Charlotte and Khan were running faster than they ever had in their life. Charlotte was running blindly after him, her legs screaming for rest. She was panting. Someone was chasing them. Charlotte paused to look behind her. Khan stopped to let her go in front of him.

"Don't look back! Keep running!" He shouted. "Keep running!" 

Charlotte kept running as fast as she possibly could. She wanted to know who was chasing her, but every time she stopped Khan would shove her to make her run again. She suddenly heard a Phasor shot behind them. 

Charlotte woke up, her face slick with sweat. She and Khan were here. That had been nothing but a nightmare. Khan was sleeping peacefully beside her. It hadn't felt like just a dream, though. Charlotte shook her head. She held Khan's hand a little more tightly. Khan stirred a little and opened his eyes.

"Mm, darling, what is it?" He asked tiredly.

"I had a bad dream." Charlotte said. "Can I come in there with you?"

"Of course." Khan nodded.

Charlotte opened the metalic hole and crawled inside next to Khan. He held her body close to his and nuzzled her. Charlotte closed her eyes and rested her head against his chest.

"I love you, Khan." She sighed as she fell asleep.

"I love you too, Charlotte." Khan said. 

Charlotte fell asleep, wrapped in Khan's warm embrace. She felt Khan kiss the back of her head just as she drifted off. She didn't have any dreams during that slumber. When she woke up the next morning, it was because Khan was shaking her. 

"Darling, get up." He said.

"Khan, it's not even dawn..." Charlotte said, batting his hands away. "You can wake me as soon as the lights turn on." 

"No, wake up now." Khan said. 

The urgency in Khan's voice forced Charlotte to wake up. She sat up and looked around, worried. Khan gave her an apologetic look.

"I can hear your Captain coming." Khan said. "You need to get out of here."

Charlotte understood and nodded. She quickly crawled out through the hole and laid down on the bench, pretending to be asleep. Khan then laid down on his cot and also pretended to be asleep. Kirk and Spock stopped to look at Khan's sleeping form. Charlotte heard Kirk and Spock whispering. Their footseps then retreated. Charlotte's eyes opened slightly as she peeked around for the Captain and First Officer. She saw that they were gone and sat up. She tapped on the glass of Khan's cell. He opened his eyes.

"They're gone." Charlotte said. "We need to be careful. No one can know about us besides...us." 

"Yes, you're right." Khan nodded. "You're sure they're gone?"

"Very." Charlotte said. 

"Then get back in here." Khan said. 

Charlotte chuckled and slipped back inside the prison cell. Khan slipped his arms around her and laid back down with Charlotte on top of him. He wrapped the blanked around her, trying to keep her warm. Charlotte smiled faintlhy and closed her eyes. Khan stroked her hair.

"Sleep, my darling." Khan whispered. "I will protect you."

He drifted off himself. When they both woke up, it was late morning. Lucky for them, no one had seen them cuddling. Charlotte crawled out through the metalic hole and sighed. She just wanted to do nothing with Khan all day, but that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. Khan seemed sad that she had to stay away from him the whole day. That's what Charlotte thought, anyway. Khan was sad about something else.

"Hey, Khan, you want something to eat?" Charlotte asked. Khan just huffed. Charlotte frowned. "You okay?" 

"We can't be together." Khan said.

"Of course we can." Charlotte said. 

"No, I mean that I can't see any way for us to be together." Khan said. "Even if Admiral Marcus were to allow me to live, I would still be sent to a high security prison. We would never be able to see each other." 

"Then we just make the most of our time together now." Charlotte said. "Khan, we'll be okay. I can promise you that."

"No, you can't." Khan said. "I love you dearly, Charlotte, even more than my previous lover, and I want to be with you. But we can't."

"Khan, I refuse to give up on you. Please, just let me love you while I have the chance." Charlotte said. Khan sighed.

"Fine. But when we can't see each other any more, it's going to be much more devistating for both of us." He said.

"Then we'll make every second we have together count." Charlotte said. "Now, do you want anything to eat or not?" 

Khan chuckled. "No, I'm fine." 

"Suit yourself." Charlotte shrugged. "I'm not really hungry anyway. I'll stay with you."

"Okay." Khan said. 

Charlotte held Khan's hand through the hole and just looked into his eyes. They were a beautiful mixture of green, blue, and gold. Khan let go of her hand and reached through the hole to stroke her cheek. Charlotte leaned into his touch. Khan was amazed to see how much she trusted him only after knowing him for a few days. He could snap her neck right now if he wanted. But he wouldn't because he loved her. He leaned in. They had a little trouble, but they managed to kiss through the hole. Their foreheads rested againts one another.

"I love you." Charlotte whispered. 

"I love you too." Khan murmured. 

"Khan, we'll find a way to stay together." Charlotte said. "We can try."

"I can't see any way for us to be together unless we escape. And that would be too risky. I would be compromising your safety, as well as the rest of-" Khan cut himself off.

"The rest of...?" Charlotte prompted.

"Nothing." Khan said. "As well as my own." 

"What were you going to say?" Charlotte asked.

"Nothing, darling." Khan said. He gave her a stern look and sounded firmer this time. 

"Khan, please. Tell me." Charlotte said.

"Charlotte, shut up!." Khan hissed. He was looking behind her, at people who were passing by. He looked back at Charlotte. "I'll talk to you later about it, okay?"

"Okay." Charlotte nodded.

"You should take a break. I bet it's getting boring, staying with me all the time." Khan said. 

