Many hours had gone by and Jim woke up on his couch to find Veronica still in his arms, she was fast asleep.  He wasn't sure what time it was, but he knew it still had to be night.  The blue glow from the TV filled the room. Veronica's red hair had a purple hue to it from the glow.  Jim almost didn't want to move and disturb her, she just looked at peace.

He was able to shift his arm out from around her and rub his groggy, unfocused eyes.  He gently shifted her against the arm of the couch and leaned her head on a pillow.  He stood up and stretched.  He walked over to the tablet on the wall and tapped it. The clock read 0230.  He wasn't sure what time they fell asleep, he only knew they fell asleep watching some show about the expanses of space and time.  Jim maneuvered through the tablet and managed to find an option for water.  His mouth was dry and his throat was a little sore.  He must have fallen asleep with his mouth open.  The refrigerator began to dispense water.

"I'll have one of those too, if that's okay." Veronica spoke suddenly.

Jim turned around mildly frightened and saw Veronica now slowly sitting up on the couch.

"What time is it?" Veronica asked, still very groggy.

"2:30 in the morning." He replied

Jim walked both cups of water back to the couch.  He handed it to her and sat down next to her.  He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.  Veronica smiled at this gesture.  She took a large gulp of water as did Jim.

"Do you think everyone else is sleeping?" Jim asked without expecting any real answer.

"At 2:30, probably." Veronica replied.

"I don't know about you, but I kind of want to explore a little bit, you know, without Simon hovering over our shoulders explaining everything at light speed." Jim chuckled to himself.

"That idea doesn't sound half bad." replied Veronica, holding her glass with one hand, her other hand on Jim's leg.  "Is there anything in particular you're looking for out there?" 

"Not exactly, but that's half the fun, the unknown.  The great unknown!" Jim said with a sarcastic and dramatic voice.

Veronica looked up at him with a big smile.

"What?" he said, seeing this smile.

"That's what you used to say back at the academy.  You were always talking about the great unknown, as if it was Star Trek with the final frontier." Veronica said, still smiling.  "It sounds like part of your memory is still functioning without your brain being aware of it."

Jim paused at the thought.

"I suppose you're right, but what else could I remember and not know?" 

"It's okay not to know, at least right now.  It's almost like discovering something again for the very first time.  It'll be exciting when you figure something out like, me, for instance." Veronica looked up at Jim lovingly.  

Veronica reached up and kissed Jim on the lips for a moment.  They both smiled.

"So what do you say? should we go do a little bit of exploring?" Jim asked her again.

"I don't see why not, we belong in this shelter like everyone else.  Besides, Simon himself said that we need to get as acquainted as possible with the shelter so we can run it, why not check things out at every opportunity." Veronica replied, encouragingly.

"Then it's settled." Jim said.

They both finished off their cups of water and took the other wine glasses they used for the sparkling grape juice over to the refrigerator.  Jim disposed of them on the side of the machine through an open slot.  The slot slid down and crunching glass could be heard followed by a muffled vacuum sound, God only knows where that goes.  Almost as if Veronica read his mind she looked at him and shrugged her shoulders.

"Another one of Simon's many inventions." Veronica remarked.

Jim took Veronica by the hand and they both approached the front door.  Jim pressed his finger to the scanner and they both walked through to the top bannister.

It was very dark, none of the lighting was active.  They both looked over the bannister down to the ground floor and could barely see anything, just very dark silhouettes of computer equipment and a couple of blinking lights from the computer.

"It's so dark down there, will we even be able to see anything?" Veronica asked.

"Just hold my hand and I'll make sure nothing happens to you." Jim replied.

"My hero." Veronica said with a playfully sarcastic look on her face.  They kissed again and made their way to the stairs.

The stairs were also incredibly dark, they both went down slowly, holding each other's hand.  Step by step, they descended.  They both made it down to the ground floor where the main computer was, and approached slowly.  Into view, there was a dark mass in front of the computer.  Neither could make out who or what they were seeing, they approached very slowly.  When they got close enough they looked at each other.  It was Simon.  They stopped dead in their tracks.  They both gave each other a look that asked the same question.  What was he doing down here? 

