Blaze's home seemed set deep in the woods, though the property was just off the main road at the cusp of town. His vet practice was roadside, while the horse sanctuary and his house were a quarter mile back, each set off towards opposite ends of the property. Not only was Blaze's farmhouse cozy and inviting, it had a wrap-around porch Elizabeth adored.
John was leaned back against the white porch rail as casually as he would the side of her desk on Atlantis. His jacket was draped over the rail and his shirt sleeves were loosely rolled up. Maybe there was a hefty sense of relief involved on all sides now things had been…clarified and tensions eased, but while her nerves were still singed from stress from the past days, the men were interacting with a comfortable ease that made them seem like they'd spent the afternoon drinking beer and watching football. Elizabeth curbed her urge to shake her head and mutter the word "men" and instead focused on just being grateful for the peace.
Brooke bolted out the front door and paused as she glanced around. "Oh good, everyone's smiling." She edged her way into the middle of the group and abruptly threw her arms around John. Her head just came up to John's shoulders and she almost looked like a child flattened against him.
"Umm…hello?" John held his hands pointedly away from Brooke. He looked over her head and cast an imploring gaze towards Elizabeth.
"Brooke, he's not the UPS driver. You can't go around hugging every man who shows up on the front porch." Blaze reached for his sister and gently extracted her off John.
"Sorry." Brooke stepped back, but she stayed in motion, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Aiden's mentioned you enough that I kind of feel like I know you."
"Ford?" John's eyes snapped back towards Elizabeth. "I thought he took a foundation job in D.C.?"
All thoughts of formal introduction between John and Brooke fell away with that question and she inwardly cringed. She'd been all caught up in her own problems and had never thought to tell Aiden that John was in. "He's here now. He wanted to be involved with the equine therapy center."
"Equine therapy center?" John's eyes flashed to Blaze and back to Elizabeth.
Her forehead crinkled in concentration as she reflected back. That project had started in early January, before their communication had been cut off, though she had been all caught up in the whole was she/wasn't she pregnant thing during that time. Intentionally or inadvertently, she'd forgotten to tell him and it was probably just as well, that would have only added fuel to his anger during their months apart.
She laced her fingers through John's. "For those struggling with PTSD, it was one of the first branches of the foundation we were able to launch. It was easier since the sanctuary already existed." She hesitated and squeezed his hand. "We have a lot to catch up on, John. You and Aiden too. I'll get you his number, you should see him while you're here. I'm sorry, I should have thought of it before now, but I was caught up in…everything." And she knew it would do John good to see Aiden thriving. Maybe even let him put some ghosts to rest.
John held her eyes as he nodded.
"What are you doing now?" Brooke looked from couple to couple.
"We're heading out. We were just about to move the presents over to my SUV," Elizabeth said.
"You don't have to move them." Brooke pulled out her phone and glanced at the screen. "We'll just follow you out to your house. We were already going into town to pick up some dinner."
"We were?" Andy turned towards Brooke, eyeing her skeptically.
"Yeah, don't you remember?" Brooke nudged Andy. "I wanted Angelinos and it's on the way. We can grab John and Elizabeth some food too. It's almost seven and I bet Elizabeth's hungry."
Andy smiled and started nodding, still holding Brooke's eyes. "And she does like Angelinos."
She eyed the pair carefully and couldn't help but think there was an ulterior motive of Brooke's… and one that Andy had already zeroed in on. At the moment, Brooke's offer seemed harmless enough and Elizabeth was hungry.
"Pizza good?" She cast her eyes to John.
He pushed off the porch rail and grabbed his jacket. "Pizza's great, as long as it's really pizza. Not some gourmet nonsense with veggies, no cheese and what I call two bites, they call a large pizza."
She wasn't surprised he was hungry. As much as he aggravated her over her appetite, he never ate much when he was on a mission. He'd munch on a power bar at most, but made up for it in the following days.
"Don't worry, Elizabeth's appetite is finally catching up to her pregnancy. She'd probably kick me in the shin if I came in without something substantial." Blaze grinned.
"And it's a real Italian restaurant, generous portion sizes are a matter of pride." Elizabeth's eyes drifted down towards the cars. "If you're all coming to the house, will one of you drive my SUV out?" While she felt better now, it was probably best she not drive at all until she put a good meal and good night's rest behind her.
"I got it," Andy said. "Blaze's skin starts to crawl anytime he thinks about anyone else driving his truck, though he's going to have to cave one day."
"Don't expect me to cave anytime soon."
"He won't let me drive it either." Brooke never looked up from her phone, her thumbs flew over the screen as she texted.
"Brooke, you couldn't see over the steering wheel. You can hardly climb up into the truck without help." Andy laughed and looked down when Shadow started nosing around his hand, demanding his share of attention. "I'll take Shadow too. Looks like John's got a rental and they might not take kindly to getting dog hair all over the car. That beast is shedding like crazy."
