Nebula woke up the same as she did every morning, she was still tired from the late nights. She looked over to the empty side of the bed where Angel had slept just a few days ago. She missed her, but knew she was going to be seeing her again. She got up and looked in her mirror. Her makeup was streaked, and her hair was in a hopeless tangle. She wished it wasn’t so long, but her boss forbade any of the dancers to cut their hair. She got a brush and started untangling her wild mane.
    She finally put the brush down and went to take a shower. The warm water hissed out of the shower head and cascaded over Nebula’s body. She always felt grimy after getting out of those awful rubber suit’s she and the other girls had to wear. They were so hot, and mixed with the lights flashing on the stage, and all those people crowed around the stages just made it worse.
    Her body ached from all the bending and moving she had to do. She was going to visit the masseuse today, it was her night off and she wanted to be pampered. After cleansing her body she put on a clean robe, and let her wet hair dangle instead of putting it up in a towel. When the thought of breakfast flashed in her mind, her doorbell rang.
    She went into her now tidy living room and pressed a button on her security device. It was a small screen built into her wall, being in the profession she was in, she had to be careful. It was a delivery man, with a package of some kind. She went over and opened the door. “Yes?”
    “I have a package for Nebula Star?”
    “That’s me.” Nebula held out her hand to take the package. The delivery man held it out of her reach.
    “ID?”
    Nebula sighed with annoyance. “I’ll get it.” She shut and locked the door and went back into her bedroom and dug it out of her purse. She went back and opened the door once again. She handed her ID to the delivery man. She crossed her arms over her chest while he took a pen with a sensor on the end out of his pocket. He used the tip to scan a code on the side of the ID, by Nebula’s picture.
    He handed Nebula the package and her ID back. “Have a nice day ma’am.”
    “You to.” She shut the door and examined the package. It was a small thin box, she hadn’t ordered anything she could remember. The address was from the Delta Mark station, sector 25. The address seemed familiar, then it hit her, Angel sent her a letter from there once. It must be the plan! She opened the box and removed the contents. It was a packet of papers stapled together. On the front was an adhesive note in Angel’s handwriting. “Read the highlighted portion.” It was about catching Madrid. She had got the man that ran the hotel to cooperate with the police and he had agreed to keep two rooms on reserve. It was getting down to the wire.
    Nebula removed the note and started reading. Only the first paragraph was highlighted. It was an outline of how the operation was going to go. She needed to know this inside and out so she started reading. On the next Tuesday, which was tomorrow, she was to entertain Madrid as usual. Then she was to suggest meeting at a hotel for a free exhibition, where police would be waiting in a conjoining room. Nebula was to keep him occupied and wait for police to intervene. “That’s it?” Nebula said out loud. That was all that she was going to do? The rest of the pages were nothing but explaining what was going to happen to Madrid after he was arrested.
    “Nothing but a paragraph.” Nebula tossed the pad onto her kitchen counter. If that was all she needed to do she wouldn’t need to reread it. The only real work was going to be waiting until Tuesday. She decided to continue with her day off pampering. She phoned the masseuse to make a house call, she didn’t feel like driving today, it was her day off, someone else should have to drive her. She wished she was rich enough to afford a chauffer.
    
    Nebula soon found herself back at work. She was in the back of the club getting ready just as usual, but today, her heart was pounding. She had already anticipated the note taped to her dressing mirror. Mr. Smyth wanted a private show. She decided to do it first, instead of being nauseous on the stage. If she threw up on someone they wouldn’t come back, and the boss would really get her. She was in a more breathable suit this time. A red tube top and hot pants. She also had red gloves on, she was barefoot. She could move without falling in bare feet.
    Nebula was a bundle of nerves as she walked down the hall, which seemed longer than usual. She found the door with her name displayed on a small screen embedded in the door. She turned the knob and went inside. She locked the door and turned around. Madrid was sitting on the couch, a bouquet of fire pinks in a crystal vase. “Hello Mr. Smyth.”
