Third Person Omniscient- 

Kayla had laid in bed long after she had woken. Even when H'chakde had woke up and gone to collect them food she remained buried in the furs on the bed. It was nice to be able to come straight to her room instead of being rushed to the medbay. To lay beside H'chakde without needing to hurl every five minutes. For the first time in what felt like forever, she was content. Like a puzzle piece that had been missing all her life finally clicked into its place. That confused her, but what baffled her even more was her next thought.

She didn't want to leave it behind.

The realization hit her like a freight train during the hunt. It wasn't till now that she had the time to mull over what that meant for her future. More importantly, how and when would she bring it up to Skylar?

Skylar was her best friend, someone who aided her for a long while. Been her companion, her partner in crime, her family. Even now she wasn't sure about leaving her to continue this life. Though, Skylar would be fine without Kayla. Perhaps in some ways, she'd be better off.

Her clutch on the warm furs tightened, her eyes fluttering open. As much as that notion saddened Kayla, it brought a sense of relief. Her friend was strong, and even if she needed someone to lean on, she always had her father.

"Kayla," The door of the room whirred open and H'chakde stepped in. Kayla lifted her head from the pillows to look at him. Her eye catching on the food in his grasp. A raw slab of meat for him, and a semi cooked one for her.

She rose, the furs sliding off her arms and pooling around her waist. H'chakde took a seat toward the foot of the bed, and handed her portion to her. "You've gotten better, the food tastes good." Kayla commented after she had ripped a piece off. She couldn't stop the smile that pulled on her lips at how his chest swelled with pride at the small praise.

Usually she cooked her own, since the Yautja didn't cook their meals. However, H'chakde had done just as good the few times he cooked for her. A little spice and it would taste just like something she made at home. Perhaps that's what she should ask Lar'ja-Thwei to help her look for. He had found suitable greens for them to eat, so why not spices too?

"Sleep well?" She asked before pulling off another bite.

"I did, you?"

Kayla nodded as she adjusted herself on the bed, sitting closer to H'chakde. Cleaning her kills after the hunt had taken a lot out of her. Without the residual adrenaline rush, Kayla didn't think she'd have the energy for that. Her feet dangled off the edge as the two fell into a comfortable silence.

"R'kadekna wishes for you to come to the training room. Her and a few of her companions want you to train with them."

"Oh," Kayla blinked. She honestly just wanted to rest for the day. Just to have a little break before hopping back into training. However, she wasn't sure there was a way to do that without offending R'kadekna and her friends. Unless. . .

An idea popped into her head as she finished the last bite of her meal. Slipping off the bead she raised her arms above her head to stretch. She may just need to use a page out of Skylar's book. "We shouldn't keep them waiting then." She headed to the door, stopping only to see if H'chakde was following. "Are you training with us?"

"I might, if R'kadekna allows it." They stepped out into the hallway, and began down the corridor.

"I sure hope she does, I'd mi-" Kayla folded in on herself as she crumpled to the floor. She shut her eyes, doing her best to prepare for impact as she went limp.

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Skylar giggled to herself as she walked down the hallway with Kweide, she quickly turned it into a cough when his helmet turned just a fraction towards her. He always watched her like that. Watching without really trying to let anyone know he was checking in on her. "I sure hope Kayla is okay..." She pinched her skin hard and tears lined her eyes instantly. It was time to go for an Oscar.

"She'll be alright," Kweide walked closer to her side, "you're both strong."

Was that a compliment for Kayla? Skylar gave him a soft smile, "I'm sure that'll mean a lot to her." He let out a click of acknowledgement but otherwise the two fell into silence until they reached the medbay. H'chakde's familiar form came into view. For a moment all she could remember were the few weeks, months by now, back that Kayla was in there for real. Dying. The tears on her cheeks weren't all fake anymore.

"Skylar?" H'chakde turned to her when they entered. His head tilted when he noticed the tears on Skylar's face. "Are you sick as well? Your face is leaking."

"Oh! Oh no, I'm healthy. You can't catch liabetes easily or often," she said. The last bit ruined a bit of their fun but it'd keep the Yautja off their medical gingerbread trail for awhile at least.

Kweide brushed his hand across her back faintly before speaking, "Oomans cry when they are upset". He brushed secretly behind her again as she straightened and wiped at her eyes.

The door behind H'chakde opened and Lar'ja-thwei paused in the doorway, "only two of you for now." He gestured for them to come in, his usually intimidating face was hidden away behind a mask that looked like nothing Skylar had ever seen before. Like a gas mask for Yautja.

H'chakde nodded as he stepped toward the door. He paused momentarily in the doorway to check if Skylar was following. When she did, he slipped through, his eyes landing on Kayla.

She was in the same bubble Skylar had been, laid on her belly atop a small pile of stuffed furs. Her hair was loose and flowed over one shoulder. It looked like it had been recently brushed since it was void of any tangles. Her eyes fluttered open, and she gave them a soft smile. "Hey."

