[Firefly's arms drop from around Stelle's shoulders, but not to pull away. She still stays as close to the other girl as possible, still leans in to let that warmth linger between them, but her hands move down so that she can take one of Stelle's in both of hers, turning her palm upward like she's trying to examine it.]

I thought... you were the only one that could really understand me. We were both created for one sole purpose, and our humanity seemed to just be a side-effect. It was subtle, but... you began to change, when you were with us. Maybe not as much as you have now, but I could see it.

... I really admired you for it. I had a lot of trouble adapting when I wasn't in battle all the time, but you made it look so easy. [She laughs gently, one thumb tracing small lines across Stelle's gloved palm.] I think that's why we kind of clicked so well together. That's why... you were such a precious person to me, even back then.

[Pause. Her grip tightens on Stelle's, ever so slightly.]

One of the first things I could ever call a wish of mine was because of you. More than anything... I wished that we could have met just as we are now.

[She's glad they had that second chance. She'd been looking forward to it for so long. But it still hurts, in a way, knowing it came at the price of Stelle's memories.]