You guys deserve the world for waiting this long on this chapter but I appreciate your loyalty!

A Mother's Return

In the morning, Amaya caught her son mixing cereal as he tried using powdered milk to prepare it. He stood confounded on the chair when nothing happened with the powder and blinked innocently in curious anticipation for any changes. Wasn't it supposed to become liquid milk? She could see there were a few things Christopher still prepared for their child and Oliver's antennae twitched in alert to her presence. She smiled in greeting to her little youngling as his confused face beckoned her and he asked sheepishly, "Amaya, can you help me? This powder isn't turning into milk."

She couldn't help but chuckle sweetly at his confusion and activated the faucets for a cup of hot water. Her left hand pressed against the sensors on the wall and used her fingers to alter the temperature of the water. She held the cup underneath the faucet until she had enough for his bowl of cereal as Oliver watched her movements curiously. Placing it on the counter besides them, she instructed him carefully to teach, "Stir the water in slowly to prevent burning yourself and watch the powder turn to milk."

Like the scientist in the making that he was, Oliver grabbed the cup in one hand to slowly empty it with a meticulous eye. With his other hand, he stirred his creation with a spoon to ensure all of the cereal and powder was covered. By the end, he was ecstatic to finally learn how to make powdered milk into real milk and trilled, "I did it! Father always did it for me so I assumed he just poured it in and it happened. I . . . I don't know much about food."

"You'll learn with time" she assured his bashfulness as she rubbed his back in circles and motioned for him to sit at the nearest table. The kitchen and dining hall of the ship could be a ship of its own as the two felt dwarfed within it. Their voices always echoed in the large adjoined rooms and Oliver didn't like the empty space at all. It was too lonely for his liking.

Amaya grabbed the bowl of cereal to accompany him to the nearest table in the hall. Out of hundreds that they'd rearranged to tidy up the ship, Oliver had plenty to choose from. Being naturally wary of open spaces, he chose the closest tables to the exit into the main hallways. It would take years to remove the conditioning he'd endured to survive in the district.

His antennae flicked happily at having Amaya by his side since he would've taken his bowl of cereal back to his quarters. It was safer that way and his father could be called on the intercom quickly if he happened to spill anything. He dipped the spoon in the milk to take his first sip of the taste and chirped, "I like it- it's the same as normal milk!"

She chuckled softly to his enthusiasm and watched him eat his breakfast. Well, somebody liked their Fruit Loops. He didn't stop until his bowl was clean since his father never allowed a single speck of food to go to waste. As he tidied up his area, Amaya took a slow deep breath as she realized this was a good a time as any to tell him the truth. The environment was quiet and safe, he was calm and satiated, and she had all the time in the world now.

It was a struggle on forming all of her thoughts and emotions into simple words. How could she describe more than a decade of history to her youngling? He expected to go on about his day and play games, not have his reality torn apart with new truths. There was guilt and fear bringing forth her secret but Christopher encouraged her to proceed with the hope that Oliver would accept it. Would their child truly have compassion for her actions? Or would he condemn her for leaving him? Her fingers tapped lightly on the cold metal table as she fought an internal battle while Oliver licked his spoon clean, none the wiser to her struggle.

"Oliver . . . there's something I wanted to talk to you about" she spoke up carefully since this was new territory for her and didn't want to damage her child emotionally. His vibrant blue eyes turned away from the spoon as he set it aside with a careful hand and turned his attention to her. The expression of his face was of pure innocence and friendliness, threatening to extinguish her sudden flame of bravery. Licking her lips nervously, she brought forth softly with hesitance, "About your past and my beginnings with your father."

"He met you in the outskirts when your school papers flew out of your book into the district" Oliver piped up proudly since his father had helped her pick up the papers for her and the human had held no fear of him. Well, that was Christopher's fabricated lie and Amaya hated to change it. Oliver had been delighted to know she hadn't run off at the sight of his father and had stayed to be his friend. So many people despised his kind without knowing them at all. Oh, how she wanted to maintain the sturdy foundation of lies for him but she couldn't. Christopher wanted the truth revealed since they were both honest people and taught their son the same. The youngling clasped his hands together as he smiled brightly to chirp, "You helped father by coming to our house and fought MNU rules. You protected us."

"There's more to it than that, Oliver" Amaya sighed regretfully and if she would've had antennae, they would've flattened against her head shamefully. Her fingers reached out to squeeze his small hands in support and he purred for the affection from his friend. His eyes lit up in excitement to having additions to his father's childhood but Amaya's tale would be anything but that. She managed a weak smile to his enthusiasm and spoke softly, "I want to tell you something but do you think you can handle it like a big boy?"

He nodded assuringly because he always tried to do big boy stuff to make up for his short height. Although he was small, it didn't mean he was not smart. Amaya chuckled softly and patted the top of his hands fondly as she began with a hammering heart against her ribcage, "I never . . . your father and I met when we were actually children. We were at a shopping center when poleepkwa were able to travel into the city, many years before the ban. I was nine years old- just two years older than you- and your father . . . actually, I never bothered to ask. I just knew he aged differently due to his longer lifespan."

