Chapter 36

Fox walked cautiously up to Krystal. She was lying face down on her bed, completely naked. He had expected her to have moved by the time he returned. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"I can't move..."

He clenched his fist. "He drugged you, didn't he?"

"I went to get water, and he insisted... on getting it himself."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" He asked, standing awkwardly beside the bed. He stared at the ground in attempt to keep from staring at her.

Tears filled her eyes. "Don't leave me alone."

"Okay..."

"I... I can't move."

"It'll be all right. Whatever he gave you will wear off in a few hours."

"I don't have any clothes on... and it's really hard to breathe like this."

"Okay... Uh... I can... I can roll you over and then cover you. How's that?"

"I don't really have a choice in what happens to me right now."

Fox gently took her by the shoulders and rolled her onto her back. Averting his eyes from her body, he folded the sheet over her. "Is that better?"

"Much...thank you."

"May I sit?"

"I won't stop you."

He sat on the edge of the bed, facing away from her. "I'm sorry..."

"For what?"

"This. I should have come in sooner. I knew he..."

"You knew all along it was him..."

He sat quietly.

"How did you know he was here?"

"Con."

"Why didn't Con help stop him?"

Fox stared at the door for a few seconds. "He clued me in that Tony was here, in case something happened. Con is... Connor. Tony's brother. Tony is the guy in the cloak. He's the one who's been trying to kill you. Con was afraid that Tony would lie, and you'd be on the wrong side."

"Well, after what I just witnessed, I don't think he has that to fear anymore."

"He said you used to be close."

"No, I don't think so. Connor and I never really talked."

"He said you wouldn't remember. Tony did something to your memory."

"What?"

"Tony used to be a telepath, right?"

She frowned. "He did. He was never very good at it. One day he just... couldn't do it anymore."

"Connor said one day Tony got pissed off at the two of you. He erased all of your memories of Connor. As a punishment, his telepathy was taken away."

She was quiet for several minutes. "He would have been put to death for that... but it almost makes sense... The one time I remember talking to Connor, I felt too trusting towards him. As if he wasn't a stranger. I felt the same way towards Con, but of course, now I find they're the same person."

"You really have no memory of Connor?"

"Hardly any. Just a feeling, as if I know him and trust him."

"I didn't even know telepaths could do that."

"It's forbidden. No one is taught how to do it anymore, and those who do it are punished by death... I don't know why Tony wasn't killed."

"Con and Tony are connected. They share the same soul. It was split. They each have half of it. If Tony dies, so does Con. Whoever deals the judgement must have not wanted Con dead."

"The Guardians." Krystal suggested.

"Who are the Guardians, anyways?"

"I don't know much about them. They created Cerinia, and they're very powerful. Something happened to them, and they lost their power, and then Cerinia became vulnerable. It wasn't long before the village was destroyed."

"How was it destroyed? If... If you don't mind me asking."

Krystal was silent for a moment. "I'd rather not talk about it."

"Sorry." The air fell quiet except for their breathing. "Are you feeling any better?"

"I can move my fingers again. It's tough to tell what I can move and what I can't, because I haven't lost any feeling. He said he wanted to make sure I felt..." She trailed off.

Fox clenched a fist. "If I ever see his face again, I'm going to kill him."

"You'll kill Con."

"I warned him. If he values his life, he'll make sure Tony doesn't come near me or you ever again."

Krystal reached a hand over and softly touched his shoulder. "Thank you..."

He glanced at her and smiled slightly. "I don't know what I would have done if he'd gone any farther..."

"He told me that only the pure of heart can enter the temple of Cerinia. That rules out him and Vivian, and since he and Con share the same soul, it probably rules out Con. He wanted to destroy my spirit... I'm the only one who can enter the temple."

"I entered the Krazoa shrines..."

"Yes, but the Krazoa shrines weren't filled with air that will kill you. You're not coming to Cerinia, Fox. Ever."

"Sorry. It was a suggestion." He cleared his throat. "Do you mind if I ask why Tony was here?"

"I called him. I told him to come over. I wanted to tell him in person that I'd made my decision."

"Oh... well, I hope you're reconsidering that decision..."

She gave him a confused look, pushing herself up on her arm. "What do you mean?"

"Well, after what he just did, I don't think you still want to be with him... right?"

A smile subtly crept along her face. "Fox... you idiot. I chose you."

He opened his mouth to reply, and then closed it again and blinked in surprise. "You did?"

She pulled his torso down on the bed and kissed him on the mouth.

He hardly seemed to notice. "You... you chose me?"

She giggled. "Yes, silly."

He sat up again and faced her. "Does that mean I can kiss you again?" She smiled at him and nodded. He took her face in his hands and kissed her deeply. "You have no idea how much I've missed that." He kissed her again.

"Do you know what I've missed?" She asked, glancing at the black clip. He had stuck it to the rim of his underwear.

"What?"

