Aria's POV

The minute he left, I started to feel like I was regretting it. Yes, feel. I am feeling too much and it's getting very confusing. I should have gone with him, yet I also know that I have to at least 'show' signs of trust, to help make all this work. Grabbing up the remote off the bed, I flip through the channels as I lay across the middle of the bed and work on how my red gown keeps getting twisted around my body.

The human idea of 'News' has so many droning tones that I just keep on flipping. As I come to a stop again, big sweeping music fills the room as a movie starts up. It's called "The Godfather." Closely, I watch the inter-family relationships, studying them. Before I realize what's happened, I am so thoroughly engrossed that Richard has to yell at me to gain my attention. I looked up at him in surprise, noting the plastic bag in his hand. He actually came back. Why? Any other human would have run. But then, he's not quite like the others either.

He took one look at the TV and grinned, "Now I understand why I had to yell at you. This is one helluva movie. I'm glad it's your first one." Turning he set the plastic bag down and pulled out two cans of soda and some big red solo cups. "Are you hungry at all Aria?" I shook my head negative as I watched the scene between the brothers at the wedding. My chest felt a bit tight and I felt an unfamiliar ache. When Richard offered me one of the drinks, I looked away, not quite understanding what was happening to me and not wanting to show weakness.

Turning back around, Richard set the cups down and sat down next to me on the bed, his hand stretched out to my shoulder touching the skin gently. His voice was deep and warm, "I've noticed a few things, Aria. You are beginning to feel human emotions, aren't you? If so, tell me and I can help a bit. Our emotions can be dangerous because we are a volatile warlike species." I want to trust him with this. I am not human, and I am the only one of my kind. There is no one else I can turn to.

Looking up at him I gave the barest of nods and to my surprise, he smiled. Drawing my body close up to his, he wrapped his arms around me in a warm embrace that felt strong and secure somehow. Not sure what to do, I just lay my head on his shoulder. With a free hand he stroked my hair. "It will be, or likely already is a very confusing thing. Give yourself time, and I'll help in any way I can."

Closing my eyes, I listened to the steady rhythm of his heart for a moment, then pushed back a bit as I felt my body beginning to respond to the nearness of him. "This changes nothing in why you are here with me now. But tell me, why didn't you try and run away?"

Carefully, he let me go, only to pick up my hands and place them on his chest while his arms enveloped my body once more. "I stayed out of scientific curiosity in you. No matter how anguished I feel over the town and its people being destroyed, the fact remains, you are an enigma. A puzzle if you will, that I want to solve piece by piece. On a personal level, you make me feel things that I shouldn't be feeling toward a member of another species. Let alone, feel toward members of my own. I want to know why, and how. None of it makes sense..." He trailed off as his eyes looked deeply into mine. I know what happens at a time like this. I have seen it in Tina's memories.

His hands come around my body and cup my cheeks. My core of energy starts spinning faster pumping the blood through my body. His head dips toward mine and he kisses me with soft pliant lips that move against mine in a feather-light caress, that makes my body tingle, feeling like he is the one with a gravity core, pulling me in. With regret, he pulls back, though I don't really want him to. My fingertips go to my lips and I rise from the bed a little bit dazed. What the hell was that?! "Aria? Are you okay?" He asks. This time, I am the one that seeks refuge in the bathroom.

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Richard Weston's POV

Why did I follow my damned instincts instead of my brain? Now I've chased her off. Great, just great. I even sounded like a whipped man. Which I'm not. But is it so bad to want to know such things? Getting up, I move over to the chair at the table and start removing my shoes and socks again. My toes sink into the old blue shag carpeting, and God does it feel good. Then my fingers go to work at the buttons on my blue flannel shirt. Removing it, I hang it on the back of the chair that I am sitting on. When I look up, it's to find her standing at the end of the bed, staring at me. Time to pay the piper. "I'm sorry, Aria. I shouldn't have done that." I looked her in the eyes and offered a small smile before hanging my head.

Very soft in sound, I barely make out her voice. Which has tones of curiosity, as she considers what occurred. "It's alright." Her fingertips trace her lips as she looks down."It was...a unique experience."

"Did you find it pleasurable, or bad?" I countered as my own curiosity came to the surface.

Aria looked up though she seemed unable to keep eye contact."If by 'pleasurable' you mean if it felt good, then yes it was." One hand absently ran down the length of her side. "This body began to tingle from head to toe, and my core energy started spinning faster if this makes sense to you."

As I watched her I felt my own body responding to hers, trying to control it...but, that would be impossible. Glancing at the clock on the nightstand, I got up and gestured to the bed. "We better get some rest. Tomorrow should be interesting for you. I am taking you to the park around the corner from the liquor store."

She backed away from the bed. "My gown keeps twisting around me when I lay on that thing." She looks at the bed as if she wants to kill it, so I laugh.

Reaching behind me to the back of the chair, I grab up my blue flannel and toss it to her. "Sleep in that, then. It should keep you covered." I grinned and turned off the overhead light, then stretched out on the bed as she went to go and change in the bathroom.

Then, she came back out.

She looked sexier than hell in my flannel shirt and those legs! They went all the way up to her hidden ass. But God they were beautiful. I grew hard just looking at her. I never should have given her that shirt to wear. Now I'll never sleep. I growled inwardly.

Sitting down on her side of the bed, she swiveled her body to raise her legs up on the mattress, then turned her back to me. "I hope you sleep well, Richard." Her hands fluffing her pillow before she rests her head again.

Staring at the back of her head, I reached to the side and turned off the bedside light. "Well hopefully, you can experience some sleep too. Goodnight, Aria. I closed my eyes and sleep took me quickly.

One hour later...

Without opening my eyes, I reached down and found the curve of her hip. We were both snuggling 'spoon style' and I was hard as a rock due to the sweetly rounded ass that was grinding against me. I don't even think she knew what she was doing. Groaning in sexual frustration, I rolled onto my back. She must be dreaming of a dream that belonged to the woman whose body she took. Closing my eyes, I know for sure this will be a long night.

Six hours later...

When I opened my eyes to the daylight filling the room, it was not because it was time to wake, but was because I no longer felt her presence nearby. Turning my head, I saw her skin outlined by the sun at the window with the curtains drawn back. Her long legs disappeared under the flannel shirt and golden hair shined bright like the sun. Slowly, I sat upright and sleepily yawned before I stood up and walked up behind her. Bending my head, I rested it above her shoulder. "Aria, what is it?" I asked when my hand touched her shoulder only to find her all tensed up.

Pointing with her finger to something on the other side of the glass, my eyes followed. "Just as you said. A single line of black vehicles heading for Calhoun Manor. Looks like they're on our tail. We gotta work on throwing them off. Whether NASA or the Feds."

Turning around Aria looked at me with raised brows. "We? Are you sure about this?"

Smiling down at her, I take her by the hand and lead her to sit on the bed with me. "Yeah, I'm sure. We got plans to make. Gotta form a strategy..." She shut me up with a quick peck of a kiss that left her blushing.