Disclaimer: Don't own them, ain't making money off of them. Please don't sue me.

Aeryn Sun was finally alone. She had waited all day, letting the hunger inside her build until she could hold out no more. The others had finally left the dining hall and gone to sleep. She snuck in as quietly as possible and pulled a fresh container of soup from the food closet. Sitting down at the table, she swallowed the dish en masse without stopping to breath. She let the warm liquid cascade down her throat, quenching the burning sensation in her stomach. She was about to reach for another bowl when she spotted a funny looking object at the other end of the table. Nurturing the Rygel within, she leaned over and picked it up. She undid the clasp and out fell a lock of black hair.

Aeryn was confused. A quick comparison told her that the hair belonged to her. Where had it come from? And who would have taken it. She did not need to ponder the question for long. There was only one person on Moya who would have a reason to do this. Looking suspiciously in all directions, she wondered if Crichton was watching her now. The room was empty. She thought back to her arrival on the ship. Everyone had been so happy that she was alive. The warm feeling that came with the knowledge that these people loved her had not gone away. But the person she needed most of all had not expressed the same feelings. John had not been there to greet her. She had gone to his cell and pleaded for him to talk to her. It was no use. For the first time since she had known the frelling human, he had nothing to say. The agony in his eyes had been enough to warn her away. Zhaan, D'Argo, everyone had assured her that he just needed some time. It had been two weeks now. A lump that she could not hold back, formed in her throat. Aeryn Sun cried into her soup.

He watched her. John had left the strand of hair accidently. He carried it with him always. A warning to stay away from her. After what had happened, he could take no chances. The sobs had surprised him. She did not cry often. But when she did, something in her face melted him. Those were the only times that Aeryn seemed to completely let her guard down. Through the tears he could see how scared she looked. He wanted so much to reach out and wipe the tears from her eyes. To hold her like he had so many times before. He shook his head. Not anymore. John Crichton stood and left Aeryn to her soup.

She heard him get up and leave. The coward! Why didn't he just go to her. Here she was, ready to share herself with him and the fool wouldn't even look her in the eye. She looked down at the lock of hair. It gave her hope to think that he carried part of her with him, even if it was only this small part. She slipped the hair back into it's container and threw it through the open doors.

He had not gotten far from the dining hall when he heard the sound of metal hitting the ground behind him. He turned and saw the tiny box lying against the wall. "She knew I was there," he whispered to himself. Bending down, he retrieved his precious reminder. As he lifted himself up again, a pair of black boots came into his view. Everything inside him screamed for it to be Aeryn. But it wasn't.

Chiana looked down at Crichton, a wave of pity washing over her. "What are you doing up this late Johnny?" She kept her voice low and soft, not wanting to provoke his anger now. He looked up at her, an agonizing stare that pained her. He started to respond when a loud crashing sound interrupted the moment. Chiana turned only for an instant, but John had already taken the opportunity to leave. She shrugged and headed towards the source of the sound. She found the dining hall empty, shards of a broken soup bowl scattered across the ground.

<<<<>>>>

D'Argo's patience with the two angst-ridden lovers had long since dried up. The situation on Moya had always functioned in one way or another because the crew could work together. Even when tempers flared and harsh words were spoken, they had learned to ignore the anger and keep fighting. But those two, everything was being thrown off balance. It had reached the point where they wouldn't even be in the same room together, let alone work with each other. As much as he felt for them, enough was enough. There had to be a way to bring the two of them together. He would ask Zhaan, she was better at this than he was.

Zhaan was frelling fed up with Crichton and Aeryn. For two and a half cycles the pair had danced around each other. Each time getting a bit closer. She had looked on with amusement as the two fell in love. Yes, she knew they were in love. Now, despite all the trouble they had been through, they were going to piss it all away. At least Aeryn had attempted a reconciliation when she had returned. John, the one she knew had worked so hard to bring Aeryn out of her shell, was now the one running away. As if that wasn't enough, Aeryn seemed to take his restraint as a rejection and had now too retreated into her shell. Zhaan was not one to meddle but something had to be done before it was too late.

Rygel the 16th, dominar to over six billion people, had finally surprised himself. He had lived with this ragtag band of miscreants for almost three cycles. He had told himself time and time again to tolerate his shipmates. Although he put on a brave face, his hopes of returning to the throne he rightfully deserved were beginning to dwindle. Who knew how long he would have to be with these people. And then something had happened. With Aeryn's apparent death, he had felt something swell inside him that he had not felt for many cycles. A feeling of loss and regret stronger than anything he could have imagined had taken hold of him. Much to his surprise, he discovered that he did in fact care for these people. It was an unwelcome intrusion into his usually content demeanor. The John/Aeryn situation had been kept at bay since she had returned but he believed it was time to act.

