Thicker than Blood

I do now own any film in the Alien franchise.

Chapter 13

Cressa and Jonathan were bonded as none of the other xenomorphs had ever been. The hive was connected through their queen, but with the twins, that connection was even stronger. While Jonathan had been mating with his human, Cres'sa felt everything her brother was experiencing. She knew of his new-found sense of loyalty to this human, his pleasure of her, and something else she could not define. Something she never felt with her hive mates. She was aware of her brother whenever he was with his human. It filled her with confusion...and frustration.

Then she would sense her own human. He was with her much of the time, except for today. She wanted to be with him, as her brother was with his female. She wanted to mate with him. This need confused her. Cres'sa was not destined to be a queen. Only queens perpetuated the hive. Yet her father had mated with his human, and he was not a breeder male. Cres'sa felt, for the first time, a negative emotion where Jonathan was concerned...jealousy of her own twin.

OoOoOoOoOo

Jennifer paced the floor of the break room. Several soldiers had come to get coffee, noticed her with interest, and left her in peace.

"Where are you guys," she murmured to herself. She crossed her arms across her chest, suddenly feeling cold. What if they never came back. No, she had to believe that Major Tanner would get the entire team back, in one piece. She should have gone too. But orders were orders. Jennifer didn't like being odd man out. She belonged with her team.

"They'll be back, Jenn."

She turned towards the voice. It was one of the older members of Tanner's group, Dave MacPherson, but everyone just called him Mac."I know, I know. It's just taking so long, Mac. What are they doing out there?"

As the other man poured himself a cup of coffee, he said, "Well, it could have ended up as a bug hunt, or some kind of alien hunt. It could be the Company..."

Jennifer held up her hand. "Stop right there. They're ok. If the Company sent out another ship, you know they could handle it." She leaned against the counter, trying to get a fix on her emotions. It was unsettling to feel this helpless. She was trained to do one thing, and one thing well. Fight. This waiting made her feel like a fish out of water. She paced the floor while she bit her lower lip, unaware she had drawn blood. She tasted the coppery fluid and wiped her mouth.

Seeing Jennifer so agitated moved Mac, and he went over to her and patted her shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. He smiled, knowing what it was like to wait, not knowing anything. And maybe even getting that message all soldiers dreaded about their own being killed in combat. "Sure, kid. They're fine. Now sit down or something. You're making me dizzy."

Jennifer laughed for the first time in hours. "Thanks, Mac."

"Anytime," the older man tossed back as he left the break room.

Once the older man left the room, Jennifer continued her pacing. She was about to go to Operations to see if any news had come in, when she heard an announcement over the PA system.

They were back.

Jennifer raced to the flight deck. As the ships lowered in turn down the tunnel, she waited in anticipation. Had Ed made it without being hurt, or worse? How many others had been lost? What was that other ship monitored on the scopes, and did it mean Earth was about to be invaded?

Waiting at the outer doors, Jennifer watched as the soldiers disembarked. One by one, she recognized everyone, but no Ed. Until...

She ran to the one person she wanted to see most. "Wheaton! You made it, you son-of-a-bitch." She grinned at him, but was instantly worried when he didn't smile back. Something wasn't right. And then she saw the blood on his uniform.

"Ed! You're hurt!" Jennifer started running her hands over his chest and arms.

He looked down, not realizing he had so much blood on him. On the way back to the base, everyone was still in a stupor from what they'd seen, and there hadn't been much conversation. "Don't worry, Jenn. It's not mine."

"What the hell happened out there?" she asked, concern written on her face.

Ed drew her aside from the others, saying, "Walk with me."

They reached the privacy of one of the small briefing rooms, where Ed set Jennifer down in a chair. "We found the Company ship. Jenn, it was awful."

Jennifer's faced froze, her mouth open. "What? What happened out there?"

Ed could only stare. He sank onto one the chairs, and leaned toward his friend. "Jennifer, it was a massacre. Bodies, parts of bodies...blood everywhere. I may never be able to get the images out of my head."

"So what was it? Was it...the alien hunters? Did they do that?"

"Probably. Most likely, yes. At least the Company soldiers think it was. Jenn, no one kills like that. It's too brutal, almost obscene."

Jennifer couldn't help but ask. "Ed, what happened out there?"

Wheaton leaned over and rubbed his hands over his face. "Look, Jenn, I need a shower, bad. Can we talk when I get done?"

"Uh, yeah, sure, Ed. And I need to speak with you about something too." Jennifer dreaded this part.

"Ok, just as soon as I wash this blood off me, ok?" He rose out of the chair, as if the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. "See you as soon as I can, girl. Promise." He left for the bunk room to drop off his gear, and headed for the showers with fresh clothing.

Jennifer was waiting, when she saw Cres'sa appear through the door. She smiled up at her. "It's ok, Cres. Ed is back, safe and sound."

Cres'sa made purring sounds, and butted her carapace against Jennifer's arm.

Jennifer rubbed back, chuckling. "Oh, girl. You have no idea what you'd be getting into."

Cres'sa reared her head back, as if laughing, but of course Jennifer knew xenomorphs couldn't laugh. Or could they?

While Jennifer kept Cres'sa company, Ed showered the sweat and blood from his body, his eyes closed against the horror he had been witness to. He kept seeing and hearing it all, fresh in his mind.

