Needledrop

14

"I suggest you don't." I tell her with a snarky smile, my eyes setting a heated glare on her.

"This doesn't involve you my dear, please walk away." Inezze speaks sweetly, the way you would to a child.

"No. I happen to think you need to leave." I growl at her. "Giovanni is in love with Jake, simple as that. So what they both happen to be men. Their love is true and real and strong. There is no reason for you to hate them so much. You speak of solitude and loneliness, how love is a weakness, but you yourself have fallen in love with someone. The proof of that is standing right before you." She looks stunned by my words. I am stunned by my words. "You've no right to force your child into the lifestyle you have chosen for yourself. He has a right to love and happiness as does everybody else." I find myself out of breath, my heart pounding. Where'd that come from? She storms past me and out the door after staring at me for a minute in silence. I look back at Giovanni who looks worse than when I left him this morning. His eyes are bloodshot, tears stain his cheeks, large purple begs are under his blue eyes, he looks like shit. His hand is clutching onto Jake's tighter.

"Thank you." His voice is soft and hoarse. An idea pops into my head at that moment.

"I'll make you a deal." He nods along to my words. "You come with me to this dinner and I will transfer Jake into my ship. Dayna will be able to watch over him and it will keep him safe from anyone wishing him harm." His eyes light up softly and I can't help but smile. He agrees and we call in Billy, getting his help in transferring Jake.

"Good afternoon Wynnona." Dayna speaks as we enter. "Welcome home Giovanni." He gives me a soft smile at Dayna's words.

"The medical bay is this way." I tell them as I lead the way. We get Jake onto one of the comfy beds and hook him up to the ship, his life-support connected to Dayna now. "Take good care of him Dayna." I command softly to the AI.

"Of course." Is her response.

"I'll go pack you a bag." I tell Giovanni as he settles into the warm chair next to the bed. I made sure to give him a comfy one that reclines so he can sleep properly tonight. I leave to get the others and pack a bag of stuff for Giovanni. While I'm going through his dresser, I find a bundle of polaroid's. Each is of Giovanni as he ages. It starts with him as a little baby and ends with a photo of him and Jake, Jake showing off the ring on his hand. After the pictures I find an old camera and a large bundle of paper, I assume it's for the camera. The camera is pale blue and has obviously been fixed several times.

I decide to pack everything in the bag I have.

I leave the room and meet everyone on my ship, giving the bag to Giovanni as I go by the room. I get to the central control unit and start up the ship, leaving the landing pad we are on. I put in the coordinates and leave the ship to travel at lightspeed. Keya is investigating the ship to a fuller extent with Brett. Oriana and Lillian are nowhere to be seen. Probably finishing what I walked in on earlier. I decide to go take a nap.

My mind has been focused on the vision I had a while back, mainly my own death and the girl I was with. From what I saw we were being rather intimate. A part of me longs to meet the girl I saw myself with in the vision, but another part is more focused on not dying in the time it takes to meet her. Something about this meeting also feels off to me. I can't quite place it, but something isn't right. And what is the orange stones challenge? What does orange represent again?

I decided I can't sleep because of my racing thoughts. I take a breath and grab a book I brought with me from earth. I don't regret not bringing all my books, this place had a huge library of books. I open the old pages and pick up from where I left off in my book. After a couple hours of reading we are close to our destination. I leave the room, heading back to being in control of the ship. A communication comes through to the ship, one I answer quickly.