After Otto had left the room, Larry remained sitting with the book, staring at the "s" word. Poor Lewis. But why was this discovery shocking to him- he, who had witnessed grown men leap to their deaths from office towers after the continents joined as one and their jobs became obsolete... He should have seen it coming.

As much as humans disgusted and confused him at times, he was not going to let this one get away. Not like the coworkers and neighbors of his from the past. There was something special about Lewis, besides the pleasure he had provided him on their brief but successful expedition. Larry thought of him as a pitiful creature. Those high, smiling cheekbones and the eager, upright posture... but the sadness and lonesomeness in his greenish-gray eyes.

Fortunately, Otto had convinced Tuddrussel to help clean up the mess they had left in the kitchen. Larry crept by the room, ensuring that his partners were distracted, at work scooping up the debris.

This would be his first trip all by himself. It would be quick. He would meet Lewis and Clark, catch them separately, and sneak Lewis away. He would be back on the satellite in no time. Lewis would stay in his room. Yes, it would work!

Larry punched the buttons and found himself back in 1804.

As luck would have it, he found Lewis kneeling beside a shrub, his notebook in hand, examining a few young, peach-colored blossoms with an inquisitive grin.

"Lewis?" Larry whispered harshly.

"Oh!" The man arose, startled. "Larry? Is that you again?"

"Shh. Yes." Larry glanced around quickly. "Is Clark nearby?"

"I can't believe you're back!" Lewis gasped. "Clark... he's off hunting. We're doing much better. But I haven't seen him in hours."

"Good. Come along."

"Why?" Lewis gasped. "I-is something the matter? Are Clark and I in trouble again?"

"Yes, something is wrong. It has nothing to do with a mission of ours. But I cannot tell you what's wrong. Just come with me and once we get back, I'll tell you as much as I can."

With trepidation, Lewis approached the stern robot, who had begun tapping the keys inside of his wrist.

"Where are we going? What are you doing?"

"Taking us home. Now, this may startle you just a bit..."

...

Lewis and Larry arrived in the satellite's teleporter just seconds later. Lewis was shaking and green in the face. Fortunately, he was too stunned to make any noise that might alert the others to his presence.

"That wasn't so bad, was it? Now, come along to my room. You'll be staying there. And keep quiet. The other two cannot know that you're with me."

Lewis said nothing, and clamped a hand to his mouth. His forehead looked damp.

"Are you okay?" Larry whispered, sneaking past the kitchen, where Otto and Buck were still at work, their backs turned to Larry and his captive. Fortunately, the two made it to Larry's bedroom in time for Lewis to collapse upon the pink bed.

"The room is... spinning."

"Oh my. Just lie down and try to keep your eyes still. Time traveling can do that to a person."

"Is there a... I need to..." Lewis bolted upright and clamped his hand across his mouth again. Larry grabbed a wastebasket just in time. He rubbed Lewis's back as he leaned over the can and retched. "You poor thing. Not everyone tolerates time traveling."

"T-time traveling? I-is that w-what we did?" Lewis choked. "W-where are we?"

"The year is one hundred million, AD," Larry said proudly. "And we're in outer space."

"Outer space? Like where the sun and moon and stars are?" Larry nodded. "And one hundred million versus 1804." Lewis looked up, still a bit dazed, but smiled. "Now tell me why you brought me here."

"Because, Lewis..." Larry held Lewis's hands and frowned. "From what I gathered during our time together... I know you're hurting. And something is not right up here"- he pointed at his own forehead- "or down here," and he pointed at his chest, where his heart would have been. Lewis nodded sadly in agreement. "And I told you that we have help here, in the future. I could take you to see a doctor and they can give you medicines and therapy that will make you feel better, help you cope with bad days. And stop you from-"

"From what?"

"From..." Larry stopped and pondered. "From... getting worse."

"Do you think I'll get worse?"

"Not if you get help," Larry answered abruptly. "And furthermore, you and I... I feel like we had something..."

