Here is is, the final frontier.. I mean, chapter. Thanks for reviews, sorry the last chapter was so short, but here is a nice long one to hopefully make you happy.

Howard rubbed his eyes. Vince had woken him at seven and asked him to keep an eye on Tara. He'd agreed, despite his disgruntlement at being woken so early after such a late night. He'd almost given Vince a lecture on the wisdom of modern doctors, but sensed that somehow he wasn't in the mood.

So here he was, sat in a chair next to the bed reading a book. Trying to read a book, anyway. You know you're tired when you can't even make sense of Roald Dahl, he reflected. He hadn't even known that they had the book until about ten minutes ago, and judged it to probably be one of Vince's.

On the bed, Tara stirred. 'Naboo?'

'It's me, Howard.'

Tara opened her eyes groggily. 'Howard? Where's Naboo?'

'He's um.. out.'

'What d'you mean, out?'

''Out' like 'not in', Tara, he's gone to-'

'Wait, what am I doing here, wasn't I out last night?'

Howard briefly explained what had happened to her. Tara nodded as some memories slowly returned. 'Shit..' she said shaking her head. 'Sorry, where's Naboo?'

'He's.. gone to check on the van.' This was true, partly. Vince had told him that they were going to check it was alright before they went to find whatever bloke it was that had drugged Tara. He'd also told him not to tell her about this second part.

'And Vince?'

'With Naboo.'

'Oh.'

She led back on the bed, declined Howard's offer of tea, and had soon nodded off again.

Not long afterwards, Howard heard the sound of footsteps on the fire escape outside, and turned to see Vince quietly opening the window while Naboo rolled up the carpet.

'Alright?' he asked quietly.

'Yeah. It go ok?' Howard noticed that Vince's left trouser leg was hanging in burnt tatters below the knee, and that his leg looked a little red. 'What happened to you?'

'Yeah, Naboo mis-aimed a bit.'

'I didn't mis-aim, he jumped out of the way. Anyway, I fixed it straight afterwards.'

'Yeah. Hurt like hell though. You're just lucky I wasn't too attached to these trousers.'

'What exactly did you-' Howard began, but stopped short when Tara stirred on the bed. He knew from earlier that morning that Naboo and Vince didn't want her to know what they'd been up to.

He wondered exactly what it was they had done. They wouldn't have killed him… would they? Probably not he thought. I doubt Naboo could be allowed to get away with that. He hoped they'd come close though.

Naboo propped the carpet up in the corner and perched on the side of the bed next to Tara. He leant over and kissed her, and she woke. 'Hey.. there you are!'

'Hey.' He smiled as Vince and Howard shuffled out. 'How're you feeling?'

'Um.. pretty ok actually. I felt awful when I woke up earlier, but I think I've slept most of it off now. How's the van?'

'Yeah its fine, all locked up safe. I'm knackered though.' He said, crawling over her to lie down on the other side of the bed.

'I'm not surprised.' She said, pulling his arm around her shoulders. 'Thank you for.. everything.'

He smiled. 'What was I supposed to do, just leave you out there?'

'Well no, but still.' He kissed the top of her head, and wondered if he should mention the fact that she'd told him she loved him, and if now was the time to do it. However, if that had been the time, it was soon too late, as Tara then announced that she thought it was about time she got up. 'Are you staying here?'

'Yeah, I'll have a power-nap, wake me up in about half an hour?'

'You sure you don't need more?'

'No, I'll be ok.'

'Alright.' She kissed him and got dressed.

Vince looked round as she entered the living room. 'Tara!' he got up and hurried over to hug her. 'How are you, are you ok?'

'Yeah Vince, I'm fine.' She said, hugging him back.

'You had us bloody worried!'

'Haha, sorry about that.'

'You're sure you're alright?'

'Very definitely. Although I could murder a cup of tea.'

She sat between Vince and Howard on the sofa and watched Mio Mao until she glanced at the clock and realised that it was about time she woke Naboo up.

'Naboo?' she shook his shoulder gently. He stirred and opened his eyes. 'You said to wake you after half an hour, but I accidentally gave you an extra ten minutes.'

'Thanks.' She made to leave again, but he didn't want her to. 'No, stay..' he said, pulling her back down onto the bed with him and holding her close. She looked up at him. 'You're still knackered, go back to sleep.'

'Nah, I'll just take some Ferret Flapjack'

'That'll help?'

'Course, you ever see a ferret that looked tired?'

She sat up and looked at his shelves. 'Where are they?' He pointed, and she got up to get him some, before rejoining him on the bed.

He munched the Ferret Flapjack and sat up a little, instantly reenergised. They led facing each other, propped up on their elbows.

Naboo gently stroked the side of her face. 'What do you remember about last night?'

'Not much. I remember being at the pub, then I kinda remember talking to Vince, and being really scared, but that's about it.'

'What about afterwards? Do you remember being back here?'

'Only when I woke up this morning, when Howard was here and you were out. Why?'

'After we got back from the hospital, I was just getting into bed and you.. told me you loved me.' Tara dropped his gaze. 'But, y'know, when we were in the hospital the doctor told me you might say some stuff you didn't mean, because of the drugs and everything…' He waited for a reply.

Tara bit her lip. 'It um, probably was the drugs that made me say that.'

Naboo's heart sank.

'But… that doesn't mean it wasn't true. I do love you.'

Naboo's sunken heart quickly resurfaced, flew three laps around the room and landed back in his chest, pounding wildly. 'I love you too.'

They kissed, and expressed their love in the only true way – by getting up and making pancakes. After they'd had sex, of course.

Naboo looked down at the bowl of washing up, and was reminded of something on his home planet. 'We should go and bathe in the Bath of Love.'

'Bath of Love?'

'Yeah, its back on Xooberon, in the Forest of Dreams.'

'Isn't that where that Fountain of Youth is?'

'Yeah, it's got everything, Fountain of Youth, Bath of Love, Sea of Tranquillity, Co-op..'

'Why is it called the Bath of Love, what does it do?'

'It guarantees the love will last forever.'

'You really think we need a bath to guarantee that?'

'No, but I hear the bubbles are nice.'

Fin

Please review, go on, it's only one last time!