"I don't know how old father is either" Oliver added in helpfully with a sheepish trill and she smiled. Her little one always made her feel at ease whenever she was worried and realized that he did indeed carry that optimism that she'd held decades ago. His antennae flicked forward with interest as he asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"There was so much segregation in keeping our peoples apart, we didn't want to crush your hope" she admitted softly at hiding their true origin story. It was easier to make Christopher the hero so their child would admire his bravery and kind heart. Oliver needed to see him as the only parent and her gaze turned downcast as she murmured, "There was so much you couldn't experience and my people still pressed for more isolation. Fences were placed to keep our people as far away as possible in public areas but your father slipped away. He's always loved science, it passed on from his parents, and he stopped at a shop. The owner was none too happy and he was chased away, dropping a ball he'd held in his hands the whole time. I didn't find it fair and returned it to him, breaking regulation. I didn't know any of this and when we were discovered, I was sent to quarantine and your grandmother was fined simply because your father talked to me."

His antennae drooped at hearing the harsh realities of the first generation but a gentle squeeze to his hands comforted him. Instead of agreeing with her kind, Amaya had stuck beside his father and he whispered with hope, "But something brought you back together."

Oh, he was a sharp little youngling.

"We didn't meet again until I found him searching for his lost name tag in the park and helped him" she admitted with a fond smile as that day sealed their friendship and the path they would walk. Even to this day, she couldn't believe her luck in finding him in that park. Life worked mysteriously and she hadn't let that opportunity slip to follow what she believed in her heart to be right. Christopher had learned from his mistake and had written his son's name on every article of clothing in ink. For the first time, his shirt held no black letters with his newfound freedom and Amaya continued, "I couldn't leave him there without helping him and he told me where he lived. He left me there in our hiding spot to travel back home before he was in trouble and weeks later, I took a bus to find him and I did."

His eyes widened since his father never let him wander far from sight and asked, "Weren't you scared?"

She shook her head to her old childhood wanderlust and smiled, "I was small so I could hide just about anywhere but the look on his face was priceless. He was so stunned that the little human that had helped him twice found her way to him. I can't even believe it myself now but I was adamant to find him."

One hand combed through her hair as she chuckled softly in memory and smiled widely, "Your grandmother found us playing with toy cars and I was afraid I'd be trouble but he insisted he'd keep me hidden. Oh, Oliver, I wished you could've met her. She was so beautiful and just as smart as your father- you have her eyes. They rivaled a sapphire and her skin was a pearly white, I've yet to meet another like her."

Oliver blinked and attempted to see his reflection in the metal but it was too dull. His tendrils curled in disappointment to the failed attempt and he returned to Amaya's tale, "That's how we formed our friendship and I went to see him whenever I could, bringing him whatever items I could help them with. I hated seeing the way they were treated and as I became older, they became my family. I worried for them whenever I couldn't be there at seeing firsthand how they lived."

"Is that why you always came back with the bag of goodies?" he asked curiously since he loved her care packages for him and his father. His stories always enforced how much care she put into helping their family, even at the cost of imprisonment for breaking the law.

"It was my way of making amends for what my people had done but as I grew older, I knew that they wouldn't change" she answered solemnly as her opinions fell on deaf ears and support for the alien race dimmed. "Your father and I blame them for the death of your grandmother and it's a scar that will never heal with him. Her loss was profound and it took away his optimism that things could change but he persevered to survive on his own. He got his first job in hard labor underneath the mines and I worried every time I visited because by that time, I was spending a few nights in the district. I disobeyed the laws but I didn't care, Christopher was my main concern after your grandmother passed."

"You always take care of us" Oliver chirped fondly and she squeezed his hand affectionately since she'd tried her best. Seeing his bright blue eyes full of cheer told her that yes, she succeeded. Her heart melted when his fingers returned it and he promised, "I'll take care of you on Thalis this time."

Amaya chuckled to his flame of courage that was reminiscent of his father and agreed, "All right but I'll still protect you."

Oliver kicked his lean legs happily to being someone's hero like his father was to him. He could only imagine how he'd be when he was an adult like him. Amaya reached the pivotal point in her story that would veer off sharply from what Oliver knew as fact. She would've felt better doing this with Christopher beside her but this had been her decision years ago. It was time for her to face that price and she spoke gingerly to make the transition as gentle as possible, "I took care of your father because he was my friend and more importantly, he was the man I loved. The law was strict against any type of human-poleepkwa interactions but that didn't stop me. I loved your father more than anything on Earth and that resulted in something neither of us expected. When I went away to study law to fight MNU like I do now, I . . . I carried little hatchling eggs inside me. You were one of them."

Oliver blinked confusingly to the revelation since his father always said he'd hatched the egg himself but his father wouldn't lie, would he? Or was Amaya the liar? Who was being dishonest? How could humans lay eggs? It wasn't making sense to him at all! Humans looked nothing like his people and his little mandibles clicked as he stated matter-of-factly, "But humans are squishy and father told me he hatched me with nobody else. He took care of me-"

"I know-" Amaya soothed gently but Oliver hopped off his chair in alarm because he didn't know what to believe. Why was she telling him all of this? He couldn't comprehend what she'd just told him. However, he knew who would. Before Amaya could say anything, he scampered off for answers of his own but she felt horrible for bringing such confusion to him. Plus, she was more than certain her child knew nothing about 'the birds and the bees' with either poleepkwa or humans. Not to mention their trust, would he believe or forgive her? It was a hard sight to see him run away, especially when he'd never done such a thing in all of the years she'd known her child.

