Khan woke up in the middle of the afternoon sweaty as ever, and the odd clarity that filled him conveyed a reassuring message. His fever was gone, and the same went for most of his exhaustion. He could benefit from another nap, but resting too much wasn't his style.

Tempting thighs occupied Khan's vision and distracted him from his thoughts. Monica had freed him, offering her lap as a pillow. She was wearing a skirt, so Khan's struggles during the nightmare had partially uncovered her legs.

'I told her not to stay like this,' Khan sighed, kissing Monica's thigh before turning. She had fallen asleep without putting a single pillow between her back and the metal wall, and her head hung to her left while random snores left her mouth.

Khan lowered his gaze and opened his tracksuit. The hideous injury on his chest became visible, and he touched it to check it out. The wound still hurt, but some flesh was already growing over it. There might only be a faint mark once the healing process ended.

Repeating the process for the other wounds showed similar results. Khan's healing properties were incredible and didn't let him down. It had only taken him two days to make an almost-complete recovery.

Khan closed his eyes and rubbed the back of his head on Monica's lap before forcing himself to sit down. A sleepy complaint left her mouth while she snapped awake and showed her confusion, but a smile arrived when Khan took her in his arms.

"See,

" Khan whispered, holding Monica's shoulders to keep her right before him.

"You fell asleep.

"

"I was watching over you,

" Monica pouted.

"How is your fever?

"

"I'm fine,

" Khan responded, lowering his head to reach for Monica's lips.

"Check it,

" Monica stated, turning her head to make Khan's kiss end on her cheek.

"As you wish, ma'am,

" Khan sighed, and Monica turned to face the wall while he tinkered with the menus. A function activated and checked Khan's temperature before giving a satisfactory result.

"I told you,

" Khan said.

"I'm fine.

"

"Check again,

" Monica ordered.

"What?

" Khan asked, pulling Monica closer to his right shoulder.

"Do you want me to be sick?

"

"I like taking care of you,

" Monica revealed.

"You never let me when you are fine.

"

"I can always get sick again,

" Khan suggested.

"No,

" Monica whined, laying her head on Khan's shoulder.

"I like when you take care of me too.

"

"Speaking of which,

" Khan chuckled, turning to reach for Monica's waist. Yet, Monica's arm rubbed his chest, where his injury was, making him groan and interrupt the gesture.

Monica immediately realized what was happening and opened Khan's tracksuit to check his chest. That slight touch didn't worsen anything. It only caused pain.

"It will be sensitive for a while,

" Khan guessed.

Monica couldn't do much for that injury but didn't let its location discourage her. She quickly slipped from Khan's arm and crawled behind him to reach his left side. His elbow was also wounded, but she could get under it without touching that painful spot.

"I'll take my kiss now,

" Monica requested, and Khan didn't hesitate to comply.

The couple moved by the force of habit at that point. Khan turned to sit by the metal wall, and Monica put a pillow there before climbing on his lap. They were so used to being together that they already knew what they wanted and how.

"Check your phone,

" Monica whispered while her mouth went on Khan's neck.

"It rang a few times.

"

Khan lost himself in Monica's loving kisses while taking out his phone. He didn't receive any calls, only messages from Lucian and Jenny. The former wanted to know if he had retrieved special flowers that Pandora might desire, while Jenny had merely updated him about the recent events.

Opening Jenny's message confirmed what Khan had already suspected. Abora's outpost had shared the pictures of the lake area without adding any details. It only stated that Khan had caused that destruction.

The pages about Khan had gotten to work with that information. A video of the fuming lake and a vague picture of his return to the Harbor created a clear story. He had gone all-out on Abora, and his fans didn't hesitate to use the word

"monster

" as praise.

Monica had stopped playing with Khan's neck to check his phone, and reading those comments saddened her for multiple reasons. She didn't like how the entire Global Army was ignorant about Khan's best sides but hated even more that his fame was necessary. After all, only a monster could hope to stand in the same realm as the Solodrey family.

"I'd love you even if you were a real monster,

" Monica uttered while returning to Khan's neck.

"Do you know why?

"

"Because I'd be your monster?

" Khan wondered.

"That,

" Monica giggled,

"And because I'd be the only one to know how lovely you are.

"

"I've never been called lovely in my life,

" Khan scoffed, throwing his phone in the corner of the bed.

"You are so sweet and protective,

" Monica continued.

"Truly the best kind of scoundrel I could catch.

