I'm very disappointed with the number of reviews I'm getting. So far, over one hundred people have read my story and I only have two reviews. Come on, guys, I work really hard on these! Just a little feedback is all I ask for.

-X-X-X-

Wine Red

-X-X-X-

"You didn't come back to your quarters last night," Linn said, smirking. Zoe rolled her eyes.

"How would you know?"

"Because I was sleeping on your bed, and if you came in like you were supposed to you would've kicked me out of your house to go to bed. So, how's your hangover?"

"Not any better with that high pitched voice of yours," Zoe muttered. Linn grinned evilly.

"So if I talk fairly loudly by your antennae like I am now, it would hurt your pretty little head even worse?!" she practically yelled. Zoe groaned and pushed her fairly hard, clutching her head. "Vortian black martinis?" Linn guessed.

"You know me," Zoe replied with a smirk on her face. Linn shook her head.

"Date with Tallest Red, hard liquor, you not coming home last night," Linn teased. "I'm putting one and one together, you know."

"Oh will you get your mind out of the gutter!" Zoe laughed. "We didn't do anything! What do you think I am, some kind of tramp?"

"Oh, if only you were," Linn joked. Zoe laughed with her. But Linn's face suddenly grew serious. "Did he ask you to marry him?" she mused.

"What? No!" Zoe nearly snapped. Her smile disappeared and her eyes fell to the ground. "Why would you ask that?" she said quietly.

"Because... I have this weird feeling that things are going to change."

"For better or for worse?" Zoe asked her. Linn bit her lip.

"I don't know. But soon, things won't ever be the same."

Linn had this special gift of sometimes predicting the future. She got this feeling whenever something was about to happen, and she was never wrong. It scared Zoe. "Linn?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"What if he does ask me?"

Linn smiled softly, her wine red eyes soft. "Well then I'll be right, won't I?"

-X-X-X-

"Um, Red?" Purple asked. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"What is it?" Red replied, looking at his brother. He seemed nervous.

"Um, I passed the Council's meeting. They said something concerning you, so I stayed to overhear."

"Was it good or bad?"

"Uh… Bad."

Red's gaze turned to stone. "What did they say, Purple?"

"It's about Zoe."

"What about her?" he asked, standing up.

"It's about your relationship with her. The council doesn't approve of it. They say she's not right to bear the children of the Tallest."

"Why not? Is something wrong with her?"

"It's her appearance, Red." Purple sighed. "They said that she was too unordinary. Never in the history of the Irken race has there been a smeet created with eyes like hers."

"That's ridiculous!" Red bellowed. "Her appearance has nothing to do with it!"

"They think she's a defect, Red," Purple said calmly. "Council doesn't want you to marry her because if you had children together, they might be defective if you had a daughter. You know how our genetics work; females take after the mother and males after the father. You will only be allowed to bear one child and if it's a defect, then the Irken race might be in jeopardy."

"You've got to be kidding me! Just because Zoe's eye color is different doesn't mean that she's a defect! She's perfectly fine!"

"I don't believe it either. Something tells me they just don't like the thought of a female in such a high rank."

Red growled. "I don't care what Council thinks. I'll marry her if I choose to, and there won't be anything they can do about it."

"So you are going to ask her!" Purple exclaimed. He smiled. Red's face showed fear.

"I never said that."

"Yeah you did!"

"No! I said if I choose to!"

"Yeah, whatever. You better hurry up and ask her, before Council gets their opinion out." Red sighed, his head in his hand. Purple looked at him expectantly. "That means now."

"Oh!" Red yelled, jumping up from his seat. He ran from the room to Zoe's quarters, hoping with all of his heart that she was there. He had no symbol of promise to give her, but he would find something. It would be beautiful, too. She didn't deserve anything less.

Her quarters were right in front of him. Red knocked on the door desperately. He let out a breath that he was unknowingly holding when he hear a soft "Just a minute!"

"Red!" Zoe said upon opening the door, her eyes slightly wide. "What are you doing here at this hour?"

"I have to talk to you," Red answered. "It's really important."

"Come inside." She wore a long, flowing lavender nightgown and the usual rhinestones in her antennae were not in their place. It must have been quite late. Zoe sat down on her sofa, gesturing for Red to do the same. He sat next to her, taking her hand in his.

"I have bad news."

"Bad news?" Zoe asked. "What kind of bad news?"

"The council doesn't want us to be together." Red swallowed the lump in his throat. "They say that you might be a defect. But I know you're not. They're just uncomfortable with a female being of such a high rank."

"A defect?" Zoe's face turned slightly angry. "Why would they think I was a defect?!"

"It's your eye color. No other Irken in history has ever had eyes like yours. And the council thinks you may be a defect because of it."

"Well that's just stupid!" she yelled. "I've never heard such nonsense in my life!"

"I know. And I'm not going to let them tell me that I can't be with you. Zoe, I love you." Red stared into her icy blue eyes. Sincerity was practically carved into his face, and his hands clutched Zoe's. "If I can't be with you, I don't want to be with anyone else. The only way I can have you is if we beat them to the punch and declare engagement." Zoe's eyes went round and Red could feel her palms start to sweat. "I won't ask you if you won't have me. So, I'll ask you this question. Do you want to be with me?"

"Yes." Zoe's answer came as soon as Red got his last few words out of his mouth. She answered quickly, as if she has known her reply all along. "All I used to think about was work. I ate, slept, and breathed training. But when I met you, work wasn't all I thought about. I thought about the minutes until I met up with Red again. I thought about the funny, witty things he said to me. I missed him when I wasn't near him. So, I think I love you too." Red could see that Zoe was shaking slightly. "I've never said that to anyone else in my entire life, Red. I've never felt this kind of love, all I know is that it feels right. And that's all I need."

Red kissed her. Zoe's arms went around his neck and his arms around her torso. When they separated, she hugged him tightly, burying her face into his shoulder. Red took her hand, looking her straight in the eye. "Zoe," he began. She looked at him eagerly, her eyes soft and sincere. "Would you marry me?"

"Yes," she said, nodding. "I will." She smiled, her shaking stopped. Red embraced her with a large grin on his face.

"I'll have a necklace made for you," he whispered. "It will be beautiful and precious. Just like someone I know." He heard Zoe sigh happily. She laid her head on his chest, her eyes closed tranquilly. It occurred to Red that he had awoken her in the very early morning. She must have been sleeping when he got there. Careful not to wake her, Red spread Zoe and himself along the length of the couch with her in his arms. Her gentle, light breathing lulled him to sleep that night.

-X-X-X-

Shwoo! Okay, reviews please! Yay!