Hello everybody. Acxa brings Kathy back to her quarter and prepares herslef to talk out the reasons for the Call with Ronan. I wish all of you a lot of fun with this chapter.

Opening

It was one of the best wake-ups, Acxa ever had. She had opened her eyes over half an hour ago, but she simply haven't set a foot out of the bed.

She was observing.

Observing Veronica and Kathy.

Acxa instantly had decided, that she could do this forever. Her girlfriend was laying on her back and the little child had snuggled herself close to her during their sleep. Kathy's head was resting on Veronicas shoulder, one arm wrapped around her chest. Also one leg of the child was placed on Veronica, who also was holding the child tight in sleep. Her cheek was leaning against Kathy's forehead. Sometimes the little girl jerked in sleep and every time, she did so, Veronica started to fondle the head of the child in sleep. It was the most beautiful and adoring thing Acxa had ever seen. She had carefully snuggled herself closer and had started to stroke Veronicas head, while she had placed her other hand on the back of the child. It was a beauty and a peace in this moment, which Acxa never wanted to let end. It was a moment, which didn't allow all her worries to rise up. It left no space for it, it simply demanded all of her attention and as a reward it gave her this pleasant warm feeling of love and care back. This feeling, she had been starving for so long, until she had found Veronica. And now this little child only increased this feeling to a new unknown high.

She placed a kiss on Veronica's arm, which was wrapped around the child. The touch of her lips woke her up. She blinked a few times but then her eyes met Acxa's. And her beautiful smile grew. She looked down at the sleeping child in her arms and the same warm emotions, Acxa was feeling, appeared on her face. She carefully placed a soft kiss on Kathy's forehead, which made the girl smile in sleep. The wrapping grip of the child tightened around Veronica and the woman's eyes filled with some tears of joy. She was smiling so warm and happy at Acxa. The Galra took her hand and placed a long and soft kiss on the palm, feeling Veronica's thumb stroking her cheek. Whatever this day would hold up for her, this moment would give her strength. A strength to make the next step.

Acxa and Kathy were on the way back to Ronan's and Freyda's quarter. The Galra had placed the child on her shoulders and Kathy shared a triumphant smile with every crew member, who passed by, combined with a mischievous but satisfied smile of the Galra. Acxa noticed the surprised faces. It was the kind of strange looks, which normally would have bothered her, but not today. This morning had started different. Her wake up, the breakfast with Kathy and Veronica, the hugs and kisses, both have shared with her girlfriend before her daily duty had started, it simply had been perfect for Acxa. She had recognized, that she was acting different, but for the first time she really didn't care. Her acting made Kathy happy. It has made Veronica happy. And this fact was worthy to earn strange faces. She needed the strength, cause she wanted to talk. That was the reason, why she had decided to bring Kathy back. She wanted to talk with Ronan. And she would need this strength, Kathy and Veronica have given to her.

At the quarter, she lifted Kathy down and let her push the buzzer. Acxa wasn't surprised, that it was Ronan, who opened the door. Kathy instantly hugged the legs of the man with a beaming smile. He bowed down to her and got a kiss from the child. A warm smile grew on his face, as he lifted the girl up. To Acxa's surprise this smile didn't faded completely, as he greeted her by hitting his chest with his right fist. Acxa returned the greeting and entered the quarter, as the man offered her to come in with a nod.

"How was you sleepover, Kathy?"

The warm voice of the man made even Acxa smile a bit. Kathy beamed at him.

"We play together and Veronica read a story for me. And I slept in Acxa's and Veronica's bed. And we had breakfast and Acxa and I helped Veronica go to work."

The eyes of the child were glowing in excitement and joy as she continued with a more detailed version of the last evening and of her morning. Acxa had noticed the pensive look of the man as Kathy mentioned, that she has slept in her bed with Veronica, but Ronan had took place on the couch with the child and listened patiently to Kathy. As she was finished, he gave the child a big hug.

"It seems you have had a good time."

The child nodded with a beaming smile. Ronan smiled warm at her and then he faced Acxa, and his face changed. But to her surprise it was more a sad than an angry or serious look for her.

"Let me guess, you had to help Acxa during the night. That's why you have slept in her bed?"

The face of the child got sad, but serious at the same time.

"Yes. She got nightmares. Like 'ou."

Acxa blushed. She felt suddenly uncomfortable under the pensive look of Ronan. But he nodded and kissed Kathy on her forehead.

"Anything else would have surprised me."

Acxa was stunned. Compassion. It was the first time, she had seen this emotion on his face. It was only a brief moment, but it was there. And it was addressed to her. The child hugged the man again.

"I like her and I like Veronica. They are like 'ou and Fre'da."

