OH MY GOSH YOU GUYS PROBABLY HATE ME RIGHT NOW. SO SORRY IT TOOK SO SO LONG. A LOT HAS HAPPENED BUT LETS STICK WITH THE IMPORTANT STUFF. SO I WROTE AND REWROTE THIS CHAPTER ALMOST A DOZEN TIMES CAUSE I COULD NOT FOR THE LIFE OF ME FIGURE OUT WHERE I WANTED TO TAKE IT. THE WRITERS BLOCK WAS REAL IN THIS ONE. AFTER TRYING SO HARD I DECIDED TO TAKE A BREAK FOR A WHILE UNTIL I COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT I WANTED TO DO. AND IT PAID OFF I GUESS…..I HOPE LOL. WHILE WRITING THIS CHAPTER, I COULDN'T DECIDE HOW I WANTED TO TRANSITION BACK TO HIS HOME PLANET, IN THE END THIS IS HOW I DID IT. THE HARDEST PART WAS THE TRANSITION. UGHHH IT WAS SOOO HARD. ANYWAY, AFTER KEEPING YOU ALL WAITING SO LONG, I AIMED TO MAKE IT A LONG ONE. I HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOY IT

CHAPTER 21

The smoldering sand warmed her feet like that of the Afghan desert and The heat of the sun left beads of sweat trickling from her brow. Looking around, it was as if she was arriving for the first time. The village looked strange somehow and she wasn't sure if she remembered it from the last time. Her memory was vague, unable to recall the finest details. One thing was for sure though, it wasn't the same as back then.

Her eyes scanned her surroundings and she began to realize more of what happen. Buildings had fallen to ruins and various trees littered the ground, scorched from a fiery blast. The air was filled with a thin layer of ash making her cough, and the clouds overhead gave the scene a rather gloomy feeling. Elliot's eyes then fell to the lines of bodies that littered the ground off in the distance. Her heart nearly sank in her chest as she watched women and children carry flowers to honor the dead who must have fought to protect the village.

"halkrath, did this…" she began softly.

"happen while we were away? Yes." he replied from behind her, his voice sounding low with Empathy as if he could feel the pain in village.

"this is-"

"This was Bakub's doing. We can't do anything now."

"its terrible. This is your home, Halkrath, i'm sorry." she uttered sympathetically.

"there's nothing to be sorry about. Its not your fault." he softly replied as he glanced around himself.

Silence fell between them as Elliot continued to stare at the ruins before her. God only knew what these people went through, and what pain they must be feeling. Moments later her attention turned to the audience before her. There were so many crowding in front of her, but she knew they weren't there to see her. Or at least that's what she silently assumed. She wasn't exactly appreciated before, so why would she now. The only other person deserving of the attention was of course Halkrath, the one who valiantly and mercilessly killed Bakub.

Ali crept to Elliot's side and slipped her hand into the others. "they all look the same as them…" she whispered, her jaw almost quivering in fear at the sight of massive men before her.

"it's ok. They are the good guys compared to Bakub. They won't hurt you unless they are considering suicide." Elliot smiled reassuringly, watching as the girl relaxed but still held onto her with a tight grasp.

With her eyes squinted, Elliot peered around looking for a familiar face. she felt alienated among the tall god like beings before her yet it shocked her that they began looking at her as if they had never seen a human before. Or perhaps they were in complete disbelief that she would come back at all. As odd as it was to see them so surprised, she remembered that they would still see her as inferior to them.

Elliot continued looking, trying to remember what the gentle female looked like, how her eyes reflected her calm nature and how her physique made it clear that she was not the same as the other dominating females.

Halkrath's strong reassuring hand soon grasped her shoulder and she glanced up to the male towering over her. "are you gonna keep going or are you just gonna stand there staring. Luar-ke is just there in the crowd if you are trying to find her." he whispered low into her ear with a soft caress of his thumb on her shoulder.

Elliot gave a soft smile, "thanks. It just feels so strange being back and seeing the village like this. I can't help but wonder if it would be different had i not ran away." she replied as she drifted through the audience who, surprisingly, stepped out of her way without the usual order from the male. Luar-ke slowly faded into view from the crowd and without warning she charged toward the smaller woman, lifting her into the air with a bone crushing bear hug. Elliot erupted into laughter, returning the hug before being set down gently.

"paya! It feels like forever. Look at you! Beautiful as ever. Oh i'm so happy you are ok." the woman said joyfully as a tear glistened in the corner of her eye.

Halkrath stroked the girl's hair as he gave an exulting smile. "you should have seen her. She is nearly worthy of her own Chiva." he rumbled jubilantly, and watched as pride welled up in the smaller woman, a sight that left him silently admiring her more.

"oh but we all know you wouldn't put up with that. She's like your own living trophy." Luar-ke said with a laugh of her own. Her joyful voice soon trailed off as she looked the male up and down, realizing he had been through so much. "what about you, are you ok?" she wondered with a worried voice, her hand hovering over to the wounds on his body with a motherly touch.

