Hope everyone is enjoying my view of the Engineer's planet, you'll see more and more as the story progresses. I can't hash it all out on the table right away. :D And yes, things will get steamy between them, I've decided yes to an M rated chapter here shortly.

Hope you all stick around!

-[7]-

This new building was cold and dim, with at least fifteen foot ceilings. The top of them were vaulted with what looked like steel ribs, and they held up fiberglass roofs. The Engineer didn't hesitate in the slightest and moved forward and began poking around immediately. It was safe to assume this wasn't his house, he would have to find his way around too. The blond android did the same, he began nosing around the room, and exploring the small halls to Ellie's right. There were two doorways, one led to a staircase. To her immediate left, the room was a half circle, with what looked like a couch curved the opposite way. It curved toward the wall, and the only thing on the wall were two small rectangular bars about eight feet apart.

David walked through the hall that didn't lead to the stairs. He called out to her once a light clicked on and he was out of sight,

"It's a kitchen."

The woman chuckled and looked around the room. She cautiously stepped off the teleportation platform and watched as the Engineer disappeared up the stairs. She tiptoed her way into the kitchen room with David, looking around. Everything was very angular, and looked like stainless steel. The floor was a dark navy color with silver flecks in the marble. The walls were a light gray, similar to the color of her uniform. Rectangular seams decorated some areas around the walls; and she wasn't quite sure what they were there for.

The countertop didn't seem to have cabinets in it, and above them on the wall were the large square seams. David reached up and pushed against one of the squares, making one of the panels pop up. The synthetic's hand moved the panel to the side, revealing that they were storage cabinets. Various cans and bottles decorated the four shelves inside the one panel, it was just like an Earth kitchen. The doctor behind him cooed in surprise, it was a truly intriguing design.

Behind them, was a medium sized room that was empty. The far wall was all fiberglass, and it had the same hazy snow scene outside it. It looked like wind was blowing hard against the glass, white flakes blocked most of the view. With a peek around the island countertop looking structure, she noticed something odd about the floor. There was a huge rounded off rectangle in the floor, it looked like a big chunk of glass. She noticed the floor here looked like it was made with a metal ribbed looking material, like a black steel bamboo. A curious android behind her noticed the two triangular buttons on the wall, he pressed one and a low humming noise came from the floor. The doctor practically fell backwards as she flinched at the sight of the large section of the floor rise up.

It was floating by itself.

The hovering platform then dropped a couple smaller rounded platforms out from under it, and they hovered about two feet below the outside edges of the large platform. Small LED looking lights lit up in rows on the ceiling, there were probably ten rows of these tiny white lights each spaced about a foot and a half from each other across the entire ceiling. The floating surface and smaller disks were all a clear sage green color, and were about four inches thick. They just hovered there, and the android made a noise like he understood,

"Ahaa, It's a table. Held up by what I can assume to be a magnetic field of some sort. But I'm not sure how it works…"

Ellie observed the table for a few more moments, but then realized the Engineer had disappeared up the staircase. She made her way through the hall and then to the other open doorway on her left, to the stairs. The woman trotted up the stairs and admired the strange mural lining both sides of the staircase. For the most part it was various shades of blue, and had many different styles inside what looked like a painting. There were long swirling strokes, small stippling dots, and lots of depth with shading. It was very swirly, and had lots of foreign writing. It reminded her of a breeze over an ocean. In some places on the wall, she swore she could make out an image of that stone head from the pyramid on LV-223. He must have been important to them, a deity or something. She made a note to herself to ask Zarek later about that head and what significance it had with the Engineers.

As she reached the top of the long staircase, there was a room directly to her left, and the door was open. It was a bedroom of some kind, with what looked like a mattress on the floor. It had a neat set of folded blankets and some pillows around on top of it. There was a small nightstand on either side of the rounded bed, both of them built in curves around the top edges of the bed. There were two triangular buttons beside one of the nightstands on the wall, it must be a magnetic control. It probably would levitate the bed off the ground if she had to guess. This 'levitation' thing really had her puzzled, it was something she would definitely have to find out about.

Another rustling sound from behind her made her slowly turn and walk passed the top of the stairs, going to the other doorway. The top of the stairs came to a 'T' shape with the 2nd floor hall, and what she presumed to be the master bedroom was on the right. The doorway was larger, and had a pointed arch shape to it, similar to the ribbed vaulted ceilings of fiberglass. This entire 'home' had the transparent ceiling, which seemed peculiar in the red haired woman's opinion. Why have a clear ceiling? It didn't make sense other than the use of natural lighting.