    “Hey baby.” Madrid was wearing his sunglasses, he usually pulled them down but he didn’t. “What’s the matter?”
    “Nothing,” Nebula immediately thought of the plan. “Thank you for the flowers Mr. Smyth.”
    “I thought you would like them. I want you to dance to something lively tonight.”
    “Of course.” Nebula walked over to the panel on the wall and selected a song from the meager list. She started to dance. She didn’t know why he even bothered asking her to dance, he would just grab her about fifteen seconds into the song. Nebula had only gotten her gloves off when Madrid grabbed her and threw her down onto the floor.
    He pushed the crotch of her shorts aside and shoved himself into her. Nebula winced. He was always so rough, it was like he tried to hurt her. Nebula just gritted her teeth and waited for him to finish.
    The song had played about four times when Madrid finally got off her, and the whole time she was thinking about Angel, she always thought about Angel. She sat up and got her thoughts together and decided it was time to proposition him. “Mr. Smyth, how would you feel about getting a private exhibition, for free?”
    Madrid was back on the couch, but at the mention of the word “free” he leaned foreword. “What do you mean ‘free?’”
    “Well, we can get a hotel room, and I’ll give you a one of a kind dance.”
    Madrid smiled. His teeth looked terrible. “That sounds good. I would like that.”
    Nebula cleared her throat, “Well how about Friday? Will you still be in town?”
    “I was planning to leave tomorrow,”
    “Please?” Nebula said moving to her knees and looking up at him. “I would really love it if you could stay just a few days longer.” He didn’t show any emotion in his face. “For me?” She winked at him, the glitter on her eyelids glistening.
    He took a deep breath. “Okay, for you.”
    Nebula faked a pleased look. She told him to wait there for a moment, she left the room and returned shortly with a piece of paper. She had written down the address of the hotel where it was to go down. Madrid was actually pleased, and looking forward to his private show. He kissed Nebula and left the room feeling satisfied, and Nebula feeling empty.
    After the door closed, she fell to the couch with relief. The hard part was over, now she had to get in contact with Angel and tell her Madrid had agreed to the show, and everything was on track. She wiped the tears away from her face and composed herself, she still had a job to do. Now she had to dance for the men who couldn’t afford to touch her.
    She locked the room and made her way down the hall. Another dancer was coming out of another room. She was Cay, Nebula recognized her mount of blonde curls against her mocha colored skin. Cay turned around and jumped. “Nebula! You scared me! I wasn’t expecting you there!”
    “Sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Nebula giggled, she and Cay walked back to the dressing room. Which was nothing but a long room with the girls dressing tables lining both walls. The two went and touched up their makeup and got ready to go onto the stage. Cay took off her high heeled shoes. She fell once and broke her ankle, after that she stopped wearing shoes on the stage. Nebula just didn’t like shoes.
    Nebula checked the clock, it was almost time for her to go on so she just went out. She walked into the fog, and the flashing lights, and the music pounding in her chest. She passed another dancer on the stage as she was walking out into the center of the oval platform. She listened to the beat of the pounding music, and started to dance. She kept her fake smile on the whole time.

    Nebula woke up the same as every morning, her head aching, and body hurting. The first thought was to call Angel. She used her compact phone and dialed the number to Angel’s precinct. An operator answered the phone. “Thank you for calling Bounty Hunter Professional, how may I direct your call?”
    “Angel Ellis please.”
    “Please hold while I transfer you.”
    Nebula was sitting on the edge of the bed now, nervously tapping her foot. An animated voice answered the phone. “You have reached the number for Angel Ellis, she is not available now, but please leave your message after the tone.” A sound like a doorbell chime sounded after only a few seconds. “Angel, this is Nebula, he agreed. Call me back if you get time. Bye.” Nebula clicked off the phone. She was disappointed, she was hoping to talk to Angel, not her answering machine.
