Hello everybody. A new chapter for you. The part in italics is a dream sequence.

Ronan has nightmares and Kathy and Jessy are looking for him. And Kathy wants to help someone else, too. I wish all of you a lot of fun with this new chapter.

Nightmare

The ground was shaken by the hits of the bombs, the Galran ships dropped on the colony. But it was a strange fire, which swallowed, buildings, vehicles and people. It burned hotter, with more rage, uncontrollable. It seems, that the purple flames were hunting their victims through the streets. The smell of burning plants, plastic and flesh filled his nose. The outer defense line was broken, the shield had collapsed under this new kind of bombs. The defense batteries were scrapped and molten down. The colony has fallen, but the rage within the Galran attacks only increased. They had resisted longer, than these aliens had assumed. Now they had to pay the price. He ran through the streets, haunted by the flames and the terror. Any order was broken, Any resistance crushed, but the bombs felt on. The hot firestorm was howling and screaming, demanding more lives with this horrible noise. And these remaining lives tried desperately to escape this inferno. And he was one of them. He heard little babies crying. He heard someone screaming his name. He would never forget this voice. The panic grew in him

"Ronan!"

He was up instantly, taking attack position. But Jessy was simply cradling Tjaàl, who was crying. But his cries went better. Kathy was with tired eyes at her side as well. Grief and compassion was in Jessie's look, while Ronan left his position and walked over to her to take the baby. She handed him Tjaàl and closed her arms around him to hug him. She knew, that he have had an nightmare again. He must have screamed during sleep. Freyda was able to prevent him, from doing that, but she hasn't returned yet. So his screams must have woken up the others. Kathy was also hugging his leg. The three simply stood there for a while until Tjaàl stopped crying. He looked thankful at Jessy and was about to say something, but she just shook her head with a warm smile.

"No need to be sorry."

He pressed her head thankfully at his chest.

"Can I look Acxa?"

Both watched Kathy with surprise. The child was pulling at his trousers. The tired child recognized the questioning looks from Ronan and Jessy.

"She got outchy, too. So she got bad dreams too."

Ronan's face went dark. He stated to stare a hole in the wall, so Jessy got down on her knees.

"Kathy, why do you want to see her?"

The kids eyes got wet. She blushed and started to turn her right foot nervously on spot. Jessy bit her lip. She had recognized Kathys first meeting with Acxa in the lion. And she had seen it as well. She had seen, how Kathy had watched her. And it seemed, that Ronan had also recognized it. She placed a soft kiss on Kathy's forehead.

"You really seem to like her."

Kathy nodded at her with a shy smile.

"Yes. She knows melody, too."

Jessy's eyes got teary. She gently stroke over the head of the kid. Ronan had closed his eye. He was breathing heavily. The big girls shared helpless looks between Kathy and Ronan. She had recognized how he had reacted at Acxa. And she had a suggestion for the reasons. And she also feared the bunch of problems, this unexpected meeting has started to pile up.

"Please. Help stopping bad dreams."

There it was again. The kind of argument, he couldn't resist. She definitely got talent in pushing the right buttons. Jessy could see him melting. She was melting as well, but she knew, that he had to struggle harder.

"Go back to bed, I'll take Kathy to her."

So she bowed down to Kathy, who was beaming at her.

"Wait at the door for me, okay?"

Kathy hugged her tight and faced Ronan. He sighed and bowed down, to give her a kiss on her forehead. She smiled at him ad ran out of the room.

"You have seen her smile."

Jessy nodded at Ronan's question. She knew, what he was up to. The last time, she had seen her smiling this way, was before she had lost her mother. She didn't know, if she should be happy or mad about this fact. This were her family. Like all the others, she was thrown in this family in the most horrible way, but it was such a loving and caring one. She wasn't even sure, if Acxa knew, what she had done to her. What feelings she had woke up in this child. Kathy had somehow closed this Galra in her heart as well, like she had done with Freyda, Ronan and the others. And herself. But this only made things complicated. Jessy gave Ronan a worried look. The nastiest scars are always invisible for regular eyes. She would warn her. This person seemed to have hurt Ronan badly. If she would hurt Kathy, then she should better sleep always with open eyes for the rest of her life.

She was about to left the room, when Ronan's voice made her stop.

"If she wants to stay and you think, it's save..." He took a deep breath. "...Let her do so."

She nodded at him, but her stomach was cramping. He put her needs before his own. Like he always did. For all of them. She had no clue, what gave him the strength to do this. Due to everything, she knew about his past, she had a slight vision, how much this decision must gnaw on his soul. She was sure, that all this was about to torn him in pieces, sooner or later. He must have recognized her worried look.

"You look at me like Freyda before."

She faced his look.

"It would worry me more, if she hasn't."

A warm smile rushed over his lips.

"Yes, me too."

There it was. His smiles. He has smiled not enough for a long time. She nodded at him.

"Rest, Ronan. For one night at least let Freyda and me take care of us."

His breathing got easier. He kissed Tjaàl and placed him carefully back in the cradle. Then he turned back to Jessy with a teary smile.

"But you shouldn't need to worry about these things."

She smiled back with tears in her eyes.

"Neither should you, Ronan. This all isn't fair, but all we can do is to deal with it."

A laughter escaped his mouth. The kind of laughter, she couldn't resist to join in. The joyful sound warmed Jessy's heart. She wished, they had more occasions to laugh like this.

"And now you sound like Freyda."

She smirked back to him.

"Good, then I know, I have made myself clear."

He smiled thankfully at her.

"Goodnight Ronan."

He was asleep, before Jessy had reached Kathy to left the quarter.