"im fine, and so is Elliot. What's happened is in the past now." Halkrath replied with a comforting smile. He could see that Luar-ke was on edge just by looking at his new injuries, and the severed dread was enough to make her cringe. In an act to change the subject, he quickly drew her attention away from his injuries and to the matter of the village. "what exactly happened here?" he queried as he looked around immersively.

A reluctant sigh escaped her mandibles as she reflected on all that had happened, her mood changing drastically. "a lot. Not long after you left, the village was attacked. Bad bloods came and raided the village, taking prisoners be it women or children and making sure to leave their mark." Luar-ke replied, following his gaze to the ash and rubble of what used to be.

Halkrath looked back to the woman, watching as her eyes welled up in tears. "did they hurt you at all?" he asked, his eyes narrowing with worry.

"paya, no. I'm fine. But others were not so fortunate, i'm afraid." she answered. "im sure you saw the bodies. They all fought hard to protect the village." she replied as her eyes began to flood joylessly.

Halkrath pulled the tall woman into a tight embrace, despite how his blood began to boil for the bastards that committed this act, "i'm just glad your ok." Her body trembled in his arms as her breath began to shake as she cried. Elliot couldn't help but feel compassion for the woman as she joined the two in a warm embrace.

"i'm sorry you had to go through that, Luar-ke. I'm so sorry." Elliot voiced as she looked up to the woman with sincere eyes.

"it's ok. There is nothing you should be sorry for." Luar-ke replied and pulled away from them after a long moment. "enough of what has happened. Lets just focus on the present. Im just so happy to see you and Elliot are ok." she voiced with a smile as she wiped her eyes before looking to the two stowaways. "And who might this be?" she inquired with a raised brow, having not expected him to come back with two new people.

Elliot looked to Ali and pushed her forward for a proper introduction. "this is Ali, she was one of the slaves in Bakub's village. I don't think i would have made it through everything if it wasn't for her. And the other is Bakub's son, Malok, he also helped us."

Luar-ke exchanged a series of clicks with the male, who greeted her with a short bow of his head, before turning to halkrath, "i didn't expect you to bring back two others. What will happen to them?" she inquired to the male who was not exactly sure himself.

"no idea yet. Malok has no citizenship in this clan given his ties, and the girl has no home to return to. I suppose she will have to stay with us." Halkrath said as he glanced towards the shy human.

Elliot looked up to him with concern, "but there isn't much room in your home. There is your room, my room, and luar-ke's room. I suppose i could share my room but then there is the issue of where Malok will stay."

"this is true." Luar-ke concurred as she crossed her arms in thought. "it is possible that he will be taken into custody to be interrogated but if the Council deems him a threat, they could have him executed." she continued to the smaller woman.

"but he helped us. Are they really willing to kill him for just being related to Bakub?" Elliot spat, feeling irritated by the others words. Why would someone who has done good be damned just for their relations? She didn't understand it at all. "he deserves better….." she continued quietly, more to herself than anyone.

"indeed he does, But the council will see him guilty by association. With luck, after i inform them of what he has done, they will grant him a better sentence than a public execution. Not only that but considering his young age, they could grant him his own chiva in which case he could join the elders guards which would give him more of an opportunity to climb the ranks and become an elite himself if he exceeds expectations." Halkrath informed, watching elliot relax some as she listened carefully.

Elliot glanced to the male subject, silently feeling sorry for him, and then looked back to Halkrath. "you will put a good word in for him, right? He helped save us and he is nothing like Bakub. He deserves it." she trailed, grabbing his arm and looking up to him with hopeful eyes.

Halkrath couldn't help but stare at her a moment. Her eyes shimmered under the sun light and he found it almost impossible to look away from her. With one look she had him ensnared, able to make him submit to her near every whim. He gave a soft grin as he opened his mouth to reply. "i'll do my best, Elliot. But I can't make promises. I don't control their decisions."

A smile formed on her face and she wrapped her arms around his waist, squeezing him as tight as she could. "thank you, so much." she said before pulling away moments later.

Luar-ke cleared her throat, breaking a momentary silence that formed amongst them."well, in the meantime the elder will be very interested in what happen. You should go see him as soon as you can. Im sure he will be expecting a detailed report from you."

"of course. In the meantime i would like for you to take the girls home and get them settled in. I on the other hand will be taking Bakub's pup with me to see the Elder." halkrath replied.

"i will. We'll meet you at home. Do i need to save you anything for dinner?"

"no, don't bother. Just make sure they get some rest. They need it after everything that has happened."

"of course. I'll be waiting to hear how it went." the other replied as her tusks formed a soft smile.

Halkrath nodded and then looked to elliot, caressing her soft cheek before turning on his heel to leave and clicking for the other male to follow. Luar-ke on the other hand lingered there a moment to watch the strong chiseled form march away, his tube like hair gently swaying from side to side as he moved with a purpose. She couldn't help but think to herself, that she had raised a pup to a man that seemed to have more honor and respect than the majority of other males. He had turned out just like his late father, in more ways than one. A moment passed and she turned away and walked the girls in the opposite direction with her arms draped around them protectively.

His solid fist knocked gently on the Elders door before waiting for the invitation to enter. Malok kept his head bowed in shame with his hands at his side, not daring to stare at the Elite male who managed to brutally kill his low life father. He was, in all sense of the word, intimidated by him.