Pilot served as the eyes and ears of the crew on Moya. He saw and heard everything that went on within her walls. The usually lively crew had become quiet and reserved over the past few weeks. Except for Aeryn's display of emotion the night before, there had been nothing to catch his interest. He felt deeply for the wounded sebacean. After all, he knew better than anyone how much she had grown in such a short time. To see her sad made him sad also. And perhaps more importantly, Moya sensed her pain as well. Pilot had registered a small drop in the ship's energy levels over the past few days. He was worried, for Moya's sake and for her passengers.

<<<<>>>>

The commerce planet seemed to be a welcome distraction from the repetitive tedium of life on Moya. The entire crew, except for John, had ventured out for a little bit of mischief and fun. The market place was bustling with the after work crowd and shouts of bargains could be heard from all directions. In the middle of this chaotic scene, D'Argo and Rygel were in the middle of a heated conversation.

D'Argo: Crichton and Aeryn are driving me frelling Insane!

Rygel: Yes, I know the feeling.

D: Their incessant silence is maddening. I can't even sleep now. Crichton spends all night humming to himself.

R: Have you noticed that the lights in Moya have gotten increasingly lower?

D: You're right. In some of the lower tiers I can't even see my hands.

R: We have to do something about this now. I can't wait for them to them to get caught in another life or death situation.

D: ????

R: Every time their lives are in danger, they start getting all touchy-feely. Have you not noticed? I thought Luxans were supposed to be perceptive..

D: I have noticed. When I rescued them from the flax, they were practically putting their clothes back on.

R: That must have been a sight!

D: Yes

Their conversation ended ubruptly as Zhaan and Chiana appeared from inside a nearby booth. They both had a strangely amused look on their faces. Intrigued, the two men headed their way. "What a wonderful surprise we have for you two," Zhaan said. D'Argo knew enough to tread carefully when it came to surprises. "What is it Zhaan." Before she could speak, Chiana pulled a large box from out of the sack around her shoulder. Both women smiled proudly at their discovery. "What the frell is that?"

It was a large black stone with illegible symbols scratched into it's sides. The object was hideous in appearance and looked heavy enough to punch a hole through Moya's hull. D'Argo was confused. "How exactly is that supposed to help the situation?" Rygel looked increasingly distraught as he opened his mouth. "It's a Therap Stone. One of my wives on Hyneria bought me one of those abominations. It's a waste of money." Chiana, angered at their reluctance, said, "It'll work. Trust us." D'Argo shook his head profusely. "The last thing we need on Moya right now is more superstitious nonsense to mess with our heads. Take the thing back." Zhaan smiled, "It's too late D'Argo. We have already performed the ritual."

"You take one item that belongs to the subjects of the ritual and mix it into the stone's melted form. When it hardens, the objects are stored inside and the stone's power is released." Zhaan could see that the Luxan was angry that they had not waited for his approval. He growled quietly to himself. "Fine. But when Crichton and Aeryn come knocking on my door, and they will, I'm not going to cover for you." With that he turned and marched back towards the transport pod. Rygel followed close behind, shaking his head as he went. Zhaan and Chiana looked to each other. "It'll be fine," the young Nebari said gleefully and the two women ran to catch up to their bullheaded escorts.

<<<<>>>>

John had searched everywhere for the damn box. He had gone back to his cell the night before and stored the strand of hair carefully inside a notch on the wall. As far as he knew, the others had not found his hiding spot yet. Who could have taken it. Rygel was always taking his things, but surely sparky would never touch that. He couldn't be sure. John turned to open the cell doors. Maybe he had dropped it in the corridor. As he stepped outside, Aeryn came jogging down the hall. He did not see her until she was almost past him and out of reflex he yelled out, "Aeryn, have you seen my..." He stopped himself in mid-sentence. She stopped immediately and turned to face him. They stood there quietly for several seconds, neither wanting to speak first. "Never mind." John muttered the two words and snuck quickly back into his cell.

Aeryn wanted to say something, anything. The hurt inside her had built up and she felt as if something was crushing her insides. There was so much she wanted to say, profanities especially, but her mouth would not open. She shook her head in defeat and returned to her jogging.

<<<<>>>>

A few minutes later, Aeryn found herself in the dining hall. The broken soup bowl had been cleaned up and there was no evidence of the previous nights outburst. Eying the entrance, she headed cautiously towards the food closet. She found herself growing hungry more quickly these days. She fished a plate of food cubes out of the closet and sat down to eat. Just as she placed the first food cube in her mouth, the transport pod sped by the window in front of her. They were back. She had returned early in her prowler a few arns ago. The noisy street market had hurt her head. Now that the others were back, she tried her best to finish up before they came in.

