Aeryn Sun, warrior, fugitive, and former Peacekeeper, was extremely happy.

She was standing in one of Moya's side corridors just off from Pilot's chamber, but that wasn't what was making her happy. She was also now the proud new owner of a brand new pulse rifle with interchangeable sights, courtesy of a barely tolerable merchant dealing in black market goods, but that also wasn't what was making her happy.

What was making her happy was the fact that she currently had her lover pinned up against a corridor wall and was doing her best to kiss him breathless, their mouths devouring each other as if they hadn't just spent all day together down on the commerce planet. She had initiated this little "detour" but she knew he didn't mind as she felt his hands trace along her back, caressing her shoulders, and then moving again to wrap them around her, holding her against his body as tightly as he could.

Aeryn smiled even as she continued kissing him. Ever since their "relationship" had begun, she had enjoyed doing what John called "jumping him": attacking him and taking possession of him as often as possible, and she didn't care whether the setting was public or private. Fortunately, John seemed to instinctively grasp that for Sebaceans, mating was often a matter of physical need and raw desire. It was why they seemed to outsiders to proceed very slowly in matters of physical attraction, the fact that the fevered pitch of Sebacean mating could be as dangerous as Sebacean combat. An unwanted move made in a moment of passion didn't usually result in a polite apology and acceptance. It usually resulted in retaliation and pain.

No, John was definitely not a problem. Unless you count being so cute at times, I wonder how I manage to keep my hands off him at all, she thought.

The truth was if anyone minded Aeryn's "little hobby," it was D'Argo. She could just hear him now grumbling, "Can't you wait until you can get him somewhere not so public?"

Aeryn had to pull away before she laughed into John's mouth, remembering the Luxan's grousing. The threatening chuckles got even worse when she thought about what Zhaan had said when she mentioned D'Argo's complaining.

Frell D'Argo and what he thinks, Zhaan said, all the while grinning so mischievously. It had made both of them laugh so hard Rygel had actually popped his head in to ask "What the Yotz is the matter with you two?"

 Aeryn almost shook her head at the memory. I don't know what to make of her at times, she thought, but I'm glad I'm finally starting to get to know her better. She also had to wonder if there wasn't more to the priest's offhand comment, and her intentions towards a certain Luxan warrior, than was apparent to the casual eye.

"Aeryn?" John's voice broke into her train of thoughts. "You still with me?" She looked back to his face to find him grinning at her. "You know, when you start something like this back where I come from, it's usually considered bad taste to zone out in the middle of it."

And where I come from, it would be dangerous, she couldn't help but think. Another sign of how the time she had spent with this human had changed her. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

She smiled sheepishly as she turned her attention back towards him. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking about Zhaan."

Mock concern tried to form itself on his face, but he ruined it by not being able to stop grinning at her. "Oh? Should I be worried? I'm not sure I like that you're kissing me and thinking about her."

Aeryn pulled back and hit him on the arm. Lightly, she reminded herself. Sebaceans didn't mind bruises made in play or passion, but that didn't mean she was in any hurry to find out how humans felt about them.

"Not like that!" she said as he laughed at her. "I was thinking about what she said when I told her about D'Argo's complaining about our .tendency to have sex in public places."

"Our tendency?" he retorted, his blue eyes dancing as he pulled her close again. "Who starts this about ninety-nine percent of the time?"

Aeryn's eyes narrowed into a mock scowl. "Are you complaining?" she growled in a low voice.

He smiled at her again, doing his best to look innocent of all charges. "Who, me? Do I look that stupid?"

"Well, now that you mention it."

"Gee thanks. I always know where I stand with." Aeryn cut him off as she leaned over and kissed him as soundly and deeply as she could. He moaned into her mouth as she pressed her breasts against him and set one foot inside his legs, rubbing her crotch against his thigh. She moved more fiercely against him, feeling her desire grow more aggressive, as she increased the friction. She started moving her hands across his back, pulling his shirt loose so she could get her hand under the waistband of his pants, then underwear, and finally stroke the skin of his lower back.

