A/N: Okay, okay, no excuses this time. The following chapter was originally written out of context. It was intended to be used later on in the story, but a sudden plot twist popped up, forcing me to feng shui a few parts around. I know some of you will be disappointed to find out that Gantu does not show up in this chapter. Don't worry, there's a good reason for that, beyond the obvious. To some of you, this chapter may seem unnecessary to the story, but it was already written, and I don't like to keep you guys waiting any longer than necessary, so I'm posting it. So now y'all have something to read! It's a long chapter, and I'm warning you now, it gets pretty steamy. I assure you, though, that I tried to write it as tastefully as possible. So if you're not into hot alien lovin', don't read. FYI, there's a lot more love than lust involved. Enjoy!

CHAPTER NINETEEN:
FOR LOVE OF LEERA

That afternoon a sudden cloudburst drenched the entire island of Kauai and thoroughly dampened Leera's hopes of seeing Gantu again. She still hoped that, in spite of the rain, he would come, but she knew it would be too much to expect of him. She stared out her bedroom window for what seemed to Pleakley like ages.

"Don't worry, hun. I'm sure you'll see Gantu again really soon," he'd assured her. "Heck, I'm surprised you hadn't run into him sooner. A big guy like that is hard to miss!"

Leera only sighed in response. Pleakley felt a small stab of guilt remembering how he'd acted that morning. The very idea that Gantu could have had a pre-existing relationship with his wife, and furthermore, that he had been a hero to her, had been too much to stomach, without the added idea of a reunion on his plate.

Visions from that morning replayed in his mind. He smirked at the memory of the two of them hugging. It had seemed rather ridiculous, all that fuss over that big dummy… but then, when she refused to let go of him… when she'd started sobbing… All he could think to do was to try to get Leera away from Gantu as quickly and as painlessly as possible. It had been for her own good… hadn't it?

Pleakley sat across the room from his wife, watching her as she stared morosely out the window. He hated seeing her upset, although at the moment she didn't quite fit that picture. Depressed, maybe. Disappointed, of course. But that was better than her crying. Or being mad at him. And a LOT better than dwelling on the past, as painful as it must have been for her. With Gantu back in her life, how could she not remember, how could she not relive, that nightmare aboard the Kaizaxx ship?

Curse you, Gantu. Why did you have to go and be a hero? And why did you have to show up HERE, of all places, and of all times? Strutting around like you pulled off a miracle or something. It's not like it was THAT big a deal. Anyone could've been there to help her. But you just happened to be in the neighborhood, huh? How convenient. Well, that's nothing. I would have been there for her, too. If I'd only known. But she never told me. Not until three years later. Three whole years! And I had no idea. Blitznak, Leera, why didn't you tell me sooner? Why? You let a stranger help you, yet you couldn't even TELL me what happened? Didn't you know how much I loved you, even then? Didn't you realize I would have been there for you? If I'd only known…

"Where does Gantu live?"

The question snapped him out of his thoughts. "Huh?"

"I said, 'where does Gantu live?' Is he nearby? Maybe I could surprise him with a visit after the rain stops."

Pleakley got up and walked over to the window. He sat down next to Leera. "He's a couple of miles inland. Not far. But I don't know about going to his place. I think we should wait and see if he shows up here first. I mean, if he's really a good friend of yours, then I'm sure he'll want to see you again."

"What's wrong with going to his place?" Leera asked.

Pleakley considered his answer. "Nothing, really, except that it's not exactly an easy place to get to. You can't drive there, except in a dune buggy, and even then it'll be a bumpy ride. And I mean really bumpy," he added hastily. "I'm not talking tiny-little-insignificant-potholes-on-Cunha-Road bumpy. I'm talking hurl-your-guts-out-and-go-into-labor-early bumpy!"

"Well, there's always walking," Leera reminded him.

"You're not seriously thinking of walking all the way to Gantu's place in your condition, are you?" Pleakley demanded.

Leera snorted. "You say 'condition' like it's some kind of debilitating disease. And you'd better not just be making up excuses to keep me from seeing Gantu, because if you are…" She made a fist with one hand and plowed it into the palm of the other hand. Pleakley winced. "Wouldn't dream of it."

Leera gave him a look of disbelief.

"Honest, honey. If it means that much to you, I'll take you to see him. I promise. But let's wait a day or two first. He's probably just waiting out the storm. I'm sure he'll come over as soon as it clears up."

"Alright." Leera sighed and leaned against him, and he responded by putting an arm around her. She sighed again, watching the storm rage outside. Pleakley held her close, watching the storm as well.

Curse you, Gantu. Curse you and thank you. I should have been there for Leera, but… at least YOU were there. Thank you and curse you for that.

