A/N: I'm aware some people may not like the way this has started. I know I put FemShep/Liara. It just hasn't gotten there yet.

"It's been almost a year. You've made great progress, Sam." Emily smiled softly at her.

Sam smiled back. She was slowly coming out of her shell. She actually spoke back for the most part. "Can I go now? Kayla's waiting for me."

"Of course. You two be careful, ok?" Sam nodded and ran out of the room.

Sam knew Kayla was right around the corner. She grinned when she saw her friend. "Kayla!"

"Sam! Come on, Mitchell wanted to talk to us, remember?" Sam nodded, thinking about Mitchell. He was 18, getting ready to start Alliance training in a few days. He was completely different from Logan, from any guy she knew. She followed Kayla to the courtyard, where Mitchell was waiting, alone. "Hi, Mitchell!"

"Hmm? Oh, hi Kayla. Hi Sam." He smiled at her. "Kayla, do you mind if I talk to Sam alone?"

Kayla looked at him, and then at Sam, who was smiling at him. "I guess so." Kayla hung her head and walked away.

"So, Sam. I leave in a couple of days. I thought maybe we could spend some time alone." She just nodded, speechless. My heart's fluttering again... Mitchell walked toward a tree and sat down next to it. Sam sat next to him, not knowing what to expect. He put his hand on hers. Logan... Should I be doing this? Her vision grew blurry, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. Mitchell saw it, and wiped it away, his hand catching on the back of her neck. He drew her head close to his, and kissed her, deeply. His mouth opened slightly, tongue forcing it's way into her mouth. They broke the kiss, and she inhaled deeply. "That was amazing, Sam." She just nodded, half dazed. "I have an idea. Come with me." He stood up, holding his hand out to her. She got up and held his hand.

"Where are we going?"

"To my room, it's quieter there. I want to show you something." She followed behind him. They got to his room, which wasn't much different from hers. He sat on the bed and patted the mattress next to him. "Come sit next to me." She did, and looked at him. He kissed her again, this time hungrily. He started to reach for her chest, when she broke the kiss.

"What?"

"Shh." He pinned her hands behind her back, kissing her fiercely again. He tried to pull up her shirt, when she tried kicking him off of her. "Come on, Sam! You've been driving me crazy for weeks!" His hold on her loosened a bit, and she got control of her hands again. She pushed him off of her.

"Stop!"

He growled, and threw her against the bed. Before he could climb on top of her, she flared slightly. What the hell is this? She pushed him again, harder. He stared at her, eyes wide. "What the hell? Why didn't you say you were a biotic?"

Biotic? She quickly looked around the room, and saw a lamp. She threw the lamp at him, without moving from the bed. Oh my God! How did I do that? She missed him, but it was enough to send him running out of the room, door left wide open. Sam folded in on herself, crying. She barely heard Emily and Kayla come in.

"Sam? Are you alright?" asked Emily.

"Sam! I knew you'd be in trouble. I got my mom and..." Kayla looked around the room. "What happened?"

"I threw a lamp at him," Sam explained. "With my mind..." She looked up at Emily, tears still streaming down her face. Emily sat down on the bed next to her, and hugged Sam. "It's ok, sweetie. It's ok." She patted Sam's back, rocking slowly back and forth. Kayla also sat on the bed, hugging her mom and her friend.

xXXx

Sam rubbed the sore spot on the back of her neck. The implant was only a few weeks old, and still hurt. She was surprised that she didn't get in trouble for what happened with Mitchell. His Alliance training was put on hold though, and he was transferred to a different city. Sam looked at the newest entry in her journal.

April 10, 2171

So, I am a biotic. Apparently that spaceship accident above Mindoir 3 years ago wasn't the first time I was exposed to eezo. Before me and Tyler were born, when mom was still pregnant, we were. I don't know the specifics, but I've heard the doctors talk about it. I've started training. They say I can channel this anger of mine. But I'm not angry, not as much. After what Mitchell... I don't think I can trust guys. We'll see what happens. Vanguard, that sounds interesting. And next year, Alliance training. Maybe I can prevent what happened on Mindoir from happening to anyone else.

xXXx

Kayla was strangely quiet that day. It was April 11, 2172. She dreaded this day, the day Sam would be enlisting in the Alliance. She stood wordlessly behind her friend, as Sam fidgeted in front of the mirror.