He returned the favor, sliding one of his hands under her shirt, and touching her back with that light, oh-so-arousing touch Aeryn could never seem to duplicate. He abandoned her mouth and started kissing along her face, down her neck, his tongue making her moan as he traced to her shoulder and then back up again. Aeryn could feel the beginnings of the aching need she had come to know so well racing through her veins. She couldn't help thinking that D'Argo was soon going to have reason to complain again.

Just as she was about to slide them both down to the floor, however, John pulled back and gazed into her face. "You know, I forgot to thank you for today," he said, his hands keeping up their patterns on Aeryn's back.

"Thank me? For what?" she replied a little quickly, her own hands coming around his front, sliding across his abdomen, before returning to his back. She swallowed as she looked into his beautiful eyes. Two more microts and he was going to be thanking her from somewhere underneath her on the floor.

"For not blowing away that slimebag back on the planet, even though I could feel how much you wanted to." That made Aeryn's hands stop moving. "For giving me the chance to talk to him and work it out." He smiled as he kissed her lightly on the mouth. "For trusting me to actually take care of myself for a change."

Aeryn returned the smile as she kissed him back, deepening it even as she started rubbing herself against him again. It had been very difficult for her to resist the urge to protect what she sometimes couldn't help but see as her "weaker" lover. While John appreciated the intent, he couldn't agree with her desire to "mother hen" him as he put it, and it had been the source of many arguments between the two. There were times when Aeryn just couldn't help herself. The idea of losing John, the idea of somebody even hurting him, terrified her in ways she didn't even know existed. It just seemed easier sometimes to put herself in between him and anything that might pose a threat. It was only the fact that he had gotten much better at defending himself lately that enabled her to hold back at all.

She would have said "You're welcome," but John chose that moment to run his hand out from under her shirt, down along her thigh, before tracing its way back up again to her waist. She responded by pressing herself against him as tightly as possible, eliciting a moan as one of her hands crept back under his underwear, exploring the planes of his hip and traveling ever closer to his crotch.

Floor. Now. she thought, but John frustrated her again by pulling away and staring at her.

Hezmana, she thought, what is it now? Much more of this and she would be tempted to see how humans did react to bruises because she was going to end up pushing him down on the floor.

He didn't say anything though, just continued staring at her searchingly, as if he was trying to make up his mind about something and was hoping something he saw there would point him in the right direction. Then he seemed to shrug it off, kissing her again and pulling her back close to his body.

Aeryn returned his kisses, but she couldn't help feeling concerned. This wasn't the first time he'd done this: there'd been a number of times lately when she'd caught him looking at her, thinking that she wasn't watching, his blue eyes intense with concentration, as if she was some sort of resourcefulness exercise that he just couldn't figure out.

"John," she breathed, pulling away from him, her need to get to the floor momentarily forgotten. "What is it? What's wrong?"

He blinked at her before responding, "Wrong? Nothing's wrong." His hands absently stroked her face, making their way to her hair, as he unconsciously licked his lips. "Why do you ask?"

Aeryn looked him intently in the eyes, not wanting to be put off. "A moment ago, when you stopped kissing me, what were you thinking? It looked fairly serious."

He blinked at her again, then smiled as he leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the lips. "Oh, that," he said, pulling back and then kissing her along her cheek, punctuating his words with short light kisses. "I was just thinking, "..."how incredibly lucky,"..."I am to have a woman"..."who attacks me on a regular basis".."and doesn't care who happens to be watching." He finished by kissing her on the mouth, lightly at first, then deeper as Aeryn felt the need inside her start to grow again.

"That was it?" she asked, not entirely convinced.

"That was it," he affirmed as he casually glanced around the corridor as if it just occurred to him where they were. "You know," he began, "maybe we should try to make D'Argo happy and move this somewhere a little more private."

He's changing the subject, she thought, but when he leaned over and kissed her again, she found it was something she was more than willing to pursue sometime later.

