(Wow you guys, I got a lot of positive feedback for the first chapter – just wow! Thank you so much for giving this story a chance! I was so worried that it would be a bust. Okay, so now we're gonna find out what happens next with Lydia's plan to steal from Yondu freakin' Udonta.)

(Songs/Music Suggestions for this Chapter: 'Rebel, Rebel' by David Bowie and 'Three Little Birds' by Bob Marley. I suggest listening to 'Rebel, Rebel' when Lydia's on the run.)

Chapter Two

At the Stroke of Midnight

I may often flirt with a guy but to be honest, that's all I have ever done. I've never gone all the way. A girl in my position can't afford to. You also couldn't appear to be too innocent either. Living on Knowhere I learned real quick what happened to girls who were innocent. Innocence and naivety was seen as prey to the scum that infested the space port and so, in order to protect myself from being taken advantage of, I put up this flirty act to throw off any predators. I've laid down a line for myself and said, "You can't cross this. This is as far as you go, no further." But sprek if I wasn't in danger of crossing the line right at that moment.

He had one hand at my waist, the other wrapped my braid around his wrist and his mouth was working straight up miracles along the pulse point of my neck. The slight gristle on his chin and jaw scraped lightly against my skin and sent waves of tingles over my body. Oh yeah, I was tempted. I was very tempted. For a moment I completely forgot I had even set up a line that was never to be crossed. My arms moved of their own accord and encircled his neck. All I wanted was to be closer to him.

Apparently, he had the same idea because all of a sudden I was being lifted up; my back braced against the metal door of his room and my legs wrapped around his waist without a second's thought. Um, what the sprek, Lydia! He held me pinned against the door, every inch of him pressed against me to keep me in place, and it was like electricity buzzed beneath my skin, begging to be released.

"Oh sprek," I moaned.

Yondu chuckled, his mouth still attached to my throat and I felt the sound of it vibrate against me. For some reason I found that little sensation hot. Don't ask me why, this was my first make-out session, I was just finding that out myself so how can I be expected to explain it!

"You like that, darlin'?" he asked, his raspy drawl coming out smug and confident. Sprek yeah, I liked it. He drew back his head enough to look me in the eyes. The red of his irises seemed to gleam with mischievous satisfaction at whatever it was he saw on my face. A hoarse sounding laugh escaped him. "Yeah, ya do."

I couldn't think of what to say. I opened my mouth, waiting for a witty reply to come but it remained lodged in the back of my throat. I closed my gaping maw. Why were words failing me now? That was a betrayal of the highest kind!

He chuckled again. "Well, darlin' ya ain't gotta look so scared. I ain't gonna eat ya." A slow grin worked its way onto his mouth, revealing those sharp teeth. "Not just yet anyways." Considering I had no idea what his species was I didn't know if he was being serious of not.

I barely had time to widen my eyes when he dove back in to kiss me. As first kisses go, I have to say…. Wow. He wasn't gentle. It was all rough and demanding and promised me an exciting night ahead. That buzzing energy under my skin transformed into molten liquid that pooled within my belly and left me nearly limp. My eyes drifted closed as my lips began to follow his rhythm. I wanted to let myself get lost. Couldn't I just once … just once…

Mom grasping my hand in both of hers and giving it a kiss. "My girl…"

The memory was as effective as a bucket of ice cold water being poured on me. My stomach twisted at the thought of what I had to do. When Yondu's lips began to trail down my neck and further south, I forced myself to get back on track. It was a struggle, lemme tell ya.

"Um, Yondu," I began, my voice wavered. I'd never received this kind of attention before and I gotta admit I sprekin' loved it. "Yondu –," A sudden gasp escaped me when his pelvis bucked against mine. It was like stars exploded in my head. Hundred of 'em.

The arm wrapped around my waist shifted so that his forearm supported some of my weight and his other hand quickly disentangled itself from my hair. "Better get in here quick before we give my crew a show, huh?" he sniggered as his now free hand reached for the panel next to the door and pressed his palm to it.