"How do I look?" Sam wore her hair down, and it reached barely past her shoulders. She was wearing a dark green, tight sweater and a pair of black slacks. "Last day in civilian clothing." Sam was grinning. This feels wrong. I should be back on Mindoir, and this should be Tyler getting ready to leave. Kayla nodded wordlessly. "You ok, Kayla? You're quiet." Kayla nodded again, and attempted a small smile. Sam raised her eyebrow at the younger girl, but just shrugged it off.

Kayla lowered her head. "I-I'm not ok, Sam. I dont want you to leave."

Sam stared at her back, before walking toward her. She reached out to Kayla's shoulder, and spun her around. Kayla was crying. "Hey, it's ok. We'll keep in touch, I promise." Sam lightly kissed the top of her head, and hugged her tightly. Kayla flung her arms around Sam, and hugged her even tighter. Sam could feel her trembling. Sam stroked her back, memories floating back. To nights when she couldn't sleep, and her mom would do the same thing. Sam started crying as well.

Kayla pushed away from Sam. She sniffled, and wiped her face. She was looking down at her feet. Sam tilted her face up. "You ok now?" Kayla was biting her lower lip, but nodded. "Good. You'll always be my friend, Kayla. No matter what." Kayla nodded and looked up at Sam. She smiled slightly, and then quickly kissed Sam. She then ran out of the room. What was that? Sam stood there stunned for a bit. She blinked, and then walked out of her room.

xXXx

Sam breathed a sigh of relief. She passed the physical with flying colors. She would start boot camp in the next week. I should tell Kayla. She'll be happy for me... But, after what happened before, I don't know what to think. Sam was lost in though, and bumped into Emily. "Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't see you there."

"It's alright, Sam. How did everything go?"

"Good. I'm leaving within the week."

Emily nodded, smiling at Sam. "That's great news. You'll like it in the Alliance."

"I know. I just, I don't want to leave Kayla, or you. You both have done so much for me." Tears pricked at Sam's eyes.

Emily pulled Sam into a hug. It had taken so long to get her to share her emotions, her pain. It was easy to forget what this young woman had endured. Nightmares and survivor guilt. "Don't think of it as leaving then. It might be a while, but you're always welcome here. You're a part of the family." She could feel Sam nod. "Good. Now go find Kayla and tell her the good news."

"Yeah, I'm going to do that now. Do you know where she is?"

Emily thought for a moment. "She said that you would know."

Sam thought for a minute, before nodding. "You're right, I think I do know where she is. Thanks, Emily!"

Sam ran off to the park that her and Kayla always went to. She saw Kayla sitting by a large tree. Sam walked over to her slowly. "Mind if I sit down?" Kayla jumped slightly, but nodded and moved over to let Sam sit. They sat in silence for a few minutes. Sam breathed in before saying anything. "I passed the physical." Kayla just nodded. "I'll be leaving within the next week." Kayla nodded again. Sam put her head against the trunk of the tree. She could see the buds coming in. The park would be beautiful by next month. She squeezed her eyes shut against the tears that came. A tear rolled down her cheek, but was wiped away by Kayla.

"Sam, that's great. Really, it is." Kayla put her hand on Sam's shoulder. "You're gonna be great." Kayla lowered her head. Sam turned to look at her and smiled. She put her hand on Kayla's and squeezed gently. Kayla lifted her head and looked at Sam. She smiled slightly back at Sam. Sam put her arm around Kayla and brought her in close to her.

"Thanks for having such confidence in me."

"What kind of friend would I be if I didn't?"

Sam laughed at that. "Kayla, what was that about?"

"You needed a boost."

"No, I meant when I was getting ready."

"Oh, that." Kayla didn't say anything for a bit. "That was... it was nothing." Kayla shifted away from Sam a bit.

"What do you mean, nothing?" Sam tightened her arm on Kayla. "You can't just do something like that and say nothing."