"when we enter, you will only speak when spoken to. There may be many questions and you will answer honestly. Do you understand?" Halkrath voiced low and stern.

"yes…." he replied softly, avoiding eye contact with the more dominant one.

"good."

The door opened after a moment and a servant bowed before stepping to the side. "the elder will see you now." she voiced quietly, watching as the males entered.

Halkrath kneeled before the elder, signaling the other to do the same. As he rose, the elder too stood from his chair and walked around his desk, eyeing the two curiously. After a moment a grin crossed his face and he marched forward and gave his friend a gentle shake of the shoulder. "Halkrath!" he bellowed with joy, "it's always a surprise to see you return. Not that i have any doubt in your abilities. Im curious, did the woman return safely as well?"

"that she has." the other replied.

"good, good. So, how did it go? I see you brought back Bakub's dishonorable pup. He smells just like that fucking traitor." the elder gave a disturbing hiss, watching the small inferior male cringe at the insult.

"yes, he is rather pathetic to look at, however, he helped protect my mate so i do owe him a chance to make a name for himself other than what his bastard father tainted him as. Bakub didn't care for the pup, he was the runt between his siblings and useless to his father, so bakub both disowned him and enslaved him. He was nothing but shit under his father's feet." Halkrath explained, signalling a servant to bring a chalice of c'nlip over.

The elder looked to the small male whose head was still bowed. "you, you look guilty with your head down. Look at me, pup." the smaller male looked up to the elder and hesitated to look him in the eye. "what is your name?"

"Malok" he replied with nothing more.

"Malok. Is all this true? Were you really a slave?" the other inquired with a curious tilt of his head.

Malok nodded in reply and then waited for the next moment to speak.

"I understand your siblings turned out to be well built. They would have been great additions to my guard had they not followed you Father. Tell me, why didn't you follow them?"

"they were corupt. I didnt believe the same as them and being the smallest they never gave me a chance." he replied, words filled with disgust and resentment.

The elder raised his brow with interest. "i see. And what did your father and mother think of you?"

Malok drew in a deep breath and prepared to speak. "my father disowned me when i was born. He didnt want a pup that was so weak and frail, he prefered my brothers who grew to follow him in every step. My mother, she actually cared. She convinced my father to let me live before he could put me down but it wasn't until she died that he deemed me his slave. I have never been anything to him."

"how unfortunate it must feel..." The elder turned to the other and gave a look of disbelief. "given his appearance i can't really see him as anything more. He is inferior after all. Care to provide me a reason to trust this insignificant pup?" the elder said with an amused chuckle, as if the small male before him was the definition of a joke. "go ahead and tell me what exactly happen?"

Halkrath took a single sip of his beverage before clearing his throat. "shit happened. Bakub abused and dishonored my mate and after i arrived i killed him. I made sure he paid with his life for what he had done"

"but what did he do? To the girl that is."

"he let his men brand her…. beat her…. and he nearly killed her right before my eyes." Halkrath replied with a deep groan, cringing as the memories filled his head. It wasn't exactly good table talk and he didn't feel comfortable giving every detail. It was a terrible memory and one he did not wish to relive. It was after all the first time he felt what fear really was.

The elder held back a rumble of his own before continuing. "but she is perfectly fine? Surely a human like her would have died." he said, completely oblivious to the subjects determination and willpower. She wasn't exactly one to go out easily. She was not some ordinary human.

" not her. She is different from the rest. Elliot may seem weak, but i'll have you know she defended herself even with a fatal wound. She even managed to protect another human that Bakub had enslaved…...And if it wasn't for her, i would not be here now." he trailed off at the end, watching the elder go from looking detatched to showing intrigue.

The other raised his eyebrow with interest and surprise, as if wondering if they were thinking of the same human that once wanted to kill him. "you mean to say, she saved you?" he inquired, his jaw agape as he looked to the other in a sort of wonder and disbelief. Surely a small human such as her was incapable of such things.

"yes." Halkrath quickly replied and proceeded to tell the story of his fight. "as i was battling Bakub, he nearly had me beat, but she managed to to distract him which gave me the opportunity to kill him. But that's not all. During the fight, one of Bakubs sons was also attacking me, Malok here managed to shoot him, killing him. I should have died if it wasn't for them."

"impressive. Yet it's so hard to believe that a mere human had to save you." the other uttered as he imagined the girl standing up to a ferocious creature such as Bakub. "and this other human, did it come back with you?" the elder continued a short moment later, grasping his chin with his thumb and forefinger.

Halkrath was prompt to reply, providing as much detail of the girl as he could, which was not much. "yes. Her name is Ali and from what i understand, she was abducted from earth along with her family who later died in Bakub's care. Malok here then protected Ali from Bakub as much as he could, bravely defending her despite his….asthenic demeanor." Halkrath informed as he glanced to Malok. "i can honestly say that the pup has more honor than his entire family combined. He may be small, but he isn't a complete disappointment."

The elder proceeded to observe the feeble form at his feet as he wondered how a disgrace like this was capable of doing so much. "i see. and does he claim this other woman as his own mate?" he asked out of the blue and watched in amusement as the male flinched and looked away in a shy manner. Had his complexion not hid it, one could say the smaller male had lit up like a lighthouse with a crimson blush.

