A/N: Some mild mature content, mostly implied, nothing graphic. Sorry ;)
Wednesday morning…
Elizabeth's heart was racing when she jerked awake. Her body was trembling and it took a moment for her eyes to focus on John, what little she could see of him with his head tucked in against her neck.
"What's wrong?" His voice rasped groggily as his arms tightened around her.
"Just a bad dream." Her voice was shaky. It had been her first one since John had returned and while she was relieved it hadn't included either the Asurans or Koyla, she almost would have preferred those demons to facing what she feared the most.
"Nightmare? Tell me whose ass I need to kick." His words came slowly, already sounding like he was slipping back into sleep.
"Yours."
"What?" There was a definite spike of alertness in his voice.
"Never mind, please forget it. I'm fine." She rubbed her hand along his arm, in what she hoped was a reassuring gesture, wondering what had possessed her to admit it had been a bad dream in the first place. Lack of sleep maybe, lowered inhibitions likely, but still, she should have played it off as the baby kicking or something else, anything else that wouldn't force her to burden him with this particular fear.
John just grunted sleepily in response and shifted, pulling her closer within his arms. Despite their best intent, they'd stayed up late the night before and they'd still risen early so John could surf. They'd returned to the room by nine, immediately gravitating back into bed.
She huddled closer back against him, but even the warmth from John's body wasn't enough to alleviate the icy fear that had flooded her veins. In her dream, her son was cradled in her arms as she stood on the balcony watching the Stargate shut down after John's team had come in hot…and without him.
"Go back to sleep, baby," he murmured. "I've got you."
He'd never called her baby until a few nights ago and as it slipped from his lips again, she started to understand why the dream had hit her so hard. On Atlantis, they worked or were on call twenty-four seven, it had been impossible to separate their personal life from their work life, separate themselves from their jobs. Even when he appeared carefree, she'd always sensed the watchful tension just under the surface, that strength and ferocity just waiting to break through at the first sign of trouble. It would have seemed laughable to have ever called him baby, even in those most intimate of moments. She'd never thought about it before, but it was probably the same for him.
The time they'd spent together on Earth had been first time they had ever truly just been John and Elizabeth and something had shifted between them. The bond between had deepened. In the dream, it hadn't been her military commander that hadn't returned through the Stargate, it had been her husband.
Her trembling increased as the ramifications of that sunk in. She probably wouldn't ever be able to compartmentalize her feelings again. While she'd thought of how being a father would impact decisions John made in the field, she'd never considered how it would make her feel when she was once again watching the Stargate awaiting his return. It had been borderline tortuous before…and her dream had given her a taste of the agony of what was yet to come.
Each minute that passed, John's breathing deepened as he fell back to sleep. Soothing as watching him sleep could be, it took minutes longer for her trembling to cease and when it did, her body was stiff and uncomfortable from the tension. Finally, she slipped from the bed and pulled on loose capris and a tank before moving into the living room. She grabbed the yoga mat she'd spotted the day before and headed out on the deep balcony that spanned both the living room and bedroom of their hotel suite.
She'd only started taking yoga after Blaze's incessant nagging. At the time, she'd thought Blaze was just angling for any in with Andy, it was his gym where the classes were being held. As it turned out, Blaze hadn't needed any help with his romantic pursuit, but it had become clear she had needed the help with stress management. Though she'd ungracefully fumbled her way through those first classes, even in the beginning, it had made an immediate impact, teaching her skills to help her focus, still her mind, relax her body; skills that would have undoubtedly been more valuable than half of her college courses.
She laid out the mat and cast her eyes towards the ocean. The salty ocean breeze dusted against her nose and she inhaled a deep cleansing breath before exhaling slowly, starting the process of calming her mind.
Thirty minutes later, she was holding the dolphin pose when she heard John sweep back the drapes and trudge through the bedroom doorway onto the balcony. She held her pose and turned her head towards him. He was standing a few feet away, with just the sheet from the bed gathered around his waist.
"Where'd you get the yoga mat?" He asked, as he rubbed his sleepy eyes with the back of his hand.
"It was in our room; I guess they just keep them here for the guests."
"Feeling better?"
"Working on it," she said as she sat back on her knees.
A smile crept across her face as she took in his full appearance. From one side, he looked completely normal, but, as the other side of his face came into view, she spotted a prominent bedhead cowlick paired with the impressions of wrinkled sheets imprinted in his cheek.