She turned back to Acxa and the warm smile of the child brought tears to the Galra's eyes.

"She knows the melody and she hasn't bad eyes."

She turned back to Ronan and Acxa recognized, that her look made the man melting in front of her.

"Like 'ou."

The child touched carefully the hidden scar.

"She also outchies, but you couldn't see, like 'our's"

It was finally enough to force Acxa to a teary gasp. All the time she had stood beside the couch and had watched the whole scenery, but now she dared this step. She took place beside Kathy, so that she child was sitting between her and Ronan and placed a thankful kiss on the head of the child. Ronan's eye widened, but he let her do so, because Kathy instantly nuzzled her head back against Acxa.

"Yes Kathy, I have outchies. Many outchies." She breathed heavy but she dared to continue. She started to reline Kathy's scar in her face. "And some of them are similar to your's."

Kathy started in shock at her for a moment. Ronan had closed his eye with a bitter look. Acxa nodded teary at Kathy.

"I understand your loss." She shared a short look with Ronan, who was touching his burned face, deep in his own thoughts. "Like Ronan does. And like you understand his and my grief. I also have seen bad eyes in my life."

The girl finally started to cry but she wrapped her arms around Acxa who also hugged the child tight. They were both weeping. It took a while, but suddenly Acxa felt a hand on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and saw Ronan. The man had placed his hands on Acxa's and Kathy's shoulders. And he started to hum. It was the known lullaby. He continued the soothing melody until Kathy finally stopped crying like Acxa. The child gave the Galra a kiss on her cheek and Acxa returned the gesture. Ronan lifted the child up and both also shared kisses on the cheeks.

"Freyda and the kids are in the canteen. I'll bring you to them, Kathy. Jessy definitely wanted to hear everything, what happened at you sleepover."

The child nodded at him and Rona turned to Acxa. His face got serious.

"Then I'll return and we can talk about some urgent matters."

But suddenly his face softened at Acxa's serious look. It was strange for her to see this new side for her on him.

"Veronica wanted me to ask, what war has taken from you, but you already have shared some facts with me and with Kathy. This has been noticed."

Acxa nodded at him and his face darkened a bit again as he started to walk to the door.

"Wait here for me, please."

Kathy waved a goodbye for Acxa and started to stroke Ronan's head. He finally stopped a last time in the doorway of the quarter.

"This hasn't made it easier for me. But things like that are never easy." He sighed heavy. "We should both be happy, that we have found people, who cares for us, otherwise war would have taken us long ago."

Acxa felt her stomach cramping a bit. She faced his look and beside the fact, that the holo-field was working, she could see his scar. The pain under the surface. It was there. The fire was still burning, less wild than before, but still not contained. Willing to consume more of him. And more of her. He was fighting against it. The Call was a proof for it. His strength honored her even more. But it also made her realize, how much weight was laying on his shoulders. She bit her bottom lip.

"War still tries to take us, I think."

A sparkle came to his eye. It surprised her again. She felt Kathy's pensive look on her. She had stopped stroking Ronan's head. The man nodded with a grim face.

"Yes. Every day. It tries to take everything. But I have sworn to end it. I have promised her to make it stop. Time will show, if I could keep my word."

The child continued her stroking and Ronan kissed her on her cheek again. Acxa's mood dropped at his words and Ronan noticed that. He hit his chest again with his fist as a goodbye.

"Thanks for the sleepover for Kathy."

Acxa returned the greeting. For a moment the warm smile came back to the lips of the Galra and Kathy returned it thankfully.

"No problem. She might come over again, whenever she wants to."

Kathy's smile grew to a beaming one. Ronan closed his eye for a moment and nodded to himself. Acxa wasn't sure, but it seemed her answer had woken up a new kind of interest in Ronan. He shared quick looks between Acxa and Kathy. Finally his eye rested on the Galra again and she could see the vivid sparkle again, she had recognized before.

"Good to know,..." He hesitated a moment. "… Acxa."

Some time had passed, since he had left the room, before Acxa realized, that her mouth had stayed open. She took place on the couch and waited. Somehow this opening had went well, but Acxa caught herself wondering, if she should have been happy about this fact. He blamed her for Tantalus, no doubt. She was sharing this opinion. His hate had put many pressure on her, it had hit her hard. But somehow his sudden compassion hit her even harder. Freyda had given her an idea of his loss, how could he stand against this pain? His hate had been hard to handle, but his compassion was much worse. Acxa's breathing became harder. Her nightmare came back to her mind. It seemed to her that his gentle reaction was only increasing the weight on her own shoulders. And this fact scared her. Because she didn't know how to handle it.