It didn't bode well for her but she would accept whatever came from that revelation.

Christopher was reading the recent test reports on the ship's maintenance deck when Oliver burst in through the door, squeezing in before the door had finished opening fully. His entire frame shook as he scuttled over to his father and Christopher detected the distress radiating from him. Instantly, he left his work station to approach his frantic child with a sympathetic face to calm him and kneeled down to ask carefully, "What's wrong, Oliver? Did something happen?"

His blue eyes were wide with uncertainty as he tried to form the words and managed to stammer, "Amaya, she . . . she told me you never hatched me . . . that she carried me!"

His little hands wrung together with worry to what he'd heard and warbled softly, "Why is she lying to me? I-"

Christopher embraced his concerned child to wash away his fears and closed his eyes gratefully at knowing Amaya had begun to tell him the truth. He'd expected Oliver to be skeptical since he had been the only parent in his life for years and wasn't surprised by his visit to confirm everything with him. The truth was sensitive enough for his child to question his origins but Christopher would smooth over everything carefully with him. Squeezing his small shoulders gently, he instructed gently with a calming purr, "Breathe gently, little one. I am here and nothing will harm you."

Oliver obeyed his father as he slowed his breathing to decrease his anxiety. He knew his father would help him with all of his problems and smiled thankfully at him. Christopher didn't want to lower his sense of trust with Oliver either and met his gaze to state softly, "Son, I want you to know that Amaya and I would only lie under dire circumstances. I . . . we did it to protect you, I didn't want to but she was worried that MNU would find you."

His gaze broke away from Christopher's with disbelief as he stammered sadly, "S-S-She was right? You lied to me? I. . ."

Oliver warbled weakly as his entire origins were ripped away to be replaced with something entirely new. His father hadn't borne him? Amaya stated the truth with her tale? His father didn't want to cause stress to his young mind and squeezed his shoulders to explain gently, "We had to, Oliver. Amaya was your true bearer because I loved her very much in my youth and she found her way to me after delivering you. Your egg was small because we didn't think humans could carry a poleepkwa child and we knew nothing about the true compatibility of our genetics."

Christopher's antennae dipped with shame to the deplorable living conditions of his youth and continued, "How could we when education was denied to us about either species? The fact that it is possible is dangerous, not only for both our peoples but hybrids like you. Amaya begged me to find any help that I could to make sure you survived as time ticked away and I ran to ensure her wish. Jane kept you in her hatchery until you were ready to hatch and I was there to hold you when you were born but Amaya wasn't due to her schooling. She wanted to be by your side every day but it wasn't possible- not with society's rules."

"She . . . created me? But why . . . why did she leave me?" Oliver asked with a trembling voice and his antennae flattened at realizing that she'd been there the whole time and he didn't know the truth. Why did she keep this from him? All those times the dreams of another holding him were fragments of long forgotten memories- not dreams. The pain of loss and abandonment at the end of each dream that had been laced with idyllic love and comfort were pieces of a puzzle that was being solved in front of him.

"She stayed as long as she could after the delivery but she became very sick. . . I almost lost her . . . but you were her main concern" Christopher disagreed because Amaya tried her best to be a mother in a society that would've sooner killed her son than let her be with him. He wouldn't allow their son to believe she'd cast him aside to live her own life outside the walls of the district. She had sacrificed her chance of motherhood to ensure Oliver's survival and he explained, "She couldn't hold off her studies anymore and it was a key to helping our people from the outside. She held you during your first month and never let you out of her sight whenever she stayed with us. She brought you the white cradle you found and clothes to keep you warm in an environment that hatchlings perish in due to the lack of supplies. There wasn't a day that passed that she didn't wish she could stay permanently but I told her not to."

Oliver remembered the pretty white cradle that decorated the corner of his room and Christopher insisted, "She loved you more than anything but her stays in the district grew lengthy and rumors began. That didn't bode well for you and being a hybrid would've brought MNU to our doorstep and we'd have never seen you again. You were our son, our hope, and we didn't want anything to happen to you. Amaya made the hard choice of leaving, to only drop by to give me the items we needed, but you'd never see her again until you were old enough to have forgotten her."

Oliver's gaze turned downcast because he had indeed forgotten everything and Christopher reinforced her presence in his life, "She has always been there for you, ever since you slept inside that small egg so many years ago. I ask that you don't hold that against her because she was trying to protect you and I would've done the same in her shoes. It was not an easy choice but it had to be done for your survival."

"MNU would've taken me?" he asked fearfully with wide eyes as the final pieces were added to his history. All of that had been done for him? He couldn't believe Amaya had been there with him for so many years without saying anything. Is that why she treated him so kindly? No, she was kind to all of the poleepkwa but her affection was reserved for him and he'd treasured that for years. Now he knew that she'd reserved a special place in her heart just for him. She was his bearer . . . she was a part of his family.

