Space. Space was such a vast and mysterious place. It gave off the promise of adventure, the promise of a journey separate from anything Earth could provide.

Colleen always thought space was interesting, although not much more than that. When she was a child she found herself drawn to just watching the stars shining in the dark night sky.

Maybe that's why she was so entrapped with Samuel. He was like the stars she observed as a young girl and like the stars she admired from afar. Only, this time she wouldn't have to admire from afar anymore. This time she'll find her place by his side, like the dark sky that allowed the stars to glow.

After a few years of marriage, she gave birth to Matthew and he had an uncanny resemblance to his father and it filled Colleen with an indescribable amount of joy. She didn't have one star anymore, she had two. And she loved them both so very much. She would be willing to sacrifice her own light to have theirs shine.

Katie was born soon after and Colleen couldn't have been more happy. It was perfect. They were perfect. She loved how Matt was jealous of his little baby sister at first but he soon warmed up to her and even refused to leave her side on her first day of kindergarten. He was a doting brother and as Katie grew, she began to dote on him too.

The two grew up and their resemblance to their father grew stronger and stronger. Colleen watched as they adapted to his mannerisms and his habits of pulling at his bangs when he was thinking or when his eyes could never keep still when he had something on his mind.

"They have your eyes," Samuel had told her one day as she was making dinner. "They have your selfless heart too."

Colleen turned to him. "They have your smile." She continued. "They have your smart brain too."

"And, they shine just like you do."

A couple years later Samuel told her that he and Matt were scheduled to go on a mission to space in the coming months and she couldn't help but be excited and nervous. She was ecstatic that her husband and son could finally journey out to space, the place that fascinated their genius minds.

But, she was nervous. She knew that so many things could go wrong and although she did trust the Garrison equipment and technology, it didn't do much to calm her nerves and insecure about thoughts.

Colleen knew it was ridiculous to try and convince them to say and slowly, she was able to bubble down her feelings of insecurities as the two started their journey to space. They went along with Takashi, a man she knew she could trust. He was Matt's dear friend and if anyone was a good judge of character, it was Matthew.

So, on the day she watched half her family leave the planet and the atmosphere, she felt something shift in her heart. She had a dreading feeling that something was going to happen, that something bad was going to happen.

Colleen watched as Katie checked the news each day, curious on her father and brother's progress. She was thirteen when they left in March and for the first time in thirteen years, Colleen celebrated her daughter's birthday without her husband and son.

Katie didn't seem to mind too much. She was so entrapped in her Garrison work that she nearly forgot her birthday. She was trying to catch up. She wanted to catch up. Colleen knew full well that one day, she would have to watch Katie travel up to space on her adventure.

Months later, on a rather dull evening, Colleen switched on the news, preparing for month-old news about the missing cat rumored to have climbed aboard a spacecraft and was now in the depths of space. Gunther, a dog that had followed Katie home one night, was curled up by her legs, snuggling against her bare feet. She leaned down to pet it when she heard the familiar sound of her family's names.

She whipped her head up to see a news flash with three photos. She barely heard the news reporter as they spoke. Fragments struck out at her like "-Kerberos mission-" "-missing-" "-pilot error-" "-sad day for humanity." She couldn't stop the tears from building up in her eyes.

Behind her, she heard the smallest of gasps and turning her head, she saw her daughter at the foot of the stairs, hands over her mouth and eyes full with clear tears that streaked down her pink cheeks.

Colleen rushed up and embraced her daughter as she started to sob. Her own tears flowed freely down her face and she buried her face in Katie's soft hair that reminded her so much of the man she fell in love with oh so many years ago.

She felt Katie grip her shirt tight and through hiccups, she managed to get out a few words. "Lying.. right? Dad.. and Matt... They're okay.. Right?"

Colleen didn't have an answer and she knew she didn't want to lie to her own child. She never had before. "They're strong." She whispered instead, "They won't go down without a fight. They have the power of the stars with them."

They stayed there until Katie eventually fell asleep in her arms and she had to carry her to her bed. Katie's eyes were puffy and red and it pained Colleen to see her child in such a vulnerable and weak state. She placed a kiss on her forehead, slowly down to sweep her bangs as nostalgia filled her bones.

She choked back a sob of her own as she walked out of the room and to the living room where Gunther was awaiting patiently. As soon as she entered the room, she fell to her knees, no longer finding the strength in her limbs to hold her up. Gunther trotted over to her and lay on her side, letting their soft fur brush against her legs and arms.

