A/N: One-Shot fic. Hints of Sky/Z. Takes place during Impact. Don't forget to review!

"No Goodbye"

"Let me do it, sir." Sky restated his request to destroy the meteor as Jack argues back against it and continues to persuade Commander Cruger that he should send him on the mission instead. The others watches on intently as Cadet Tate and Cadet Landors explain their reasons on why they should go, which led to an ongoing debate. Z's lips parted as she shifts her gaze back and forth between them, hoping that none of the two would have to go but knowing how stubborn they both are, eventually one of them would have to go through the mission. Although Z was much closer to Jack than any of the other cadets, she has grown fond of her fellow B-squad teammates and she'd hate to see anything bad happening to one of them.

After thinking it through and hearing what they had to say, Commander Cruger made up his mind and appointed Sky Tate to take on the dangerous mission for he simply had more experience than Jack. Hearing his name suddenly made Z's heart drop as she looked up and caught his gaze. He looked at her for a brief moment, slowly furrowing his eyebrows as he thanked Commander Cruger for the opportunity. Bridge, Syd, and Jack slowly made their exit as Z trails behind. Sky's gaze followed her as he watches her leave the room.

"Is there something wrong, Sky?" Kat Manx curiously asks as soon as he fell silent for quite some time now. Sky looks over his shoulders and nodded.

"Yeah." He shook his head and turns back to Commander Cruger. "Sir, would it be alright if I say goodbye to my teammates before I leave?"

He bobs his head and responded. "Yes, you may. But do it quickly. We don't have much time."

"Thanks, sir."

Sky hastily exits the room and caught Z from a distance turning at a corner. Without wasting anymore time, he quickened his pace towards her direction and reaches for her arm so she could meet his gaze. "Hey, you." Sky slightly chucked as he spun her around to face him. "What's up?"

She arches her brow. "Uh…not much. I was just heading to the room."

"Oh." He nods his head rather awkwardly. "Okay, well I was only making sure you're feeling alright."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Z tries to play it off as Sky absentmindedly shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know. I mean I saw you and you didn't seem too happy when Cruger picked me over Jack."

She averts from his gaze and sighs. "Look, Sky—"

"Z, I get that you and Jack are the best friends but like I said before, I have more experience than he does; and therefore I deserve that shot." He tells her seriously.

"No, it's not even about that." Z responds with a heavy groan. "I respect you, Sky. I know what you're capable of doing and I trust you." He was surprised to hear this, especially coming from Z as his eyes grew larger in response. "But the truth is I didn't want any of you to go."

"Why? You think you can do a better job by yourself?"

Her eyes narrowed due to his abrupt tone which furthered her anger. "No!" She scoffs angrily. "Can you stop putting words in my mouth, Sky? All I'm trying to say is…" Z trails off in mid-sentence. "Is…"

"Is what?"

She drew in a deep sigh. "I just don't know anymore, Sky. Why do you always have to be better than all of us? Why put your life on the line to prove that you're the best?"

"This is nonsense, Z! You obviously know nothing about me." His voice intensifies in volume as they create attention among other cadets walking by. "This mission has nothing to do with me proving I'm the best. It's about getting the mission done and doing it right." She looks down to avoid wandering eyes that were closely watching. "You know instead of judging me, Z…why can't you just give me some compassion here? I mean I feel like all you do is underestimate my abilities and insult me."

"I'm not underestimating your abilities or insulting you, Sky."

"Then why do you always have to be on my back and torment me all the time! I've been trained in the academy for two years. You grew up in the streets so how can you possibly know anything? I'm so sick of it!" He blurts out. "In fact, I'm sick of you!" Sky looked down shamefully for he didn't intend to say what he just said. Z's head jolted up in astonishment as he rubs his painful eyes out of frustration. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that."