She reached over and plucked it off, tossing it across the room. "You." Her eyes closed and she grinned widely as his presence flooded her mind.

He leaned over and kissed her again, taking her hand in his as his tongue flicked inside of her mouth. He broke away to stare at her face for a moment.

She glanced towards his room. "Are they gone?"

"I assume so."

"Do you mind if I sleep in your room? I'm... not really looking forward to staying the rest of the night here."

"Of course. I'll straighten out the bed." Fox got up and walked into his room, assuming that she would dress herself while he fixed the sheets. He glanced towards the doorway and his eyes nearly bulged out of his skull.

She leaned on the frame, completely nude, with one arm across her chest and one leg crossed to hide herself.

"I-I...uhh...f-fixed the...bed." He stammered, doing his best not to stare.

"Thank you, Fox." She pressed up against him and kissed him softly, and then crawled beneath the sheets.

He swallowed nervously and climbed in the other side. Her soft skin caressed his body as she wrapped her arm across his chest and slipped her leg over his. He slid his arm around her shoulders and held her close.

"Goodnight, Fox." She said quietly.

"Goodnight, Krystal." He closed his eyes and kissed her forehead, but he remained awake for a while after.

(The Next Morning...)

Fox took a deep breath and stretched his arms out. His fingertips had gone numb, and his hand tingled as he flexed it. He turned his head towards his arm, unable to will his eyes open yet. His nose rustled into soft hair, and he opened one eye. He smiled at the sight of the blue colored head lying on his arm, and planted a soft kiss in her hair. I am in love with her...

The blue vixen beside him moaned softly and rolled over, snuggling closer to his body and resting her head on his chest.

"Good morning..." He said in a sleepy voice.

She sighed happily and nuzzled his neck with her nose.

"Are you feeling okay?" He asked.

"Mmmm..." She kissed his neck and held him tighter.

He rested his chin on top of her head, feeling content. If I could choose a moment to last forever, it would probably be this one.

As if on cue, his communicator beeped from across the room where he'd set it.

He groaned through closed lips. "I hate to ask you to move, but that's probably important."

"Nnn-mm." She tightened her grip on him.

He smiled, kissing the top of her head. "I have to get that." She leaned her head up, eyes still closed, and kissed him softly on the lips. He slid out from beneath her and grabbed his communicator. "It's a message from Katt. She says if we want to get to Cerinia today, we should probably get going."

Krystal finally opened her eyes with a somber expression at the thought of everything that was about to change.

Fox sighed, frowning slightly at the look in her eyes. He sent a message back to Katt using the holographic keyboard, and then climbed back into bed with Krystal. "I told her we could leave in an hour." He kissed her forehead and pulled her into his arms. "Are you sure you're up for this right now?"

"I don't really have a choice." She snuggled against him, enjoying the feel of his skin against hers.

"I hate not being able to come with you. I want to make sure you're safe."

"I'll be okay. It's my home planet... I know it well. I'll be okay." She said it twice; once to assure him, and a second time to reassure herself. "Let's just not talk about it for now... I just want to be with you right now."

"Okay." He smiled slightly, holding her tighter. "I'm so glad you're here..."

She smiled back. "Me too."

"I can hardly believe you're lying naked in my bed."

She laughed. "Is it really so far fetched?"

"I mean... just yesterday, I thought I was losing you." He stared at her. "I thought you were going to choose him."

She shook her head with a grin. "I have given it a lot of thought... I've lived without him for a couple of years now. He cheated on me while we were engaged, with my own sister. He lied and bullied his brother into apologizing for him, instead of taking the responsibility himself. And I've never felt safe with him, as I feel with you."

He reached around to the nape of her neck, bringing her face close and kissing her forehead again. "I'm glad..."

"And after last night, there's not a chance in hell that I'd give him another chance."

"I'm sorry. I should have barged in sooner..."

"I'm glad you came when you did..."

He took a deep breath. "If you don't mind, let's change the subject. I'm getting pissed off just thinking about it." He held her tight for a moment. "I'm glad you're okay."

She leaned up and kissed him on the mouth. "You're a good man, Fox."

He kissed her deeply, holding her cheek in one hand and her waist with the other, and then pulled her on top of him. Her hands slid across his chest, over his shoulders, and along his arms until she reached his hands. He parted his lips from hers.

"Krystal, can I ask you a personal question?"

"Of course."

"It's just, I've been wondering since last night... Have you... had sex before?"

She opened her mouth to reply, but paused as the broken memory of that night surfaced again. She frowned. "I... I don't remember." She brought her hand to her forehead. "No, I... I could have sworn I did. I know I have. But... I can't remember him at all. I just remember being in my brother's cabin."

"Your brother?!"

"No!" Krystal's face flushed in embarrassment. "No, he wasn't there at all. It was someone else, of course. But I... I can't remember who, exactly."

"Did he... force you?"

