Ello y'all!! I'm specifically writing this for JA Baker and Kitsu-chan!! No one else! Well, I'm only writing it for them because -as of yet- I have no other reviewers... ANYWAY, I hope that you like it JA Baker and Kitsu- chan!! And anyone else who decides to read this as well!!
Hope Lost
"Harper?"

"Yeah Rom-Doll?"

"Could you please tell me why you thought no one cares?"

"Um... no, I can't."

"What If I told you it was an order?"

"I would still say no Rom-Doll; now, let me finish these repairs cause I've got to head off to dinner soon."

"Harper?"

"Yes Rom-Doll?"

"Are you sick?"

"No Babe, only in love."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

"I can't believe this! Me, the master of calm, am nervous as hell!"

"Beka, calm down."

"Calm, I am calm, why wouldn't I be calm?"

"Your pacing the room?"

"I'm a little hyperactive."

"Your worrying about what to where tonight?"

"Okay, your right, I'm not calm."

"Told ya so."

"Alright Trance, you were right, now help me!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

"Harper, your bleeding."

"I don't care right now Rommie; I have to get this done."

"Your health is much more important then these repairs."

"Get this Rommie; I can't go to dinner until these repairs are done, and bodily health is standing in the way of getting them done. So, since dinner in the most important thing right not, I'm not really caring about bleeding. Now, let me work."

"Why is dinner so important?"

"Because its dinner with Beka."

"Your never going to tell me what happened at the El Dorado Drift; are you."

"Not a chance."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

"What about this Beka?"

"Do I look like a chipmunk?"

"Um......... no. How 'bout this?"

"That makes me look fat."

"And how do you know that? I've never seen you where it before."

"Bobby made me give him a lap dance once."

"I see..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

"Harper."

"What now Rom?"

"Go to medical now or I'll lock the Machine Shop doors when your getting ready to leave and get a med bot to help you."

"But either way I would be late to meeting Beka!"

"I don't care."

"Tell you what Rom, you do that, I'll jack into your system and open the doors, and go get ready for dinner anyways, alright?"

"You've really thought this through, haven't you?"

"Ahuh..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

"Come on Beka! Just try this one on! Please?"

"I'm not wearing a dress!"

"Do I HAVE to list off the reasons for you to wear it?"

"Put it this way, I hate dress, and your puppy dog eyes aren't doing anything to help!"

"But it would go great with your neck lace."

"It's a dress Trance! D-R-E-S-S! I HATE dresses!"

"And I'm certain that I heard Harper say that silver goes great with your eyes."

"No, I LOATHE dresse- he said what?"

"That silver goes great with your eyes. And black IS slimming..."

"Fine, I'll wear it..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

"Harper?"

"I'm not going down to medical Rommie."

"Why are my bots cleaning up your quarters?"

"Oh that. I sent them down there."

"Why?"

"Because that's where me and Beka are having dinner."

"I see..."

"Of course you see. You see everything on this ship."

"Harper?"

"Yes?"

"Go to medical."

"Haha; not working."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

"You look great Beka!"

"Glad one of us thinks so."

"Now all you need is a present."

"A present?"

"Yeah! You know, since he gave you that necklace and all..."

"God Trance, I'm gifting him enough by just coming, let alone in a dress!"

"I know, but don't you want to get him something else..?"

"Okay fine. I'll be back in a minute..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

"Very funny Rommie! I thought I told you that I'd just jack into your system!"

"I know, but this will give Beka and Trance a little time."

"Well, what ever your talking about, I don't care. Just as long as Beka's okay and I get outta here."

"Harper!"

"Yes?"

"You disabled my sensors to your quarters as well! Could you tell me why?"

"Because I don't want your prying eyes and ears over looking -and hearing- what ever happens in there. Good day Rom-Doll."

"Harper?"

"What now?"

"Please go to medical?"

"No."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

"Beka!"

"What?"

"Your going to give him that?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Its, its, its..."

"A condom."

"Yes! Why would you give him *that*!?!"

"Take a wild guess."

"Beka!"

"What?"

"Your getting him something else."

"But what if-"

"I'm positive that he has them in his quarters."

"Ah, good thinking..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

"Rommie?"

"Yes Harper."

"Let me in my room."

"No Harper."

"I'm not going to med bay whether you like it or not, so just open the door!"

"Why don't you just jack into my systems?"

"Hahaha, I've already tried that and you know it."

"Just go to the med beck."

"No Rommie."

"I'll shock you again."

"I don't really care Rommie."

"Why won't you just listen to me?"

"Haven't you thought that I might have a first aid kit in there?"

"Maybe, but I don't have my sensors to second that."

"You'll just have to trust me then."

"Alright."

"Thanks Rom-Doll."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

"What about this?"

"He doesn't like plants."

"He likes plants."

"They die when he takes care of them."

"Point taken. What about this?"

"I got that from my dad. It used to belong to my mom."

"Um... how 'bout... this!"

"He thinks that's ugly."

"How do you know that?"

"He's been on the Maru longer then you have."

"Then what do you think you should give him?"

"A condom."

"Okay, back to square one..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

"Harper?"

"Rommie! I'm in the shower!"

"Where's that first Aid kit?"

"I was lying. Now, get out of my shower!"

"Not until you go to the med deck."

"You do know that I can classify this as black mail, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I can tell Dylan that you were in MY shower, watching me, and you get the entire lecture about it."