"What?" He seemed to suddenly notice her stare.
"Why do you insist on destroying our bed each morning? Yesterday with the water, today you're tearing the sheets from the bed." She wasn't about to tell him that the appearance he was boasting right now was an incredibly good look for him. He looked sleepy, goofy, and somehow still insanely hot, though his state of undress may have contributed to the effect.
"I worried when you weren't in bed when I woke up. The sheet seemed faster than digging for clothes." His mouth curled into a sultry smile. "In my defense, our bed was already pretty wrecked before we went to sleep. Both nights," he added pointedly, "and I'm looking forward to the same tonight."
There were times she wondered how she'd ended up with such a …guy, but as her eyes drifted over his body, she was grateful for the millionth time that she had. There was something empowering about having a man like John direct such blatant need and want her way, and while his ability to make her feel lust worthy was low on the list of reasons she loved him, it was one of the more enjoyable ones.
She rolled up the yoga mat and set it aside before climbing to her feet.
"You don't have to stop," he said as she moved towards him. His eyes predictably fell to her chest when she straightened her tank. "In fact, I'm pretty sure I would enjoy watching."
She paused and tugged gently on his sheet. "Of that I have little doubt, but I was just finishing when you came out."
"Did it help? Seemed like that nightmare shook you up a little."
"It helped." She started moving back into the bedroom. It helped for now anyway. She had a feeling that particular nightmare would become part of the permanent rotation, though it was the first bad dream she'd had with John sharing her bed. With any luck, if his presence didn't completely extinguish them, maybe they would at least be less frequent.
She swiveled back, watching John shut the door and drapes behind her. When he moved towards her, his feet tangled in the sheet, sending him slightly off balance. Instead of trying to straighten himself, he grasped her hips, gently pulling her down with him as he rolled back onto the bed.
"Haven't destroyed the bed to your liking yet?" She laughed as she leaned towards him, hoping to distract him from her nightmare with a kiss.
His hands framed her face and he held her back, not allowing her to close the gap between them. "You need to tell me what caused that nightmare, because whatever caused it, I'm planning to kill it if it isn't already dead." The look in his eyes told her he wasn't entirely kidding.
"You can't kill this." She said, immediately regretting her words. While she didn't want to lie, she still preferred distraction than to caving and telling him what she'd dreamed.
"Are you sure? I'm pretty good at killing things, not that it's something I should probably brag about." He released her face, but continued to study her closely. "And you're going to have to tell me, isn't that in the marriage vows? Something about protection?"
Elizabeth gave up on the kiss. She leaned back on the pillows and sighed. "You're the one whose been married before, why are you asking me?"
He gaped at her. "I can't believe you brought that up, that was low." He reached out and tugged on a strand of her hair. "Besides, it didn't really count anyway."
She couldn't help but laugh at the serious expression on his face. "I've seen your divorce paperwork, John, that was an awful lot of legalese for something that didn't count."
"First of all, it should be illegal to get married when you are that young and second of all…it wasn't really our idea in the first place. I never actually proposed. I didn't even buy her the ring, it was her grandmothers."
It had been kind of low for her to bring it up, it wasn't something she'd ever want to give anyone a hard time about. He just made it too easy to aggravate him sometimes and the words had slipped without thought.
His expression grew more determined. "I'm serious. Her parents kept talking about in the one day kind of way and we just shook it off. Then one day, her parents whipped out the ring and before I knew it, it was on her finger and her dad was busting out a twenty-year old single malt scotch and Cuban cigars."
It wasn't the first time he'd told the story and each time he did, she still found it hard to imagine. But while that sounded nothing like the John Sheppard she knew, the John Sheppard who was decisive and headstrong and who would never consider marriage if he wasn't a hundred percent committed, she knew all that had happened after his mother's death. He'd been drifting, in a virtual fog of grief and Nancy's family had been kind, if somewhat pushy, and a well needed contrast to his father. They had been good to John and Elizabeth didn't begrudge him that.
Her silence must have made him uncomfortable, because he cleared his throat and started talking again.
"Even the marriage itself didn't feel real. You and I have spent more nights together than I ever spent with Nancy, I was always gone."
Now it was her turn to start feeling uncomfortable and it was long past time to put him out of his misery. "You need to stop while you're ahead, John, because if you start talking about your sex life before us, I'll start sharing mine… and I can guarantee you don't want to go there."
He flinched. "Right. Sorry."
