Handle: Capri1966

Rating: G

Category: Romance

Spoilers: Anything up to and including Mental as Anything.

Summary: Perfect moments for star crossed lovers come few and far between. This is a story about seizing that moment.

Disclaimer: I own no part of Farscape or its characters.

Aeryn: Pilot, are you sure this is where the problem is coming from?

Pilot: Commander Crichton said he detected some anomalies when he was running diagnostics.

Aeryn: What are you seeing?

Aeryn had her back to the neural cluster entrance. She was waiting while Pilot ran his check. A hand covered her mouth from behind and a strong arm gripped her waist and pulled her backward.

John: (whispering) Hiya honey.

He let her mouth go.

Aeryn: (whispering) John?

She turned around to face him. He smiled at her. He held up his finger for her not to speak.

John: Relax Pilot. We found the abnormality.

Pilot: Is it fixable?

John leaned Aeryn’s head to the side and started kissing her down her neck.

Aeryn: Definitely.

John looked in her eyes.

John: God, do you know how hard it is not to touch you, kiss you (He planted gentle kisses around her neck and face.).

She smiled. Her hands were resting on his hips.

Aeryn: I thought you said we had to be careful and not (He kissed her sweet spot behind her ear. Her breath caught in her throat.) do this.

John lifted up and looked in her eyes.

John: You’re right. We shouldn’t.

He started to walk away. Aeryn smiled and grabbed him back. He laughed. They shared a passionate deep kiss.

Aeryn: We have to find some time alone.

John: I know. I am aching for you.

He looked in her eyes.

John: You don’t know the half of it.

He ran his fingertips along the knap of her neck.

John: I think I have an idea though.

Aeryn: Whatever it is, if it gets us some much needed alone time, count me in.

He smiled. He laid his forehead against hers.

John: Okay. I just have a couple of kinks to workout.

Aeryn: When is this plan going to happen?

Aeryn was seductively rubbing her body against John’s. He took a deep breath.

John: About four microts if you keep that up.

He pushed Aeryn back and kept her an arm’s length away from him. Her eyes ran down the length of his body and then back up to his reddening face.

John: I can’t think when you are that close to me.

She smiled.

John: Our moment is coming. Soon!

John stepped back toward the panel against the far wall. He flicked a couple of circuits.

John: How is that Pilot?

Pilot: The anomaly seems to be cleared up.

Aeryn: Everything looks good then?

Pilot: Yes Officer Sun.

John: Would you let D’Argo know that I am done here and I will meet him in command?

John blew Aeryn a kiss. She smiled. He left.

*******

D’Argo summoned the crew to command. Eventually every one came straggling in from all parts of Moya.

Crichton: What’s up Dee?

D’Argo: Pilot has found a planet with breathable atmosphere which may have the supplies that we have been looking for.

Chiana: Great. Where is it?

Pilot: The planet is approximately 10 arns from our present location. However because of the distance, Moya is not able to tell anymore about the planet other than the atmosphere.

Sikozu: So we have to send someone on long range recon.

Rygel: Aeryn, you seem to be the best one for that assignment.

Aeryn looked at the clamshell.

Aeryn: Pilot, have the DRDs prepare the prowler. I can get there within two arns.

Chiana: What if you run into trouble? You can’t go out there alone.

Aeryn: I will be fine.

D’Argo: May be we should take Lo’La?

Pilot: Captain D’Argo because of the unpredictability of this area of space, Moya and I would feel better if you would stay aboard.

D’Argo looked at John.

D’Argo: That leaves you, John. Think you can handle it.

John looked at Aeryn then at D’Argo. He slipped off the table he was sitting.

John: I will get my gear and meet you in the docking bay.

Aeryn: Fine as long as you remember that on my prowler there is only one pilot.

Aeryn moved passed John swiftly.

John: Whatever.

D’Argo walked up beside John.

D’Argo: Are you sure you are going to be able to handle this?

John: Yeah we will be fine, if we don’t kill each other first. See you soon.

John tapped D’Argo’s chest.

D’Argo: We will see you in about eight arns.

John walked out of command. As he rounded the corner of the corridor, he couldn’t help smiling to himself and mentally patting himself on the back for his ingenuity.

Scorpius was in the docking bay when John arrived. Aeryn was doing a last microt systems check.

Scorpius: Crichton, are you sure this a good idea? Grayza and the Scarreans will surely be looking for you.

John: You’re worried about me Scorpy? I am touched or you are.

John moved passed him.

John: We have no choice. We are running dangerously low on supplies and we have not run into any traders. Besides I think we all need to find a planet where we can get off of Moya for a while. I don’t know about you but I need a change of scenery.

Aeryn came around the prowler.

Aeryn: Okay, the prowler is ready.

John climbed up with a shoulder bag and his long leather coat in his arm. Aeryn was wearing her leather. She tapped her com when she climbed inside the prowler and took her seat in front of John.

Aeryn: Pilot just have Moya lock on to my signal and follow my path. I have uploaded the information from the trader’s map so we will avoid any trouble spots.

Pilot: Understood.

Aeryn: See you all soon.

Chiana: You guys be careful.

Sikozu: (chiming in) Of what is out there or each other?

Aeryn lifted off of Moya.

******

Within an arn they were out of range of Moya and could talk freely. Aeryn smiled.

Aeryn: How did you set this up?

John was stroking her mane of silky hair.

John: I told you humans are superior.

She looked over her shoulder. He leaned forward and kissed her.

John: Of course I couldn’t have pulled it off without Pilot and Moya.

Aeryn: So we will have eight arns to ourselves once we reach this planet.

John: More like 11 or 12.

Aeryn: What?

John: Let’s just say that Moya is going to have a slight technical problem that will take a couple of arns to fix.

