“So where did you say you got all this from?” Luke peered up at Aisell with a skeptical look in his eyes. Not too long ago she had made it quite clear there was no way he was ever going to be able to get home, and now she was lavishing him with a media selection of games, movies, songs and artwork from earth? It was enough to make him wonder.

Aisell’s mouth was full, she had what looked to be a caramel colored long snack item in her hand, and it was quite chewy as it took her some time to finish each bite. Once she swallowed, she spoke, licking her gums and lips as she did. “I told you, the woman from the pet shop gave me contact details.” Aisell took another bite, tearing the chewy candy bar piece off with a ‘snap’ sound.

“She just…GAVE this to you?” Luke scrunched his lips and eyed Aisell once more. “No rhyme or reason?”

“‘Course not! You’re not listening. She gave me some contact information.” Aisell spoke, mouth full of sweet candy. She didn’t want to tell Luke she had to pay a hefty price for the information. He felt guilty enough about the medical bill. Aisell didn’t know a whole lot about Earth men, but if they were anything like Archavian men, information like that was SURE to make him feel emasculated.

“The lady who gave me all these songs and movies and pictures and what not was Dr. Naskia Bass from a place called Tannhauser Gate.” Aisell’s eyes were diverted, watching the screen before her. She was thumbing through a selection of Earth pictures. Mostly famous places she had never heard of. “Why is that building leaning on its side?” Aisell asked distracted.

Luke peeked back at the screen from his perch on Aisell’s shoulder. “That is the Leaning Tower of Pisa…and it’s just that way I guess…I dunknow I think they built it on an ancient Indian burial ground or something.” Luke shrugged, in all his years he had never really stopped to ask WHY the Leaning Tower of Pisa was leaning. Looking at the pictures as Aisell sifted through them gave him a sick nostalgic feeling. He looked away after not too long.

“Oh this mountain has heads!” Aisell giggled to herself, munching on her snack idly.

“That is Mt Rushmore. It is a national monument to celebrate some of the founding fathers of my nation.” Luke sighed. He’d never actually been there.

“The States of America right?” Aisell thumbed through a few more photos.

“The United States of America…yea.” Luke used Aisell’s neck to support himself and let his legs stretch outward across her shoulder.

“Tell me about it?” Aisell asked, a tiny bit of a pout to her voice. Her long dirty blond hair cascaded over Luke as she turned her head to peek down at him; he was at an awkward angle so it was difficult. Aisell was secretly quite impressed by the pictures she was looking at. In all her years, everyone she had ever known, everything she had ever been taught, nothing prepared her for what she was looking at. Advanced building structures, monuments and ancient architecture; none of this looked to be the work of simple, content and nomadic savages.

Luke took a deep sigh; he really didn’t feel much like talking about it. But he had no reason to be snappy with Aisell, after all she had done for him, so he decided to oblige her. “Well…we are the most powerful country in the world. The United States of America has the strongest military, and one of the world’s strongest currencies. Our economy affects the world economy.”

“And who lives there? What are your people like?” Aisell asked, her voice betraying her fascination with what she was looking at, tall skyscrapers and densely populated cities.

“Well, a little bit of everything really. I mean, there is no ONE nationality that calls America their home. We are sort of a mixed mosaic of people from all over the world.” Luke smiled warmly as he remembered the little details he had allowed himself to forget these last few months.

“Is it a big country?” Aisell asked, hanging off every word Luke was saying like she was in school.

“Well we have a fairly big population…somewhere around 320 million people.” Luke shrugged.

“But is it big…like land wise?” Aisell went on, curiosity dripping from her sweet voice like dew off a tree.

“Sometimes it can seem endless…like you can start at one end and just keep on going…and everywhere you go it seems like the its someplace amazing…new and exciting.” Luke sighed, closing his eyes and crossing his legs slightly at the ankle.

“What’s it like though…describe it to me?” Aisell pressed on, a nagging but gentle voice. She brushed her silken hair from before her face and continued to thumb through the album, there was an endless number of pictures it seemed.

