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[ He huffed, looking back up at her, then offering an empty sort of smile. ]

Trying to remember the last time I did this without the weight of the world literally on my shoulders. Problem is I can't; must have been so long ago.

Not exactly carrying less of a burden now as ever, but I gotta admit it's nicer now than I know it'll be in a week or so. New arrivals always blow the status quo, and I'm trying to enjoy the quiet before it's ruined all over again, know what I mean?

I do. [ Sympathy wasn't her strong point but he was opening up to her and she couldn't really say nothing in response. Bela placed a hand on his forearm, resting it there for a moment or so before withdrawing it. ]

Try to forget about that burden you have and focus on the quiet. You have to relax, otherwise you won't be able to enjoy anything. [A beat.] I'll admit, I'm not the best of giving this kind of advice but let's just have a nice evening and not worry about whatever shit the ship or the people on it are going to throw at us, yeah?

[ He wasn't lingering because he didn't want to - not really - it was just a passing thought, bittersweet, and he brushed it quickly away. ]

We always get through these things without really talking about you.

[ A suggestion, a prompt. Maybe she'd take pity on him and talk about herself, maybe not. ]

[ Being so open about certain details of her life was hard for her. Bela blamed it on having trust issues as well as not giving anyone anything they could use against her.

But then, he had shared something secret and private with her. It seemed right to do it in return. ]

That's because you mightn't like what you hear. [She glanced down at her hands, suddenly finding them more interesting. She does continue though. ]

It's difficult for me to trust other people and sometimes I lie to them to protect myself.

[ He shifted slightly, then reached out to prod her in the shoulder, trying to get her attention. He was smiling. ]

Then lie. Listen, I got my reasons for giving it up, namely I did something so wrong that I might never come back from it, and I got nothing left to lose. But just cause I'm opening my heart to you now don't mean I don't understand protecting yourself, lying so you don't get hurt.

So lie to me. Mix it with a little truth if you like, but don't tell me which is which, or if there's any in there at all. Cause even lying, you're not hiding who you are.

[Bela raised her eyes to look at him when he touched her shoulder, her expression somewhat neutral.]

That seems like a fair compromise. I'll agree to it, Nathan. Even if I think you won't get to know the real me if I do.

[A smile crossed her face briefly before she continues.]

The issues that I have with people go back a while and as such, I've never really formed attachments with others. Nor have I been in a long-term, committed relationship with anyone before. I don't see myself as the settling down type anyway.

[ Honestly, when had he ever known a real woman?--No, that didn't sound right in his head. But people were just so duplicitous, and the problem with marriage was that the perfect person that you seemed to get so close to always seemed to change once they didn't have to hold your attention. It was worse in politics, with hidden agendas and false personas; nobody was real, and nobody felt even the slightest bit guilty for the fact. That was why affairs suited him, one night stands where he never had to see beneath the mask.

He could fool himself into believing, at least for a little while, anything he wanted to. ]

I don't think anyone's the long term commitment type, to tell the truth. It's too damn complicated.

[ The slightest smile. ]

And being on this ship is a lot like being married to a whole bunch of people you never got to meet before the march down the aisle, don't you think?

[Relationships could become messy and complicated, especially given the life she led and the deal hanging over her. Which was the reason why Bela preferred to have a night with a handsome stranger, no-strings attached, and she could slip away in the morning without having to worry about it. She already had a few liaisons on the ship and Bela had enjoyed them.]

If what you're saying is true, then I think I like the idea of marriage even less now.

[Bela laughs a little.]

At least I can say that some people on board have made this whole experience a lot more tolerable. Present company included.

Only good thing to come out of it--

[ He shakes his head. Now isn't a good time to ruminate about his failed marriages. ]

Present company included. [ Toned like an agreement. He felt the same way. ]

Think I would have gone stir crazy if you hadn't shared that bottle with me a few months back. Thrown myself out an airlock. What do you think's with that, anyway?

[There was a smile from her when he said the same thing.]