Chiana and D'Argo walked into the dining hall. After the long walk on the planet below, hunger had set in quickly. They entered to find Aeryn stuffing her face with food cubes at the table. Upon their entry, she immediately spied the box under Chiana's arm. "What is that. It looks like a dried piece of cryo-waste." Chiana scowled back at the older woman. She had to remind herself that this was for Aeryn's benefit. "Just a little ornament D'Argo bought me." D'Argo glared angrily back at his companion. He did not like the idea of being used in this scheme.

"My complements D'Argo. You have worse taste than Rygel." Aeryn laughed at her own joke. The other two looked at each other with confused faces. She didn't seem to be herself. Chiana put the stone down in a corner of the room. "What's wrong with you today Aeryn?" She watched with great interest as the sebacean swallowed a piece of food and answered. "I'm sorry Chiana, but I'm feeling a bit vulnerable today and I'm trying not to show it."

D'Argo and Chiana stared dumbfounded at Aeryn. She gave them a curious look and stuffed another food cube into her mouth. "What?" Chiana could hardly keep the giggles from bursting out of her mouth. Vulnerable! An ex-peacekeeper commando sat before her in black leather, gun at her waist, admitting that she felt vulnerable. This was going to be more fun than she had though. Grabbing D'Argo around the arm, they exited quickly to go find Zhaan. Aeryn looked on, baffled, as they disappeared from sight. "What did I say?"

Zhaan sat quietly inside her cell, meditating on whether or not the stone had been a good idea. Chiana had been so sure that it would work and she had gotten caught up in the excitement. Looking back at it now, she wondered if it was right to tamper with such a delicate relationship. Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. "Come in." She was surprised to find John standing in her open doorway. He hardly ever ventured out of his cell these days. Especially not to talk to her. The stone must be having some affect, she thought. "Hey Zhaan, how are you?" Warmly she took the human in her arms and whispered, "Fine John. I am much more worried about you." He smiled for what seemed like the first time in ages. "Don't worry about me blue, I'll be alright." There was a twinkle in his eye that had been missing. She started to speak when he cut her off. "The reason I'm here is..." He seemed to ponder the words for a few moments before continuing. "I'm afraid of her. Afraid that we've started right back at the beginning again." He didn't bother to say of whom he was speaking. "I mean, after the the, well you know, I couldn't face her. How could I ever expect her to love me after what I did to her?" Zhaan smiled. How poorly the pathetic creature in front of her had judged the situation. She knew with exact certainty that Aeryn wanted him just as much as he wanted her. She would have assured him of this, but he had never come to talk. Until now. Zhaan realized that he was still talking. This would be a long conversation.

Aeryn strolled, yes strolled, into Pilot's den. A strange feeling had taken over her in the last arn. That heavy feeling of doubt that she always carried with her was mysteriously absent. "Hello Pilot," she said. He looked up and smiled warmly at her but his face quickly darkened. "Officer Sun, something has been troubling you lately. I think Ii know what the problem is but I was hoping you would come to see me." Aeryn smiled. Pilot's concern for her was comforting. "I love him Pilot," she said. Taken aback by the suddenness of her words, the usually calm creature was speechless. "That's what you wanted me to say wasn't it." There was a mischivous gleam in her eyes now. "I love John Crichton. You see, now I've said it." She tapped the comm attached to the sleeve of her jacket. "To anyone who cares, I love-." Pilot cut her off. "That is not necessary officer Sun. I thank you for your honesty and openness." He struggled to keep a straight face as the happiness inside consumed him. Even Moya seemed to brighten up at the sound of Aeryn's voice. "Was that all Pilot?" The grin on her face spread wider. "Yes thank you." Pilot turned back to his work at the console and did not notice her move towards him. Much to his astonishment, Aeryn Sun lifted herself over his work station and planted a light kiss on his cheek. Pilot sat frozen, his mouth gaping open as she left the room.

John and Zhaan's conversation had been interrupted by what sounded like Aeryn's voice over the comm. John looked to Zhaan, hope once again forming within him. "Go to her John." She smiled with delight as the Crichton she knew and loved, ran excitedly out the door.

D'Argo had not heard Aeryn's brief words. He had been down in the deepest parts of Moya, preparing his own solution to the problems of his two friends. The stone had been a stupid idea. True, it had some affect on Aeryn. He had seen that for himself. But words alone could not fix this situation. He stepped out of the dark room he had been working in and walked quickly up to find his friends.