“Ok, well we have rivers and lakes…temperate forests and arid desert. We have a frozen icy state way up north…and we have dry sunny warm places down south. There is humid and damp swampy places, and places so full of people and buildings and –stuff- they say the sun never sets! There are cities of neon lights where the parties never stop…and we have deep homey places where the food comes from the soul, and the music plays on all through the night.” Luke was almost dreaming, his voice drifted off to places he’d been and people he had met.

“I wish I could see it…it sounds amazing.” Aisell spoke solemn and quietly, she didn’t quite know what else to say.

“Yea, it’s amazing.” Luke went on, he sat up and crossed his arms over his chest casually, letting his legs dangle down over Aisell’s shoulder. “Our nation was founded on the ideas of freedom, liberty, and justice for all.” Luke tapped his chin; he didn’t want to make it sound too ideal. “Well…that was the idea anyhow…like all countries…we had our hiccups.” Luke winced a little. “But it’s a free nation…where everyone has a sporting chance…ya know?” Luke shrugged a bit.

“No…I don’t…what do you mean?” Aisell was looking at what appeared to be family pictures. She felt a little awkward doing so, and went a little faster through them.

“Hmmm, well…just how it sounds I guess.” Luke took a breath; this really was starting to make him homesick. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Luke rolled the famous quote off the tip of his tongue, like he had heard it only yesterday. “That’s a quote from something called the Declaration of Independence.” Luke let out a heavy stuttering sigh.

“Oh?” Aisell paused her progression through the files Naskia had given her; she carefully scooped Luke off her shoulder and brought him before her face. She held a concerned but fascinated look across her face. “I had no idea Luke…I mean…it’s just…and please don’t get offended…but….”

“You thought were ignorant savages?” Luke half smiled.

Aisell sheepishly nodded, looking quite embarrassed. Her eyes appeared to be welling up with tears but she had done a fair job of controlling herself.

“Luke, I had no idea.” She almost whispered, ashamed to speak before him having just heard what she did.

“It’s ok…” Luke spoke calmly, there was no use taking it all out on her.

“No…it isn’t. We are raised thinking all humans are like the ones we have here…happy, simple, complacent…Luke we really don’t know about any of this.” Aisell motioned to the pad and then looked back to Luke. “I’m so sorry Luke…”

“Now you see…why I can’t stay here? Why I can’t just be somebody’s pet…right?” Luke spoke, his voice cracking.

“Of course…but Luke you know…I mean you have to know…well…it’s not like that with us ok?” Aisell wiped her eyes with her sleeve and cleared her throat in an effort to regain her composure. “Not before, and certainly not now!” Aisell spoke a lot more clearly with conviction to her voice.

“I know Aisell…and it means a lot…really….”

“Heh…it’s kinda funny…” Luke sighed, looking away from Aisell. Being with her, the way things were just now, it wasn’t so bad. Part of him wished he could bring himself to accept it. He could be happy with her, he could have it worse. Much worse! But he could never admit that, not to her.

“Hmm?” Aisell questioned.

“Never mind.” Luke shrugged. “Anyhow yea…so the Declaration of Independence is a document my nation adopted early on…as sort of a set of guiding principles…so to speak.” Luke’s eyes met with Aisell’s they were wet, but he was holding it together. “Can we talk about something else please?”

Aisell took a while to speak. She instantly picked up on Luke’s emotions and quickly with her free hand swiped the photo album away. “Oh…right…sorry Luke!” She bit her lip. She had wanted to make him feel better, but had actually made him feel even worse! The hurt expression in her eyes told the tale of her sorrow, but she wasn’t about to give up yet!

“What else did this ‘Ikea’ person give you?” Luke eyed the screen.

“Nas-key-ah…it’s a common name actually…it means she of the steady hand.” Aisell smiled, finding Luke’s humor warming.

“Hmmm, it’s a nice name.” Luke half smiled.

“Well these belong to her boyfriend. Dr. Niall Freeman. He arrived at the same time as you…and in the time he’s been here he’s made quite a life for himself. He’s earned respect, and managed to get recognized as a professor at…”

“Say that again?” Luke sounded almost upset.

“Dr…Niall…Freeman?” Aisell spoke, a little more reserved.

