Hey all! I am SO SORRY for the long, long wait! Life has been really chaotic. I really thank you all for being so patient and even some of you sent me PMs to check in on me. I'm back and writing again so expect more chapters soon. Also I am working on other fics for Transformers and am looking for people to coauthor with. If you're interested, please let me know. You can find me on livejournal, my username is kaidalittledrac if you want to friend me just leave a comment on the 'friends only' post and we can go from there, don't be shy! Also if anyone is interested, my coauthor's (Wikus' writer) livejournal is blinkycon. The music included in this chapter is from "Neighborhood Spaceman" by Peeping Tom.

***

I'm your neighborhood spaceman,

and your breath is moving through me.

On the surface of this moon I can say to you, It's okay.

Somebody inside of us makes this joy a must,

then we'll be knee deep in ecstasy, no gravity to hold us down again.

We're free!

A thousand light years from this place,

I can see the look on your face and I'm there.

***

He slowly walked up behind Christopher, just feeling that heat from the other Poleepkwa's body made his mind go foggy. Reaching out with his three fingered hand, Wikus touched the taller Poleepkwa's shoulder. Feeling his exoskeleton beneath his fingers felt soothing somehow; making him feel connected to Christopher. The larger Poleepkwa winced at first as the only recent physical contact he had were beatings. Slowly he turned to look at Wikus, "Wikus? What is it?" He clicked with worry and tilted his head, "are you alright?"

"Yes, I am fine, I just feel a bit, strange" he looked at Christopher, his voice had a hint of nervousness to it. His body was screaming at him to do something.

"Strange?" Christopher's antenna twitched with his confusion and he leaned forward as if trying to see some physical sign of what was wrong, his face not to far from Wikus'.

As Christopher leaned closer Wikus's antenna came in contact with the the other's and a small jolt went through his body. It was all too much for him to handle with his racing thoughts and he acted on impulse as he leaned forward and gave Christopher a kiss. Their antennas touching was so enthralling for Christopher, but the kiss? This wasn't anything he had experienced before. The larger Poleepkwa saw humans do it but did not really understand its meaning. With wide eyes, he let Wikus press his tendriled mouth against his own but was not sure what else he was supposed to do.

Wikus pulled back after a few seconds, realizing what he had done. "I'm sorry...I..." he looked up at Christopher and said in a quiet shaking voice "Something is wrong with me..."

"Wikus..I have no idea what you've just done," Christopher shook his head, "I have seen Humans do it before but what does it mean?"

"It's called...kissing" Wikus explained almost shyly

"Yes, I know that, but...why?"

"Humans do it to show affection," his eyes darted to the floor at this statement

Christopher nodded as Wikus said this, processing it. After a few moments it clicked, his gentle eyes going wide. "You? Show me affection?" After the fighting, the yelling, Wikus' self hatred, suddenly it made sense. Wikus was fighting the fact - no, even the mere idea that he could ever love a 'prawn'.

"Is that,wrong to you?" Wikus asked as he forced himself to look at Christopher

The large poleepkwa chuckled a bit. "No, Wikus, however, it explains your recent behavior..." Christoper said gently, eyes softening.

"It just feels so strange to me..." Wikus murmured thinking back to when he was still human and married to his wife. After he turned into a Poleepkwa he hadn't felt anything like he was feeling right now with Christopher which both disturbed him and at the same time, felt good. It meant he could still feel affection after all those years of fear, hate and loathing.

"Well, Wikus, if you wish to act upon your feelings but are still uncomfortable, I suggest you take it slow..." he trailed off for a moment and looked down, realizing what he was saying. It was then that Christopher realized that he too had thought of Wikus in such an affectionate way but was clearly not motivated to act on his feelings with how Wikus had been behaving as of late. Slowly, he lifted his head again, this time with his eyes smiling, "I am not going anywhere, Wikus."

Wikus slowly began to smile as he Christopher said this "Sorry if I scared you or anything. I should probably apologize for my earlier behavior as well"

"You did not scare me...In fact I am relieved. Let us put what happened behind us, Wikus," Christopher slowly reached out to rest a hand on the smaller Poleepkwa's shoulder.

Wikus nodded slowly, feeling much more at ease despite the hormones still raging in his system "Yes, agreed"

"Good, then think of this as the final step to your new beginning, Wikus," Christopher clicked optimistically before looking back at the navigation screen. "We are almost there...."

"What is your home planet like?" Wikus asked Christopher

The larger Poleepkwa turned back to look at Wikus, a smile in his eyes, "it is utterly unlike your planet..."

"Is this going to be when you tell me to wait and see for myself?" Wikus smirked.