AN: guys I just really love writing the word Dreadnaught… So… I'm probs not going to stop… Just… Thought you should know… Love you all! Please check me out on TUMBLR under the screen name karategirl666

-o-

Kirk watched along with Spock as a body energized right before them. They were expecting Gabriel but froze seeing only Aria reaching forward her eyes wide.

"Khan!" She shouted before seeing where she was.

"Aria…" Kirk said. He stared at her wide eyed as she pulled a knife and pointed it at him.

"Send me back." She said her jaw clenching.

"Is the bugger dead?" She took a deep breath as Scotty and McCoy ran into the room. Aria's expression softened slightly as her eyes set on Scotty. "Lass?" he asked his eyes wide. He went to move towards her and she held the knife up once more making him stop.

"Clear the room I'm going back." Aria said.

"Can't let you do that Aria." Kirk said.

"You don't let me, I do, understand?" she asked.

"Lass put the knife down."

"I'm going back." She said ignoring Scotty.

"We couldn't send you there even if we wanted to…" Kirk said and her eyes widened slightly. "Please Aria… Put the knife down."

"Why?" she asked. "So you can strap me to a metal table deplete me of my blood and question me about Khan?"

"I would never do that."

"Well it wouldn't work anyways." She said softly as her other hand went to her chest and started to rub it.

"Are you alright?" McCoy asked taking in her pale state and sunken in eyes.

"I know how to get back, just clear the room and I'll leave."

"I can't do that-."

"You will do that." Aria said. "Because if you don't I will kill every single living being aboard and take the ship for myself."

"Lass-."

"You shut up." She said moving forward and putting the blade to his throat.

"Whoa now." Kirk said as everyone pulled phasers and pointed them at her.

"Lass…" Scotty said softly feeling the cold knife against his throat.

"I don't know you…" She said with fierce eyes and a clenching jaw. "Now get..." She pushed the knife into his throat and he instantly backed up as it nicked him. "The fuck away from me." She pushed him away and he stumbled back into Kirk who caught him.

"Clear the room." Kirk said his jaw clenching.

"Captain-."

"I said clear it." Aria took a deep breath as she watched everyone walk away from the room. She tilted her head when she saw Kirk refused to leave.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"I want to talk to you before you leave." He said.

"Weapons toss them." She ordered and he nodded as he took his phasers off and threw them aside.

"So… Where's Gabriel?" Kirk asked as she moved past him to the panel.

"Till is with my Captain most likely." She said.

"Why have you come?"

"I didn't come here willingly… Till, he tried to escape instead of him being Energized I was… Trust me I do not want to be here." She said punching a code into the teleport panel. As she did Kirk let his eyes go over her. She didn't look well, not at all. In fact she looked a little grey.

"Are you alright Aria?" He asked.

"Fine." She muttered as she coughed while rubbing her chest.

"Has Khan been taking care of you?"

It doesn't look like it… he thought.

"Better then you ever did." She said glaring into him.

"I deserved that." Kirk said with a nod as a buzz sounded. Aria looked to the teleport panel to see where she had planned to beam was no longer there. Khan had moved the ship.

Has he deserted me?

"Aria?" he asked seeing a look of panic come over her features. She slowly looked to him as she deleted the geographic history of any planet they had ever planned to beam upon so they couldn't look back and find Vaquitas. "Are you alright?"

"Why do you care?" she asked walking away from the panel unsure of what she should do.

"You were my battle expert, a loyal member of my crew-."

"Oh so you think I was loyal now? How quickly you flip back and forth."

"Aria I let my grief and my vengeance blind me, and I am sorry for that but isn't that what you're doing right now?"

"You know I haven't heard a thank you yet." She said her jaw clenching. "For saving your ass." His expression softened. "They only nearly bled me dry a hundred times, while making the serum used to save your life."

"Thank you Aria, and I'm sorry I ever believed you were dead."

"And what of my people, are you sorry for them? You blew them up after all!" She shouted.

