"Not that I don't like having such a pretty woman aboard, we can't just keep picking up strays all over the galaxy," Weisz griped, slamming his fist on the table. "We don't know anything about this woman except that she caused us a shit ton of trouble and cut our vacation short. And she's hot," he added in a whine.

"You're hopeless," Happy muttered.

"Testosterone and cortisol rising," Pino announced.

"That's enough, Pino!" Weisz shouted, his cheeks turning pink before he could turn his back and hide his face.

The women giggled.

"We couldn't just leave her there," Homura said.

"Why not? She's a stranger. She means nothing to you," Sister Ivry retorted in her typical straight forward fashion.

"That's not true. She's Shiki's newest friend," Witch countered. "His sixty ninth friend he said."

There was a titter of laughter among the humans that confused the androids.

"Oh, brother," the white haired android muttered scrubbing her hand over her face.

"I think it's sweet," Hermit piped up. "He is one person closer toward his goal of a hundred friends."

"Ugh...someone's gone back to their hopelessly naive and trusting self," Sister groaned.

"Well, she will be staying with us for a little while until we can find her a safe planet to stay on," Rebecca snapped, pouring a glass of water. "I wouldn't have felt right about leaving her in that place either. Someone would no doubt quickly step up to take over that awful man's place. I'm sure she would be killed if she stayed here."

"Why just her though? We left the other people there," Homura reminded her.

"Shiki said Ruby was important him. Much more important than the others."

"Where the hell is she by the way? We can't have a stranger just running around lose on the ship," he complained.

"She's taking a shower. Shiki is picking out something for her to wear in the Dress Factory," Homura replied.

"WHAT?!" Weisz yelled, running toward the kitchen exit door.

"Where are you going?" Rebecca called after him, afraid he might be on his way to peep in on Ruby in the shower.

"I can't let that idiot pick out an outfit for her all by himself!"

"Well, he sure got over his objections quickly," Sister Ivry muttered, propping her feet on the table and leaning back in her chair.

"He always does when a pretty woman is involved," sighed Happy in exasperation.

In the wardrobe room, Shiki stood at the computer screen, swiping through choices of skirts for their guest. He had left Ruby in the room that would be hers while she was on the ship. He did not want to keep her waiting too long. Dressed only in a towel, she would be shivering and cold waiting for him. But it was difficult to decide.

Weisz favored sexy maid costumes. Homura always chose kimono inspired outfits unless she lost a bet with Weisz who inevitable put her in a bunny girl costume of some sort.

Rebecca liked anything form fitting which accentuated her amazing body especially her massive breasts. Shiki has certainly never complained about her fashion choices. His palms itched with the memory of how soft and squishy her breasts had been in his hands when he felt her up during their first meeting. At the time, he did not know that was an improper greeting. He had never seen another human being before, especially not a girl. How could he not have been fascinated with her gigantic boobs?

Shiki doubted Ruby would want to wear anything like the dress she had on at the bar. She would no doubt be ready to leave that life behind her along with the planet and all of the bad memories it held. Well, since they were about to go to bed soon anyway, maybe he should pick out something simple and comfortable like pajamas.

"Hey, don't press that button yet!" Weisz hollered, running into the room while Shiki's forefinger hovered over the enter button to make the final choice.

"Why not?"

"Let's see...what have we got here?" Weisz elbowed him out of the way to look at the screen. His mouth dropped open when he saw the pink tank top and pink sleep shorts decorated with white sheep. "Oh, no."

"What's wrong with it?"

"What's wrong with it?" Weisz repeated mockingly. "She's not twelve and going to a sleepover. Oh!"

"What?" Shiki muttered, his eyebrow raising with suspicion. He could practically hear the gears turning in the blonde's head and his mind followed.

"Sleepover!" they yelled in exuberant unison, jumping up and down.

"Where there's sleepovers, there's a pillow fight!" Weisz exclaimed excitedly. "Bouncing boobs! Giggling girls!" He blushed darkly, envisioning the jiggling jugs that might just make a thin strap on that tank top break. "Oooh! Clothes might accidentally come off. It's gonna be great! We just need to pick out pajamas for the others too and - "

"Come on, Weisz. I need to get those clothes to her," Shiki said, trying to push him out of the way.

"Just a second, lemme look." He pushed back, scrolling back to the maid costumes. "How awesome would it be to see three scantily maids beating each other's clothes off with feather pillows? Or tickling each other with feather dusters!"