The door opened, which meant I no longer had anything for my back to be braced against. We fell with him on top of me and I once again felt all of him and I gotta say I was not about to complain. Our sudden tumble struck both of us as hilarious and we lay there laughing uncontrollably.

"You alright?" he asked when speech was possible again.

"I thought you promised you wouldn't sweep me off my feet," I giggled. Yeah, that's right. Giggled.

Yondu lifted his upper body onto both forearms as he aimed a look of feigned perplexity down at me. "Nah, darlin', I just promised I wouldn't whisk ya away."

"There's a difference?" I snorted and succumbed to a giggle fit again. Yondu's toothy grin returned and he lowered his mouth to the hollow of my throat. With him on top of me, I was in even greater danger of crossing the Line and I couldn't allow myself to indulge in the pleasurable jolt that shot through me at the new positions we'd found ourselves in. Just feeling his weight on top of me was oddly comforting. I felt his fingers reach for my belt buckle.

Get a move on, Lydia!

Um, how about get a move on, Yondu?

Lydia Christine Brosh, you get your tookum off that floor and get those engine parts like you came here for! Remember your sick mother at home?Hmm?

Sometimes my brain can be such a marg.

I grasped Yondu's wandering hands and smiled when he looked at me questioningly. "I hate to do this to you, Prince Charming, but could you spare me a few minutes to freshen up first?"

His brow furrowed. "What's that?"

"I've been out and about all day and I'm not exactly presentable –,"

"You look temptin' enough tah me, darlin'," he said. His head dipped to pick up where he left off kissing me just above my cleavage.

My hand darted up to his chin to stop him. "But I won't be able to enjoy myself if I'm feeling like all kinds of grimy and yuck," I told him.

His red eyes glanced towards his bed then back at me. "Ya picked the darndest timin'," he grumped.

"I know, I know; I'm really sorry."

He pushed off from the floor, deliberately brushing his pelvis against mine (and I know he did it on purpose because the blue jerk scarrin' smirked at me when he did it!) and extended his hand to me. "Ya better not take too long, girly." He hauled me to my feet and pulled me so close that our faces were barely an inche apart. "Cause if ya do I'm comin' after ya and dragging you in here."

I smiled. "Promises, promises," I whispered and gave him a peck on the nose. I went to walk past him when his grip on my hand tightened and he reeled me back in.

"Ya didn't just pick-pocket me, didja? Makin' a run for it now?" His tone was only partly serious as he patted at his coat pockets with his free hand. Twist the knife even deeper in my heart, why don'cha?

"Geez, Blue, have a little faith in me, huh?" I leaned in and kissed his lips as gently as possible. It was a complete opposite to the kisses he'd given me. His were charged with lust and mine …. I was trying to apologize for what I was about to do to him through that kiss. "I'm so sorry," I wanted to say. His grip loosened on my hand as he became receptive to the softness I was giving him. I sensed the uncertainty in him as he tried to match me. Had he never been kissed like this before?

I was in danger of loosing focus again. I slipped out of his hold and sashayed out the door. "Mind telling me which way to the showers?" I think I might have momentarily broken the Ravager. He stared blankly at me for a moment and didn't respond until I cleared my throat. "Um, showers?"

He shook himself. "They're, uh –," he leaned his upper body out the doorway and pointed down the opposite end of the hall we'd come by. "Go all the way to the end of this hall and take the left."

"What'll happen if I take a right instead of a left?" I asked with a teasing lilt and pressing up against him.

He grinned down at me, arms wrapping around my waist while his hands wandered below my belt. "I'd be mighty curious to see you try taking a shower in the hangar bay."

As my father used to say; bingo! I reached behind me and took hold of his hands, bringing them between us. "I'll be right back," I promised.