"You carry human genetics within you, they would've taken you for horrible examinations- your mother and I couldn't bear the possibility" Christopher answered grimly to those days when they worried MNU would come knocking on their door. The mere possibility of rumors caused them to cut their ties before whispers could be spread like wildlife. Christopher ran a soothing hand over his son's head to shed any sadness in his heart and whispered fondly, "Your birth made us a family, one we treasured until we broke apart for your protection. It was always about protecting you, my little one."

Oliver had a second parent, just like he'd always wanted. Well, he wanted a sibling too but that didn't happen. Did . . . could he have a family again if he managed to glue together the broken pieces of his family? His antennae flattened to his actions in the dining hall since Amaya had surprised him completely with her claims. They were true as his father verified them and Oliver admitted sheepishly, "I ran away from Amaya, it wasn't very nice of me. I didn't believe her . . . but it was wrong to run."

"Would you like to stay here or return to her?" Christopher asked gingerly since he wanted him to know his mother loved him dearly but what if her fears came true? What if Oliver blamed her for leaving him? He didn't want to make her feel worse than she already did about her abandonment. It wasn't done intentionally to hurt their son and Christopher hoped he knew that.

"Will you come with me?" Oliver requested meekly and Christopher picked him up to embrace his son, offering comfort to calm his little heart. The youngling felt at home immediately as his beating heart slowed now that he knew the truth. Oliver melted into it with a content purr and asked curiously, "Did you really meet at a store?"

Christopher chuckled softly to their fateful meeting and admitted, "Yes, I was curious about a chemistry set in a store where our people weren't welcome. The owner wasn't very nice to me and in my haste to run away, I dropped my yellow ball. Amaya saw it all and brought it to me, bypassing the separating gate without fear. She gave me her sweater after seeing the torn clothes I wore but I couldn't speak her language to tell her she couldn't be there. Your mother has always been helpful and as always, MNU finds a way to tear us apart. They took her away to quarantine and I was threatened with death in front of my mother, their cruelty crushing my hopes of equality just as they flattened my yellow ball. That was just one of many experiences and why I never wanted you to enter the city."

Oliver held onto his father as he acknowledged all of his past experiences on Earth and warbled softly, "I don't want to return to Earth, father. I never want to walk on it again or see its people."

"You'll never step onto that planet again" Christopher promised because he wanted his little one far away from that backwater planet. He would ensure that his child stepped foot on planets that held laws of equality and could offer his son a worthy education to flourish his talents.

Oliver hugged his father tightly with a content smile to staying inside the ship or another planet from now on. He never wanted Earth's dust to touch his feet after being covered in it for years and hoped a better life was in store for him. Christopher purred softly to allow the vibrations to bounce off his chest to calm his youngling as they carried on together.

Oliver would never step foot on Earth for another century.

Unfortunately, Amaya had left the kitchen to wander elsewhere after Oliver's fled their conversation. The kitchen and dining hall were empty when they arrived, leading Oliver on a search to find her. If he hadn't run off, she would've been there waiting for him. Christopher couldn't find her after an hour of searching since the ship was humongous and her constant movements would've been hard to keep track of. He had to eventually tell Oliver to wait until lunch time arrived to see if they would meet up again.

To keep his son's mind occupied, Christopher made him 'assistant of the day' to help with the ship's chores. Oliver had a natural affinity for the field of science, as any true poleepkwa, and Christopher sought to tap into that potential. Everything he had learned from his parents had now passed onto his son and with him being on board, the ship was a new field of discovery for Oliver. Every button and panel drew his curiosity and Christopher didn't mind teaching him everything.

By the time it was lunchtime, the time had flown by for Oliver as his worried mind had been distracted tactfully by his father. As Christopher headed towards the dining hall, Oliver clung to the back of his head as his legs lay over his father's shoulders. The youngling playfully chided his father for the unscheduled teaching lesson on regulating the vents in the exterior of the ship, "Father, you tricked me!"

"Yes, but it's better that you learn than worry" Christopher replied with amusement as an accomplished grin lit his face. He wanted his child to make the best out of any situation, especially when it was dire. It was how he survived in the harsh district for years without his family and his son needed every coping mechanism possible. He tickled one of Oliver's knee joints to stir laughter from his child and reasoned, "Now you can take care of that area of the maintenance deck whenever I need an extra hand. I trust you to do a good job."

Oliver trilled softly with pride as he squeezed his father's head against his cheek with joy. He couldn't believe how lucky he was to have a kind and smart father to guide him. When the doors to the dining hall opened with a quick 'whoosh', Oliver peeked over his father's head to see if it was empty.

Amaya sat at the same table she'd had the discussion with Oliver and his small antennae flattened immediately. The human woman was mending a pair of pants that had gotten holes on her knees from her scuffle with MNU on that fateful departure. It had been a good pair of pants too so she wouldn't let them go to waste. Christopher trilled softly in greeting to his mate and Amaya turned away from the brown fabric to smile lovingly. No matter what happened, his love for her wouldn't fade and he'd do his best to turn around any ill will from Oliver.

