You ducked your head as you took the last of your supplies from your shuttle to the connected walkway leading you into East Texas. Your heart hadn't stopped beating wildly since the moment you spied the ever-growing Mars station out your shuttle window. The fact you were here hadn't hit you yet. You set the boxes down in your quarters and let out a sigh, rubbing your aching chest. You looked around your small room and smiled; perhaps for the first time since your diagnosis, you didn't feel like you had an expiration date.

Suddenly, the ding of an intercom and the booming voice of an announcer brought you out of your thoughts.

"All new arrivals and special personnel meet in station 14 to await Dr. Shepard's orientation."

You jumped to attention and looked around for your assignment packet and ID badge. Your face, albeit tired, smiled up at you with "Station 17" scrawled on the bottom above your hurried signature. You held it in your hand as you opened up your assignment packet and tried to figure out the layout of the stations not wanting to get lost on the first day.

With your face buried in the expanded map of East Texas, you glanced up every now and then as you rushed through the halls. You had just turned a corner when you let out an 'oof' after coming into contact with a warm chest, your map falling to the ground along with your ID badge.

"Oh sorry. Sorry. Are you alright?" A kind, deep voice sounded above you, embarrassment seeping through his words.

You blinked back your own embarrassment but avoided making any eye contact. You knelt down and reached for your things just as another hand reached down, touching your hand lightly with his fingers. Your eyes shot up and a blush covered your cheeks. You were met with the most vibrant blue eyes that would rival any ocean of Mars had any. His dark hair was long and just begged to be tussled. He had cute little freckles perfectly dotting his face, making him look younger than he probably was. He gave you a kind smile and your heart flipped.

The both of you would have stayed there a bit longer, just staring at each other if not for the announcer came over the intercom and repeated his earlier message. Quickly you scrambled up your things and stood. The blue-eyed babe stood as well, his own fallen ID grasped in his hand. His tall willowy frame would have put you off but there was something about the way he held himself that you found attractive.

You blinked again and tucked some fallen hairs behind your ear. "Ah, yeah I'm good. Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

The intercoms went off calling for anyone else one last time. Tall, dark, and handsome looked up at the intercom then back to you. You gave him a shy smile then rushed past him, looking back to give him a small wave as you tried to ignore the smell of his cologne and hint of mint. He smiled back, almost like a smirk, and raised a hand in reply. Your face blushed again remembering the feel of his hand on yours. Shaking your head, you turned forward and made sure not to run into any more people.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It wasn't hard for Gardner to look over the crowd that gathered in Station 14, trying to catch a glimpse of the (h/c) woman he had run into in the hallway. (Y/n) (L/n). He looked down at your beautiful face smiling up at him on the ID clutched in his hand before glancing up again. He had noticed he held your ID the moment he picked it up but you were in an apparent rush to leave that he let you go. Knowing he would see you again at his station, Station 17, Gardner decided to hold onto it until he met you there.

He gave his father a smile and a nod as the doctor left the stage after giving the group a warm welcome to East Texas. Even at twenty-one, Gardner still got a rush when being around his father. But the only thing giving him a rush was finding you. Raised voices off in a side corridor grabbed his attention and he made his way over there to see you talking animatedly with the guard glowering at you with crossed arms. Gardner smirked as he made his way over to save you from the most intimidating yet kind officer in East Texas.

"A likely story. Come back with your ID and I just might believe you."

You let out a huff and stare down at the ID in your hand. Elliot, Gardner was also assigned to Station 17 but his ID was well loved and starting to fade. The guard refused to listen to your story about getting it mixed up with Gardner Elliot's, saying that you had done a poor job making a duplicate of a special officer's all access card.

You rubbed your temples as you tried to regulate your breathing. Your chest was hurting and you weren't sure how else this day could get any more humiliating. You were about to open your mouth to tell him you didn't know the first thing about going about finding your ID when you felt a hand on your shoulder and the smell of cologne and mint filled your nose again. Glancing up you were met with those same striking blue eyes.

Gardner smiled as he gently took the ID out of your hand and gave the mean guard two IDs, one of them being yours.

"(Y/n), there you are. Looks like we swapped cards." He turned to the guard who suddenly looked like the nicest person you had ever seen, all smiles and nodding for this Elliot guy. "Sorry about that Shrimp. You know how women are when they are in a rush." He placed his hand in his pocket as he moved his hand from your shoulder to wrap his arm around you kindly.

You watched them exchange a few kind words before "Shrimp" gave Gardner the IDs and let you both through. You didn't miss the wink and thumbs up he gave Gardner as you two passed through the airlock doors. Gardner just shook his head with a small laugh, his arm still draped around you. He glanced down at you and you quickly looked away as if you weren't just staring at him.

"Sorry about Shrimp. He's a real teddy bear but doesn't stand for missed protocol or rule breaking.

You unknowingly shivered as you remembered his glare. "I'll keep that in mind next time I want to copy a special officer's all access card."

Gardner shrugged. "You wouldn't have been the first to do that. You'd be surprised what people do when they are cooped up on a scientific station." He glanced down at you and grinned, glad you didn't shrug off his arm.

Your eye widened. "I take it Shrimp was all smiles and jokes when he caught you."

Gardner laughed at that memory as the two of you passed into a large intersection hub. "Hardly. I was 17 and sick of being locked out of cool places to explore. He was somewhat new and sick of matching faces with IDs so we went exploring together using his ID. But he made sure to give me a nice scolding the moment my father came into earshot."

You smiled. "So much for being a law-abiding guard."

