sat back and thought for a while, just going over her life, and the choices she'd have to make. "If I went, how long would I be gone, and how would that affect my family? If this is top secret, would I be able to call them and tell them I loved them often enough? What if this is dangerous and I get killed? Hannah wouldn't have enough money to bury me, would I be too destroyed to be identified and be put down as 'Jane Doe'? What would happen if this is really important and I screw up? Would my sister and nephew be threatened? What if they're held captive and used as blackmail? Would I be able to do the right thing and say no?" All of those thoughts ran through her head, each and every one being considered and thought over, until she stood up and said "You know what? I'll do it. This won't be dangerous! I'll just be programming computers and making software, I'll be fine, and so will Hannah and Eli." She told herself, even if a little part of her thought otherwise. Lucy left her cubicle, and went to the lounge, once there, she grabbed some water and fought off more paranoid thoughts. She would do this, any extra money could go to Hannah and Eli. She could have a chance to meet new people, maybe travel a bit, see the world. Having spent her entire life as a civilian, she didn't travel much at all, staying near family and friends. So the chance to travel greatly interested her.

Getting up from her chair, Lucy went to her bosses office and knocked on the door. "Yes? It's open." Called out Mrs. Hartman. Lucy opened the door and stepped inside.

"Mrs. Hartman, I've made up my mind. I will accept the transfer. Thank you, for the opportunity, by the way." Lucy said, a small smile on her face.

"Ah, great! I'll tell them you're going. Just so you know, because I had questions like this from the other participants, the assignments lasts for one year, and if you enjoyed it and they give clearance, you can return for another year." Hartman said, looking at the younger woman.

"Really? That is interesting, but I will still take this chance, thank you for telling me." Lucy replied, a thoughtful look on her face, and an interested tone in her voice.

"No problem at all Ms. Hodges, now if you don't mind, I have a call to make, so if you can please excuse me.." Hartman's tone held no anger, just urgency.

Lucy nodded "Of course, good day, Mrs. Hartman." She turned around, and closed the door gently behind her. Leaving her division behind her, and a brand new future ahead.

~End chapter two~

~Sooooo? What'd you think? I revealed a little more about their past, and if you're thinking about how I said that Jona and the girls grew up as neighbours, but Lu and Hannah are homeless here, I will reveal more, later. For now,

Keep calm and I NEEDED THAT!

Nightburn~