Minutes later, they finally made it to the passenger side of John's rental. Brooke came trotting up as John opened the door.
"Hey, you forgot your bag." Brooke shoved the purse towards John and pulled Elizabeth into a quick hug. "See you soon!" After releasing Elizabeth, Brooke spun around and skipped back towards the house.
John handed Elizabeth the bag. "Is it me or is she a little too happy over the idea of pizza?"
"Brooke is usually a little too happy about everything, but even for her, this seems excessive. She's up to something."
"Should we be worried?" John reached in the car and grabbed his sunglasses and a package from the seat. The package was wrapped in butcher paper and tied with twine. A single red rose was tucked through the twine.
"She uses her mischievous powers for good, not evil. It'll be fine." Elizabeth nodded towards the package. "What's that?"
"Didn't seem right to show up empty handed." He waited for Elizabeth to settle into her seat and he passed it back to her. "Open it up if you want."
A present was unexpected and it seemed… insanely sweet, actually. She pulled the rose out and inhaled the rich scent, watching as he crossed around the front of the car. It was hard to believe, at the same time yesterday she'd been on a plane mentally packing her bags and tonight John was driving her home. The past days had been a whirlwind and she could only imagine the physical and mental toll it had taken on John. She could see the fatigue in his eyes, but he hid it well. He looked entirely too good for someone who had been through what he had that week.
"Where did you find a gift?" She asked as John opened the driver side door. There was a coffee cup in the car's console from the shop in town. He'd obviously had a busy afternoon. Not just coffee and purchasing a gift either, from the size of the bag he'd brought, she doubted he'd packed the outfit he was wearing now. She'd left him to sleep, but she should have known relaxation wouldn't come easy. Once again, she'd been thoughtless, though, at the moment, John didn't seem any worse for off for it. In fact, he seemed endearingly excited.
"If I told you, it would ruin the surprise." John sank into the seat of the car. "Go ahead." He nodded towards the gift.
The look of delight on his face reminded her of the day he and McKay had discovered the personal shield, though she shouldn't have been surprised. John had always had enjoyed giving gifts, even more than he seemed to enjoy receiving one of his own.
She pulled the wrapping away. Her breath caught as she discovered what appeared to be a rare, vintage copy of Grimm's Fairy Tales. It's binding was leather with rich colorful artwork on the cover. She pulled it open and flipped through the pages, her eyes stretching wide as she realized it was still in mint condition.
"This is amazing." She turned to John, smiling in delight. "I love this."
"I thought you might. Found it at that book dealer's shop in town. He wrapped for me. I know the paper wasn't right, but it was all he had." He shot her one of his lopsided grins that never failed to scramble her thoughts. "Just don't ask where I got the rose."
~v~v~v ~
The afternoon heat had finally abated and the symphony of locusts were just getting warmed up for the nightly performance when John dropped into the Adirondack chair beside hers and drew in a long sip of beer. He'd traded his button down shirt for a t-shirt and, between his unruly hair and the scruff on his face, he looked like he'd just gotten out of bed.
It seemed crazy, hours ago she was teetering on indecision and now the combined thought of him and bed heated her body in a way that had nothing to do with the July weather. She slipped out of the light sweater that covered her sleeveless dress while trying to reign in her racing thoughts. It almost seemed too easy, as if they were circling back to this point too quickly, but then again, there was nothing left standing in their way, nothing except themselves.
"You should have waited for reinforcements." Elizabeth reached out and trailed her fingers down his arm. She found herself constantly reaching for him as if still trying to prove he was really there. "They would have helped you carry my boxes back in."
"If I hadn't of been an ass at the SGC, your boxes wouldn't have been the garage to start with. I didn't think anyone else should have to deal with my mess." His eyes slid sideways to meet hers before turning back to the lake. "You know, there wasn't as much to carry up as I would have expected. Where are the rest of your things?"
"In the attic. There isn't much else, really. Books, mementos from travels, and some family pictures."
"Why didn't you unpack any of them? If it wasn't for the forty-pound bag of dog food in the pantry, no one would know you'd ever been here."
"Don't forget the dog hair. No amount of vacuuming seems to get rid of it." Her joke failed to bring a smile to his face. "What did you expect to find? Dozens of candles and bowels of potpourri?"
"Just looking for signs that you ever intended to stay. It wasn't just yesterday that made you pack, you never moved in, not really." He took another sip of beer.
She tilted her head towards him. "Your brother invited me stay here, John, but you didn't ask me to move in. I didn't even know it was your house until Suzanne told me." Her voice was soft and her tone, she hoped, non-judgmental. "If you want me to move in permanently, maybe you should ask."
