Don and Judy, pushing the plot forward, because no one else was.

A/N: Seriously, this was the 5th version of this chapter. And the 4th perspective I tried. Don is just the answer to every problem in this fic lately... ^^'

Skipped That Class

So, the planet was hurtling towards a black hole, there were earthquakes and killer dinosaurs, and the Resolute was leaving in like a day.

Don was fairly positive that life literally could not get worse. But then there'd been giant bats in the cave with their savior poop! Or tiny pterodactyls… Bactyls?

"This is my least favorite planet, like, in the whole of the known universe," Don announced to no one in particular as he helped Prisha Dhar carry the Robinson matriarch down a cliff side.

"Technically," Prisha huffed, readjusting Maureen to keep her still-broken leg from touching the ground, "This planet isn't in our known universe."

"Ah, yes, that really helps it rise in the rankings," Don snorted. He shook his head, "How about least favorite of the planets I've been to?"

"You've been to Earth and Alpha Centauri right?"

Don nodded, eyes flicking to Prisha as they finally got to solid, and flat, ground. They carefully maneuvered Maureen to the ground.

"Then it's still getting the bronze medal and that's better than it deserves," Prisha told him before clicking on her comm.

There really was no winning with this woman. He was starting to think Victor was so grumpy all the time because he never won any arguments.

"Prisha? Are you alright?"

Speak of the devil! They were in communication range. Finally! Don threw his hands up in a silent cheer.

"Yeah, Maureen's unconscious, but I think the fall just knocked her out," Prisha sighed, eyes fluttering closed and shoulders rolling back when she heard Victor's voice.

It was almost kinda cute. Don would not admit that aloud, because Prisha still had a tranq gun strapped to her hip, but proof that she had a soft spot was weirdly comforting. He shuffled off to the side, taking the opportunity to hydrate.

"We were at the epicenter of a sinkhole. Luckily, Don heard us after the quake so he helped me get Maureen out."

That was the most oversimplified version of the story possible. It might actually count as lying to omit that much detail. She mentioned no bactyles!

"John and Judy are on their way to your location now, we've just arrived at the river," Victor's voice was tight and Don wasn't exactly sure what that meant, but he'd yet to see Victor in a *good* mood.

"We'll hold this position then," Prisha told him, glancing down at Maureen and then around them at the literal rain forest surrounding them. "Tell them to make it quick."

The Robinsons did, in fact, make it quick. And after what Don would describe as the most argumentative conversation he'd ever witnessed, he helped Judy strap her mother into the chariot.

Will was fuming. A promise that they'd search for the Robot after they got all the biomatter harvested had not gone over well. Don was personally still stuck on why they were calling it 'harvesting.' Did none of these people realize how creepy that sounded?

No. The answer was no. No one cared when he pointed it out either.

"We have a way off the planet and a way to search for your Robot," Don looked from Judy to Will with brows furrowed, "And you can't crack a single smile."

Will huffed and turned in his seat. Judy just secured Maureen in the chariot. Mama Robinson was still out of it, but a initial scan by Judy had revealed no signs of internal injuries. (The Robinson really are just that lucky.)

"You're literally about to escape poop duty…" Don gestured out, eyes narrowed.

Judy snorted. Her head shook.

"Ah!" Don grinned, "There we go. Laughing at my pain is progress at least."

"I am not laughing at your pain," Judy rolled her eyes as she dropped down from the chariot.

Don hummed, "I think you were."

"I didn't *laugh* at all," Judy pointed out to him, finger rising threateningly in the air, "And I have important test results to get back. Not just mom's. I am not having fun at all."

"Ah." Don nodded, emphasizing the movement of his head as he pursed his lips, "So because your sister is infected with creepy water, you're not allowed to appreciate the many, many lucky breaks we've all gotten in the last day."

Her jaw clenched. Judy was glaring at him. Don backed away, hands in the air. She grabbed his arm, "How do you know about Penny?"

"I'm living with the Watanabes remember?" He aimed a thumb over his shoulder. Not that there were any Watanabes in that direction, but the intent was clear. "They may speak Japanese more often than not, but I am not an idiot."

