The early evening clouds in the west were just starting to tinge pink, casting a warm glow over the town. As Trip approached Monkey's door, she raised her hand to knock but it opened before she had the chance. "Hey, Trip. How'd it go with the headband?" His expression reminded her of a hopeful little boy about to receive a birthday present. "All the functions are still intact. Everything except the pain, and possible death that is," She knew Monkey's dark sense of humor, and that he would find the remark amusing, but internally she cringed with shame. No matter how many times Monkey assured her he held no grudges about the past, she couldn't shake off the remorse. He simply smirked and said "Well, let's fire that puppy up and see if it works." She reached up to fit the headband on his head, and had to suppress the urge to caress his face as she lowered her hands. She noticed her heart racing just like it always did in moments like these and froze. Her heartbeat. The headband. What if he noticed?

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Oh! Um- well, I just realized my vital signs are still programmed into the headband, and it's not really necessary…"

"Oh, no worries! Hell, I don't mind; what do I care? Heh…"

"But it's just going to… you know, take up space. Wouldn't it… I don't know… get annoying after a while?" She suppressed an extreme urge to fidget awkwardly.

Monkey shrugged. "Aw, who cares, just activate it! I won't even notice it," he lied.

Trip had to think fast. If she activated the headband, Monkey might notice she was attracted to him, and that just didn't bear thinking about.

"Well, what if I added some modifications to it? I could add a weather detection sensor-"

"Trip, no offense, but if I wanna know the weather, I'll look out the window or just go outside."

"But…"

"I'm sure it's fine the way it is; would you just re-activate it?!" Monkey sounded annoyed now.

"N-No!" It was not anger but nervousness that left her spluttering. "If you think my ideas are so dumb, then…then why don't you reprogram your own damn headband!" She turned and began to storm off. She was only truly angry at herself. A weather detection sensor? She couldn't come up with a more believable excuse? Hopeless.

Monkey stared after her and agonized for a moment. There was no way out. The thought of enduring even one more night-mare made his blood run cold. He had to at least try to get her to reactivate the headband, even if it meant spilling his mortifying secret.

"Trip, wait!"

She stopped but didn't turn around.

"I'm sorry. You can add the weather function tomorrow, just please, for now, can you activate the headband? …I need it tonight."

She turned an incredulous face to him. "Wait, you're going out scavenging now? It'll be dark soon!"

"No, that's … that's not why I need it. The truth is…" Swallowing did nothing to relieve the dryness in his throat. "The real reason I wanted the headband back wasn't for mine detection." He winced. "Aw man, you're gonna think I'm a creep." Now he was the one fidgeting.

All at once it dawned on Trip. Her vital signs were exactly what he wanted the headband for. But why? Curiosity mingled with a vague, confusing excitement and Trip quickly squashed the butterflies starting to gather in her middle.

"Was it my vital signs?" She shook her head. "But…"

"I know, I know. It's weird and creepy. I shouldn't have asked. I'm-I'm sorry, I just…"

"No! I don't think it's creepy… I mean I guess it is a little weird... I'm just … a little confused, I mean... Why is it so urgent that you want to reactivate it tonight?"

"I just ... got so used to seeing your vitals all the time. Now that they're not there, I've been havin' some pretty messed up dreams. Dreams about your heart stopping." Even yards away Trip could see the pain in his face. "If I could see it again …" He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to find the right words, and finally looked up at her again. "It would just be reassuring, ya know? I understand if it makes you uncomfortable. We don't have to reactivate it if you don't want to."

The familiar guilt came crashing in on her with renewed fury. What had she done to him? She had to fix this, no matter what. She had told herself she was keeping her distance to preserve their friendship, but she knew he would never abandon her. He'd made that quite obvious long ago. Her real fear was that he viewed her as some sort of little sister. So what if he did? At worst she would simply embarrass herself and things would be a little awkward for a while. Meanwhile Monkey was suffering because of her. She knew what must be done.

"It's … not that it makes me uncomfortable, I just… I guess I have a confession to make too." No going back now. Trip felt a cold sweat break out on her lower back. "My real reason for wanting to take my biometrics off the headband was…I was…" Trip tried to look at Monkey but couldn't meet his eyes for more than a second at a time. "I was afraid you'd notice that … myheartbeatsfasterwhenyou'renearme." Trip mumbled the last phrase as quickly and quietly as possible while looking away and trying her best not to blush beet red.