"I asked you to marry me, that didn't go so well." He muttered, before glancing sheepishly sideways, almost seeming surprised he'd said the words aloud.
"I didn't say no to marriage, I said no to eloping. Maybe next time you should try the traditional route, get a ring and maybe make sure you're not getting on a spaceship an hour later. You know, something like that." She couldn't keep the corners of her lips from twitching. "Actually, I never really cared about the ring, but the spaceship an hour after the wedding is a deal breaker."
He threw her a simmering sideways glance that spiked her heart rate up a notch. "I'll keep that in mind. And I want you to move in. I should have told you about the house. Did you look at the papers in the lock box?" He set the bottle of beer down on the deck.
"Just last night." She admitted.
He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "I should have told you about all of it. I was going to tell you, it's just…I just saw the look on your face when you saw the will and healthcare directives. After that, it seemed selfish to worry you because of something I was doing to worry less. If that makes sense."
She really hadn't thought about it that way, but from John's perspective, it did make sense. "You realize it's a little crazy for the two of us to have a house this size."
"Three of us." He corrected. "For now anyway. And I'd imagine we'll have our share of house guests over the years and I don't just mean our family." He looked back towards her. "If you're up for it, I'd like to invite my team out while Atlantis is here."
Her eye settled on the boat tethered to the dock and her mind flashed forward through humorous thoughts of John and Ronon torturing Rodney by way of water sports. Teyla, she thought, would like the horses and the serenity of the estate. "You should ask them, but it might be hard to coordinate leave time. Any idea what your schedule will be like while Atlantis is here?"
"Carter gave me thirty days of leave. We can get the baby's room set up while I'm here, finish getting whatever we need."
Thirty days. A crush of relief flowed through her chest. She'd assumed he'd be heading back in just a few days. She shoved to her feet and walked towards the deck's railing.
Whatever they needed. John's words flipped on the cacophony of thoughts planted by her baby shower guests. So many conflicting do's and don'ts, along with never ending shopping lists filled with oddly named items, and she still had no idea what half of them were. Not only that, her doctor had been harping on her to finalize a birthing plan and she hadn't even started narrowing down lists of baby names. And pre-school…
"Have to get in applications for schools early." She mused. That one had been important, she remembered, almost every guest had mentioned that one.
She felt the press of John's body behind her.
"I could feel your brain kick into to overdrive all the way over in my chair." His arms wrapped around her. "I think we have time to think about college."
She turned to face John. "Not college, pre-school."
"Pre-school?" His face twisted adorably in confusion. "Seriously?"
"Apparently it's a big deal." She shrugged and blew out a deep breath, trying to force her streaming worries away with it.
"You weren't just thinking about school were you?" He cupped the side of her face and his thumb strummed along her cheek.
She could tell he was trying not to smile. He'd probably guessed all too easily she'd just had a momentary freak out over her lack of preparation, something she'd been holding in for some time. Maybe it had been intentional, maybe she'd been waiting for his presence so she could give in to some well-deserved panic at her pending turn at motherhood.
She wasn't exactly the most domestic person to begin with. Her cooking skills were subpar at best, her house always seemed cluttered, and, as John had once pointed out, her bedside manner lacking. And yet, the hospital wouldn't blink twice before sending her out the door with a wave and a tiny human to care for. So yes, it rattled her and she didn't care to admit it, at least to John anyway. When it came to talk of babies, he had always been the one who was surprisingly calm and he still had the unerring ability to settle her nerves with a single look.
"What was the trigger? Worried about having everything ready?" He pressed a kiss to her forehead after she nodded. "We'll probably never feel ready, but at least I'll have some time to help now. So, thoughts on having company? Will it add to the chaos or be a welcome distraction?"
She nodded again, still emerging from the daze of momentary panic. "I'd like that." As her mind cleared, she remembered what else John had uttered in the same breath as company. "Wait, you said three of us for now…"
"Well, assuming the first baby doesn't break us-" His words were interrupted as a horn blared. "Hold that thought." John stood up and reached for her hands. "I think the cavalry is here."
John looked like he was trying to hide his amusement as he pulled her to her feet. Her mouth had fallen open, she could feel her eyes stretched wide and her mind was too slowly processing not just the turn in conversation, but the turnabout of the entire day. Hours ago, she'd been in Blaze's office wondering if they could move beyond the past months and tonight, John was planning future children. As much as her instincts again warned her to slam on the breaks and her brain counseled that, rationally, they shouldn't be recovering this fast, she finally realized Suzanne was right. There was no script, there was no normal in relationships. Nothing and no one was holding them back now, nothing except herself. She was ready to get out of her own way.
"Ready?" John's thumb rubbed over her hand.