Oliver's heartbeat sped up immediately for running out on her and he squeaked nervously when Christopher grasped his sides to pull him away. His son needed to face this head-on and although he met resistance at prying him off, Oliver obeyed his father with reluctance. Touching his antennae to his son's in support, Christopher placed him on the ground with a fond squeeze to his slim shoulders to let him carry on.

The little youngling was anything but calm as he faced Amaya for the first time knowing she was his bearer. Oliver's little feet faintly clacked against the metal, his hands wringing together nervously and he chirped softly, "Amaya?"

Her gaze met his at the sound of his voice, her posture stiffening as she feared anything she said would send him running again. Oliver's antennae drooped at seeing the color of her eyes did indeed carry a resemblance to his. That same gaze had watched him grow up through the years with him being none the wiser.

Amaya felt she needed to say something to her child after everything that had transpired between them and whispered solemnly, "I'm sorry for everything, Oliver. From leaving you in the district to hiding all of this . . . I-I only wanted to protect you and it would've been best to keep it hidden if it's causing you distress. That's not what I would want for you, my dear, all I want is your happiness."

Oliver's heart fluttered to the only other voice besides his father's that always comforted his heart. Her best interests were for him, never herself. His antennae lowered as he took a few tentative steps towards her and murmured sheepishly, "But then I wouldn't have known the truth, you're not my friend-"

The words struck her hard as she tried to hold onto the friendship they shared for years, quickly reassuring, "Of course I'm-"

"You're my bearer . . . my mother" he finished gingerly as the rest of the words faded on her lips. Had he just called her his mother? His mandibles clacked unsurely as his hands wrung together, leading Christopher to lean down and squeeze his shoulder. Oliver's gaze flickered to his one last time for a boost of courage and he turned to Amaya to admit timidly, "Everything fits. I never looked like father to be his sole child but your eyes, they look like mine. I've always been smaller than others and your size fits. I had dreams with someone who held me but I could never see them, only smell and touch them but father said no human ever held me. MNU forced you to leave me that day. . ."

His eyes filled with tears as fragments of his developing memory of that time brought back the loss of seeing that person leave. Knowing that he could never follow, that painful loss lingered for him as false dreams became a reality. He had wanted for that presence in his mind to come back with every fiber in his being and he sniffled softly with sadness, "But I didn't want you to leave. I wanted you to stay and love me."

He scampered over to her with raised arms since he wanted to be picked up immediately by the one he'd lost so many years ago. Amaya scooped him up from the floor and lifted him onto her lap to comfort her little one. Embracing her tightly, he whimpered quietly that she couldn't leave now that he knew the truth. He wanted her to stay by his side like she should've been from the start and warbled softly against her neck. Tears fell from her eyes as her child accepted her after years of missing important milestones of his life. She held her child close as his soft trills reverberated against her neck and promised with a hoarse voice, "Never. I will be by your side from now on and if I can't live on Thalis, then I'll stay here just to be on the same planet as you. I've missed you for years, my little one, and there wasn't a day you weren't in my mind."

Oliver's large blue eyes met hers as they filled with fresh tears and he whimpered, "I missed you too, mother."

Christopher watched the two as he held back his own emotions to the reunion, glad to see that it was all in the open and they could build on from there. He knew his son would not hold resentment for actions that were done to protect his life and they were all free now to do as they wished. Oliver requested stories from happier times when they'd been together to regain what he'd lost and Amaya kissed the top of his head, promising to tell him anything he wanted. She never thought she'd hear the word mother from his mouth but it was the sweetest word apart from freedom. Oliver purred happily at having a new parent to call his own and closing the book on his old life on Earth. Now, he would make new happier memories alongside his family and hopefully . . . his people on Thalis.

Amaya's admittance of the truth brought Oliver more joy than he could imagine. He forgot to not use her name but after years of practice, it always slipped out but he happily corrected it with mother afterwards. Amaya didn't mind in the slightest because having him in her arms was good enough for her. For the first few days, he was glued to her side with questions and Christopher chuckled to being without him for the first time as he shared time as a parent. It was wonderful to see his son happy at having his mother back in his life and it warmed his own at seeing his mate's joy. Amaya tried to catch up for lost time but Oliver told her it wasn't necessary, she loved him and was there now to watch him. She was proud to know her child was as kind as she and Christopher wanted him to be since day one. Her mate had done a splendid job in raising him and teaching him well.

It was nighttime on board the ship as Christopher and Amaya finished another lovemaking romp in her bedroom. The two always found the time to find each other throughout the day for a few moments to themselves. Usually, Christopher would leave Oliver in his room to play with toys or read books while he slipped away to find Amaya. Their son knew better than to leave their room without alerting him so he trusted Oliver.

"If we could spend an entire day in this bedroom, it would be a dream come true" Amaya chuckled softly as she kissed his tendrils, trailing her lips to the side of his face. They could spend hours together and it wouldn't be enough; his presence was both calming and addicting after years without him.