"Our quarters, then?" she asked. She pulled back from him, giving him room, so he could move away from the wall she had pinned him against earlier.

"Actually," he said, grinning at her and taking her hand, "I was thinking more along the lines of .the terrace."

She grinned back at him as he started to lead the way. "Very private. He couldn't possibly mind that."

"My thoughts exactly."

"Of course, he could still walk in on us."

"We'll just have to try to be quiet then."

"Quiet? Us?"

"Hey, stranger things have happened."

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

D'Argo growled as he carefully rounded a corner on his way to the dining area. He was really starting to get annoyed with two of his shipmates, and to his amazement, it wasn't Rygel and Chiana.

Where all have they been now? he thought, ticking off the places where he knew they'd been "caught" by himself or one of the others as he continued his trek. Maintenance bay, a couple of the lower tiers, down near the holding cells, and just a few days ago, the terrace of all places! Pilot's chamber would probably be next except that Aeryn is probably afraid that would traumatize the poor creature.

There were few times in their journey together that D'Argo had actually found himself envying the servitor, but he had to admit this time it was perilously close.

Zhaan thinks I am overreacting, but Hezmana, I do not like feeling like I need a scouting party onboard my own ship! I am just as happy as she is that they finally started mating, but do they have to give in this adolescent impulse to do it wherever and whenever they feel like it!

He growled when he thought about what Zhaan had said to him when he complained about it. She pointed out that this need of Aeryn's couldn't last forever and would probably fade as they got more comfortable and settled into their relationship. All he had to do was be patient and things would soon be better.

Then she actually asked him, a sly grin on her face, Hadn't it been that way with him and Lo'laan in the beginning?

He flushed as he thought about it. He wasn't sure what he had said to her after that. He was pretty sure that he had stammered something incoherent and walked out as quickly as he could.

How does she get to me so easily? he thought. She can be so infuriating at times, prying, questioning.

Insightful, helpful, beautiful.

Do not go there! he admonished himself. The memory of his wife was still very strong with him and there were times he couldn't help but think that looking at someone else in that manner might be an insult to her memory.

And yet there were times.

"D'Argo, wait!"

D'Argo turned around, pulled from the strange turn his thoughts were taking, to see John, Aerynless for once, coming quickly down the corridor behind him.

"Where are you headed?" the human asked, slowing his pace when he saw the Luxan pause.

 "I was going to the dining area to see if 'His Eminence' has left us any of the food we purchased a few days ago." D'Argo cocked his head as he felt an evil smile crawl across his face. "Did you want to join me? I would think that with all of your. activity lately, you would be in need of a good meal."

A bright red color flushed across John's face and D'Argo smiled even more as he watched his remark hit the target. His joy at finally having some revenge faded, however, when he realized that John was far too preoccupied with something to really appreciate the humor of his little gibe.

"Actually I'm not hungry," John replied, the seriousness of his tone confirming D'Argo's suspicions. "I was hoping that maybe I.could talk to you about something."

"Something?" D'Argo repeated as he resumed his walk down the corridor, John falling into step beside him. "What 'something' did you have in mind?"

John looked away and sighed to himself as if he didn't know how to begin. When he finally spoke, D'Argo had to almost strain to hear him. "Oh, nothing much. Just life, the universe, .and Sebacean women. That's all." John glanced at D'Argo, a rueful expression on his face, before preceding him into the dining area.

Oh, D'Argo thought. This should be interesting.   ************************************************************************

Aeryn Sun, warrior, fugitive, and self-proclaimed sound sleeper, popped up from the bed and looked about her wildly. She had no idea what had awoken her. She had meant it when she said that Sebaceans didn't dream. Dreaming was considered a bad thing, a possible detriment to the rest every Peacekeeper needed. No one she knew growing up could ever remember dreaming and she was no exception.

Of course, that didn't explain why every so often she found herself like this, sitting bolt upright in bed, with no idea of why she was doing it.