Aeryn's stomach churned with what Crichton called "butterflies." It was a feeling she had experienced often since meeting the human. Building up her courage, she left Pilot and headed towards John's cell. The stubborn little man would listen to what she had to say whether he wanted to or not.

John left Zhaan's cell and made his way back to the cell he called home. The feelings of guilt and fear that had plagues now mysteriously vanished inside him. All he could think about was telling Aeryn Sun how he felt. There would be no running away for either of them this time. Their little fencing game would end today one way or another.

D'Argo followed close behind John. The other man's inferior hearing had allowed him to stay close without being heard. He watched as Crichton slowed before him. The sound of boots slapping against metal could be heard coming down the hall in front of them. Aeryn appeared suddenly around the corner but froze in her tracks when she found what she was looking for. Man and woman stood face to face. Helplessly silent for a moment. Just enough time for the Luxan to make his move.

Before either of them could speak, D'Argo's lightning-fast tongue shot out and dropped Aeryn to the floor. John turned angrily towards the intruder but was also quickly dispatched. As D'Argo stood proudly over his achievement, Rygel floated out of his cell to see what all the commotion was about. "You finally did something sensible for once." D'Argo sneered.

<<<<>>>>

The incessant pain in John's neck began to subside as he awoke in total darkness. Looking around, he realized that this was not his cell. Who knew how long he had been there. As his eyes became accustomed to the light, he began to take measure of his surroundings. The cold feeling of metal against his knee caught his attention. A shackle had been clamped to his leg and the chain led into the darkness in front of him. A single beam of light cut across the ground in front of him. He traced the source to a small slit where door met wall. Crichton quickly realized that he was in one of the maximum security cells that lay in the deepest parts of Moya. Outside, despite the ringing in his head, he heard loud voices yelling.

"D'Argo, you've gone completely farhbot!" Chiana's shrill voice cut through the dimly lighted corridor. "We just spent four hundred krepmas on that damn stone and you just ruined the whole thing." The Luxan bared his chest angrily. "I told already. This will work much faster than you're magic rock." She stood her ground. "Ya. Whatever the frell it is you did to them. What did you do to them?" He smiled triumphantly. On my world, when two lovers are constantly quarreling, we put them in isolation." Chiana still did not understand. "We leave them there without food or water until they work things out." She shook her head. "And if they don't work things out?" He growled. "Fine. We'll put the silly thing in there with them."

The sudden blast of light blinded Crichton. The door opened quickly and he could see the outline of D'Argo's body. He carried a large black object in his hands. Before John could tell what it was, the stone came crashing down to the floor in front of him. The loud bang stirred the sleeping sebacean across from him. Reluctantly, Aeryn pushed her face into the light. "Where am I?" John sat stunned, suddenly very aware of why he was here. "We're in one the lower cell blocks." She blinked rapidly at the sound of his voice. "Crichton, is that you?" He sighed, "yes its me." She stood up carefully and the chain spun up with her. John found himself wrenched from his spot against the wall and knocked to the ground. Aeryn looked down at him, a scowl on her face. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry."

"What is that thing?" He managed to get the words out through quick breaths. The unnatural movement had knocked the wind out of him. "Well it was a Therap Stone. What's left of it." The stone's lower half had shattered as it hit the ground. John could see the tiny container he had been looking for. It was half buried in a chunk of rock. "What's it for?" She picked up one of the larger pieces and examined the crude writing on its side. "Its supposed to evoke openness in relationships. I know because it was banned from the barracks after a51;." He waved his hand before she could continue. "I don't need a history lesson Aeryn. It's broken?" She shot him an angry look. "Yes. If the rock is broken or the objects inside are removed, it stops working." John shook his head. "So it seems our friends invested in some therapy for the two of us." Aeryn frowned. "Therapy?" "Never mind."

"You have noticed that they also chained us up together." Aeryn laughed as she yanked the chain softly, pulling John closer to her. "Yes." Taking advantage of the situation, she tugged on the chain until they were mere inches apart. "Did you mean what you said to me at the funeral?" She had been unconscious at the time but Zhaan had told her. John looked at her. The fear and defeat returning to him. He had promised himself that this wouldn't happen. Was he being foolish? He could not lie to her. John nodded his head slowly. Aeryn frowned. It was not the enthusiastic response she had hoped for. Leaning in closer to him, she whispered, "I did." She thought she saw the beginnings of a smile on his face. Catching himself, John covered his mouth with his hands. He tried to look away but she would not let him. "Oh hell," he thought to himself.