"No, not at all. I initiated. I wanted to, I remember that much. But I... I can't remember anything else about it. I can't even remember his face! I remember leaving the next morning... and then I guess I blacked out. I woke up in my own bed. Do you think it was just a dream this whole time?"

"Well, Tony did mess with your memories. Maybe..." He paused. "Oh."

"What?"

"Ohh..." Fox chuckled. The realization suddenly made sense. "Con... He said you and him were close. Tony went into a jealous rage and that's why he erased your memories... You slept with Con!"

She raised her hand to her mouth. "Oh my god..."

"What?"

"No, it's just... that makes sense. That's why Con avoided me... that's why I saw him on Sauria. That's why he's been protecting me."

"What, because you slept with him?"

"I know it's different here, but on Cerinia, we're all at least somewhat telepathic. When a telepath mates with another telepath, a connection is made. It's... it's a spiritual connection. It can't be broken, even if you fall in love with and mate with other people in your life. You'll always be connected with that person. That's why he's followed me all this time... he never told me."

"Understandably, I don't think you'd believe someone you thought you'd never met."

"Sorry, this isn't a very sexy conversation."

He grinned. "That's okay. I don't mind."

She kissed him again, and he chuckled. "Something funny?"

"No, don't worry about it." He kissed her again. I would have won the bet anyways...

She broke away, smile fading. "You... you made a bet on who could sleep with me first?"

His eyes widened. "No! That's not- that's not how it happened. I can explain."

"So last night was just... winning a bet to you."

"No!"

She shook her head slowly. "That's why you were lying to me. I can't even believe you could do something like that."

"Tony initiated the bet. I wasn't thinking clearly! I'd been drinking..."

"Clearly." She got up, pulling the sheet with her.

"Krystal, wait!"

"I don't want to talk to you right now. I am absolutely two seconds from never speaking to you again, so don't push it."

"I didn't mean-"

"Really?" She turned to look at him. "You made a bet over who could win me, as if I'm some sort of object and not a living being. And the deciding factor of who would win was who could get me into bed first?" Her head shook slowly. "I thought I meant more than that to you."

"You do! You mean so much more than that. Look, I'll talk to him then. I'll break off the bet. It doesn't mean anything to me now!"

"Why, because you won? If I was the prize, you haven't won anything."

"No, please... Krystal, don't leave!"

"I'm going to Cerinia. I'm going to save my people, and if by some stroke of luck I have a change of heart, I might come back. As of right now, I see no reason to leave there again."

"Krystal, I love you." He winced. That was not the right time to say that.

She froze for a moment, holding back tears. "Goodbye, Fox." She shut the door behind her and walked into her room. Tears filled her eyes as she dressed herself and exited into the hall. She knocked on the next door down.

Katt opened the door. "Krys? What's wrong?"

"I'd rather not talk about it. I want to ask if you'd like to come to Cerinia, but you'd be trapped there for a while. Falco can't come; the toxic air will kill him in a matter of hours."

"Isn't Vivian joining you?"

"I don't know..."

Katt stared down her teary eyed friend. "I'm going to stay behind on the Great Fox. I'll have Slippy work on something that will work past the atmosphere. As soon as I have a ship that will fly me safely away, I'll come get you."

Krystal shook her head. "As of right now, I don't plan on leaving."

"What happened?"

The vixen grimaced in a failed attempt to keep more tears from spilling.

Katt pulled her into a hug. "Sweetie..."

"No, I just... I have to go. I have to go now. Which room is Vivian's?"

"The next one from me. I'll come get you as soon as I can, okay?"

"Con has a stone that acts as a power source strong enough to work on Cerinia."

"Con?"

"Connor. If I see him, I'll tell him to give it to you."

"Okay."

"I'll see you around, Katt." The pink feline closed the door, and Krystal knocked on her sister's instead.

The dirty white furred cat opened the door, still harboring stains on her face from the charcoal disguise. "Are you leaving?"

"Yes."

"Where's everyone else?"

"They're not coming. I'll rent you a ship."

"A ship?"

"I'm going to Cerinia to stop Tony and save the village, and I'd like you to come with me."

"How are we leaving the planet after?"

"We aren't. Let's go."

Vivian nodded and closed the door behind her. The girls froze as Fox left his room.

He walked quickly to the elevator and pressed the button, glancing over at Krystal with eyes red from crying. "I'm going to make this right." He said.

She exchanged a glance with her sister as the elevator doors closed behind him.

"Did something happen?"

Krystal sighed. "It's complicated. He just... I feel used. I feel like he used me." She shook her head. "I don't know what he means by that, but by the fact that he's wearing that damned clip again, I can only assume he's about to get into more trouble."

"Do we follow him?" Vivian asked.

"I don't know..."

"You clearly care about him a lot. We'll follow him. Cerinia has waited this long, it can wait a few more hours."

Author's Notes: I made a slight change to this chapter... Kind of a bigger change in the plot I suppose, but the short end of it is that there's a reason it took Fox a while to fall asleep. ;)