As she slowly entered the 'master' bedroom, it was spacious. Ahead of her, almost against the far wall, there was another mattress, it was hovering already like the table in the kitchen. It was wide, a huge bed that was at least the size of a california king mattress, just longer. The sheets were a deep burgundy color, it was perfectly made. Large pillows were strewn across the top side of the bed, nearest the wall. The room was elongated, and on her left there were large panels in the wall. She slowly bit her lip and scanned the rest of the room, as she turned her head to the right, there was another doorway on the right wall. The hall curved so she couldn't see to where it led. The red head slowly made her way through the smaller doorway, she could hear movement, and what she thought was the sound of water running. The Engineer was probably back here.

The left side of the brief hall had a couple tall mirrors lining the wall, making her briefly glance at her messy hair. She looked like a disaster in her opinion, she needed to get cleaned up. Again.

As she entered the small room, she saw directly to her left, there was a small countertop with a bend downward in the middle, with a tiny grate on the bottom. It looked like a futuristic sink, only without a spout. The sound of running water made her glance up to the right, a small half wall branched off the wall to her right. It came halfway into the room towards the left wall, and there was water dropping from a small platform above it like rain. Her heart jumped into her throat and she tensed up upon seeing the figure standing on the other side of the half-wall. Her Engineer friend was stark naked showering on the other side of the short wall. A red hue lit up her face as she took in what was in front of her.

His huge upper half was most of what she could see, the half wall stopped just below his lower back. Not that she wanted it to drop lower. The doctor took a slow step backward, trying to be silent. Her hand now was over her mouth, her eyes glued on him. She didn't want to make a sound, not to startle him, and she surely didn't want him to know she was gawking at him while he was undressed. His right side was to her, his face toward the right wall. Huge chiseled muscles glistened under the water, his bulging shoulder blades protruded from his back as he shifted under the pouring water to let it rain on his face. The droplets tan over his huge arms as he ran his hands over his scalp, his hands nearly covering all of his hairless head. The doctor quietly shifted her feet back across the floor, no longer interested in the bathroom. She had no idea how he would react if he saw her looking at him. It was just fine if she got to look at the bathroom later.

As she backed out into the hall, he sighed, releasing a deep hum along with it. It was a very low pitched sound, like a low key on a piano. As soon as she backed around the corner, she breathed a sigh of relief. Her face was hot to the touch and she could feel her blush getting worse. Why was she embarrassed? The woman felt almost jumpy, she wrung her hands together and tried to think of other things. No doubt he was perfectly built, like a grecian god, but he was an Engineer.

Another frustrated huff of air escaped her lips as she shook her head, staring at the main part of the bedroom. Were they staying in here together? No. Ellie shook her head, she was going to stay down in that other smaller bedroom. Zarek wouldn't want her here anyway. She didn't want to try and rob the Engineer of the room he seemed to claim already anyway.

Why would she even think of staying with him? All of these thoughts frazzled her mind, she didn't know what was making her like this. She supposed she just felt attached to him because she was here with just David, who couldn't really feel anything.

A heavy footstep clapped the marble floor behind her. Ellie felt a light nervous shock run up her spine as she turned to face the space jockey. His large body was a lot closer to her than she expected. He had a look of fascination, and had his brow pushed together as he looked down at her. His lower half was covered by a thick low hanging black cloth that touched the floor. His straight posture made him just appear that much taller to her.

The red head's face began to match her hair, she fumbled over her words,

"Sorry about that. I didn't see anything…"

She trailed off when his hand reached up and gently touched her warm cheek. He didn't seem to be too concerned with what she had said, since he didn't understand anyway. Blushing wasn't something he could probably do, it really piqued his curiosity. The contact was soft, very subtle, like a butterfly had landed on her cheek. This huge alien was far more gentle than she thought he was could be, it seemed so strange.

Her cheeks were flushed and warm, she felt like she was burning up even though it was freezing cold inside this housing unit. She wanted to pull away. This wasn't something she should be doing, allowing her informant to get too close to her. If he was even trying to get close to her, she didn't really know what to think. His emotions were difficult to decipher, especially when she didn't know what to think herself. She didn't know what he was thinking. It troubled her.

