A/N: Okay, apologies for the delay between posts. Due to numerous reasons like exams (blah) and having to practically re-write this entire chapter (first draft was complete pooh!) and also the need to eat and sleep has got in the way a bit.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank those who reviewed Chapter 6. Thank you smegginitlarge, reddwarfaddict, boogle, the anonymous reviewer (who I actually know and will be getting some harsh words when I see him next!), Feline Ranger, Giver-of-Hope and Jumana. Thanks so much!

Sunrise
xxxx

"I mean," barked Rimmer; pacing the cell agitatedly "Who does he think he's kidding?" He put on a whiney scouse accent "It was reely, reely bad man! An' it reely, reely hert!" He shook his head in disgust. "Pathetic…" he waited for the Cat and Kryten to shout their agreements, but there came no reply. He looked up and saw that no one was paying a blind bit of notice.

"Erm hello?" he said, waving his arms about "Can we pay attention to me for a bit?"

"Why would I do that?" sneered the Cat "I just ate!"

"Oh hilarious" mocked Rimmer "It's a shame we're not on earth otherwise you could have gone on stage with an act like that!" he crossed his arms, childishly and turned to Kryten in the hopes of support. "You get what I'm going on about, don't you Kryten?"

The mechanoid shook his head "I hardly ever do, sir. You're perhaps the most complexly complicated, un-understandable person I've ever met in my life."

Rimmer closed his eyes and groaned "What could I have possible done in my previous lives to deserve this?" he dragged his hands down his face before groaning once again, "Am I seriously the only person who thinks this whole 'Lister getting tortured' thing is complete and utter smeg?"

"You wanna know what I think?" said the Cat, whilst he preened himself in front of the mirror.

"No" replied Rimmer sullenly "but you'll say it anyway whether we want to hear it or not…"

"I think-" said the Cat, turning this way and that before frowning "I've used the wrong type of material to make these trousers…look what they've done to my beautiful ass…it looks like 2 cabbages wrapped in cling film!"

"Can we please move this conversation away from your ass please?" snapped Rimmer,

"And why would we wanna do that" replied the Cat, his disastrous trousers momentarily forgotten "There's so many topics: how divinely gorgeous it is, how lucky I am to have such a fine ass, how woman love my ass!"

"Well what's not for them to love" smiled Rimmer falsely "They can engage in a better conversation with it then they could with your head!"

"Sirs, I think we're getting off topic here," said Kryten quickly as he saw the Cat bear his fangs and prepare to pounce. "Mr Rimmer, why on earth would you believe that Lister is not being tortured?"

Rimmer narrowed his eyes at the mechanoid's stupidness "Yesterday I asked him what his torturer actually does…apparently she bends him into strange positions, digs her nails in, handcuffs him and is just generally rough with him…and whips him! Does that's sounds remotely like torture to you? To me, it sounds like the description on the back of a cheap porno movie!"

"Sir" said Kryten, struggling to keep the temper out of his voice units "Are you implying that Mr Lister is having sex with his female torturer?"

"No" snarled Rimmer, "I am not implying, I'm saying straight out! He's having it off with her, and all that 'oh me, I'm in so much pain' it's all been an act"

Kryten shook his head, refusing to accept the holograms words,

Rimmer narrowed his eyes and persisted "Don't you think it's just a little bit funny none of us have been carted off for torturing? It's only ever Lister…"

"Please Mr Rimmer, sir" began Kryten but he was interrupted by Cat,

"Hold your horses 'H' head," he said, staring Rimmer straight in the eye "Are you saying Lister is getting intimate with a woman…. instead of being tortured!"

"YES!" cried Rimmer exasperatedly,

"By that sexy silver haired G.E.L.F with the A star assets?"

"YES!"

The Cat sidled up to the bars and caught the attention of the G.E.L.F guard "I'd like to book myself into a torture session please!" he grinned.

Toni allowed herself a sigh as she buttoned up her shirt, whilst Lister was still lay on the floor behind her.

He noted how unusually quiet she was. Normally after they'd finished, they'd lie in each other's arm, kissing and giggling and if either of them had the energy, gearing up for a repeat performance.

But tonight, almost instantly after 'it' had finished, she'd leapt up and began to get dressed.

"Did I do something wrong?" he blurted out, making her jump.

"No, no" she reassured, "it was lovely…its just…Oh never mind!"

"What?" asked Lister, a cold chill running through him at the thought of not pleasing a woman sexually, "If I didn't…ya know…do it for you…I wanna know…then I can go and top myself because-"

"I think the other G.E.L.F's are getting suspicious," said Toni,

'Good' sighed Lister; inside his head 'It's not me!'

"We may have to stop seeing each other," she said,

"What!" he said, almost laughing at how ludicrous it sounded.

"The other G.E.L.F's" said Toni, sitting next to him and taking his hand "They're getting suspicious…they've asked if they can perform the torture sometime…Geoffrey has shown an amazing interest in beating the crap out of you!"

Lister winced inwardly "and who's Geoffrey?"

"The tall one who gave you the 'welcome aboard speech'…he's a bit of a headcase actually!"

Lister bit the inside of his cheek "Now when you say torture…d'you mean our kind of 'torture'…or" he said dropping his voice "torture torture!"

"Torture torture" replied Toni solemnly

Lister nodded, "I was hoping so!" he shuddered "Because if it was the other torture you'd have to explain I'm not that way inclined!"

Toni's eyes began to sting as she blinked back the tears. She wasn't the crying type but suddenly being strong didn't matter any more. "It's so unfair" she whispered, "I don't think I could handle not being with you…"

Lister pulled her onto his chest and held her close "don't worry" he reassured, "I think I've got an idea…"

Toni looked up at him, her face torn between portraying confusion and hope "an idea?" she sniffed,

"I think I've got a way you and me can be together…far away from here!"

She smiled and kissed him on the cheek, "tell me!" she ordered, tracing her hands across his bare chest and stomach.

The problem was Lister couldn't tell her at that precise moment in time, as they both got a little distracted!

"Are you sure it'll work?" she asked, getting dressed for the third time that day.

"Course" said Lister, pulling on his jacket "what could possible go wrong?"

Toni smiled before pushing him out the door "Same time tomorrow!" she snapped at the two G.E.L.F's who guarded the torture room door.

Lister turned his head and winked before he dragged away. His own words echoed round his head 'what could possible go wrong?'.

As he was soon to find out…anything…and everything!