The pursuit of full humanity, however, cannot be carried out in isolation or individualism, but only in fellowship and solidarity.

~Paulo Freire

Kelly stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She took in the dark circles under her eyes and the worried creases around her mouth. The gravity of their situation had finally crashed in on her this morning when Ed gave voice to the reality that she had been trying so hard to avoid. She was stuck here. For the rest of her life.

Her world had been condensed down to these few rooms. These rooms, and Ed.

Despite her frustration about Ed's habits, she was relieved that Ed was here with her…and she hated herself for that. She still cared for Ed, and she knew she should want him to be anywhere else. You shouldn't wish this on someone you cared for.

And yet, there it was. Her dirty little secret. She was happy Ed was here with her. She scowled at herself and banged the heel of her open hand on the counter. She knew exactly why she felt this way. It had always been her weakness, her greatest fear.

Being alone.

Well, like it or not, she wasn't alone in this prison masquerading as an entertainment venue. She and Ed were in this together, although honestly it hadn't felt much like that lately. She had seen the first signs of what she knew from experience would be a downward spiral for Ed. She had watched his last personal train wreck from a distance, knowing that she was the cause of it all and not able to do anything to stop it.

Maybe this time she could.

She sighed, ran a hand through her hair, and walked out into the living room. The lights in the hallway outside were lowered. Auxiliary lighting glowed a dim red. The living room lights were low as well, reminding Kelly of their first night in this room. Ed sat on the couch, fiddling absently with a 20th century puzzle cube. There was an empty beer bottle on the table in front of him. Kelly hesitated. If he was drunk, this wasn't the time for the conversation she had planned.

But no, the bottle was in the same place it had been since lunch. He obviously hadn't synthesized another one.

She walked toward the couch, stopping at the side and touching the arm of the couch lightly. Ed recognized her unspoken request and nodded slightly, inviting her to sit with him. They sat in silence for a moment.

Finally, Ed gestured with the cube toward the window. "We're closed for the night. Seems we're pretty popular. I counted 142 people who actually stopped and watched our 'exhibit' today. Think it's just because we're new?" His words were flippant, but she heard the bitter notes in his voice.

She tried to match his nonchalant tone. "I don't know, I think we're pretty damn fascinating." They fell into silence again, and Kelly took a deep breath before turning toward him slightly.

"Ed," she said quietly, "we can't keep going like this."

Ed sighed and set the puzzle cube on the coffee table. "I know," he said softly.

The silence stretched out between them. Kelly could feel Ed's melancholy, but there seemed to have been a small shift since their argument. He was more thoughtful now than he had been the past few days – frustrated, but no longer spoiling for a fight.

After a moment, Ed continued, although he still wasn't looking at her. "Look, Kel, I'm sorry about what I said this morning. I just…I have no idea how to process this. How the hell are we supposed to live our entire lives in this apartment?" His voice was equal parts bafflement and frustration, with a strong undercurrent of utter desperation.

Kelly shuddered slightly. Those same thoughts had crossed her mind as well. "I don't know," she admitted. "But I do know one thing. We need to do it together. We've got to figure out some ground rules or something so we don't drive each other crazy."

Ed shrugged his shoulders and smiled sarcastically, letting out a harsh little laugh. "Although I guess if we get to the point where we're about to kill each other, they could always separate us."

Kelly felt her breath catch and her throat felt tight. She noticed that her hand had clenched around the couch pillow she held and she forced herself to relax and calm her breathing. Ed picked up on the small changes in her demeanor (he had always been good at that), and looked at her blankly for a moment. Suddenly, realization dawned on him and he reached automatically for her hand.

"Oh god, Kelly. Your greatest fear…I forgot until just now…I'm sorry." He looked so genuinely remorseful and concerned that Kelly barely kept herself from tearing up.

She took a deep breath and smiled at him, squeezing his hand. "It's ok." She looked away from him and said in a small voice, "I'm sorry, too…because I can't help but be glad you're here with me." She normally hated being this vulnerable with anyone, even Ed. She prided herself in her reputation as an independent person who could handle anything, and she really disliked admitting what she saw as her greatest weakness. She reluctantly looked back at Ed when he squeezed her hand, and was relieved to see only understanding in his eyes.

She returned the squeeze and met his gaze. "We have to figure this out, Ed. Please, don't make me do this alone." She hated the pleading tone in her voice but was unable to stop it.

Ed nodded and covered their clasped hands with his free one. "We'll figure it out. I promise."

Even as he made the promise, Kelly could see the hint of worry in his eyes. She knew that he wasn't doubting his own strength or her ability to keep it together. She didn't even think he was questioning whether they could get along together long-term. No, Ed recognized what she also knew but was actively avoiding at this point – neither of them really had any control over whether or not they stayed together. As gilded as their cage may be, they were still prisoners, and ultimately their fate was in the hands of their Calavon captors.

It was a demoralizing thought, and Kelly struggled for a moment not to feel the walls closing in on her. She gripped Ed's hand and glanced around at all of the deceptively familiar trappings of the apartment, trying to ground herself.

Her eyes fell on Ed's Union Fleet jacket, draped across the back of a chair. She stared at the Union insignia, and she realized that she already knew how they needed to handle this situation. It came back to her in the alto tones of her favorite instructor at Union Point, Commander Susan Hwang.

Still staring at the jacket, Kelly recited: "The most important thing to do if you are ever captured by an enemy is to convince yourself that you will be rescued, and to take all steps to ensure that you can assist in that effort." She turned and was met by Ed's questioning raised eyebrow. Kelly smiled, "Commander Hwang was supposed to teach astrophysics, but you could almost always get her off topic. Survival tips were her favorite tangent."

Kelly straightened, and turned toward Ed more fully. "The Commander taught us that if you're a prisoner, the best mindset to have is that you will be rescued, and that you might need to help out when that time comes. That means, as much as possible, keeping your body fit and healthy, and your mind sharp."

Ed still looked skeptical. "Kel…I really don't think there's any chance that the Union is going to rescue us. You know as well as I do that Calavon space is strictly off-limits, no exceptions. Even Admiral Halsey wouldn't authorize a rescue mission, especially if they don't even know if we're still alive…"

Kelly nodded in agreement, "I know, but that's not actually the point. Thinking you could be rescued gives you hope, and that hope can keep you going. Plus, staying healthy is pretty good advice whether you're being rescued or not." Ed opened his mouth to continue the debate, but Kelly stopped him with a hand on his knee. "It's supposed to keep us from giving up, Ed," she said quietly.

Ed was quiet for a moment, staring at her hand on his knee while his brain worked through the logic. Finally, he looked up at her with a small smile. "Ok then," he said, "but there's no way in hell that you're getting me to do yoga."

Kelly grinned at him, and felt the tension start to bleed from her shoulders. They could do this.

And Ed was definitely trying yoga.