Sighing, Aeryn sank back onto the bed, straightening the covers around her and resisting the urge to roll over, not wanting to wake John up with her tossing and turning. She still wasn't used to this, sharing a bed with someone on a regular basis. Too many years of single bunks in cramped close quarters encouraged most Peacekeepers to seek their own bunk after a night of sex. Having someone go to sleep with his arm around you had been a foreign concept to her. Waking up with someone still holding you even more so.

Until she had gotten involved with the human, of course.

The very naked human, she thought, her hand drifting over to graze across where she thought his back should be. They had been very busy, in their own bed for once, John had joked, before going to sleep. She smiled as she remembered pulling him into bed with her, impatient as he took his clothes off, rolling him over on his back and.

Aeryn stopped, frozen in mid-thought, as her hand encountered empty air.

Where is he? she thought, glancing at a timepiece. We don't get up for arns yet. What could he be doing in the middle of the sleep cycle?

She thought that maybe there'd been some kind of emergency, but that didn't explain why he wouldn't have woken her up as well.

As if I would sleep through something like that in the first place.

Sighing, she sank back down onto the mattress. It was probably nothing. She should probably just try to go back to sleep. She could ask him where he had been whenever he came back to bed.

Yes, she thought. I'll just lie here and wait.and try not to think about what might be happening on this perfectly safe leviathan where almost nothing goes wrong.

That plan lasted all of about ten microts.

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

Moving quietly, Aeryn stalked her way through Moya's interior, taking care to watch where she was going since the lights were darkened so the crew could sleep. It had occurred to her that John might just be up getting something to eat, "a midnight snack," he called it. She couldn't imagine what he'd be after. Most of what Rygel had managed to get for them on the commerce planet hadn't been very appetizing to her. The others, desperate for some variety, had dug in with enthusiasm, but she had been very happy to stick to food cubes and not risk spending half an arn puking up what looked to be protein mashed together with an insect life form lying on some sort of seaweed base.

Of course, Rygel claimed we were very lucky that he'd found such a delicacy.

Aeryn had never been to Hyneria. The more time she spent in their former dominar's presence, the more grateful she was for that.

She realized as she heard movement ahead of her in the dining area that her guess appeared to be right. Someone was in there, trying to be quiet it sounded like, but failing, as the acoustics of the central corridor carried the sound right down the middle of the ship. She moved closer, trying to get a better look, when the sound of a voice stopped her right in her tracks.

John? But who is he talking to?

Aeryn listened, trying to hear who the other person there might be. She knew she should just go ahead and walk in, but some impulse made her stay where she was, listening, wondering who her lover could be talking to when he was supposed to be sleeping with her...

Oh, now don't tell me I'm jealous, she thought, shaking her head. Chiana had stopped being a problem long ago, about the same time the thief apparently grew up and stopped grasping to find her place on Moya. There was no one else on board who could be competition since Zhaan tended to view John more as a particularly gifted little brother than an object of sexual attraction.

Unless he's developed an involvement with Rygel, she had to smile, I think I'm probably safe. Shaking her head at her own foolishness, she started to step forward, out into the light where he'd be able to see her.

And ended up stopping dead in her tracks again as she heard her name.

".I just, I just don't know how to tell her, Dad. It might, God, I don't know what it would do. I tried to talk to D'Argo about it, but he really wasn't any help. His wife was Sebacean, but she sounds like she was kind of different from Aeryn. D'Argo says that she actually knew her family growing up. I guess that would make a difference."

She realized now that he was talking into the recorder he brought from Earth. Talking to the father he knew he might never see again, who would probably never even hear the tape.

Talking to him about her.

"D'Argo thinks I should just go ahead and tell her, that it's the only thing I can do." He paused, sighing deeply. "Yeah, right, I should tell Aeryn that I love her and then what? Most likely watch her turn around and run in the other direction, that's what."

Aeryn froze, wondering if she had heard him correctly. Love? He didn't just say.