"You've done your research."

"I know, now get out."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

"Really Beka, I think you should give him something else."

"What, you want me to give him the condom?"

"No, but, you don't have to give him THAT... do you?"

"Its better then nothing."

"Okay... now for make up."

"No make up."

"What?"

"No make up."

"Um... how 'bout some of my perfume?"

"And what's wrong with my perfume?"

"Just trust me on this one."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

"Harper?"

"I'm busy Rommie."

"Just thought you'd want to know that Beka has now left her quarters."

"Oh, thanks... You can go now."

"Do you need any help?"

"Yeah, actually, you can help me."

"Really? How?"

"Saying something to Beka for me."

"What?"

"This...."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

"Hello Beka."

"Rommie! God, you almost gave me a heart attack!"

"I have a message for you."

"Really? From who?"

"Harper. Would you like me to pay it?"

"Um... sure."

"He says that your late, and that your going to have to make it up to him."

"Hmm... A have an idea how... thanks Rommie."

"Oh, and Beka?"

"Yes?"

"Make sure he goes to the Medical Bay after."

"What did he do?"

"He got a little infection. Nothing to worry about."

"To bad, I'm already worried..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

"Harper?"

"What now Rommie?"

"I told Beka that you have to go to the med deck."

"But I'm okay! Really I am!"

"Tell her that."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

Beka walked up close to his door, suddenly getting nervous all over again. Shaking it off, she pressed a button and waited to be let in.

Soon enough the doors opened, only to reveal Harper. He was wearing beige cargo pants that really looked nice on him with a long sleeved midnight blue shirt on as well. Looking at him up and down, she noticed a white cloth wrapped tightly around his left hand.

"Are you okay?" she asked, taking his hand to inspect it.

"I'm fine Beka," he smiled. "And you look gorgeous by the way, not that you've ever looked other wise."

"Flatterer," she playfully punched his arm while she gently massaged his hand.

"I know," he smiled even more, and pulled her carefully into the room. "Come along, dinner awaits."

In the center of the room there was a table set for two. The white table cloth clashed with the blood red rose nicely. On either side of the table, there was a bowl of soup, and a wine glass.

"This is, beautiful Harper," she looked at him in the eye and smiled. "How did you ever do it?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

Looking at her, he almost forgot to answer her question.

"I got some bots to whip up an old recipe from Earth up while I was in the Machine Shop," he said, glancing over her figure once again. "And don't worry, I've never really had it myself. It's supposed to be very delicious."

"I'll trust you Harper, but right after I'm checking out that wound of yours," she added, sitting down.

"Mhm..." he managed to say, taking another look at her; he sat down and reminded himself to breath.

The black dress she was wearing hugged her every curve, yet was loose enough in the 'upper area' that his imagination went wild. The 'upper area' was also *very* low cut with only two straps tying it together at the nape of her neck. Plus, the entire thing radiated a silvery glow.

"God Beka," he murmured, picking up his spoon. "Couldn't have worn something more, 'revealing', could you?"

"Oh great," she got a panicked look, and shot out of her chair. "You don't like it. Damn, I told Trance that it was no use!" She tried for the door, but Harper beat her to it.

"Hey, hey, hey!" he caught her wrist and pulled her near him. "I never said that you didn't look great. And I already said that you look gorgeous -which you do- so why are you acting so nervous?"

"Me? Nervous? You must be mistaken," Beka tried to cover up, slowly edging her way back to the table.

"Hmm... nope, not mistaken," he purred in her ear, not letting her get closer to the table. "You were worrying over what to wear for me."

"Um... yeah?"

"You look great."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

God, she must have died and gone up to heaven. Then she remembered something, and grinned.

"Of course I look great, 'Famous Seamus'." She purred into his ear, fully content in skipping dinner for once.

"Your not going to stop with the 'Famous Seamus stuff, are you?" he dragged her back a bit, heading to the bedroom.

"Not a chance..." she then remembered the gift... "I have something for you, Seamus."

"If it's a condom, thanks," she could have smacked him.

"Nope, Trance wouldn't let me," she giggled at his expression. "Said that you had some."

"Oh hahaha! She knows full well that I don't!" what did he mean by that?

"And how would Trance of all people know of this?" she saw the blush on his face and assumed the worse. "No, don't tell me. The two of you have been secretly seeing each other, and this is some bet, right?"

"No Boss, of course not!"

"Then why are you calling me Boss instead of Beka?"

"Because I'm used to calling you Boss."

"Whatever Harper, I know your lying. I'm outta here."

And she left. The guy she had saved, and been dreaming about for a week, who had JUST asked her to have dinner with him tonight, she left behind. And she'd be damned if she ever believed a word he said again...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

He couldn't believe this was happening, this couldn't be happening! It was going so well! Well, going well for a week... but still!

"Beka wait!" he finally regained the ability to speak and ran after her. "I can explain!"

"Oh, I bet you can," she didn't even turn around. "I know you Harper! You've been hitting on Trance for ages! Why would it make a difference to you?"

"It perfectly well would! Because I don't feel anything for Trance like I do for you!" he saw her slow down, and hoped that she believed him.

"So, that just means that you love Trance, and think I'll like every other friend of your then?" he tried to explain, but she wouldn't let him. "Save it Harper! Like I said, I know you. You're pathetic." With that, she turned around, and walked out of his life...