"Hey Lala," Skylar gave her a concerned look, although she wasn't crying anymore, her cheeks were still wet from tears. "You look like it's helping," she walked closer and put her hand on the glass. "I know H'chakde will take good care of you and let you rest." She winked although her voice was soft.

Kayla focused her eyes on her friend, an appreciative glint in them. "Yeah, it's helping quite a lot. Maybe a little too much honestly, I've been sleeping most of the time I've been here." It felt amazing to be back in an atmosphere similar to Earth's.

"Good, rest is all you need. You must get better Kayla." H'chakde spoke up and her gaze shifted to him. Something in her eyes softened as the two locked eyes. It was so vastly different from the look she gave him when they had first met. Less full of hate, and full of a more positive feeling. Even if neither party could place what it was.

"I'll get better, you don't need to worry yourself too much."

Skylar looked between them curiously but opted to focus elsewhere. The stare was too intimate to intrude on.

"H'chakde it is time to leave, you've been in here with Kayla much longer and it is time her visitor number lowered so she may calm for more rest." Lar'ja-thwei gestured from the bigger Yautja to the door.

H'chakde had to refrain from grumbling under his breath, but ultimately he obeyed. With one last look to Kayla he slipped out the door. The worry still evident in his gaze even as she lay there.

When both of the Yautja were gone, Kayla sat up and waved for Skylar to come closer. "I think you got me sick." She joked. "Now I have to lay here and do nothing."

"I sincerely apologize," Skylar fake curtsied in her dress before pulling a fur covered item from behind her back, "but I come bearing a gift!" Gold jingled on her arms as she lifted the lid of Kayla's oxygen tank. "I think you'll forgive me when you see it." She smiled broadly.

Kayla raised a brow, "a gift?" It had been awhile since she had received one of those. She eyed the thing curiously, what kind of gift did she have for her? She scooted, patting the spot beside her on the makeshift bed.

Skylar laid next to her friend and peeled back the fur to reveal a yellow cropped top and loose black shorts. "Best of all", she pulled out a long pair of purple pants made of a material that somehow seemed both skin tight and breathable. "Some new clothes!"

"Oh wow." Kayla blinked in surprise at the clothes, her fingers running over the fabric of the pants. It was firm as leather but somehow as soft as cotton. Whereas the top and shorts were more flannel-like just without the pattern. "Thank you, how'd you get these?"

"Well," Skylar giggled nervously and shrugged, "I asked Luar'ke if I could get clothes for you to have and he agreed. He keeps trying to tell me he doesn't want anything in return but I already picked out a gift for him." She fiddled with her bracelets.

"Well it's nice to know your sugar daddy's kindness extends to little old me as well." Kayla teased, tilting her head as she looked back up at Skylar. "What are you going to give him?"

"He's not my sugar daddy!" Skylar's face turned pink and her pitch raised several octaves although she tried to whisper. She knew well enough she didn't have a solid alibi against Kayla's gentle jab, he did give her enough favoritism and gifts that even she noticed. But he was a friend, like Kweide, kind of. Of all her relationships with the others onboard, her closest companions (not including Kayla) confused her the most. The lines were so blurred. "The egg I took from that planet, it's a really pretty blue. Like a darker robin's egg."

"You took an egg from a planet?" Kayla didn't remember that she had, but she likely wasn't there, and the one time she was she wouldn't have time to notice. She was too busy trying to not get drowned.

"Yeah, when I broke the nest apart one egg stood out to me so I took it. I figured they wouldn't have tried to save it cause it didn't look like all the other eggs so I've kept it... not my brightest plan."

"No, it's not but I'm not in a position to judge." Kayla shrugged.

Skylar's lips pulled into a cheeky grin, "no, no you aren't, are you Belle?" She leaned over and raised her brows, "You talk about me but someone's experiencing a tale as old as time huh? Hmm?" She hummed the tune and nudged her friend.

Kayla rolled her eyes, she definitely wasn't Belle. She seemed more sure of her feelings for the beast. While Kayla was just beginning to sift through hers for H'chakde. She liked him, in what way was the question though. "I have no idea what you mean."

"Ah, au contraire my dear Lala, I bet you know exactly what I mean," Skylar relaxed though and gave her an encouraging look, "I just hope that whatever it is, it'll be okay in the end."

"It probably will be." Kayla nodded, "Don't worry, no matter what happens I'll get ya home."

Skylar's face scrunched and she turned to Kayla. She didn't speak at first, she must have misheard. "You mean us right?".

"Not," Kayla breathed deep. This conversation had to come eventually so she might as well get it out of the way now. "Not entirely no."

"What do you mean?" Skylar stared at her, eyebrows scrunched and eyes growing frightened. Her heart rate was skyrocketing the opposite way from her plummeting stomach.