Gardner nodded, laughing a bit. He dropped his arm from around your shoulders when people started pushing and shoving their way through the hall. You missed his closeness as he took the lead. Fear bubbled up inside you as you realized you had no idea where to go. Again. But Gardner turned back to you, taking your hand in his as he nodded down the hall.

"Come on (Y/n). You are going to like Station 17. Plants always remind me of Earth, despite my only being there once." He gave you a shrug like you knew what he was talking about.

You shook your head. "How do you know my name and that I'm working with plants?"

He held up the two IDs still in his hand as he gave you a smile. "The same way you know mine."

You gave him a sheepish 'oh' suddenly wishing he'd let go of you to disappear into the rush of people.

Giving your hand a light squeeze, he lead you through the growing crowd to a quiet little door off to the side. Station 17 glowed in green as he swiped his card and the doors opened to a slightly humid room smelling like your garden back at home.

Gardner dropped your hand and watched with a small smile as you walked around the various plant sections, your hands navigating the soil and leaves like the trained horticulturist you were. Right then and there the Martian Boy knew he was going to have a hard time seeing you as no more than a colleague.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Three months later and Shrimp still gave you a hard time with your ID, though it was all in jest. You and Gardner were rarely apart and you quite liked that. His easy humor and kind smile gave you a reason to wake up every morning while your light laugh and gentle touches helped him through rough days. You found yourself gravitating toward him when he was near and searching for him when he wasn't. It didn't take long for the shy smiles and little touches turn into something more.

Until reality hit.

You were repotting a small lemon tree when you felt a light kiss on your head. You smiled as you looked up and met those blue eyes you came to love.

"Good morning." You wiped your hands as you stood.

Gardner smiled. "Good morning to you too." He looked around in amazement at the number of plants you had repotted so early in the day. "You have sure been busy."

You shrugged as you looked around as well, hiding the look of pain on your face as your chest started to hurt. "Oh, you know, couldn't sleep so I made myself useful."

Gardner's brows knit as he gently grasped your shoulders, turning you to face him. Your hand dropped from rubbing your aching chest and you gave him a weak smile that you hoped masked your pain. But Gardner knew you well enough to see your smile didn't reach your (e/c) eyes. He lifted one of his hands to feel your forehead, stroking your brow.

"Again? That's the fifth time in the last two weeks. Are you alright? Are you eating? How are your bowels?"

You smirked and let out a little laugh as you shook your head. "I'm fine Gardner, really. Just having a hard time sleeping is all."

His eyes searched your face as his shoulders slumped. "Alright. Just...don't push yourself too hard. I know a thing or two of testing fate."

You reached up and stroked his cheek the story of his trip to each echoing in your mind. "I know."

You bit your lip as your hand dropped and you turned away from him as if to check the plants. But really you were trying to strike up enough courage to turn back around and tell him the truth. You owed him that much for being such a good friend. And he deserved to know if he ever wanted something permanent or long lasting with you. Because...you weren't long lasting or permanent.

Gardner could feel something was wrong. Reaching out he took your hand but his eyes bugged. Your hands were cold. Quickly he moved to face you and took your face in both his hands. Your eyes were glazed over and your lips were turning blue. His heart leapt in fear as he watched you slowly become lifeless in his hands.

You blinked and opened your mouth to call out for help but your body refused to listen to your mind. Gardner stood before you, his mouth moving as he spoke but you heard nothing. Worry filled his eyes and his hands tried to rub life back into your face. But to no avail. Almost in slow motion, you felt your knees gave way as your body fell into Gardner's chest. Then everything went black.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gardner held your hand as the monitors around you beeped in time with your still beating heart. He wanted to be mad at you for not telling him your condition but he knew where you were coming from. He reached up and stroked your hair back, watching as your chest rose and fell gently. He turned to look at the screen above you where your heart beat safely in a synthetic sac that saved you from your impending death.

Your eyes fluttered open and you leaned into Gardner's touch. You blinked back tears as you tried to find the words to tell him how you weren't going to be around much longer. Your breath shuttered and that drew his eyes back to you. He smiled and leaned down, kissing your cheek.

"Hey. How are you feeling?"

"I have I have six months to live as of three months ago." You blurted as you closed your eyes to the tears that fell down your cheeks.

You expected him to be mad, yell, stand up and scream but not laugh. He laughed and your eyes shot open. Your body bubbled with shame and heat as you tried to make sense of his reaction. Gardner turned to you and shook his head as he stroked back your furrowed brow with a gentle thumb.

"You're not going to die. You forget that you are in one of the most advanced medical stations on and off the Earth. They fixed your heart. Just like they helped strengthen my bones."

You tried to take it all in but it was too much. The heart monitors beeped as your heart rate skyrocketed. You blinked back tears. What from, you weren't sure but you let hope sprout inside you. Gardner leaned over and kissed your forehead then leaned back to give you a small smile.

"Just rest. I'll be right here and so will you. And no more secrets."

You nodded but tears continued to fall. Satisfied with your reply, Gardner stood to leave but you reached out and pulled his hand to bring him back. He turned and gave you a puzzled look but you ignored it as you pulled him closer.

"I'm sorry. I should have told you," you whispered as Gardner looked at you sweetly, "And I promise, no more secrets."

Gardner smiled wide and closed the distance between you, his lips gently pressing against yours. Your heart leapt but in the good sense as he kissed you sweetly.

"No more secrets," he whispered against your lips.

He kissed you one more time on the forehead before leaving you to rest though you were far from tired.