"But Larry," Lewis interrupted. "I belong with Clark. Sorry to say it, but you and I were not meant to explore for the rest of the time."

"Clark is no good for you!" Larry exclaimed sharply.

"He's been different since you and your friends came to help us," Lewis retorted defensively. "He listens to me now and actually cares for me. And we've gotten more... comfortable with one another." Lewis blushed. Larry could not help but look down at Lewis's crotch. He was now sitting on the edge of Larry's bed, his knees spread apart.

"Oh," was all Larry could manage.

"Larry, I really enjoyed our time together," Lewis went on. "But Clark and I set out as exploring partners, as friends... and now we've realized that there's more between us. It makes him happy, and it makes me feel much better, having someone who gets me through long days. And nights." He stroked the soft pillow at his side. "Whatever time he and I have left together is important to us both." His eyes began to well up. "C-can you p-please take me back?"

"Take you back?" Larry gasped. "Then you won't be able to get any treatments or help..."

"I'll manage," Lewis interrupted, rising from the bed. "Thanks for your offer, but I belong out west, with Clark."

"Lewis, please!" Larry desperately grabbed Lewis by the wrist. "You're sick and I need to help you!"

"I-I'll be okay, Larry." Lewis looked back at the bed, then frowned. "I've made it this far. And I have work to do. I'm in the wilderness, which I love, with someone whom I love. I'll be okay." Lewis's lip trembled, and then he grinned shyly. "You know what, Larry? We never did get a chance to..." His hands shaking, he sat back down on the bed and undid his belt. "Just this once. Then you're taking me back."

Larry paused, then smiled and knelt before Lewis. "Oh, yes." Lewis lied back and arched his back upwards, then slid his pants down around his knees. Larry gently took the man's anatomy and nestled it in his metal hand. He fondled it, and Lewis moaned.

"Oh, Larry..."

"What is all that noise?" came Tuddrussel's voice from down the hall. Larry could not hear over the sounds of Lewis's moans of pleasure. "Larry!" Tudd called again. His voice and footsteps grew closer to the door. There was nowhere to hide Lewis, and even if there was, there was not sufficient time, as Tudd stormed into the room. Lewis bolted upright and shrieked; Larry stumbled back and nearly crashed to the ground.

"Larry, what in the name of..."

Lewis, realizing that he was exposed fully in front of Tudd, quickly scrambled to hitch his underpants and slacks back up. Just as he was about to zip up his pants, Otto raced into the room past Tudd's legs.

"What's happening here?"

Tudd clapped a hand over Otto's glasses. "Nothing you need to see, kid. Scram!" Buck chuckled anxiously as he guided Otto back out into the hallway. "Now, Larry, explain this!"

"I-I was just going to help-"

"Help Meriwether Lewis get hard!" Tudd interrupted. "Take him back right now, Larry! I don't know what's wrong with you..."

"Tuddrussel, I was just genuinely trying to help the poor man." Larry glanced back over at Lewis, who was now fully dressed again and still red in the face. "He's ill and needs future medicine is all!"

"Ill, huh?" Tudd motioned for Lewis to remain in the bedroom, then escorted Larry across the hallway to his own room. "Explain yourself, rust-butt."

"Tuddrussel," Larry began in a low, soft voice, "after we got back from our mission with Lewis and Clark, I discovered that Lewis killed himself in 1809. Shoots himself in the head. He was depressed-" Larry began to wail, and Tudd embraced him. "I really cared for him! I-I couldn't stand to... I had to help him out and prevent that from ever happening..."

Tudd sighed. "Larry, you know the policy. I'm the boss here, and I ain't gonna stand for you breaking our rules. We do our missions, we leave historical figures where they belong, when they belong-"

"Says the man who snuck a Russian Tsar up here!"

"Hey! That was different! And I know you liked Ivan, secretly!"

Larry stood suddenly and huffed. "I cannot believe that I'm having to take such commands from a man-child!"