"I mean, Jesus Christ, Dad, it took us forever to even kiss, much less make love, and even then, I waited around and let her make the first move." He paused, laughing a little into the recorder. "Or maybe I should say the first pounce, knowing Aeryn." He laughed even more at that, then got quiet again, obviously lost in thought for a microt.

"I'm guess I'm afraid I'll push her away, Dad. I did that with Alex, going too fast too soon. I don't want to make the same mistake again.

"God, I wish you were here. I would really love to be able to talk to you about this." He paused again, and Aeryn thought she heard him click the machine off, then suddenly, click it back on, cursing softly to himself.

"I would really love for you to be able to meet her, Dad. I always thought that when I met someone I thought was really special, part of the fun was introducing them to you and seeing how you got along. I guess in a way, that's already happened. She's kind of met you, or at least I guess, how I think of you. Man, that's still something I'm having trouble wrapping my brain around.

"I just wish you could meet her." He paused again, taking what sounded like a deep breath and then letting it out. "I know you'd love her. I know I sure do."

Then she heard him click the recorder off again, but she didn't hear him move. Apparently he was just sitting there, not yet ready to get up from where he was, still holding the recorder, lost in whatever memories it'd conjured.

Aeryn was finding it hard to move herself. Love, she thought. He said he loves me. He loves me.

She was running the thought around in her head, trying to figure out how she felt about it. She knew what Zhaan would say, that she should be happy, and deep down inside, Aeryn could feel that she was.

But on the surface, she was scared.

Love? What does that even mean? she thought, searching for something in her life as a Peacekeeper that would give her an answer, and finding nothing. She knew what it meant to belong and be needed, to want and be wanted, to be happier when someone was around her than when they were not.

But love? Had she ever felt that for anyone? Would she even know it if she did?

Aeryn stayed rooted in one spot as chaotic fragments chased themselves around inside her head. It wasn't until she heard him moving that she decided that she should turn around and go back to their quarters.and maybe try to pretend that she hadn't just heard him pledge his love for her into one of the last links he had with his old life somewhere on the other side of the universe.

That was when Aeryn Sun, former Peacekeeper and commando candidate, screamed bloody murder, cursing herself even as she did. She cringed as the sound of her cry rang out through the corridor.

In her haste to get away, she hadn't watched where she was going and had ended up stubbing her toe on a frelling DRD! She was a Peacekeeper, trained for the idea of being wounded in combat, and here she was, crying out over a stubbed toe. She was so glad that her trainers couldn't see her now. She had a feeling that it would probably take a suicide mission to restore herself in their eyes if they ever saw her doing something like this.

"Aeryn.ohmigod, are you ok? What happened?"

Aeryn turned gracelessly, her stubbed toe still smarting, to see John standing in the doorway of the dining area, a perplexed expression on his face. The tape recorder hung loosely in his hand, momentarily forgotten in his rush to see what was the matter.

"I was, I was looking for you," she said, resisting the urge to stare at the recorder, looking him in the eyes instead. "I woke up and you.were gone."

Perplexed gave way to sheepish as he suddenly clutched the recorder tightly as if just remembering it was there. "Oh," he said, his blue eyes looking away briefly. "I.couldn't sleep. I was afraid I might wake you up if I tried staying in bed so I decided to come down here and, you know, update the folks back home about the goings-on here at Camp Moya." He smiled at her, at what was obviously supposed to be a joke, as he indicated the recorder with a shake of his hand.

"So, um, how long have you been looking for me?" he asked, a little nervously, despite his obvious attempt to sound casual. She could see the question he wanted to ask trying to hide in his eyes, How long have you been standing out here?

"Not very," she lied, looking down, ostensibly at her toe, but really not wanting him to see the truth in her eyes. "Just a few microts before I stubbed my toe on a DRD like a frelling grot and then screamed like a pathetic little girl." The growl in her voice was genuine as she thought again about just how stupid it was.

He stepped forward and casually grabbed her hand, even as he slid the other one gently around her waist. "I'm sorry," he said. "Does it still hurt?"