"Yes. Yes, I am." It felt like a weight had lifted when she shed her final resistance. A forgotten sense of happiness bubbled just under her skin and she felt her eyes grow moist. Damn pregnancy hormones, she thought, smiling all the same.
He looked at her carefully and finally smiled, maybe understanding she was committing to something beyond the short walk to Blaze's truck. He tugged on her hand, pulling her into motion. "Good."
A moment later they joined Blaze as he lifted the cover of the truck bed that was protecting the bounty of gifts beneath. She heard the front passenger door shut, just as Brooke popped out of the back seat.
"I brought a surprise for you, John." Brooke was beaming.
In that second, she realized what Brooke had been plotting earlier. And it wasn't hard to see Brooke's kindness had an ulterior motive, more time for her to spend with Aiden, not to mention a cozy ride back when they left…and Elizabeth didn't expect that to be anytime soon. Brooke couldn't understand the intensity of what John and Aiden had experienced and had no idea what she'd gotten them all into with this impromptu reunion.
"Ford?" John stilled beside her.
He blinked and within his eyes she saw surprise morph to a heart wrenching mix of guilt and relief. Ford had been unconscious both when he'd been recovered and when he'd been returned to Earth, this would be their first opportunity to talk.
She rubbed the small of John's back. "Hey. Let that go." She whispered close to his ear. "He'll interpret guilt as pity and he doesn't need that. He needs a friend, someone who knows what he's gone through." She barely registered Andy and Shadow joining them at the truck.
John wasn't to blame for what happened to Aiden, but convincing him of that had proved all but impossible. He nodded almost imperceptibly at her words and swallowed hard.
"Sheppard!" Aiden crossed around the front of the truck, smiling broadly. "Good to see you, sir."
John walked towards him, a smile finally spreading across his face. Aiden stuck out his hand, but John ignored it and instead pulled him into a brief, manly hug.
"You too, but you need to drop the sir." John stepped back and patted the side of Aiden's shoulder. "You're looking good."
"Feeling good too." Aiden glanced around and hesitated, probably already realizing conversation would be difficult in current company.
"Come on, Brooke, get an armload and make yourself useful." Andy shoved a stack of gift bags at Brooke before she could protest. He filled his own arms with packages before trailing behind Brooke towards the house.
Elizabeth nudged John. "Why don't you two take a walk so you can talk and catch up." And talk freely. Presents would only distract Brooke for so long.
John turned to her with almost an apologetic look in his eyes. She cupped the side of his face and reached up, kissing just beside his ear. "It's okay. Take your time, really. We've got thirty days, remember?"
"Only if you promise to go ahead and eat, don't wait on me." John's hand gently swept the side of her stomach.
"I promise."
"That was weak." John directed his eyes towards Blaze. "Can you-"
"I'm on it," Blaze said. "We'll get some food in her."
Their quick shift of gears was a little unnerving. If she hadn't been so relieved to see them getting along, she would have mustered the energy to protest their conspiring against her. She was the one who had been hungry before they'd even left Blaze's house, but it just showed how well John knew her. It didn't take much for her appetite to wan and her worrying about John and Aiden's reunion was a recipe for just that. She wasn't concerned with them getting along, she just knew the emotional toll of it could tax both men.
As John and Aiden walked towards the dock, she heard Aiden tease John, saying something about "you and Dr. Weir."
John turned to Aiden, his smile stretched wide. "Oh, you think that's funny do you?" His palm landed on Aiden's shoulder and he gave him a playful shove that sent the young man jogging as he caught his balance.
Brooke rejoined them at the truck. "It's good to see him laugh." She nodded down towards Aiden.
"It's good to see you think about someone other than yourself." Andy filled her arms with another load of gifts before she could manage a retort. "Why don't you two bring in the food?" He nodded towards Blaze and Elizabeth as he reloaded his own arms with packages. "All the food, I think we'll be here a while," Andy said, as he started back towards the house.
"Told you." Blaze pulled out a bag a food from the back seat of the truck.
"Told me what?"
"You should have put something in the employee handbook about fraternization." He bit down on his lip, but it didn't quite mask his smile.
Elizabeth swatted at him. "I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that. Again. And they're not dating, though not from Brooke's lack of effort."
"Don't remind me. Brooke doesn't have a subtle bone in her body. Aiden's all right, though. He's the only man she's terrorized in recent memory that I actually approve of."
While she wished Brooke had waited one more night to force this reunion, she did have to admit Brooke was a positive presence in Aiden's life. It had taken Aiden some time to truly start relaxing into the rhythm of civilian life, but he had seemed more like his old self each day spent in her company. While Brooke had shown surprising restraint in her pursuit, Elizabeth suspected it wouldn't be long until she either forced his hand or he caved of his own accord, he was obviously fond of the young woman.
