"I'm sorry."

Dirk was waiting for Roxy when she got back home that night. He sat on her bed like he belonged there. To be honest, he looked more comfortable there than Roxy ever did. She stared at him in surprise for a few moments, before smiling and giving him a big hug. It felt nice being able to that, since Feferi healed his broken ribs. They fell onto the bed giggling. Dirk hugged her back, burying his face into her hair.

"I'm sorry too I-" Roxy started.

"No, I got mad for no reason. We promised to stick together and I'm doing a horrible job of it. What does it matter who he is, as long as he's alive and back with me." Dirk cut her off. "With us."

Roxy leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "I guess this means we'll just have to look after him too." She smiled. Dirk smiled back at her, his orange eyes glowing. Then she remembered the promise she made Feferi, and her stomach twisted uncomfortably.

She was trying her best to make nice with Dirk, but how would he feel if he knew she planned on going to save her mom? She could just ignore the issue, but when she left in a week with no warning he would be worried sick. Dirk had already made his feelings known, how was she going to get him to understand?

The next morning the both of them went to visit Dave, who was still staying with the white queen. She said she would be fine with letting him stay with her, but Dave was fine and ready to move out. He sounded like he was WQ's teenage son, ready to fly the coop.

When Dirk admitted he was fine with Dave being his dad, Dave swept him up in the biggest hug Roxy had ever seen a one armed man give. Though, Dave was the only one armed man she knew. He pulled Roxy into the hug too, and for one split second the world was a happy wonderful place.

But like all good things, it had to end. Dave let go of them and adopted a serious expression. Instantly Roxy knew the inevitable had arrived. "What are we going to do about the rest of the people the condescension has?"

Dirk shook his head. "I think the only thing we can do is wait." He waved aside Roxy and Dave's protests. "I don't mean let them die, but that troll who was here yesterday said she was going to fight her sister. I think we should see how that goes. She maybe able to free them without having to put us in danger."

Dave frowned. "There are to many variables to say anything for sure. What if Feferi loses and the empress just kills everyone out of spite? Also, she knows where we are, why hasn't she tried to kill us more actively?"

The front door opened then and WQ stepped in. "I can answer that." she said, and then let in another guest.

"You're friggen welcome." The troll boy said as he surveyed them. He was taller than WQ by a whole head, not including his jagged horns. He had short, pointed black hair, with a purple stripe in the front. Unlike Feferi, he wasn't dressed for swimming. Instead he wore pinstripe pants, a long sleeve black shirt, a striped scarf and a cape. However, Roxy was more interested in his rifle. "I'm Eridan Ampora, you better start grovelin."

"Nice gun." Roxy exclaimed and leaned over the couch to get a better look.

"I don't like him." Dirk said instantly, pulling Roxy back.

"Well I don't like you either, but big flippen whoop, Fef asked me to be here so I am cus I have this huge heart." Eridan snarked back at him, hoisting his gun up. WQ gave him a dirty look, and then stalked off for her room.

"Feferi sent you to guard us?" Dave asked hesitantly. Roxy knew that he was questioning Eridan's intentions, but WQ had let him in and Roxy trusted the queen's judgment. If she let Eridan in, he was worth trusting. Liking was a completely different matter.

"Fef told me to keep you glubbin safe alright?" The troll boy said in a way that suggested he was just as unhappy about it as they were. He shifted his gun, and his face took on a softer expression, and Roxy realized that as much as he complained he would do anything for Feferi. He was in love, or whatever the troll equivalent was.

Roxy spent the rest of the evening watching Dirk, Dave, and Eridan argue about anything and everything. The snapped at each other because of sea pollution, because of of how Feferi had saved Dirk, they even argued about role playing games and which one was best. Apparently Eridan was a decent pirate back on his home world. If there ever were such a thing. By the end of the night Dirk was in a fix, Roxy was crying she was laughing so hard, and Eridan and Dave were having a duel. All in all, not a single thing was accomplished, and Roxy was secretly relieved for that.

The next morning she woke up before sunrise in a cold sweat. Roxy had a nightmare, something about her mom and Dirk and Dave, but in seconds it evaporated, leaving her with nothing but a sense of dread. She rubbed her face and hopped into the shower scrubbing away the rest of her nightmare. The scalding water hit her skin, warming her to the core. There was nothing better than a hot shower to wipe away her fear. The steam curled out into the bathroom, fogging her mirror. After what was close to half an hour, Roxy got out. At the very least, the sun was up now. She patted herself off and wrapped the towel around her hair before walking for her room.

Instead she stepped into the hallway and locked eyes with Dirk who was holding a cup of steaming something and a shocked expression on his face.

"Roxy?" Dirk cried in surprise.

Shit. What was he doing up this early? Roxy quickly jumped back into the bathroom, slipping on the wet floor and falling over. Fortunately her towel kept her from getting hurt. Roxy had completely forgotten Dirk was living with her now, she had just walked into the hallway with out any clothes on. And he had seen her. Her face flushed deep red, and she pressed her cheek to the floor.

"Are you ok?" Dirk asked, waving his hand in front of the door to indicate he wasn't looking.

"Fine!" Roxy screeched, pulling the towel off her hair and over her body. She didn't want to get up ever again. She wanted to just curl up and die right there on the bathroom floor in nothing but a towel.

