What if
By
Ephitania

Disclaimer:
All original characters are the property of the Henson Company.

Rating:
NC-13 (some sexual content)

Synopsis:
Earth challenge revisited. John and Aeryn meet on earth. And we see moments from their journey towards a life with each other.

Feedback:
I'm always appreciative; you guys give the best feedback.

Comments:
A while back Madame Butterfly requested an Earth fic, this is as close as he could get, I hope you like it. It came to me Friday; sorry it took so long hun.


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WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN...

"DK...man...you know I hate blind dates." John whined, tossing the empty beer can in the trash.

DK's can followed suit. "Come on Johnny boy. If you don't go, then Beth will bail on me. She says it's her cousin's first visit since there were kids and she doesn't want to leave her alone...she wouldn't feel right." DK grabbed John's arms in desperation. Pleeeaassseee Johnny."

John wasn't keen on the idea and his expression spoke volumes over his words. "DK...I don't know. In my experience blind dates never work out." He watched his best friend's expression go from mildly anxious to downright panicky before he relented. "Man I just know I'm going to live to regret this. Fine...I'm in." He held up his finger to stop DK's excited response. "But I swear...you owe me one. What does she look like?"

DK sent John a toothy smile. "Beth says she's really nice and..."

John's eyes widen. "I didn't ask if she was Miss Congeniality.  I asked you what she looked like."

DK sighed, he knew this was coming. "Look John, Beth didn't say. Come on man...help me out here. I'm this close." He held up an index finger and thumb, measuring space. "This close and if I don't get her cousin a date. This may be as close as I get."

"Fine. But boy do you owe me one!" John agreed.



Later that night...


"Here they come. Now remember, no matter what she looks like, you promised to take her off somewhere after dinner." DK made sure that John remembered his promise.

John was about to reply, when he caught sight of the two young women. Both were taller than average, slim and curved in the right places. There the similarities stop. While Beth was the typical blonde, blue-eyed beauty that men drooled over, her cousins looks were much more striking. Her hair appeared to be black until the restaurant's incandescent lighting caught its vibrant brown highlights. While Beth had gone in for the sleek bob, her cousin's hair fell in long thick waves, reaching just below her shoulder blades. He couldn't tell what color her eyes were but he was more than willing to wait to find out. From far away his blind date was absolutely gorgeous. As she approached the table, that opinion went from gorgeous to breathtaking.

Beth introduced her cousin to the guys as they all sat down. "DK, John...I'd like to introduce my cousin, Aeryn Sun. Aeryn this is my boyfriend DK and his best bud, John Crichton."

"Hi, it's nice to meet you." John smiled brightly, reaching for her hand. He could see the color of her eyes, an extraordinary blue-gray and like rest of her, they were incredible.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you too. Beth talks about the both of you all the time." Aeryn answered, with a smile of her own. Beth was right, John was cute! This blind date thing might not be so bad.

John felt his heart skip. A voice that reminded him of long nights, afternoon walks on the beach and breakfast in bed. "Do I detect an accent? Australian...New Zealand?"

Shaking her head, she chuckled. "Oz it is."

John simply smiled and realized two things. One, he still held her hand and two, he was definitely hooked.



Eight Months Later...


John smiled dreamily as the moist heat moved across his chest, encased his flat nipples and moved slowly downward. "Hmmm..." His eyes opened just a crack. "What a wonderful way to wake up." His fingers combed through the dark silky mass of curls, covering his lower body. His stomach muscles clenched tightly, as her tongue tasted him in a long slow caress, her hands moving up and down the full length of his arousal. John didn't think that he'd be able to tolerate the erotic torture much longer and was almost relieved when her lips left him.

"And you're wonderful to wake up." The husky voice was muffled against his skin as she kissed her way back up towards his lips to capture them passionately. Propping herself up against his shoulder, she smiled down into his flushed face. "So what shall we do this morning?"  