"Brooke's scheming backfired on her tonight." Blaze handed off the bag of food before turning back to grab the stack of pizza. "It's a nice night, how about we all eat on the deck?"
"That would be nice. And I suppose we'd better send some food down to the dock." Elizabeth looked towards the lake thoughtfully. "I don't expect to see them come back any time soon."
~v~v~v ~
The night had stretched on as expected, with John and Aiden lingering in conversation long past dinner. Around nine, Blaze and Andy finally carted a protesting Brooke away. Elizabeth had crawled into bed alone an hour later. After midnight, John crept in pretending he was just letting her know he was taking Aiden home, but in reality, he was looking for the keys for his Jeep.
It felt like she'd slept for days when her eyes blinked open again, she'd been roused from sleep by a door closing downstairs. The other half of the bed was empty and, as her eyes adjusted, she realized Shadow wasn't in his bed or favorite place on the rug. She eased out of bed, glancing at the clock as she pulled her robe from the chair. It was after two in the morning. Even if John had been a little wired after spending time with Aiden, it seemed like he should have crashed of exhaustion long ago.
When she finally stepped into the kitchen, John was leaned back against the island. A steaming cup of coffee was on the counter beside him.
"Hey." He smiled sleepily.
"Coffee?" She moved before him.
"Decaf."
She noticed one of her pregnancy books on the counter behind him. "And a little light reading?" She smiled, as her fingers trailed up his arms.
John shrugged. "I was a having a hard time winding down tonight."
"You should have come to bed." Her fingers swept over his shoulders before lacing behind his neck.
"I figured if I was down here, I'd catch you if you tried to sneak out on me again."
From the look in his eyes, she could tell he was expecting a jab to the ribs or some other retaliation, but instead she stretched up and pulled him into a brief kiss. "Funny. Want to try that again?" She said as she broke away.
A soft crunching noise came from the dining room. She turned her head and noticed all the gift bags and boxes had been emptied and their contents were now stacked neatly into piles, filling the surface of the huge dining room table. Her eyes flashed back to John who looked somehow both proud and guilty all in the same breath. "What did you do?"
From the corner of her eye, she saw him grab the book as he followed her into the dining room. Shadow was on the floor in a huge pile of multi-colored tissue paper. He was rooting around and she couldn't tell if he was playing or trying to make a nest, but it was hard not to laugh as she watched him. Her eyes darted back to the table, noting stacks of clothes, piles of diapers, wipes, and all manner of baby paraphernalia, most of which she didn't even know the names for yet.
"John?"
"Seemed like it was bothering you earlier, you had a little moment out on the deck tonight after I mentioned shopping. Your book had a list of recommended baby supplies, so, you know..."
"You inventoried?" Her eyes were wide when she turned back to him. "But you hate paperwork."
He shrugged. "I have to admit it's more fun to inventory ordinance than diaper rash cream, but it wasn't bad."
She laughed at that. She had a feeling she'd be hearing a lot of things come out of John's mouth that she could have once never imagined. "So where do we stand on the diaper rash cream?"
"There's enough to survive the apocalypse. Diapers…not so much."
She glanced around and realized the car seat was missing. "I heard the door, did you-"
"I installed the car seat in your SUV and put the stroller in the back." He sat down and for the first time she noticed his laptop was on the table too. "I found a few cribs online, I think that's the biggest thing we're missing. Come here." He grabbed her hips and tugged her onto his lap.
She glanced back at him, half expecting to see his immediate regret when he registered her weight. "You realize I weigh a little more than you're used to."
"I think I can handle it." His hands eased onto the sides of her stomach. "Take a look at those."
"All cribs look alike to me." She frowned, but dutifully reached forward and scrolled through the list. She went through a few times, each time her eye was drawn back to the same one. "What about this one? It's marked a top safety pick."
"Good choice." He had a mischievous grin on his face. "That one had the least amount of comments from fathers bitching about assembly."
"Glad you have your priorities straight," she teased, as she shifted sideways to lean against him. Her arm draped around his shoulder giving her fingers easy access to play with his hair.
"All things considered, I think the safest crib is going to be one a parent can actually manage to assemble." John turned his head and caught her eyes. "You okay?"
She nodded. She was better than okay. She could feel him, touch him. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek, inhaling the scent of his skin.
"It's just, you look a little like…" He tucked her hair back behind her ear. "I don't know. A deer in the headlights, maybe?"
"It's just hard to believe you're really here, that we're having this conversation. Making plans about the baby together." Her eyes pressed shut when his fingers wove into her hair.
"Just wait until our first argument over something baby related, that'll make it feel real." He nudged her nose with her own. "Or this," he said as his mouth slanted down over her own, kissing her softy. "That make it feel real?"
"It was a good start." Her hand fisted into his hair and she tugged him back against her lips.