"No, I enjoy your company, Khan." Charlotte said. "If you want me to, I'll stay with you."

"I would like you to stay." Khan said.

"All right." Charlotte said. 

Charlotte sat by Khan, since they couldn't really talk without people getting suspicious. If anyone checked on them, Khan just wouldn't look at him. Finally, it was late into the night. Khan turned to Charlotte, who seemed to be half asleep. He decided that what he had to say could wait until morning. He patted the empty space on the cot. 

"Do you mind if I stay in my own room tonight?" Charlotte asked.

"Not at all." Khan said. "Just let me kiss you goodnight." 

"I have no complaints with that." Charlotte said. 

She opened the metalic hole so she could get inside and wrapped her arms around Khan's neck and kissed him. Charlotte hoped that no one came by and Khan's handler kissing him. There would be hell to pay if that happened. Khan and Charlotte broke away, breathless. Khan nuzzled Charlotte and kissed her on the cheek.

"Goodnight, my darling." He whispered.

"Goodnight, my strong criminal." Charlotte said. Khan chuckled. "I love you."

"I love you too." Khan said. "Go now, before I force you to stay."

Charlotte giggled and went out through the metalic hole. She went to her room and curled up on her bed, glad to get some sleep on something comfortable. But she couldn't help missing Khan's warmth and his voice lulling her to sleep. She wished he could be there beside her. She finally fell asleep. She slept until the lights in her room came on. She then rushed to see Khan. Kirk and Spock were trying to get him to talk again. Khan was staring blankly off. Kirk was getting angry. He opened the hole and grabbed Khan, pulling him towards him. Kirk punched Khan in the face. Khan didn't act like it hurt, but it still made Charlotte mad.

"JAMES, KNOCK IT OFF!" She yelled, storming towards them. 

"He's refusing to talk, Charlie." Kirk said. "He talks to you. Could you try?"

"I-I don't know, sir." Charlotte sighed. "I might be able to try."

"Good. Ask him any questions you like about what he did." Kirk asked.

"Okay." Charlotte nodded. "Could you leave us?"

Kirk nodded and left her alone with Khan, taking Spock with him. Charlotte turned to Khan. He looked at her, betrayal flashing through his eyes.

"You're working with them, aren't you?" He said. 

"In a way, Harrison." Charlotte said, fearful that Kirk could be listening. She gave Khan a pleading look. He nodded. He understood why she was using his allias. "I'm your handler and their doctor."

"Ah, of course." Khan said. 

"Why did you do what you did on Earth?" Charlotte asked. She truly wanted to know. Khan wouldn't talk. Charlotte tilted her head. "Please, Harrison. Tell me." 

"No." Khan said firmly. "I wouldn't talk to them. What makes you think I would talk to you?"

"I'm the only one on this ship who's had the decency to be kind to you." Charlotte said.

"That does not make a difference to me." Khan said. "I'm not going to talk."

"Fine." Charlotte said.

She went and found Kirk. He was right where Charlotte thought he would be. If she had used Khan's real name. he would have heard it. She told him that Khan had refused to talk and that she had tried. Kirk had let her go back to her post at Khan's cell. She wouldn't look at him.

"Darling." Khan said. Charlotte wouldn't budge. "Darling, I'm sorry. I just thought...I thought you were working with them and had been playing with my affections."

"Well, I thought you had been playing with mine too!" Charlotte finally looked at Khan. "It hurt when you said that you didn't care that I had been nice to you. Everyone on this ship will just take me and how nice I am for granted and I hate it."

"Charlotte, I didn't know." Khan said. "I'm truly sorry."

Charlotte finally sighed after a minute or two. "Fine. I forgive you." 

"Get in here." Khan said.

Charlotte sighed, but came into the cell. Khan pulled her onto her lap and nuzzled her. Charlotte laughed, finally forgetting her hurt and anger. Khan truly loved her and she knew it. Khan kissed her on the cheek and then just held her on his lap. Charlotte sighed, glad to just stay with Khan like this forever.

"You know, Khan, I never imagined that you'd be a cuddler." Charlotte said.

"Oh? Why is that?" Khan asked.

"Mostly your reputation. But you can't judge a book by it's cover." Charlotte said.

"No, I suppose you can't." Khan said. 

"Did you ever cuddle with your other girlfriend?" Charlotte asked.

"No. She had a lot of energy, so we didn't have time to really just...be with each other like this." Khan said. "But this is a nice change."

"I'm glad you think that." Charlotte said.

"Am I good cuddler?" Khan asked.

"Good doesn't even begin to cover it. You're a fantastic cuddler." Charlotte said. 

"Well, get used to it. I might be here for a little while." Khan said.

"I could get used to this, actually." Charlotte said. "I love you." 

"I love you too." Khan said, kissing her hair softly. 

Charlotte rested her head against Khan and closed her eyes. She was just resting, not sleeping. Khan turned his head so he could keep watch and alert Charlotte of any trouble that came along. He looked down at Charlotte. She was so pretty.

"You're beautiful, Charlotte, did you know that?" Khan asked.

"Not until now." Charlotte said, her face flushing red and her eyes still closed. 

"You are." Khan said. 

"Stop flattering me." Charlotte giggled.

She wrapped her arms around Khan's neck and nuzzled him. Khan leaned back against the wall so Charlotte would be more comfortable. He vowed then and there to protect her and not to let anything happen to her. Charlotte, however, was wishing that she could stay with Khan like that forever.