Aftermath pt3

by Angelesque

---

Crais paced the dining area, a beetling frown on his face. Aeryn sat, watched him and drank her raslak. He stopped and looked at her.
"So there is two of him now?" He asked.
Aeryn nodded.
Crais lifted his arms slightly and slapped them down against the skirt of his coat in a gesture that said more than words what he thought about *that* particular idea.
"Marvellous," he said drily.
"I said you wouldn't like it," Aeryn reminded him.
"I don't," Crais assured her, sitting back down. He drank some of his raslak, then looked at her. "That must make things... difficult. For you."
Aeryn stiffened and frowned. "It's really none of your business."
"No," he agreed and waited.
"It doesn't make *that* much difference," she said slowly, staring into her mug. "We have not exactly been getting along. He did kind of kill me."
"Scorpius killed you," Crais said firmly.
Aeryn looked up, surprised *he* made that point. Her eyebrows went up. "Are you defending him?" She asked in unconcealed disbelief.
Crais gave a short rueful laugh. "I suppose I am," he said.
"Why?"
There was a short pause as he considered this.
"I don't want history repeating itself," he said finally, staring at the table. "I can tell you a great deal about pointless grudges. Blame Scorpius. Or you could blame Larraq. Or me." He looked at her then. "Just don't let your desire for revenge wreck your life."
Aeryn stared at him and he dropped his eyes. She reached out suddenly and put her hand on his. She thought about how long it had taken her to adjust to life outside of the Peacekeepers and the help she had had, and of this man who had coped on his own and she felt for him then.
"Crais," she said softly and he looked up. "I don't blame him really. And I don't blame you. The only thing I regret is Zhaan and I wish... " She sighed. "I was once told I could become more. And I have. And so have you.
"I have, we *all* have, been less than trusting. The others might have had an excuse, but I..." She shook her head. "I should have given you more credit. I damned you when I should have remembered how *I* was damned less than a cycle before. I wasn't very understanding."
"I really don't blame you," Crais told her. "I had, after all, wrecked your life. There isn't a day go by when I don't regret the things I did."
"You can't do that," Aeryn said, her hand tightening on his. "Goddess, if I thought of everything I did... I'd probably kill myself." She thought of the tape found on Moya and shuddered. "But I am not that person anymore. Officer Sun no longer exists. You have to leave it behind, Crais, because there isn't another way."
"I have tried to find my own path, to remember what came before. I am uncertain of everything the Peacekeepers told me."
"You seem to be doing fairly well. It cannot have been easy."
"No."
"You should come back aboard Moya - you have been alone too long."
"I doubt I could cope with two Crichton's," Crais said wryly. "And I have gotten used to it being Talyn and I."
"I... I could... stay. At least until the repairs are finished," Aeryn said. "But I belong on Moya."
"With Crichton," Crais said, matter-of-factly. "Yes, I had got that bit, Aeryn. I would be glad of your company, though maybe I should decline. Crichton will be less than impressed by your decision to stay here, no matter how temporary."

Crais was right.
Crichton stared at Aeryn as if she had gone green or grown an extra head or something.
"You are going to stay on Talyn?" He said increduously.
"Until the repairs are completed," Aeryn assured him.
"With *Crais*?"
"Well, yes. It is his ship."
"That he stole," he muttered. "Aeryn," he said aloud. "We talking Crais here. You remember - the guy that declared you contaminated, the guy that wanted me dead, that chased us half-way across the universe and *stole Talyn*?"
"Yes, I know," Aeryn sighed. "But he has changed, Crichton. If you bothered to *talk* to him, you'd see it. I can't believe you can accept that I've changed, but not him. Is his taking of Talyn really any worse than finding that tape? He *cares* for Talyn, for goddess sake Crichton he had barely recovered before he went back. He could hardly walk."
Crichton was unconvinced. "It's an act," he stated, stubbornly.
Aeryn swore and stormed off to her room. She packed anyway, not really caring if Crichton thought it was a good idea. She needed space and Talyn needed her help. It was a favorable exchange.
There was a tentative knock at her door and Chiana came in. She eyed the packed bag on Aeryn's bed.
"You really going then?" She said.
"It will only be a few solar days," Aeryn said firmly. "A weeken at the most. Talyn needs me."
"From what Crichton's been saying, it's *Crais* that needs you. He says he's lonesome, whatever that means. I know what *he* thinks it means," Chiana said meaningfully.
"Well if Crichton cannot trust me, then that his problem."
"Maybe you should come back at night."
Aeryn thought about it. "No," she said finally. "He can spend the time decided what he's going to do. Then I won't feel like I'm back in stasis."
"What about Crais?"
"What *about* Crais?"
"Crichton seems to think there's something going on."
"Yes, well. Crichton hasn't been thinking straight for a while."
"You're hedging, Aeryn. *Is* there something going on?"
"No there is not," she said firmly. "I think Crichton should decide whether he would prefer Crais as an enemy." She shouldered her bag and walked past Chiana, who tagged along.
"What does that mean?"
"We should forget the past, is what that means," Aeryn told Chiana. "Talyn and Crais are useful allies. Crais may not always do what *we* wish, but he is as much an enemy of the Peacekeepers and Scorpius as we are. Crichton should remember that."
"Yes, but, girl-to-girl - are you going to have sex with him?"
Aeryn stopped and looked at Chiana. "Chiana?"
"Yes?"
"Get lost."

Aeryn walked into the docking area and saw D'Argo stood by the transport pod.
"Oh goddess," Aeryn swore under her breath, then said: "Yes, D'Argo, I am going. No it won't be for long. Yes I do know what I'm doing. And no, I am not going to have sex with him." She paused and looked at the shell-shocked Luxan. "Does that cover everything?"
D'Argo nodded helplessly.
"Good." Aeryn said and boarded the transport. Microts later, it lifted from the ground and flew out of the docking bay.


* * * *