“It’s Ren, by the way,” The Leader caught me alone as I sat at Kohl’s side, the bowl of old soup resting untouched at my feet.

“How long have you been here?”

“A month or two,” Ren rubbed his beard in thought, “How long have you been traveling?”

“Same amount. Our ship was attacked and this was the closed place we could land.”

“I see. How unfortunate. And that leg of yours…”

“Will be fine.” I lanced my fingers with Kohl’s.

Ren shook his head. “I have a feeling it won’t. The way you use it worries me.”

“Says the guy who put me in a headlock.”

“I thought I apologized.”

I didn’t answer, studying Kohl’s breathing that settled since the son finished treating him. He looked almost peaceful as he slept for the third day.

Glen avoided me ever since, keeping himself busy with the work the sons allowed him to help with. I stayed where I was, cleaning off the sweat on Kohl’s brow.

How far did we know each other, Glen and I? Who was he to me? I bit my lip in thought.

I hear Kohl stirring soon after I fell asleep, lifting my head to see his eyes flutter open to take in his new surroundings. He found me, touching my cheek with his fingers.

“Hey,” he rasped.

“Greetings,” I replied, kissing his forehead where his first wound was healing.

“Where are we?”

“In a bunker. Kohl don’t--”

He shifted despite my protests, sitting up without feeling a thing, “It’s so old.” Then he began to touch the paste that kept him numb under his shirt.

I smacked his hand away. He looked at me, betrayed, still half out of it.

“Don’t do that,” I scolded.

“Do what?”

“That touching. It’s there for a reason, you idiot.”

“But it burns,” he whines.

“Deal with it, will you?” I shoved a bowl of soup in his hands so he could get his strength back and be a functioning being again.

He wasn’t interested, though, opting to trace my jawline and my lips instead. He pulled me into his arms and claimed my neck with his mouth, teeth and all.

When I yanking his head back, he grinned.

“You’re the most beautiful thing…” He whispered, smothering me with a kiss before I could say otherwise.

I know this was playing dirty. But I wanted that kiss. And to do more if Hayden allowed. He was so beautiful and mine.

He was the thing to see after the days in the fog. His lips held what I needed to feel better and I begged him with own for him to offer it.

“Kohl…” He moaned unintentionally as I rolled him against the mat. I place my hand on the base of his neck to push him closer to me, feel as though he was too far away from me. He kissed back with more passion that I expected. He was left breathless when I granted him permission to breathe again.

His dots were bright with excitement as he panted under me, taking initiative for round two by seizing my face with both of his hands.

Glen pulled us apart before I could continue my exploration of Hayden’s mouth, flaring the pain in my side enough for me to yelp as I was deposited to the middle of this bunker. He glared at me, annoyed.

Nice to see you too.

It was then when I realized that we weren’t alone, giving a show to three other people who had stopped what they were doing. All had dots.

An older looking one, Ren (Hayden told me), arched a brow to hide his amusement. His dots were a dull yellow like his eyes, dimmer like a dying light. “An interesting way to come back, human.”

“Blame the paste,” said one of the others, “It’s been known to help with--”

“He’s for rent,” Glen interrupted, standing between me and Hayden in case I was tempted to restart.

“Whatever he is, he can read?” Ren knelt as I sat there, holding my side.

“English,” I tell him.

“Only English?”

Four countries made worthy efforts into the field of space exploration in recent history two hundred years after the first man walked on the moon: France, China, England, and Japan.

I was from neither, being Canadian American, since love was a hop and a skip over the border. Those countries backed out of space completely, focusing on trying to stay alive, while the Program stayed hidden from the government.

You would think that having half of my family spoke only French when English wasn’t a requirement I would know more phases than “Who are you?” or “Where’s my sandwich?”

But nah. I only saw them once every year or so and conversations never surpassed a greeting or two.

My dad often had to translate. Reading the language wasn’t so hard for me though.

Chinese never stuck, only using it once when Sharen insisted that I meet her grandmother who kept throwing men at her every waking moment she was around. I didn’t mind the throwing part, they were pretty cute. Japanese was in the same boat, never to be used again.

“Well?” Ren prompted.

I nodded slowly, “I can figure it out, I suppose.” It was enough for the older alien to rise with a motion for me to follow him to a door I haven’t noticed that led somewhere other than outside.

“Lets go, then. We waited long enough for this day.”

Glen helped me to my feet as Hayden moved to my side, ready to follow.

Ren shook his head. “The Emol stays.”

“No, I won’t be,” Hayden supported me while Glen was close enough to catch if I do fall. “I go where he goes.”

Ren glanced at Glen who confirmed it with a nod, before leading the way again through the mysterious entrance.

Lights flickered on from Ren flipping on a switch on the wall. They buzzed like any underground bunker light should. No wires were exposed, covered by gray panels that surrounded us.

It reminded me of a hospital by how cold it looked.

Hayden wrapped my arm around his shoulder to help me walk, watching Ren get further ahead. His limp was getting noticeable.

“What did you say to him?” Glen asked him when the Leader was safely out of hearing range.

“I told him we were refugees,” Hayden answered, hair once again covering his face. “That it’s been a week of travel for us.”

“He’s Empire. He can be trusted.”

“I don’t. None of you won me any favors so far.” His grip of me tightened, ignoring my grunt of pain when his fingers dug into my skin.

“Without the Captain, you would be dead by now,” Glen jabbed through his teeth.

“If it wasn’t for your captain, a thousand more people would be alive,” Hayden clapped back. “He’s nothing good. And here you all acting like he’s something different. Maybe it was for the best that I have no memory of him…”