"What's that?" Someone pointed up at a tree.

"It looks like...someone was skinned." A body hung from a thick branch, bloody, raw looking. BA puddle of blood was congealing beneath it. This hadn't happened that long ago.

"Look over here!" A few of the soldiers ran to the voice. What they saw made some gag.

"Are those...intestines?"

"Who would do anything like this? I grew up on a farm, and the local slaughterhouse was cleaner than this."

"Get it off me, get it off me!"

"Don't pick up the guts, will ya? Jesus! Just...leave it all alone!"

"Hey, stupid, you're getting blood all over your boots. Stop walking through the puddles!"

"Oh my god, this looks like...like a heart."

"Over here over here! Someone's alive!"

A body, unidentifiable as to gender, was more blood than flesh. It moaned, a hand reaching out to Wheaton, grabbing at his sleeve. Ed leaned closer, but was unable to make out what the gurgling voice was saying. The hand then fell limp. Wheaton had no love for Company personnel, but this was more an insult against a fellow soldier, against another human being. His fury grew. Someone had to pay for this.

Tanner set up a burial detail, but that was when the other Company ship arrived. Together, the troops of opposite units worked to bring together what they could gather of the bodies for burial. What blood there was soaking into the ground would have to stay there, a testament to the slaughter.

Wheaton wasn't the only one ready for a fight, but it wasn't other humans Tanner's people were itching to kill. It was the monster hunters. When it was suggested a temporary truce be agreed upon, everyone was for it.

Wheaton leaned his forehead against the cool tile, his eyes closed, trying to shut out the horrific visions. The water ran over his body in a purification ritual used by many soldiers after a difficult fight. Once he felt clean, if that was even possible, he dressed into a fresh uniform, and went to get some coffee. Then he sought out Jennifer. Now what did she want with him? She seemed serious, and that wasn't like her, even when they were in the midst of a battle. Usually then, she would go into combat mode. But this... Oh well, no help but to find out what she wanted.

When Jennifer saw Ed coming, she whispered to Cres'sa, "Go find Jonathan, girl. I have to speak with Sergeant Wheaton." She swore she could have heard a plaintive moan, but it had to be her imagination. "Go on, girl. We won't be long, then you can greet the returning soldier, ok?" She waited for Cres'sa to leave, then rose to shut the door once Ed had joined her.

He turned at the sound of the door shutting, wondering what Jennifer was going to tell him. He frowned. "Ok, so what did you need to talk to me about? Something about the xenomorphs?"

Jennifer paced the floor, and turned to Ed. "Well, sort of. It's about Cres'sa."

"Cres'sa? What about her? Is she ok?"

His voice showed concern, real concern, but Jennifer wasn't sure if it could be interpreted as anything deeper than that. "Ed, wait, and let me get a word in. It's about something Jonathan told me."

His brows raised in curiosity. "Yes?"

"Cres'sa has a...a thing. She..." Jennifer tried to keep from blushing, but failed. How do you tell a man like Ed Wheaton that an alien, and a xenomorph at that, was in love with him?

Ed had finally lost all patience. "Jenn, spit it out, girl!"

"Cres'sa has a crush on you." She paused. "There, I said it. She wants you...for her...uh, her mate."

Ed stared straight ahead. Jennifer's words caught him by surprise. He retreated into his own thoughts.

Jennifer waved a hand in front of his face. "Ed? Are you there? Ed!"

He blinked his eyes as he came out of the daydream he found himself in. "Cres'sa?"

Jennifer nodded. "Cres'sa."

"That's not possible. I mean, she's...a xenomorph. I'm...not! You and Jonathan at least, well, you're compatible. Anyone can understand that." Wheaton was beside himself. Had he led Cres'sa on in any way? No, he saved her life, but she had saved his. He wondered if that was it. He liked her, he could admit that. She was always there for him. She never left his side, when she could. He felt she hadn't wanted him to go without her. He felt...felt...

"Jenn, are you and Jonathan...I mean, do you guys feel a connection of some sort?"

She nodded. "We communicate mentally, or so it seems. Not as in telepathy, but I was thinking of him, and he heard me."

"Yeah, Cres'sa and I have a connection, but not quite like that. Oh my god, Jenn, what am I going to do? I can't...haven't, even considered being with her that way."

"And Jonathan says there is no reason that you can't..." Jennifer started to explain, but she was interrupted when...

Wheaton's head snapped in her direction. "What does he say?"

Jennifer tilted her head as she bit her lower lip. What could she tell him? "Jonathan feels you could...if you were so inclined..."

"Jenn!" He lay his head against open palm, wondering what in the hell brought all this up. Oh, yes, Cres'sa's crush on him.

"It's going to be ok, Ed. If you don't want her, that way, tell her. She'll understand." Too bad she didn't believe it herself.

"Right. I'll just..talk to her. Talk...Oh lord. Thanks for the heads up, Jenn." With that, he went in search of Cres'sa. He had a million thoughts running through his head all the while. Then, as he turned a corner, he ran right into... "Uh hi, Cres. Can we talk?"

Author's Notes:

Sorry for the delay. I swear, without internet, I cannot write like I would want. But...lemons lemons lemons...Yes, a lemon alert for the next chapter. So beware if human/alien interspecies sex squicks you, DO NOT READ!

Thank you for your patience.