*Very possibly a tear jurker

The transport pod floated silently below Talyn. They had stopped their journey here in the middle of nowhere at Crichton's request. Rygel hovered up next to Aeryn as she stared at the pod out the window. "What's Crichton doing out there?" inquired the pint-sized dominar. "Working on a present for me Rygel", she said with a smile, not letting her eyes leave the pod. "He's leaving us here venerable because he wants to make you some romantic yutz?" he asked. "He gets enough as it is," added Rygel. "He's trying to make me happy", she said. Rygel shook his head. "I'm sure that Crichton won't run off if you take your eyes off of him for a microt!" exclaimed Rygel. She gave him a little chuckle and picked up the cream-yellow flower that Crichton had given her.

The sound of a string instrument being picked filled the interior of the transport pod. The picks here rather lazy and long, but the modulation still sounded good. Suddenly, the music stopped. "No that's not it either!" yelled a frustrated Crichton. He held a pitch-black guitar like instrument. He placed his fingers back on the silver strings. "Ok, common Johnny Boy, you got the skill program in your head, now think!" he said to himself.

On the commerce planet that he and Stark visited Crichton had bought this Renarda, a guitar like instrument. He had also gotten the ability to masterfully play it from a skills dealer. All the necessary knowledge was placed into his brain. He still had trouble finding the right tune to go with his lyrics. The entire song that he had written was done except for the opening of the lyrics. I kept sounding like "Don't Fear the Reaper" from the Blue Oyster Cult. He sighed and played again.

This time, his fingers began to play a flowing, staccato beat, with the proper modulation. "Sweet!" he exclaimed. He began to sing, but as he took a breath Crais broke in. "Crichton, we must get going" he said. "On my way", replied Crichton jumping for the pilot's seat.

Aeryn stood waiting for him as the door opened. She looked onto his lips before he could even say a word. "Damn baby, I was gone for just 3 arns!" He gleefully returned her kiss. She noticed the Renarda. "What's that?" she asked putting her had in his. "Part of your present" he said leading them to his quarters.

She threw off her jacket, revealing the black tank top underneath. "What's the instrument for?" she asked. "I wrote a song for you" he blubbered through in about half a second. Aeryn didn't even hear him right. "What?" she asked. She wondered why he was still nervous around her. "A song, I thought of the chorus when I was waiting on the operating table after you died", he said as gently as possible. "I came up with a second verse for Stark and Zhaan after her death", "And the third verse is just in there to fill the song till a later date when something of similar nature pops up", he said.

They stood in silence. He was having second thoughts. "Let me hear it John", she said, in a calm almost whisper. He swallowed. "It will sound better when I have a band behind me" he said. "It's called Hemorrhage", he added.

He started out with a few seconds of violent guitar. This startled Aeryn. He let the initial sound nearly fade into nothingness, then he went into the soft staccato rhythm that he just perfected. He match eyes with her and began the vocals.

Memories are just where you laid them
Dragging waters till the depths give up their dead
What did you expect to find?
Was it something you left behind?
Don't you remember everything I said when I said,

(Grew into a faster less staccato sound)

Don't fall away, and leave me to myself
Don't fall away, and leave love bleeding in my hands,

(then to the violent guitar again)

In my hands again,
Leave love bleeding in my hands,
In my hands,
Love lies bleeding...

(Not vocals for a few seconds just the renarda)

Oh hold me now, I feel contagious..
Am I the only place that you've left to go?
She cries that life is like some movie black and white..
Dead actors, vacant lies, Over, and over, and over again she cries..

Don't fall away, and leave me to myself
Don't fall away, and leave love bleeding in my hands,
In my hands again,
Leave love bleeding in my hands,
In my hands,
Love lies bleeding...

(without hesitation)

And I wanted
You turned away
You don't remember,
But I do..
You never even tried...

(Long renarda solo, growing louder for several seconds)

Don't fall away, and leave me to myself
Don't fall away, and leave love bleeding in my hands,
In my hands again,
Leave love bleeding in my hands,
In my hands again,
Leave love bleeding in my hands,
In my hands again..

As the renarda faded into the air, he gave her a quick smile, sweat flowing down his brow. An enormous smile came across her face. "That was beautiful," she said. She had never really listened to music before, something on Crichton's side because he wasn't the best singer. "Thanks baby, I'm glad it sounded good in Sebascean," he said reaching out for her hand. He pulled her off the bed. "I would like to hear it in your language" she said almost sadly. "Could you teach me your language?" she asked.

"With the translator microbes, is that possible?" he asked. "Yes, there is a way", she said pulling him down on the bed.