The eyebrow raise was just insulting.

"Rude. I'm leaving now," Don held a hand to his chest and tried to leave again. She grabbed his arm. Again. "Ye~s?" He sang, eyebrow lifting to mimic her previous expression.

Judy glanced down at her feet, took a breath. Don waited. When she looked back up at him, her brow was furrowed, "What do you think? About the weird… connection thing."

"The heartbeats?" Don shrugged, "No idea." Judy rolled her eyes and shoved him lightly. "Okay, so maybe it's a little weird, but… come on, they're teenagers. Even more baby than you are."

The next shove was not so light.

With a chuckle, Don teased, "That all you got Robinson?" The glare was intensifying into a full lemon-like expression. "It's a connection, sure, but even if it is like a mating bond, not all of those are sexual. Or romantic for that matter."

"Really?" Judy's eyes fluttered and then her nose scrunched up, "But… I thought mating was… I mean, it requires physical intimacy doesn't it?"

"It requires some up close and personal contact," Don shrugged, mouth twisting into a frown.

"But not sex?" Judy's eyes dropped to the ground again, flicking back and forth like she was calculating some exceptionally difficult math problem.

Don shoved at her shoulder and she looked up, "Don't they teach this in medical school?" She flushed, pressing her lips together tightly.

"I tested out of that class."

Oh… She *avoided* that class.

"So… there's such a thing as romantic, non-sexual mating bonds?" Judy asked, eyebrows knit together. Don smirked

"Yup." She breathed out a very long sigh. "Platonic ones too. Just, fyi." Her eyes narrowed, locking on his.

There was a head tilt. And then her lips parted, a question tumbling out.

"I have to go scoop poop now." Don ducked his head and fled. Not that he'd admit that. Nope. He just wanted to report to Victor as quickly as possible.

Never hurts to get on the boss man's good side right? Especially when he already dislikes you…

-.-.-

Judy hadn't exactly been *expecting* some sort of chaotic sex scene when they got back to the Jupiter 2. Though she had badgered Will into revealing what had prompted Victor's reluctance to leave Vijay and Penny alone.

It was nice to know she wasn't the only one concerned about how close they were getting so fast.

But, suffice it to say, Judy had not expected to walk in to the Jupiter to hear them arguing.

"How can you not want to read Frankenstein?" "It's like two centuries old!" "It's like the best novel to ever be written!" "Seriously? The monster with the bolts is the best novel ever?"

Judy was a little shocked that Penny wasn't strangling him after that last comment. She entered the room to see them sitting on the floor, shoulders pressed together.

Penny was staring at Vijay, head tilted forward, mouth gaping wide. Vijay had his head tilted back, lips twisted into a smirk as he looked at Penny.

"The creature doesn't have bolts in the book," Judy cut in, clearing her throat as they both looked at her. She nodded back towards the airlock, "I need some help if you two are done…"

Penny jumped to her feet, pushing Vijay down as she used his shoulder for leverage, "You are so reading Frankenstein before I lend you The Martian."

Vijay scrambled to his feet after her. Eyes bright and smile soft as he nodded, "Deal." Judy narrowed her eyes on him as he followed Penny outside.

They'd radioed ahead. It was quick work getting Maureen into the med bay. Even quicker to scan her properly and find out for sure she had no major injuries. Bumps, bruises, a few scraps. Possibly a concussion, at most.

"She hasn't really slept since we crashed," Judy huffed, arms crossing as she set her tablet down. The results from the test Aiko was running on her samples weren't in her inbox either.

She hated not having answers.

"It figures that it takes knocking her out to make mom rest for longer than a minute," Penny puckered her lips and clicked her tongue against teeth. Judy aimed a withering look at her and earned a snarky grin in return.

Her tablet beeped with a message from Aiko. The results of a bacterial analysis popped up on her screen. Judy closed the med bay door, completely ignoring the offended squawk the action elicited from Penny, and started reading.

She *will* have an answer before they're back on the Resolute. Whether Penny likes it or not!

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