This time, their kiss was slow and heated and wrought with need heightened by months spent apart. Her heart rate increased with each press of his lips, each sweep of his tongue and every brush of his fingers as they traced circles down her spine. His hand closed around her hip and he tugged her closer, but still not as close as she wanted to be.
"How are we doing now?" He asked as their lips parted.
"Better." She more panted than spoke, she was still trying to catch her breath after that kiss. She murmured his name as he started mouthing kisses against the slender column of her neck. "Much better." As long as he didn't stop, she thought.
Even with the months of separation, she wouldn't have thought it possible to feel this much desire in her current condition. Not after the sickness in her first trimester, not after the heartache in the remaining months, and not after outgrowing most of the new pregnancy clothes she'd purchased. She should have felt too tired and too bulky, but her body had found a new way to rebel, one she was all too willing to go along with.
She sucked in her breath as the baby landed a well-placed kick beneath her ribs.
John edged back in surprise. "That the baby?" The corners of his mouth twitched when she nodded. "Kids got interesting timing. Or is it always kicking and I only feel it when I'm kissing you?"
He'd made the correlation before she had. "It's not just when you're kissing me, but it is always when you're kissing me." She rubbed her thumb absentmindedly against her swollen lips, already missing the feel of his warm lips pressed against her own. "It could have something to do with my spiking heart rate."
"That doesn't sound good." John's forehead furrowed. "Maybe we should let the baby rest and focus on a different kind of real instead. Like supplies. That store with the crib, they have a location in Fredericksburg, maybe we can head over tomorrow and pick up the rest of the things."
"What things?" Elizabeth's mind was still focused on John's kisses; heart rate be damned.
John leaned forward and flipped the laptop from the web browser to an excel spreadsheet. "Those things."
Her thoughts were still hazy when she peered back at him. "You made a list?"
He swept the hair back away from her neck. "I told you, it seemed like it was bothering you earlier. It really wasn't a big deal." His lips brushed against her neck, spurring a happy shudder of appreciation John didn't miss. "I forgot, kissing is bad idea."
She reached back, gently grasping a tuft of his unruly hair and tugged his mouth towards hers. "Never a bad idea."
"Come on, you need some sleep. You need to let the baby sleep too." He said, when his lips broke away from her own. He tried, and failed, to suppress his smirk as he registered her disappointed pout. "Go on upstairs. Let me lock up and I'll be right up."
~v~v~v ~
Minutes later, John stepped into the bedroom. Elizabeth had already snuggled back into the covers and was thumbing through the pages of the baby book.
"Did you really read all of this?" She turned the book to where he'd tucked in a receipt as a bookmark.
He reached back and pulled his t-shirt off before tossing it on the armchair nearby. "You sound surprised."
Her eyes washed appreciatively over his body. "Hmm?" She looked up and blushed, finding his eyes on her as he unbuckled the belt and pulled it free from his jeans.
"The book," he reminded.
She saw the flash of desire cross his eyes paired with the tiniest hint of a smirk. She peeled her eyes away and tried to turn her attention back to the book. The sound of his jeans hitting the floor seemed a little louder than it should have considering he'd already shed his belt. John cursed softly and squatted down. She heard fabric rustling before the spikes of his hair rose back into view.
He put something on the side table as he stood up. "Why are you surprised I'd read the book?" He looked amused.
"You stretched out War and Peace for years. You've already made it through three-fourths of this book."
"I started from the back. Since you're so close to the end of the pregnancy, it made sense." The bed dipped as he settled onto the bed and stretched out on his side.
She shifted towards John. "Interesting section you bookmarked. Sex and the pregnant couple?"
Never one to embarrass easily, a sensual smile crossed John's face. "Like that, did you? I haven't read it yet, but it did catch my attention." His fingers brushed away the strap of her tank top and he pressed a kiss against her bare shoulder. "You know, you're supposed to be sleeping."
Her fingers wove into his thick hair. "Maybe I was waiting for my good night kiss." She gripped tightly, dragging his face up to hers.
He hesitated only a moment before his fingers clasped around her hip and he responded hungrily to her kiss. She released his hair and her hands worked down his body, hoping she could override his senses before he remembered concerns of rising heart rates and kicking babies. The sleepy haze she was fighting hindered her efforts and she whimpered in protest when he peeled his lips away.
His hand kept a firm grasp on her hip when he pushed away from her. "Goodnight."
Her eyes noted the rise of his chest as he worked to catch his breath. His eyes were heavy with a longing that made her heart catch. She shook her head. "You can't kiss me like that and then say goodnight."
"I didn't get to read everything, but I did get to the part about the importance of nutrition and rest. You need sleep."
She looked at him carefully. "You're being overly cautious."
"I'm…being considerate here."
Elizabeth pushed back from him. "You are staring at my huge stomach." She reached for a pillow and smacked him with it.
