Title: Effervescent Essence
Author: Harper's aka Weird_Peace
Rating: PG-13
Synopsis: Sequel to And You Thought Larvae Were Bad. I highly suggest you read the first fiction.
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em, but I love 'em anyways.
Spoilers: Season Two spoilers.

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Harper yawned as he woke up, smiling and pressing his lips to the bare shoulder in front of him, working across the blade and up into the crook of the neck. He gently nuzzled the soft skin, smiling as he was rewarded when the warm body moved closer with a small sigh.

"Morning," Harper whispered, nibbling the edge of her ear.

"Morning." She turned over and gently pressed her lips to his. The kiss deepened until they broke apart for air.

"So how's my golden goddess?" Harper asked grinning, his lips ghosting across her pale cheek. Trance closed her eyes and allowed herself to become lost in the feeling of them so close, his heart beating against her still chest.

"Trance?"

"Sorry," she apologized, opening her eyes to stare into sapphire ones. "Just feeling."

Harper smiled and pushed a strand of hair out of her face.

"Don't ever be sorry," he said softly, pressing their foreheads together. "It's time to get up."

"What?" she mumbled, inhaling his scent.

"You need to wake up Trance."

Trance bolted upright in bed, breathing hard and sweating. Calming herself down, she slid out of bed and padded towards the fresher. Despite the fact that Harper had left, Trance found she had become accustomed to his quarters and slept easier there now.

"What the hell was that?" she asked out loud to no one in particular after finishing her water. She had been teaching her son a lesson one minute, and the very next...

Shaking her head, Trance walked over to the couch and sat down, putting in an old holo. Sleep was not going to happen tonight, not after that dream. Her species never thought of dreams as a joke. The lessons of the subconscious were never to be taken lightly. She stared at the moving pictures, trying to reason out what exactly had caused the dream.

It's represents something, she mused. What could Harper and her kissing in a bed symbolize? The absolute basic choice was to say Trance was, as most humans crudely put it, horny. But then why Harper? Well of course there was the obvious fact he was her friend, a good companion, the father of their child. All were excellent excuses...

Reasons! she chided herself. They were reasons. Damn that Loki, Trance mentally growled. Putting thoughts in her head...

"That's it!" Trance yelled out. "Lonely, the dream represents my need for comfort." From the abandonment of my family, she thought sourly. At least she was bright enough to solve this riddle. That should teach them something.

But why don't I feel easier, Trance wondered, continuing to ponder. So deep in thought was the alien, she failed to notice the mental laugh of an unborn child.

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"I must be improving!" Coco beamed as Harper polished off what was left on his plate. Truth be told, she was still horrible, but old habits die hard, and Harper couldn't stand to ever let something slightly edible go to waste.

"With some more practice you could catch a career as a chef," Harper replied after swallowing. Coco's smile spread as she cleared off the table. As soon as she was gone, he downed his glass of wine, sighing as the taste lingered in his mouth.

"Whoa!" Harper yelped, jumping up as a hand snaked down his chest. He spun around and calmed upon seeing Coco's smirking face. She approached a little more slowly this time, pressing them close.

"Seems you have some energy," she whispered before pressing their lips together. "How's about we find a way to relax you?"

"Relaxing is good," he said, and Coco began to slide a hand under his shirt. He grabbed the wrist gently. "But don't you think we should talk first or something?" Harper went on quickly. "When was the last time we really got to catch up?"

"Over dinner silly," Coco laughed before pulling him over to the couch and lying across the young man's lap. "We talked for hours while I was preparing too. And we keep in contact with letters. Honestly, it's not like talking is hard for you," she teased before kissing him again.

Harper allowed her entry, returning the gesture of affection with force. Coco tasted sweet like chocolate, her signature trait. On Earth, Harper had been the only one to call her Coco, their other friends not knowing why exactly. She had liked it and kept it. Harper briefly wondered what new nicknames he could come up with for Trance if the same situation occurred...

"Harper?!" He started, and looked up at a very amused Coco. "You've been kissing air for the past minute. Distracted much?"

"Sorry..." She leaned back in.

"But you know what they say," Harper started again, "no sex thirty minutes after you eat? I me-AN!" The last part of Harper's sentence went high when Coco stuck her tongue in his ear. "Oh wow, you're really good at that," he said melting.

"You talk too much," she said before tending to the slowly relenting man underneath her.

"Isn't that part of my charm," Harper gasped out before lifting her shirt to send gentle kisses across her stomach. Stomach? Something suddenly snapped, because Harper very suddenly pushed Coco off his lap.

"What the hell was that about?!" she yelled, getting up off the floor.

"I'm sorry!" Harper rested his head in his hands. "I am so sorry..."

"Seamus, what's wrong?" The irritated look disappeared and Coco regarded Harper sympathetically. She slowly placed a hand on his shoulder.

"This isn't going to work out." He stood up and grabbed his jacket, heading for the door.

"Seamus, talk to me!" Coco yelled, making him stop. "It's someone else isn't it? Dammit, we agreed not to do anything if there was someone serious!"

"I'm not sure what's going on," Harper whispered. "It's...it's too confusing right now. I'm sorry for getting you all fancied up and everything, Ivela."

She sighed as he used her real name. He never called her that. They weren't serious enough. Life was a game when it came down to just them; sex was simply a roll of the dice like work or eating. How was it Harper was growing up before her?

"Look, whatever is spinning around in that confused brain of yours right now, it's too complicated for me. You better just go," Coco said, giving him an easy way out. Harper nodded thankfully and slipped out the door.

"And if you ever do that again, I'll beat your ass!" she called after, a little break in her voice before going to polish off the wine bottle.