David wasn't certain when exactly it happened, but he did suddenly realise that his companion had drifted off to sleep somewhere along the way of watching the large screen in front of them. He only became aware to Alma sleeping because in her state she had drifted off sitting up, only to slowly fall to the side and lean against his shoulder. 

David frowned at first before looking down. Alma wasn't exactly the type of person to overstep personal space; she valued her own well enough to not encroach on others. So of course he was a little lost at first before suddenly realising that she had gone to sleep. She wasn't aware to what she was doing, but she seemed rather content and comfortable where she was. 

David looked quickly back to the screen with a puzzled look on his face, he tried to watch the moving images before him but couldn't because of the gentle weight against him. So he'd quickly glance down at her, only to see her unchanged, and look back to the screen to notice with confused blue eyes that he had missed something important and didn't understand the movie storyline anymore. 

What was the point of watching something that he couldn't understand when there was someone beside him that'd be surely more comfortable in her room? With that in mind, David slowly turned, he gently pushed Alma back, only to suffer unhappy sounds to come from her; yet he continued on, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and the other slipped under her legs. He picked her up and just quietly sat with her curled up in his arms for a few moments before curiously tilting his head and standing. 

It was strange to see someone so content while asleep, naturally, not through hypersleep. Honestly David was surprised she had survived this long, he did think she'd be asleep sooner. To be honest he thought she'd drift off to sleep no sooner had she sat down on the sofa and got comfortable. He smiled slowly, it seemed there was more resilience to her than he thought. That or she was forcing herself to stay awake, his smile slipped at that. He didn't want her making herself unwell for the sake of keeping him company. 

David had survived a year, boring and uneventful as it was, without company. Real life company that is, he could survive eight hours or however long it was humans typically slept for, without company. It was only for a few hours anyway, right? She was going to be here for another three days or so before he put her back into the hypersleep chamber. He wasn't looking forward to that time. He could openly admit that he was dreading it. Not the initial act of it, that was easy, but the implications of it all. Losing the one person he honestly found so easy to talk to and socialise with. He would be alone again. To wander the halls and corridors and the numerous different rooms without much care in the world or without much purpose. 

This split second of companionship actually made David realise that he was lonely. And he had missed having someone to talk to. And that he really missed Alma and the ease which came from her company. He knew full well if anyone found out - which they wouldn't - about him breaking protocols for the sake of dulling boredom isolation there would be trouble, David actually had no clue what the punishment would be. 

What could they do to him? He wasn't under any illusion that really without him there wouldn't be much help, unquestioning help at that. So there went any banishing out of the airlock. Reducing time spent around any forms of technology? Didn't work when he was walking conscious technology. He smiled at that. Even if anyone found out there was literally nothing but words that could be thrown his way. Did words bother David? Most likely not. If the lecture came from someone he actually respected, then sure, quite possibly he'd care. 

Could he see Alma giving the lecture? No. She seemed more than happy to be awake and conscious. Weyland then? Perhaps. Meredith? Definitely not. Anyone else on board? As if. David's thoughts petered off as the doors to Alma's room slid open with a slight hiss. The lights flicked on from having someone suddenly present. He walked over and laid her down. He stepped back and looked down at her, she seemed displeased by the sudden movement. It was strange. He thought she'd be comfier here in her room. She did turn onto her side and reach up to hold onto the pillow, she sighed softly but otherwise didn't look totally settled. 

He knelt down and reached up to move the hair that had escaped her braid and placed the brown locks of hair behind her ear. He didn't know what was missing to make her look as content as she did back out in the other room. He turned and sat down, crossing his legs as he did so. He looked up, deciding maybe the lights were half the problem, he stood and switched them off. 

Still when he turned in the darkness he could see her frowning gently, he sat back down and crossed his legs. Shutting his eyes he leaned his head back and listened to the steady breaths of her and the hum of machinery. Sleep was such a lost concept. He understood why humans slept. But he just didn't see why it needed to go on for so long. He opened his eyes and looked to the dark ceiling, tilting his head up slightly he could peek up at her. Alma had remained on her side holding onto her pillow. 

David sighed and looked back down. Crossing his legs again he crossed his arms and shut his eyes. He may not ever need to power down, but he could easily appreciate the peace which came from this moment of silent isolation. Even more so considering that in a couple of hours time he would open his eyes and not be as alone as he felt now that she had gone to sleep. 

This was as powered down as David probably would ever get. He honestly didn't know how long he'd been sitting here, or what the time was now, but his eyes slowly opened when he felt something pat against his head. He frowned and turned his head, reaching up he flicked the lamp on that was by the bedside. Alma let out an odd hissing noise from the sudden brightness, she covered her eyes with one arm while seemingly childishly flicking him on the head. 

Once her eyes adjusted she removed her arm as the other stayed outstretched. She ruffled his hair, much to his apparent displeasure as he narrowed his eyes at her. Alma just laughed from this and grinned. "You didn't need to stay here while I slept!" Though she thought he would do something like this. 

David stroked a hand through his hair and turned to kneel by the bedside again. "Good morning."

"Morning," Alma sat up and crossed her legs. She leaned her elbows against the bed and put her chin against her palms. She was more or less on an equal level to him. "David?"

"Yes, Miss?"

Alma's face broke out into a massive grin, "It's Christmas Eve!" 

He looked thoughtfully around. "That's good, yes?"

