Wow... I'm on a roll! The fluffier the chapter, the faster it'll get done. (Usually...)

Rated T for some language, but if you found this story, most likely you've already heard it all.

"Cassie? You alright?" Brandon questioned. I nodded and took the spot next to him. "Just… not feeling well. Must've been a bug going around."

"Yeah… I think I remember Erik complaining the other day." I could tell he didn't believe it, but he kept quiet. My other colleagues gave me and Brandon incredulous stares.

"You sure, Cass?" Selene asked. Her blue eyes boring into mine. "You look pale."

"I'm fine!" I snapped. Their constant worrying getting on my nerves.

Some of them jumped at my small outburst. I leaned back and ran a head through my hair, carefully choosing to use the hand that didn't have the bite wound.

"I've been stressed lately, okay? With this new project due next week and all." Selene gave a small smile and nod, before eating her food. The rest of the table copied her action, and turned their attention away from me.

"I think I'll head to the labs to set things up. I'm not hungry anyway." I sighed and pushed myself up to my feet.

"Take it easy, Cassie. Don't go and try to act tough for us. We've all had some shitty days."

I averted my gaze, and left the room.

There was a constant whimper in the back of my head. Shh… It's alright. I tried. Her whining dimmed down, but didn't vanish completely.

The overhead lights flickered on as I entered the lab, nearly blinding me as the lustrous tables reflected the beams.

I took a seat in the nearest chair, and rested my head in my arms. The queen's calls were making me anxious. I didn't want to be away, but I had to.

Calm down. I'm still here.

I wasn't sure if I was soothing myself or the queen, because I'm sure we both felt the same way. That's when I finally decided I wasn't just calling her the queen anymore.

I sat there for at least ten minutes going thinking of all the names I knew. I went through all the normal names. I wanted one that meant something important; something that fit her.

I made a smile when I found one. I'm pretty sure it was Gaelic for sovereignty, ruling authority, and fittingly, regal. There was only one thing left to do… make sure she liked it.

Flaitheas?

At first, there was no response, but then I felt her confusion. Do you like the name Flaitheas?

The queen answered back with a purr louder than I'd heard before. I chuckled to myself at the xenomorph, glad I was alone in the lab.

M…ma… ma?

I felt my heart clench at the silent murmur. I couldn't really think straight when I heard it. Obviously, I've never been called Mom before, and I certainly didn't expect it from a xenomorph queen.

Without my knowledge, tears began filling my eyes. T-that's right, Flaitheas. I'm your- I found it hard to even think about the word. I'm your… Mom.

I could tell she was probably bouncing around the room in happiness, but I couldn't focus on her anymore, because Brandon walked in behind me.

"You ready for work, Cassie?"

I nodded dully, and got up to follow him to the back of the lab. Usually, Brandon and I were the two people in charge of this one lab. Well, it was mostly me, because Brandon was too busy talking. We were researching how to use xenomorph's DNA to our advantage without mutating the subjects. The first thing we had to solve was the acidic blood. We eventually found that a simple combination of diamond and titanium was immune to the corrosive liquid. Problem was that it was expensive, so we only had so many syringes and petri dishes made of the stuff.

You might be wondering where we get the blood. Well, that's from the facehuggers. That's actually where I was when this whole thing started. It was a last minute trip at the end of the day to stock up so we'd have extra the next day.

As the lab filled in with our other colleagues my mind wandered to Flaitheas. She and I had small conversations with one another as the day went on. Every minute, she seemed to learn another word. Only an hour had passed before she reverted to calling me Mommy instead of Mama.

When it got to the point where she could make out simple coherent sentences, I found it harder to stay away from her.

When is Mommy coming home? She'd ask. Please. She pleaded.

I fought back any physical reactions. I couldn't have the others more suspicious of me.

I'm sure Brandon noticed my dull, out-of-focus look the whole time, but was too soft-spoken to do anything.

It's funny how I was experiencing a whole life-cycle within a day. This morning, she didn't know any words, then she began calling me Mama, and now, she seemed like a toddler.

By the time we were the last two in the lab at the end of the day, I knew it was now or never. Better try convincing him while I can. "Brandon… do you ever wonder why xenomorphs are the most dangerous creature out there?"

He pulled the green blood into a syringe from a small vial. "Not really. I mean, look at the thing's teeth! That's enough for me to shit my pants and scream bloody murder." He chuckled at the thought.

I gave him a fake smirk. "What do you think would happen if a host survived? Do you think there would be any… connection between the two afterwards?"

He shrugged, and placed his sample of blood under the microscope. "If you ask me, having the host survive is highly unlikely. But I think there might be some kind of connection. I've read up on Ellen Ripley a few times. Even though she was cloned and mixed with xeno DNA, she showed signs of understanding the queen."

I pulled out my notebook and glanced over his shoulder. "Anything new?" He shook his head. "Nadda. But what do you expect? We only find something new every month or so."

I rested my chin on my palm. "I know this is going to sound stupid, but do you think the xenos can communicate with telepathy?"

"What's with all these questions all of a sudden?"

I didn't move. "I had some weird dreams last night." I leaned back in his chair and gave me a risen eyebrow, urging me to go on. "I dreamt of being the host of a queen, like Ripley, except when the queen got close, it was trying to curl up against me. You can imagine I was trying to run for my life, but the damn door wouldn't open."

"Classic nightmare." Brandon chuckled.

"It was a little further into the dream that I started getting a new perspective. The queen didn't attack. She just… sat there. Everything I wanted it to do, she'd do it." I snuck a glance at him to find he was interested in where the story was going.

"What if xenos aren't all bad after all? What if we never bothered to see this from their point of view?"

Just when I thought he started empathizing with me, he snickered, "You're telling me one dream is making you side with the xenomorphs?" I hid my face in shame.

He must've seen me, because he continued. "Cass, are you forgetting they're just animals? Sure, they have some intelligence, but I doubt they have the same IQs as us."

That was a stab to the heart. I heard Flaitheas growl at him too.

"Besides, they're programmed to impregnate hosts, and kill any threats to the hive. There isn't anything you can do to reason with them. It's like trying to talk to a bee for god's sake!"

He's being mean, Mommy! I balled my hands into fists, Flaitheas' anger getting the better of me.

"What about all the reports we've read about the queen's personality?" It took all my strength not to sound bitter. "Didn't they all show she's more caring than the rest? I mean, sure, she protects her eggs even if it means killing any living thing around her, but wouldn't any mother protect her young?"

Brandon's eyes almost seemed to be drilling into my head, trying to see some hidden detail I've left out.

"You're really serious about this, aren't you?"

I didn't have the courage to respond.

"Cassie. You know as well as I do that they're wild animals."

I couldn't take it any longer. Both his words and the queen's constant nagging were setting me on edge. Pushing away from my desk, I gave him one last long look.

"Just imagine how terrified they are when some humans come into their home with machine guns to kill them all."

Brandon sat and watched me with disbelief written all over his face as I turned to leave the room.

Mommy? Flaitheas whined. Can you come home now? I-I'm scared

Her words, though sent through the mind, had a slight slur to them. My step faltered when I heard her.

Soon. I replied.

"Um, Cassie? You sure you're alright?" I cursed myself for stopping mid-step. Of course Brandon would notice.

"Peachy." I muttered.

Come home, Mommy! Flaitheas begged. I can protect you!

This time, I stumbled a bit. I felt touched she wanted me back to protect me, but now was not the right time.

"How about I make sure you get back to your room without-"

"No! I-I can get there myself." I stuttered and walked as fast as I could around the corner.

I'm coming. Just wait a little longer.