Their private moment ended when the intercom in her room pinged with a message from the only other occupied room in the ship. Ready to tend to her child, Amaya disentangled herself from Christopher to press her hand against the wall behind her where one of the answering consoles was located. The blinking red light turned blue immediately as she accepted the call, "What's wrong, Oliver?"

"Father said he was going to check the engines but I'm getting scared of the dark" Oliver's modest voice answered since he'd been getting ready for bed and the passing minutes with dim lighting didn't help. He'd played with his toy trucks for as long as he could before becoming drowsy. He'd expected his father to come back by that time but he hadn't and the large room made him lonely. Amaya glanced at the poleepkwa beside her with a knowing look which caused Christopher to affectionately tap his antennae against her hair. Hmm, was someone trying to slide out of daddy duty? She traced her palm over his cheek to return the sentiment and Oliver's voice quivered over the speaker, "Mother, could you stay with me until he comes back?"

"Of course, I will be right there" she promised sweetly because he would be denied nothing and cut off the link quickly. When her little one was afraid, she would chase away the monsters for him. Turning around, she raised one eyebrow and questioned her mate with amusement, "Checking the engines, huh?"

He hissed softly as he was caught, pulling her against his chest for one last embrace and answered, "I am going to check the engines but I needed to see you first."

"We should do this in the daytime when he can roam without being scared" she suggested with a kiss to his forehead and hopped out of bed to grab her clothes. She fished out her blue nightgown from the messy pile of clothes they had cast aside in their haste to restart another amorous reunion. Christopher received visual amusement as he watched her dress from his spot on her bed. Amaya's lips hitched in a smile when their gazes met since he was pleased with the view and she asked carefully, "He won't, uh, smell you on me, will he?"

"Lower your amorous scent by the time you arrive and tell him mine is from uh, exercising and hugging" Christopher created the protective lie quickly since Oliver was too young to notice the difference. Well, at least he hoped so since his little child was rather smart. Amaya chuckled softly to his fabrication and he tapped the blankets to sigh, "We're not very good at lying but his curiosity will allow him to forget about any thoughts on our relationship."

Without further ado, Amaya headed for her son's room to tuck him into bed and into dreams where he held no fear. Oliver loved that part about having a mother, she could shoo away his fears when his father couldn't and hated MNU for keeping them apart. Did they have to take away so much of the happiness his people could've had in the district? He would have to face his fears one day but he felt better at having two parents that would guide him through it. He'd happily clung to Amaya when she approached his bed, taking no notice of any scent changes.

She chuckled to the immediate hug as he lay in bed with the blankets wrapped around him, almost resembling a ghost costume. He held the blanket corners together in one hand while the other held his favorite little stuffed bear. Her hands lowered the hood portion of the blanket as she smiled kindly and he chirped, "Thank you for staying with me."

"It's no problem at all, sweet pea" she chuckled gently and smoothed a hand over his round head, kissing the top of it. Her son giggled to her affection since her displays were different compared to his father's based on their physical variations. He laid down on the bed, hugging his bear happily, as Amaya grasped the blankets to fix them around his small frame. His bright blue eyes peered at her with content and she smiled to soothe, "Go to sleep, I will be here until your papa arrives."

"Why can't you move in here with us?" he asked curiously with innocence since he'd thought of the idea where he could keep both his parents together. If they still loved each other, why not become mates again? He could have a family again and this time, he would remember it clearly. His mind was developing at a sharp rate faster than his physical body so Oliver wouldn't allow pivotal pieces of his life to pass by. He wanted to have his parents together and he flashed his number one weapon that charmed the masses as he suggested sweetly, "If not, we can find a bigger room to fit all of us. We were a family once. . .I want my family back."

"We were, weren't we?" she murmured faintly to those wonderful moments when she'd lived with them and held him every night before putting him to sleep in his cradle. His tone pulled her heartstrings painfully since they had sacrificed everything for his survival and all he wanted was a normal life alongside them. She had nothing against that idea and neither did Christopher so it'd be best to unveil that decision another day. She tickled the underside of his chin affectionately and doted gently with a smile, "We will talk about it on another day because tonight. . ."

She tickled his sides gently, causing his legs to kick out in protest as he laughed, and finished, "It's time for bed."

"Good night, mother" Oliver purred fondly and curled into his fetal position to fall asleep, happy that she'd keep away any monsters. Amaya simply smiled at her child as he closed his eyes and hugged his little bear close to his chest. Hmm, she remembered doing that so many times when he'd been a tiny hatchling. It was hard not to smother her child with years of repressed affection but she took it slowly one day at a time. She laid down to relax herself to offer him comfort with her presence and body warmth, leading the youngling to latch onto her right arm.

His big blue eyes cracked open just once to ensure it was all right if he snuggled against her. Amaya bit the inside of her cheek to prevent laughter from escaping her throat to his innocent request. Did he think she'd reject him? Her little deserved everything and she pulled him into her arms to lull him to sleep. His faint clicks and purrs were music to her ears as they told her he was content and safe in her arms. It wasn't long before they both fell into dreamland together.