"no. Weather or not he helped protect the girls, i don't think he is ready for the honor of claiming his own mate. The pup hasn't even gone through a proper chiva to obtain his own place in a clan." Halkrath informed.

"so are you suggesting that i allow this pathetic looking pup to go through his own chiva to erase the dishonor put on him by his father? Or rather, to allow him a chance to earn his place among my clan?" the elder voiced, his head cocked to one side as he began arrogantly stroking his chin in thought.

Halkrath gave a curt nod and said, "yes. He wasn't the one that harmed anyone and he despises his own father. I think he deserves an opportunity to put the past behind him. And if he fails….well then i guess it's paya's proof that he is nothing greater than his father."

"i suppose you are right. But then there's the matter with you and Elliot. I informed the council and they want me to act on that situation. As the most loyal of my men, i certainly do not plan to banish you or anything of the sort. However, they did agree that separating you two for some time and performing an investigation is suitable to determine if she is safe in your care."

"i expected as much. But, what will happen with her?"

The elder thought a moment, unsure for himself what would happen with the girl for the time that she was away from him. "she could end up anywhere really. But i can promise they won't put her in the care of someone who will dishonor her. She will be fine. However, you know the council members are very strong in their beliefs. Tradition is very important to them, so you must understand that they WILL try to convince you that you should take a Yautja female and leave the human in the past. I wouldn't even put it past them to keep you both separated for as long as possible."

Halkrath groaned. The elder was true with his words and even he understood the council would not want him to have a human mate. In their eyes, Elliot would only make him weak. Even his own father developed a bad reputation among them. "of course they would. But i can prove them wrong."

"i suppose, but it would be wise to not do anything rash. Now, moving on, we must discuss what happen while you were away." the elder said as he collapsed in a chair and waved the other over to join him.

"yes i'm rather curious of what transpired. The village is a disaster."

"of course you are." the elder replied as he poured a drink and began sipping away at it. " It turns out that i had spies with in my trusted ranks, spies i can only assume reported to Bakub ...or someone else. The village was infiltrated not long after you left. They tore through our perimeter and wiped out our defenses before setting fire to the village. They killed women and children and they made sure to take prisoners. Those bastards completely tore us apart. I hate to say it, but it was an attack we were not prepared for, and we paid the price in blood. Most of my trusted elites were assassinated, and our forces grew far to thin making the village more vulnerable. " he trailed off, looking the other deep in the eye. "Halkrath, we have started an investigation starting at Bakub's home, and what we found only proves our suspicions."

"you don't think it was the last." Halkrath continued for him, his eyes meeting the floor as he clasped his hands in front of his face.

"precisely." the elder said with a pause. Halkrath continued watching him attentively, waiting for his superior to speak. " you have been friends with him for quite some time….but i must ask, do you know of Bakub's heritage?"

Halkrath thought a moment, remembering how Bakub's family one held the throne. "i know his grandfather was Elder sometime before you, and that he was removed for his beliefs of wanting to make us the strongest species through the extermination of the lesser species." he said and continued to stare at the elder for a moment before adding,"this has to do with something greater, doesnt it."

"far greater, i hate to admit." the elder rumbled and the began to rummage through a pile a papers from the table next to him before drawing out a leather bound book and passing it to Halkrath. He eyed it for a moment before opening its pages and skimming through it. "i have always had my suspicions on Bakub, which is why i made sure to keep close eyes on him. After the death of his own Father, i knew he had some resentment. I knew he couldnt be trusted after after being close to a couple of traitors so i arranged a group of spies to watch him. After a few years they discovered his grandfather's journal which he continued to use. Inside they kept speaking of a greater being, someone who they appeared to worshiped as a god. My sources couldn't make sense of it, but the same image keeps appearing throughout the book. Some assumed it to be a code of some sort but others didn't agree. What they DO know, is that whoever this other being is, they share the same goal... "

Halkrath glanced to the other with a curious tilt of his head, silently awaiting the other to continue.

"... the extermination of Earth and the humans as a whole." the elder continued and watched the other flip from page to page. "as much as i don't care for the humans, i can't let that happen. And besides, you have made it clear that you rather enjoy the humans" he proceeded with amusement.

"So you are suggesting that this other being needs to found and stopped." the other replied and proceeded to continue after a short pause. "but how do you plan to do that? Anyone that had any connection with this person is long dead."

"Exactly." the elder agreed and shuffled through his papers until he pulled out a file and presented it to the other. "we have been led to believe that everyone is dead that could have a possible connection. Bakub's father died by execution, you just recently kill Bakub himself, but do you recall how his grandfather died?"

Halkrath gave a puzzled look as he leaned into his chair in thought. "i can't recall." he merely answered after a moment, watching the other return a sly grin.

"his death was never confirmed or even reported. He managed to drop off the face of the planet years ago. Some reported they lost contact with him after a landslide during a hunt. But no one was able to confirm. Given his beliefs, it would have made the perfect opportunity to escape."