“No! The part about all that stuff he did? You say he arrived when I did? But that was only four months ago you said?” Luke watched Aisell carefully, something didn’t make sense and now he wanted answers!

“Well, as I was saying… he’s a professor at Tannhauser University…first human to be recognized as faculty staff there, well anywhere really. Why, do you know him?” Aisell frowned; she didn’t like how upset Luke was getting over this. She had only wanted to show him that humans like him could make a life for themselves…but something went wrong somewhere and now he was angry.

“No! But that’s beside the point! This doesn’t make sense! I’ve been here for 4 months and I’ve only just managed to pick up your language and not get myself killed! How has he done all that in such a short time?!” Luke was almost livid.

Aisell took a deep breath and didn’t exhale for quite some time. “About that…” She let her breath out at once, a nervous look on her face.

“Oh…oh hell now what?!” Luke was almost furious. He looked up at her from his perch on her palm livid, ready to blow a gasket.

“Ok…well…you HAVE been here for 4 months…but…that isn’t REALLY 4 months like YOU know them…”Aisell winced.

“Go on.” Luke spoke deadpan.

“Well…one month on my world is about four and a half months by your calendar…it’s to do with orbits n that…” Aisell braced herself for quite the reaction, but there was nothing, just stunned silence. “Luke?You ok?” She asked cautiously.

“I’ve been here…for over a year?” Luke spoke, amazed, deflated, and confused.

“Mmhmm.” Aisell carefully began to stroke Luke’s back. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before…but…well…our species measure time a little different.” She bit her lip, she hated having to tell it to him all at once.

“So…that means?” He looked up to her.

“Titan years I am 20 years old.” She spoke slow, stroking his back gently. “But by your years I’d be…” Luke cut her off.

“130…give or take…” Luke spoke, his expression emotionless.

“About that.” Aisell sat on edge as she watched Luke, his reaction to this had her worried.

“I’m…hardly older than three years old to you…” Luke gasped.

“No! Well ok yea…but I mean our species seem to mature differently…mentally we are about the same age…it’s just physically. I mean…Titans, we seem to progress slower than humans. So it all works itself out in the end.” Aisell smiled a careful nervous smile.

“Except you’ll live on for hundreds of years after I’m dead.” Luke turned away from her slowly.

“Well yes…but Humans live MUCH longer on Archavia…I mean…you’d live well into your hundreds without an ailment or sickness to be had! You’d be in amazing shape well into your elder years!” Aisell tried to lighten the mood, Luke didn’t seem to notice. He simply looked off into the distance, as if he had watched a train wreck and was captivated by the horrific sight before him, Luke was there in body, but his mind had wandered.

“I can’t stay here Aisell.” He muttered.

“Luke…” Aisell attempted to stroke his back once more but he quickly shrugged her off.

“I won’t!” Luke shouted angry. For all she had tried to calm him down and help him move on, she had only fueled his reckless obsession with finding a way home.

“I’m sorry…I am…really…I should have told you sooner…Luke try to calm down ok?” Aisell pleaded with Luke, who was breathing heavily and growing more and more enraged as he brooded on the cold hard truth.

“This is bull shit! It’s Bull Shit Aisell!” He store, lashing out at her verbally.

“Well I didn’t write the rule book! I’m sorry Luke it’s just how it is!” Aisell snapped back, forgetting herself for a moment and allowing her voice to project a little more than she’d have liked.

Luke was affected by the out lash and calmed a little, more out of anxiety than anything else.

“I’m sorry…look Luke…why don’t we watch a movie ok? There are at least a few dozen to pick from!

This Niall fella really loves his movies!” Aisell spoke with a more chipper tone, she carefully tilted her hand to place Luke onto her thigh so he had a better view of the screen before him.

Luke landed on his bottom and quickly stood, he wanted to run off somewhere to brood, but his blood ran cold at the idea of being alone, with all the creepy crawling beasts that he knew were about…Aisell was a safe zone…even when he was upset with her. It frightened him how reliant he was on her, how afraid he was to be without her. He felt like a small helpless child. He consciously reminded himself that this was only temporary and soon he’d be back to be relying on himself and no one else.

“Well what are some of the selections?”