John let his hands roam down her back, cupping her delicately rounded bottom he pulled her more firmly against his arousal. "Hmmm..." Moaning deeply he drew a single finger down the crease of her buttocks, until he found the secret passage he sought. He inched one finger up into her, then a second exploring her satiny treasures.

"That is not an answer." She giggled softly. Allowing her legs to fall apart, one on either side of her lower body. Pushing down against his determined fingers. She moaned when the seeking digits slipped completely from her wet body.  

Gripping her waist he settled her over him, breathing heavily as her hot moist core enveloped his hardness. "I don't know about...hmmm...about this afternoon, but...but I'm pretty sure the morning's covered. Ahh...Aeryn my angel."



***********


"So when does your plane leave?" Aeryn asked sweetly, before placing a forkful of chocolate mousse cheesecake in her mouth.

John watched the oral by-play. "You trying to get rid of me already?" He took a sip of his coffee to hide the trembling of his upper lip.

Shaking her head smiling. "Never that. I just want to know how much time I have left to enjoy you." She took another forkful of cheesecake and fed it to John.

"You've got me for two more days love." John reached across the table to cup the face that had graced his dreams for over six months.

"Well then we've got two more days to..." She ran her fingers through her hair, pulling the thick strands away from her face.

"To? Play...make love...eat?" John laughed.

Aeryn shook her head, lowering the tone of her voice. "No...SHOP!!!" She licked her lips. "And make love." Leaning forward she offered her lips to John, who took them gladly.

WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN...

John joined his father by the pool. "Hey dad. Livvie said you were out here."

"Son!" Jack jumped to his feet to embrace his son. "When did you get back?"

John returned the embrace. "I landed on US soil yesterday afternoon and slept straight through to this morning."

"Yeah, a flight down under and back is no soft stretch son." Jack handed his son a cold beer. "So...?"

John sat down across the poolside table from his dad. "So what?" he smiled secretly knowing exactly what his father was asking.

"So...how was the trip? How were your old buddies from the program? I was surprised when you didn't ask DK to join you." Jack smiled across at his son, taking a sip of his beer.

"It wasn't that kind of trip dad." John responded setting his bottle down on the table.

"Well then the question is...what is she like? Is she beautiful?" Jack spread his fingers out on the table, waiting for Jack's answer.

"She's absolutely gorgeous dad. She's sweet...smart. She's tall, curved in all the right places. Hair...dad, she's got so much of it and her voice it's...I can't...I can't explain it. You'll have to hear it for yourself. She's absolutely wonderful dad." John finished.

Jack realized in that moment that it had finally happened to his boy. "You love her?"

"Yes dad. I love her." John answered simply.

"So when do I get to meet her?" Jack leaned across the table to grasp his son's forearms.

"In three weeks, dad. I invited her to celebrate the fourth with us...her parents too." Shrugging sheepishly. "Do you mind?"

"Mind? Son, I can't wait!" Jack laughed.



*******************


CHRISTMAS...


"John! Pu...put me down you nut!" Aeryn screamed playfully hanging over John's
shoulder as her galloped through the house and out the back door.

"Not until you admit it!" John sped up. Aeryn lifted her head slightly trying to peer through the thick sheet of hair falling over her eyes, she caught sight of the bark of one of the yard's Palm trees coming close to her head. "JOHN!"

John refused to relent. "Say it! I was right and you were..."

"I was...was...was...wasn't!" Aeryn refused to give in, yelping when John whacked her on the bottom.

John went down on one knee, dropping Aeryn gently onto the plush green grass.
Straddling her, John tickled her unmercifully. "Admit it!"

"Nooooo!" Aeryn broke down in giggles. "Okay...okay...okay. Stop it or you'll make me pee on mmm...myself."

"Say it! I was right and you were? Come on you can do it." John rolled onto the grass, pulling Aeryn over on top of him.

"Fine! You were right! I was wr...wr...okay lets just say I wasn't right." Aeryn grinned, rolling her eyes.

