Things were finally starting to get steamy when Cora stormed into the engine room, more than a little wild-eyed.

"Damn it!" Scott and Gil chorused as they both desperately scrambled for their clothes, but Cora did not seem to notice that the pathfinder had been mostly nude and in the other man's lap when she entered.

"Ryder!" She cried, "we need you on the observation deck now! We can't calm Sarah!"

Scott stopped trying to adjust his erection and stormed off down the hall like a bat out of hell, the other two hot on his heels. Sarah was just going to have to deal with his current state of dishevelment.

Sarah stood in the middle of the observation deck, huddled in on herself in a way Scott knew and dreaded. As he came closer he could see that tears were streaming down her pale cheeks, and she had her arms wrapped so hard around herself it was as if she was trying to disappear. Scott took one look at her and then took her in his arms, the one thing he knew would work every time. Sarah was, even with her autism, a very tactile person; if she was as upset as she was at the present, the only thing that really helped her was to be held by a person she trusted.

"What's wrong, zsa-zsa?" Scott crooned as he rocked her slowly, feeling the trembles in her body slow and calm. Eventually, she lay in his arms like a limp doll, still crying.

"It's the dress" Suvi said, clearly anxious. "Once we got her into it she freaked and we couldn't calm her."

"It's the latest fashion" Lexi said. "What's wrong with it?"

Scott slowly disengaged himself from Sarah, needing to see it for himself.

"Let me see, Sarah" he soothed, "I can't help if I don't know what's wrong."

Sarah hesitantly unwound her arms, showing him the dress she was in.

It was white, foot long and tight fitting, emphasising every curve of her body. On the sides, small holes were cut out in a line from the armpit to the hip, showing off her soft skin. It had a deep cleavage and was held up mostly by two thin shoulder straps. She was stunning - as long as one did not look at her face. For when one did, one was faced with a frightened little girl seeking reassurance when none was to be found.

"Oh" Scott said, "I see."

"What is it?" Lexi insisted, clearly rattled at Sarah's tears.

"It's very revealing." Scott answered, not looking away from his sister. "Too revealing. Isn't that right, Sarah? And so many people are going to see you in it."

There was a nod, then she hid her face in her shaking hands.

There was a very uncomfortable silence.

"What do we do" Suvi fretted, "we don't have any more fabric."

Scott removed his shirt, ignoring the fact that multiple marks and scratches were clear for everyone to see as he wrapped it around Sarah, shielding her from unwanted looks.

The silence dragged on, uncomfortable and heavy. The only interruptions was the occasional hiccup from Sarah, who still hid her face.

Then Liam muttered something unintelligible and disappeared down the stairs, the noise of his heavy boots fading out until there was silence once more.

Scott held Sarah close, like she was a small child needing a father more than a young woman with her brother. He wondered how much of the tears were from the dress, and how much came from finally understanding what was expected of her.

"I'm scared" she whispered, barely audible. "I'm so scared."

"I know. It's not fair. You do know I'd stop this, if I could?"

She curled into him like he was everything that held her together.

"I don't want this."

Scott's heart broke.

"I know. But it's going to be alright eventually, I promise you. Jaal is one of the best men I have ever met, and in these circumstances I can't think of anyone better suited than him."

Sarah turned her head up; her eyes were wet, wide, pleading.

"This is for ever, Scottie" she said.

"Yes, little sister. It is. And with all my heart I wish I could protect you. But this time, I can't."

It felt like an eternity before Liam returned, mostly because no one had moved while he was gone. No one knew what to do; they didn't have another dress, and they were only hours away from Aya. This was Sarah's wedding day, and maybe they were all finally understanding just what was happening.

This was the day when they were going to hand over a very vulnerable young woman to strangers. And then they were going to leave her with them.

Suvi looked like she wanted to cry, too, but forced back her tears. Drack put a heavy hand on Sarah's slim back in silent comfort.

Liam returned, looking triumphant. He held a thin, worn pale blue blanket that Scott recognised from the couch in his quarters.

"You guys wanted fabric" he said triumphantly, "I got some!"

Lexi stared at the blanket in bewilderment.

"What do we do with that?" She sounded incredulous.

But Cora grabbed it from Liam and spread it on the floor.

"Get me a knife or something. To cut with. I have an idea."

Sarah looked at herself in the tall mirror Lexi had procured from who knew where. Cora had cut the blue blanket into a long strip about two feet wide, and now she was wrapping it around Sarah. First around the waist, pulling it tight so it'd stay still and then up over one shoulder, around her back, and down over the other shoulder. Around the waist once more, and suddenly Sarah was wearing a blue wrap top. It covered her waist, shoulders and upper arms, and it looked sort of pretty.

"Can you move your arms?" Cora asked from behind her, attaching the edge of the fabric with small metal clamps Gil had fetched from the Nomad's repair kit.

"Yes, thank you."

It was a bit tight over the arms, but it was okay.

"Hmm" Cora made a disbelieving sound, then cut thin lines in the back, one by each arm. The fabric fell in a way it wasn't noticeable, but it increased Sarah's movement range tenfold.

"How do I look?" Sarah looked at Scott, anxious.

"Pretty as a picture" he assured her, "if a bit blotchy."

"Wash her face" Lexi ordered, "fix her hair, and she'll be perfect."

Sarah hesitated.

"I don't have anything borrowed" she said quietly, rewarding her with several confused looks.

"New dress, old shoes, blue blanket… but nothing borrowed."

Draco snorted with amusement.

"Here" he said, as he removed a small piece of his armor. He attached it to the lower part of the blanket, so it sat just above her right hip. It looked like an exotic piece of jewellry.

Sarah smiled shakily.

"Thank you."

Once the debacle of the dress had been solved there came the issue of the actual ceremony. Sarah had no idea how it worked. Thus they spent the rest of the scant hours to arrival going through it over and over again (Liam stepping in as the groom). Eventually, Sarah stopped looking like she was going to cry when she swore to walk beside him, wherever his path would lead. She even managed to keep her hands steady as she placed the coiled wires they used as substitutes for flower wreaths around Liam's head and neck.

"She's ready" Avela said quietly to Scott as she watched Sarah bow to an imagined Elder. Scott nodded in agreement, looking away from the angaran female. Sarah might be ready, but he wasn't.