"And I've already told you, you don't need to feel guilty or explain having been married before. Everything that happened in both of our pasts, all those things made us who we are today and led us down the path to each other. I wouldn't want you to change a thing."
John's hand scrubbed down the back of his head and he looked completely confused. "How the hell did the conversation get here anyway?"
"I have a feeling all those emergencies constantly popping up on Atlantis probably saved us from a lot of crazy conversations like this one."
He gave a small huff of laughter. "You're probably right."
Though at least the crazy turn of conversation had directed his attention away from the nightmare.
"We were talking about marriage vows, that's how the crazy stated." She snuggled closer to him and laid her head against his chest. "I'm pretty sure there is something about having and holding in those vows, why don't we just focus on the holding for a while."
He settled back against the pillows and wrapped his arms around her. "Speaking of vows, you're not going to make me write my own, are you?" John sounded horrified at the thought.
That would certainly be an exercise in torture. Make the man who struggled to say I love you write his own vows and profess heartfelt sentiments before a crowd of people, a thought that she wasn't even comfortable with.
"I'm sure we can find a modern script and make it so you just have to say I do, slide the ring on, and kiss me."
"We're having a small ceremony, right?"
His question came too quick and she almost laughed. She pulled back and looked up at him. "You're the one who talked to Suzanne, you were supposed to tell her small."
"Oh." He rubbed his chin casually. "We might need to give her a call today."
"John."
"You can't blame me, you made me call her. Once she starts talking it's kind of hard to get a word in edgewise."
A cell phone started ringing and John reached back and snatched his off the bedside table. "Speak of the devil. Your turn." John passed his phone over.
"Hi Suze, how-"
Suzanne interrupted, her words tumbling out in a never ending stream as she conveyed all the plans she'd somehow already managed to make that morning.
Elizabeth figured she was fighting a losing battle. Instead of trying to get a word in edgewise, she just put the call on speakerphone.
"I figured you'd be okay having the wedding on Sunday, you two don't do anything normally anyway, which works because all the good caterers, photographers, and venues are booked for the next year on Saturdays. But…I can get you in the Sunday after I get back from my honeymoon. My wedding planner recommended a great location. It's a historic home with beautiful gardens. It's on a river, so you kind of get the water thing you always wanted."
Elizabeth glared at John and he just shrugged. "You said she'd take it easy on me." He hissed quietly. "You were wrong."
"So," Suzanne didn't skip a beat, "I've emailed over the guest list from my wedding, I thought that would be a good place for you two to start since most of the guests would be the same. Just cut and add and get it back to me today, I need a head count for the caterer. And addresses…I need addresses for invitations."
There was a pause and Elizabeth could imagine Suzanne gasping for air before gulping a sip of whatever caffeine laden concoction was undoubtedly in her hand.
"Hello?! If this call dropped and I have to repeat all that I'm going to need more espresso. Please tell me you're still there."
"We're here." Elizabeth laughed. "Sunday is …," she looked at John and he nodded, "Sunday is fine. We'll look at the invite list, but it's going to be small Suzanne. Understand?"
"Yeah, fine, whatever. Wait…what did you say? Oh, and I almost forgot, you need to buy wedding rings and get your marriage license. When are you back?"
Elizabeth started to speak, but Suzanne cut her off again.
"Well, you'll have to be back Friday for our rehearsal dinner. Dave and I are getting our license that afternoon, you can go with us. They're good for thirty days."
John leaned towards her. "Kind of like listening to Rodney, isn't it?"
Elizabeth grinned and shook her head warning him off, the last thing she needed was to laugh and accidentally insult her friend's morning of hard work.
"So, how's the babymoon going?" Suzanne choppily segued. "I read an article in Women's Health magazine that some women get a burst in libido during those final months of pregnancy, how's that working out for you?"
"Suzanne, you're on speakerphone." Elizabeth's eyes pressed together.
"Oh. So…. John, how's that going for you?" Suzanne sounded like John looked, like they were both trying not to laugh.
"Suze-"
"Does that mean you're not interested their recommended positions?" Suzanne's laugh floated through the phone. "You don't have to answer, just remember…Women's Health magazine, available at drugstores everywhere." Her laughter was still tinkling as the phone went dead.
Elizabeth set the phone aside. Her brain was scrambling to even find a starting place to acknowledge everything Suzanne had just relayed.
"Babymoon?" John asked. His eyes were twinkling; he was doing a lousy job of suppressing his amusement at that final twist from Suzanne's one-way conversation.
