Two afternoons after 'the incident', as Eli had mentally dubbed it, and he'd been avoiding Cressida at all cost; Rush too. Avoiding her was cowardly, Eli knew that, but he just couldn't bring himself to face her, to see the look of sadness in her eyes. He'd hurt her, of course he'd not wanted that but he had and Eli felt awful because of it. Ever since Eli had left her alone in her quarters he'd found it difficult to concentrate, yet all the dark-haired genius could think about was how to apologise; he had to at some point. Of course he did, but for a little while Eli just wanted to stay in the Control Interface Room and hide.

Rush had him running a system diagnostic and since Eli had every intention of avoiding the bridge he'd leapt to work, Ezra had already flashed him several disappointed looks – which hadn't surprised Eli, she told her brother everything – Rush didn't seem to know though and Eli had breathed a huge sigh of relief at that. If Cress told her father anything then he was a dead man. About an hour later that dead man feeling came full force.

Stomps echoed down the hall, at first he'd thought it might have been Varro, Greer or Scott rushing after a problem – hoped it was one of them really – but then Rush thundered around the corner and Eli's stomach jumped into his throat. Suddenly with a growl and more strength that Rush's lean body seemed capable of, Eli found himself slammed against the hard metal wall by the scruff of his neck; his head hit the wall so hard that for a moment Eli thought his skull had cracked.

"You bloody fucking bastard!" Yelled Rush as though he were an angry animal.

Rush's accent was thick and rage had long since bubbled to the surface.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry." Eli repeated like a mantra. "Please, Rush... please don't-"

"You stupid moron!"

Eli stopped dead at that. His bold eyes looked over the Scotsman with a more critical eye, all that anger he'd first seen had started to fade to something closer to chagrin for Eli.

"Wait, what?" Confusion coated the younger man's face.

Rush finally released him. "Are you bloody blind? Cressida is in love with you! She has been for years and you leave her crying and thinking she'd not good enough!"

Eli felt as though he'd tumbled into a parallel universe, how hard had Rush slapped his head against the wall? Had the Chief Scientist beaten him into unconsciousness and all of this was a dream? Eli held up his hands in puzzlement.

"Hold on, you're mad I stopped kissing Cress? Really?"

Rush sighed and raked a hand through his greying hair. If the whole mess with Cressida had happened when they first arrived on Destiny he'd have killed the younger man with his bare hands but Chloe had long ago had a calming effect on him and Eli felt relief at the prospect of not being murdered. Rush sighed again.

"Eli," He began slowly, brown eyes locked on the floor. "I'll level with you. I can't really complain about the age difference, just look at me and Chloe. Aye, Cress is young but mentally she's older than you, and she knows her own mind. We can't treat her as though she's a child because she isn't. And... if I'm honest, I'm glad it's you. You're the only one worthy of her."

Eli had never expected to hear that from anyone let alone Rush. He still wasn't sure what was happening but Rush's words flooded him with a sense of honour. Had Rush been replaced by an alien or something?

"Seriously?"

"She loves you, and I've seen the way you look at her... so grow a goddamn pair and tell her, because if you leave her in the state she is now I'll throw you out an airlock." There was warning in his voice.

Yes, Nicholas Rush was a volatile genius that bordered on mad man but he loved his children and as much as he didn't want it to be true Cressida was his favourite. He loved that girl with everything he had and all he wanted was for her to be happy, for that Rush would set aside any other feelings he had.

"She can do better-" Eli started quietly once the shock had worn off but Nicholas cut him off.

"She doesn't want better, Eli, she wants you. I know my children, they don't keep secrets as well as they think they do. I know they were using my gun for target practice while we were asleep, I know they helped themselves to Brody's still, I know my son is gay and I know that all Cressida wants in the universe is you."

There was a pause.

"I never thought you'd be talking me in to dating your daughter." Said Eli slowly.

"Neither did I. At first that airlock was looking mighty inviting but Chloe talked me out of killing you." He sighed yet again, that was becoming a too common occurence. "Go on, I'll watch over the diagnostic."

Eli nodded, Rush was right – always was – he did love Cress. The boy wonder turned to leave but just as he reached the threshold Rush's voice brought him to a stop.

"Eli, you make her cry again and-"

"I know, you'll throw me out the airlock." He smiled.

"No, I'll skin you and then throw your body out the airlock."

Eli swallowed as he left the room, that hadn't been an empty threat, Rush would kill him; and he'd take pleasure in it.

XXXX

Chloe saw Eli vanish around a corner towards the bridge as she made her way to the Control Interface Room, pleased to see he was still alive. She quickly found Rush with his back to her and easily slipped her arms around him, Rush turned in her arms and pulled the stunning young woman close.

"You didn't kill him then, Nicky." There was a minor tone of jest in her voice.

Rush pressed a kiss to her pink lips. "No, seems not." He breathed. "Guess I shouldn't have slammed his head into the wall-"

"Nicky!" She slapped his arm. "I told you to let me talk to him but no, he made your little girl cry."

"He's been warned about doing it again." Rush said flatly before resting his chin on top of her head.

"You did tell him we're okay with it though, right? Didn't just threaten him to within an inch of his life? We want the two of them happy not you hiding a body." Chloe told him firmly but there was a smile there. "I really wish you'd let us both talk to him rather than going all protective Papa."

"Protective Papa?" There was bewilderment in his eyes which caused Chloe to chuckle.

"You do that, accept it." She sighed and cuddled into his chest. "It's up to them now though and I know Eli will do the right thing, he loves Cress like you love yelling at Volker."

"Aye and that's a lot." The two chuckled.

"But she's still a teenage girl and too young for-"

"Do you honestly think I needed to tell Eli what would happen if he bedded our sixteen year old daughter?"

Chloe and Nicholas stood there for a time with a calm silence between them, Rush adored those moments where he could just hold Chloe close and breathe her in. Her body was always so warm and inviting, so soft and smooth. How she'd ever fallen in love with him Rush didn't know but he was grateful every single day that she had. One day they'd make it back to Earth and even though he didn't want Cress and Ezra to be planetless forever, Rush didn't know if anywhere but Destiny could be home his family anymore.