    Nebula wanted a shower. She went onto the bathroom, it was Wednesday. Only two more days until Madrid would go away. She felt herself being happy, this was the first time she was close to happy since Angel had stayed the night with her.
    After she got out of the shower she decided to put on something nice, then she decided she would go shopping. She wondered if Cay would like to come with her. She dialed Cay’s number. “Hello?” He voice was so light all the time, Nebula couldn’t help but smile.
    “Hello Cay, it’s Nebula.”
    “Hey what’s up?”
    “I was wondering if you were going to be doing anything today.”
    “No, you wanting to go do something?”
    “I was thinking about going shopping and was wondering if you wanted to come too?”
    “Sure, I’m game.”
    “I was wanting to go to LEX fourteen, better places you know.”
    “Sounds great! I’ll meet you at the dock then?”
    “Sure.”
    “See you there.”
    “Bye Cay.” Nebula hung up the phone and picked up her purse. It didn’t go with what she was going to wear. She went to her room and dug in her closet until she found a red vinyl bag that was given to her by a friend. She opened the small zipper compartment. The penny was still there. Sandy said to always put a penny in a purse before giving it to a friend so the friendship didn’t get severed. She smiled and zipped the pocket closed.  
    She transferred all her things to the red bag and gathered her keys and coat, and was out the door. The last time she drove to the dock it was with Angel, so this time she was alone, and the drive seemed to take even longer. When she finally arrived Cay was already waiting for her. “Hey, I bought the tickets already.”
    “Oh Cay,” Nebula said taking one of them. “You didn’t have to do that, I had the money to get my own.”
    “I got the tickets, you can get lunch. How’s that?”
    Nebula smiled. “It’s a trade.”
    They walked to the shuttle and presented their tickets. They flew in cheap class, the men in first class were usually men they catered to and didn’t want to deal with any nonsense in their off time. Nebula and Cay went through their day, but Nebula spent it in her mind, thinking about Angel, and Friday was looming closer with each passing hour, and she was becoming afraid.

    Nebula threw her purse down onto the floor. She went to her refrigerator and stood for a moment. She opened the door and got something cold to drink she turned around and saw her answering machine was flashing. She pushed the flashing button, it was Angel. “Hi Nebula, sorry I missed you, I told the chief of police the plan is a go, we’re coming down there tomorrow morning. I’ll call you and tell you where to meet us for the briefing. Take care.” The message clicked off. She was excited to be seeing Angel again, but wished it was for another reason.
    Nebula looked at the clock hanging on her wall, it was almost seven. She decided it was time to get ready for work, and she was going to have to ask off for tomorrow, but what would the boss believe that would…she decided a better plan. She started formulating it in her mind.
    Nebula got her makeup bag and thought through her plan. She had saw a girl sprain her wrist once, and she just took a small fall off the stage. Nebula decided she was going to take a small spill off the stage. A quick trip to the doctor, and she wouldn’t be allowed to work for a few days. Problem solved, she could meet Angel and not get fired.
    Nebula pulled into her parking spot and got out of her car. She made sure it was locked, and pushed the buzzer on the door. It opened after a moment and she stepped inside. She went to her dressing table there were no notes today, good. She still needed time to think. She whizzed through her thoughts while picking out something, something that could make her stumble. She found it, a neon pink tube dress. It went from top to just below the knees, and was very hard to move in, which was why no one usually wore it. She smirked as she removed it from the hanger. The other dancers all looked at her like she was crazy, she knew, and everyone else knew she would fall trying to dance in it.
    Nebula went back to her station and undressed. She got two of the girls to help her into it, but no one said what they already knew. Nebula sat down and waited patiently for her time to go on stage. She had so much time to work on her makeup, it looked perfect. She was going to make a beautiful patient today. She heard her name get called. It was Tony, one of the bouncers. The boss hired them after Angel and her partner had gotten in so easily.