"We didn't blow them up, those were just the torpedoes in the hull of the Dreadnaught Vengeance… I don't know if they're still alive but I didn't kill them-."

"You're a part of the federation if they are dead then you did in fact kill them."

"What happened to you?" He asked softly as he looked her over.

"What happened to me?" She asked with a cynical laugh. "Well let's see… I was cut hundreds of times, had needles pushed under my nails, had every single bone in my body broken over and over again, I was lit on fire, I was prodded, and poked, let's see what else was there?" She asked herself looking up in thought.

"I'm sorry that happened to you I really am but that doesn't justify-."

"Oh it very much does." She said walking to him. "Your race is cruel, hostile, petty, weak, and pathetic. You don't deserve the gifts bestowed upon you."

"Now you sound like Khan."

"Good." She said her eyes fierce before she set her hand on the panel and bent over as she made a pained noise.

"Aria…" He moved towards her and she pointed her knife at him.

"Don't come near me!" She shouted.

"I really hate to disobey orders but some ones heart rate in here is flying off the wall." McCoy said walking in with his medical tablet. Arias eyes closed, the room was spinning, and her chest was throbbing. She could hardly take in a breath, she was panicking now. She had lost contact with Khan. She was separated from him, and she was terrified.

"Aria." She fell back to the floor as her chest heaved. McCoy rushed to her side as did Scotty who had been watching from the door. Kirk moved forward and took the knife from her hand as he undid the thigh holsters and tossed them aside.

"Don't… Don't fucking touch me." She said her head moving from side to side as she took ragged breaths.

"She needs to calm down." McCoy said as he started to give her syringe after syringe of sleeping draft. After twenty she took a deep breath and McCoy smiled seeing her heart rate had started to slow.

"Lass… I'm so sorry Lass." Scotty said looking her over as he cupped her cheek as McCoy continued to give her syringe after syringe of sleeping draft until her eyes finally closed.

"Take her to the Brig." Kirk said and a group of red shirts moved forward cuffing her hands before lifting her onto her feet and slowly dragging her away.

"It's not needed." Scotty said.

"No it is." Kirk said. "While she's in there, she'll be more likely to listen… Maybe you can talk some sense into her." Scotty nodded quickly following the red shirts.

-o-

"She's probably dead by now." Gabriel said with a smirk.

"Shut your mouth or I will rip your bottom jaw from your skull." Khan said with a dangerous look. "Gag him."

"Gladly." Galen said moving forward and putting a security gag over Gabriel's face. If he even tried to move his tongue it would electrocute him.

Khan shook his head as he rubbed his chest while looking over a panel. There was a deep pain throbbing from his heart, and he knew he was feeling whatever panic Aria was. He also had a fear, and he knew that too was from Aria. She thought he had deserted her and the knowledge that she felt that way nearly brought him to his knees. She was all alone. All alone, and he hated it.

"We're almost to our destination." Khan said bringing the ship to a stop. "We need to discuss what we're going to do." He said turning to Galen.

"Well we have to get the lass back." Galen said. "I hate to say it because I'd love to see Aria torture this prick but I think we should make a trade. Till for Aria."

"Yes… But how to make the exchange."

"Not teleport to teleport. Then they could track us like we tracked them."

"Agreed…" Khan said his jaw clenching.

"Captain…" Galen said seeing his anger bubbling. "It's alright."

"No it's not alright!" Khan bellowed before moving forward and back fisting Gabriel across the face sending him sprawling to the floor bloodied and knocked out. "I can't… I can't function without her!" He yelled kicking Gabriel in the stomach and sending him flying across the room.

"It's the downfall for us when finding that special someone we connect to… You need one another… It's… It's like soul mates Captain. Which is what you two actually are… Genetic soul mates."

"I have to get her back…" Khan said.

"And we will… We just need to figure out how to go about the trade."

"We could man a shuttle and pick her up."

"No they could lock it down."