For a moment, they both contemplated going back up to Jim's room, but Simon was whispering to himself.  At least, that's what it sounded like.  Continuing to look at each other, they were both confused by what they were hearing.  Jim nodded his head and they approached Simon very slowly.  Each step closer slowly increased the volume on what they were hearing, It wasn't exactly whispering.  They stepped further and Jim realized what was happening.  Simon was talking in his sleep.

Veronica tugged on Jim's arm a little, she obviously wanted to know what Jim's plan here was.  Jim just looked at her, facially expressing they should get closer.  They both went closer until they were about four feet from Simon.  The sleep talk was now audible enough to understand the words.

"Father, forgive me.  Forgive me.  What have I done?" Simon barely spoke.

Simon continued saying this on loop, pausing in between for about five seconds.

Jim looked at Veronica with a very confused look, mouthing the words to her.  She looked back at him also very confused, shaking her head, mouthing the words I don't know.  

They both continued to stand there listening.  After a couple more minutes they both figured he wasn't going to say anything else.  They began to walk away.

"It had to be done." Simon spoke very much asleep.

They both looked at each other and knew it was very much best to leave him sleeping.  They both knew their short adventure had very much come to an end.  There would be no exploring tonight for fear of an opening door would wake Simon.  They didn't fear him, but they didn't want to be rude.  They both turned and went back toward the stairs.

"My choice." Simon said again, this time a little louder.

Jim and Veronica began making their way back to the top floor.  They were just getting in view of the top floor when they caught a brief glimpse of Lydia.  She was walking back into her room rather quickly, Connor's door closed, and Lydia’s immediately followed.  Jim looked back at Veronica who was right behind him.  She had witnessed this as well.  They both gave each other a look of mutual understanding of what they had both just witnessed and smiled flirtatiously at each other. 

They got back in front of Jim's door.

"Care to come in, milady?"

"Gee, I'm not sure." She said very sarcastically.  "What if Simon catches us together?"

"Our mission is to repopulate the earth, is it not?" Jim asked, matching her sarcasm.

Veronica walked back over the bannister acting as thought Simon would catch them and mocked her way through checking for him.  Veronica stopped at the bannister and Jim saw her looking around.  She looked at him and waved him over.  Jim met her at the bannister while she looked back down.  She looked back up at him.

"Where did Simon go?" She looked very confused.

Jim looked down at where Simon was sitting only moments ago and he wasn't there.  Jim began to look around on the ground floor for any trace of him. He couldn't find anything.  Still searching, Jim looked over at the stairs from bottom to top and caught a brief glimpse of someone coming up.

"It's Simon, quick, follow me!" Jim whispered urgently. 

Jim took Veronica by the hand and rushed her over to a very dark corner near the stairs, they placed themselves in such a way that Simon might not see them leaving the stairs and going to his room.  They both waited for what seemed like an eternity, their eyes focused very intently on the stairs.  Suddenly, a dark mass appeared.  It was Simon.  They both held their breath.  Simon's eyes were closed.  Was he sleep-walking? Simon slowly, and asleep walked toward his door in the center of the doors.  Jim grabbed Veronica's hand again and quickly crawled their way back to the steps and went down a flight, making sure to keep Simon in the view.  Simon was reaching his finger for the scanner, but having a difficult time making progress, stumbling around like a drunken person trying to put their keys in a vehicle.  Simon paused.  Simon's head turned to the stairs.  Jim and Veronica both froze in place.  They treated Simon as though he was a T-Rex whose vision was based on movement.  Although they both noticed that while Simon's head was turned toward them, his eyes were very much closed.

"Forgive me." Simon mumbled again, still fast asleep.

Simon looked back at his door and his finger found the scanner.  The door slid up and Simon walked back through slowly.  The door closed behind him.  