"Well, I can't believe that I'm havin' to tell my sissy robot partner not to sneak his man-crushes on board!"

"Have you any conscience, Tuddrussel?" Larry glared; his eyes took on a slight reddish color.

"I certainly do, Larry. And it tells me to leave history as it should be!"

"Very well!" Larry stormed out of the room and found Otto crouching by the door, his ear pressed to the wall. He rose, scowling.

"So! After all that Tuddrussel and I went through to reunite Clark with him!? Larry!" Otto crossed his small arms. "I expect better from you, of all people!"

"Oh, Otto! I couldn't help myself!" Larry exclaimed. "I can explain! See, Lewis was such a kind man, but his self esteem was... lacking. I wanted to know if Lewis would ever find love and get better so I checked one of your books, and... oh! It's awful!"

"I know," Otto responded sadly. "He had a breakdown and killed himself in Tennessee. He never did marry or have a family or anything. He fell into debt and became a drunk."

"All I wanted to do was help him, Otto!"

"But Larry, history dictates that he ended his own life early. That's how it happened, and it's supposed to stay that way. It's our job to make sure that history goes the way it's supposed to, no matter how we feel about the people we meet." Otto went silent, and Larry sank down beside him. "You know that every figure we've ever met is dead, right? They were long dead, even when you and Tuddrussel rescued me from my present time."

"I know."

"And many of them died tragically. Cleopatra committed suicide, too. Julius Caesar was assassinated." Otto began counting the fatalities on his fingers. "So was Lincoln. Davy Crockett didn't survive the Alamo. Amelia Earhart never returned from her flight. And speaking of flight, remember the Wright brothers? Wilbur died of food poisoning just a few years after their famous flight, and Orville outlived him by decades!"

"Well, you humans do have to go at some..."

"Now, what is it about Lewis that you feel you have to stop him from killing himself?" Otto interrupted, though with sympathy in his voice.

Larry gasped and covered his mouth. "It-it's not something I feel comfortable telling a child your age, Otto," he replied hastily.

"Can you tell Tuddrussel, then?"

"Oh, like he would listen and take me seriously?"

Otto looked down sadly and nodded in agreement. "I think I understand." He gave the robot a hug. "You don't have to tell anyone. Just take Lewis back to his time as soon as you can."

...

"Lewis! There you are!" Clark approached his partner and the robot, a rifle in hand. His brow was sweaty, and Larry was sure that he saw dried blood caked on the man's hands.

"Clark!" Lewis rushed towards his partner and embraced him. "Oh, I missed you!"

"I was afraid you were..." Clark looked over and saw Larry, who had begun to laugh nervously. "You again?"

Quickly, Larry dialed the keys in his arm and disappeared from the wilderness in a flash.

"Where were you all that time?" Clark asked Lewis, taking his hand.

"I was... trying to get some help."

"Did you manage to get any?"

"No... but Clark?"

"Yeah?"

"You're fine with that? With me, being this way forever?"

"Of course, Lewis. I couldn't name any other guy I'd rather go exploring with. No matter how crummy he feels on some days. Let's head back to camp. I caught us some big, fat game!"

The two men kissed and boarded their pirogue, thrilled to be in each other's company once again.

...

"So?" Tudd sat at the kitchen table, having a beer. "Did you two kiss goodbye?"

"No, we certainly did not!"

"Larry, I know why you cared so much about Lewis." Tudd smiled and invited Larry to sit upon his lap.

"Really? And why, do you think?"

"Same reason you agreed to sneak Otto aboard."

"Because he was insistent? And the only one of us three with a brain?"

"Well, yes, and..." Tudd scratched his thick neck awkwardly. "Because, well, you're a good guy, Larry." Tudd wrapped his arms around the robot's shoulders and gave him a peck on the cheek. "I hope you're still a bit... happy... from your short time with Lewis."

"Oh, Tudd," Larry chuckled. "You know I am..."