"Wait… You were afraid I'd notice what when I'm near you?"

Trip could not believe she was about to do this. "Let me show you." She tapped a few keys on her databand. A small silhouette of Trip sprang to life in the bottom left corner of Monkey's vision. It was complete with tiny graphs depicting her current breathing rate, heart rate, blood pressure and even body temperature.

Monkey tilted his head, switching a confused, squinty gaze between her and his headband's display of her vital signs as he walked closer to her. When he finally noticed her heart racing on his display his eyes widened with surprise. "Oh…" he said in quiet fascination. "that…" He was only a foot or so from her now.

"I-I should go…" Trip stuttered.

Monkey was so spell-bound by Trip's accelerated heart rate that he almost let her turn and dart away.

"Hey!" But on a sudden impulse Monkey reached out and clasped her hand before she could take more than a few steps. "If it makes you feel any better… the same thing happens to me…" He pressed her hand against his heart. Trip could feel it thumping as fast as her own. He was gazing at her the same way he had in the control room of the Leviathan, just before she'd tried to deactivate the headband; a slight smile, eyes half-lidded. How had she missed it before? His face radiated affection. She felt weak-kneed and slightly dizzy. No. No, she didn't deserve this. Not after everything she'd done to him. She jerked her hand away. "Monkey, what if you wouldn't feel this way if I hadn't enslaved you? I forced you to stay by my side for so long; how is that fair to you?"

Monkey grabbed her shoulder, his brows knitted in consternation. "Trip, do you have any idea what I was before you ... put this thing on me? I had no one. Not one person gave a damn about me, so I sure as hell didn't give a damn for anyone else." His face grew dark. "I would've abandoned you. My life never would've..." He just exhaled a short breath and shook his head slightly. His eyes were glistening now, and his breath came short and halting, his voice just above a whisper. He cupped her face gingerly in his huge hands. "I didn't think kindness … gentleness … love… could survive in this world 'til I met you. Don't ever, for one second, doubt my love is real." And then he was kissing away the tears sliding down her burning cheeks. Trip had never believed a guilt as heavy as hers could just evaporate into thin air. But right now she felt impossibly light, almost ethereal. Before she could recover from the shock, the rain clouds of the afternoon made good on their threat. Thunder cracked overhead, startling them both out of their reverie. A smattering of raindrops became a downpour within seconds. Monkey wrapped an arm protectively around Trip and they ran inside his house together, shutting the door tight behind them. They were both breathless and slightly damp now, but neither of them much cared. Trip had begun to tremble slightly, from more than just the chill. Monkey snatched a blanket from his bed, wrapped it around her and held her close. Her quivering slowly subsided as his body heat seeped into her. Her head rested against his chest and she could once again feel his heart pounding, this time against her cheek. "See?" he said. "Nothin' to be embarrassed about." After a moment she craned her neck to look at him and a sudden smile lit up his face. "Trip…Can I listen to your real heartbeat?" Trip tapped a few keys to deactivate the headband, and slid it off of Monkey's head. When he knelt on the floor he was so tall Trip didn't even have to bend over to let his head rest against her heart. His breath felt warm on her shoulder and his hair tickled her neck. After a few moments he gently grasped her around her legs and waist and stood up so she was braced against him, her toes a full three feet off the floor. He looked up adoringly into her eyes, and Trip couldn't help herself anymore. She kissed him full on the lips. They were so much softer than she'd expected… "Monkey… you could listen to my heartbeat all night if it'll keep those nightmares away," she whispered. Monkey suddenly felt exhausted, now that he could stop putting up the brave front he had for the past few weeks. "Now that sounds like a plan," he said, with a tired smile. Without so much as letting her feet touch the floor he carried her to his bed, wearily crawled in with her and nuzzled his head onto her chest. Trip rested her cheek on his head, and basked in the rich, euphoric warmth emanating from him. He stroked the delicate skin where her neck and shoulder met, so softly his calluses sent little shivers up her spine. She felt herself settling into a serene trance. Eventually his fingers stopped moving, his breath deepening and slowing as the soft rhythm of her heart lulled him to peaceful slumber. Trip had a feeling his nightmares were never coming back.