"Hey." His eyes crinkled in amusement and he shook his head as he smiled at her. "You need to stop that, probably as much as I need to stop thinking I'm a sick bastard for thinking my pregnant…for thinking you are pretty damn hot. Your stomach is pretty amazing for obvious reasons, but it hasn't exactly been my point of focus. I keep getting distracted by how all the other curves of your body suddenly seem more… generous." His palm swept over the curves of her hip, continuing up her side where his thumb brushed against the side of her breast. "These in particular."
It was a good answer, but she still thumped him with the pillow again. "Nice try. And why are you suddenly being so strange about what you call me? What were you going to say? Your woman?"
John snatched the pillow and tossed it behind her before settling back on his side. "I did catch a section of the book about pregnancy hormones. I think it might be dangerous to answer that question." His thumbs ghosted under the hem of her tank and he settled in closer against her.
"What are you doing?" She asked as he peeled her top up and over her stomach. Not that she planned to protest. His lips hovered over hers and her mouth was practically watering in anticipation.
He nudged her nose with his own. "You, apparently."
The ridiculousness of the conversation seemed to strike them both at that moment and they started laughing. His forehead pushed against hers and she could feel the laughter roll through his body. She angled her head, brushing her lips against his. He laughed even harder when she shimmied closer and her stomach blocked her from the closeness she desired.
"See what I mean? This is a little problematic." John's eyes flashed to hers as he pulled her shirt down back down over her stomach.
"Ingenuity has always been one of your strong points," she reminded as her lips brushed back against his. "I think we can figure it out."
"But-"
She covered his mouth with her own, effectively silencing him. Their laughter quickly faded and she could feel the urgency within his kiss, feel the need coiling in his body. All traces of sleepiness evaporated as each cell in her body started thrumming with an almost electric sense of anticipation. She almost groaned and he wasn't even touching her, just tortuously overwhelming her nerves with the intensity of his kiss. It made her ache for all she wanted and for all she'd missed in the past months. She'd missed the way his body felt beneath her fingers, missed the familiar smattering of scars across his body.
Their kiss turned ragged as her fingers trailed over the coarse hairs lightly covering his chest. Her arm stretched around his side and her nails scratched against his lower back. His ensuing groan rumbled enticingly through their lips and her heel hooked behind his thigh, urging him closer. He shifted, sliding his leg slid between her thighs and, god, she'd missed the way their bodies melded together, missed all the breathy, needy sounds he made when he was at the edge. She wanted to hear that now, wanted his fingers laced through her own, and his eyes locked on hers as he moved within her. She wanted him… and it had been too damn long.
John tore his lips away when her thumbs skimmed beneath the elastic band of his boxer briefs. "What are you doing, Elizabeth?" His sultry tone made it clear he was enjoying every minute of it what she was doing. "We -"
Her lips caught the sensitive spot on his neck and his words were lost to a breathy rumble of appreciation. His arms swept around her and as he pulled her closer, the baby kicked again sending John backing away.
"You need to behave." John's voice rasped in a sinful way that made her want to do anything but behave.
"The baby won't understand that, John." She wasn't sure whether to laugh or growl in frustration.
"I was talking to you. You're the one getting our kid all riled up."
"Have you ever considered it's your voice that it's responding to? Just because you only notice the baby moving when you're that close, doesn't mean it's not moving around when you're not kissing me. Maybe you should finish that reading."
"Funny. I'd have thought you'd find the bookmark more interesting than the section it marked."
"What?" Something in his eyes had her instantly reaching behind her for the book. After she retrieved it, she settled on her back, hesitating only a moment before she split the book open. It was a gift receipt for the estate jewelry dealer in town. The tumultuous mix of sleep, lust and love coursing through her body didn't lend to easy comprehension. She tilted her head towards him. "A gift receipt?"
"I was afraid if you saw what I paid, you'd never wear it. Put that someplace safe, you'll need it for cleanings or if it needs to be sized."
Her heart rattled within her chest. "Wear what?"
"Close your eyes." He swiveled around to the side table without waiting to see if she complied.
Her heart was pounding and the seconds stretched painfully long as she waited. She felt his hand on her stomach and a moment later he finally spoke.
"Open your eyes, Elizabeth."
Her eyes flicked open and her breath caught at the emotion she found in John's eyes. He nodded towards her stomach. She turned her head, spotting a velvet ring box resting at the peak of her swollen stomach. It was open and a diamond ring gleamed brilliantly from within.
"You asked earlier, what I had started to call you. It was actually more of what I want to call you. My wife."
She edged up higher against the pillow when he picked up the box and plucked the ring from within. A crush of emotions flooded her heart and it felt like the world was swirling around her. After months of separation, she'd forgotten just how good love could feel, but it had never felt quite like this before.
