AN: Well I know it's been awhile but I have been working on this story. This next chapter is a bit of a filler one. It's wrapping some stuff up for Part 2 of the story to begin. But basically doesn't really move the story along any but the chapter after this will fast forward several weeks.

Chapter 16

Amber heard the bedroom door close as Jay came in. She had been laying in the dark waiting for him for what seemed like over an hour. He quietly slipped away while she was putting Bray to bed. Jay made a slight rustle as he undressed and got into bed.

"Jay" Amber called into the darkness.

"Yeah" Jay responded with a ragged breath.

"Are you ok?" Amber asked now concerned.

"Fine. Just tired." No I'm terrified that I'm going to loose you here. "Are you ok?"

"Yes" said Amber as she rolled back over. No I'm not ok Jay. I'm afraid you're hiding something from me.

"Hey wait up!" called Ram to the Linuan who had brought the Mallrats their daily supplies. "Do you think you could find me some of this stuff?" Ram asked while handing over his list of electronic equipment.

"Yeah, I'll see what I can do", Said the young man glancing over the list.

"Excellent!" Exclaimed Ram.

"Lex" Ebony seductively called out from the doorway of Lex and Ram's bedroom.

"What do you want?"

"Lex you silly boy." she chastised him. She crossed the room and climbed on the bed straddling Lex's hips. "I'm bored again." Lex swiftly flipped their positions and straddled her.

"See here. I'm not looking to be your toy." Said Lex with a threatening edge to his voice.

"And I'm not looking to be yours" replied Ebony reaching up to cup Lex's face in her hands.

"Well now that's cleared up…" Lex let Ebony draw his lips to hers.

Ruby wandered into the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea. Ram sat at a table staring at his hands. He looked up the see Ruby in the kitchen.

"You can't sleep either?" inquired Ram.

"I had a bad dream." she replied crossly. "It's nice to know you care all of a sudden." She said unkindly.

"Ruby I think I have more than shown that I care."

"Have you Ram? Is that what you think? Every time we are in the same room you try so hard to pretend I'm not there."

Ruby took a seat next to Ram at the table. Ruby aggressively leaned across the table. "So excuse me if I think you don't care."

"Ruby I do care." He said as he grabbed her hand and held it gently in his. Ruby roughly pulled her hand away from his.

"You're just as bad as Slade you know that? Why am I such a fool?"

"Ruby you're not a fool. And you're wrong about me being as bad as Slade. Ruby I'm worse. I'm the worse kind of bad news. And unlike Slade I know you're too good for me." Ram said as he knelt beside Ruby. Ruby was staring intently at her cup of tea.

"That may be true", she said as she looked down into Rams eyes. The anger on her face started to melt away to a look resignation. "But its you I want." She dipped her head to bring her face closer to his. Ram hesitated at first in reciprocating her kiss. But soon relinquished himself to her. Finally breaking the kiss Ram peered into Ruby's eyes contemplating.

"You should try and get some sleep now." He said as he brushed a strand of hair out of her face.

"I don't know if I can. I've been having the worse nightmares. Could you keep me company?" Ruby stood up from her chair and offered a hand to Ram who was still kneeling on the ground.

"Just till you fall asleep." He offered with a lopsided grin.

Bray sat stiffly in his chair as an attendant brushed his hair. It was shoulder length and tended to have a mind of it's own. He didn't mind letting it have it's own way but others insisted that it be tamed for when he made appearances.

"Ow." he said lamely as the brush caught a tangle.

"Sorry" replied the attendant feebly as she placed the brush down on the table. She hurried over to the wardrobe and pulled out one of his robes. He hated to wear it. It was so long and he tended to stumble over it. The attendant stood in front of him. "Stand" She requested. And he did. "Arms out" he once again complied wordlessly. She slipped the robe on him and did up the fastenings in the front.

"Are we done yet?" he asked.

"No not quite yet Bray sir."

"Well hurry up then," he grumbled. She stood on her tippy toes and attempted to apply his makeup. He wasn't going to kneel to make it any easier for her.

Bray stood in the doorway for a moment bracing himself for what was on the other side. He could already picture them sitting around the conference table. The whole thing bored him so. A hush fell upon the room as he entered. Everyone rose from the table, their gold and crimson cloaks skimming the floor. The all bowed their heads to him.

"Lord Bray" They all murmured reverently. He quickly acknowledged them as he took his place at the table between Luke and Lourdes. They talked for what seemed like hours. He didn't hear a single word though. He just zoned off into space, a tool for escape he once used to adapt to life in a Techno camp he now used to cope with Linua. The difference was that in the camps he was only trying to escape his tormentors but here he was trying to escape himself. The poor excuse of man he had become. He was completely apathetic to life. Rarely did he form any thoughts of his own or do anything of his own free will. He just bended to the constant will of others. Never quite sure where he was headed and or where he was coming from.

"Bray" he heard a voice calling faintly. It sounded like his angel Amber until he realized it was the drippy drawl of Lourdes.

"Hmm?" he murmured absentmindedly. Everyone at the table was watching him intently. They all seemed slightly embarrassed.

"Do we have your blessing for this plan to quell the small uprising in the northern coastal areas?"

"Of course. Proceed." Bray sighed as he sat up properly.

Ruby let out a content sigh. She tightened her arm around Ram's stomach as she buried her face into his bare chest. Ram opened his eyes when he felt her stir. Ram slipped his hand through her hair.

"Good morning" murmured Ruby as she kissed Ram's shoulder. When his eyes locked with her his heart did a somersault. He quickly broke their gaze. He felt sick.

"I'm going to see if they've brought any of those muffins you like."

He reached for his pants as he slipped out of bed. He padded barefoot into the kitchen. He could smell the fresh bake muffins from their basket on the counter. On the floor sat a cardboard box with a note addressed to "lord Ram"

He chuckled "Someone around here has got a sense of humor."

Ram opened of the note.

To Our Visitor Ram:

I am most sorry to inform you that at this time we don't have any of the supplies you requested. Please accept these graphing calculators instead.

Sincerely,

Robo

Head of Linuan Tech and Utilities

Ram growled and angrily kicked the box causing the calculators to spills across the floor. He continued to glower as he retreated back to Ruby's room with muffins in hand.