Author's Note: Eek, it's been a lot longer than I thought since I first posted this. Sorryyyy. Every time I go to write another chapter for this, plot bunnies for other fandoms seem to strike out of nowhere. Anyway, I just really wanted to point out that the titles of the chapters in the chapter selection panel are going to be different from the ones you'll see written below- this is intentional. The one heading each page is the name of the theme the chapter is based on, and the ones in the chapter selection panel are the actual names of each chapter.

If this confuses you, just smile, nod, and move on. >.>;

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN THEM, SO STOP FOLLOWING ME YOU DUMB LAWYERS.

The Road Home

A man's home is his pride; it is the place he deems worthy of sinking his roots into, the place he will always aim for no matter how far he strays or for how long. He may outwit those that would pursue him when away from home, but if they can find his roots they can find the rest of him. A man will always, always return home.

- - -

A few weeks had passed since Fred had jumped Gene with the surprise liplock. Though Fred had every belief in the reluctant redhead's return, even he had to admit three weeks with no contact was pushing it.

"There is no way he could have gone on a long trip without having me supply his ship first!" he complained to his ever-present and sympathetic bodyguards. They both nodded and muttered their own agreements to their young master.

Fred sighed and flopped onto the couch where the infamous kiss had taken place. He had to admit it - he was losing the battle of who could wait it out the longest. He thought for sure that Gene would come back within a week, even if it was to supply his ship for a year-long trip just to get away from the eager merchant.

Groaning faintly, he pushed himself up into a sitting position, crossing his arms. "Hmm…" he let out, his brow furrowed in thought. The bodyguards said nothing, not wanting to disrupt their master's thought processes.

"Got it!" Fred said, standing up with a grin. "Come on, boys, we're going on a reconnaissance mission."

------

Fred Luo was a well-known merchant. His family had been in the business for generation upon generation, thanks to their ability to go with the flow of heady, changing times. As the sole heir to this esteemed empire that crossed the solar system, he was the culmination of the best of each and every generation of Luo's thus far. In short - Fred Luo had connections.

He had been escorted by his endlessly loyal bodyguards and driven around Sentinel 3 for half the day, paying visitations to said connections and, in some cases, calling in favors from them. The three were now enjoying a hard day's work at the bar, Fred positively glowing with the inside information he had gathered.

"Kampaaai!" He cheered, raising his glass with the two hulks sitting on either side of him.

"Kampaaai." They responded as one. Sometimes Fred couldn't help wondering if they were grown from the same petri dish - not that he was complaining; after all, genetic enhancements had yet to let him down.

"Don't go overboard now, boys," Fred said after downing his drink. "We've got to be ready to intercept my wayward outlaw tomorrow morning, bright and early."

The two bodyguards gave grunts of assent, sipping slowly at their own glasses. It hadn't been easy, but somehow Fred had managed to needle information about Gene's whereabouts - he had even 'convinced' an old business partner of his to spill that a certain infamous red grappler ship was currently on the scenic route leading back to Sentinel 3, a move made surely to avoid detection by the lovesick male merchant.

"Ah! That Gene…going to all that trouble just for me!" he smiled over his empty glass at no one in particular. "He really is a sweet guy, if not on the naïve side for thinking something like that would work."

He laughed to himself, throwing some money on the counter and leading the way out of the bar and back to the black town car waiting for them out front; he had some preparations to make.

------

"Everyone in position?"

"Yes, sir."

"Excellent!" Fred allowed himself to indulge in a yawn. They had had to wake up at the crack of dawn in order to get this far ahead of the Outlaw Star on their course for home. Though it was for a good cause - interception and capture of a wild redhead - Fred just didn't do early mornings.

He sipped at his cup of strong tea (he didn't do coffee; too rough on the system, and bad for his perfect complexion to boot) and checked the time. According to his information, Gene would be passing this point in another ten or fifteen minutes. He settled in for the short wait, letting his thoughts drift onto the prize he was after.

------

"Aniki…we're not gonna make it if you don't punch it…"

"Shut up, Jim, we'll be fine."

"Sensors indicate a fuel level 16.7 lower than optimal for this plotted course."

"Don't you start either, Gilliam!" Gene yelled at the ever vocal computer system in his beloved ship.