"I uh," Dirk stuttered as he glanced in to make sure she was decent. He saw that she had pulled the towel down and stepped in, kneeling down beside her. "I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to see you." He muttered, holding out a hand to help her up.

Instead Roxy covered her face with her hands. "I forgot you were here." She managed to mutter.

Dirk bit his lip. "Look it doesn't matter. I can-" He shifted his foot slightly and slipped as well, knocking foreheads with Roxy.

Ouch!" Roxy shouted at him, sitting up and putting her hand to her forehead, using the other to keep the towel up. He looked up at her, both of his hand pressed to his forehead as well. He grinned sheepishly at her, and suddenly they were both laughing. Without warning Roxy leaned forward and kissed him on the lips.

There was terrifying moment when he tensed, but just as quickly Dirk relaxed, and kissed her back. He put his hand behind her head, as if he was trying to pull her closer. Roxy felt her insides melt. Where did he learn to kiss like this? She pulled back, almost completely giddy. She was sure her blush was much worse than it had been.

Dirk smiled at her. "Feel better?"

"lots better." Roxy giggled. He gave another quick kiss and pulled her up.

"What are we up to today?" Dirk asked her.

Roxy tied her towel up so It wouldn't slip, the stretched her arms. "I have no idea, but I think I want to get dressed first." She replied, walking back into the hall.

"Oh right." Dirk agreed. "I'll just be in the living room then."

The second his back was turned Roxy ran for her room, collapsing on her bed in a fit of giggles. He kissed her. Dirk had kissed her back! She curled up on her bed, completely naked, just hugging her pillow. Roxy swept her wet blonde hair up into a tiny ponytail and got dressed, occasionally touching her lips just to feel them tingle.

She went to find Dirk, who told her that he wanted to try shooting again. Roxy found this rather weird, but shrugged and took him out to the range. Even though his injuries were healed his aim didn't improve in the slightest. Roxy helped him with his form some, but by sun down she was simply taking the rifle from him and shooting the targets herself. They walked home laughing about what a bad shot Dirk was.

She walked back into the kitchen, and was surprised to find that, well, everyone was there. Dave sat at the table, trying to look cool but he kept glaring at Eridan, who was talking animatedly to WQ. WV and AR were in the fridge, while PM stood behind them, waving her hands nervously like she wasn't sure they should be eating the food. Roxy pulled her scarf down. "What's going on here?"

They all looked up at her suddenly. "You don't know?" Dave asked her from where he sat.

"I, what?" Roxy asked.

"Today is your birthday!" Dave reminded her with a smile. Roxy gasped, she hadn't been paying attention to the day in the least. Rose must have told Dave when her birthday was back when everyone was a big group. Before everything had gone to hell.

"I baked a cake!" WV said excitedly as he exited the fridge, his arms full of Tab soda. Roxy looked up to the counter and saw that there was indeed a cake. It looked sloppily made, the pink icing was falling off the side, but it was possibly the best cake Roxy had ever seen. Tears filled the corner of her eyes, and she pulled the carapaces into a big hug.

One by one the guests came forward and congratulated Roxy. She supposed the were just as happy as she that another year had gone by and she was still alive. Eridan told her to have a happy 'wrigglin day' which was odd, but he was trying. Dirk gave her a quick peck on the cheek, but quickly pulled back like he was embarrassed. Dave sat back in his chair, complaining about having to eat his cake with one hand, and trying to seem chill about everything at the same time.

Sometime during the night Roxy brought the alcohol out. Almost everyone was against it (Eridan was impartial, as he had never had it before and had no idea what it would do.) but in the end Roxy convinced them it would be fine. The carapaces were light weights, and soon WQ, who had refused to drink, was herding the group to their home. Dirk passed out under the kitchen table, while Eridan laughed at him. In the middle of a laugh the troll boy passed out himself, his fins twitching.

Roxy was barely getting started, but before she could challenge Dave he pulled her outside. She followed him in confusion. She was slightly tipsy, but not so bad that she couldn't tell he was nervous.

"Dave?" She asked, swaying on her feet. "what's wrong dad?"

"I was waiting for Dirk to go to sleep to talk to you, I don't want him to hear this." Dave started, but then stopped suddenly. "And I'm not your dad. Anyway, I talked that nice AR bloke into letting me have the parts from the robots that you two destroyed. I'm making a vehicle to get us to the condescension's ship in a week."

Roxy snapped out of her stupor. "You, you're going to go behind Dirk's back and do this?" She gasped.

"The love of my life is imprisoned. What's here may be good enough for Dirk, but I won't feel like I'm living until I have her back. This is more important to me than life itself." Dave replied. Then he sighed and put his hand on Roxy's shoulder. "Just don't tell him alright? I don't want him to get upset."

"He's going to be upset regardless." Roxy pointed out. "No matter what." The feeling of dread suddenly filled her again. She tried to think of something she could do to get her mom back and not risk anyone's life. Nothing came to her. There was no happy outcome in her future.

"Happy birthday. You're an adult now, so make up your mind. " Dave said, before heading back into the kitchen. Roxy stared up at the full moon, hanging high in the middle of the sky.

"What do I do?" She asked no one in particular. Only silence answered her.