Quietly, she cried. She knew that Samuel, Matt nor Takashi would make an error in their piloting and she knew that something was amiss. But, she couldn't stop the crushing and overwhelming feeling that she would never get to see her family again. That she'll never get to kiss her husband once more, never get to see the sparkle in his eyes, never get to watch him play with Matt and Katie, never get to fall asleep in his warm arms, never get to wake up to his smiling face, never get to go to her room to find their bed occupied with both of them. That she'll never get to see Matt graduate from the Garrison, never get to see the look of pride when he invents something new, never get to watch him interact with Katie, never get to see him tease his father about peas ever since the incident when he had accidentally bought way too many, never get to see the smile on his face when he saw Takashi, never get to watch him pass out on the floor in awkward positions, never get to kiss him goodnight.

It pained her to think of the worst but it was something she couldn't prohibit. Katie. Oh god, Katie. She knew how heartbroken she must be. She's only fourteen and she might never see her father or brother again.

Colleen wanted to protect her, guard her from harm but she knew she couldn't. Katie was going to be a young lady soon. She was going to be apart of something big, she knew it and Samuel knew it too. But, she wasn't going to have her father and brother to back her up.

Colleen felt an emptiness in her chest and it hurt her to think that Katie would one day leave her as well. She couldn't take it. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think.

Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. They're gone. Gone. Forever.

Colleen didn't finish crying until her tears finally dried away and left her eyes were red and sore. Her hair was a mess but she didn't care. Why would she need to care about her appearance when she has to battle with the possibility of never seeing her son and husband ever again.

Katie didn't leave her room for days. Colleen left food at her door and was relieved when she would find the tray empty when she checked the next morning. She knew it wasn't good for her daughter to isolate herself from human contact but she understood. If she was her age, Colleen would have likely done the same thing. It was her way of coping and Colleen had no place to destroy it.

A few days later, when Colleen climbed up the stairs to pick up the dishes, she noticed the door to the bathroom was cracked open. Leaning close to crack, she peeked in to see her daughter with a pair of scissors and discarded hair on the ground. She leaned away and walked down the stairs.

She knew full well what her daughter was planning. Two days prior she had received a call from Iverson informing her that Katie had hacked into classified systems and documents. Colleen quickly apologized on her behalf and hung up before she could start yelling. She knew why her daughter would do that. It had to have something to do with the Kerberos mission and the disappearance of Samuel and Matt Holt and Takashi Shirogane.

By cutting her hair, Katie was preparing for a fight. She was planning on throwing away her soft side and embracing her angrier side of her personality.

The next morning Colleen found a letter taped on Katie's door.

Hey Mom,

I'm going to go away for a while. I'm sorry that I am leaving but I couldn't stand staying there anymore. I'm really sorry. But I promise I'll take care of myself and no, I'm won't be sleeping on the streets, I have a place set up. I won't be going hungry either so you don't have to worry about money or finding my dead body.

Mom. I promise I'll bring them back. The Garrison is lying, I have proof. It wasn't pilot error, it was something else. Something they don't know. And they're afraid of the unknown.

I'm going to bring them back and I promise you Mom that we will be a family again.

Until then, could you kiss Gunther for me?

I love you (more than Dad loves his peas),

Katie Holt

Pidge Gunderson

P. S. There's a book under my bed that'll cheer you up

P. S. S. If me, Matt and Dad are stars then you're the Sun, giving us warmth and life. Don't forget to let yourself shine too Mom

Colleen rushed to Katie's room and stuck her hand under her bed to find there was indeed a hardcover book hidden. Tugging it towards her, she searched the blue cover for a title to find none. It wasn't a necessarily large book, it looked about an inch and a half, but the pages were stuck out and she got the sense that this was a handmade book.

She opened it and felt a smile tugging against her lips. The first page, in Katie's horrible attempt at cursive writing, the words My Family were scribbled across the white page in a sharpie marker. Colleen flipped through the pages to see pictures and stories and diary entries that documented Katie's perspective on her family.

She giggled when she saw a picture of Matt and Samuel sleeping on the floor, Matt's head nested in Samuel's knees and Samuel's hands and legs spread out like a snow angel. Underneath Katie had written "These idiots are lucky they have geniuses like me and Mom to keep track of them"

The pictures and entries spanned out for dozens and dozens of pages and Colleen was amazed that Katie found the time to do this.

Colleen smiled. Katie was tricky and smart and she couldn't help but have a strange sense of pride as she shut close the book her daughter left her.

Maybe she would see her family again. If that was the case she was willing to wait. She trusted Katie, or rather Pidge now. She was small genius, a girl with a mind that could likely get Iverson out of a job.

She knew Katie's conviction because she had seen it before. In Sam, in Matt, in Takashi, and now, in Katie.

All her stars were growing up.

And she didn't mind being the night sky that let them glow for a little while longer.