"Explain maybe?"

"It...it just exploded," Johnny explained poorly, seemingly still in shock over the whole thing.

D'avin still didn't feel like that was any kind of explanation. "What were you doing when the exploding happened?"

"Zeph?" Dutch prompted.

"Are you wearing pants?" Zeph asked. "Oh and you're awake!"

He and Dutch both sighed at the response. "You're covered in green," D'av pointed out. "Either you two were being idiots or you both discovered that you're into something kinky and you've been hiding some weird romance between the two of you."

"No!"

"Ew," Johnny also complained.

"That's what I thought," D'av said. "So, tell us the stupid thing you did."

"And please try to use small, non-complicated words," Dutch requested.

When he glanced over to her quickly, he had seen the exhaustion in her. D'avin couldn't help but worry, but he knew that right now their focus needed to be on the nerd duo. Dutch pushed herself...and he got it, completely...but he felt like he needed to worry about her more than his and Johnny's normal level of worry when it came to her.

"So, I was experimenting with the green, hoping to maybe figure a way out of protecting us...our memories...from the green," Zeph said. "And then Johnny zapped it-"

"It seemed like a valid attempt at trying something," Johnny chimed in.

"You were grasping," Zeph said turning to Johnny before turning back to them. "But anyways, we kept experimenting...and...well, it got angry and sort of exploded."

"I don't understand how that little sample can cover the both of us and so much of the cargo bay, though," Johnny said in clear confusion.

"Well, you can think more on it while you two clean up the cargo bay," Dutch said, this time her voice betrayed her being exhausted and drained.

Johnny seemed like he was going to argue, but then closed his mouth and just nodded. "You feeling okay?" he asked after a good minute of silence.

"I'm tired...which doesn't seem like it should make sense," Dutch admitted.

"We'll be quiet while we clean, right, Zeph?"

"Yeah, yeah...we will," Zeph said quickly looking between Johnny and Dutch. "And you'll let us know if you're feeling weird...so I can look you over more."

Dutch nodded. "I will."

D'avin could tell that they were both concerned, but was thankful that there wasn't anything bigger made of Dutch being off. She was exhausted and she'd been through so much, she really just needed a break and time to recover one way or another. "Let's get you back," he whispered and there was no fight.

They made it to Dutch's room when they were interrupted. "The Hullen ship is hailing us. They are requesting Yalena," Lucy said.

"They can wait."

"I doubt they feel like they can," she said as she braced herself on the doorframe of her own room. She sighed and in the way she held herself, he could tell that she really wasn't up for dealing with Khlyen and Aneela. The thing that really sucked right now, though, was that they really didn't have the choice.

"I'll talk to them-"

"No, it's okay."

When she turned to him, their eyes meeting, he could tell that she wasn't. "Look, I know showing weakness isn't something that either of us do...but you need the rest, Dutch."

"Right now, let's just see what they want, okay?" Dutch put out there. "If it's something that we can wait on. We will. I'll go back and lie down. Maybe we'll both get some sleep. I'm not the only one who could use it."

He gave a nod.

"Not on the floor this time."

"I'm not telling you anything about my child."

D'avin was doing everything he could to just stand there beside Dutch, his arms crossed over his chest with his mouth screwed shut, trying his damndest to keep quiet. They were making it difficult. They wanted to know everything that Dutch hadn't told him about their child. Right now, their child was hidden away and safe...they wouldn't endanger it...not for Aneela and Khlyen's curiosity.

Now Khlyen had turned to pleading. "Yala, I only want to help-"

"Help is letting me rest… I need it."

"What do you remember from the green space?" Aneela asked this time, clearly curious.

"The Lady...trying to break me, I think."

"That was her having limited connection to you," Khlyen said quickly. "You got to watch her torture and kill the Jaqobis...just wait until she has the full ability to see your entire life...all of your secrets...think about what she'll show you, what she'll do in order to get you to reveal your child."

"It won't work-"

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because my child is hidden...even from me."

It was getting old having what felt like the same conversation over and over again. D'avin decided that enough was enough. Dutch needed the sleep…and so did he. He'd be able to get some rest knowing that she would wake...and that she was okay (for the most part at least). "Look, this topic isn't up for discussion. We've both made it clear. Right now, Dutch needs her sleep. We need to focus on what we're going to do. Are you going to help us fight the Hullen?"

"We'll help you fight the Lady," Khlyen said.

"I have conditions for the Nine," Aneela spoke up.

"Neely-"

"If they want our help, then they're going to listen," Aneela told him. "I want to go home, Papa."

"Qresh isn't home anymore."

"It could be again," Aneela argued. "It's been too long."

"You two sort all of that out," D'avin said before unceremoniously ending the call.

"What do you think she wants with Qresh?" Dutch asked him.

D'avin was gentle, but also quick as he scooped her up into his arms...he was quite careful not to spook her (they didn't need to end up on the floor). "I don't care. It doesn't matter. What matters right now is sleep...and bed."

"Bed," she whispered.

Moving back to her room once again, he made sure she was settled into bed before he joined her. His boots and most of his clothing in a pile on one side of the bed. "Don't let them get into your head, okay?" he whispered as he held her.

"Just let it all slip away?"

"That always sounds so simple."

"When I was gone...whenever I'd miss you and Johnny, I'd close my eyes and think of a favorite happy memory...try to live in that moment," Dutch told him. "Maybe they weren't always so happy or perfect, but they were moments I missed."

"Us Killjoying?"

"Well, we are good at it."

"So did I," D'av admitted. "Also, us kissing…"

"I won't lie, I am fairly sure I got through every single moment with any shred or contentment or happiness with you and Johnny to get me through," she told him. "I didn't know how to trust someone when I met Johnny...and all I knew was Johnny as family when you came into the picture...and now-now I don't feel like I'm completely myself without you."

"Johnny's the heart," D'av said.

"And sometimes the brain," Dutch said with a smirk. "At least when it comes to the tech stuff."

He just laughed at that. "Not at strategy."

"No, not that."

"We anchor each other in a different way," D'avin said. "But you are my North Star, Dutch. No matter what-"

"Shh...what happened to us not doing feelings?" she teased lightly before pressing a light kiss against his lips.

He knew what she was doing...and for a moment D'avin thought about fighting against her diversion, but at the same time he didn't want to go slide down the dark rabbit hole of emotion either. "You and I...our feelings...they don't always need words."

And she kissed him again...and he kissed back and gave up any kind of conversation that involved words.

TBC…