John laughed. "What was that! WRONG honey...you were wrong! You know, we're really going to have work on that. You can say it...WROOONG!" He drug the word out. He grabbed at her small fist when she punched him in the shoulder. "Owww! Hey, I was right, our dads were made to be best buds. They were happy to take up from where they left off this summer and you thought that their little disagreement would end it all. Now look at them, they've been fishing what? Almost everyday since you guys got here. They've been to three games and I really think Jack may go through separation anxiety, when you guys leave for Sydney."

Aeryn shook her head. "If we leave for Sydney. The way things are going, we may not be able to coax Admiral and Elise Sun onto the plane. I may loose both my parents to the Everglades."

John sobered for a moment. He reached up to stroke the hair from her face. "Would that be so bad? Having to stay here?"  

"No...not as long as I'm with you. I love you." The words were said softly and full of love. Leaning down, she kissed his lips gently.

Returning her kiss, he spoke just as softly. "I love you too."


**************


Jack sat next to Danyel Sun, watching the two lovers. "I don't think I've ever seen my son so happy, not even when he was accepted to the Space Program."

Danyel smiled, watching the two as well. "The same with Aeryn. The kids are in love. Maybe we'll get a wedding and some grandkids out of this deal."

Jack turned to Danyel. "You think?"

"Oh yes! Young John has that look in his eyes." Danyel laughed, patting Jack on the back. "Just wait! I have a gut feeling."


*******************


John and Aeryn sat snuggled in corner of the deep sofa in the Crichton family's dark living room, watching the Christmas light, blink on and off to the tone of the Christmas music piping softly from the stereo.

Aeryn played with John's fingers "I think Christmas has become my favorite holiday. I love your family."

"Mmmm...they love you too." John nuzzled her ear.

"Did I say thank you for my gifts?" Aeryn kissed each of John's fingers.

"Yes you did and did I say thank you for my gifts?" John took hold of Aeryn's chin and turned her face towards his. Kissing her gently, then allowing the kiss to deepen. He cracked one of his eyes open, glancing over at the tree. Pulling his lips away from Aeryn. "Oh my god!"

Aeryn jerked her eyes toward the tree. "WHAT?! What is it?"

"Something flew into the tree Aeryn!" John was up off of the couch in seconds glancing around in the tree. "Aeryn, come and help me find it."

"Let me turn on the lights." Aeryn made a move toward the light switch. John's bark stopped her.

"No! I don't want it to fly out of the room. If we get it out of the tree it may just land on a piece of furniture here in the living room." John gave an excuse that seemed a bit odd, but he was more familiar with the Florida insects and their habits. John moved over to one of the shelves that lined the living room wall  "Aeryn look above your head a bit. Don't shake it until I can find the net dad keeps in here somewhere."

"Alright." Aeryn stared around and through the tree's bushes. She searched for ten minutes. So intent on her search, she didn't notice John standing against the shelves, arms folded, legs crossed at the ankles and a smile on his face.  "John I don't see anything. Are you sure you saw a bug?"

"Positive, I think I see something moving right above your head! A little to the right." John continued to smile. She was so beautiful to him.

Aeryn stared in the area John had pointed out. "John I don't see...." She paused as a glint caught her eye. She focused both eyes in the direction of the twinkle. She shook her head not believing what her eyes were showing her. "John? I...is that..." She stepped closer to the tree branch. "John? OH MY GOD!!!! JOHN...YOU...OH!!! OH!!!! MY GOD!" Fanning her hands in front of her, afraid to reach out at the object incase it disappeared.

John moved to the tree. Reaching up to pull a forest green velvet box from the tree's branches, going down on one knee John plucked the diamond ring from its green satin bed. Taking Aeryn's left hand, he looked up into her anxious face. "I love you so much. You are the most important thing in my life. Who would have thought that a blind date would have lead to eternity? Aeryn Elizabeth Sun, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" He gently pushed the diamond solitaire onto Aeryn's ring finger.

