Notes: I'll try to be brief, but it has in fact been a while. To summarize, I've been in the middle of both moving and a home renovation over the course of, well, this entire year. I'm at my new home, though there is still a lot to do and settling in has been… interesting. This is another 'reserve' chapter, but this is all I have until I get the next chapter written. Due to the move and other factors(at least my busy season at work has drawn pretty much to a close), progress will be slow going but I do have plenty of ideas; I just need to get them out on 'paper' now. I will have some extended time off around the holidays during which I plan to make some progress; at least if I have my house more in order by then! :P


Chapter 28: Traces

Finding the alcohol was the easy part; I still had a fair bit of that whiskey left. I even had several beers, a couple of bottles of mead, and even most of a bottle of rum; I kept stocked up in case I needed to bring something to a party. I was entirely aware that it was the last of what I had, but at that point I didn't care.

Food was actually the more difficult part, despite our recent supply run. I wanted to use my perishable stuff first, and that meant raiding what I had pulled out of my house. That's what led me to my current situation: teaching my vulpine better half the art of making dinner out of random items from nearly empty cupboards. I was in the process of adding some rice to a pot of boiling water while she was slicing up what was left of a bag of potatoes that had been sitting in a cabinet. At least I had some canned chicken so I could make a decent approximation of a chicken and rice casserole.

"I think I've got the drive trails finally mapped!" Fay called from the bridge as she descended the steps. She paused for a moment before glancing to us; I gave her a wave from behind the kitchen counter. "Wait, another proper dinner that didn't come from a plastic bowl? Where did you find fresh ingredients?"

"I brought some things from my house," I answered. "They won't last too long, so I figure we should use them before they go bad."

"Even after being stranded," the spaniel remarked, "we're eating better than most spacers. I appreciate you two going out of your way to cook actual food."

Krystal smiled softly as she finished up slicing the last potato. "After the day we've had," she pointed out, "I think we deserve something good." I had set out another pan that we were going to use to fry them up with some goodies.

"That sounds absolutely lovely," Fay responded, making her way over to the little booth next to us. "The only way this would get better is if we had a glass or two of Nectari. I could use something with some kick."

"Actually," Krystal replied with a grin, "I think we have something similar." She slipped past me to extract one of the bottles of mead from the chiller unit, presenting it to the Cornerian for her perusal. "It's quite good."

"Just make sure you take it easy tonight," I chimed in. "Considering what happened last time, we should probably steer away from any further antics."

"Antics, huh?" Fay asked expectantly, raising an eyebrow. "So, what kind of antics?"

Krystal grinned at her. "Well, a few days ago he pulled me out of a very bad situation," the vixen explained. "We both got probably partook a bit too much of our merriment, I dropped a few subtle hints, and he ended up kissing me for the first time."

"That is absolutely adorable!" Fay exclaimed, smiling widely. "I can see why you two have gotten so close. Plus, he's cooking for us so I think you've found a good catch!"

Krystal's ears flared up in a blush, giving me an affectionate sidelong glance. "We're still learning about each other," she chuckled, "but it feels nice to have someone who cares about me and can handle some of my… uniqueness." She reached out and gave my hand a gentle squeeze.

"It is a new experience," I admitted. "However, considering everything we've been through I think we've made things work pretty well." I grinned at my Cerinian companion. "I mean, she did drag me down a mountain when I was bleeding and unconscious…"

Cooking dinner divided my attentions between showing Krystal a few staple recipes of mine and giving Fay a more detailed rundown of what we had faced on Sauria. Before long I had come up with a chicken and rice mixture that passed as a casserole, mixed canned veggies, and the potato slices had come out quite well with the addition of olive oil, parmesan cheese, and a dusting of salt and pepper. Krystal had set out glasses for Fay and herself and topped them up with liberal helpings of mead; with that forewarning I reached for the bottle of rum and a helping of lime juice to make myself a proper, strong Cuba Libre.

I set the plates down and slid into the booth next to Krystal; I couldn't help but smile as she leaned against me and sipped on her glass of mead. "Try it!" she exclaimed, motioning to Fay. "I swear you'll love it!"

The spaniel lifted the glass to her lips and took an experimental sip. Her eyes widened as she sat the glass down, blinking at us."This is good!" she blurted. "It's stronger and more flavorful than Nectari; what's it made of?"

"Honey," I answered after I took a bite of the chicken and rice. I was relieved that it turned out decently. "Mead is a wine made from honey; it's one of the oldest types of alcoholic beverage on my world."