"Stop it. I just need - " Shiki tried to push the button to go back to the short pajamas he had picked out previously. Not that he would be totally against a sexy maid or even a bunny suit complete with a fluffy white bunny tail, but tonight wasn't the night.

"Give me five seconds. Oooh, Rebecca likes the cat thing. What about a cat suit? Meow wow," he said, using Rebecca's old catch B-tuber catchphrase. He pushed the button to open a screen displaying skin tight bodysuits.

"Dude! Seriously!" Shiki shoved him out of the way to access the screen again.

"Come on, man! Where's your imagination?" Weisz dug in his heels, pushing against Shiki's face and chest while gradually being scooted across the floor.

"Uhm...excuse me," a female voice interrupted them.

"Huh?" gasped the two men fighting like children.

Ruby stood at the door, self-consciously clutching the towel around her body. She wore another one wrapped turban style around her wet hair. Her face, free from the make up, was no longer deathly pale but pink from vigorous scrubbing. Her lips were swollen, rubbed raw in her desperate attempt to rid herself of the lipstick. However, the red stain remained.

Weisz and Shiki were still tangled up. Shiki had both hands on Weisz's chest in an attempt to push him away while Weisz had a knee in Shik's side and his hand smashing Shiki's face out of shape to fend him off.

"Uh, what are you two doing?" Ruby asked, her face contorting with confusion as she looked at the two men engaged in some sort of struggle.

The men unhinged from each other, standing up straight and dusting off their clothes as if to get rid themselves of the remnants of their ridiculous battle.

"We were just trying to pick something out for you to wear," Shiki explained as if it was the most normal thing ever. Actually, on the Edens Zero, it is normal.

"Oh, really? Like what?" Her fingers tightened around the towel.

"Come look." Shiki waved her over. He swiped over the screen showing her how to scroll the choices or type in a specific search word for the kind of attire she wanted to wear. "Why don't you choose?"

"Can I?" She gazed at him, wide eyed.

"Why do you seem so surprised?"

"Well..." The redness in her cheeks became more intense. "I've never been able to make a decision for myself in my entire life. All of my choices, even what to wear, was made for me."

"Oh," both men gasped in unison.

Ruby turned her attention to the computer screen. Her elegant manicured fingers danced across the screen. Shiki and Weisz peeked over her shoulders but did not offer any suggestions or requests of their own.

"It must be awful having all of your choices, even the simplest ones, taken away from you," Shiki murmured.

Ruby shrugged the tops of her bare shoulders brushing under their chins the men hovered so closely.

"It was always like that. I guess if you don't know any differently it doesn't matter."

"But what about the drink? You said it was your favorite," Weisz said.

"That was something I was taught to do. A flirtation technique to use on the customers. Order a drink with a suggestive name to draw the customer in. It entices them to pay for more..." She swallowed hard, the sound loud in the silence between the three of them. Her forefinger poked the screen, the nail tapping the glass. "To pay for more premium services."

"Premium services, huh?" Weisz mumbled pensively, backing up a few steps from her.

"Okay. I've picked what I want. What now?" Ruby inquired.

"Go into the little booth right there," Shiki told her, pointing to the little cubicle on top of the slightly elevated platform.

Ruby climbed the single step to get into the small dressing room where she would be changed into her outfit of choice. It was not so different than being dressed by the girls who served as her personal attendants. She was the Boss' favorite and had been treated like a Queen - his Queen. But the royal treatment had come at a high cost.

When the machine was done working its magic, she was dressed in a plain peach colored tank top and a pair of loose gray sleep pants. She had chosen a long white cashmere cardigan too in order to warm herself up after being in a towel so long after her shower. Gray bunny slippers covered her feet. Even her hair was dry and pulled back in a ponytail.

"Ooooh, so cute!" Weisz exclaimed when she stepped out.

Ruby self-consciously pulled the sweater tightly around her. Her breasts were not nearly as bountiful as those of their other companions. Even the androids had been built way bigger than her - with the exception of Hermit of course.

Men had complained about their size, wanting them to be bigger. However, the Boss had never made her get augmented like so many of the girls. He said he wanted one natural beauty in his harem.

How thoughtful and altruistic of him, she thought sarcastically.

"You look really comfortable. Are you?" Shiki asked, taking her by the hand although she could navigate the single small step by herself without any help.

"I am. And not just in the clothes." She threw her arms around his neck, giving him a powerful hug. "Thank you, Shiki. Thank you for choosing me to be your friend."

Shiki put his arms around her waist, squeezing her back. "You can never have too many friends."

