{ breathe }
unedited
1.1k words
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Maureen walked out to the hallway in anger before calming down. She looked at her son and future daughter and her heart warmed.
When the kids noticed her presence, they stopped talking and turned their attention towards the woman.
"How'd you know we were in the Jupiter?" Will asked his mother.
Maureen, who walked to the window, replied. "I didn't. Guess I was just as curious about what's going on in there as you were."
She walked towards the kids and sat beside Will.
"I'm sorry I didn't listen. I really thought I could do it. That I could connect with this robot too. That maybe, I could make a difference." (y/n) didn't comment but the small squeeze from her hand said enough. "But I guess you were right."
"You know, grandma used to get so mad at me for looking up at the stars. She just-She didn't see the sense in thinking about a place that you could never get to. You can't blame her because back then, it would've taken 81,000 years to get to the nearest one. But, here I am.
Because the thing is, it didn't matter what she said. Or if she was right. I was going to do whatever it took to get exactly to this very spot. Because I believed in my heart that it's what I was meant to do."
"So what do you think grandma would say if you could see her now?"
"Oh, she'd probably look at me with those eyes of her and say, "if you're up there, who watching the farm?""
The two softly laughed. "Yeah. So what do we do now? With no way to get that engine working, we're still stranded."
"You know all this time, I've been trying to get us to Alpha Centauri, I think I've been going about it the wrong way."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I've been trying to do it all by myself. Come on, there something I think you both need to see."
The two kids looked at each in confusion before they got up and followed the woman to the engine room. Along the way, Will noticed that his hands were still intact with (y/n)'s so he dropped them and blushed.
"Sorry." The boy muttered.
The girl smirked. "Don't worry, I liked the feeling of your hands on mine." The boy blushed harder as the girl mentally patted herself on the shoulder.
Once the reached the engine room, they were given clearance. And as they stepped inside, (y/n) gasped in awe.
"Pretty incredible, isn't it?" Maureen smiled.
"No wonder only robots can fly it." Will joked. He walked further into the room before he spotted Scarecrow. He walked over and crouched so that he was face to face with the robot.
"There's something I need to say to you. We may never be friends. You may never even understand what I'm saying, but you don't belong in a box."
The robot tilted his head and pointed to somewhere behind Will.
"What is it?"
(y/n) followed the direction and walked closer. There were imprints of their blast rays and even handprints on the giant structure in the middle.
"It's damaged." The girl said, curiously tracing the blast impacts.
"SAR and robot. It looks like-"
"They fought here."
Will placed his hands on the hand imprint before he gasped. Within a second, he leaped back and started huffing, placing his hand his heart.
"Will!"
"Hey, are you okay?"
(y/n) and Maureen immediately rushed to the boy's side.
"I found him. I found the robot. He's here." The boy whispered out.
"What do you mean here?" (y/n) asked him.
"Down on that planet."
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"I saw what the robot saw. I was looking at a hoodoo rock. That hoodoo rock." Will explained to his redhead sister.
"So he's been here the whole time. Is he okay?"
"I don't know, I only saw a flash for a second."
"I'm glad you're going to go get him. I miss his starry face." Penny smiled as her mother and (y/n) walked in.
"But how exactly are you gonna find this particular hoodoo? I mean there must be a million out there."
"I cross referenced the data stamp from that photograph to the map surveys of the planet. And it looks like the robot is about 200 kilometers east of base camp. You're dad will be done working at the well and once we pick him up, we can drive there in about a day.
"Are you um sure you don't need me?" Penny asked hesitantly.
"Honey, are you worried about being up here all by yourself?"
"Without parental vision, I'll struggle through." (y/n) snickered and gave Penny a fist bump.
Maureen smirked. "You know you have school today."
Penny's face dropped while (y/n) laughed again. "I thought that was a joke."
"You haven't been to school in a whole year."
"You make us study ever day!"
"You should be happy for the change of pace."
"Will and (y/n) aren't going to school. And (y/n) probably hasn't even touched a single book since she was stranded here."
"She's right." (y/n) nodded.
"Just stay out of trouble. Or better yet just wait until I get back."
Penny sighed.
"Don't worry Penny, I'm sure something interesting will come your way."
"Thanks (y/n). But whatever it is, it better come sooner."
As the three say their good byes to Penny, they head to their Jupiter's to change into their space suits.
The problem was that (y/n) had rarely stepped foot in the Jupiter that she was temporarily staying in. Mostly because Ben Adler volunteered to care for her until they returned to Alpha Centauri.
Taking a deep breath, she entered and glanced around.
No one.
She made her way to her room and quickly changed. Grabbing her stuff along the way. As she began to leave, she sees that Adler was standing at the entrance. Almost waiting for her.
"Oh. Hi Mr. Adler."
"Ben's just fine (y/n). And I hope you don't mind but Maureen allowed me to join you three to find robot."
"Uh yeah sure"
"Great."
There was an awkward pause so Adler cleared his throat and motioned for the two to head to one of the Resolute Jupiter's.
As they walked, Ben began to speak. "I'm sorry for your loss."
The girl stiffened. "Thanks, I guess. Did-Did you know them?"
"Of course, I worked with them on an old project. They were brilliant really, took their work seriously but yet made it fun for everyone ."
"Yeah, that sounds like them."
"I just know that if they saw you right now, they would be nothing but proud of you (y/n)."
(y/n) smiled at the man. "Thank you Ben."
The man returned the smile. "Anytime. By the way, are you and Will together?"
The girl froze in her tracks and looked up at the man. "What?"
"Oh are you not? I just assumed because you two are also so close with one another."
"We're just friends." The girl said, almost solemnly. Causing the edge of the man's lips to quirk upwards.
"Right."
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