Aeryn had to force herself to calm down. Breathing deeply before she answered, tears in her eyes and a brilliant smile on her face. "Yes...YES....YES!!! John Robert Crichton I will most definitely marry you! Oh god how I love you."

John stood, sweeping Aeryn up into a huge bear hug, capturing her lips. Pulling away he yelled out. "SHE SAID YES!!!!!!"

The two watched as family and friends spilled into the living room to congratulate the two.   

WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN...

"Nervous man?" DK slapped John on the back.

"Man I passed nervous hours ago. Now I'm positively frantic." John paced back in forth, pulling at his tie.

"Hey stop! You'll ruin the tux." DK laughed, moving John's hands and tightening the tie. "You look good man! You're one lucky dude! Aeryn is everything a man could want. I'm so proud of you. Maybe this marriage thing isn't so bad. You and Aeryn make it look so damn easy."

John hugged his best friend and man. "Thanks DK. I needed that."

Jack knocked lightly and entered the room. "Ready son?"

"I'll go check on the cars." With one last pat DK left the room, leaving father and son alone together.

"You got rattlers son?" Jack noticed John's pacing.

"Rattlers, butterflies, earthworms, and anything else that you can think of. Dad I feel as though I've waited my whole life for this moment." John shook himself.

"You have waited for this moment and a few more. Son I can't tell you how proud
I am of you. You have matured into a man any father could be proud of.. I only wish your mother could be here to see this." Jack's voice broke at the mention of late wife.

"I know dad. I wish she were here too, but I know she's watching over us." John hugged his dad.

"I agree. She must approve of Aeryn. She's a wonderful girl. Don't ever forget the sacrifices she's made, giving up her job, her home and family to move here to the states. Only a woman who truly loves you can give up so much." Jack advised.

"I could never forget. Dad I love her so much it hurts. When she's away from me I feel incomplete. I can't wait to make her mine." John smiled at his reflection in the full-length mirror. "I'm ready."

Jack smiled nodding at his son. "Good lets go make that girl a Crichton."


John would never forget his first view of her walking down the aisle on her father's arm toward him. She was beauty personified, his eyes almost hurt, filled with her radiance. His love, she'd given up everything just to be with him. He would never let her go...he couldn't let her go. Not without dying himself first.



*************  


"John and Aeryn have decided to recite that they have written themselves." The minister handed the microphone to John. "John."

John took the microphone and turned to face Aeryn. "Aeryn..." John couldn't finish, his voice breaking. Clearing his throat he continued. "Aeryn, I had these vows written down, memorized them and branded them into my heart, but I figure, now is as good a time as any to really let you and everyone here know what's in my heart." He cleared his throat once again and licked his lips. "A year ago today, a friend invited me...well begged me to go on a...uhh blind date. I argued...just knowing it was a sympathy date. Especially
when I asked what the girl looked like and my bud here said...and I quote 'she's a nice girl'." He paused, waiting for the laughter died down. "But being the stand up kind of guy that I am, I bit the bullet and went anyway."

He reached out to caress Aeryn's cheek. "Now in order to imagine my surprise at meeting this breathtakingly beautiful woman, you would have to join the Polar Bear club and experience the full impact of hitting the subzero degree water in subzero degree weather. There she was this vision. I swear...my heart simply stopped. Aeryn, in the past year, you have become my best friend...no offense DK" he turned to DK, smiling.

DK returned the smile. "None taken buddy."