Aeryn pushed herself even closer to him. She could smell his familiar odor. Without waiting for him to speak, she kissed him lightly on the lips. He did not kiss her back. Alarm bells of insecurity rang loudly inside her head. She shushed them with renewed resolve. If she could survive through chaotic wars and hand to hand combat, she could do this. Pushing her hair away from his face, she leaned in again. This time he blocked her with his hands. "Aeryn, I can't." Ignoring his attempts, she continued on. "I don't remember asking for you're permission John." She kissed him strongly and more passionately than before. He still refused to kiss back. But this time she did not pull away.

Feeling the breath quickly leave her lungs, she resisted the urge to release him and maintained the kiss. After what seemed like an eternity, she felt the force of his face against hers and she smiled. Letting go momentarily to breathe deeply, they grinned like little children. She positioned herself on top of him and bent down to kiss him again. John's reluctance left him and he met her lips with matched anticipation. They continued on, not uttering a word. Finally she pushed herself off of him and reached for the small container.

"I don't need that anymore." John said the words, his voice a little shaky. She turned towards him again smiling. "No. I like that you carry part of me with you." Aeryn dropped the tiny box into his hand. "But what do I have of yours?" John Crichton felt the tears well up in his eyes until he couldn't hold them back any longer. "You've had my heart since the moment we met Aeryn Sun. And I don't plan on taking it back anytime soon." He reached his hand out and touched her cheek. She did not pull away, she did not stiffen. Feeling the soft touch of her hair against his skin, he said, "I love you Officer Aeryn Sun, Pleisar..." She put a finger over his lips and shook her head. "Just Aeryn." She leaned in close against his face and whispered, "I love you too John." They held each other there, falling asleep not long after.

<<<<>>>>

The next morning, D'Argo rose early and made his way down to the cell where he had left them. Arriving quietly, not wanting to disturb them, he pushed his ear up against the door. Silence. Not a sound could be heard inside the cell. Opening the door, he found the room empty and the chains gone. He muttered to himself. "How the frell?" Fed up and exhausted, he returned to the higher tiers to find his friends.

Inside the maintaince bay, he found what was left of the chains. They had been blasted apart where chain met shackle. He sniffed the air, attempting to capture the scent of one of his prisoners. He thought he smelled John's often strange odor not too far away.

Entering into the dining hall, he found Zhaan and Chiana preparing breakfast. "Have either of you sign Crichton and Aeryn?" The two women looked at him amused. "You mean they escaped from your love cell?" Chiana asked. She broke out into laughter at the thought of his crude idea of romance. "They are gone and the chains are broken. "Perhaps you underestimated their strength D'Argo." Zhaan's superficially simple words held a undercurrent of sarcasm. He growled at her and sat down to eat.

Not too far down the corridor, the subjects of D'Argo's search were also making their way to the dining hall. Aeryn grew apprehensive as they got closer. She looked down at her hands. She was holding John's. Looking up, she caught him looking at her like he had the night before. "Keep your mind where it belongs," she said sternly. Letting go of his hands, she allowed him to walk past her. John stopped and turned towards her but her arms were already moving. With one swift movement, she had him pinned against the wall. "What I said to you last night is personal. Understand." Her face left no mystery to what she was talking about. Smiling, he said "But D'Argo.." She interrupted him. "You do not say a word." "But D'Argo knows. He put us down there yesterday." She pushed him again. "Fine. He knows." "Aeryn. Zhaan and Chiana know. Pilot too. Even Rygel." She thought back to the ass she had made of herself in front of Chiana. Remembering what she had said to Pilot, she shook her head in frustration. "Just don't say anything." He knew this would not all happen at once. "I understand Aeryn. I won't say anything about.." She moved in as if to hit him. She smiled, "Ok then." She let him go and they continued towards the dining hall. "Hang on. I have to go put this in my room." Crichton motioned towards the little box in his hands. "Ok, I'll meet you there." Both left in opposite directions.

D'Argo was just finishing his breakfast of green food cubes and red food cubes when he picked up John's scent again. He motioned towards the others. "He's here." Excitedly, they all attempted to act normally. As footsteps approached the doorway, D'Argo said "John, how are you feeling today?" He turned to see Aeryn Sun at the door. She gave him a confused look and continued towards the table. "What's wrong with you?" she asked sitting down. D'Argo smiled. "I'm sorry Aeryn, but you have Crichton's scent all over you." At those words, the powerful Luxan saw something he'd never thought he'd see. Aeryn Sun blushed a deep shade of red. "I don't know what you're talking about." She said the words fighting to suppress a smile. John suddenly entered behind them. Everyone turned to look at him with happy faces. He looked at Chiana and she subtly winked at him. "What?"