Christopher would find them asleep in bed when he returned and the sight reminded him of older days. Their son wasn't exactly so little as he'd been back then but he was still meant the world to them. Rather than waking Amaya so she could head back, he quickly changed into his sleeping clothes with the lingering dim lighting allowing his vision accommodation in the room. He slipped into bed quietly alongside them, turning towards Amaya to embrace her from behind and heard her sigh as she held Oliver. He couldn't help but gaze at his mate as she held onto their son one last time before he touched the panel to shroud the room in darkness.

This was how their life should be, free of dangers and full of safe content.

The following night, Amaya would join them in an entirely different room they had picked together to settle in as a new family. Oliver had jumped for joy at having his wish come true and clung to his parents when they'd told him in the dining hall. His boyish charm pushed the matter further by requesting that they move into a new quarter to finalize the new status. This way, he would have either parent available at night if he grew wary of the gargantuan ship. Plus, he could have a partner to play with when his imagination wasn't enough to keep him occupied.

Unfortunately, the plan didn't go exactly as Oliver had wanted it to go. He did manage to sway his parents into choosing a new quarter for all of them. Christopher, however, had given him a new bed in an adjoining room to provide him with all the space he needed to keep his mind busy. Oliver hadn't exactly been over the moon about that at all as he stared at the new unused bed but accepted it for his father's sake.

"You'll make new memories in your big boy bed" his father encouraged with a happy purr as he gently nudged Oliver towards the white bed. He wanted to give his child space to grow and at the same time, have his own alone time with his mate. He had finally been able to provide him with the family he wanted and Christopher wanted it to be perfect. They had lived so cramped together in District 9 that they shared the same tiny dirty mattress for years and now, he could give him a bedroom larger than the shack they had lived in.

Oliver couldn't appear ungrateful to everything his father had given him and whispered faintly, "Thank you, father."

The door to his new room swooshed open as the bigger bedroom connected to Oliver's so he wouldn't feel lonely. That was easier said than done in his mind. Amaya stepped through the door with a smile to see her son's reaction to his newly furbished room. She had assembled all of his toys in one corner with his books piled up neatly on small tables that fit his short frame. Oliver felt the room was void of the warm atmosphere his parents provided and everything was too clean for his liking. He wanted a creased corner in his blankets, at least. Had he lived in District 9 for so long that he forgot what a normal clean bedroom should be like?

"Isn't this exciting? You're getting a new room all your own" Amaya doted sweetly as she leaned down to squeeze her son by the shoulders. Oliver's tendrils curled with uncertainty to the large quiet room but he couldn't admit the truth to his parents. They had sacrificed so much for him and their beaming faces forced him to nod in agreement.

Christopher embraced his mate with a happy purr to their new living situation but Oliver merely stared at the bed with apprehension. He wasn't ready to be separated from his parents yet and would bide his time until he could slip away from the large unwelcoming bed.

Amaya and Christopher had broken in their new bed with an amorous bout of lovemaking as they finally had a room to call their own. For the last twelve years, they had to keep their entanglements hidden in the dusty bedroom of his mother's home in District 9. Dust had always covered their elbows and knees, not to mention their bed and blankets, every day of every year. Christopher had been disgusted and ashamed at his living conditions whenever Amaya had pulled him into bed but she reassured him life would get better if they worked towards it. To simply spend a moment together in clean room with belongings to truly call their own- it was a dream come true for him.

"I will provide you with a home, a permanent one" he promised caringly as he combed his fingers through her thick black hair. Amaya smiled broadly as she gazed at him next to his side, snuggling into the pillow below her head. Everything was so soft in the ship, even the clothing they wore was softer nowadays. Christopher wanted to keep to his promise now that he had her by his side and he trilled softly, "This is just one step of many but we will get there."

"I'm perfectly fine where I am, this is far better than what we had before in the district" she murmured softly and outlined the ridges of his chest with her index finger. They were clean and safe alongside their son- she couldn't ask for anything more. This is exactly what they dreamed of the day that Oliver came into their lives. Her arms wrapped around him as she pressed her cheek to his chest and admitted fondly, "All I need is you and Oliver."

After decades of living in squalor, he needed to show her that he could provide her with the life he promised. He hated living in dusty unsanitary conditions, especially with Amaya and Oliver being more fragile than he was. That lifestyle would never come back to haunt them, he would make sure of it. He and Amaya were finally on equal footing to create a new life for themselves and together, he was determined they could achieve it.

Combing his fingers through her hair, he used his right hand to lift her chin to meet their gazes and he spoke softly, "I'm very thankful you helped me that day so very long ago and your innocent persistence found me. I wouldn't be the same without you and I certainly wouldn't have a family."

"Charmer" she teased with an amused giggle and embraced him tightly to push him onto his back on the bed. Poleepkwa had no issue with dominance and Christopher welcomed it after having to play leader for their small group back in District 9. His mate, however, merely snuggled up against him as her head settled against his neck. She had told him years ago that it soothed her to hear his heartbeat and helped lull her to sleep when the nights in the district were filled with violent sounds.

