Mary Lynette stared at her reflection in the mirror. Hazel eyes frantically searched for last minute details to perfect in an attempt to distract her frenzied mind. Today's the day. She thought. By this evening I'll have finally graduated high school. I'm one step closer to becoming the first woman to discover another galaxy. All I have to do is make it across the stage without tripping over my own two feet. Fat chance. She cringed.

Distantly, she could hear the phone ringing and following that, heavy footsteps pounding down the stairs. "I'll get it! I'll get it!" Mark shouted eagerly, most likely expecting a call from his girlfriend Jade. After a few moments of hearing her brother giggle over something Jade said, and a hushed I love you too from the kitchen, Mary Lynette decided to give her brother some privacy as disappointment crept into her skin. Of course it wouldn't be him. She thought, bitterly.

She hadn't heard from Ash in a few months. Since her soulmate left Briar Creek last August, phone calls were their only source of communication. It began with every Friday night, quarter to midnight. Ash would call her up and tell her about what the stars looked like from where he was. He'd talk about how much he believed she'd love it if she were there, and the camping trips they could have. At first, Mary Lynette would want to hear every detail of his life, where he is, what he's been doing, if his lifestyle has changed. She'd fantasize about the meteor shower he witnessed in California, and the solar eclipse in Nevada. She discovered that she missed Ash more than she had expected to. As time went on, and responsibilities from Circle Daybreak became more frequent and time consuming for Ash, the phone calls occurred less and less. Every couple of weeks turned into once a month, then every few months, until one Friday night in March, Mary Lynette cut off all communication between the two of them.

Recalling their conversation, Mary Lynette fell into a trance. She remembered when the phone rang that night in March. She jumped even though it was expected. Sighing, she got up to retrieve her home phone. Months ago, they discovered how their bond could travel miles when one of them tuned into their emotions enough. She never could get used to how their soulmate connection sparked every time he decided to call. She could feel the excitement he felt seconds before the phone would even ring. That night was no different.

"Long time no speak," Mary Lynette greeted.

"I know Mare, I'm sorry things are getting out of hand here in Vegas..the last wild power is so close I can taste it. There's been no time for any sort of personal life or I would have called sooner. I miss you." Ash replied, mentally groaning at his own stupidity.

There was a brief silence before Mary Lynette snapped. "Slay any dragons yet?"

"That's not fair. I'm doing my best Mare. Life hasn't been the same since I met you. I'm not the person I was before and I'll spend the rest of eternity making up for who I was if that's what it takes to be with you. I'd do anything for us to not just be under the same moon, but admire the night together." Ash tried to explain.

"That's just it Ash! You want something that I can never give you. An eternity belonging to the night." Mary Lynette cried.

He sighed, "You're putting words in my mouth, you know that right? I like you just the way you are."

"But you can't deny it can you? That you don't think about it sometimes." She insisted.

There was another brief silence before Ash could find the words. "Well of course I think about it, don't you?"

"No. Not since Jeremy." She lied.

"I don't believe you in the slightest." Ash didn't try to use their soulmate connection, he just knew she wasn't being honest with him.

Mary Lynette took a deep breathe before going through with what she was about to say. "Ash, I need time. I need time to do the things I want to do. I never planned for this. I want to be an astronomer, a Nobel prize scientist. I want to see the world on my own terms before I commit to an eternity with.."

"With me." He finished.

"That's not what I was going to say. Who's putting words into people's mouths now?" Mary Lynette retorted.

"You forget that I know you without even having to try." Ash muttered dejectedly.

"I was going to say without a normal life." She admitted.

"Same thing." He mumbled back.

After one last lingering silence between the soulmates, Mary Lynette knew she had to clear her head. She believed that the only way to resolve her heartache was to take some time away from actively participating in this dizzying, all consuming attachment they shared.

"Ash, I need space. I need time to grow up and experience humanity. One day we'll see each other again. I know we will. We're destined to be together forever right? Mary Lynette started to sob.

"What are you saying?" Ash feared for the worst. He could feel their silver cord thinning.

Between shaky breaths and tear drops sliding past her cheeks, Mary Lynette ended their conversation with four words: "Don't call me back."

Snapping back to reality Mary Lynette tried to hold the tears from rolling down her freckled cheeks. Get it together M.L. She commanded.

"Mary Lynette!" A voice cried, interrupting her inner monologue. "Jade is on the phone. She wants to know if you want Rowan to drive all of us to the ceremony together." Mark yelled from downstairs.

Mary Lynette could only think of one person today. Although she loved all the Redfern sisters, she wasn't sure if she could bare to have them remind her of Ash anymore than she already had."Let the girls know I'll meet them there. If you want to ride with Jade go ahead. I have a few errands I need to run before I get to the school." Mary Lynette shouted back as she took a deep breath and ran her hand through a loose curl.

Mark knocked on the bathroom door before entering. He glanced at his sister, nervously combing stray hairs back. "What errands? I can help." He knew something was off.

Mary Lynette looked at her brother and internally groaned at how well he knows her meticulous ways, and the fact that she would never leave errands to run right before her own graduation. "I wanted to stop at mom's grave. Drop off some flowers, if you must know." she answered, not completely lying.

"Do you want company, or is that a thing you'd rather be alone for?" Mark asked although he already knew her answer. She smiled at the kindness of his gesture but shook her head, confirming what he already knew. "Alright Mare, I'll meet you at school. Tell mom I said hi." He reluctantly said and left the room.

She only had an hour and a half before the ceremony began, but in attending her school's graduation rehearsal last week, she discovered how much her principal liked talking about nostalgia and the future. His goodbye speech to her graduating class was basically one big ramble so she knew she had time to spare just in case. Grabbing her keys to the brand new car Claudia bought after her last car "exploded", Mary Lynette exited her house and drove to an all too familiar place.