    She got up and made her way to the stage door, she had to get close to the edge of the stage so she could fall off. She confidently walked out onto the stage and close to the edge of the stage, she wondered how she was supposed to get out of this thing after her spill?
    She started to dance, she had to concentrate hard to keep her balance, the thing was wrapped around her legs so tight it was constricting, which was what made it so hard to move. She moved closer and closer to the edge of the stage with each shaky step. She must look silly, dancing around like this. But the customers seemed to like it anyway. She was going to show some skin, but before she could, she fell off the stage. She threw her hands out to steady her fall, and came down on the heel of her hand, just like she planned. She cried out when her hand snapped, there was a dull pain in the bone in her wrist, she moaned. She felt someone grab her around the waist and help her up. It was Tony. “You okay?”
    “No,” Nebula was holding her hand to her chest to steady it. “I think my hand is broken.”
    Tony helped her back to the dressing room the long way, Nebula looked back at the stage. Another dancer had taken her place and the men had forgotten her.
    Nebula got some of the girls to help her out of the dress, and get her clothes back on. Tony phoned an ambulance to take her to the hospital. She was smiling on the inside, her plan had worked. Asking for a day off was dangerous in this place, there were plenty of girls who had asked for days off and gotten fired. Nebula could afford it, but she liked dancing and wanted to keep doing it. So this was the only way out.
    Tony came back and told her the ambulance was here, she got up and let him lead her out the back door. The back doors to the ambulance were already open, Nebula climbed in and got down on the cot. “What happened?” A young female paramedic asked.
    Nebula held out her hand. “I fell off the stage and hit my hand. I think it’s broken.”
    The paramedic put a splint on Nebula’s wrist as the doors were closed and the ambulance drove off for the hospital.
    On arrival at the Grand Bell Hospital Nebula was moved from the ambulance to an exam room inside the building. The bone doctor, Dr. Maxton examined her wrist and prescribed a mild pain sedative and she was supposed to wear a brace. Dr. Maxton showed her how to put it on, and took it off so she could do it. She did it the first time, and needed only one hand. “Okay now Miss Star, there will be no dancing for a while.”
    “How long?” Nebula asked fiddling with one of the buckles on her brace.
    “I would say a week for sure.”
    “A week!” Nebula looked up at him surprised, she hadn’t expected a week.
    Dr. Maxton held up his hand to silence her. “Come back after a week and we’ll see how you’ve healed. It’s not broken, but it is badly sprained. No heavy lifting or things of that nature.”
    At that moment Cay came in the room with Nebula’s purse. “Everything okay?”
    “She’ll be fine.” Dr. Maxton said. “I’ve got your prescription waiting at the sign out desk. You’re free to go.”
    Nebula thanked the doctor and she and Cay found the front desk. Nebula scanned her ID and got her prescription. Cay drove her home and said Tony was having her car brought over. It was only nine, so Nebula changed into some comfy pajamas, with some difficulty, and decided to watch a movie.

    Nebula woke up to the phone ringing loudly. She got off the couch where she had fallen asleep and managed to get to it before it stopped ringing. “Hello?”
    “Nebula?”
    “Angel!”
    “I heard what happened to you, I’m sorry.”
    Nebula looked down at her wrist, and the skin colored brace with it’s silver buckles. “Oh it wasn’t so bad, just a sprain. Nothing more.”
    “Can you make it to a meeting today?
    “Sure, I can get a taxi, where do you want me to go?”
    “A small coffee place, Melva’s. Me and Rack are going to be in street clothes so no one will notice us. You know where it is?”
    Nebula had been there before with another dancer. “Yes, I know where it is. It’ll take me a while to get ready and get there, give me about two hours okay?”
    “Sure, we’ll be waiting for you.”
    “Bye Angel.”
    “Bye Nebula.”
