My dearest Sarah,

If you are reading this, then you know that I am dead. I wrote this letter as soon as I got the call to go overseas, just in case. I even wrote a will for all of my stuff. For you, I saved every picture, card, note, gifts you gave me, and I saved a little something that's special for only you; my guitar. I still had my old picks and learning books, so now you can do what you've always wanted to. I'm sorry I couldn't be there to teach you myself, but I took lots of notes. I know we didn't leave on the best of terms, but I still love you and I always will. I understand if you don't want to be a part of my family now that I'm gone, but Emalee will still need you.You're the only sister she's ever known. I hope your training is going well where you are, wherever you are. I still can't believe you joined because you thought you had nothing left to lose, only now, you lost the one real thing you've ever known. You might be asking yourself where my dog tags are; I decided to keep them with family. Speaking of family, word did get back to me about the whole thing with your brother and how your Commanding Officer went through all that trouble to get him back for you. I may not be there, but I know he's a good man and that he cares about you Sarah. Whatever relationship is going on between the two of you, take it! I know how you can be, so please, if he's the one that makes you happy, don't lose him on top of losing me and I don't know what you've heard about these aliens, but something about them seems off. My crew doesn't think that they're entirely alien, some believe they're only half-alien, however, nobody here was brave enough to solve that mystery, so maybe you can? I'm not asking you to jump into crossfire or to do the impossible, I'm only asking you to look into it. Anyway, I love you forever and always with all my heart.

Yours Truly,

Peter Zygmont

Now I can say that I've lost everything. I cried and cried some more. Friends and colleagues tried to knock on my door in the hopes that I'd let them in to comfort me, but nothing would, not even ice cream.

The afternoon after I had gotten the letter, Commander Howlett showed up with Peter's things. "Sarah, it's me. I have some things for you," he said. I slowly opened the door. "Do you know what this is or what's inside?" I smiled sadly as I looked at the box and carefully took it from him.

"I know exactly what's in here," I sniffled as I took it to my bed. Commander Howlett followed me in and curiously peered over my shoulder as I emptied the box. There were old pictures, wrappers, notes, cards, letters, trophies, and little trinkets that Peter had kept over the years. I couldn't help but smile as I looked through the pictures, especially when I saw the picture of us when we decided to do matching costumes for Halloween. There were other pictures of holidays, dances, vacations, dates, and finally, I got to one that was too much. Our prom picture took my breath away. I let it slip through my fingers back into the box.

"Was that him?" Commander Howlett asked. I gulped as I tried to hold back the tears.

"Yes," I finally got out. He stayed long enough to realize that I was too overwhelmed.

The next morning, I got up bright and early. I stayed up most of the night staring at pictures that brought back warm memories of happiness. I guess you could say that I felt calm and at peace because of the fact that I had gotten closure and was still stuck in a tiresome daydream when I went to training.

"Adams, I'm not going to tell you again! It's your turn in the ring or else your out," Vidia retorted. I carelessly glared at her as I slowly hopped in the ring. "Raymond, it's time we see you give it a go," Vidia called Bella up to fight me.

"Oh crap! This is like in my dream! But I'm not prepared or anything!" I thought. With S.H.I.E.L.D. here, I was sure this would make them think that I wasn't as good as they thought I was. The fight started and Bella swung hard. I forgot to block the hit and was greeted with a stinging pain on my left cheek. I gave her a punch back, but my punch was lousy and easily dodged. I protected my face, leaving my mid section open. Bella noticed, kicked hard, I fell back in pain, and barely broke my fall. I tried to stand up, but Bella kicked me again. I looked up to see Commander Howlett pushing to the front of the crowd as things started to happen in slow motion.

"STOP! SHE WENT TO FAR! GET HER OUT OF THERE!" Commander Howlett yelled. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents that were standing around held him back and let Bella knock me out completely.

When the ringing sound in my ears finally went away, I could hear the calming sound of water and people whispering. I attempted to prop myself up to see what was going on, but I groaned as pain shot through my entire body and I collapsed back down.

"Hey, stay down and take it easy, alright?" Commander Howlett's gruff voice said softly.

"Where am I?" I asked confused.

"Your in the Hospital Wing...again," he informed me. I rubbed my forehead with frustration. "What were you thinking to throw the fight like that? You know what-"

"I know, I know. I messed up and I messed up bad," I said groggily.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. is going to be on your case and they'll want to know why you did what you did," he said.

"She caught me off guard and I wasn't ready," I groaned again as I realized I would be in pain for a week, maybe even 2 weeks.

"Does this have to do with the box I brought you the other day?" Howlett asked concerned.

"No."

"Are you stressed? Is training getting to be too much for you?" he asked.

"No, no, no!" I was getting heated up. I was afraid that if he found out, he would turn me in.

"Then what  is going on Sarah?" Commander Howlett asked as equally exasperated as I was.

"I don't want to talk about it," I muttered.

"I'm trying to help you here and I can't do that unless you tell me what's going on!" I sighed.

"Alright, something has been going on, for awhile, actually," I nervously glanced around as people walked by. "Can we not talk about it here, in front of everyone?" I asked quietly.

"Let me find a nurse," he said. 

"I am not  using those," I said stubbornly as a nurse came in carrying a pair of crutches.