The gentle contact from his hand was surprising as he slowly traced his fingertips around to the side of her neck, resting his hand on her shoulder and looking into her eyes. The gentle contact felt wonderful, it made her want to collapse into his arms and cry. She could sit in his arms and hide from the world and just cry her heart out, and let go of all her pent up hurt and anxiety. Charlie was the last person to caress her in a way that showed he cared, and it was a bizarre to feel so relaxed while a space jockey did the same. She knew this was wrong. She should slap his hand off of her. Whatever his intentions were, it was wrong. But it didn't feel wrong. It felt, so comforting in a lonely painful world.

Zarek pulled his hand up and pressed his index finger and thumb carefully into her cheek, pinching it just slightly like the red color would rub off. Her mouth fell open and she couldn't resist the urge to huff out a chuckle and push him away. He was pinching her cheeks like she was a little kid, just because he didn't understand how to blush. Her hands playfully pushed at his hard stomach and she looked up at his now surprised face. The alien wasn't sure how to react to her playful outburst, and the doctor then covered her mouth and took a step back. Her expression was one of near horror now. She looked like a child that had knocked over a glass and shattered it on the floor, she looked petrified she had just started giggling and pushing at him. She realized her mistake. She was an adult, she was mature, and was a woman. It wasn't a reaction she ever saw herself having, and she quickly righted herself. She wasn't a giggly school girl, she was a scientist here to get answers. She wasn't here to get friendly and cute with her guide.

The Engineer craned his neck down and looked at her like he didn't understand what was wrong. Those dark eyes no longer made her feel alienated and afraid, they were somewhat comforting, and she felt like she could tell him anything. He may not understand, but he would still listen. He would eventually learn English this way as well.

His deep hollow voice made her get chills,

"Sorry about that."

His words were a bit twisted, and a little hard to completely understand. But what he said made her smile, like he was trying to hard to understand her. He was parroting things he understood, seeing it fit to the situation he was in. It was hard to believe that someone who was once hell bent on destroying her species, was now trying to learn about her. Her heart began to ache, thinking about the fact she'd probably never see any of those humans again. Chances were she would live out her days here, and try to send David back with her findings. However, she would never disclose the location, and she would stop at nothing to make sure David confirmed the secrecy of this location. The human race was not ready for such a discovery.

The sickening feeling in her throat returned. Thoughts of all the people on Earth that would puzzle over her work for years made her have mixed feelings. She could only hope the humans would change, before their greed and destructive ways became their demise.

Ellie felt cold again. All of her embarrassment flew out the door as she thought of living here until she died. The comfort the space jockey had showed her made her want more. She wanted to be held and taken care of still, she didn't want to face the fact that she no longer had the person that always did that for her. She had no family, no children, and no significant other. It was all gone. She wasn't even sure she would be missed on Earth; a disheartening feeling. Thoughts of the alien baby she pulled out of her body came to mind, and that it was her first child. It was an abomination, and she wasn't sure if she would ever get the chance to have her own family. Her stomach ached in a sickening knot, what an awful experience.

All of these thoughts made her feel ill. Loneliness creeped in like venom, making her quiver and fight the urge to cry. She hated crying, but it was all so overwhelming. Being alone was something she had been used to before she met Charlie, and now that he was gone, she felt alone once more. She hated depending on others, but it was necessary for her sanity sometimes. Even here; Half of these Engineers were intimidating and not accepting of her. It was hard to get the answers you seek, and be afraid the entire time. Zarek was all she had emotionally, since David wouldn't be able to fathom how she felt.

The alien turned his head to look toward the left side of the room, probably done standing there awkwardly with her. Without hesitation, the doctor moved forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, the side of her head pressing barely into his diaphragm. She didn't sob, she just let the tears pour out of the corners of her eyes. They were hot against her cheeks, and she did the best she could to keep her breathing from becoming loud and ragged. This was it. She needed this, just the contact to make her feel less alone.

This was the last time she would do this, the last time she would bring herself this low and mope on what she had lost. Her hands squeezed into his back slightly, and her arms held around his huge body firmly. It was time to let go of all the hurt.

The space jockey didn't seem to react at first. His entire body was rigid as she embraced him. He didn't seem to know how to react, like he hadn't been hugged before.

Hesitance wasn't something she thought of when she imagined this Engineer. He was always decisive, stern, knowing. It was like he was a predator. He knew what to do, the best way to approach problems. He was a fantastic problem solver, and very direct with his actions.