    Nebula hung up the phone and got ready. She wore something understated, just a pair of denim jeans and a plain red shirt. She took just a small handbag and was ready. She phoned a taxi and waited for it.
    It didn’t take long for the taxi to pull up to the door. Nebula grabbed her coat and walked out. The driver already had the door open for her, it was warm inside the cab, in contrast to the cold air outside. It was always cold on Beta Prime. The driver got in and turned around, “Where to ma’am?”
    “Melva’s please.”
    The driver started the meter and drove off. Nebula looked out the window, she was getting more and more nervous. But while she was thinking about it, she took her compact phone and dialed the Wash‘s number. “I need to talk to the boss please…This is Nebula…You heard already?…I know…I thought a week was a long time too…I go back for a check up in a week to see if everything’s okay…I will…bye.” She hung up the phone and dropped it back into her bag.
    “What happened if you don’t mind my asking?” The driver said looking at her in the rearview mirror.
    “I fell.” Nebula didn’t say anything else. They finally stopped in front of the coffee shop. She gave the cab driver some money and told him to keep the change. She got out of the cab and went inside. She scanned the room and found Angel and Rack in a corner. She went over and sat down. A waitress was already there taking their order, “What for you miss?”
    Nebula glanced at the menu displayed on a screen on the wall just behind the waitresses head, “I’ll have the spiced mochachino.”
    The waitress jotted it down and left. Nebula smiled at Angel, and her partner, Rack, who seemed to be uncomfortable. “What’s wrong with you?” She asked him.
    Angel laughed. “I made him wear something that’s not body armor.”
    Rack rolled his shoulders. “I just feel vulnerable. Let’s get this over with so I can go change.”
    “Okay,” Angel pushed the cinnamon shaker over to the edge of the table. “We’ve got everything set up, all you need to do is be a distraction. Keep him occupied until he lets his guard down enough for us to come in and take him into custody.”
    Nebula nodded, he heard was pounding. “Angel, I’m a little scared.”
    “It’s okay, anyone would be. But don’t worry, Rack and I will be in the next room over along with half the Beta Prime police department. We’ll protect you.” Angel said hoping to comfort her friend.
    “What if he escapes? He’ll try to kill me!”
    “He won’t escape, last time we just got careless. That won’t happen again.”
    The waitress arrived with their drinks, bringing a small relief to the conversation. After she left Rack took the conversation in a different direction. “Will you be able to do this with your injury?”
    “It’s only a bad sprain, I can still move the rest of my body.” Nebula finished her coffee, Angel and Rack followed suit. They continued to chat a while, and then left. Nebula started to call a cab, but Angel stopped her. “We’ll drive you home.” She said smiling.
    “Thank you Angel.” Nebula followed them out to the parking lot, this time to a white rental car. Angel drove and Nebula sat in the backseat, Rack had already taken the front. No one spoke as the car rumbled along. Nebula was beginning to feel the weight of what she was going to do tomorrow, could she do it?
    Nebula thanked Angel for the ride and felt comforted by the fact she waited until Nebula was inside before driving off. She sat down on her couch and started to cry, she was so frightened, “What if?” was the only thought running through her mind followed by awful things that could possibly go wrong. Nebula finally made herself go into the bedroom, she laid down and pulled the thick blankets over her head, wishing she would disappear.

    Nebula woke up after a fitful night of tossing and turning. She was ready for this day to be over, but she almost couldn’t believe that the day was actually here. This was what she wanted wasn’t it? For him to go away? But she was so scared.
    Fear so constricted her she moved through the morning like a zombie, going in and out of realizing where she was and what she was going to do. She was sitting on the couch, when the call came. She picked up the phone. “Hello?”
    “Nebula, it’s Angel. We’ve sent a cab to come get you. Are you ready?”
    “I guess so.” Nebula squeaked through the phone.
    “Okay, and Nebula…”
    “Yes?”