Pleakley and Leera retired early that evening, barricading themselves inside their room in order to enjoy some much-desired peace — a prize seldom achieved on Saturday nights in the Pelekai household. It was Monster Movie Night for Lilo and Stitch, and that meant that the living room would quickly become a hazard area as the pint-sized duo dressed up as their monstrous idols and act out the loudest, scariest and/or most obnoxious scenes while they played out on the TV.

Inside their room, it was nice and quiet; Stitch's howls and Lilo's agonized moans could only barely be heard from the living room. Now and then these would be overridden by Nani's blood-curdling reprimands as one of them committed some small yet dastardly offense against a piece of furniture.

Pleakley sat up in bed flipping through Vogue, seeking out tips for his next pursuit in Earth fashion and style. Leera, finished with her bath and bundled in a snug-fitting robe, came in bearing an armful of magazines. She dumped them on the bed next to her husband.

"Here. I swiped these from Nani. She says they're not hers, but…" she glanced down at them and shrugged. The flashy covers of Redbook, Vanity Fair, Victoria's Secret, Cosmo Girl! and Better Homes and Gardens stared back at her. Pleakley pushed a hand around through the pile until he found a particular magazine and picked it up.

"So that's what happened to my Pretty in Pink issue!" he exclaimed, opening it up as eagerly as a child opening presents on Christmas morning. "Here, hun, have a look at this!" He shoved the rest of the magazines aside so that Leera could sit down beside him. Pleakley thumbed through the pages until he reached the section he was looking for. He then spread the magazine open in his lap and pointed to the pictures within.

Leera stared numbly at photos of curvaceous Victoria's Secret models, all scantily clad in varying shades and styles of pink lingerie.

"Just look at them!" Pleakley breathed. "Aren't they exquisite? Mmmm." Leera turned abruptly to face her husband, and for a fleeting second she could almost swear he was starting to drool. Pleakley licked his lips with both tongues before wetting a thumb and forefinger and turning the page. Leera's eye widened. Even more half-naked, voluptuous females were sprawled out on the following pages, though this time the lingerie was even more revealing. The little fabric that covered the women's impossibly perfect bodies left considerably less to the imagination than did the ones on the previous page.

"Mm-mm-mmm!" Pleakley licked his lips again, looking increasingly excited by what he saw. "Oh, my precious pink beauties, if I had just one of you here with me right now, I'd hold you… stroke you…" he trailed off, closing his eye and placing a hand over his hearts. He wore a blissful smile, a smile Leera knew all too well… but only under the most intimate of circumstances.

"Wendy!" Leera gasped, appalled by his behavior.

Pleakley's eye flew open and he looked startled for a moment, then smiled. "Of course, I'd let you wear it more," he said, blushing. "I mean, just look!" He held up the magazine for her to see and pointed to one of the models. "Now, tell me that's not the laciest little camisole you've ever seen! It would just look stunning on you!"

Leera looked puzzled. "What?"

Pleakley shrugged. "I know, I admit it. I was only thinking of myself at first. But then I pictured you in it and… well, after that, I just couldn't help myself. Oh, pass me the order form. It fell out over there. I'm going to get that pretty lil thing if it's the last thing I do!" He took the sheet Leera handed him and a pen. "For you, of course," he added sheepishly.

Leera gave a long, relieved sigh and brushed her hair out of her eyes. "You really are too much, Wendy, you know that? Just too much." She stood by the bed watching and smirking at her husband as he debated over which frilly item he should order.

"…and this would look darling with that lacy pink girdle of mine - er, ours."

Leera chuckled. "Sharing clothes is one thing, honey, but when it comes to unmentionables, that's where I'm gonna hafta draw the line."

"But I'm not getting this for myself!" Pleakley swore. Leera looked at him disbelievingly. "Alright, maybe a little for myself, but it's mostly for you! And I promise I won't wear it… much." Leera still stared at him. "Alright, alright. We'll work out a joint custody schedule before I even order it! That way there's no arguing over who's turn it is to wear it. You can have it every other day!" He paused to think this over. "Except for the fact that there's seven days in a week, and you can't divide them up equally… I know! How about alternate weekends? That'll work, right?"

Leera folded her arms across her chest and shook her head. Pleakley sighed despairingly. "Alright. You get the extra day. You deserve it. Besides," he said, perking up suddenly, "it'll look a lot better on you! Why, with those curves…" he looked her up and down. "That oughtta be you in that picture!" He looked down at said picture, then back at his wife, and his eye held a dreamy look. "Alright, that settles it. I'm ordering this baby tonight!" And without wasting a single second, he dove for the phone on the nightstand.