"Honey wine," Fay repeated, taking a healthy sip. "I don't think I've had anything like this before. Thanks for sharing it with us; I know you probably don't have much of it. What are you drinking?" she asked, pointing to my glass.

"It's technically called a Cuba Libre," I explained. "It's hard liquor mixed with lime juice and a popular sweet, carbonated drink called Coca-Cola. It's more simply known as a rum and Coke."

"I'm curious enough to try this," Krystal mentioned, smiling gently while reaching for my glass and taking an experimental sip. "Ooh, this is quite good as well!" Without a word she offered it to Fay, who likewise approved. I wasn't going to complain too loudly; after being surrounded with so much chaos and death we needed some levity. Against all odds we were alive; that's what mattered most and it seemed worth celebrating.

We kept conversation light; mostly focusing on what was good for alcoholic beverages on our worlds. Krystal was partial to a sweet wine called Galet, though she noted it was similar to mead. Fay liked Nectari, which was apparently a liqueur made from a specific nectar that came from a common flowering plant on Fortuna. Despite my earlier attempt at caution, Fay and Krystal polished off the first bottle of mead and had gone in on the second; their conversation rapidly changing to giggled jokes and anecdotes.

"So," Fay chuckled, "Slippy's standing there, right in front of the lubricant drain port that Falco had just hit the controls for!" The spaniel broke out into genuine laughter, leaning back against her seat. "We came across random splatters of G-Diffuser lubricant throughout the docking bay for months afterward, and Slippy had to change quarters because his shower drains got gunked up so bad with the stuff! After that, Peppy locked Falco out of his Arwing's service menus; he almost pulled some strings to put Falco back through the Academy's starfighter maintenance track as punishment!"

"By the spirits!" Krystal exclaimed with a bark of laughter. "Okay, I've got an embarrassing one. Adam has heard this already, but my brother and I were practicing with our fire blasters on our estate. Thalen swore up and down that he could skip his shots off our swimming pond. We made a game of it, where I would try to skip my blasts into his to try to throw off his aim. Well, it turned out that we could make that happen a little too well; I clipped his bolt and sent it right into our mother's garden shed! We tried to extinguish the blaze, but the shed ended up burning down." Her ears lit up in a blush as she concluded the story. "We ended up spending the entire summer working at Aric's market stall to pay for a new shed!" She giggled and leaned up against me; reaching out to top off her glass.

"So, Adam," Fay's voice lilted. "How about you? You have to have some hilarious or embarrassing stories to share. Don't hold out on us!" She fixed me with an amused grin as I took another sip off my second rum and Coke.

"Alright, you got me," I conceded; feeling a bit tipsy at this point. "I was at my first IT job; I was a technician for a bunch of urgent care clinics in the area. I drove out to one of the clinics to take a look at a doctor's faulty laptop. I had just stopped at the main counter when she spotted me; she called out and started rushing over to the counter. She wasn't looking where she was jogging and her foot snagged one of the casters on an IV cart; she lost her footing and literally tossed her laptop into the air. I stood there dumbfounded as I just watched this laptop cartwheel and land on the floor three feet in front of me, exploding in a shower of parts and broken plastic. I had to take that thing back to the admin office in a trash bag!"

"Oh, Lyla!" Fay howled. "Was that doctor okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah," I assured her. "Her ego was bruised a little bit, but she was physically okay. The look on my boss's face was priceless. He had seen doctors destroy their equipment, but never had he seen one so thoroughly pulped. I was amazed that the hard drive survived long enough for us to pull her data." I smirked, taking another swig of my drink before glancing down to my empty plate. It was a satisfying meal with good company.

Krystal giggled and shook her head, reaching out to take my hand as she rested against my side. "That's one way to make an impression!" Her eyes twinkled with merriment as she took another sip of her mead. "I've got another. It was one of my first missions as a Guardian; we were sent to a mine between Temeris and Kalasuth to assist with a mine collapse. Most of the trapped miners were lowborn, so I had to use my abilities to locate them and urge them to move to safety while we cleared the blockage. However, as we cleared the blockage the first miner to emerge through the tunnel tripped on a rock we hadn't quite cleared; he stumbled right into Kaliena. They fell together in a heap; he opened his mouth to cry out but his muzzle fell perfectly on hers! Gods, we teased her about that! However, the gods smiled upon them; she transferred to Kalasuth not long after that and took him as her mate." She ended the story with a soft smile.

