(Fayt POV)

"Cliff!!" the girls exclaimed, as they rushed over to him. I was worried about him, don't get me wrong but I wasn't about to go over there and check myself. And through all the excitement I suddenly found Emma in my arms, after I had been helped to my feet by Albel. He looked on at Cliff, and I couldn't understand his face. He looked calm but at the same time, almost….troubled?

He shouldn't feel that way, if he was. All of this was my fault because I wanted to take care of Emma. This probably never would have happened if we just took her to an orphanage…but I wouldn't change my decision to keep her…not ever.

"'Omma sad." Emma said as she leaned her head on my shoulder and wound her little arms around my neck.

"No, I'm not sad Emma." I rubbed her back to soothe her.

By that time Sophia came over to me and gently gave me a hug, careful not to squish the little girl. Nel followed and then Maria, Mirage, and Peppita. Adray was gathering Cliff, no doubt to deposit him in his own room until he woke back up. The older man was being decidedly understanding about this whole ordeal, so I handed Emma to Albel to help him with Cliff.

"I'll take her to our room." Albel said, and I gave him a grateful smile as I turned to Adray.

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I took one side as Adray took the other and together we hoisted Cliff into a limp standing position between us. "Thank you much, Fate. Almost didn't think I could get him up there be my lonesome." He said with a grin.

"Well, it's kind of my fault that he's in this predicament. Most guys don't tend to take the fact that a friend is….gay…very well, you know?" I say as I glance over to ease my way into the elevator. I adjust Cliff's arm over my shoulder for better leverage before hitting the button that will bring us to the blonde's floor.

"Cliff comes from a different society than some on the ship. So it is easy to understand why he acted out like he did. In fact, I'm surprised that Sophia took it as well as she did. Unless, of course, she had prior knowledge?" He said, seeming to already know she knew about me.

"Yeah…," I admitted, " she knew…I've known her for as long as I can remember. She was always the first one I'd tell if I was having a problem. She was really supportive, even from the beginning. But…what about you? You took it….well. I mean, well….better than Cliff did anyway." I finished with a raised eyebrow in his direction.

Adray laughed, his toothy smile comforted me for some reason. "Fayt, Albel's and my culture…is not like your own, or Cliff's for that matter. You see, our people don't think anything of same sex relations…be it intimate, or friendly. It doesn't matter to others, on our planet, who you sleep with. As long as they take care of each other."

"Oh." I said. My head tilted down to hide my eyes as I thought. I remembered when I kissed Albel…the time I started it, and realized why he had been so calm about it. And why he had asked me questions about my own world, and their views on relations between men and women.

The ding of the elevator brought me out of my mind and back to the present, as Adray and I drug Cliff to his room. I opened his door, and we brought him inside and laid him down on his bed.

"You go on back to the others. I'll take care of him up here, and make sure he gets a stern talking to when he wakes up." Adray said; his grin back in place. I nodded my thanks, and gave a smile of my own, then headed back down to the galley.

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When I arrived, the girls were in between being overjoyed that I was finally out,(and that Albel approved), and upset over the way Cliff had acted. Sophia was the first to congratulate me, and wanted to know if Albel and I were in a relationship already.

"Well…I don't think we are. A lot of things have happened in a short amount of time, and I honestly don't want anything like marriage right now. And I think he will agree with me. I think we should go slow for a while."

"I think that's a wonderful idea Fayt," Nel said, coming up behind me and giving my shoulder a firm squeeze, "And don't you worry about Cliff, the girls and I have a way to make sure he sees you for the wonderful young man that you are. We'll make sure that he's nice to you and Albel." She finished with a smirk and a glint in her eyes that made me almost worry about the older blonde man upstairs.

"Wooooo! That's right, Nel. You show him who's boss!" Mirage yelled as Nel headed to the door. She then turned to me with a smirk, "Don't worry about that, her plan was a little scary, but Sophia toned it down.

"Well, I don't think we need to do anything drastic right now. Besides. I think it was just a shock to Cliff. I'm sure he'll calm down about it, he's probably just worried about you, Fayt." She said. She gave me a hug and then walked off toward the galley saying something about needing a drink. The other girls followed, but Peppita lingered behind.

"So…Do you really like Albel that much?" She asked.

"Yeah…He's really not that bad, he just takes some getting used to." I smiled. She made a face as she thought my answer over, then smiled toothily.

"I think it's a good thing you two like each other, Albel's a lot happier now, and it's nice to not get yelled at all the time."

I laughed and watched her skip to the galley. The girls were right, Cliff would get over it. He would go back to teasing both of us, like he always had and things would go back to normal.

I started walking back to my shared room…and Albel, and Emma. I thought on the way, about how much I owed Emma. I mean, I know she's a toddler, but without her I never would have done anything to further things with Albel. But since she came into my life I've been so much happier. And even though it sounds cliché, my life right now is perfect.

END

I am soooooo sorry it took me so long to get this out, and that its so short….. I know it probly sucks as an ending but writers block can do that to a person.