"You have become my lover, my heart, my soul, my life. I never really expected to walk into a restaurant and find my destiny. My life has become more than just being the best flyboy IASA has to offer. My life has a master plan full of meaning. Its meaning is you Aeryn. I belong to you, just as you belong to me. For the rest of our days, I will cherish you. Your life...your happiness and all those things that mean the world to you, now mean the world to me. I love you so much and I thank god for the day you walked into my life'

Aeryn was speechless for a moment. The tears in her eyes breaking forth to run delicately down her soft cheeks. John's thumbs wipe at the salty trail. She cleared her throat and spoke softly. "Well...since you've chosen your heart, I have to follow suit. I had no idea that the moment I laid eyes on IASA's golden boy that my life would change so drastically in a matter of months. I went back home to Sydney and told all my friends that I'd met the most gorgeous American bloke. I told my parents that I'd met the man of my dreams." She glanced over at her parents giving them a radiant smile.

Turning that same smile on John, she continued. "As we spent more time together, I found that I really...really liked you. It was more than the usual attraction. You were actually a good, decent guy, who was willing to brave the twenty-seven hour flight every other month just to get to know my life, my world on my time. You slowly but surely worked your way into heart, becoming a integral part of my soul. You're my best friend, my lover, my confidante. Without you in my life, I don't think I would survive. My father and best friend asked me if I would mind giving up my job, my house, and my life. My answer was a simple one. You, John Crichton are my life, and where you are I will always be. I love you John Crichton and I thank god the day you walked into my life."



ONE YEAR LATER...

The lights from the Sydney Harbor Bridge cast a golden light on the two sitting at the outside café. Aeryn smiled into John's eyes, reaching out for his hands. "John, did I tell you thank you for coming with me."

John caressed the small hand in his. "Baby, it's your parents' thirtieth anniversary. We couldn't miss that. I love your parents. Besides we needed a vacation. With the Farscape project up in running and you becoming partner at the law firm, we won't have much together time. I wanted this to be a special vacation. We have four weeks and I plan to make sure that each day is special."

Aeryn laughed softly. "I do love you."

John leaned forward for a kiss. "I love you too baby."

Aeryn held onto John's hands stroking his fingers. "Hmmm...Well...can I give you something special?"

John nodded, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing each knuckle. "You mean dinner wasn't the beginning?"

"Oh yes it was part of it. But there is a second part to the surprise. You know I accepted
the partnership and they want me to handle the Tretech contracts. I'll be able to handle the preliminary files for the first five or six months but after that, traveling back and forth would be too much after that."

John frowned slightly. "Baby, you know that it's up to you. Whatever you want...I'm there with you. Are you afraid that the travel will wear you down?"

"Nope." She shook her head still smiling. "I just don't think the doctor would agree with it?"

John jumped up from the table, moving swiftly around the table to kneel in front of Aeryn. "Baby? What's the matter? Why wouldn't the doctor agree to let you travel?"

Aeryn cupped John's face. "Noooo....baby calm down. Everything is fine. It's just...uhh...well doctors don't think that it's safe for women in their final trimester to fly."

"Trimester...tri...oh...my...lord...Aeryn? Are you...me...we...a baby?" John couldn't seem to form a complete sentence. His heart was racing a mile a second.
"Honey?"

Aeryn smiled nodding, her eyes filling with tears. "Yes, we're having baby."

John stood, pulling Aeryn with him. Lifting her high in the air he spun around. "We're having a baby?" At her nod, he kissed her and continued spinning. "WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BABY!!!!!"



THE BLESSED EVENT...


"John helped Aeryn to the truck as quickly as he could. "Don't forget your breathing exercises, remember he...he...he" John demonstrated as he started the truck and backed out of the driveway.

Aeryn rolled her eyes at her husband, the man she professed before all to love throughout eternity. As another contraction swept through her body, all she could think of was pain...John's. "Very good John, now that we know you can breath in sync, could you just drive." She spoke between clenched teeth. "John?"

"Yeah baby?" He was afraid to take his eyes off of the road.

Swallowing a growl, Aeryn spoke quietly. "The hospital's in the other direction."  Shaking her head, she muttered. "What is it with men and directions?"


***************       


"Aeryn... you aren't using your breathing technique. Remember he...he...he." John rubbed Aeryn's back, wincing at the dirty look that she shot his way.