Fay stood up shakily; giggling as she stretched. "I can't say I've ever heard of that happening!" After a moment she took a few stumbling steps towards her pack. "I think I'm going to shower and change into something more comfortable, if you two don't mind? Maybe after that we can watch more of these movies on the couch?" With that she made her way towards the restroom, flashing a smile at Krystal and I. I blinked at her behavior, but I shrugged.

"Perhaps we should do the same, love?" Krys nuzzled against me, her lips brushing against my cheek. "We'll spend the night here then pilot the shuttle to Darkice Mines in the morning."

I turned towards her and pressed my lips to hers in a brief yet soft kiss. The taste of mead crossed my tongue as she melted into me, pulling away after a short moment to rest against my side. "I can agree with that plan," I responded as I stood, helping my inebriated Cerinian companion to her feet as well. As Fay occupied the restroom that didn't leave much space to change; Krystal didn't seem to mind as she shakily made her way towards the hampers I had piled near the bed. She slid her flightsuit off her lithe frame; opting for a slightly different nightgown. The sheer, dark purple fabric accented her cerulean fur beautifully.

I opted for something different. I didn't have much nightwear, so I slid into a pair of black sweatpants and a plain white T-shirt; aware of my partner's ogling gaze but not minding it one bit. By the time Fay emerged from the restroom Krystal was laying on the couch and I had finished cleaning up the remains of our dinner. I was running out of Coke but Krystal had convinced me to make one final drink to go along with the mead the two had been sharing.

I sat down next to Krystal, snuggling up against her as I turned on my laptop. In response she tucked into me as she watched me navigate to the external hard drive where I had stored my media. It didn't take long for me to cue up the playlist that we had been watching last time; I figured we would start up the X-Files where we left off. I wound my arm around Krystal, bringing her closer into me as her tail fell across our laps; savoring her cinnamon-clove scent that mixed so nicely with the coconut shampoo she had used earlier.

What I didn't expect was Fay's choice to sit next to me on my left, effectively leaving me between them. Fay's nightclothes were simpler, consisting of a tight black tank top and boy shorts. I was a little surprised that she felt comfortable enough to wear those around us, but I wasn't going to question it too much. "Continuing where we left off?" she asked, holding her glass of mead. She turned towards Krystal before taking a sip of her drink, a contented smile on her features.

"That's the idea," Krystal replied, reaching over to take her own glass and mirror her sip. "I just wish to forget about our worries for tonight." She balanced the glass in her hand and laid her head on my shoulder, nuzzling her cheek to mine.

"After today," Fay replied as she took a healthy draught from her own glass, "I'm ready to do the same." I sipped at my own drink; the healthy buzz and the comforting warmth of the beautiful Cerinian vixen at my side causing me to lose track of most of the episode's details. I didn't mind; I had seen it several times already.

I absentmindedly noticed Fay set her empty glass back on the coffee table and lean back into the couch; I was paying more attention to an increasingly sleepy Krystal. She likewise placed her empty glass on the table before resting her head against my chest. "Comfy…" she murmured softly as she rested against me.

It wasn't long before I was the only one watching the show; listening to the steady and comforting pattern of soft breathing from Krystal and Fay. The spaniel had leaned over to use the couch cushions as a makeshift pillow, having drifted off much like my Cerinian mate. I continued to watch while the warm buzz and the comforting sensations put me into a state of relaxation that I hadn't really felt for a long time.


I must've been drifting off to sleep at some point. A sharp gasp shattered the stillness; my eyes snapping open as I jolted awake. "Miyu! NO!" Fay's voice shouted as I felt her physically recoil from her slumber. My first jumbled thought is that we were being attacked; someone had made it onto the ship. My .45 was on the table; I started reaching for it but stopped as I didn't see anyone else in the room besides us.

Krystal's eyes snapped open as I moved, her grip on me tightening slightly. "Fay?" she asked, her voice laced with concern. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

Fay's breath was heavy as she sat up straight, her voice slurred by what was perhaps too much alcohol. "No…" she breathed, her body trembling. "Same dream as last night, just worse. Instead of that bastard holding that injector to my throat, it was Miyu…" Her eyes squeezed shut as she took a shaky breath, tears starting to soak into her cheeks. "Fox was there, telling her to put me out of my misery..." She wrapped her arms around herself, unable to control her shivering.

Krystal frowned as she got to her feet. Without a word she crossed over to Fay and wrapped her arms around the sobbing spaniel. She looked to me expectantly; at my questioning gaze she nodded. Her meaning was clear enough; I scooted over and wrapped my arms around both of them. Even with Krystal's presence I could feel Fay's lithe frame hitch with heavy sobs.