Ruby withdrew her arms and stepped back. Guilt welled inside of her when she looked into his open and innocent eyes. Her head hung with the weight of the shame inside of her.

"I'm sorry I ruined your birthday. Such a useless person like me. I wasn't worth saving. I've only cause you trouble," she mumbled, feeling more ashamed with each word.

"Hey..." Shiki slid his hand under her chin, forcing her head up to look at him. Her eyes were watery when he looked into them but no tears fell. "You didn't ruin my birthday. These things always seem to happen to us. And you were definitely worth saving."

Ruby pushed up on her toes, the heads on her bunny slippers flopping. She placed a kiss on Shiki's cheek.

"Happy Birthday, Shiki."

His cheeks turned a brilliant shade of magenta.

"Would like to join us for cake? I still haven't cut my birthday cake yet," he told her.

"Sure," she replied, ecstatic to be included. She had planned to return to her assigned room alone.

Holding her hand, Shiki led her to the kitchen to join everyone else.

Ruby slid into the empty seat on the right side of the table across from two of the androids, the one called Witch and the other named Sister Ivry. The android named Hermit sat at the end of the table to her left and opposite from Shiki. They were gorgeous and looked very human to her. Shiki and his friends treated them no differently than they did each other.

A tall three layered cake with white icing and decorated with blue roses was sat in front of Shiki by Homura and Rebecca. Weisz lit the eighteen green candles on top using several matches to do so.

"Why don't you sing happy birthday to him?" Weisz suggested to Ruby.

She could feel her face heating when everyone looked at her. Although she was accustomed to being on stage with all eyes on her, she was not used to being called out on the spot for an impromptu performance. Clearing her throat, she stood up.

"Happy Birthday to you," she began, waving her hands to invite them to sing too.

When all of their voices joined together to wish Shiki a Happy Birthday in song, she could barely sing because she could not stop smiling. She sat down when they were finished, waiting with the others for the birthday boy to blow out his candles. Everyone clapped.

Ruby's heart fluttered happily in her chest. She had never been to birthday party. They had not celebrated special occasions of any kind at the club. All of the partying they did was with customers in the nightclub to get as much money out of them as possible. She accepted the thick slab of white cake with a wide grin of gratitude.

Eating the cake in silence, she observed the friends interacting with each other. Like at the bar, they teased and poked fun at each other. When they laughed, genuine joy showed on their faces. She could not stop the smile from forming on her face upon seeing their happiness.

Yet she could not help feeling the sting of jealousy or the familiar pain of sadness. Friends. Happiness. Celebrations. These things had never been hers, and she doubted they ever would be. She was not meant to be with these people.

Ruby was thankful they saved her from a terrible situation, a prison she had no hope of escaping until they came along. But she was a hitchhiker, an interloper, an unexpected complication in their lives. They would drop her on the next planet they landed on and be done with her. It was only natural. Although Shiki called her a friend, she was not part of the friends group she saw in front of her.

Suddenly, Ruby's appetite fled, leaving her feeling sick at her stomach instead. She poked at the soft cake that had tasted so delicious.

"Ruby? Is there something wrong with the cake?" Rebecca asked her breaking her out of her dismal musings.

"Oh, no! It's fantastic!" she exclaimed, stabbing the piece she had cut off earlier and proceeded to push around her plate for ten minutes while watching them.

She lifted it to put it in her mouth. When her stomach gurgled and rolled uncertainly, she put the fork, cake and all, back down on the plate.

"Then what's wrong?" Weisz inquired in a more demanding manner rather than out of concern.

"Uh, I'm...I'm just, uhm..." Her brain scrambled for an excuse. She was not accustomed to being asked about her feelings. Usually she could hide them so well that even if a rare caring soul came along, they could not see that something was wrong to ask.

"She's probably feeling awkward because she's a stranger suddenly stuck in the middle of a group of tight knit friends. We are trying to include her but it's still weird. We don't trust her because we don't really know anything about her," Homura thought out loud.

"Homura, you're doing it again," Rebecca said, patting her arm.

The woman's large brown eyes grew even bigger with the realization she had blurted out her thoughts like she always does.

"Oh, dear, I didn't mean - "

"Actually, you're right, Homura. I was thinking some of those things myself. It's okay," she assured the flustered red faced woman. "I find your accidentally blunt honesty quite refreshing."

Despite her trying to dismiss the unintentional outburst, the atmosphere continued to grow more tense. Though a little hurtful, Homura had been completely on target.

