Aeryn awoke not sure where she was or how she had gotten there. The last thing she remembered was telling Chiana to get to the pod and wait ½ an arn for her and seeing the Nebari race off, then turning to see the group of Charrids and Scarrens following them. She saw herself take out a few of the Charrids, then there was just pain and darkness. Still weak, she passed out again.She awoke again unsure of how much time had passed. She still didn't know where she was, but felt strong enough to search and try to find out. She could tell that wherever she was, it was beautiful. Trees, streams and mountains--just as she had imagined the Sebacean home world to be.

She could see two males off in the distance. With her hand hovering cautiously over the pulse pistol still strapped to her thigh, Aeryn approached them. As they turned with her approach, she could see it was a old man and one much younger, although still of a mature age. She instantly recognised him, and although she didn't know the face of the other, older male, she strangely still knew exactly who he was.

"Is this a dream?" she asked

"Not exactly" the younger male answered

Then it became clear to Aeryn where she was.About 6 monens later

Chiana walked into command visibly tired. D'Argo was there, keeping an eye on the scans. They had just gotten away from the latest attempt by Grayza to get Crichton. The Luxan temporarily turned his gaze away from the monitor to face the young Nebari. "Chiana, how is John today?" he asked.

"He's no better. He barely moves, has hardly eaten for the last half cycle. Being on this ship is killing him, D'Argo." Chiana yawned and slumped onto a chair and continued. "He needs to get off Moya. He is useless to both us and himself in this condition."

D'Argo sighed and sat next to Chiana "Chi, I know. I can see what being here is doing to John, but we cannot stop Grayza, Akhna, Staleek, Scorpius. They're all still out there, and they're all still after us"

Chiana wearily looked up at D'Argo. "D'Argo, we have got to find some way of helping him, of getting those frellniks off his back for a little while."

Pilots voice crackled over the coms. "Captain D'Argo, Moya and I both agree with Chiana. We need to help Commander Crichton. He has helped all of us on countless occasions and asked for nothing in return...."

Chiana finished Pilot's thought for him. "...except for us to return the favour when someone else needed it, but what can we do?"

Having waited for Chiana to finish, Pilot continued his previous thought. "I believe that I could be of assistance. We are close to a small group of planets. Favorable atmospheric conditions mean that Crichton could stay on one of the planets undetected, while Moya could continue to evade the Peacekeepers and Scarrens. I understand that it is not a permanent solution, but it will at least allow Commander Crichton time to heal."

Several arns later

Moya entered the orbit of the centre planet in the system. It was by far the most hospitable planet of the three in the system. With Crichton still a dishevelled, incoherent shell of his former self, Chiana was feeling guilty that she had made it back instead of Aeryn. She was thinking that she was somehow responsible for Aeryn's death, and that she may have been able to have done something back on the commerce planet that would've saved Aeryn's life, so as a way to try to make it up to him, agreed to accompany John for the duration of his recovery away from Moya. D'Argo and Rygel would stay on Moya and (hopefully) lead any pursuers away from the planet.

On the planet, Chiana supported John as they entered a structure that John would have described as a shack. It wasn't much, but they didn't want to draw attention to themselves and this abandoned and isolated dwelling allowed both Crichton and Chiana time to rest without fear of being found, at least not immediately. Everyone knew it could be a while before they were reunited. Chiana had been given a secure one-way long range com. She was only to use it once Crichton had recovered, and unless there was an emergency, Moya would not return until the transmission was received. In their lives they had learnt that it would be to dangerous for them to return and lead whomever the frell was chasing them this time to an unprepared and undefended Crichton.

As D'Argo headed back to Moya in the transport pod, Chiana looked up until it was out of sight. Then her attention went straight to Crichton, still sleeping following the tranquilizer given to him to get him off the ship. Everyone knew he had to get off, and Chiana was sure that in the back of his mind, Crichton, too, knew he needed a break. Being on Moya wasn't doing him any good. The memories just hurt too much. Over time he would forgive them for doing this, she was sure.