"Fine they fly a shuttle with Aria here we fly a shuttle to them, if they lock us down it gets them nowhere and we start all over again because we'll have whoever flew their shuttle." Galen smiled.

"Now that's a plan."

"Move ship forward warp speed, let's make this deal." Khan said as he sat down in the Captains chair while Galen moved to the pilots seat. "I'm coming Ariadne…"

-o-

I'm coming… Ariadne…

"Khan?" Aria asked softly as her eyes opened. She slowly looked around a white cell to see he was nowhere in sight. But she had heard him. Heard his voice as clear as day.

"He's not here lass." She sat up and looked to the barrier of her cell to see Scotty sitting in a chair on the other side.

"What the hell do you want?" She asked and he shuddered at her deadly glare.

"I want many things… Above all Lass, I want your forgiveness."

"You have it, now will you go?" She asked and he shook his head.

"I don't have it I can see it clearly… I'm sorry I knocked you down on the Dreadnaught vengeance."

"Its fine you were under orders." She muttered looking off. Her jaw clenched remembering the way she had pulled a knife on him.

"That's not an excuse lass I'm-."

"How's your neck?" She asked softly as she looked down at her hands. Scotty smiled softly.

She still cares… At least that's something…

"Got a plaster." He said tilting his head so she could see the band aid. "You didn't cut deep."

"Good…" She said softly.

"I thought…" his voice broke and she looked to him. "I thought you were dead lass. I… I set up your funeral and everything… I should have asked to see a body…" he had a pained expression and she slowly stood. "But… How could I bring myself to see you dead?" he asked. "I… I kept thinking of the strangest things… You painting my nails…" he gave a watery laugh as she walked to the barrier and he stared down at the floor. "How you used to try and braid my short hair… Or the way you'd have me sing that song to you when you couldn't sleep… Remember that song it was called-."

"Sleep song…" She said softly and he looked up at her to see she was resting a hand on the barrier.

"Horrible name for a lullaby."

"But I loved it…" she said softly.

"I don't know how I'm a retched singer." She laughed softly and he smiled. "It was the song I had played at your funereal…" she saw pain flicker across his face. "Lass if I had known-."

"I know Scotty…" She said softly. "I know."

"I'm so sorry Lass… I'm so sorry."

"It's okay Scotty…" she said with a soft expression as a tear fell down her cheek.

"Nothing like that is going to happen to you again."

"I know." She said.

"I won't let it."

"No…" She said her jaw clenching. "No… Khan won't let it." He looked her over for a long moment.

"You trust him?"

"Completely…" She said with a soft expression.

"Lass… Has something happened between you two?" She stared at him for a long moment before turning away and walking back to her bench. "Lass?"

-o-

"Sir…" Sulu said seeing a Dreadnaught Class ship form before them out of warp. Kirk took a breath realizing it was Khan.

"Sir, the Dreadnaught Resurrection is haling us." Uhura said.

"Security." Kirk said into his Com. "Have Aria Adne brought up to the bridge."

"Captain they've locked all weapons on us…" Sulu said.

"Not a problem." Kirk said.

"The last time I heard you say that you were cheating at the Kobe Hachi Maru." Spock muttered.

"Not cheating, just prepared."

"You said that as well." Spock said and Kirk smiled.

"Sir they're haling us again." Uhura said.

"Patch them through on Screen."

"Aye Captain." He tilted his head as an image of Khan came on screen his eyes narrowing in on him instantly.

"Khan."

"Kirk…" He greeted. "I believe you have someone who belongs to me."

"I believe you have someone who belongs to me." Khan pulled into view a bloodied and bruised Gabriel who had a mechanical gag over his face. "Well… I see he's at least breathing." Kirk said as he watched Aria be brought in by the red shirts out of the corner of his eye.

"You've seen my hostage now let me see yours." Khan said.

"Aria is not a hostage." Kirk said.

"Let. Me. See. Her." Khan said his hand hovering over the controls of the weapons. If Aria wasn't in full view in a few seconds he was going to start firing. Kirk hadn't even raised his shields yet.