Neither Jim, nor Veronica wanted to be out anymore.  But they waited another 30 seconds or so before quickly moving to Jim's door.  Jim pressed his finger to the scanner, and his door opened.  They both went back inside the first door.  As it closed.  The sound of another door sliding opened could be heard.  They both look at each other in genuine fear and concern.  They both stayed silent, and dared not go through the next door to Jim's room because they weren't sure how sound proofed everything was.  Whoever just opened their door might hear movement from them and they didn't want to risk anything.  They could hear the faint sound of the first door closing.  Taking a deep breath, Jim opened the second door, and both of them went in.  With the final door closed, they felt like they could both finally breathe again and both let out a huge sigh of relief. 

Veronica, sighing, began to giggle and smile a little bit.  Her glance went from the floor back up to meet Jim's gaze.

"That was fun, huh?" Veronica said, half kidding.

"That was definitely something."  Jim was also chuckling like her.  "Talk about an adrenaline rush."

"What do you think Simon was talking about?" Veronica asked.

"Who knows?  I mean, don't people tend to mumble nonsense in their sleep?" Jim said, trying to make sense of the situation.

"Sure, but that didn't just sound like random words, or gibberish, there were distinct phrases, sure, mumbled phrases, but phrases all the same.  'Forgive me, what have I done?'  Veronica paused.  "Those sounded like real statements, not just gibberish.  She closed her eyes.  "You know what, I don't even want to talk about this right now.  It could have meant anything as far as I'm concerned right now."

Jim couldn't help but nod and agree.

"You know what I'd like to do at this moment?" Veronica asked.

Jim nodded to acknowledge the question.

"I'd like a hot shower, and a good night's sleep.  Too much excitement for one night, don't you agree." Veronica looked at him half seriously.

Jim agreed with her a hundred percent.

"The showers are a little small, so I'll go first and you can go after me." Veronica announced.

Jim nodded his head and she disappeared into the bathroom.  He could hear the shower water begin running.  Steam slowly leaked out from under the door.  The thought of Veronica in the shower began to cloud his mind and he noticed himself getting slightly aroused, but the feeling didn't last due to his exhaustion.

Jim stood near the bathroom unsure of what to the make of what they'd both witnessed.  What was Simon talking about, was it actually something, or was just simply mumbling in his sleep about nothing.  It also sounded to him like it was something serious, but there was no real way to be sure of anything at this point.  He tried to shake the thought from his head and give his brain a break.  The shower water stopped, about thirty seconds later, the door opened.

Veronica stood there in her thin white linens much like Jim had under his suit.  She was an absolutely stunning sight.  Her hair was still a little damp, and her eyes seemed to perk up when she noticed Jim standing so close. It wasn't as if he could remember anyone else, really, but he knew she was the most beautiful person he had ever seen.

"Your turn." She said smiling.  "I'll meet you in the bedroom."  She brushed his arm while passing by him.

Jim entered the bathroom and watched as his suit once again removed itself and flew up into the vent.  Jim took his own shower, still trying to not think about Simon and his sleep talk.  When Jim finished, he put on a fresh set of white linens and went into the bedroom.  

Veronica was sitting up in bed leaning against the backboard in her white linens, watching Jim as he came in.  It was in this moment, taking in the beauty that was before him that he knew for sure, in this current version of him, he was in love with the woman who was on his bed.  He knew at that moment that he would, in fact, do anything and everything he could to defend and protect this woman from harm's way at any cost.  Even if it meant that he would have to sacrifice his own.  She really was his forever partner, and nothing would change that.  Nothing.

He climbed into bed with her and she cuddled up close to him.

"I love you, Jim." She said, her eyes filled with love.

"I love you too, Veronica." Jim replied, matching her love.

They both shared a kiss that lasted a few seconds.  Veronica placed her head down on Jim's chest and closed her eyes, smiling.  Jim placed his arm around her and kissed her head.  She smiled bigger for a moment.

"Good night." said Jim, smiling.

"Good night." replied Veronica.

Jim closed his eyes, and began to drift off to sleep.  Veronica breathing deeply into his chest.  Her head, moving gently up and down in rhythm with his chest.