Aisell’s lips pressed together and her eyes narrowed as she read through the list to herself. “Oh here’s one…Jack Ass?” Aisell looked down to Luke. “What’s a Jack Ass?” She looked confused.

“Never mind keep looking.” Luke chuckled.

“Battlestar Galactica?” Aisell narrowed her eyes.

“Bah never liked it.”

“Star Trek the Motion Picture?” Aisell tapped her chin carefully.

“This guy sounds like a total Sci-Fi nerd.” Luke laughed.

“Oh there’s one you might like! Groundhog Day!” Luke smiled, a light hearted comedy was just what he needed to cheer up!

“What is a Groundhog?” Aisell questioned.

“A rodent…but the movie isn’t really about that…it’s a comedy!” Luke settled into Aisell’s thigh, leaning against her soft stomach.

“Hmm, ok…well I have to work early in the morning but we have enough time for a movie! Why not?” Aisell smiled eagerly and set herself back, getting comfortable before she clicked on the movie to play.

Luke groaned and rubbed his eyes, they had gone through Groundhog Day, Titanic, Anchorman, and Silence of the Lambs. Aisell had sat through over nine earth hours of movies, and still seemed unsatisfied. She was in the process of thumbing through the movie selections for more.

“Do you still hear the Lambs Screaming Luke?” Aisell spoke in her best Dr Hannibal Lecter voice, which was actually quite spot on.

“Stop that.” Luke mumbled, he was much too sleepy for her sense of humor.

“You still wake up sometimes, don’t you? You wake up in the dark and hear the screaming of the lambs.” Aisell went on, her voice dark and raspy like the good Dr Lecter.

“Cut it out!” Luke grumbled batting away her fingers as they snaked towards him.

“I must confess Luke, I’m giving serious thought to eating you!” Aisell went on, her ability to match the actor’s voice quite unnerving.

“I get it ok! You didn’t find the movie scary! Quit being creepy!” Luke whined as he kicked at her invading fingers.

“Awww, is rough, tough lil Luke afwaid BIG BAD Aisell’s gonna eat him all up like SCARY Dr. Hannibal?!” Aisell giggled as she easily plucked Luke up from his comfortable spot on her thigh.

“No, but I am afraid you may have forgotten to brush your teeth first!” Luke grumbled as Aisell brought him close to her mouth, tilting her hand on an incline towards her slightly open maw.

“Omnomnom!” She teased as Luke slid to her lips, bracing his hands against her upper lip and his feet against her lower lip.

“I’m going to eat your liver with a side of fava beans!” She giggled.

“Do you even know what a fava bean is!?” Luke groaned.

Aisell plucked Luke back up and set him down on her thigh once more, looking back at the screen eagerly.

“Nope…so what are we gonna watch next!?” She sounded excited.

“Oh heavens, another one? Had I known this was gonna be a marathon I’d of prepared for it better!” Luke whined.

“It’s not my fault Human movies are so short! Just when I start to get into it WHAM it’s over!” Aisell spoke with a bit of a pout to her voice.

“They are plenty long enough!” Luke grumbled.

“Fine whatever you say…but just one more ok? I’m not sleepy yet!” Aisell spoke with a pouty lip.

“Well let me sleep and you can watch one more!” Luke demanded.

“Nooo! You have to stay with me!” Aisell demanded, in a childish but assertive tone.

“Why!?” Luke moaned.

“Because nobody likes to watch movies alone?” Aisell spoke mater-o-factly.

“Fine…one more but I get to pick!” Luke gave in with a sigh.

“Oh yay! You’re awesome Luke!” Aisell giggled and tittered as she sat back, watching Luke eye the selection.

“Ya know what…you might like this one here.” Luke spoke with a devious tone, grinning ear to ear.

“Oh what is it about?” Aisell’s attention had been captured.

“Well it has guns, and explosions…and aliens…and a big laser that blows things up!” Luke pointed to the movie he was speaking of.

“Independence Day?” Aisell read and looked back to Luke. “You wanna watch this one?” She spoke innocently.

“I sure do! You’ll LOVE IT!” Luke grinned, getting comfortable. This one was SURE to leave an impression…that much was sure.