"Aria…" Kirk said. Khan took a deep breath as he watched Aria come into view.

"Aria… Are you alright?" Khan asked.

"Yes Captain." She said.

"You've been treated fair?"

"Yes Captain." She answered.

"More fair then you've treated Till…" Kirk said.

"Till has gotten more then what he deserves." Khan hissed his eyes narrowed.

"So… You have my man… I have your… Woman…" Kirk said and Khan tilted his head. "What are we going to do about that?"

"I propose a trade." Khan said. "We will both man shuttles to one another ships and return our hostages."

"You will come here and I will come there?" Kirk asked.

"Precisely."

"How do I know I won't be killed upon flying to your ship?"

"How do I know people won't try to kill me upon flying to yours?"

"That's fair…" Kirk said.

"Sir I do not propose you make deals with this man, the last time we did the Enterprise was nearly destroyed." Spock said.

"If you do not make this deal then I will destroy your ship right now." Khan said.

"Destroying this ship would destroy Aria." Kirk said.

"Then I will target your life support systems behind the archnar cell, you all need oxygen to live, Aria does not." Khan said. "So you can die and get nothing while I get everything I want, or you can take my deal get your man still live while I too get what I want. It's your choice how this plays out Kirk I'm good with either."

"I will fly over to your ship, you will fly over to mine." Kirk said.

"Good choice." Khan held Arias gaze for a long moment before the feed went dead and Aria took a deep breath before looking to Kirk.

"Guess you're going back…" He said. "Let's get you to the shuttle bay."

-o-

Khan walked along side Galen while holding onto the back of Gabriel's neck. They were heading to the shuttle bay.

"You will wait here to receive Aria from Kirk on my behalf. You do not have authorization to kill Kirk."

"Yes sir." Galen said. "It bothers me though…"

"I know, Kirk is giving her up far too easily…" Khan said. "Anything could happen so be aware and ready for anything."

"You too Captain." Galen said as he watched Khan walk through the shuttle bay over to an advanced weaponry outfitted shuttle. "I'll see you soon."

"As soon as he leaves go to the bridge and ready for combat just in case." Khan said as he walked into the shutle.

"Aye captain." Khan slammed Gabriel down into a chair before rushing up to the front and buckling him in before flying the shuttle out of the bay.

-o-

Aria stood beside Scotty her hands still cuffed in front of her. She was watching as Kirk looked over one of the shuttles.

"You could stay Lass…" Her head bowed. "I'd take care of you."

"I've done too much damage to return. You know that." She said holding her head up high.

"I miss you Lass…" She looked to him with a soft expression.

"I know…"

"I hate this… I was supposed to take care of you… I worry that Khan doesn't treat you well-."

"Khan protects me." She said quickly before looking forward. "He cares for me…"

"Do you care for him?" Scotty inquired and she stayed silent. "Lass I just… I want to know you're happy with him."

"I am… So don't worry about me."

"I should have taken better care of you."

"It's in the past."

"I wish it wasn't… If Bradshaw were here-."

"If Bradshaw were still here none of this would have happened…" Scotty looked to her. "In some ways it's bad that he died, in other ways, it's a good thing… As messed up as that sounds." She said softly as Kirk walked to her.

"Here's your ride Lass." She looked to Scotty as the door to the shuttle opened.

"I am sorry if I have disappointed you." Aria said softly and Kirk and Scotty looked to her in surprise.

"No lass… No it's me who has disappointed you." He moved forward and hugged her tightly. "Good Bye lass…"

"Good bye Scotty…" She said.

"Time to go Aria…" Kirk said and she nodded as she followed him onto the shuttle. She sat down in one of the chairs before Kirk walked up to the front and took off. After a long while Aria took a breath.

"So…" She said. "Was my service nice? Did you even attend?"

"I did." He said. "I gave the eulogy… Scotty couldn't pull himself together enough to do it himself… He was distraught… A lot of people were… I didn't know you had so many friends."

