Epilogue to "The Locket"

Summary: um, title says it all.

Spoilers: "Look at the Princess, Part 3: The Maltese Crichton" and "The Locket."

Insert your favorite disclaimer here.

AN: Originally posted to the SciFi Channel's Farscape BB on 9-2-2000 under my old handle.

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Setting: John's room, approximately one weeken after the "The Locket," late at night.

John sat at the edge of his bed, elbows on his knees, holding his well-used recorder. John traced the IASA logo with his finger, and then pressed the record button. "Hey Dad. Can't sleep again. Not because of seeing Scorpious, though. I just can't shake this dream I've been having. It's about Aeryn." John sighed. "Some of it's a dream, but the other stuff is more like déjà vu or an old memory. I don't know, exactly." John shut off the recorder and worried his thumb across his lip. "Whatever it is, at least this is better than seeing Scorpy every other time I turn around."

John stood up, began pacing, and turned the recorder on again. "You see, Dad," John continued, "about a week ago Moya flew near a cloud, or mist. At first we thought we'd try hiding from the PKs in there, but Chiana, Zhaan, and Stark all felt that it was a bad idea. So we went around it. The thing is, later on, when Aeryn opened her locket, that was the first time I felt it. At first, I had this feeling that we would grow old together, and I liked that feeling, Dad. I want to grow old with Aeryn. I can't think of anyone else that I'd rather grow old with. Later that night, I dreamt that Aeryn had somehow gotten separated from Moya and eventually settled down. She got married, Dad, but not to me!" John was beginning to yell now. "She and some *really* lucky guy had three sons and a granddaughter together. That should've been *my* family (John slapped his chest with his free hand for emphasis) - *my* (slap) sons, *my* (slap) granddaughter and Aeryn as *my* (slap) wife!" John stopped pacing, took a deep breath, and threw his hands up in the air in frustration. "I mean, she's my dream girl, but I dream she marries someone else! How frelled up does that make me?"

"Of course, if Aeryn and I ever do marry, that would make me a bigamist, but that's another story. I guess I'm rambling, Dad." John ran a hand through his already disheveled hair and resumed pacing. "Anyway, the next night, I dreamt that I went after Aeryn after she got separated from Moya, but something went weird on me." John laughed bitterly. "Like the Uncharted Territories aren't weird enough, Dad. I found Aeryn, but she was over 160 cycles-- I mean, years-- old. Neither of us could go back to Moya, but I did get my wish: I got to grow old with Aeryn. It just didn't work out the way I thought. Just like one of those stories you used to read aloud on Halloween - I think it's "The Monkey's Paw." Be careful what you wish for - you may get it. I'm still rambling, I know. It's just that I can't shake this feeling that it really happened. I know all I have to do is look at the beautiful, radiant Aeryn Sun and know that it didn't, but it doesn't make me any less jealous. Dad, I am completely jealous of a phantom, a figment of my imagination. But I am more jealous of this non-existent husband of Aeryn's than I've ever been of a real person before, and I hate it." John sat down again. "OK, maybe I'm being a hypocrite after that whole Katralla thing, but the thought of Aeryn having a family with someone else drives my crazy. Especially after Aeryn and I kissed that last time, when we got back from the Royal Planet. I let myself think -- make that dream -- of the future: Aeryn, a couple of kids, house in the 'burbs, and a Volvo station wagon in the garage. Nothing but the safest ride for our children. OK, it'd be more like Aeryn, a couple of kids, a leviathan in the Uncharted Territories, and a Prowler in the hangar. But that sweet kiss made me think of having children with Aeryn - (I know, crazy when we're all fugitives), why else would she offer the bottle to me if she didn't want to start a family eventually? I want kids, Dad - and I'd like to have them in my lifetime. OK, that won't make any sense to you, I guess I better tell you all about Princess Katralla. "

Fin.