"John, if you mention breathing one more bloody time...I swear, that by the time I'm done handling minnie you,  this will be the only child you will ever have...ever want to have!" Aeryn shut her eyes against the coming contraction and concentrated on her breathing. "This is not fun."

"Happy place Aeryn...goooo to your Happy Place." John hummed.

Aeryn stopped breathing and stared at her husband. The man was a genius when it came to Space theories, but who was this fool rubbing her back? Oh that's right, he was her heart...her soul...WHAT CRAP! Frowning at her husband, she smacked his hands away from her lower back. "You have lost your ever loving mind. Happy Place, oh I'll find a Happy Place alright...I got your Happy Place...you just wait until...." A sharper contraction cut off the rest of her words.

John swallowed fearfully at the threat to his manhood and continued to rub his wife's back in silence. Who was this woman? Not his sweet loveable Aeryn. "Baby are you ready for the epidural? Do you want me to call for the nurse?"

"No...no John I want to be in excruciating pain. It's the high point of my day!" Aeryn yelled. "AAARRRGGGGHHHHH! I WANT AN EPIDURAL NOW!!!"

John ran to the door and yelled for the nurse.   She was right; this might be his only kid. Who was he kidding? He was having the time of his life!  



Midnight feeding...

John woke alone in the large bed. He glanced in the direction of the clock on the nightstand. Getting out of bed he grabbed a robe from the foot of the bed and made his way out of the bedroom. The sweet, soft humming drew him to the nursery. He eased the door open and stood staring at his wife sitting in the nursery's overstuffed rocking chair, holding their eight-week-old baby. While Aeryn hummed the baby nursed voraciously, grunting every few seconds. "That kid's got one heck of an appetite."

Aeryn glanced over at her husband, smiling. "Like his father." Aeryn stopped nursing the infant to switch breast. At the interruption to his nightly meal, the baby began to fuse, turning red in frustration.

John rushed over to Aeryn's side. Reaching down he caressed the child's tiny head, covered in dark curls. "He's definitely got your hair."

Aeryn chuckled. "Yeah and your temper." She gasped as the anxious newborn latched onto her nipple.

"What?" John asked. "Me?"

"Oh yes you. You're just like this when you can't have your way. Especially when it deals with sex, food, Farscape and beer." Aeryn smirked, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"God woman you know me well." He pulled her up gently, taking care not to disturb the feeding baby. Sitting down in the chair he guided her down onto his lap, pulling her long legs across his. Holding her, he began to rock gently. The baby opened one eye suspiciously, his tiny fist holding Aeryn's breast in place. His tiny frown almost daring anyone to take the food supply away until he was done.

 "Will you look at him." John rubbed the tiny fist. "Hey buuuudddddiiieeee. How's my little man? I know that whole switch thing just threw you off. But hey look on the bright side. You've got two of em'. Of course you'll learn to appreciate that in a whole different
light once you start dating."

Aeryn smacked John's thigh. "John! You're teaching him bad habits and he can't even focus yet." She smiled lovingly down at her son. "Caleb, don't you listen to your father, he's a wild man."

"Caleb my boy, we've got a lot to talk about." He laughed as Aeryn smacked his leg again. "I love you Aeryn...you and Caleb are my world."

"I love you too John."

"John!"

"John!"

"Crichton!"

John jerked awake to find Chiana and D'Argo standing over him. He stared for a moment before realizing he was on Moya. "What is it?"

Chiana answered. "Pilot says that we are almost in detection range of the Scarran Dreadnought that is holding Aeryn."

John sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Holding his head in his hands. How could it have all been a dream? It seemed so damn real! "Thanks Chi...D"

John waited for them to leave before grabbing his jacket and Winona. At the door he turned and stared at the dimly lit room, smiling sadly he whispered two words. "What if" then he turned and walked towards Command.

The End