"I had no friends, if they were there it was to use my funereal to make connections."

"Scotty was your friend I was your frie-."

"You were my Captain and an awful one at that…" She muttered her jaw clenching.

"Khan is better?"

"He protects me."

"Is that all he does?" Kirk inquired and she looked to him with a dangerous gaze. "I'm not judging… You deserve all the happiness… Though if you ask me, Khan doesn't seem like the cuddle-up-in-front-of-a-fire type of guy."

"As opposed to you the sleep-around-with-anything-I-can-stick-my-dick- in kind of guy."

"Woo hoo…" Kirk laughed. "I missed that snarky streak I really did." He tilted his head as he flew into the shuttle bay of the Dreadnaught resurrection. "Who's the ginger?"

"Galen another Augment held captive and in pain by your precious federation."

"Well let's say hi." Kirk said.

-o-

Khans jaw clenched as he flew into the shuttle bay of the Dreadnaught Enterprise. A group of Red shirts stood next to the Scottish Engineer Scotty, and the first officer Spock. He came to a stop and opened his shuttle before getting up and walking to Gabriel who stared at him with a glare. Khan hoisted him onto his feet and locked eyes with him.

"Listen here…" Khan said. "Listen well… You will never be safe… For one day I will come for you to seek Arias vengeance…" He ripped the mechanical gag off his face and Gabriel screamed as it took a part of his cheek with it. Khan smiled as he looked over Gabriel's newly disfigured face. "Let that scar be a reminder of your sins…" He walked him over to the shuttle door and kicked him out before shutting it and walking back to the helm of his shuttle. He took off and flew out of the hanger surprised no one did anything to stop him.

-o-

Aria took a deep breath as she walked out of the shuttle Kirk at her side. Galen straightened up upon seeing her a medical kit in hand just in case.

"You alright Aria?" Galen asked.

"Yes, I'm fine Galen." She said as Kirk stopped making her do so as well.

"This is your one last chance for you to change your mind and stand at my side instead of Khan." Kirk said and she looked to him. "I do not wish to be your enemy Aria."

"You personally are not my enemy, it's the federation who is, and how ever long you choose to be at their disposal then yes you will be my enemy." He slowly nodded.

"For what it's worth… I am sorry. For all of it… I should have trusted you."

"Yes… You should have." She said before walking to Galen her hands still cuffed. She flew forward as Kirk stunned both her and Galen. He sighed as he watched them fall to the ground.

"Can't risk you firing on me as I leave… Again I'm Sorry." Kirk said before rushing onto his shuttle and quickly taking off. As he flew back to his own ship he passed Khan in the process who locked eyes with him. He gave him the same look he gave the night he attacked the captains and first officers at Star fleet headquarters, and what a chilling look it was. When they were clear of each other both flew the fastest they could back to their ships.

"What the hell." Khan said upon coming into the shuttle bay to see both Aria and Galen slowly getting up from the ground. He landed the shuttle and ran out.

"He stunned us!" Galen yelled in anger.

"Bastard." Aria said before turning to see Khan. "Khan-" His mouth crashed against hers as he set his hand on her cheek and wrapped an arm around her body.

"Are you alright?" he asked his forehead resting against hers.

"I'm fine." She said her hands still cuffed.

"Galen get these off of her then meet me up on the bridge." Khan said.

"What are you going to do?" She asked.

"Battle!" He yelled over his shoulder. Aria quickly followed the cuffs still on.

"Wait!" Galen yelled.

"What are you doing?" Khan asked as the turbo lift doors shut on them.

"You're not going into battle without your battle expert." She said.

"Your hands are still cuffed." He said.