"It was... I'm scared, Sam. I don't want to lose you."

"Oh, Kayla. You're not losing me. I'll email you all the time. So much, that you'll get sick of it!" Kayla smiled a little at that. "Everytime I get a chance, I'll be back. But that was it? You kissed me because you're scared?"

Kayla shook her head. "That was part of the reason. After... after Mitchell, I..."

Sam nodded. "A year? That's a long time to not say anything about it." Sam released her arm from Kayla. She gently grabbed Kayla's head and turned her up to look in her eyes. "You didn't have to hide it." Sam smiled gently down at her, and kissed her lips gently. "We could've had so much more time together, Kayla."

Kayla looked down at the ground. "I didn't know..."

"Of course you didn't. You never said anything!" Sam laughed. Sam lifted Kayla's head again, and smiled at her. "This just gives me more incentive to come back, doesn't it?"

Kayla smiled up at her and nodded. "I can't believe how stupid I was!"

"No, not stupid. Scared." Sam kissed her again, this time with a little more force. She could hear Kayla's breath hitch. "Come on. Let's head back." Sam stood up, and grabbed for Kayla's hand.

xXXx

The night of the 14th. The night before Sam leaves for boot camp. Sam sighed loudly to no one in particular. Party... I'm not sure if... Her thoughts were cut off due to a knocking at her door. "Come in."

The door opened and revealed Kayla. The light brown hair she usually wore in a bun, flowed down around her shoulders, down to her waist. A smile was on her lips. She was wearing a modest, tight black skirt, that came slightly above her knees, and a dark blue dress shirt that brought out her eyes. "What do you think, Sam?"

"My god... You're beautiful." Sam reluctantly got her cut. Slightly shorter then shoulder length, copper red hair. She wore a plain, dark green sleeveless shirt, and black dress pants. "I would kill to have legs like that." She walked over to Kayla and hugged her.

"Oh come on, your legs aren't that bad!" Kayla laughed.

"Very funny." Sam sighed again.

"Everything ok?"

"I'm just thinking."

"About?"

Sam hesitated a bit before answering. She released her hold on Kayla and walked to the bed. She sat down, and put her head in her hands. Breathing in deeply, she answered. "The last time I had a party, that night..." She couldn't continue, the tears were streaming down her face.

Kayla walked over to her and kneeled in front of her. She ran her hand through Sam's hair. "It's ok. Nothing like that's gonna happen now." She stood up and sat down next to Sam.

Sam ontinued crying for a bit, Kayla's hand rubbing her back. "It was horrible, Kayla. Everyone I loved, dead. My brother..." She breathed in again. Lifting her head, she looked at Kayla. "My mom, dad, everyone."

Kayla gathered her into a hug, still rubbing Sam's back. "We don't have to go. You can say you don't feel well."

Sam shook her head. "No. We'll go. I need to do this. But thanks." She kissed Kayla before getting off the bed. "We should go." Kayla nodded wordlessly and followed Sam out of the room.

xXXx

Today was the day. Sam stood in front of the shuttle, her small duffel bag on the ground next to her. Emily and Kayla stood behind her. She turned around, and looked at the two of them. She hugged Emily first. "Thank you, for everything."

"It's my job." Emily smiled slightly.

Sam shook her head. "Not everything you did was. You did more for me then almost anyone. You helped me, guided me. Thank you." She stepped back slightly, and saw Emily was trying not to cry. Sam smiled at her and turned to Kayla. Kayla's head was bowed. She walked over to Kayla, and put a hand on her shoulder. "Kayla..."

"No, don't say anything. Please."

"But..."

Kayla looked up at Sam. She put a hand to her face. "No. I don't want to hear it. Let's just leave it like this." She kissed Sam. "I love you, no matter what." Kayla turned and walked away.

Sam felt a tear run down her face. "I love you too, Kayla." She bent down and picked up her bag. Waving to Emily, she walked toward the shuttle, heavy hearted.

A/N: Ok, so this chapter took a little longer to get out then I wanted it to. I apologize about that. Work gets in the way of everything.