8 or 10 arns later

Crichton started to stir. He looked around and saw that nothing seemed familiar. Was he dreaming? Was he dead? "H-Hello?" John murmured cautiously into the dimness. He wouldn't deny that he was startled by not only with getting a response, but also by the voice that carried it. "Hey Old Man, finally up?" whispered Chiana.

Regaining at least some his bearings, John continued the conversation, being careful not to raise his voice too loudly, in case the reason for Chiana's whispered response was that wherever they were was being monitored "Pip, where are we?"

Chiana, not wanting to burden Crichton with too much information or too many problems, answered simply, "Safe." Internally she continued "for now."

6 monens later

John had been making slow progress. It had taken a while, but he was finally moving around, eating regular meals and was not talking to himself...as much.

Chiana and John walked together to a clearing by the lake. They both enjoyed it there, being able to just sit and think about how their lives had brought them to this point; all the dren, suffering, death, destruction and on the rare good days, the happiness and amazing sights they had seen due to their actions.

Chiana's thoughts of her brother were suddenly interrupted by a different male's voice. It was solemn, quite nearly inaudible. "Pip, when does the pain stop? When do the nightmares go away? How do I continue living when Aeryn....she....my centre is dead?" It had shocked her at first that he hadn't wanted to talk about Aeryn, despite her subtle hints, knowing that he would need to talk before the true healing could begin. After gathering her thoughts she turned to him, seeing the sadness in his eyes. 'At least they are not as distant anymore'. "As you once told me, it doesn't, but we have to find a way to continue and fight go on living. She would've wanted that--you cannot fail her memory now. Look at me and Nerri- I was sure he was dead and was ready to join him, but I didn't. You stopped me, and now I know he is still alive. You must continue to have hope"

John chuckled for the first time in a long while. "Chi, when did our roles become reversed?"

Chiana, putting her hands on his cheeks, looked in his eyes and smiled. "Remember another thing you said to me? When someone else needs it, pass it on."

They continued to talk, both of them losing track of time. Before they realised it, it was dark and time to head back. Once they got back inside, John sat next to Chiana on the carved bench they had converted into a sofa "Thanks, Pip. I needed that. You know, it's been a long time since I've been the one doing the talking. The last time I did that-needed to do that-was before I'd even met any of you. It was back in 1985. My life was a mess; I was arguing with my Dad on anything from world politics to whose turn it was to feed the cat. My relationship with my mother and sisters wasn't much better either. Then one day I met this amazing girl..." He paused, remembering. Storming out of the house after yet another fight with his father. Going for a drive. Then stopping, seeing her crouched on the sidewalk. Asking her if she needed a lift, then seeing her crawl over the front of Betty, and climb in through the open window. "Her name was Karen Shaw. She actually listened-just sat there letting me talk about all the crap that was going on in my life at the time with my father. I had always wanted to get into the space program but could never see a way, and she told me that I would do it. My father may have gotten me the connections I needed to get in, but Karen gave me the belief I needed. It was more than just a physical connection with her." A weak smile appeared on his lips, and was quickly gone as he continued, but Chiana was still able to catch it. "Then almost as soon as she came, she was gone again. I searched for her for weeks-- nearly convinced DK to take a cross-country road trip looking up every Shaw in the country hoping to find a lead. He was finally able to convince me not to go, but I never stopped thinking about her. I had relationships after that; Alex, Caroline, others, but nothing compared until I got out here and met Aeryn. At first I thought I was blessed; finally a second chance to find my other half. Most people only have one. Both were different, and looking back, Aeryn was always THE one, but I only found her after the universe was opened up to me. Karen was always very special to me, and had I not been spat out here that cross-country trip would still have happened."

As they both went to bed to sleep, Chiana found she couldn't. Her mind was racing. Endless thoughts—'Do I tell him? Will it do more harm than good? Will he want to know? Is it too soon? Or too late to let him know?'