"Yes! Christmas Eve is good. It's the day where you get all things ready for Christmas Day. But be fair we don't have much to get ready for," Alma said while watching as David stood and moved to sit by her side. Alma sat up and stretched her legs out. Smiling she took to sitting pretty similar to him, David frowned and she just childishly pouted his way. She had to put up with him copying her when he first woke, she could easily childishly return the favour surely? "David? Are all the things in the kitchen functioning?"

He blinked a few times before nodding. "There is low power, but everything is working. Why?" Most of the power was used for more important things like the engine. 

Alma smiled and jumped up, she scrambled about the room pulling clean clothes as she went. "Cookies!" 

David watched as she disappeared into the bathroom. He stood slowly just as she came out struggling to pull a jumper on. He walked over and easily managed to swivel it around, her head popped out and she shook her head to get her hair out of her face. Now that it wasn't braided it had curled quite tightly. Shoving her arms through the sleeves she straightened out the jumper and put her hands in her jean pockets. 

"Thank you."

"Any time," David smiled. "Cookies, Miss?" He inquired truly lost on this. 

Alma blinked, "Ah! When I was a kid, my nan used to always do all this baking on Christmas Eve," she explained while exiting her room while jumping from foot to foot pulling on her boots. "They were like the best things ever, so yeah...I had the recipe memorised by the time I was twelve. I want to see if there's anything here which can be used. If not I guess there's always an alternative. There must be," Alma mused while they made their way towards the kitchen. 

"Your nan?" David asked while stopping and watched as she commenced raiding the cupboards. 

Alma nodded, "Uh-huh, she was an awesome cook." 

"You misunderstand, from what I have seen, from certain films which come around at this time of year, it is often the parents who do these things." Alma stopped moving and looked sidelong at him. David remained motionless as he looked to her. 

"My mother walked out on my father and I when I was young, I don't remember her. My nan did a lot for us two. He worked multiple jobs and...when he died I went to live with my nan, my grandad was already gone by that time, old age, gets the best of us. But then she sadly passed away and then I was on my own. That's sort of when I suppose I concentrated on work heaps...without a family what is the point, you know? That can be said about my general home life too."

David walked slowly over and joined her on the counter, she had jumped to sit up on it as she spoke. "Family?"

"Christmas is meant to be all about family." Alma straightened up and flicked her eyes to look at him. 

"You see me as family? From what I can gather this is a big thing for you. It does not seem like you have treated anyone else to this cookie routine." He paused and watched as she looked distantly ahead at the joining corridor. 

"I guess we are family." Alma deduced and looked up at him. "But like...I don't know. I don't know! Come on," she slid off the counter with a laugh. She resumed trying to find anything that could even be used to bake, she failed epically. 

"It was a nice thought, Miss," David said with a sympathetic smile as she shuffled back to stand in front of him. He jumped down and straightened his usual grey clothes out with a smile. "Perhaps another time?" She just nodded slowly. "What is it?" He had never known her to turn silent, the only times she did was when something was on her mind. "Are you sad?" That expression looked like something he'd picture as sadness. David blinked slowly and looked about. "It does not stem from the lack of ingredients. So your earlier words have sunk in? But you said it yourself, Miss, we are family, so you are no longer alone. And you won't be for as long as I am here. This is my first Christmas, Miss. I'm sure I can survive without cookies."  

"Not that there's any Christmas cutters here anyway," she pouted.

David couldn't help but smile over her childish moment. "That's the spirit."

"Wrong time to use that saying, and you shush with your sarcasm!" Alma said while pointing a finger at him. David smiled widely, he was quite happy that he seemed to have succeeded in pulling her from her slight depressive slump. 

"Breakfast?" He moved around her intending to find something for her to eat. 

"Is it more gross porridge? Because if so, no."

David turned and frowned her way. "I cannot allow you to just go without food."

"It's one meal." Alma said while backing out of the room slowly. 

David turned fully and started walking after her. "Miss, please stop."

"Aha, no way, I'm not eating any of that stuff. Once was enough. I highly doubt there's variety. I doubt there's anything that can be done to make it taste better. So no, I'll pass on breakfast, thanks all the same." Alma said casually while she continued to shuffle away with him easily following after her. "Stop it! David, stop it!" Alma laughed and in the end just turned and shuffled off faster, fully aware to him picking up his pace to catch up with her. "Ah! No! No...if there is one thing I ever truly ask of you, it's not to inflict that on me!" Alma whined when her shoulders got gently held onto and she was pulled back. 

"I thought you'd only ask me not to lie and to be honest with you." David asked while looking down at her. 

Alma nodded. "Okay, that too."

He rolled his eyes, "Fine."

Alma smiled and wiggled out from his hold and nodded sidelong down the corridor. "Where does this lead to?" 

"Ah," David smiled and stepped forwards, "There is a court onboard." He looked down at her, she looked confused. 

"Like tennis?"

"Basketball." He said while they walked along the corridor towards it. 

"You any good?"

David raised an eyebrow, "I've had a lot of time to play."

"Oh! Check out the confidence on you, huh? Fine...come on then," Alma smiled and walked over to where he had last abandoned the ball, she bounced it against the floor a few times. "You'll win, I know that already, but whatever." Alma shrugged and threw the ball in the air and caught it.

David smiled and held a hand out, "Good luck."

Alma put her hand in his and gave it a loose shake. "When did you become such a cocky thing, huh?" She smirked and feigned handing him the ball only to divert to the left and run to the other basket.

——

(Edited: 26/Feb/2021)