She locked eyes with him, relieved to see the nervousness gone, replaced with a playful affection that caused her to smile as she answered. "Very much," she said, trying to sound mournful.

"Oh," he replied, ghosting his lips across hers. "Want me to kiss it and make it better?" he breathed, his mouth barely touching her face.

"Yes," she whispered as she closed the slight distance and kissed him full on the mouth. His lips were warm and sweet, and his mouth opened readily under her probing tongue. His arms tightened around her as she ravaged his mouth ruthlessly, enjoying the taste of him on her tongue and the feel of him pressed firmly against her body.

He blinked at her as she finally let him come up for air. "Bed?" he whispered, his eyes somewhat unfocused.

She smiled at him as an evil thought crossed her mind. "Why bother?" she asked. "I can think of a much .closer destination."

He looked back over his shoulder at the dining area, then shook his head at her in disbelief. "We can't, Aeryn. If the others found out we did it in there.they'd kill us."

"How are they supposed to find out?" she pointed out, smiling even more at his nervousness. "We're the only ones up, remember?"

"Oh," he said, an evil smile of his own starting to appear. "You know, I do believe you're right."

She pushed him through the door and backed him up against a table, before reaching behind her to take the recorder from his hand and set it off to the side. "So you're with me on this?" she breathed seductively as her hands slid under his t-shirt.

He kissed her deeply, giving his consent, Aeryn thought, his hands roaming across her waist and back. When he pulled back a breath from her face though, he had a mischievous gleam in his eye. "Almost," he said somewhat mysteriously.

"Almost? What do you mean." Aeryn's question was cut off as he suddenly picked her up, her legs wrapped almost reflexively around his waist, and set her down quickly on the shelf running along the far wall. She gasped, both in surprise at his action and at the feel of his erection, pressing against her crotch insistently, through the thin boxers they both wore.

"Jo.mmmmm," Aeryn moaned as he attacked her mouth, one hand reaching around the back of her head, burying itself in her thick hair, the other sliding under her boxers to grab her butt and press her more tightly against him. She gasped as he ground himself into her, his erection grazing the bundle of nerves between her legs, making her wet, as she felt her body start to respond, pulsing to answer her lover's obvious desire.

He continued grinding against her as he licked his way down her neck, kissing along her jawline before recapturing her mouth and then moving to repeat the process. Aeryn moaned even louder as he moved his hands to the hem of her tank top, lifting it, before running his hands firmly over her incredibly aroused breasts.

Aeryn's own hands slid under his t-shirt, caressing his back, as she locked her legs more firmly around his waist, pulling them together. She heard him moan against her cheek as they both moved to increase the friction between them, grinding together as deeply as they possibly could. She kissed him along his neck, before bringing her mouth up to his ear to whisper in-between gasps, "These clothes, they have to."

Wordlessly, he pulled away from her, his hands coming back to the hem of her shirt and lifting it over her head. She repeated the action for him, throwing it across the room even as she felt him start to pull her boxers off. In a fraction of a microt, they were both undressed, pressing themselves against each other, devouring each other with hands and mouths, until he finally reached down and, grabbing her hips tightly, thrust himself deeply inside her.

Aeryn moaned, locking her legs back around him, as they moved against each other at a desperate pace. Each motion seemed to rock, to rub, against her nerves, making her ache and moan and almost want to scream with the feeling of it.

She did cry out as she felt the pulse of need build within her, climbing with each and every thrust. She almost howled as it started to spread within her, conquering every nerve and every muscle, her heart seeming to beat in time with its rhythm. The pulse coursed throughout her body, bringing her to the peak of arousal, before finally receding and retreating away from her, releasing her from the heights of pleasure.

She sighed contentedly as she felt her lover slow against her, his own release shooting inside her, as he grasped her tightly in place against him. Then he released his hold, his hands moving up her back, as he kissed her longingly, lovingly, before resting his sweat- covered face alongside hers.

