The soft click of heels heralded the presence of a rather unusual visitor on base, the sound not quite fitting into the usual hum of background noise which permeated the atmosphere. Then again, it seemed that everything she embodied didn’t exactly fit in here to begin with, from her classy style of dress to her long, golden-blond hair and fair skin. Well, and the fact that she was a woman. But still. Today, she made no attempt to hide herself from the questioning eyes of those who inhabited the base; it was actually all part of her plan. She’d found that hiding in plain sight worked wonders, and as long as you looked like you knew what you were doing and as if you could make any person who crossed you regret it, you could pretty much do anything you pleased.
With her smart, light-pink blouse, a dark skirt, and a black leather portfolio, she certainly looked like she meant business. If anything, she could easily be mistaken for some sort of official, perhaps doing some sort of standard inspection of the base. Her expression – bright, rose-hued eyes set dead ahead as she walked and each step purposeful and unwavering – brooked no questions, and any person who had half a mind to ask her what she was doing here soon thought better of it and let her go her own way. Despite her appearance of self-assurance though, she still silently breathed a sigh of relief each time suspicious eyes drifted over her before moving on once again without comment. This method was proving to be somewhat more nerve-wracking than she had anticipated it would be; perhaps she would stick to sneaking around next time instead. If nothing else, it at least drew less attention to herself.
Despite how much time she spent here on a regular basis anyways, it always caught her by surprise to see that same, familiar face pass her in the hallway every few minutes. However, despite the uncanny similarities (or more like ‘identicalities’), she could somehow always tell that whoever it was that just passed her by was not the person she was looking for. Call it a sixth sense of some sort, but whatever the case, she continued walking, her feet taking her on a course which they were obviously familiar with. She’d been here a lot; much more than she should have been, and definitely much more than she was allowed to be. Before she’d met Shades though, she hadn’t known a thing about this base, or those who lived here, and if it hadn’t been for him, she likely would have lived the rest of her life completely ignorant to their existence. And as many good friendships go, theirs had a story behind it.
For Sam, the day they met had started with rain, heartbreak, and tears. It wasn’t in her nature to cry, but even the strongest of people had their moments of weakness, and this was hers. That was the day she met a stranger who leant her his coat and sat out in the rain with her to console her, and that was the day that she met her best friend. Despite the fact that she was bedraggled, had mascara streaming down her face, and was a complete and utter stranger, he hadn’t cared. He had taken her under his wing, and that day had forged their lasting friendship, which still persisted to this day. Regardless of the odds that faced them due to their differences, she had found a way to come and visit him at base when he couldn’t get away to come and see her. She told him everything about herself, her past, and her present, and he, in turn, offered her an open, sympathetic ear, no matter what the subject, even when it came to her repertoire of failed relationships. Come what may, he was the only true constant in her life, and was always there to pick up the pieces when she needed him to be. Although they were somewhat disapproving at first (namely Adate), his squadmates had come to accept her presence, thanks to her unyielding stubbornness when it came to the things which she saw as being important to her.
As usual, she was here today to visit Shades, and for the most part, it seemed that her disguise was holding up for the time being. However, the less time she spent out in the open, the less chance she could be identified as an intruder, and therefore, the more time she could spend with her friend. Pulling up short at a familiar doorway, she paused outside of it for a moment before knocking softly, fidgeting slightly as she watched for any suspicious gazes turned her way.