"

"I let myself be caught,

" Khan stated.

"I had to fight a witch and throw myself at you just to get your attention,

" Monica snorted.

"You also invaded my room,

" Khan added,

"Slapped me a few times, and forced me into a date.

"

"I'd do that and more to get you,

" Monica claimed.

"You are worth it.

"

Khan couldn't help but glance at Monica, and her captivating gaze drew their lips together. Monica left Khan's neck during the kiss, and her hands went on his hair while she claimed ownership of his lap.

"You might want to come up with something new,

" Khan joked when their lips separated.

"I might grow bored of this position.

"

"You love me too much for that,

" Monica played along.

"Someone is getting arrogant,

" Khan exclaimed, reaching for Monica's lips again while pushing her down.

"It's almost a pity that you are also right.

"

Monica giggled, forsaking words to wrap herself around Khan's neck and waist. The two finally had more time for themselves, and neither wanted to waste any second of it.

However, Monica's phone rang while the two were still busy kissing, and complaints inevitably resounded. Khan limited himself to a loud groan while Monica directly shouted.

"How does this keep happening?

" Monica cursed.

"Do they have cameras waiting for us to **?

"

"Who is it?

" Khan asked, leaning to his right to give Monica enough room to pick up her phone.

Monica browsed her skirt's pocket and pulled out her phone before wearing a surprised expression. She showed the screen to Khan and reading her mother's name made him give up on speaking again.

"Mom, what is it?

" Monica asked once the phone reached her ear.

"I apologize. Mother, what is it?

"

Khan smirked at Monica's annoyed expression and kissed her free cheek before moving downward. Monica caressed his hair, but Khan soon escaped her reach and arrived at her knees.

'Where did I see this?' Khan couldn't help but chuckle as his lips fell on Monica's soft, smooth skin. The same scene had happened with Liiza inside their cave, and those similarities only reaffirmed his feelings for Monica.

"How long am I supposed to remain hidden?

" Monica asked, shooting a glare at Khan that didn't last long under his affectionate gestures.

"Yes,

" Monica eventually whispered, throwing her head on the mattress and closing her eyes to enjoy Khan's foreplay.

"I'm listening.

"

Khan's smile broadened when Monica opened her legs and reached for her skirt. She grabbed that soft fabric in preparation for what was coming, and the gesture partially uncovered Khan's inevitable destination.

"What?!

" Monica suddenly exclaimed, slightly straightening her position to grab Khan's hair and interrupt his descent.

"Do you want to talk with Khan?

"

Khan frowned, but Monica appeared as confused as him, and the nod she performed told him that their intimacy had to wait. Khan felt forced to leave Monica's legs alone and wait for her to hand over her phone, but Madam Solodrey had other plans.

"Us together?

" Monica questioned.

"Mother, Khan just came back from a difficult-. Yes, I understand. I'll wake him up.

"

Khan spread his arms in confusion, but Monica received more questions.

"I never agreed to return to my flat. Besides, the entire Global Army knows we sleep together.

"

Monica lowered her gaze to listen to more questions, and the faint words that managed to reach Khan's ears allowed him to predict her reaction. As expected, Monica grew livid and raised her voice.

"I don't care how shameful it looks!

" Monica shouted.

"And not living with the man I chose would send the wrong message. You taught me that!

"

Madam Solodrey added more complaints, and the word

"marriage

" also came up, but that only made Monica angrier.

"I'm sorry, mother,

" Monica snorted.

"I didn't think being your daughter meant losing control of my pus-!

"

Monica couldn't finish her line since Khan leaped to seal her mouth. The conversation was fun to listen to, but he was already on Madam Solodrey's bad side, and letting Monica fight with her was bound to worsen his position.

Khan stole Monica's phone in the middle of her muffled complaints and brought it to his ear to make the call move to the next topic.

"Madam Solodrey, what a pleasure! I heard you wanted to talk with me.

"

"I wanted to talk to you,

" Madam Solodrey corrected,

"And my stubborn daughter. Put me on the screen.

"

"As you wish, ma'am,

" Khan responded, shooting a meaningful glance at Monica to calm her down. She complied without hiding her annoyance, but Khan ignored her to connect her phone to the room.

"Wait!

" Monica gasped when she realized what Khan was doing.

"I'm a mess.

