Time

            The three of them stepped up to the bridge and took a look at the view screen. All to be seen were the thousands of stars on the Local Spur arm of the Milky Way; yellow, blue, red, and hundreds of different magnitudes of white looked like a handful of jewels thrown on a black velvet blanket before them.

            “There’s still time for something to eat before there’s something to look at,” Jonathan told Riaan. “I think the chef is still on duty.”

            “He will be for you, Archer.” Jonathan turned to his old friend, tapped his fist to the man’s shoulder and left the bridge with Riaan.

            When the turbolift door closed, Jonathan stopped the lift mid-decks. Without any words he took Riaan’s hand and pulled her to him.

            “You look delicious. Can I have you for lunch?” He stared at her face, the dark eyes dancing with mischief. She bit her lower lip, and stretched up on her toes to kiss him. Jonathan reached over to the control and selected “G Deck”. When the lift door opened on G they staggered out of the turbo lift like drunks. The privacy of G deck near the sensor array at the bottom of the saucer offered Jonathan and Riaan liberty to be playful in the open. Jonathan laughed, Riaan giggled, and they went headlong into the Dignitaries’ Quarters. They half fell and half jumped on the bed without even letting go of each other. Jonathan had never felt quite so at ease to play with anyone before.

            “How do humans celebrate the day of their birth? I should try and honor that for you.”

            “Usually just friends and family bring gifts, there’s food and drink. It’s a much bigger celebration for children, then when you get past 100 it starts to get celebratory again.” They both lay on the bed, on their backs, looking at the ceiling, trying to calm down from their giddiness. “Just coming home is the best gift I could have asked for.” He turned his head to look at her. “How do Akallis celebrate?”

            “We recognize the first year, but after that it’s mostly just time keeping, parents usually give their child a toy or sugar treat. Branni will pass 9 years not too long from now, but I’m not sure how you keep the time on Earth for such things.”

            “We’ll work something out,” Jonathan said. “He’ll probably be happy to know he’s 13 in Earth years, or something like that.”

            “He doesn’t become a man until he is 14 – 14 of our years. Oh, this is going to be confusing.” Jonathan rolled on his side and held himself up with his elbow on the bed.

            “Once we’re on the ground, if you decide to stay on Earth, we can establish permanent records for you. Earth has finally gotten a system in place for immigrants.”

            “If I decide to stay?”

            “I certainly hope you decide to stay. I can't force you.” Jonathan leaned over a little to kiss her lips; he kissed her again, and then again, deeper and longer, and his amusement turned to that same helpless desire he’d been dealing with since that night in the barn. He’d gone out of the cave into the light, seen the colors of the world, felt the warmth of the sun. He could never return to the cave simply to watch shadows ever again. He was forever changed.

            He had missed the company of a woman companion. T’Pol had been his shadow for more than a decade. Although their relationship never turned romantic, despite an attraction from almost the beginning, they had grown to be close friends, as close as any other in his life – until Riaan. He’d cared for T’Pol affectionately like a close sister. There was no allowance for their relationship to progress, especially since she had bonded with Trip during the Xindi years.

            Riaan was steadfast, a problem solver, and incredibly intelligent. He admired her wit and dry humor. And she was beautiful; he was lost in her chocolate eyes, intrigued by her hair and lips, the graceful curves of her body. Sometimes he could barely breathe when he saw her. At this moment, he wanted her body against his, the silky skin under his hands, the smell of her hair in his face. She intoxicated him. He would bleed to love with her.

            Riaan, too, was awed by the feelings they shared. She had loved Kellam, but so differently. Jon was compassionate and emotional. He would protect her fiercely, keep her safe, and honor the desires in her heart for a life that was not simply about pleasing him. It had been easy to fall into a pattern of daily living on Akal. With Jon, whatever made her happy made him happy. The last two weeks traveling to Earth were perhaps the happiest she’d ever known.

            Jon was always receptive, and the rascal in his deep green eyes always tempted and teased her. In the sweet darkness of night, after making love, or not, she cherished the warm sensation of coarse hair against her, the salient feeling of his masculine, human body. His face would be slightly rough on her skin when he’d kiss her neck. Under the covers, Jon’s stripped, iron torso was raw and feral compared to her completely smooth, refined, graceful physique.

            Jonathan edged himself over on Riaan, still in her green dress and him in his uniform. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He laid his face on her shoulder.

            “I have a reception in an hour and I really can’t be late, if you know what I mean.”

            “I do. And you’re wrinkling my dress, Jon.” Her grin was sympathetic. He slid himself back onto the bed and fell back with a bounce.

            “Are you sure you don’t want something to eat before the homecoming? I’m starving.”

            “You go eat, have some cold tea, and I’ll see you on the bridge.”