5 years ago...

I hurried after Doctor Griffin down the halls of Alpha Station towards medical. My heart was pounding, and a strong wave of dread had fallen over my stomach. Tears were slowly forming in my eyes, but I blinked them away before they could fall. I was determined to be strong for my mother.

The doors to medical opened and Doctor Griffin led me to the back where I saw my mother lying on a bed. A breathing mask was attached to her tired, pale face, and her once bright hazel eyes had become dull. My dad was kneeling beside the bed clutching onto my mother's hand. I saw a tear streak down his cheek, and the sight of it made me want to lose everything and sob, but I clenched my fists and willed myself to go stand beside the bed.

The doctors had done everything they possibly could. They tried so many medicines, so many treatments, but my mother didn't respond to any of them. Her kidneys were failing, and she had been sick for so long. All the doctors could do was try and make her as comfortable as possible.

"Hey Mom," I said weakly as I grabbed her other hand.

She turned her head over slowly, and smiled for the first time that week, "Hey Peanut."

"Mom, I've told you one thousand times, I'm too old for that nickname now."

She laughed softly, "Well, you're just going to have to get over it because it will always be my nickname for you. Even when you're grown up and have your own little boy or girl to pick on."

My eyes suddenly got teary again. I knew she wouldn't be around to call me Peanut much longer. Finally, a tear broke through my thick barriers and began to cascade down my cheek. I felt my mom's hand on my face, and she wiped away my tears as they fell silently.

"I love you so much, Mom," All of the strength had faded from my voice.

"I love you too, Peanut," A sob escaped my mouth as her heartbeat began to slow down. Her fading gaze met mine as she pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "Hey, you're going to be alright. You're strong, Harley. You're so strong and beautiful and smart, and there is nothing you can't do. I know you'll be just fine."

A choked sob escaped my lips, "Not without you."

She looked back she was holding back tears as her eyes met my dad's, "Can you grab that box on the table?" My dad nodded as he turned around and grabbed a small blue box that was seated on the table behind him. He handed it to my mom, and she turned back to me. With a smile on her lips she held it out. "My mom gave me this for my sixteenth birthday, and her mom gave it to her. It's yours now."

I wiped away my tears as I set the box down on the bed and took off the top. My eyes widened when I saw what was inside. It was a necklace, but not like the usual necklaces on the Ark. The usual necklaces were made out of old leather and different trinkets people found. This necklace had a silver chain that shimmered in the light. Attached to the chain was a beautiful black pearl that looked brand new.

"Your great great great grandmother Ruby got that necklace as a wedding present. The pearl is real. Ruby's husband found it on Ipanema Beach while he was in Brazil."

"From Earth?" I asked in amazement. "You mean this pearl is actually from Earth?"

My mom nodded with a smile, "Here let me put it on you."  I turned around and pulled my hair away from my neck while my mom clipped the necklace around my neck. Once it was on, I turned back to her, and she grazed her finger over the jewel. "It looks so beautiful on you." My dad agreed as he gave my mom's hand a comforting squeeze. "Can you promise me something, Peanut?"

"Anything," I immediately answered.

Her breathing was even slower, and her voice became distant, "Promise me you'll keep it in the family, and maybe one day it can return to the beautiful planet it came from."

Another tear slipped from my eye, "I promise." One last smile ghosted her lips, and then her eyes began to close, "Wait, Mom please don't go." I felt my dad's hand on my shoulder as I begged for her to stay just one more minute. Just one more minute was all I wanted. "Please don't leave me, Mommy," I was unable to control the flood of tears from my eyes and the choking sobs as I heard the dreaded beeping of the flat line from the machine beside the bed. "No, please just one more minute! Please!" I screamed as tears blurred my vision. Someone was grabbing me and dragging me out of the room into their embrace, but I thrashed against them and continued to sob. "No! Let me go! Let me go!"

"Harley, it's ok. Everything's going to be ok. I'm right here..."

Everything else was mixed in a horrible blur of emotions. I didn't know how long I stood there being held back by Archie as I watched my dad crying over my mom. As I watched Doctor Griffin write down the time of death, and pull my dad in for a long embrace. As I watched the other doctors come in and pull a pale white sheet over my mother's face.

"She's gone," I choked out against Archie's chest. "She's gone."

Those two words hit me right in the gut as I felt like someone had just knocked me to ground and taken all the air from my lungs. It was hard to breathe. It was hard to move. It was hard to think.

Because every time I even tried to think something else, my mind would return to those two words.

She's gone.

~_~_~_~_~

I twiddled with my pearl necklace as I sat beside Wells at the dinner table. My dad and I were eating in the Chancellor's quarters, and that was about the last place I wanted to be. Tomorrow would be exactly five years since my mother's death, and on the eve of that horrible day, I just wanted to be by myself.

Chancellor Jaha and my dad were talking about some stupid celebration that was coming up soon. The Annual Star Festival, or as I liked to call it the meaningless made-up holiday that people used as an excuse to talk about how great they were. Officially, it was supposed to be a time when people recognized the graduating class, but all people really did was give long boring speeches about how smart and awesome they were.

"I assume you plan on attending the Star Festival this year Harley. After all, you'll be finished with your classes soon," Chancellor Jaha said as he took a sip of water.

Wells gave me a warning look. He wanted me to be polite and say 'of course I'm going to your stupid festival Chancellor Jaha', but I never was very good at doing what people wanted me to.

"Actually, I'm not planning on going," I could feel the judgment radiating off of the Chancellor. "It's not really my scene."

The Chancellor opened his mouth to reply, but Wells spoke up before he could, "Don't worry, Dad. I'll talk her into it," His tone was light and joking, but it still ticked me off. After that, the subject changed, and I went back to twiddling with my necklace praying for time to pass quicker.

Once we all had finished dinner, the Chancellor and my dad went to the living room to talk while Wells and I went into his room which was simple and tidy and cozy. I immediately sat down on his soft bed and let out a tired sigh.

Wells plopped down beside me. We sat in a thick silence for a few moments. Both of us knew the second we talked, it would spiral into an argument. Honestly, I was tempted to break up with him that night, but when I looked over at his kind eyes which were laced with so much concern and devotion, I just couldn't.

I couldn't break his heart. Maybe I didn't love him the way he loved me, but I did care about him more than I wanted to.

"I'm sorry," He finally said, breaking the long silence. "I shouldn't push you to do things that you don't want to do just because I want to make my dad happy."

I looked over to meet his eyes, "I'm sorry too. I could have been more polite, but manners have never really been my thing."

Wells's lips tugged upwards, "Trust me. I know."

"And if me going to that stupid asshat festival is really important to you, I guess I could force myself to show up," Maybe...Possibly. It was a long shot.

Wells laughed, "No, I don't want you to be miserable. If you want, maybe we can both blow it off and go have some fun."

I gave him a shocked look, "Ok who are you, and what have you done with Wells Jaha?"

He rolled his eyes, chuckling slightly, "I'm serious, Harley. I want to spend time with you doing stuff that you like. Not going to stupid asshat festivals." I grinned, and Wells pulled me in for a quick kiss, "You know I love you, right?"

I nodded with a happy and content feeling in my stomach, "Yeah, I do."

My only wish was that maybe someday, I could say it back.