I'm not sure. Maybe you felt overwhelmed with things and you just needed someone to talk to and have a drink with. A stranger. Someone who wouldn't judge.

[They knew each other now of course but back then, Bela wasn't having the best time of it. She still wasn't, even now.]

Nice to know that I made a difference.

[ If one had applied to him and her both, then there was nothing to stop the other from meaning the same. Someone to have a drink with, someone who wouldn't judge. He squeezed her shoulder where he still held it, smiled a soft, bordering flirtatious smile. ]

You made more than a difference. You proved to me that everyone on this ship wasn't crazy, and if all else failed I still knew where to find someone who could talk sense. That's not really replaceable in any situation.

[ A pause. ]

I wouldn't be sharing my view of home with you if I didn't appreciate it. Call it a thank you.

[In the beginning, she was adamant about not making connections here, but it soon became apparent that she would need to in order to survive. He had kept her sane.

The squeeze to her shoulder draws an almost playful look as she fiddled with his collar, the touch light.]

Well, I could have told you that I wasn't crazy. [She laughs briefly.] It's nice to have someone that you can have a decent conversation with and share a story or two.

[Her gaze drifts out to the skyline before she looks at him again.]

You're welcome. Maybe one day I'll let you into my world a little, yeah?

Maybe. Supposing we really do get stuck here forever. Settle down on a planet somewhere, and what we had at home will seem so far away it isn't worth hiding any more.

[ It sounded crazy to his ears. Settle down on a planet somewhere? When had that ever been an option? Since Nathan had arrived, he'd been adamant that he could get everyone home. Now it just seemed like a pipe dream. There was nothing left that was real except everyone else.

Nathan reached up, touching his fingers to the back of her hand at his collar, then gently guided them up to touch his face, the move nothing if not deliberate - bold - his eyes closing as skin touched skin. ]

You make me wish I hadn't brought you somewhere so cold.

Millions of miles from home. [She paused.] A planet might be safer than the ship. We wouldn't have to worry about jumps.

[Bela wanted to go home, back to her life where she knew what to expect and had more control. It seemed less likely, the longer she stayed on the ship. The only thing she could do was to keep going and hope.

Definitely a bold move but she could admire that. Moreover, Bela could use a little human contact. Her fingers brushed along his face and she smiled, sliding them across his jawline before they reached his cheek again. She's confident with the touch and yet gentle at the same time, watching as his eyes closed.]

I hear the Bahamas are lovely this time of year.

[Bela said half-teasingly as she leaned in closer to him, knowing that this moment could lead to just about anything.]

Usually I offer a better rate for air miles.

[ But the Bahamas are still only as far away as going out and resetting the program. What the hell, though; there's no point in ruining the moment, and the cold is escapist in its own right, Nathan thinks. Maybe he'll take her somewhere warm for their next date. Or maybe somewhere real, somewhere they can touch, even if it happens to be on board the Tranquility. There's been spots in the gardens that he finds incredibly beautiful--worth exploring, sharing.

Putting down his glass of wine, still held in one hand, he reaches up to frame her face with it, no hesitation at all when he leans in to kiss her.

It's a lonely ship, and he's light years from home, alone, divorced, betrayed. But a kiss is always worth a thousand words. Maybe he doesn't know her, but how many women has he known in the last few years? Did it really matter? The kiss he gives is gentle, the briefest brush of lips to lips, but offering more if she reciprocates; an invitation. ]

[Bela laughs at that, shaking her head slightly. The truth was, she wouldn't mind a trip to the Bahamas or anywhere else really. But that would mean going home and if she was home, then she wouldn't have met Nathan in the first place.

She expected the kiss, she just wasn't sure when it would happen. Or where more to the point. But it didn't matter so much. Bela had to seize the good moments when they happened and this was one of those moments. One that she was going to fully embrace.

Careful not to push too hard in the beginning, Bela keeps the kiss light and soft, her hand still cupping his cheek while the other rests on his side. She could taste the wine he had been drinking on his lips and it only drew her in more as she presses closer.]

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