"you think he may still be alive? If this is true what's the plan of action?" Halkrath voiced, sitting straight in his chair and watching the other attentively.

The Elder rose to his feet and looked to Malok who was still sitting off in the middle of the room. "we have Bakub's journal, and now we have his son. We could use them to help figure out who is really behind this."

"what makes you think he knows anything? He was his father's prisoner after all." halkrath inquired with a tilt of his head.

The elder looked to the small male before him. "pup, what do you know of your family?" he asked and the smaller gave him a confused look.

"my father never told me much. He didn't trust me. However, i've heard him speak multiple times about meeting with someone." malok replied, having paid close attention to the others private conversation, and then looked away in deep thought, trying to remember something. "what was the name…...Bhu'ja….that's it. My father used to mention it on a number of occasions."

"Bhu'ja…" Halkrath repeated as if he recognized it from somewhere.

"have you heard it before?" the elder asked, looking to Halkrath who held is chin in deep thought.

"not that i can recall. Although, Bakub was active in the black market, so he had used various aliases. I think that's exactly what that is." he replied.

"well...it's a start." the elder voiced. There was a sudden knock on the door and all heads turned as another elite entered urgently and approached the elder to whisper something barely audible. The elder sighed and waved the elite off before saying, "if you'll excuse me, i'm needed else where. Read those, see what you can make of it."

As her feet carried her along the gravel road, she couldn't help but feel lost despite the flat barren land around her. Had it already been so long since she had last been to his house? Elliots eyes bounced around in wonder, recollecting the memories she had long forgotten about this strange alien world. With every step she couldn't help but wonder how long it had been? Surely not that long. Maybe weeks?

The house slowly crept into view off the horizon and she was astonished to see that it had fallen victim to the attacks. The front yard was nothing but scorched earth, plants flaking into nothingness as a result to a previous fire. The stones that made up the walls were not left untouched. Strange aggressive marks lay scattered about the vertical surfaces, clearly an insult to the Elite that dwelled there. Her stomach knotted with nervousness as she lay her hand on the doorknob, slowly turning it as if waiting for something to jump out at her. As she stepped inside, the lights flickered on to reveal the inside. Surprisingly it was clean, but that was clearly the work of Luar-ke. As she looked more, she could see faint graffiti and remnants of an uninvited guest who raided the place of its valuables.

"don't mind the mess. I was able to clean up most of it but am still working to clean the walls. Go ahead and make yourselves at home." Luar-ke's voice echoed, snapping elliot away from her thoughts.

The girl gave a slow nod before leading the way inside, taking in the faint familiar smells and the trying to find a place for long lost memories. So much had changed, but this was where things would take a new route.

Elliot stood in the doorway of her old room, taking in everything she had forgotten about it. The faint stench of cigarettes still lingered in the fabrics of her bedding and her wardrobe sat against the wall half open from the last time she was in it.

"this is your room?" Ali asked as a shiver slid down her spine. The room itself had a strange feeling to it, as if so many emotions had been poured into it. But none were completely happy. It was rather dreary inside as the light from the window barely lit the room. Even the atmosphere of it left her uncomfortable. It was oddly cold as if the sun had never reached it, and the stone floor seemed to suck any warmth from her feet.

"yeah. Not exactly home sweet home, but it's better than a shack. I don't have much so the other half of the wardrobe is yours." elliot said as she opened the wardrobe and pulled out her old uniform and changed into the torn cargo pants and khaki t shirt. Afterwards she pulled her hair into a small ponytail as to get it out of her way. After not having any clothes that fit properly, she was rather satisfied with the baggy pants that was still missing half a pant leg. When she finished she turned to ali to continue telling her about their new home as minor details filled her thoughts. " the bathroom is straight across the hall. The bathing pool is always full with a sort of sterilizing solution so you don't need to worry about draining it when your done. Towels are under the sink and the laundry room is right next door." she rambled before pausing to take a breath. " There isn't much here, but it's better than nothing."

After a moment of silence, Ali gave a soft smile and said. "thank you, for everything. I wouldn't be alive if it wasnt for you."

Elliot smiled and patted the girl on the head. "its nothing. Its sorta what i do."

As silence fell between them, Ali looked away in a shy manner and began uttering quietly. "ummm….about Malok, what's going to happen to him?" she voiced, clearly hoping the other wasn't judging her.

"i don't know. Im sure he will be fine though. Halkrath won't let them hurt him." elliot replied with a reassuring smile, watching a tear form in her eye. "you... love him, don't you." she inquired after a moment, realizing the girl had some emotions for the male. It was obvious she felt something deep for him, something that had surfaced while she was with him.

The girl nodded softly and elliot pulled her into an embrace. "i'm not sure if he understands how grateful i am to him. He protected me after my parents died. He was there for me when no one else was. I haven't been able to show how grateful i am to him. After they branded me, he helped ease the pain. He truly is nothing like his father. He is much more than that." she sobbed as she clung to the other. Her heart was aching for him, for what could come of him.

"that he is. And you know what i think? I think he feels the same for you. You were something he could protect and show that he wasn't the same as the others. I think you saved him in a way as well. I promise you he will be ok." elliot replied and watched a gentle smile form on the girl's lips.