"

Monica didn't attend to her appearance after Khan's shower, and he had even slept on her. Her skirt was full of creases, her pullover had a few dark stains, and her hair didn't carry its usual volume.<.com>

"You are as beautiful as ever,

" Khan reassured, starting the video call and hurrying back to the bed. Monica wanted to complain a bit longer, but the appearance of her mother's face on the wall forced her to stay put.

"Good evening,

" Madam Solodrey announced to abide by political pleasantries.

"Ideally, I would have discussed this in person, but my dear daughter's reckless actions made me busier than usual.

"

Monica diverted her gaze. She knew how deeply the interview had affected her public image, and her family had obviously faced annoying consequences. From a political standpoint, her actions had been a mistake she had been willing to make to protect Khan.

"It's saddening to see how harshly you let yourself go in these two weeks,

" Madam Solodrey continued, targeting Monica's appearance.

"Your political image would crumble if someone saw you like this.

"

"Monica has just finished tending to my injuries,

" Khan intervened, opening his tracksuit to show his injured chest.

"I can't imagine anyone minding their appearance during that practice.

"

"That's because you are an ignorant mutt,

" Madam Solodrey responded.

"Any member of the Solodrey family must be able to show their superior status even in the middle of a swamp.

"

'Is this an attack on me?' Khan wondered. His appearance after Abora's mission was already public news, so Madam Solodrey had probably seen it.

"Mother, please refrain from insulting my boyfriend,

" Monica said, conveying as much seriousness as possible.

"If you have a problem with him, bring it to me.

"

"I wish it was so simple,

" Madam Solodrey sighed.

"I would have pulled you out of the Harbor already otherwise. Sadly, it seems I raised you well.

"

"Mother?

" Monica asked while taking Khan's hand. Those words hinted at something hopeful, and even Khan could feel that.

"Your stunt cornered us,

" Madam Solodrey revealed.

"Splitting you from the Captain would say that my rebellious daughter tricked her family. We can't appear as fools when the entire Global Army is looking at us.

"

"You could have smeared my reputation,

" Khan suggested, pretending not to see Monica's glare.

"I know you considered that.

"

"We obviously did,

" Madam Solodrey confirmed.

"However, that would still say that the Solodrey family made a bad investment or let a simple Captain trick them. It would also ruin my daughter's prospects since she would be at the center of the issue.

"

Khan understood that reasoning. The Solodrey family would have to sacrifice something to remove Khan from the equation. Monica would be the smallest price, but that remained too much due to her relevance among her generation.

"So?

" Monica questioned, tightening her grip on Khan's hand.

"As regretful as it is,

" Madam Solodrey exclaimed,

"I must give my public approval of your relationship.

"

Monica couldn't hold back an excited cry when she heard those words. She even jumped on Khan due to the unstoppable happiness she experienced. Monica touched many of Khan's injuries when she threw herself at him, but he didn't dare to show any pain in front of her mother.

"What's the catch?

" Khan wondered while keeping Monica steady in his embrace.

"There is no catch,

" Madam Solodrey replied, uncaring of the steady gaze that Khan continued to point at her.

"However, being my daughter's official partner comes with obligations that must match the Solodrey family's standards.

"

"Khan is-,

" Monica tried to complain, but Khan sealed her mouth and brought her on his shoulder to let Madam Solodrey continue.

"I'll provide precise instructions after this call,

" Madam Solodrey explained.

"Still, to summarize, we expect proper conduct in public. We can't have any shameful behavior connected to the Solodrey name. Actually, we want every family to envy my daughter's decision to have you as her partner.

"

"What else?

" Khan questioned.

"You'll be under thorough scrutiny,

" Madam Solodrey continued.

"You didn't earn the Solodrey name yet. You aren't even my daughter's fiancé. No matter what we announce publicly, you are just a soldier who was given a chance.

"

"What else?

" Khan repeated, knowing that Madam Solodrey was far from done.

"We are aware of your duties with Headmistress Holwen,

" Madam Solodrey stated.

"Yet, we'll treat you as an asset of the Solodrey family from now on. That includes tasks within your missions or duties that require your rank and expertise.

"

Khan nodded. The Solodrey family wanted to leave their brand of ownership on him. That wasn't ideal, but Khan expected a similar outcome.

"Also,

" Madam Solodrey added,

"As my husband already mentioned, you are indebted to the Solodrey family. We expect half of your future earnings as temporary compensation for the interest amassed until now.

"

Monica couldn't stay put anymore. Madam Solodrey wasn't only after Khan's money. She would also take it just to fill the interest rate without actually affecting the overall debt.