Zarek slowly put his arms around the trembling woman, his arms enveloping her completely. She couldn't see his face, she wasn't sure she wanted to. He might be wearing a facade of disgust, and that would make her feel worse. She didn't know how he felt, but she knew she needed this. She just wanted that feeling of being held, like she wasn't alone. But she was mentally promising herself, this was the last time she would break apart. Her life couldn't forever be plagued by the guilt and strife brought on by the Prometheus mission and the loss of her parents. None of that mattered now. Her life had a greater purpose, and sitting around feeling sorry for her nearly inevitable losses wasn't helping.

Her grip tightened when she heard his heart beating. It was heavy sounding, like a machine lifting and dropping something enormous. It was loud and slow paced too. She imagined his heart was a lot bigger than hers, so it was more efficient for his large muscular body. It made her feel comfortable, like she could let go and just sit here forever. She cried quietly into his chest, trying not to shiver so much at the cold. His body was warm, and dare she say inviting.

Ellie fought the heaves accompanying her sobs, she shook her head and clenched her jaw. The promise to herself kept ringing in her head;

This is the last time I'll break down. The time for that is over.

She forced a smile on her face at the idea of letting go. She thanked Charlie for being by her side, and mentally apologized for having to let him go. She thought the same of her mother and father. Life was too short to sit and feel miserable for something she had no control over.

A little sound inside his chest made her blink and look up at his face. It simply sounded like him clearing his throat. An expression of compassion played his face, it warmed her heart. A huge hand moved to her face and wiped her wet cheek, making her face feel content again. He was intelligent, no doubt. He knew she was upset, that she was hurting. The alien was compassionate, which wasn't something she had imagined when she first saw him.

When he came out of his stasis tube, he was ferocious and angry. But to her, he had every right to be that way. Waking up face to face with those you swore to destroy must have been enraging. However, Zarek was now kind, and accepting, making her feel welcome in this desolate place.

Ellie knew he understood, he knew what she felt like, to lose everything. She couldn't believe he had been so stable, to be un-phased by what all had happened to him. Perhaps it did effect him, but she couldn't read that right off his tiny emotions.

A shock ran through her body as he suddenly moved down and scooped her up into his arms bridal style. She shook her head and flailed a bit,

"No- Wait, What are you doing?!"

Thick arms held under her knees and upper back, making her lean into his collarbone. His sharply chiseled jaw was so close to her face, it made her admire it silently. His grip on her was almost too tight now, like he was afraid to let her go. He was almost too strong for his own good.

He carried her over and laid her on the mattress; after pulling the thick sheet out. He set her so her back was on the pouffy pillows, and covered her lower half with the dark burgundy cloth. Before she could question him again, he walked around the mattress and clambered up beside her. She immediately tensed up and moved back, unsure of what his intentions were.

The alien made her nearly yelp as he used his strong right arm to pull her over to him. She couldn't really protest as he moved her over to him, since he was so powerful. He wrapped his huge arm around her and easily moved her nearly on top of him. The woman was curled almost into a fetal position, her head against his chest. She wasn't crying anymore, but still felt sad. Her heart still stung from the thousand pieces it now lay in jabbing at her insides.

He just brought her close, but seemed to be careful not to hurt her with his immense strength. She didn't dare move for fear of upsetting him, because it looked like he was just trying to help.

All the fear was melting away, and she felt almost like she was at home. It felt like she was safe from this new frigid world and the few hostile Engineers in it. It gave her the confidence to get up when she next got the chance and explore more of this world like the scientist she was.

She was a little afraid of weighing too much, laying on him like this. Zarek didn't seem to mind though, he was just trying to help her. They were sort of the only two left. He had no family, and neither did she. They seemed almost too perfect.

The thought of David coming in made her feel awkward and nervous as she laid on his chest. He was an android, it probably wouldn't mean anything to him. However, the doctor knew she should move; she should get up and walk away. She didn't want to be emotionally invested in anyone else now. It was too soon.

But that loneliness built up in her heart is precisely why she ached for the contact.

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Oooh good stuff coming up! It's gonna get good. Hehe! Hope everyone is prepared for the gentle *cough brutal cough* loving that's coming up.

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Please leave your thoughts! Or if you want to see anything in particular about their planet, let me know. I'll do my best!