As I made my way down the hall, I glanced back at Yondu. He was standing in the door way with his hands gripping the upper metal frame as he leaned forward to watch me. "Walk faster, woman! I haven't got all night!" he called out with another toothy grin.

Stifling a laugh, I began to jog to the end of the hall and turned to the left just as he instructed. I slowed my jogging and tiptoed back the way I came until I was just at the edge of the hall opening. I counted to ten and peeked around the corner at Yondu's door. He'd gone back inside his room. Dashing across the hall to the right corridor entrance, I put my back to the wall and listened for any signs that I'd been spotted. I heard nothing. Once again I peered around the corner at Yondu's room and felt sick to my stomach. "I'm so sorry, Blue," I whispered. I turned and ran down the hall to the hangar.

I know what you're thinking. Okay, maybe I don't know exactly what you're thinking but I'm pretty sure I know the gist of your thoughts on the whole. And you know what? I'd have to agree with you. The whole time I walked I mentally called myself every degrading thing in the galaxy and then some. I hated myself. In such a short time, I had genuinely come like the Ravager captain and there I was about to steal from him. Great way to meet a guy, right?

Maybe I was just fooling myself? Maybe I only thought I liked him because he was the first guy I'd kissed. Like I said before, I flirt to protect myself but I don't like to think of myself as a tease. I try to stay away from that kind of behavior because it could get me in trouble if I got a male too riled up. If I let on just how innocent I was to sex then that would put me in even more danger on Knowhere. So let I let them think I'm on the same level of worldly knowledge, let them think they can't fool me cause I don't seem naïve, don't engage too much but don't act timid. Be bold, be daring, be flirty, be safe. That was how I learned to act in order to survive and take care of my mom. But this was the first time I had ever taken flirting to the point of conning a man into thinking I'd have sex with him in order to steal. I felt dirty and the lowest of low. Even if he was a Ravager, he didn't deserve to be tricked like that.

The way to the hangar bay wasn't as simple as you think. It wasn't a straight run there, I had to guess a few times when I came upon some splits and once I had to double back. How the heck did the crew find their way around? Where were the signs! With each passing minute I knew I was closer to the moment when Yondu would be expecting me to arrive in his room or he'd become impatient and keep his playful threat about dragging me back. Only if he did end up finding me the threat wouldn't be so playful. Time was not on my side. Then again, it hardly ever was. Time was scarrin' biased against me.

I guess most of the crew was off the ship because I only came across one other being while navigating my way down the halls. I had to duck into a corner to avoid detection and that was really my only near encounter. I should have known it wouldn't be that easy. What do I mean? Heh, you'll see.

When I arrived in the hangar, I was floored to see just how many M-ships the Eclector carried. Enough for a small army it seemed! And it wasn't just M-ships, there were two Nova Corps Star Blasters, and two other ships, both different types, that I didn't recognize and that's saying something because when you live on a space trading port you see all kinds of ships.

Snapping out of my momentary awe, I ran to the closest M-ship and slid beneath its belly. From my bag I pulled out my spear and gave it a little twist near the base. It click-clacked a bit as its size adjusted to easily fit in my hand and the metal spear-head gave a hiss as it separated and reshaped itself to resemble a ratchet. I was like a scarrin' proud mother of my gadget. I silently thanked Malek for showing me how to replace parts on M-ships as I got to work on loosening some bolts. Without the experience in Malek's garage I never would have known what to do, but because I did know what I was doing, it didn't take me long to locate and disassemble the necessary parts I needed. I stuffed them into my bag and was about to crawl out when I heard the echoes of boots on the metal gangway over my head.

Spek, I thought, scooting further beneath the M-ship. I moved as quietly as I could so that my upper body faced out so I could see while lying flat on my stomach. The metal floor chilled me through the material of my yellow tank top. I could see the gangway, but I could still hear whoever it was walking about up there. Could I make it to the door without being seen? There was no way of telling without sneaking a peak. I slid myself to the side, intending to use the M-ship's wing as cover. Once I was out from under the ship, I lifted my gaze to the gangways and spotted the crew member. His back was to me.