"There's the catch,

" Khan chuckled, using both arms to keep Monica put and silent.

"It's no catch,

" Madam Solodrey scoffed.

"This is preferential treatment. Any other soldier would have been imprisoned, sold, or forced to work for the rest of his life.

"

"I guess I should be flattered of such concern,

" Khan joked.

"I definitely expect gratitude,

" Madam Solodrey revealed.

"Though, I want to see it in your actions. Words and promises are useless to me.

"

"I'll match your expectations, ma'am,

" Khan promised.

"More words,

" Madam Solodrey scoffed.

"Consider yourself lucky, Captain Khan. It's not my style to offer a path to redemption.

"

Monica grew even angrier. Khan didn't do anything wrong, but her mother continued to claim moral superiority, and he was letting her take it.

"I am lucky,

" Khan declared.

"I have the chance to make your daughter happy without resorting to ploys.

"

"Oh, did you even have ploys?

" Madam Solodrey didn't hide her haughtiness.

"Of course,

" Khan laughed.

"I'm among the best students in the Harbor with meaningful connections stretching to the nobles. I was far from cornered.

"

Monica calmed down to focus on Khan. She didn't know where he was going with that speech, but the topic interested her.

Truth be told, Khan was partially lying. He had a possible plan but had never moved to implement it. That reasoning simply was the result of his accumulated experience and knowledge.

"And how would you use these qualities?

" Madam Solodrey questioned.

"Nothing too complicated,

" Khan stated.

"I'd simply have kidnapped your daughter, stolen a ride, and lived the rest of our days as space pirates.

"

"I'm in no mood for jokes, Captain,

" Madam Solodrey warned.

"I'm not joking,

" Khan pressed on.

"You'd be surprised by how good your daughter looks in leather boots.

"

"Captain,

" Madam Solodrey called, not knowing how serious Khan was about that topic.

"I expect you to refrain from wasting my time in useless talks from now on.

"

"They aren't useless if they can make Monica happy,

" Khan declared.

Madam Solodrey inevitably glanced at her daughter. Khan wasn't restraining her anymore. She had calmed down enough to feel a bit embarrassed about that straightforward compliment, and a genuine smile had also filled her expression.

"I told you already,

" Madam Solodrey announced.

"Happiness is a luxury for us and you too now.

"

Khan wanted to speak some more, but Madam Solodrey closed the call, making the screen on the wall go dark. At that point, a message reached Monica and Khan's phones, and the room's menus confirmed that the instructions mentioned before had arrived.

"I'll buy new boots if you like them so much,

" Monica whispered now that privacy had arrived.

"I prefer your skirts,

" Khan teased, lifting Monica to put her on his lap.

"Still, I wouldn't be against trying something new. I'm sure anything will look perfect on you.

"

"Scoundrel,

" Monica giggled, stretching her legs and laying her head on the intact part of Khan's chest.

"What was that pirate thing anyway? If you wanted to get on my mother's nerves, I could have helped.

"

"I was serious,

" Khan revealed.

"Well, it was just a vague idea.

"

"What do you mean?

" Monica questioned, lifting her head to look at Khan's mysterious expression.

"Escaping is hard but not impossible,

" Khan explained.

"I'd just need a short window to get outside the system and into outer space. I still have much to learn about those paths, but there must be one leading to some lawless zone.

"

"And you would kidnap me for such a long and dangerous journey?

" Monica wondered.

"Definitely,

" Khan stated, lowering his head to face Monica.

"You are stuck with me now, and I'm not easy to get rid of.

"

"Wasn't that my line?

" Monica questioned.

"I stole it,

" Khan claimed,

"Just like I'd steal you from your family.

"

"Alright, space pirate Khan,

" Monica giggled, pushing on Khan's shoulders to make his back hit the mattress.

"We have many regulations to review, but I think celebrations are in order.

"

"Oh?

" Khan feigned ignorance.

"What's there to celebrate?

"

"The fact that you got the best girlfriend in the world,

" Monica responded,

"And I got the best boyfriend in the world.

"

"We already had that,

" Khan continued to play dumb while Monica leaned on him and planted her hands at his head's sides.

"But we can be that in the open now,

" Monica stated,

"Without resorting to your kidnapping plan.

"

"I guess I can put my great escape aside for now,

" Khan nodded before a meaningful smirk appeared on his face due to how intensely Monica was looking at him.