"So? I could do this sleeping." She said before running out onto the bridge. She ran over to her panel and with her hands cuffed quickly put in an order for a defensive Phaser field just as the Dreadnaught Enterprise fired upon them. Aria smiled as her phasers stopped all of theirs. Khan watched as she then began to fire missile after missile into critical spots of the hull of the Enterprise. She heard a beeping noise and ran to the scanners her eyes narrowing. "They're running… Cowards!" she shouted running back to battle station. She fired their plasma rays just as the Dreadnaught Enterprise hit warp. She smiled when she saw they hit their thrusters just before they disappeared. "I don't know if anyone's dead, but they'll be stranded for a while wherever they are…" She said turning to look to Khan and Galen who were staring wide eyed at her.

"You know…" Galen said. "I think this will become a legend we tell the future augments, about how Aria nearly took out a federation ship with her hands literally tied."

"That's just how I roll." She said with a smile and Galen laughed as he walked up to her and quickly undid her cuffs. Khan walked over and took her hands in his as he looked over the cuts around her wrists from struggling against the cuffs. Galen smiled as he watched Khan pull her into his arms.

"Aw… That's sweet…" Khan kissed Aria deeply. "Aw… That's gross…" He said before walking away. "I'll be in the medical bay when you two are done snogging." He muttered as he walked into the Turbo lift.

"You ignored my orders." Khan said cupping her cheek as his thumb brushed over it. "I asked you to stay put, if you had, you never would have ended on that ship."

"I know… I'm sorry…" She said softly.

"You're so stubborn." He said with a serious look.

"I just wanted to stop him from getting away… He still did."

"I gave him something to remember you by." He said with a smile and she tilted her head. "We'll get your vengeance someday."

"If I had just killed Till the second I saw him, none of this would have happened. I've learned a lesson though."

"Which is?"

"Kill first… Always."

-o-

Kirk stood by as he watched McCoy work over Tills cheek which had been split open. Until he fixed it Till wouldn't be able to talk, and he needed to know what the man had found out aboard the Dreadnaught resurrection. Especially after the full scale attack that had been brought against them as they fled.

"Well you're all fixed…" McCoy said. "But you'll have a permanent smile on the left side of your face for the rest of your life… Unless you get the federation to pay for some good plastic surgery…" Gabriel's eyes narrowed on the doctor.

"So what do you know?" Kirk asked.

"It's going to be hard to understand him until he learns to talk again with that stiff left cheek of his." McCoy said before walking over to some other people hurt in the attack.

"Tell me everything you learned."

"Well Arian khanare in relashunship…" Kirk tilted his head.

"What was that?" he asked.

"I said… Aria… and… Khan… Are…" he sighed in frustration before snapping. "They'refucking!"

"What a delicate way to put it but I pretty much already knew they were getting it on… What else do you know?"

"There's… Third…Augyment."

"Third Augment, yes knew that as well. I saw him his name is Galen. Did you learn anything useful?" His jaw clenched. "Guess not…" Kirk muttered walking off.

"I have something useful…" McCoy said and Kirk walked to him. "I… I put a tracker on Aria…"

"You what?" Kirk asked.

"I put a tracker device under her skin while she was knocked out… Don't tell Scotty, he'll murder me."

"Is it online?"

"Should be." McCoy said nodding.

"You're a genius Bones you really are!" He said clapping him on the back.

"Captain there is nothing we can do." Spock said. "The Dreadnaught Resurrection has crippled us until repairs are made, we cannot make chase."

"Just have to put a damper on everything don't ya?"

-o-

Aria took a breath as she walked out of the shower. She felt ten times better. Her wrists had healed, her heart no longer ached. All in all she felt amazing. She wrapped the towel around her body and smiled seeing Khan sitting at her desk.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

"Incredibly." She said with a smile as she reached over her shoulder to scratch an annoying itch on her shoulder blade. She walked over to Khan and sat on his lap as he looked over some archive footage. His arm encircled her waist as his eyes moved over her. "What is it?" She asked.

"I don't want to press you but, did you learn anything while aboard the ship?"

"Yes." She said. "I wasn't sure how to bring it up to you because, I truthfully, don't know if it was a lie." He raised an eyebrow.