Okay, one shot at this. I took a deep breath and darted towards the door.

Beep beep! Beep beep!

I froze in the middle of the hangar bay as my time keeper announced my presence. I'd forgotten to erase the alarm I'd set to go off at midnight to rouse me in time for a temporary side job I picked up last week that involved unloading crates. Uselessly I slapped my hand over it to muffle the sound.

"Hey!"

Didn't I tell you that Time was biased against me?

I gave the crewman a wave. "Hi, I'd love to talk but I gotta run!" I sprinted for the door.

"Hey! Hey!" I heard the sounds of his boots rapidly hitting the stairs. "Captain! We have an intruder on the ship!"

The crewman must have had a communicator on him because I heard Yondu's scratchy voice respond. "Is it a woman, Halvi?"

"Aye, captain!"

"She's a guest –,"

"Why is your guest running when I caught her in the hangar?"

"She WHAT!"

I doubled my speed.

Remember when I was trying to memorize the path Yondu took me through? I remembered squat! I was totally lost, running blind, guessing at each turn. Apparently, Yondu still had a skeleton crew on board because more men had joined the first in chasing me.

"Got'cha!" A voice growled next to me as I came upon a hall to my right. I yelped and leapt out of reach when a hulking figure with marred flash and terrible body-odor lunged at me. He fell flat on his face and ended up tripping two of his crewmates which caused a slight delay and gave me a bit more distance.

I nearly tripped myself when I neared a corridor that my instincts told me to take. I grabbed the hall's corner and propelled myself inside. The hall looked vaguely familiar. I turned another corner and stopped dead in my tracks. Yondu leaned against the wall on one broad shoulder, arms folded over his chest, legs crossed at the ankles. He picked at his teeth as if he had nothing better to do. Despite his casual pose, he still managed to scare the sprek out of me.

His crimson eyes looked at me with a predatoral intensity that made me want to back away nice and slow. "Looks like we ended up givin' the crew a show anyways, huh, darlin'?"

"Oh well," I said, trying to sound friendly and backing up a step at a time, "we tried."

Yondu snorted and this time it wasn't one of mirth. He straightened up and put his hands on his hips, his right hand moving aside the edge of his coat to reveal a holster of some kind. "Wha'd ya steal?" he seethed, his jaw twitching.

I'd successfully back to the very edge of the corridor. One side step and I'd be blocked by the wall. "Your heart?" I replied with uncertainty.

Yondu. Straight. Up. Growled.

I screamed and ran for it. I took the next passage and nearly whooped with joy when I recognized it. If I continued on this path, I'd reach the entrance that Yondu and I had gone through and I'd be out of the ship! Hope gave me the extra energy I needed to keep running even though my lungs were beginning to ache.

Rounding a corner, I saw the entrance was still wide open and no one there to stop me. I thanked whatever deity had blessed me. That relief was short-lived.

"There she is!"

The Ravagers had caught up, but I was too far ahead for them to catch me in time. Once I was past the threshold, I'd be lost in the crowd.

A shrill whistle pierced the air and something whizzed by me in a blur of red light. My steps faltered a bit in confusion but I forced myself to keep running. "You missed, captain," I heard Halvi say.

"Did I?"

That red blur of light hit a red button on a panel at the end next to the doorway and then whizzed by me again as if returning it's sender. From opposite sides of the door, thick sheets of metal began to slide to the middle. "Spreeeeek!" I growled as I forced my steadily tiring limbs to move faster.

"Where ya goin', Cinderella?" Yondu called out mockingly. "We ain't even had a dance yet!"

My chance at escape was narrowing with each second. "You still want me that bad!" I hollered over my shoulder. The exit was dangerously narrow by the time I reached it. I doubted I could fit but couldn't afford to waste a second hesitating.

