Work Text:
At the Beginning
By Cristin Anne
*We were strangers
starting out on a journey
Never dreaming
What we'd have to go through
And I'm suddenly standing
At the beginning with you*
John stared out at the starscape, seeing nothing at all, only a strange sky. He was in shock, at least he thought maybe that was it. He had thought he was home. He had thought he had found his Earth. He had thought so many things. but it was all fake. How did he know this wasn't fake too? Maybe it was all a figment of his imagination. John disregarded that thought as soon as it came into his mind. His imagination could never think up something this magical. A living ship, a screwed up priest, an annoying king, a full of himself warrior, a pilot, and a gorgeous woman.
John smiled. "No, most definitely real. My mind would never think of people as far out as my new..." John paused, realization hitting as hard as anything could. "...friends," he said quietly, thinking of all the old friends he left behind. And to think he had thought he would be with them right now. But part of him was glad he wasn't. These new friends had become his family, and he couldn't really see leaving them.
Especially one of them. A gorgeous, annoying, pushy Peacekeeper named Aeryn. John smiled again, thinking out loud "Aeryn really is fox... and a whole lot more too."
"Really? What else am I?"
John jumped up when he heard her voice behind him. "Jesus, Aeryn! Don't scare me like that!!" John almost yelled. Then, realizing what she had said, he gulped. "How long have you been there?"
"Not long. What is a 'fox?' I hope it's something complimentary?" Aeryn smiled at John, her mind working in circles. A fox... the way he had said that, almost in awe, scared her somehow. Something hidden beneath the surface, kept trying to wriggle up and take over her when he talked like that. She had to keep it down, she couldn't let it break free... it had almost taken her over twice already. Once she thought she was dying, and the other time, when she thought she was on John's Earth...
"Yeah, it's a nice thing," John didn't get anymore specific, and sat down again, his back towards her. He wanted to brood. He didn't want to tease, or explain, or even talk. He just wanted to pity himself, and even though he knew she could help, he didn't want to talk to that part of his heart right now either.
"John? I just wanted to apologize..." Aeryn said to his back, wondering what she'd said to make him turn away. She knew what he was going through. She had thought about it long enough herself. It was the hard reality that he might never go home.
"Apologize?" That got John's attention, and he turned back towards her again. "What for?"
"For making you go against your own people, even if it was only a hoax. I know how hard it is, to go against every thing you believe and..."
John cut her off. "I didn't go against them, Aeryn. I went WITH you. I couldn't leave you for them. I couldn't leave you at all, Aeryn..." His voice died down before he spoke the next words. "I could never leave you..." He gestured to the floor beside him. "Sit down, join me..."
Aeryn looked at John, her own thoughts working in a jumbled mess. But she sat down, waiting for him to talk.
"It's why D'Argo almost had to force me into that wormhole. Sitting there, all I could think about was what life would be like if I left you behind. It scared me, Aeryn, it really did. Ah Christ, why am I telling you all this?" John hit himself on the head, expecting Aeryn to leave. knew he expected her to leave, but she stayed. "Because I'm here. You know..."
Aeryn broke off, but made herself go on. "That's why I followed you. D'Argo and Rygel were just curious, they were going to go back. But me... I was going to stay, John... I was going to stay with you." Aeryn had dropped a bombshell, and she knew it. She had let the worm wriggle to the surface, and she knew it was going to stay there now...
"You were going to stay..." John repeated, wonder and awe evident in his voice. "Ah, what the hell, why not." John pulled Aeryn close to him and kissed her.
Aeryn gasped. This wasn't supposed to happen. The worm was supposed to hide, she had to abide by her peacekeeper training. But as the kiss deepened, she found she really didn't want to.
John broke free, surprised not only at his own fervor, but at her response. He looked at Aeryn, and saw nothing but acceptance in her eyes. "You really are amazing..."
"Thank you John, for everything." Aeryn grasped his hand in hers, leaned into him. "You taught me so many things... including the biggest lesson of all..."
"What's that?"
"How to care," Aeryn kissed the nape of his neck, and leaned back into to him.
John stared at her, amazed. Had she just said... "I think the lesson was mutual, Aeryn. You taught me a new way to look at life, a new place to look for lo..." he couldn't say the last word. But he felt she understood.
"We're at a new beginning John," Aeryn finally said quietly.
"That we are, that we are." They looked out at the stars together.
But this time John saw something more than stars, he saw the future.
*No one told me
I was going to find you
Unexpected
What you did to my heart
When I lost hope
You were there to remind me
This is the start*
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