"You've never been into space have you, Ruby?" Weisz asked her to break the suffocating silence.

"No. I haven't." She did not add she had not been off of Venus' Garden since landing there as a child for what was supposed to be a family vacation. That would have just been pathetic.

"Come with me," Weisz said, standing up.

"Wh-where are we g-going?" she stuttered nervously. Did he intend to shove her out into space to be done with her?

"I want to show you something," he said, extending his hand as an invitation to allow him to lead her.

"Professor Pervert, you better not be - " Rebecca started to be promptly cut off.

"Calm your tits, would ya? I'm taking her to the observation deck."

"Oh, well," Rebecca mumbled. "Still...keep your hands to yourself."

Ruby held onto the man's hand tightly as he led her through the long and desolate metal corridors. The air was cold in the empty hallways making her glad she picked the sweater and slippers. Her eyes stayed fixed on the back of his spiky blond head.

At last they reached their destination, standing in front of a tall and wide, imposing metal door. When he pushed the button on the panel, the doors slid open with a whoosh to reveal a beautiful park right on the ship. There was a fountain and trees and benches. There was even a huge telescope to get a closer look at the stars and planets zipping past them. The ceiling and walls were made entirely of glass to allow an unobstructed view of space.

Her fingers released his hand, her arms hanging limply at her sides. Her mouth dropped open as if she mean to say something but no sound came out. Moving forward, her steps were tentative while her head tilted back to look straight up.

"Wow," she marveled, turning in a slow circle as she gazed in wonder above at the expanse of blue black sky dotted with twinkling stars.

Weisz allowed her to move around as she pleased, following her at a distance but never saying a word.

"Did you want to look through the telescope?" he asked when she gazed curiously at the metal ladder attached to the side of the observation tower.

"Not tonight. Another night for sure," she said, giving him a smile. "I'm actually feeling a little tired."

"Let's go sit then," he suggested, pointing toward one of the benches nearby.

After she took a seat on one of the benches, he sat at the opposite end.

"Lean back," he said, patting his thigh. "Lay your head in my lap. You can look up without hurting your neck."

The offer had been made with sincerity in total innocence with no underlying meaning yet he had felt the need to quickly add the last part to explain his intentions. Her lack of dubious expression or catty retort at his offer caught him by surprise.

Ruby scooted a little closer to him, rotating on her behind to turn her back toward him. Putting her feet on the metal arm of the bench, she was guided down into his lap by his hands resting on her shoulders. Reclining this way enabled her stare through the ceiling all she wanted without feeling that annoying tightness at the base of her skull.

"You're right. My neck doesn't hurt anymore. Thank you, Weisz," she said, her eyes flickering over to his face.

"Yeah, sure, no problem," he muttered, his voice sounding strained.

He stared straight ahead without looking down at her or up at the stars. She figured he was used to seeing such a sight and it no longer fascinated him. His face looked stern, the muscles flexing in his jaw by his ears. He was not smiling and actually appeared to be a little annoyed.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he replied hurriedly. Sweat beaded above his upper lip and across brow.

"I can - " She tried to sit up, but he placed his hand on her shoulder to hold her down.

"No. It's fine. Really," he assured her, sounding more relaxed.

Ruby could feel the muscles in his thighs unwinding under her head.

"Weisz?"

"Hmm?" He glanced down at her when she did not immediately answer.

"You're really a good man aren't you?"

"Hah," he scoffed. "That's a funny question. No, Ruby, if I were to be totally honest, I would have to say I'm not a good man. I'm actually quite terrible."

"Why would you say that? You're kind and you care about your friends. They care about you. No longer than I've been around all of you, I doubt they would waste their time caring about a terrible person."

"Hmph." His dark eyes which had been hard and emotionless like marbles softened as he looked down at her. He stroked his thumb over her cheek then quickly pulled it away. "You're sweet. Forgive me if I can't help but think that's just another flirtation technique of yours."

"I'm being serious. I really think that," she insisted, sitting up. "Besides, I'm no longer at the nightclub."

"Old habits die hard. Your whole life you have been tricking and using people. How do we know you're not going to betray us and hurt us later?" he asked, sliding his eyes over to her face.

"You don't."

He stared straight ahead again to avoid looking at her. She was close, able to see his eyes were a black so dark that it was impossible to distinguish the pupil from the iris.

"But why would I? What would I have to gain?" Ruby inquired, drawing his eyes to hers. She leaned forward, seizing fistfuls of his hoodie in her hands. "I stand to lose so much now. Even though my word isn't worth much to you, I swear I would never betray and hurt you...any of you. You are a good man, Weisz."

"Stop saying that. You don't know the things I've done in my past," he sighed, pulling at her fingers but she refused to let go.

"No. I don't. And I don't care. Would you hold my past against me? Does the life I've led make me a bad person?"

"No. Of course not. It wasn't your fault."

"But you just said - "

"I know what I just said. But...aw, hell...I'm not sure what to think about you."

"You have no idea what you saved me from. I am truly grateful, and I owe you my life. For the first time ever, I have friends. People I can trust. You don't know how precious that is."

He placed his hands over hers that was a still two fists gripping his hoodie.

"Actually, I do," Weisz said in a soft voice barely above a whisper. His eyes skimmed over her face from her forehead down to her chin, not wanting to linger to long on her pleading eyes.

Ruby smiled, leaning a little closer until he could feel her breath tickling his lips. His entire body tingled from the anticipation of a kiss that never came.

"Despite what you might think about yourself, I believe you are a good man."

He cupped her jaw with one of his hands. He smiled a melancholic smile.

"You don't understand. I made my choices. I stole. I lied. I cheated. I...I have killed people," he whispered, ashamed to admit those things especially out loud.

"I've done all those things too," she confessed, lowering her eyes from his and releasing his hoodie. She smoother her hands over the wrinkles she had created in the soft fabric. "I'm a terrible person too."

"Then I guess we should just be bad together," he chuckled derisively, running his thumb along her cheek.

"Are you trying to seduce me?" Ruby giggled, pulling her head back when he leaned in a little closer to steal a kiss to avoid his lips.

"Maybe," Weisz murmured, his mouth rising on one side in a mischievous little grin. "Is it working?"

"Maybe," she returned, running her fingers through his incredibly soft fluffy hair. "You are very charming."

"Charming? I've been called a lot of things, but I have never been accused of being charming."

Both of them began to laugh destroying the romance but enjoying the special moment nonetheless.

"I should take you back to your room. You need to get some sleep," he said, standing after she sat up straight.

"Actually, would it be okay if I stayed here? I just want to look a little bit longer. I never knew the universe was so big," she said, looking up. "I never knew there were so many stars and planets... a whole new world and new life to live. Can I stay here and...dream about all of the possibilities?"

When she turned her big brown eyes on him, there was no way he could say no. Reaching over his head, he pulled off his hoodie.

Ruby's eyes took in the sight of his well built arms bared by the black tank top. The biceps writhed under his peachy colored skin as he folded the hoodie neatly into a thick square to act as a pillow.

"Here. At least take this and put it under your head to be a little bit comfortable," he said.

"Thank you, Weisz," she said, placing the pillow on the bench the exact spot where he had been sitting. "What's your last name?"

He blinked at her, a bit startled by the unexpected question. What did it matter?

"Why do you ask?"

"I've never asked any man their last name. It never mattered before. But I want to know. I'd like to learn things about you. Things that matter."

"Steiner. What is your last name?"

"I - " Her face flooded with crimson red color that would have matched her lipstick had she not rid herself of it. She lay down on the bench staring up at the glass ceiling. "I don't have one. I can't remember my real name. The Boss never gave me a last name."

Weisz had no idea what to say to that. Instead of trying to say anything to comfort her because anything he said would probably come out all wrong, he simply said, "Good night."

"Good night," she returned without looking at him.

"Sweet dreams."

When he reached the door, he could hear her singing softly.

"Stars shining bright above you...Night breezes seem to whisper "I love you"."

His stomach clenched with painful intensity upon hearing that special three word phrase even though he knew she was not actually speaking it to him. The three little words everyone wanted to hear. Words she had probably heard spoken to her so many times disingenuously they had totally lost their meaning. The idea of "I love you" spoken as a lie and being totally meaningless made him furious.

Pushing aside his anger, he listened to the next lyrics.

"Birds singing in the sycamore tree...Dream a little dream of me..."

Then he left. Perhaps he should dream a little dream of his own tonight.

Author's Note: *Lyrics taken from the son Dream a Little Dream the Doris Day version. (Dream a Little Dream is a 1931 song with music by Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt and lyrics by Gus Kahn. It was first recorded in February 1931 by Ozzie Nelson and also by Wayne King and His Orchestra, with vocals by Ernie Birchill. A popular standard, it has seen more than 60 other versions recorded. Source: Wikipedia.)