The adjoining door to their left opened suddenly as Oliver's green frame skittered into the room. Christopher quickly pushed his confused mate off his chest to maintain an innocent appearance for their child, silently thankful that they'd clothed themselves after their lovemaking. Now that his true relationship with her had been revealed, extra work was added in as he switched between mate and father in one bedroom whereas he could've visited Amaya's quarters a week ago with Oliver being none the wiser. Amaya struggled with the blankets and strands of hair that obscured her vision as she tried to grasp why her mate had chucked her aside from where she was most comfortable.

Christopher placed a cool nonchalant expression on his face as Oliver climbed onto their bed. Amaya's field of vision cleared and she shot a glare at her mate for the unexpected move but her eyes widened when two arms wrapped around her neck. She turned around to find Oliver clinging to her in his blue cotton pajama set as he brought his little brown bear along for the ride. Looking to Christopher, he aimed a silent 'that's why I tossed you' stare that quieted his mate's questions and inquired gently, "Oliver, is something wrong?"

"I don't like the big boy bed" he warbled softly as he hugged his mother with hope that she'd be kind and allow him to stay. He detested the bed completely as the familiar warmth of his father was missing and felt lonely in the room, cut off from his loved ones. His sparkling blue eyes peeked at both his parents as he admitted, "It's big and lonely- I miss you."

Amaya merely smiled since Oliver's mindset was still young for a poleepkwa child and whispered fondly, "All right, you sleep wherever you feel cozy. We only wanted to see if you were ready for a room of your own."

Oliver shook his head as his antennae flattened because he wasn't ready to relinquish being beside his parents, especially not after regaining his mother. Amaya and Christopher switched back into parent mode as Amaya pulled their son into her arms to curl up in a fetal position to keep him warm. Oliver snuggled into his mother's arms to doze comfortably as familiarity returned and his mandibles clicked happily. He had won in reclaiming his old position since his mother never denied him anything but he wouldn't take advantage of it. He wanted to stay beside his family until he knew for certain that everything would be all right.

Christopher trilled softly to having him rejoin them since his natural fear of the darkness would leave once they reached Thalis. The nighttime of their planet was far different from Earth's and his heart grew warm to the stormy blue-gray sky of his home. Amaya's eyes reminded him of those old lamented memories every time he'd peered into them. Looking to his beloved family as they settled in to sleep beside him, Christopher hoped dearly that his society had not fallen.

Author's Note: Oh my goodness, life- mostly school- has been keeping me from working on more than one story at a time. Nonetheless, thank you for the prods to keep the story going. It took a while and to be honest, it will for the next chapter since I'm wrapping up my degree to graduate as an RN and take the licensing exam by July and hopefully by the fall, start on the road to be a Nurse Practitioner. I'm both scared and excited but I took my spring break to work on this story since it has been a while. Thank you again for sticking so loyally to this story, I do want to see its ending written out as well. We will visit District 10 in the next chapter and after that, Christopher will be landing on Thalis.

This is part of what I've worked on for the next chapter:

Shuffling of feet.

Brown dry dirt fading into the wind.

Angry and exhausted chatter, both human and poleepkwa.

The fluttering of white tents lined vertically in strict formation- a perfect view of imposed conformity.

Barbed wiring.

This was District 10.

Golden eyes peered through the crowd of rampant poleepkwa that went on their way but they scattered from the foreigner in their midst. His pheromone smell clearly depicted he wasn't like them and thus, not part of their community. As soon as they caught a whiff, a two foot radius opened up around him but the solitary poleepkwa said nothing. He kept on his way since had more important things to do. . .

Like finding his new tent in the new damn concentration camp.

The transformation of Wikus van de Merwe was not easy in the slightest as he was forced to face his new physical identity more than a week ago. The drastic sight itself would've driven him mad if Paul hadn't been there to snap him out of it when he'd looked into a broken mirror. His mental state was kept stable as he was informed about everyday life as one of them but his emotional aspect was broken beyond repair at knowing the life he built with his wife was now nothing more than a broken dream. As if that strike hadn't been bad enough, learning to communicate through a new language had been torturous for him as he learned to move his mouth to speak differently. He'd learned the basics since his past job had helped him understand the poleepkwa's speech but he had an entire culture to learn whether he liked it or not. Learning to control and understand the new senses as a poleepkwa had not been easy as well and he'd bumbled around with his new eyesight for days since he'd been struggling to control his new body.

Paul and Adam had given him a fake name which thankfully, proved helpful for them because many files were lost when Christopher and Wikus blew up the corporate headquarters. Some poleepkwa had been forced to renew their paperwork and Wikus had undergone the grueling interview as a man just like him had asked basic questions and tried to 'understand' him. Wikus had almost felt like slapping the man for having a similar moustache and slurring the words as if he was deaf and idiotic. He'd almost been tempted to say 'yes, I can fookin' hear you, man'.

His feet kicked away small rocks in his path as he tried to find his hideously white tent among the many rows, which offered no decent protection against the elements if a sandstorm decided to barrel through. Each tent held a black number at the entrance flaps to show which poleepkwa (and their family) was assigned to it and he was lucky number 507.

Thank you, thank you again for sticking with the story! :)