    “Everything will be fine. I promise. We‘re going to be right next door, but we won‘t be able to come see you.”
    “I know Angel, I’m okay.”
    “Well, that’s good. I’ll see you later then?”
    “Yeah, I’ll see you later.”
     “And Nebula,”
    “Yes?”
    “I love you.”
    “I love you to Angel.” Nebula hung up after Angel. The moment of truth. The cab had pulled up, she could hide, pretend she wasn’t home. But what would Angel think of her then? She had done good not to cry, but she still couldn’t shake her nerves. The honk from the cab startled her. She had to make a decision now. She grabbed her coat and walked out the door with purpose. She was going to help catch a criminal.
    Nebula watched the buildings go by as they got closer and closer to the Baron’s Arm’s Hotel. She saw no sign of Madrid, but was still nervous. She started to pay the cab driver but he said it was already paid for. Angel must’ve paid him, or the police department.  So, Nebula got out of the cab and walked up to the hotel door with fake confidence. She’d reserved the room in her name, she just needed to pick up her room key. She went to the front desk and gave her name. The young woman didn’t check her ID, just handed her the blank card with a magnetic strip down the length of one side. “I’m expecting a visitor sometime later. Show him up will you?”
    The woman just nodded. Nebula went up to the room, she’d borrowed a suit from the Wash. They probably hadn’t even noticed it was gone. It was a pink one, it covered her body from neck, to wrists, to ankles. It was so tight Madrid would be able to see every dimple on her body. She’d picked that one because he would be able to see she wasn’t wired, lessening her chances of being harmed.
    She opened the door to the room and went a head and put the suit on. She could hear voices next door, she went over to the wall and put her ear to it. She could recognize some of the muffled voices as Angel and her partner. Knowing they were close by made her feel some better. She heard a knock on the door. She went over and looked through the peephole. It was a bell hop with a tray of fruit and some champagne. She grabbed a robe provided by the hotel and flung it on. She opened the door. “I didn’t order anything.”
    “Compliments from the manager Miss.” He pushed the tray in past her and settled it in the middle of the room. “Just push it back out in the hall when you’re done.” He left and Nebula pushed the door closed. She was getting sweaty, and fast. She went over to the tray and inspected the bottle. It wasn’t expensive, but if she drank some it would take the edge off her nerves. She uncorked the bottle and poured some of the fizzing liquid into a glass. She started off sipping it, and went into gulping it. After her third glass she felt herself starting to unwind. She was sitting on the bed and was thinking about turning the television on when the door opened. It was Madrid. All the effects of her drinks were ran from her body, just like the color of her face.
    “Hello Nebula.” He presented her with more flowers. Tulips this time.
    She got up and let the robe slide off her, revealing the skin tight suit. “Hello Mr. Smyth.” She put one hand on her hip seductively. “I was beginning to think you’d forgotten me.” She walked over and pretended she just noticed the flowers. “Flowers again! Oh thank you Mr. Smyth!” She swept them up and smelled them deeply. “They’re lovely!”
    Madrid smiled, he had seen her dance before, but being in such a setting with no music, time limit, or money exchanged had him intrigued. Nebula had placed the tulips on a small side table. She turned around smiling with everything she had. It had gone deathly quiet in the room next door. Nebula imagined they had the room bugged and video was recording them at this very moment to use as some kind of evidence or something. “Shall we get started?” Madrid asked rubbing his hands together.
    Nebula forgot to bring music. “I didn’t bring any music.” She brought her braced hand up over her mouth, Madrid noticed it for the first time.
    “What happened to your hand?”
    “Oh, just clumsy that’s all.” Nebula put her hand behind her back to put the brace out of sight. “What are we to do with no music?” She asked changing the subject.
    Madrid smiled, “Baby, we don’t need it.” He grabbed her and kissed her violently. Here it came, he threw her onto the bed and started trying to find a way to peel the rubber suit off her. “How do you get it open?”