"It's okay," the vixen reassured, her voice soft and calm as she hugged Fay even tighter. "You're safe now." Fay's body shook violently in our embrace as I held onto both of them. Krystal's voice was a soft murmur, offering words of calm reassurance despite our exhausted and inebriated states.

I could feel her tension begin to ease as we held each other close, our shared warmth offering some semblance of comfort amidst the storm of emotions. The room was silent except for Fay's ragged breaths and Krystal's soothing words. After what felt like an eternity but was likely only minutes, Fay finally began to calm down. Her shivers subsided, her breathing slowed, and the tears on her cheeks dried into my shirt. "Thank you," she whispered hoarsely, pulling away slightly to look at us both with red-rimmed eyes. "I… I haven't been taking things well. I've had similar dreams before; even after all this time. I should be… stronger than this, but I'm just not."

"You don't have to be strong all the time," I assured her. "It's okay to feel overwhelmed, especially with everything that's gone on. It's taken me a long time to figure out that people can't exist in a vacuum. We've gotta have some sort of support structure. Have you been able to talk to anyone about these dreams?"

"Yes, a little," Fay answered, her voice still shaky. "Fara and I became friends after the breakup… she's helped me through some of the more painful moments. However, due to us both being contractors our paths don't cross all that often; we haven't talked in a while."

Krystal nodded at her as she tightened her embrace around both of us. "I understand," she replied softly. "Jalner and I were both Guardians; sometimes our duties conflicted and it could be months before we could see each other. Fara sounds like a good friend; hopefully we will be able to help you reach out to her soon. I just want you to know that we're here for you; no matter what happens."

"I… I appreciate that," Fay shakily replied as I could feel her arms tightening around Krystal and I in response. "I don't want to cause any confusion between you two, but I really don't want to be alone right now…"

"You don't have to be," I replied. "Friends help each other out; it's not a burden to either of us. What do you need us to do?"

The Cornerian's expression softened; I could see the mixture of relief and exhaustion in her eyes. "I know this is asking a lot, but… would both of you be willing to let me stay with you tonight? I don't want to feel like I'm intruding on you but I can't really stand the thought of being alone, not after that dream."

Krystal and I nodded in agreement. "Of course," she replied. "It won't be any trouble at all, Fay. You aren't intruding on anything; we know that you've been through a lot. Will you be comfortable sharing the bed with us tonight?"

Fay nodded at us, a grateful expression on her features. "Yes, I think so," she replied. "As long as you two are perfectly okay with that? I don't want to impose or cause any problems for either of you."

My hand found Fay's shoulder as I glanced to her; my eyes falling to hers. I could see the sadness and uncertainty in her gaze; emotions I was all too familiar with. I was also quite well aware of our earlier conversation; like me, she wouldn't have reached out like this unless she really needed the comfort and closeness. "We don't think you're an imposition, Fay," I replied. "We want you to feel safe. You've been through some very rough treatment. If being close to us helps you, even if it's just for tonight, I think we're fine with that."

Krystal pulled away from our shared embrace; a soft smile tugging on her lips as she stood up and offered her hands to us. "I think we should get some rest," she offered. "It's been an exhausting day for all of us, especially with everything that's happened."

Fay reached up and took Krystal's hand as I stopped the video and switched off the TV; I marveled at how such a mundane and simple act was a comforting familiarity in the midst of all this chaos and change. I also reached for Krystal's hand as we made our way to the bed; exhaustion and the buzz from perhaps one too many drinks overcoming some of my sensibilities.

The bed was large enough to fit all three of us, though Krystal and I had to squeeze in close; not that either of us minded anyway. Fay curled up separately but close enough to reach out if needed; the spaniel shifting into a deep, hopefully untroubled slumber shortly afterward.

I nuzzled into Krystal's shoulder as my arms drew her closer; a sigh of contentment leaving her lips. "You did great, my love," she murmured as one of her hands found mine. "Let's get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

I couldn't quite fall asleep; my thoughts racing and sparking new questions in my mind as Krys's breathing slowed into a rhythm of peaceful sleep. Tomorrow would likely bring answers, but even more questions. Eventually I felt myself drift off; surrounded by the warm comfort of the one I had grown to deeply care for in such a short period of time. The past few days were a whirlwind, but I was starting to believe that we would be able to survive what the future would throw at us.