"She's goin' for it!" a crewman screeched. Yondu swore and I heard them quicken their pursuit. With a yell, I threw myself at closing door and tumbled to the gangway on the other side just as the entrance sealed closed. Fists slammed against the metal door and Yondu's muffled angry shouting could be made out about it. I chuckled, picked myself up and hurried towards the sea of beings in which I could blend in and vanish. My next stop? Malek's garage.

When the door reopened a minute later, Yondu pushed his way past his crew and scanned the crowd for a flash of red hair. Unfortunately there were so many damn colors everywhere it made it too difficult and the girl was probably long gone. With a growl, Yondu tore his gaze away and glared at his crew who were currently slumped in a pile, panting like dogs.

"Ya let 'er get away, you assholes!" he held back the urge to kick at the nearest ribcage at his feet.

"How'd she get on the ship in the first place?" Halvi asked, not meaning to sound accusing.

Yondu's face grew hot and he gnashed his teeth. "That ain't the point!" He turned and kicked at the ground, unable to control his desire to lash out anymore. His foot connected with something metallic that skidded a few feet along the ground. He looked down and saw something that looked like a ratchet but unlike any ratchet design he'd come across before. He bent over and picked it up, turning it this way and that. There was an L engraved at the base of the handle. Lydia. A big, wolfish grin spread along his face. "Looks like Cinderella left me a glass slipper after all."

Zeg met me at the back entrance of Malek's garage. I'd checked to make sure my tumble hadn't damaged any of the parts I'd swiped from Yondu and was relieved to find nothing wrong. Although I felt like something was missing from my bag. Had I dropped a part?

Zeg promised he'd take care of the transactions at the black market. I offered to go with him but he insisted to go alone. "I've done this before, Lydia. There is always the risk of the Nova Corps sending an undercover agent in and busting the whole operation. If you were to be arrested, who would care for your mother?"

I saw the truth in his words. I felt a bit cowardly letting him go alone but he'd made a point. After bidding him goodnight, I went home and greeted my mom with a big hug and kiss on the cheek. I was bursting with excitement. I turned on my music box and connected it to the ship's sound system. 'Three Little Birds' by Bob Marley expressed my mood perfectly.

I grabbed my mom by both hands and she laughed as I spun the two of us in circles. "We're going to leave Knowhere, Mom! We're leaving really soon! It's only a matter of days! And then we'll get you to a hospital and you'll get the help you need and –,"

I was like that for hours. Prattling on and on about how our new life would be, how we could go to Xandar like we'd planned from the start. Mom didn't say a word but she beamed at me the whole time. I think she understood in some way that things were going to be different in a good way.

As I got Mom ready for bed, my excitement had begun to wind down and Yondu entered my thoughts. My mood shifted and suddenly I didn't feel like singing along with Bob Marley. Mom liked it when I sang so I hummed 'Three Little Birds' instead while brushing her red hair. She took hold of my hand, stilling my strokes. "My girl," she said, her Threxian accent thickening the vowels. "Sad?"

I smiled at her and squeezed her hand. "No, Mom. Everything's gonna be alright now." She hummed happily and let me continue brushing her hair. I tucked her in to bed and got myself changed in some sleepwear. I kept seeing that look on Yondu's face when I ran into him in the hall. The look of fury when I'd jokingly said I'd stolen his heart. But I also remembered how he reacted to my kiss. He'd tensed up and then seemed to slowly accept that gentleness as if he weren't used to it. It broke my heart.

When I lay down in my top bunk, I held my pillow close to my face to muffle the sobs that wracked through my body as I replayed that kiss over and over again. Maybe I really had stolen more than a few M-ship parts from Yondu….

(Well, how was it? Good, bad, ugly? I hope you enjoyed it enough to look forward to a third chapter. Please let me know what ya thought about it. Until next time!)