This is my actual conversation with the voices in my head:

Me: Permission to continue being extremely sadistic towards Chris, sirs?

Plot Bunny Voices: GRANTED!!!

Chris: What?! I thought it was finally over… 

Wikus: Where's the fooking arc gun?! Must…shoot…bloody…author!

Me: Nooo! *hides but continues writing*

Chris: Damn, we lost her.

Wikus: Oh well, since we have nothing better to do, LET'S GET IT ON!!!

Chris: I concur!

Me: *grinning like a fül*

For reals, guys. That's how my brain operates.

PS, sorry for my none-too-subtle reference to another awesome movie that just came out. If you've seen the movie, you will know what I'm talking about in a moment. If not, whatevs.

Anyhow…

A large, roughened hand shook Wikus gently awake.

He blinked dazedly up at the familiar dark face of his soldier friend. Brick-a-brack was looming over him, a mildly amused gleam in his eye.

"You were calling out in your sleep. Something about cat food and 'the source'."

"Uh. Right. Sorry," Wikus grunted and sat up, rubbing his eyes and yawning as he spoke. His antennae twitched back and forth, automatically scanning for the injured prawn. When he realized that Christopher wasn't in the room, he bolted to his feet, looking around in panic.

"Where's Chris? Did something happen? Why isn't he in here?"

Brick-a-brack stepped back, raising his arms defensively but chuckling at the smaller Poleepkwa's reaction.

"Don't worry, Wikus. He was moved to a recovery quarter a few hours ago. The doctors thought it best to let you sleep; you were both exhausted."

"Oh." Wikus calmed and looked up at the other prawn. "So he's still okay?"

"He is. The surgeons healed him and removed the," Brick-a-brack grimaced, "the additions. He has been sleeping soundly for almost eight hours; so have you. I came to wake you because he seems likely to come 'round soon."

Wikus froze, then ran to the door, shouting, "He's about to wake up?! Why didn't you just say that?!"

The soldier rolled his eyes. "Slipped my mind, I suppose. Would you like me to show you to where his room is?"

Wikus paused and glanced back sheepishly. "Yes, please."

/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Christopher's chamber was only a few halls down, so Wikus and his guide reached it in no time. Brick-a-brack halted outside the room and rattled his maxillae quietly. "Just so you know…" he began hesitantly, "He may not fully recall your conversation from earlier. The pain most likely prevented him from really focusing on his own actions, let alone those of people around him. So… you may want to remind him of what was said."

Wikus nodded. "Right. Makes sense, I guess."

The warrior glanced at the door to make certain that Christopher was still sleeping before continuing. "Also, I was told to inform you that we will be leaving soon. We will not be gone long; there are negotiations and retributions to be made on this planet." A dark glint lit his red eyes.

"Okay. Right. Good," Wikus responded, thinking of those scientists at the word 'retributions'. There would definitely be retributions.

Brick-a-brack held the door open and gave Wikus a friendly pat on the shoulder as the former human went through, then departed.

The room was cheerfully designed to resemble a sort of forest scene, textured blue-and-yellow tree trunks paneling the walls and a leafy ceiling with sunlight peering through the foliage to dapple the plush reddish moss-covered floor. A knothole in one of the trunks was actually a window, revealing that it was midmorning in South Africa. A spacious, nest-like bed filled the far corner of the room.

Christopher was tucked into one side of the bed, only his shoulders and head visible beneath the woven blankets. There was a space between the edge of the nest and the resting prawn that was just big enough for someone to curl up in. Wikus smiled and approached a little nervously, not entirely sure whether to just crawl in with Chris or wait for him to wake up. As he drew near, the recuperating Poleepkwa's eyes opened and he gazed up at Wikus.

"Hi," Wikus managed, nearly overcome with relief and a flood of other emotions, one of the foremost of which was the urge to leap into the nest and ravish the injured prawn. "Um," he said, fidgeting and staring at Christopher, who blinked bemusedly.

"Hello. Are you… looking for someone?"

Right. He doesn't recognize my prawn-face. "Chris… it's me. Wikus." He took a step forward.

Christopher's eyes widened in shock.

"W-Wikus," he croaked, struggling to sit up.

"Don't move around," Wikus warned, placing a hand to the other Poleepkwa's scarred chest.

Christopher froze the instant Wikus' hand touched him, averting his gaze and ducking his head abashedly. Wikus almost chuckled at the reaction, knowing that had Christopher been human his face would have been bight red. The transformed human removed his hand and asked, "How do you feel?"

"Alive," Chris responded wryly. His expression shifted to one of concern as his gaze traveled his friend's new form. His hands plucked the edge of his blankets as if he were actively restraining himself from reaching out to inspect Wikus' body (which would have pleased Wikus to no end). Instead he queried, "And you? How… how are you? I know the past few years cannot have been easy on you." He looked up with tormented eyes. "And on top of that, I was late in delivering your cure… I'm so sorry, Wikus. You… you must have thought the worst of me."

"Don't be stupid," Wikus responded a little too quickly to mask his own guilt. He drew a breath and said with more conviction and honesty, "I knew you wouldn't just abandon me for no reason or anything like that. You're the most decent person I know." That earned him another shy head-dip from the reclining Poleepkwa.

Chris' antennae twitched as he continued. "I-I am relieved to see that your physical development went… rather spectacularly, but how are you faring emotionally?"

"I'm a right side better now that I know you're not dead in some lab or stuck in a fucking coma," Wikus quipped, grinning inwardly at the words "rather spectacularly". He sidled closer to the nest, antennae bobbing forward as he tasted the other prawn's scent. Christopher's smell was unique, subtle but somehow powerful and intoxicating. Wikus wanted to curl up and bury himself in that smell. He started to lean in, making Christopher shrink back a little, then abruptly stopped and tilted his head in surprise. Prawn senses, as he'd come to find, were heightened in ways that humans couldn't understand. If to Poleepkwa were in close proximity, it was often possible for them to "smell" each other's emotions, especially strong ones. Chris' scent was tinged with residual exhaustion and terror from the torture he'd endured; he was tense but excited to see Wikus. Most of all, though, he felt an overwhelming sorrow, a wrenching sadness that filled Wikus' senses with sympathetic pain.

"Chris… what's wrong?" The concerned hybrid crouched down in front of his friend, who didn't meet his eyes.

"What? I don't know what you mean. Nothing's wrong." Christopher's shoulders sagged despite his words.

"You're a terrible liar, Chris. Really, I mean it. You are utter crap at lying," Wikus said flatly. "Now, seriously. Talk."

Christopher glanced up, then winced from some hidden twinge and dropped his gaze again. "I…" he clicked softly, "I was… supposed to- I was going to-to ask you something…" As he was looking down, the bedridden prawn didn't notice how the Poleepkwa kneeling beside him leaned forward with barely-contained anticipation. Christopher continued, oblivious. "…But I-I got my answer from one of the doctors. So-so there's no need now."

"What?" Wikus blinked, unsure of what Chris meant. "Which doctor? Gregory?"

"No, one of the others. I don't remember his name…"

"What did he tell you?" Wikus pressed, hating the note of despair that had crept into the beaten prawn's voice and scent. "What did he say?"

/*/*/*/*/

Sorry for the chapter ending failure, guys! I just couldn't figure out where to cut it off, and I wanted to post as soon as possible, cause you guys have been so patient and understanding. Thanks for that and sorry again, but don't worry; the pronz are imminent! Reviewing makes them even MORE imminent!