A/N: We get a bit of a time skip, but I'm so excited to share this all with you! It's major set up for the next chapter where we get to meet Jake Seresin for the first time haha! As always, let me know what you think ☺️

Kelsey was anxious, more anxious than she had been in a long time. Her gaze scanned through the crowd of adults and seniors in caps and gowns, never landing on the one person she was looking for.

A sigh built at the back of her throat. For just a few weeks at the end of her Junior year, things had been back to normal. Things had felt just right. Brad had been back in town and even though she was healing up from her accident, she had all but forgotten about it.

They had gone to the beach, watched movies, played video games—did all of the things that they used to do. And then he had gone off to college again. It was true, he was better at responding to her messages now, but it didn't make up for the fact that he was never around anymore.

Deep down, Kelsey wondered if he resented her for the year that he had been forced to care for her, since Pete had been on-call for a mission. If he did, it certainly shone through during times like this.

He hadn't been there when she had gotten her acceptance letter to Berkeley. He hadn't been there when she had gotten her SAT and ACT scores back. He hadn't been there when she had gone to prom.

And now she was graduating today and he was nowhere to be found. But he had promised—

Kelsey was quickly learning to not place much stock in promises. She knew that the second she was going to Berkeley, Pete would go back to flying. Bradley would visit a bit more. But she would be on her own.

The truth of the matter is that she felt like she had been on her own for more than a while now.

Kelsey forced a smile onto her face, pink lip-gloss shining against the sun. She made her way over to where the Seniors were sitting, eyes falling on the crowd. Ever the distinguished guests, she could see Uncle Pete and Uncle Ice sitting next to Sarah and cheering in the crowd.

She silently wondered how the hell she had gotten so much family out of her mom's death.

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Kelsey was just making her way through the crowd when she was picked up and twirled around by Uncle Pete. She screeched in surprise, laughing slightly. As soon as he had put her down, she found Sarah handing her a bouquet of flowers.

"We are so proud of you, honey!" Sarah exclaimed.

Uncle Ice, who was recovering from a bad bout of chemo, but had insisted on being there, gave a warm smile. He pulled her into a hug and Kelsey could almost forget the fact that her brother hadn't bothered to show up.

"I'm sorry he's not—" Pete started.

"Screw him." Kelsey insisted, shaking her head. "He's off doing, God knows what. But I've got you guys and I'm really glad that you're here." She said warmly.

A short time later, she sat in a restaurant, the trio of adults around her. "Have you decided what you're going to do in school, sweetheart?" Sarah questioned.

Kelsey gave a shrug, taking a bite of her steak. "I'm honestly not too sure. I'm...all over the place, you guys know that."

All over the place was a mild way to put how the teenage years had been for Kelsey. After her traumatic summer, and recovery from that—she had been in and out of therapy and finally trying to handle everything that had happened.

She had all the time in the world to find herself. And if there was one thing that these adults were sure of, Kelsey Bradshaw was going to be a force to be reckoned with.

"I actually wanted to tell you guys something..." Kelsey continued, looking at everyone's faces in apprehension. "I'm getting my last name changed to Ryan. Mom's maiden name, you know?"

She couldn't miss the disappointment that fell on Pete's face. "Well Bradshaw is a fine last name—"

"It's just a reminder of all the people who aren't here." Kelsey insisted. "I need a change and this feels like the right one."

"Kelsey Ryan," Ice tested out the name, a small smile gracing his features. "It suits you."

She brightened at the compliment. "Thanks, Uncle Ice. I appreciate it."

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Kelsey sat across from Bradley, lunch uneaten as she stared at him in surprise. "You—you got in?" She choked out.

At 18, she shouldn't have been surprised that he had reapplied to the Navy. But there was a hope that had just died within her that he would do something that wouldn't put himself at risk.

"Yeah, I mean, they said I can't start until next year, but still!" Bradley exclaimed, a grin on his face. "That's why I missed graduation. I had a meeting with some of the aviators and I just caught up with it all."

"No worries, I get it."

"You sure, duckie?"

The truth was, she wasn't sure at all. But she had no room to judge. Bradley was an adult. And she wasn't exactly a kid herself, anymore. She was going to be going to Berkeley in a few weeks.

"Yeah, positive!" She insisted, plastering a smile onto her face. Lying through her teeth shouldn't have been such an easy task, but here she was.

"So tell me all about it! Berkeley?" Bradley pressed, nudging her foot with his own.

"Uh, yeah." Kelsey answered. "I'm just doing a few history and english classes though. Trying to figure out where I belong, you know?"

"Well you could do anything! I mean—nurse, lawyer—whatever you want! You're smart!" Bradley insisted.

She wasn't so sure about that. It was honestly a miracle she had gotten into college at all. She had lied to him every time he had asked her about grades. She had lied to him about the summer.

And she was currently lying to him about Uncle Pete. And she always would, at Pete's request. Anything to protect Bradley from the truth about mom.

Anything to make sure that he didn't hate her.

"Can I ask you something?" Kelsey questioned, gaze flickering back to Bradley, who was biting into his burger.

"Obviously."

"Do you hate me?" Kelsey questioned honestly.

Bradley's gut plummeted and his jaw dropped. "What the hell, duckie? Why would you ask me that? Of course, I don't hate you!"

"Well it's just—if I were you, I think I'd hate me. You dropped out of college to help with mom. And then...I was such a shithead." Kelsey pointed out. "And I'm just...your kid sister, you know?"

Bradley put a hand over his sister's hand. "I know I haven't always been good at showing it—but I love you to death, duckie. It's just that Uncle Pete—"

"I know. I don't want to talk about that." Kelsey said vehemently.

"I don't hate you. I just want you to be okay." Bradley insisted. "And I'm just trying to find me again, you know?"

"Yeah, I get that." Kelsey said, somewhat absently. "I've actually been thinking a lot about doing a study abroad once I get my feet a bit wet."

"Study abroad? That'd be a great idea!" Bradley exclaimed, face warming at the thought. "Anywhere specific?"

"There's one in Nicaragua that just looks amazing. I really think it would be good for me, you know? And with you going to flight school and Uncle Pete returning to duty–I just...don't want to be totally on my own, if that makes sense."

"I think it's a great idea. Just be careful, okay?" Bradley begged her. "You're kind of—"

"Accident prone?"

"Well yeah."

"You are aware that I don't mean to be, right?" Kelsey questioned. Pressing onto the next topic of conversation, she grinned at him. "So flight school...do I get to come for family day?"

"Hell yes, duckie. And when we have our graduation. And then I'm applying to Top Gun!"

Kelsey just smiled faintly. "You'll be amazing, Brad-Brad. I bet dad's really proud of you."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

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"What the HELL is wrong with you?"

Kelsey winced at the loudness of her brother's tone over the phone. Staring at the landscape of Nicaragua in front of her, she wished she wasn't getting a lecture like this.

"Listen, Brad-Brad, I'm an adult–"

"You're a child! Your frontal cortex isn't even fully developed!"

"Stop being an asshole and just listen!" She nearly screeched at him. "School just isn't for me. Besides, I found something that I really love to do—"

"You're an idiot, Kelsey. A real idiot. A study abroad is one thing, but dropping out of college—"

"Uncle Pete said it was a good idea!"

"That idiot let you ride a motorcycle! You could've died in that accident."

"I'm not a child—"

"You're acting like one!"

"Whatever, Brad." Kelsey let out a deep huff. "You're seriously mad at me for this? It's my life, my decision—"

Without another word, he hung up.