"If you want to heal, you'll use them and you'll use them happily," the nurse said coolly.

"Come on, we can go to my office," Howlett said as he helped me out the door.

Commander Howlett casually cleared off his desk. I slowly closed the door and let my hand rest on the handle. How was I supposed to tell Commander Howlett without freaking him out? "He got me this far, didn't he?" I thought. He glanced up as I carefully sat in my chair. I nervously looked at my palms that were pooling with sweat. Commander Howlett took one look at me and put the file he was holding back on his desk. He pulled his chair up next to mine, so we were facing each other, then sat in it backwards, crossing his arms on the back of the seat.

"What's bothering you?" Howlett asked softly full of concern as he looked me in the eye.

"I've sorta been having dreams," I said slowly, not wanting to meet his gaze.

"Dreams?" he asked uncertainly.

"Yes, but...not like normal dreams. You see, every time I've had a dream, the events from it actually happen. It's like I can see what's happening before it actually happens," I slowly explained.

"You can see the future?" Commander Howlett asked, raising his eyebrows.

"I guess you could say that, but I can only see my future," I said.

"How far into the future can you see?" Howlett asked interested.

"You...you actually believe me?" I asked taken aback.

"I've heard of a lot stranger things in my lifetime than future-seeing dreamers," he said.

"I can see a day or two, maybe even a week ahead of my life," I admitted.

"And it always happens? It's never been wrong?"

"So far."

"How often do you have these dreams of yours?"

"At least once every two weeks, sometimes more. It kinda comes and goes," I told him. Commander Howlett was thinking deeply. "What if he thinks I'm one of them? Would he turn me in?" I thought. "Commander, this isn't normal! What is happening to me?" I asked scaredly.

"I'm not quite sure, but when I figure it out, I'll let you know," he said in a rush as he got up.

"You can't turn me in! I don't even know what I am!" I pleaded, not masking my worry.

"You think I would turn you in because I know you're a mutant?" Commander Howlett asked offended.

"So I am one of them?" I asked breathlessly, realization crossing my face.

"Yeah, why else would you be having dreams like that?"

"Your not afraid of me?" I asked confused.

"No, why would I be afraid of you? I know you'd never hurt me."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't know that, they would kill me if they knew what I was and what I could do."

"Do you honestly think that I would let them do that to you?" Commander Howlett asked.

"I'm not really sure what you would do. In fact, I'm not even sure I can trust you."

"Yet, you came to me of all people about this," he pointed out.

"No one can know about this, not even Alice," I said seriously. Commander Howlett nodded.

"I can keep a secret, you don't need to worry about it," he reassured me, "And Sarah," he stopped me on my out, "remember what I told you."

Somehow, someway, Commander Howlett got S.H.I.E.L.D. to leave me alone because they never did interrogate me on what happened. Bella on the other hand, gave me snooty looks every time she saw me. In the days that followed, I stayed in bed most of the time and did activities that I had brought with me from home. Nothing out of the ordinary happened until breakfast Tuesday morning. "Something is up, I just know it," Vidia said.

"I've felt it too, it's like the Commandos don't want us knowing stuff anymore," Katie agreed.

"I think they're hiding something," Alice said.

"Agreed, but what could they be hiding from us?" Max asked.

"I wouldn't know, I've been crippled for almost a week and will be for another," I reminded them.

"The Commandos keep teaching us a bunch of totally new stuff, but they're like, not explaining what it's for like they have in the past and people aren't like, noticing this or anything," Katie filled me in.

"Has anyone tried asking about what's going on?" I asked.

"No, we hadn't thought of that yet," Vidia admitted.

"Maybe you could ask since Commander Howlett seems to like you," Max suggested innocently.

"Wait, what?"

"He didn't mean it like that Sarah. Max was trying to say that you two seem to get along and are comfortable with talking to each other," Alice reassured me.

"Yeah, I could do that," I said as I thought of when I could see the Commander again. It didn't take long for that to happen. He came to check up on me mid-afternoon.

"How are you feeling?" Commander Howlett asked.

"I don't know, tired, sore, wishing I was at home watching movies?" He smiled.

"That means your still human," Howlett joked. I rolled my eyes as I shook my head.

"I have a question that I think only you can answer," I started.

"Ask away."

"What's going on around here?"

"You already know, you don't have to be in training to hear about what's going on in there," he said.

"I know, but what's really  going on?"

"I," he sighed, "you know I can't tell you that right?" I gave him that look. "It's classified information and I can  tell you that it's classified for a reason," he answered.

"You Commandos can't keep secrets forever. Sooner or later, someone's going to notice the secrecy."

"Wouldn't that be interesting," Commander Howlett commented. "Don't fight a fight that you know you can't win," he warned. I gave him a hard glare and haughtily hobbled away from him.

I explained my findings to the group at dinner. "That's a bunch of crap!" Vidia exclaimed.

"I agree, but he wouldn't even hint at anything," I said dumbfoundedly.

"It still doesn't explain all of the secrecy," Max pointed out.

"So like, what are we gonna do now?" Katie asked.

"I say we do something about it this time," Alice threw out the idea.

"We should, but wait until all  of us can be a part of it; I'm still crippled," I said.

"Alright, we wait two weeks and within that time, we can form a plan that would work," Vidia concluded.