Aeryn: Pilot would not sabotage Moya for any reason, not even us.

John: For this little maneuver I had to leave Pilot out. I gave 1812 a few instructions.

Aeryn threw her head back and laughed. She leaned back into John’s strong arms. He kissed her forehead.

John: You like that, unh?

Aeryn: I never thought I would say this and mean it but you are a genius.

John laughed.

John: This is nothing. Just wait until we land.

He leaned back in his seat with a very satisfied grin on his face. Aeryn picked up the planet on her scanners.

******

Aeryn landed the prowler and just sat there for a microt staring out of the window.

John: Is something wrong?

Aeryn: No, I just can’t believe there is planet that looks like this out here in tormented space.

John: You would be surprised what you can find on those maps the traders sold us.

She opened the hatch.

A gentle breeze blew across her face as she stood up to climb out of the prowler. John jumped down holding the shoulder bag. They both left their coats inside the prowler. Aeryn stood there in amazement looking around. The atmosphere around the planet was comfortable, not too hot and not too cool. She took a few steps away from the prowler. There were trees but not like on other planets they have landed on. They were trees like those on John’s home world. They were tall and had foliage growing from them. John kneeled down and picked a wild flower from the ground. He walked up behind Aeryn and held the flower out in front of her. She smiled and took it. She looked over her shoulder at him. He slipped his arm around her waist. They shared a gentle kiss.

John went back and picked up his shoulder bag.

Aeryn: Who inhabits this planet?

John: From what we could gather from the map, I would say renegade Sebeceans, like the Royal Planet.

Aeryn turned.

Aeryn: (sarcastic) Just do me a favor and don’t go around kissing everyone you meet.

He smiled.

John: You are the only one I plan on kissing for the rest of my life.

She smiled and lowered her eyes. John held his hand out to her.

John: Come on we have almost a whole day just for us.

She slipped her hand in his. They walked along the path away from the prowler. John had the bag over his shoulder and one of the blankets from Moya under his arm. They found a clearing in a pretty spot. He laid out the blanket and kneeled down.

John: Join me.

Aeryn kneeled down across from him. John began unloading his shoulder bag. He brought popcorn, chocolate and some other foods that he had brought back with him from earth.

The two of them ate, talked, laughed and did lots and lots of kissing. It was a wonderful time.

John’s head was resting in Aeryn’s lap. She was stroking his hair.

Aeryn: What is that silly smile on your face?

John opened his eyes.

John: I can’t help it. I just feel at peace for the first time in a long time.

Aeryn: John…

He held up his hand.

John: Don’t say it. I know it won’t last but for right now, it is perfect.

He opened his eyes wide and looked up at her.

Aeryn: What?

John: This is the perfect moment.

He sat up. John took a small box out the shoulder bag. He turned to face Aeryn.

Aeryn: Why are you staring at me like that?

John: I have something to ask you but I don’t know how you will react to it.

Aeryn: You can ask me anything.

John took a deep breath. The box was clutched so tightly in his hand that his knuckles were turning white.

John and Aeryn were on their knees facing each other. He reached up and gently stroked her cheek with his free hand.

John: I know that hiding the way we feel about each other from D’Argo and the others is difficult.

Aeryn: They are our friends. I don’t like lying to them and making them feel uncomfortable whenever we are in a room together.

John: I know but unfortunately it is going to get a lot harder if things go the way I hope.

Aeryn: What things?

John lowered his eyes from hers and loosened the grip on the box.

John: Before I left earth my sister gave me a Christmas present.

He looked back up at Aeryn.

John: It was something that belonged to my mother and I want you to have it.

Aeryn: John…

John: Shh, let me get this out before I lose my nerve.

Aeryn stared in his eyes.

John: I love you Aeryn. I think I have from the first time we met and you kicked my ass. (She smiled.) With all the obstacles we have encountered and all the dren we have been through, that has never changed and I know it never will.

Aeryn didn’t quite no where he was going with this but she liked it.

John: I wanted to wait for the perfect moment before I asked this and I don’t think we are going to find a more perfect one than right here, right now.

John held up the box and opened it. Aeryn saw the ring. She was all ready on the verge of tears. This just pushed her over the edge.

John: It belonged to my mother and I know she would approve of me giving it to you.

Aeryn: John.

John: There is a catch though.

Aeryn: What?

John: If you decide to accept it, you will be accepting me. Accepting me as your friend, confidant, lover, companion and husband until death parts us.

Aeryn looked into his amazing blue eyes.

Aeryn: Was there a question in there somewhere?

He swallowed hard.

John: Will you be my wife?

Aeryn was silent for a microt. Her voice seemed to abandon her at the moment she most needed it. She leaned into John. It came out barely above a whisper.

Aeryn: Yes.

John smiled. He took the ring out of the box and slipped it on her finger.

John: Perfect fit.

Aeryn: Are you talking about the ring or us?

John: Both.

He took her face in his hands and drew her to him. They shared a sensuous sweet kiss. He laid his forehead against hers.

John: When we are around the others you won’t be able to wear it, not until we find a way to deal with Scorpius.

Aeryn: I know.

Aeryn leaned back and ripped a thin strip of material from the bottom of her shirt. She slipped the ring off and put it on the strip. She tied it into a necklace and slipped it around her neck. She put the ring inside of her shirt.

Aeryn: Until I can wear it proudly on my finger, I will carry it close to my heart.

John: I love you.

Aeryn: I love you.

They started to kiss again.

D’Argo: Aeryn, John we have arrived at the rendezvous point. Is it safe to come down?

John and Aeryn just held each other for a microt. John kissed her forehead. She smiled at him.

John: Yes. Pilot can give you the coordinates to land near Aeryn’s prowler.

D’Argo: We are on our way.

Aeryn mouthed the words.

Aeryn: I love you.