"What is it?"

"Kirk told me that our people weren't in the Dreadnaught vengeance, that Spock had removed their bodies from the torpedoes… They were alive when the USS Enterprise docked for repairs but he doesn't know after that…" He slowly nodded and looked off.

"We should look into it." He said and she nodded as well.

"Wouldn't it be great though?" she asked with a smile. "If they were still alive."

"It would… we would have truly everything we needed, every resource, to start anew." He pushed her damp red hair over her shoulder and looked over her slender neck. She felt as though he was taking a study of her.

"Are you alright?" they asked at the same time.

"Am I alright?" he inquired.

"Yes, I feel as though you're taking a study of me…"

"There's… Something different about you…" he said softly as he looked her over. "Something I can't put my finger one… You… Have changed… Physically… You feel different."

"I don't feel different." She said reached to scratch the annoying spot on her shoulder once more. Khan tilted his head.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I have an itch." She said like it was obvious.

"We don't have itches…" he said and she sat up thinking about it. In all her life she had never had to scratch at something because her skin had an itch. "Let me look…" she nodded as she turned on his lap. He pulled her hair away and tilted his head seeing a small light illuminated under skin. His eyes narrowed as his jaw clenched. "You're different alright, They low jacked you."

"What?" she asked quickly getting up and running to a mirror. She turned around and looked over her shoulder to see a small light. "Fucking Bastards." She said her eyes narrowing.

"We need to cut it out."

"Go ahead." She said pulling one of her knives for him.

"We could have Galen do it."

"I'd prefer you to do it." She said and he nodded walking over. "Besides Galen is sleeping for the first time since waking up."

"Here sit down." He said taking the knife and she nodded as she sat up on the counter to the side so her back could face him. She held her towel to her chest as she waited. "Take a breath…" She smiled remembering that was what he had said to her the first night that they had made love. She took a deep a breath and Khan sliced at the skin on her shoulder. She hissed in pain and Khans eyes flickered to her reflection to see a pained expression.

"Sorry."

"It's fine just get this out of me." He nodded as he used the tip of the knife to pop the chip up out of her muscle and into his hands. He set it aside before grabbing a towel and wiping the blood away. When it was gone he smiled seeing her shoulder had already healed. "Is it gone?" she asked.

"Yes." He said crushing the small chip. Aria slowly nodded as she stared out at her room. "The chip is destroyed…" he said sensing she was bothered. "You don't have to worry…"

"It's not that… I… I saw Scotty again." He leaned against the counter as she sat forward on it.

"What was that like?"

"Sad… He cried… He felt guilty… He kept… Apologizing."

"Did it mean something to you?" She nodded.

"He's the last link I had to Bradshaw…" He looked to her for a long moment.

"When… Whenever you talk about Bradshaw… You look…" she gazed to him. "Almost guilty." She gave him a sad smile before looking off.

"He noticed the building falling over us before I did… He pushed me out of the way and took the brunt of the rubble… I was only scraped by a few scrap pieces… If I had been paying better attention I could have noticed it and pushed him out of the way… He would still be alive and I still would have been as well…" Her jaw clenched. "I keep replaying that moment over and over again trying to think what I could have done differently, and there are so many things…"

"Did you get to say goodbye?"

"Yes…" she said softly with a haunted look. "I dug him out, and…" her voice broke and she shook her head. After a long moment she smiled softly. "If he had lived… He would have liked you…" She said before jumping off the counter and walking away.

"I think the first Augment born should either bare the first name Harold, or the last name Bradshaw…" She stopped at his words and slowly turned to look at him. "Or maybe we should just name him Harold Bradshaw."

"You mean it?" she asked.

"If he was even just an ounce as extraordinary as you make him sound then it's a fitting name for an Augment." She smiled softly as he crossed the space between them and kissed her deeply. "I hate that I've brought you so much pain…"

"I don't blame you anymore…" She said softly as she wrapped her arms around him tightly and Khan felt an immense amount of relief.