The look on Skylar's face made her wince, she couldn't understand why Skylar looked so scared. "I'm not coming back with you, I'm staying here."

Skylar was going to throw up. She had never felt so sick in her life. Then again, nothing had ever sounded so wrong in her life. Kayla had done well with the Yautja but... how could she not come home? "Why?" What did they have that made Kayla want to stay more than she wanted to be with Skylar and their father?

"I like it here, I feel like I belong." Kayla's brows scrunched with worry. She knew Skylar cared about her, but she thought she would handle the news the same as parents when their child moves out. Forlorn, but ultimately excited they would be out of their hair.

"You don't belong with us?" Skylar asked in a soft voice. Her heart was breaking. How could there be a home to go back to without Kayla at her side...was it not the same for her?

Kayla blinked, the question confused her. "No?" She gave her friend's shoulder a soft pat, before moving into humor to lighten up the situation. "But hey look at it this way, you get the thorn out of your side."

Skylar's stomach lurched and she slipped off the bed. All this time and she never saw herself as more than a thorn?  Somehow Skylar had failed to show the most important person to her that she was useless without her. Somehow their father, or in Kayla's eyes as it now seemed, just Skylar's father had failed. Had they not done enough? She couldn't look at her but she couldn't turn away either. Staring at the furs, her voice cracking, "you weren't... how could you think?... We love you. You're our family. Always Lala."

"I was always getting us into trouble. I mean this-" She gestured to the ship around them. "This is my doing, I got too cocky and look where we ended up." Kayla had no doubt they loved her, she loved them with all of her heart but sometimes she wondered if stuff would be easier for them if she wasn't part of the equation.

Skylar's eyes watered, "we never blamed you, not for anything. We're all only human. We all make mistakes. I have. You have. Dad has. It's normal, not something we would ever hold against you." They weren't her birth family, they'd never hurt her like that. "And coming here? How was that you? You can't take all the blame for yourself like that, that's not how life works. Everyone makes a choice that adds to the result." H'chakde, Kweide, R'kadekna, Luar'ke, and even Skylar. Everyone played a part.

"I may not be the sole reason but I played a big part in it. We would have been at the camping ground if I didn't take us on the detour." Why couldn't she understand this was for the best? Or had Kayla just miscalculated her position in Skylar's family? "It's going to be okay Skylar, I promise."

"No, no it's not." Tears began racing down her face, her breath quickening as she clenched her hands to her chest. "This isn't... no." She shook her head, she wanted out of there. She wanted to go back to her room, Kweide's room, she didn't want to have to talk this out anymore. She couldn't breathe let alone let go of the only friend she ever truly had. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. Kayla wasn't her's to keep, but she had always thought she'd stay.

Kayla blinked, her mind starting to reel. "Why wouldn't it be?" She reached out for Skylar, to comfort her friend but she hesitated. Would it only make things worse?

"Because-" she wouldn't be with Skylar, because they would likely barely see each other again, they could lose each other forever, because Skylar didn't want to let go. She wanted to go home to a house that wasn't always void of the only other person she needed beside their father. A part of her that she deemed selfish and didn't want to face whispered quietly in her heart, I don't want to be alone. Please don't go without me. "-we'll miss you and I..." she stopped herself. She needed her but would it even matter?

Kayla fell silent, her eyes on the floor, she wasn't sure how to respond. Everything before her contradicted the lie that had resurfaced in her mind. Her thoughts felt muddled, so she wasn't sure how to respond. She'd miss Skylar too, but she felt like she belonged here.

Skylar waited for a response but when none came she nodded slowly. Her heartbroken face softened from frustrated to exhausted, like a deer going limp in the wolf's jaw before it had even finished biting down. The worst part of it, the part that was beginning to dawn on Skylar, was that maybe it wasn't their fault at all. Maybe they just weren't enough.

It hurt worse that she had to be okay with that. Logically, despite all her heart aching, she knew that keeping Kayla wasn't an option. You don't keep what you can't provide for. She had to let her go and she hated herself for it. God she wished she could be enough for her best friend. But Kayla was right, she was more comfortable here than she ever had been on earth. She didn't just survive, she thrived. This was where she belonged. "Alright then...okay".

"I love you Skylar I do." Was all Kayla could manage to mumble out. "I appreciate everything you've done for me," She had been the best friend ever, but now it was time to part ways.

Skylar hated the way that sounded like goodbye. "I love you too..." She held out her hand to Kayla. "We'll talk again soon right?" Even if she was still reeling, even if this all ended up with Skylar going home alone, she still wanted her best friend. They would patch up the situation before then. Somehow.

"Of course." Kayla nodded, giving her friend's hand a tight squeeze. She didn't want for them to end on this bad note, but she didn't think they had a choice. Things had gone much worse than she expected.