"thank you." Ali replied as she wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.

"no problem. You should get some rest, you look like you haven't slept in a month." Elliot voiced, noting the the dark spots under the girl's eyes that indicated she had not been sleeping well. But no one could blame her, given the events that transpired one could assume she had been unable to sleep at all.

Elliot continued to tuck the girl into bed, gently brushing her hair out of her face as she did. The girl was so petite, given her age, she looked like nothing but a child curled up innocently waiting for a good night kiss. Ali was quick to fall asleep, her eyes growing heavy ever so quickly. Soon, as if no time had passed, she was out cold, her chest rising and falling in slow increments. After a moment of stroking the girl's head with a gentle touch, elliot bid the girl farewell as she silently stepped away, leaving her to her deep slumber.

The door closed with a shallow click as she left the room with a sigh. Outside in the living room she collapsed on the couch across from Luar-ke who had been sitting and reading something. She let out a heavy breath and held her head in her hands in thought. "they took her so young. I don't even think she remembers earth completely." she voiced quietly to herself.

"i'm sorry?" luar-ke replied, realizing the other had just said something.

"its nothing. I was just thinking out loud. Any idea when Halkrath will be back?"

"no idea." the other replied and and laid her book on the table between them. "now what is it? Something is on your mind and i can see it's troubling you."

Elliot chuckled. The woman could pick up on everything about her almost as if she was an open book. "i suppose you're right. Damn i don't know where to begin. So much has happened since i came here." she voiced, pushing her hair back as she leaned into the couch.

Luar-ke poured the girl a cup of water from a pitcher sitting between them and passed it to her. "well my ears are open, you can start wherever you want."

Elliot thought a moment, finding it hard to determine what it was she wanted to talk about. After a moment longer, she spoke. "back on earth, i joined the military so i wouldn't feel weak. I wanted to feel like i could do anything, and i did. I didn't have to worry about someone coming to my rescue all the time cause i was able to protect myself, granted i did have a team that could back me up if i needed it….." elliot paused and took a drink of water before continuing. "it wasn't until i came here that i realized how weak i am. I mean, Halkrath saved me on more than one occasion. I haven't been able to protect myself here."

Luar-ke was hesitant to speak, unsure of what to say. "it's ok. Halkrath has already made it known that he will protect you. Im sure he is willing to fight your battles for you."

"but i don't want him to!" elliot exclaimed, clenching her hands into tight fists. "he almost died because of me. I cant help but feel that if he keeps coming to my rescue….he will die."

A moment of silence fell between them as Luar-ke watched elliot look to the ceiling in thought. "Elliot, what happen back there?"

Elliot looked back to the other, a tear forming in her eyes. She was brokenhearted, feeling guilty about what had happened as she recalled his battle with Bakub. "for a moment, i thought he wouldn't come...but he did. He came for me, Luar-ke, and it almost got him killed." her voice began to shake as she broke down, thinking about how close he came to death. She was crying for him. "he was looking at me, the entire time he was being beaten. I could see how much it hurt him, but he only stared at me, fighting. Never giving that sick bastard the satisfaction of seeing him give in."

"he will take the worst pain imaginable if it means protecting you. Elliot, he loves you and is willing to die for you. Don't blame yourself for his decisions." the other said, seeing the guilt in her eyes and the hurt in her demeanor.

"NO. It is my fault. He almost died because of me. Luar-ke, i wouldn't be able to live with myself if he died." she voiced sorrowfully as the tears poured from her eyes. "he has done so much and i am still unable to repay him. I'm still too weak."

"elliot, are you trying to say what i think you're trying to say?"

"that i care for him? That i love him?" elliot replied, her eyes meeting the others with truth in them. "...i'd be lying if i denied it…" she trailed timidly.

Luar-ke's eyes widened and she moved to the others side, pulling her into a tight embrace as she rubbed her back gently. "Oh, its ok sweetheart, it's ok. Everyone is weak in some way, but you know, that is why we belong with certain people. Where you feel weak, Halkrath is strong. And the same goes for him. Halkrath nearly died for you, because he loves you. It's not your fault. You are the one thing he has longed for in his life, something to die for."

"but, i don't want him to die. Luar-ke, i want to be stronger, so that when the time comes i can protect him." elliot said and paused for a moment as she reflected on what happen. "bakub put him through so much pain, because of me. I should have been the one to feel that pain."

"bakub, attacked Halkrath because he felt that he was weak for having a human mate. The fact that Halkrath was able to go through it, only shows that you do not make him weak. Just as he is your strength, you are his. You are what keeps him going, what keeps him fighting." luar-ke said, pushing the girls hair behind her ears.

Elliots tears stopped and she wiped her eyes with her hands before clearing her throat. "He is so strong and so brave, Luar-ke. How does he do it? It's like fear just doesn't exist in him." she voiced after a long moment, looking at the woman as if maybe she knew the answers to everything.

"he loves you." the other replied, enunciating every word slowly as to make her understand.

Elliot was quiet for a moment before she opened to speak in a barely audible tone. " i just…..don't want him to die for me." she paused as a knot formed in her chest, as if it was to hard to speak. "Luar-ke I do love him, but i'm scared that one day he will no longer be here for me to tell him."