"Why are we taking such a huge detour anyway?" Jim groused, crossing his arms and leveling a glare at the redheaded - more like air headed, he thought - captain.

Said airhead only grunted, further furrowing his brow in irritation. He didn't even want to think about his reason for going to all this extra trouble, let alone tell anyone else about it. "We'll be home soon enough, quit whining."

Before the young computer genius could retort, Gilliam interrupted. "I am receiving a message from another ship - it seems to be an S.O.S."

"Patch it through," Gene said, sounding bored.

A static-plagued voice message came through the intercom: "This is…currently stranded above Sentin…out of fuel, emergency systems fail--"

By the time it cut out completely, Gene's face was serious. "Gilliam, can you track their position from the signal?"

"Of course. Shall I make a detour?"

"Do it."

"Aniki! We don't have the fuel either! How can we help them when we might not make it home ourselves?"

"Even if we don't make it, if their emergency systems are failing we can still keep them alive on the Outlaw Star," Gene replied. "Dying stuck out in space is no way to go."

"What if that's the way we end up going because of this?" Jim said quietly.

Gene smiled. "Don't worry, Jim; if we do get stranded, this ship's so hard to miss that we'll be spotted light years away by someone else."

"If anyone does pass by…though maybe it is a good thing you had the ship painted the same obnoxious colour as your hair," Jim grumbled, nonetheless somewhat reassured.

"I have a visual of the ship," Gilliam said. "I'm putting it onscreen."

A small ship came into view; it looked to have been through an asteroid belt or two, if the dents and scrapes along its hull were any indication. Gilliam sent out the bridge that would allow the crew of the stranded ship to board; in a matter of minutes, the Outlaw Star had gained a few new shipmates.

"All members of the crew are now aboard; I will now pull out of the ship."

"Have fun with that, Gilliam," Gene said, getting up from his seat. "I'll go greet our guests." He made his way down to the docking chamber, idly wondering if the crew included any space babes and what it would take to convince any to let him dock his ship in their ports.

He opened the chamber door with the press of a button, a greeting on the tip of his tongue when suddenly he found himself smothered in an all-too-familiar embrace.

"Geeeeeene!" an excited and elated Fred sang from his spot pressed firmly against the redhead's chest. "I missed you!"

Gene let out a strangled grunt, too surprised to do much else. "F-Fred…what…how did you…will you get off me!"

Fred pulled back to smile up in Gene's face. "Gene, you've been avoiding me," he said in a chiding tone.

"Of course I've been avoiding you!" Gene struggled to get out of Fred's vice-like grip. "Why else do you think I've flown halfway around Sentinel 3 in the wrong direction? And will you let go of me already?"

"Not until you tell me why you've been avoiding me," Fred replied, still smiling up at him.

Gene grimaced; Fred's two goons were standing behind the merchant, sunglasses hiding eyes that he just knew were watching his every move. He just wanted to forget it had ever happened, and confirming aloud the reason for his running away would definitely be a few steps backward. But failing to do so would only leave him trapped in Fred's embrace…

"…Keh! Why else would I be avoiding you? You…you k-kissed me the last time we saw each other!"

"I see your memory is still sharp as ever, even if your senses aren't," Fred grinned, shifting his eyes pointedly to a spot behind Gene.

The redhead raised an eyebrow, then turned his head to follow Fred's gaze. He froze upon seeing his entire crew standing behind him, even Suzuka. Aisha was gaping openly at the two men, and Jim's left eyebrow was twitching something fierce as he looked at Gene in horror.

"You…and Fred…?" Jim said faintly.

Gene's mouth worked to form an explanation, but no sound came out. He didn't even notice that Fred was leaning in close…too close. Suddenly he felt two warm lips press themselves to the corner of his own, and the eyes of his crew widened as one.

"You're so cute when you're speechless, Gene," Fred said happily, finally releasing the man. He grabbed something from behind one of his bodyguards and whipped it up to Gene's face - a bouquet of flowers.

"Now you go put these in some water, and we'll get to work on refueling your ship." Fred promptly snapped his fingers for his bodyguards and pushed past the stunned crew of the Outlaw Star, pleased by the bemused look frozen on Gene's face as he stared at the flowers in his gloved hand.

"You really owe me for this one, Gene. Apparently you really do have to get up pretty early in the morning to catch you."