Leera sat down on the bed beside him and took the phone from his hand. "Hold your horses, pretty boy. What makes you think I'd wear something like that?" she gestured to the magazine.

"The same thing that makes me think you're the most beautiful thing in the history of the universe. Because I say so." Pleakley looked his wife square in the eye as he said this, watching his words sink in and take effect. And, as always, Leera blushed and dropped her gaze from his. No matter how many times he said something like that, no matter how many times he simply said "I love you," it made her blush and look away.

Her hearts fluttered as he reached up and ran his fingers through her hair, but still she didn't look at him. She never knew how to react when he did these things. He was so good to her, so kind and loving… she almost felt like she didn't deserve it at times. Then her downcast eye roved over the open magazine, and the glossy photos of the goddesses within. Her hands went instinctively to her belly and she felt sick with herself. Then the sickness turned to anger at Wendy for making her believe she was still desirable.

Pleakley's attention had turned back to the magazine, which he was currently perusing one last time before stacking the pile up neatly and shoving the lot under his side of the bed.

"Oh Leera, you're going to look so gorgeous in that camisole! Why, I'm getting all giddy just thinking about it!"

Leera turned away from him and crawled under the covers. "Don't make fun," she scolded. "You know the only thing I'd look good in right now is labor, and that's not saying very much."

Pleakley turned to his wife with a look of supreme disbelief. "What are you talking about? Look at yourself! I'm doing it right now, and I can tell you you're — "

"Fat," Leera finished for him. "I'm a big bloated cow with sagging udders and varicose veins who can't even see her own stupid swollen feet!"

And with a flourish she threw herself against her pillow and yanked the covers up over her head. She was glad she'd thought of that last touch. If Pleakley could have seen her face just then… she'd embarrassed herself so badly that her blushing was making her refuge under the covers stifling hot. But she did not resurface. Instead, she waited tensely for Pleakley's fierce argument that she was still the most beautiful woman in existence, but all she heard was an impatient sigh.

Pleakley stared hopelessly at the round lump under the blanket. He sighed and reached over to pull the covers down, then paused, noticing that her antenna was still exposed. A very evil grin crept across his face as he leaned over and began to nuzzle at it. In seconds he heard Leera's startled gasp and felt her try to pull away, to cover it up, but it was too late. He caught the flimsy appendage in his mouth and sucked it slowly, drawing a long, shuddering moan from Leera as she finally managed to pull away, her antenna slowly coming free of its wet prison. A moment later she was glaring angrily at him from under the covers.

"Damnit Wendy, you know what that does to me!"

Pleakley merely grinned and dove down, taking her antenna between his lips and nibbling at it, just above the base. Leera drew in a long breath and held it, shivering ecstatically under her husband's ministrations. Pleakley hooked a finger under her chin and tilted her face up so he could look her in the eye.

"Now, what were you saying, my beautifully bloated cow with sagging udders and varicose veins?"

Leera took a big gulp of air to steady her breathing. "And swollen feet," she added feebly, her lower lip trembling as she gazed into his eye.

"Really?" Pleakley said, sounding highly amused. He rose above her until he was sitting up in bed, then took hold of the covers and pulled them down slowly, exposing Leera as he did so. "Well, let's just see about that, shall we?" He gave her a seductive smile before moving down the bed toward her feet. Leera tried to hide her smile as she watched him take a foot in hand and massage it tenderly.

"Hmmm… yes. Interesting."

"What's interesting?" Leera asked. "They're just feet. Fat feet."

"Yes, it's true," Pleakley conceded, taking up another foot and giving it the same treatment. "They've gotten a little thicker over the past few months, particularly around the ankles…" he paused as Leera's foot twitched. He knew he'd hit a ticklish spot and was pleased at the reaction it brought. Leera's toes were now wriggling helplessly in his grasp, and Leera herself was having a hard time biting her lip down to keep herself from laughing.

"But they've worked so hard to get this way," he told her, lifting a foot up to plant a dainty kiss on it. "They've just been so busy carrying two people around all the time, going up and down stairs, running around like it's the end of the world… all they need is to put themselves up and relax while Daddy takes care of them and their precious cargo."

Leera groaned and rolled her eye. "Oh, brother."

"No, I'm Daddy, remember? Now, let's see what we have here," Pleakley purred as his hand slid up one leg and under her nightgown. The other hand quickly joined it, and soon both were snaking their way up and down her soft thigh. Leera shivered again. "Mm-hmmm. Yep. Just like you said. Varicose veins. Another sign that you're stressed and just need a little re-lax-a-tion." He said the last word with an added emphasis that made Leera tingle with anticipation.