"you mean you have not told him?"

"no. Not yet. I'm just not sure if im ready." elliot said as she sipped her water.

Silence fell between them as the larger woman rose to her feet with a sigh. Elliot watched her carefully as she marched to a shelf and rummaged through its contents until she found a photo album and drew a single photo from behind the cover. She straightened her back attentively as the other returned, sitting next to her and preparing to speak. "its hard to believe, but, Halkraths mother was a human just as you. She experienced the same feelings, same as you. For the longest time she was not sure what to do as she began falling in love with his father, Asmund." Luar-ke went silent as she passed a polaroid photo to the other, being ever so careful as not to bend the edges. "this is her. Amelia Marie Kingsley"

Elliot stared at the photo in astonishment, gazing at the female subject in absolute wonder. She was beautiful. "this is his mother?" she asked in disbelief.

Luar-ke chuckled in amusement before replying. "she is beautiful isn't she."

"absolutely. How did she end up here? How did she meet Asmund?" elliot rambled as questions began flooding her thoughts.

"like you and Halkrath, they both met on earth. Asmund discovered her in a remote jungle during one of his hunts. In the beginning, she was taken from earth and was supposed to be sold and used for biological experimentation. It wasn't until his father, Asmund, intercepted a black market ship she was on and saved her. She was absolutely terrified of him at first and the language barrier between them only made it worse. She had no home to go back to on earth since she had been a hostage for a few earth years, and so he took her home hoping to help her and give her a place to call her own. I personally served as a translator as Asmund didn't know english himself. Amelia was not at all happy living on our world at first, but after a few months she warmed up to him and later fell in love with him. Same as you." she explained.

"how old was she?" Elliot inquired, glancing up from the photo

"She was around 28 when Asmund discovered her." the other replied.

"and what happen to her?" elliot asked, finding new interest in Halkraths mother.

"she died, in childbirth, many years ago." luar-ke said, taking a seat next to the girl. "i will never forget that beautiful girl. When she grew comfortable with our world, she was so full of life. I can't count how many times she tried to sneak up on Asmund and scare him just to entertain herself. Asmund loved her so much. She was his world so to speak." Luar-ke said with an amused chuckle as she remembered a time long ago.

"I uh, i was wondering, what did everyone else think of their relationship? Was Asmund seen as being weak because of her?" Elliot questioned out of nowhere.

"why, of course. Asmund and Amelia were shunned, even mocked for their relationship. When Amelia became pregnant, everyone warned Asmund that the child would not survive long past childhood. They pleaded with him to have her get an abortion and to mate with another Yautja, but of course he refused and stuck to his mates side throughout her pregnancy up until her death. Despite what tradition says, he loved her. And the same applies to Halkrath."

Elliot stared at the photo, engraving the image of the woman in her head. She was beautiful, her smile, her golden brown hair, her emerald eyes. She was gorgeous. Elliot opened her mouth to speak, but no words could be formed that would describe what she was feeling in that moment. "this is…..amazing. Thank you, Luar-ke. Thank you for showing me this." she said and threw her arms around the woman in a tight embrace. Luar-ke returned the gesture, lingering there for a long moment.

"of course. Don't be afraid to talk to Halkrath about how you feel. He would love to know, even if it isn't the feelings he is looking for right now." she said with a genuine smile as she pulled away. Elliot nodded in reply before turning her attention to the photo again in admiration. "i think i'll leave you alone, it's getting late now and Halkrath should be home soon."

Elliot smiled to the woman and watched her march away to her room. When she was alone, she pulled the photo to her chest and rose to her feet. She began walking down the hall until she reached his room, pushing the door open as she entered. It had been a long while since the last time she was in his room. Elliot sat upon his bed, pushing herself up against the headboard as she patiently waited for his return, still holding the photo to her chest. It wasn't much longer before she heard the front door open and close, signalling his return. She continued to listen as he exchanged a series of clicks with who she assumed to be Malok, afterwards she listened as his heavy steps resounded through the hall before his door soon opened.

Halkrath marched silently into his room, not bothering to turn towards her. She wondered if he had realized she was there, but at the same time he seemed in deep thought. "how did it go?" she voiced softly and noticed how he turned towards her with a smile on his face, pleased to see her there. She pushed herself off his bed and marched over to him, taking his hand and unfastening his gauntlet ever so gently.

"it went well. But you, how are you?" he replied as her stroked her hair with his free hand.

"im fine. You were gone for quite a while i thought it didn't go well." she smiled as she set his gauntlet on his desk before moving to the other.

"there was much to talk about." he simply replied as he watched her hands move slowly to remove the piece of armor. When she finished, he quickly removed the rest so he stood bare with nothing but his loin cloth.

Elliot stepped back to marvel at him, admiring his strong muscular form with an innocent smile on her lips. He didn't move, only stood there as she gazed upon his form, and he liked it. The feeling of her eyes on him lifted his stomach in his chest. He wasn't sure how to describe it, but it left him feeling prideful and accomplished. She used to despise him, used to only see him as nothing but a monster, but now he could see he had earned a sort of respect and gratitude from her….if not her heart completely.