She stared at him in mere disapproval as she folded her arms across her chest. "After nearly a year of working together, it shocks me that you think I'm the kind of person that is capable of putting down her teammate. The only reason I feel what I feel is because I care about you, Sky and I didn't want anything bad happening to you regardless of how well trained you are." He moistened his lips and averted from her hurtful gaze. "But I guess we're even because obviously you don't know me either." Sky slowly looks back at her with his lips parted as though he had something else to say in return but no words came out as she continues on. "I care about you whether you believe me or not. And what I fear right now is you not walking through that door alive. But what hurts me the most, Sky…" she pauses and stares deeply into his eyes, "is that you still see me as this criminal you met on the streets. Well guess what? I've changed and it's a shame that you don't see that."

"Z, I didn't mean what I said." He yells out as she turned at a corner and ran towards her room. "Z!" Sky lowered his head down and stomps on the ground frustratingly. 'God, how can I be such an idiot!" He thought to himself. Sky wanted to run after her but knowing he couldn't waste anymore time, he headed to see Jack and Bridge before approaching the ladies for he still had to say goodbye to Syd. Even though Z probably didn't want anything to do with him after their exchange of words moments ago, Sky hoped for another chance to straighten things out with her before leaving. After the guys wished him good luck, Sky kept walking continuously until he reached the end of the corridor and was standing in front of the girl's room. He took a deep, long breath and without hesitation, Sky knocked on the door and carefully turned the knob.

"Hello?" He stepped inside as Syd looked away from the mirror and made a gesture for him to come inside. Sky wandered around the room feeling rather disappointed that Z wasn't nowhere in sight.

"Came to say goodbye?"

He follows her gaze and frowned. "I'm gonna come back yah know."

She smiles. "Of course, sky. You never let us down."

"Well not everybody thinks that." Sky pursed his lips at the thought of Z. Syd furrowed her eyebrows as he sighs. "Look…If anything happens to me…"

"Don't." She interrupted him while nodding her head in dismay. "Don't even go there."

He groans. "I'm not perfect, Syd."

"None of us are.."

"But what if I mess up?"

She frowned and placed her hands on her hips due to his cynical tone. "There's a reason why Commander Cruger picked you, Sky. Not because you have more experience, but because we all believe in you." She tells him sincerely. "Just promise me you'll come back."

He studied her carefully for a moment, hoping that she speaks the truth when suddenly Z walked in the room. Sky turned away from Syd as his eyes met hers. "Just in time, Z." Syd smiles. "Sky came here to say goodbye."

Z, unsure of what to say, slightly nodded her head in response. "Yeah," A faint whisper escapes from her trembling lips, "good luck, Sky." She weakly smiles as she leaves their previous encounter aside. "I know you can do it."

He smiles in return. "Thanks. That means a lot." Sky looked down in discomfort. "About what I said…"

She shook her head. "Forget about it. Just promise you'll come back?"

"For you?" He added with a wink, feeling good about the mission after putting their differences aside. "Anytime." Syd raises an eyebrow as she caught Z turning away in pleased embarrassment. "Bye, ladies. I'm sure you'll miss me." He turned around and closes the door behind. The room fell silent as Syd slowly walks up to Z with a mischievous look on her face. "Uh huh."

Z furrowed her eyebrows. "What?"

"Oh don't play dumb." The blonde smirks. "Looks like you have a thing for Sky."

She scoffs and plasters a dirty look. "I do not."

"Uh huh. Sure."

"What? I don't." Z argues back. "He's still a jerk."

"But he can be sweet sometimes right?"

She rolls her eyes. "So?"

"So there's nothing wrong with liking Sky." Syd reassures her.

"Who says that I like Sky?" Z fell comfortably on her bed. "I'm just concern for him that's all." She adjusted her position and laid flat on her stomach.

"Since when do you care?"

"Since when do I not care?"

Syd grunted in annoyance. "You're blushing."

Z chuckled. "It's the hideous make-up you put on me, genius."

"Darn! I thought I had you."

"Give it up, Syd." Z takes out her headphones from under her pillow.

"Oh come on." She pouts her lips. "Not even just a little bit?"

Z groans unresponsively. "Syd."

"Okay, fine." She pursed her lips and whispered; "You so do like him."