Pleakley loomed over her again, staring down into her eye. That smile was still there; that 'you-MUST-know-what-I'm-thinking-about' grin was so contagious that she quickly found herself mirroring it.

"Now then, what else was there?" he asked, looking her up and down. His gaze snagged on the low-cut neckline of her nightgown and his grin grew even wider. He leaned over her. "Sagging udders? I beg to differ…"

From out of nowhere a hand snuck up and tickled her side, crawling eagerly upward until it traced the soft, full curve of her breast, cupping the exquisite treasure as lovingly as one might cradle a baby. Then the hand moved away, climbing further upward until the fingers entangled themselves in the lacy shoulder strap of her nightgown. Leera stared wonderingly up at her husband, eye shining.

He gazed back, their eyes locked in nonverbal communication with each other. Leera wanted to lose herself in his look, and at the same time she wanted to break the spell he had over her and flee screaming into the night. She barely felt the fabric sliding off her shoulders and down her arms. And she had no reaction whatever to the cold air on her suddenly naked breasts, save for the obvious…

Pleakley finally broke eye contact with her and looked down at them. Leera blushed. The cold was quickly taking its toll on her sensitive female anatomy. Almost as if reading her mind, Pleakley brought his hand back up to cup an orb. Leera purred contentedly as he stroked her hardened nipple with his thumb.

She pressed against him, nuzzling her face into the curve of his neck and wrapping her arms around him. Pleakley rested his chin on top of her head, sucking lazily on her antenna. Now and then, the hand on her breast gave a gentle squeeze, the thumb continuing its loving caress of the nipple. It was all so heavenly… she almost couldn't stand it.

Without warning, Leera jerked her head up suddenly to look Pleakley in the eye. He looked back, startled, then smiled. He saw her trembling lips and knew instantly how to answer them. They met each other halfway in a tender kiss.

It was light at first; the soft, almost imperceptible touching of lips, before those same lips grew weary of formalities and desperately sought out more, pulling each other in like twin sets of arms in a loving embrace. And more, as if their very hearts and souls could thirst, so too did they seek to drink each other in, to savor the very essence…

Leera pressed closer to her husband, tipping her head back and opening her mouth to drink him in. Twin tongues swept into her mouth like tidal waves, surging against her own as they rose delightedly to dance with them. Pleakley's hand left her breast finally and snaked around to her back, pulling her in even closer, if it were possible.

He felt her foot brush against his and his own foot moved to return the gesture. Then their legs brushed, and the sensation was like striking two flint stones together. And then, there it was: the inevitable spark. The two broke free of their kiss and looked at each other. There was no denying it any longer.

Pleakley rose up until he was towering over his wife. Leera lay still and stared unblinking up at him. She felt his soft hand on her thigh and responded, spreading her legs. Pleakley moved until he was settled in between them, then waited for his cue. Leera lifted her head up a little so that she could see over her enormous belly, then smiled invitingly and nodded.

She leaned back, drawing in a sharp breath as he entered her. She sucked in more air as he slid in, deeper and deeper, until he was all the way in. Then she sighed, a very long sigh, as all that air escaped her. Pleakley hesitated a moment before proceeding. He moved slowly at first, so slowly that it was at once both agonizing and exquisite.

He leaned forward a little, picking up the pace while being careful not to lay any weight on her abdomen. Leera purred sweetly as he fell into a rhythm more to her liking. This encouraged him further, and he began to move even faster. Leera's soft purrs grew louder, and soon the purring turned into panting. Pleakley's throaty grunts also grew louder, and it wasn't long before he was panting too.

Determined to reach a climax, Leera began to thrust in time with her husband, meeting his every downward thrust with an upward bucking of the hips. Something deep down was heating up fast. They both felt it. It was simmering… now, it was boiling… hotter and hotter… higher and higher… almost to the top… almost there… almost…

Pleakley and Leera both reached it at the same time. They climaxed together, gloriously, Pleakley moaning loudly and Leera shrieking. A thick cloud of ecstasy engulfed them both, and through it they could see nothing but each other. When it was over, when the cloud dissolved, when the dreaded heavy feeling of gravity returned, they both collapsed in a sweating, panting heap.

Pleakley lay limp on top of his wife for a few moments, trying to catch his breath before sliding off to lay down next to her. Being heavy with child, their exertions had proven more tiring for Leera, who lay there panting heavily and trembling. Pleakley rolled on his side and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. She snuggled into him, returning the embrace tenfold.

"Mmm, thank you," she whispered, kissing his neck. "That was Heaven."

"No, thank you," he replied, nuzzling her antenna, "for taking me there."