Lost and Found
Author's
Notes:
This came about as an 'assignment' from ScaperRed. After she did such a brilliant job with hers. I was
more than happy to oblige. Okay, I'm lying. I groaned when she said mine was a shippy assignment.
Spoilers: WSS:FA
Disclaimer: Not mine. If it was we'd have a Farscape Channel.
Chiana stood quietly in the doorway of Aeryn's room, watching as the
ex-Peacekeeper peeled off the blood and grime covered clothing behind the
partition. It had taken D'Argo threatening to knock John out to get the man to
go find something to eat. He had spent the last two days watching over the
Sebacean, waiting for her to show signs that she wasn't permanently injured
from the wounds incurred on the Scarran freighter.
Finally awaking, Aeryn insisted on changing out of the rags she wore, and
Chiana only watched over her to see if she needed anything while waiting for
Crichton to return.
"She okay?"
Without turning at John's voice, Chiana answered, "Yeah. She's all right.
At least, I think so. Wrinkles wants to look her over
more carefully when she's up to it."
"Thanks, Chi. I'll take it from here."
Walking away, Chiana turned and looked at John as he hesitated for a moment
before entering. The look on his face flashed between relief and fear before
taking a step inside.
Blood and tears were what he feared for before he stepped into the room. Chiana
had said over the comm that Aeryn had awoken again and insisted on cleaning
herself. She had looked so weak, nothing like he had ever seen before in all
the cycles of knowing the woman that taken such a prominent place in his heart.
Stepping inside and closing the privacy curtain, John stopped beside the
partition.
"I'm fine, John."
He let out the breath he didn't realize he had held from the moment the door to
the room had shut. "I know. I'm just making sure..."
He heard her sigh and then a small grunt of pain. Quickly going around, he
picked up the loose fitting pants that Aeryn had dropped and gave them to her.
Looking down at her stomach, he winced at the ugly red welts that ran down her
sides. Reaching out, his fingers grazed the edges of them and gingerly searched
for signs of infection.
Aeryn's hand wrapped his. "I will be fine. I just have to clean this filth
off of me."
Giving her a slight nod, John wrapped his arm around her waist when her step
faltered and she reached out for him.
Slowly they made their way to the refresher. Neither said a word, but accepted
each other's embrace with the comfort as if they had known each other for several
lifetimes.
Stopping once inside the refresher, John let go of Aeryn as she leaned against
the basin while he adjusted the water for her. When he turned back, John saw
that she had grown even more pale in just those few
microts.
"Are you okay," he asked. His eyes finding no
comfort in the tired smile that touched the edges of her lips.
"Yes."
"Let's wait a few microts, you don't have to rush."
"I want...need to get the smell of that ship off of me," she answered
vehemently .
"You will. I just don't..."
"It's all right, John. I understand. I've been on the other side of this
conversation before."
Unable to help the small chuckle that escaped him, John said as he leaned
against the basin as well, "I know you have."
His hand reached up and pushed a strip of hair from her face. He had almost
lost everything. Here was the one thing that mattered above all else standing
back beside him. He was nothing without her because she was what kept the heart
beating in his chest.
People said that the ones they loved were the other halves of their souls. That
wasn't true in this case. Aeryn was his entire soul. A soul he had lost.
If she wasn't that, he would have cared about making the deal with Scorpius. He
hadn't. He would have let worlds flash fry if it meant
to have her back beside him whole.
John noticed the way Aeryn stared at him and he smiled. "What?"
"I was just wondering what you were thinking, your eyes looked so distant
there for a moment. Almost as if you were lost."
"I was, but I found my way back," he said softly.
Without warning, the basin beneath them collapsed from their combined weight.
Water began to cascade over them as they lay on the floor. Concern spiking
through him as he saw Aeryn lying on her side, John reached for her shaking
body.
"Aeryn!" As he touched her shoulder, John
realized that she was laughing.
Turning over, she looked at him and smiled. "Why is nothing ever easy with
you?"
"Karma, I guess."
"You know you're completely wet now. Let's get you out of those clothes."
"I was taught never to argue with a lady," John said returning her
grin as he began peeling off his wet clothing.
The End
Originally posted February 02, 2004