"I know I don't say it enough," his voice rasped, "but I do love you."
She'd waited eight long months to hear those words again. Her heart skidded against her ribs and her breath caught in her throat. "And I love you." She reached out and pulled his hand over her heart. "Still yours. Always yours." Her words were almost a whisper, it was all she could manage with the emotion that had welled within her throat.
John's eyes had grown glassy and he swallowed hard. He pulled his hand away and he held up the ring. "As recommended, I have a ring this time."
The corners of her mouth quirked at that.
"And for the record, I looked for one, that day back in D.C. I just didn't find anything that looked like you, not until today." He slid the ring over her finger and smiled when it was finally in place.
He flicked his eyes back to hers. "Marry me, Elizabeth."
A tear slipped from her eye and she stared at him wide-eyed, just completely overwhelmed with raw emotion.
"Whenever you want, wherever you want, however you want." His words came in a nervous rush and she realized she'd taken too long to respond. "Just be my wife."
"Yes."
Before she could say more, his hands framed her face and his mouth descended on hers, kissing her possessively and passionately and she never wanted him to stop. He had shifted onto his side and was laying against her, and could easily feel each kick of the child stirring within her.
Laughter rumbled through their lips when he pulled away. "Like I said before, the kids got great timing."
Elizabeth laughed again. "Still doesn't mean it's my heart rate, it could just be your voice."
"Oh. Well, move over." He nudged her to roll onto her other side. "I can be quiet." He whispered, his breath falling hot on his ear as he spooned tight against her back. "Now see if you can behave."
Behave? He was tortuously pressed up against the length of her body, with his breath hot on her ear and the scruff on his face sending tiny spirals of pleasure racing down her spine. "We just got engaged, I think that gives us the right to misbehave a little."
"Get some rest, I don't think the baby is going to settle down until you do." He casually nuzzled her neck, seeming to have no idea how much he was affecting her. "Maybe the baby is just cranky you've kept it up so much today. It might be more cooperative tomorrow."
"Hmmph." Was the only appropriate response she could manage.
"We're getting married, Elizabeth. We've got a lifetime of misbehaving ahead of us. And I've got thirty days of leave. Plenty of time to start practicing for baby number two or three."
She couldn't help but laugh at that and smile at the thought of a handful of crazy haired kids following in John's wake. The women at her shower had almost been unanimous in their assessment, they said she was carrying low, a sure sign it was a boy. She didn't know about that, but in her mind, she had always pictured them with boys. She'd could too easily imagine a household of Sheppard men to manage, each one a handful in their own right.
Almost immediately, she could hear the change in John's breathing as he settled into sleep. His breath still fell in warm puffs, teasing the sensitive skin on her neck. His hand restlessly groped her stomach and, as he nodded off, it slid over her stomach, coming to a rest on the silky fabric of her panties. She pulled his hand back up to her stomach. A minute later, it slid off the other side of her stomach, falling heavily against her chest.
"John." She hissed, as his hand closed around her breast.
"Hmm." John's murmur of appreciation was the only response she received.
She tugged at his hand, but his whole body had locked into position around her and he wasn't budging. Shit. It was almost déjà vu, he'd done this to her the last time he was home. As she remembered, though, he had made it up to her the following night. That had been the night they'd conceived…and now they were engaged. So much had changed in a year.
She held out her hand and couldn't help but admire the ring. It was art deco, its stunning design a timeless style that hinted of more romantic eras of the past. There was a large diamond at the center, surrounded by smaller diamonds, and they were all larger and of a better quality then she ever would have selected for herself. John was right, she didn't want to know how much it cost.
She blew out a deep breath and gently rubbed her stomach, trying to ignore the heated press of his body spooned tight against hers. Her birthing plan was overdue. Maybe she could figure it out and, in the process, curb the desire still flooding her veins. Thoughts of epidurals and episiotomies ought to do the trick, she thought. Or names. Baby names would be a gentler distraction and it was probably time to create an arsenal of contenders; she already had visions of fending off military themed suggestions like Gunner or Stryker or Jett.
After a few minutes, her body finally started to relax enough for her to appreciate the simple fact that the man she loved had just fallen asleep, holding her tight within his arms. Thirty days, she marveled, she'd have thirty straight days of sleeping within his arms. And they were having a baby. Getting married. A happy little shiver raced down her spine and instead of trying to loosen John's hold, she snuggled back closer against him.
~TBC
A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing. I can't wait to see your thoughts; I'm expecting to see some love after this one. :) I have lots of crazy travel coming up in the next month, so the updates may slow down a bit, but they will be coming. With the inevitable flight delays and cruddy airport internet, who knows, I may end up getting extra writing time in.
A/N 2: Another long chapter, so you know the drill. I tried, but forgive any mistakes.