She felt his breath on her ear as he continued holding her, content to feel her skin pressed against him, around him. He kissed along the edge of her face and he whispered, almost wonderingly, "God, I love. being inside you." He swallowed unconsciously as she felt his face press tighter against hers, his hands grasping her closer before continuing. "Do you think we could just stay like this forever?"

I would like that, she thought, but she said nothing, choosing instead to just hold her lover, listening to him breathe, as her own heart seemed to beat loudly in her ears. She had managed to forget her apprehension, joining with him so fiercely, but now, as she held him close, she knew she was going to have to say something to him sooner or later about what she had overheard.

Is this love? she thought. Does wanting him so badly I think I'll die from the ache mean I'm in love with him? Does looking at him and not being able to do anything but smile mean that I love him? Or is this just like every other man I've ever been involved with, inspired passion that will eventually burn itself out?

I don't know. And I'm not going to hurt him by talking to him about this until I do.

She felt more than heard her lover yawn as he held her and knew that it was more than time for both of them to try to get some sleep. "John," she said, kissing him gently on the cheek, "I hate to say this, but I think we should probably go to bed."

He nodded instead of answering her verbally, a sign Aeryn knew meant that he really was tired. Wordlessly, he pulled away from her and out of her, causing her to moan at the loss. Caressing her face, he kissed her tenderly one more time, before moving to retrieve his clothes from where she had thrown them. Soundlessly, they both dressed and made sure they left things the way they had found them. Once they were done, John stepped to her and took her hand in his, bringing it up to his lips for a light kiss, before turning to lead the way out of the room.

He stopped short just inside the door however. "Oh, wait," he said, turning to face her. "Where'd you put my recorder?"

Aeryn glanced around, quickly spotting it on a nearby table. "There," she said, grabbing it and handing it to him.

"Thanks," he said, smiling at her gratefully. "I have a hard enough time keeping it away from Rygel without leaving it all over the ship. I don't know why he likes trying to steal it from me so much. I think it's almost become a game to him at this point."

Aeryn froze in place as a terrible thought occurred to her. "John, aren't you afraid when he steals it, that he might, listen to what you're telling your father? Aren't some of the things you say. supposed to be private?"

John stopped, looking at her as if that had never occurred to him before, a pole-axed expression of horror that amazingly faded into a grin, and finally gave way to such laughter that Aeryn couldn't help but look at him like he had lost his mind.

"Oh, man, I'm sorry," he said as he finally caught his breath. "It's just I got this picture of Rygel sending in a story to the Hynerian version of 'The National Enquirer.' 'My life with an Alien.' Story on page eleven.'"

He was still grinning as he reached out and pulled her close to him, affection for her and her concern for him showing clearly in his eyes. "It's okay. I don't mind. If he does listen, he's never said anything or tried to use any of it against me. I guess that means I'm safe."

Still holding her, he leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the lips, his blue eyes locking with hers as he pulled away. "Besides," he said, a thoughtful look on his face, "there's nothing on there I would have any problem with anybody hearing."

"Really?" she said, caressing his cheek with her lips.

"Really," he stated, returning her caress. "C'mon, let's go to bed so I can hold you until D'Argo or Chiana comes and wakes us up."

"All right," she agreed, turning and leading the way out. She looked back at him as they walked, smiling, and felt her apprehension softened by just how much she wanted him.and wanted to be with him.

Some of that must have shown on her face because as they crossed the threshold of their quarters, he wrapped his arms around her again, holding her tightly, as he kissed her deeply on the mouth. "What are you thinking?" he whispered, his lips still almost touching hers.

"I'm thinking," she said, feeling some of her earlier desire for him returning, "that maybe if you didn't mind," she leaned forward, kissing him lightly across his face, "we could put off sleeping.a little while longer."

She finished by ending on his mouth, kissing him as deeply and passionately as she could, enjoying the shared fire, if not love, their touching always invoked.

When she pulled back, his eyes were unfocused, his voice husky with desire she could hear quite plainly, as he replied.

"Just what I wanted to hear."

Fin.