    “You have to…”
    “How do you get the damn thing off?!” Madrid shouted throwing off his shirt. When he pulled the shirt over his head, it pulled his sunglasses off. He had just taken Bloodshot. His eye was gruesome, it was milked over, almost completely white. He also had a badly infected wound in the corner of it, with each blink a bit of puss oozed out. Nebula started to gag. “What?!” Madrid shouted.
    Nebula tried to turn her head away so she wouldn’t be able to see it. Madrid forced her to look at him. “What are you gagging at you stupid whore?” He had leaned in close to her face, she could smell the wound, it had the scent of rotting meat. She gagged again. Madrid brought his hand up and punched her in the jaw. “I’ll give you something to gag about!” Madrid unzipped his pants and was going to force himself into her mouth, but before he could, something cold touched the back of his neck. It was the barrel a gun, and Rack was standing behind Madrid, dressed in his body armor. “Put it up pal, and get off the girl. Nice and slow.”
    Madrid started to back off the bed, and as he straightened up, Nebula saw a gun shoved down the front of his belt. His hand started to reach for it. “Gun!” Was all Nebula could shout as she pointed at the butt of the pistol in Madrid’s belt.
    Madrid had drawn his weapon, but before he could fire, someone else shot first. It seemed to happen in slow motion, the blast of the pistol, and Madrid fell sideways off the bed onto the floor, a bloody wound in his temple. Rack and Nebula looked to the doorway. Angel was standing there wither her gun still drawn. She had a look of pure hate in her eyes. “Nebula, are you okay?” Her face immediately softened as she looked at her.
    Nebula sat up, and looked at herself, “Yeah, I’m okay Angel. I’m okay.” For the first time in a long while, she was relieved.
    Angel looked at Rack next. “You okay partner?”
    Rack just nodded and holstered his gun. “Well, he’s only worth half now.”
    “He was going to shoot you. You might have a thick skull  but it won’t stop bullets.”
    Nebula was breathing heavy, she couldn’t stop staring at Madrid’s body. She started to shake. She felt a gentle hand around her shoulders. It was Angel, “Come on Nebula, we’re going into the other room.”
    Nebula had tears pooling in her eyes, she was relieved and afraid at the same time. She let Angel lead her into the adjoining room, where the two sat down on one of the beds and Angel held Nebula while she cried silently. After a while one of the paramedics came in and gave Nebula the once over. “Will she be alright?” Angel asked holding Nebula’s braced hand while a paramedic checked her pulse on the other.
    “She’ll be fine, she just needs to rest.” The paramedic left soon after. Angel turned down the bed and helped Nebula into it. Angel stroked Nebula’s hair as she waited for her to fall asleep. Angel followed soon after, everyone was tired.

    Nebula was sad to see Angel leave again, but at least one thing was right, Madrid was gone. Forever. Nebula looked at Angel, her clear dark eyes shining. “Are you going to tell him?” Nebula asked.
    Angel sighed. “About my form or about us?”
    “I think you should tell him about both. He’s going to find out sooner or later.”
    Angel sighed. “You’re right. I’ll tell him on the way back to the precinct. Promise.”
    “I’ll miss you Angel.”
    “I’ll miss you Nebula.” The two women embraced, and kissed each other lightly on the cheek. “Goodbye Angel.”
    “Goodbye Nebula.” Angel started walking away. But Nebula could still hear her, “So, did you know her?” Rack asked as they walked toward their shuttle. As Nebula watched the shuttle take off, some small part of her knew she wouldn’t be seeing Angel again. But the bigger part of her understood why, their lives were just too different. Nebula and Angel would still love each other, they would love each other until they grew old.
    A wise man once said, “If you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you it was meant to be yours. If it never comes back, it was never meant to be yours in the first place.” That was what Nebula had to do, let go. And as she stood there pondering this, Angel was whooshing through the stars, pondering the same thing.