It wasn't but a moment later when he stepped toward her and picked her bridal style. She released a surprised gasp at his swift motion before draping her arms around his neck as he carefully carried her to his bed, laying her down in the middle and nuzzling her face like a cat before slipping into bed next to her. Elliot sat up some, propping herself up on her elbow to look at him. Her eyes slowly scanned his alien form and her other hand gently moved over his many scars in thought. After a moment his hand caught hers and he brought it to his chest as he began to make that quiet and gentle rumble. A purr. A crimson blush filled her cheeks and she looked away shyly, unsure what to do as he held her hand there. The warmth of his hand soon cupped her face and he turned her head to look at him as he embraced this moment of close proximity. The two didn't exchange words, rather they just locked eyes and stared. There weren't any words to describe the moment, rather than spiritual. They gazed at each other almost as if worshipping, that was until he pulled her toward him until she straddled his abdomen and gave him worried look.

His purring stopped, replaced by small chuckle before he spoke. "dont worry. Im not going to do anything." he said as his hands began to trace her scars with the lightest touch. He wanted touch her, to know her more, to know what she was thinking and what her darkest secrets were. He wanted to know everything. Short moments passed as his hand caressed her pale skin before stopping on a small line. "what happen here?" he asked, looking up to her.

"cut myself on a piece of metal." she answered, and watched his hand move elsewhere ever so slowly, making the hair on her neck and arms stand straight.

"here?" he voiced, stopping over a pink area on her leg.

"a bad sunburn." she voiced and he gave a confused look. "it happens when i'm in the sun for to long." he gave a nod and looked back to his hands.

His hands moved to her waist and she gasped when he lifted her shirt to look. As one hand held her shirt, the other tickled her stomach as it slowly touched different small scars before stopping over a tan spot that didn't match her skin tone. "what's this one?"

"it's a birthmark. It's something i was born with." elliot replied as she put her hand over his. He looked at her for a long moment before boldly pulling her toward him and planting his mandibles on her forehead in a form of a kiss. "halkrath," she started as she pulled away. "what happens now?"

He looked at her with a tilted head before saying, "we move forward."

"yes but, what happens to us, with the council?" she wondered.

"The council wants to separate us for a time, to determine if you are safe with me, given what happened back then and the accusation you made before the elder." he replied.

"oh." she said and looked away. His hand then found her cheek and forced her to look at him.

"you are worried." he said matter of factly. "it will only be temporary. You don't need to be afraid."

Elliot lifted herself off of him and sat at his side with her knees drawn to her chest. " it's just, everyone here doesn't exactly approve of me…" she trailed off, listening as he shuffled around to sit in front of stared at her for moment, meeting her eyes and anxiously waiting for her to continue. "I'm worried that they will change your mind, that they will convince you that i'm not worth the time."

"they won't be able to change my mind. They couldn't sway my judgment no matter how hard they tried." he replied, earning a small smile from the small woman before him.

"good to know." she giggled and continued to stare at him. "does it not bother you, that most others see you lesser than what you were before you met me?"

The question stunned him a moment as he realized he never truly took the time recognize it. "no. I don't need anyone's opinion about who i desire as my mate." he said and watched her cheeks flush red.

"so, you feel absolutely no shame at all?" she continued.

"no." he replied reassuringly. The more he looked at her, the more he could see the worry still lingering in her eyes. She looked almost lost in her thoughts, trying to decide what path was right. "whats wrong? You look so, melancholy." he voiced as he reached out to brush her hair away from her face.

Elliot shook her head and laughed, as if his question was a joke. "i'm sorry. I've just been thinking a lot. The council wants to separate us and investigate my accusations of you. I'm just worried they will keep us apart and forbid our reunion. After what happened that day, they could very well punish you and i don't think i want that. Im worried my words won't be enough to change their mind. Halkrath, i want to be able to share my feelings with you, but i'm waiting for the right time. Problem is, i'm scared i won't get that chance with what's about to happen." she worded frantically, wondering if the male was able to follow what she was saying.

Halkrath, put his hand on her shoulder to calm her. "you could tell me now." he purred, the rumbling of his chest making her spine tingle in satisfaction.

"i would love to," she began softly. "but i want to wait for when we get through this. i'm waiting for the perfect time."

He returned a smile and gave a curt nod to tell her he understood. "as you wish." he said, removing himself from the bed before marching out of the room towards the lavatory. Elliot remained on his bed, curling up beneath his pelts and letting her mind wander over all the possibilities of the future.

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT, CHAPTER 21 AWAITING YOUR APPROVAL. I PUT MY HEART INTO IT TRYING TO MAKE IT RIGHT AFTER NOT POSTING FOR SO LONG. UNFORTUNATELY THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL TAKE A WHILE AS I AM FINALLY DEPLOYING. DUE TO THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME ILL HAVE TO WRITE, I CAN'T PROMISE IT WILL BE LONG. BUT I WILL TRY TO WORK ON MULTIPLE CHAPTERS TO POST THROUGHOUT THE MONTHS. THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE SUPPORT EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T UPDATE IN A VERY LONG TIME. YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST.