"Elle?" X said as he came back into their room and walked over to the bed. While he was in the hall with Kay, she had apparently realized that she was still naked because she had hunted down her nightgown and pulled it on again. X remembered what Kay had told him. Women like compliments. "Um, that's a nice nightgown."
Elle stared suspiciously at X for a moment trying to figure out what that alien was up to. He had never complimented her before and then what he had done with Kay.... She dropped back down onto the bed and stared up at him. Something very strange was going on here. "What are you up to, X? Why did you lie to Kay about what happened? You know how much trouble I would be in with Zed if he found out that I attacked you, especially since it was unprovoked. I would think that you would just be jumping at the opportunity to get me in trouble."
"Elle, think about things for a minute. You attacked an alien."
"X, I know I attacked an alien. Those ears are kind of an obvious sign that you're...." Just then Elle realized what X was trying to tell her. The Alien Rights Commission. "You mean...."
"Lyndon was thrilled about the wedding. Can you imagine how he would react if he found out you tried to kill me on the wedding night, even if you did think you had a reason? He would demand you be turned over to them to be tried."
"So you lied to keep me from....." Elle couldn't believe that X had done something like this for her.
"Well, we are unfortunately married for the moment. I wouldn't want to have to visit you in prison and bring you a cake with a file in it. Besides, my mother likes you. If I let you get in trouble over some stupid mistake, she would never forgive me!" X said with a chuckle. "You aren't going to develop any guilty urges to confess, are you? I refuse to put up with my mother yelling at me for the next ten years so you can soothe your conscience!"
"No, I'm not going to confess. Thank you, X," Elle whispered. She didn't know what else to say to him.
"You're.... um, you're welcome," X muttered as he picked up one of the blankets from the bed and started searching for a suitable place on the floor.
"Uh, X, forget about what I said about sleeping on the floor. You can share the bed if you want," Elle said as she climbed under the covers and laid back. "Just stay on your side and don't touch me!"
"Touching a human. Wouldn't dream of it. Who knows what sort of germs I could get," X grumbled as he snatched up his bag and hurried into the bathroom to change for bed. Maybe if he was very lucky, she would fall asleep by the time he was done.