At least he was trying to not laugh, not that she would have minded if he did. No one else she'd ever been with had been able to not just handle, but appreciate Suzanne's effervescent personality. Simon had always shied away from her friend, he found her unfiltered frankness off-putting. It had been an ominous sign from the very start of their relationship, but she'd been too busy with work and it had just been easier to sweep it all to the side and not deal with it.
"A babymoon is kind of a last romantic getaway before the baby. In our case, it's really all the honeymoon we're likely to get. Since I can't fly…and our wedding is so close to the due date, I don't think a honeymoon is in our future anytime soon."
John started untangling himself from the sheet wrapped around his waist. "If this is a babymoon, aren't you wearing too many clothes?"
"Didn't seem like good idea to do naked yoga on a balcony overlooking a public beach."
His lips quirked at that. "Fair enough, but you're not on a balcony or doing yoga anymore and you're breaking the second rule of being naked."
Elizabeth glanced over at the clock. It was eleven and the hotel had given them a two o'clock checkout. "Why don't we get the invitation list out of the way and then I'll let you convince me to ditch the clothes."
John's brows raised in mock indigence. "Are you really offering to reward me with sex? That suspiciously sounds like a bad married couple cliché."
She reached out and trailed her finger slowly down his chest, before flicking her eyes back to his. "I never said anything about sex, I meant convince me to lose my clothes. After all, I want to get a shower before we get on the road."
She saw the flare in his eyes and realized she'd presented him with a challenge with her teasing, a challenge he'd have a hard time backing down from.
He leaned in, his mouth so close she could feel his warm breath on her lips. Her mouth angled towards his in anticipation of his kiss, but instead he abruptly grasped the hem of her capris, peeling them down and off her legs in one fell swoop.
"Hey, invitations remember?" She halfheartedly protested. "I didn't say you could start undressing me yet."
John maneuvered until he was above her, bracing his weight on his palms. "I don't remember asking permission, but if it's permission I need, don't worry. I don't plan on taking anything else off, not until…" His words trailed off as he sat back on his knees and picked up her leg, his lips brushing just above her ankle.
"Until I ask?" The tone of her voice was entirely too needy.
"I was thinking beg, but I might be willing to make an exception if you ask nice enough." His voice had molted into his deepest, huskiest tone, and when it hit that pitch, all of his words started to sound like a decadent incantation and it didn't take much to put her under a hypnotic spell from his charms in the first place.
"Invitations," she tried again in what was unarguably the weakest protest of all time. Her hand stretched for him, but she was unable to reach him, her fingers only managing to swipe messily through his hair. He lowered himself onto the bed and she cursed softly as she realized his intent.
His palm curled under her knee and his lips brushed her leg just above his fingers. "You've always been louder than you think you are."
"That's why I try not to swear that much." A soft gasp slid past her lips as palms ran up the inside of her thighs, eliciting a husky chuckle from him in response.
"I wasn't talking about your mastery of profanity."
He edged higher, silky locks of his hair brushed softly against one leg, while the scruff on his face gently scraped against the other. Her head dropped back against the pillow. She could feel his breath falling hot on her skin as his lips embarked upon a tortuously slow path. Darting spirals of heat raced away from the wake of his fingers and his mouth.
"John." She more moaned than spoke his name, all thoughts of invitations slipping away from her mind.
His laughter rumbled across the delicate skin of her inner thigh. "This is going to be easier than I thought."
~v~v~v
She jerked awake, again. Not from a nightmare, this time she'd been roused suddenly from sleep when the baby stirred and kicked under her ribs. John moved behind her, the scruff on his face tickling the bare skin of her back and sending a soft, appreciative shudder down her spine. John shushed her and spooned up closer behind her. It was hard to shake the fog of sleep with the press of his muscled body tight against her, his hands stroking through her hair and down her body.
"It's okay, baby. I've got you." His voice rasped against her ear, his tone so tender it made her melt back against him. "I've been pushing you too hard the past few days, I haven't let you get enough rest."
It was hard to believe the same man who had pleasurably tortured her not long ago had shifted gears so radically. She could hear the worry in his voice, worry laced with more than a tinge of guilt.
"It wasn't a nightmare, just the baby kicking." She twisted her head back towards him, stretching back her arm and threading her fingers through his hair. "And you're not pushing me."
Though she should have been exhausted. She had started tiring more easily in her third trimester and they had been constantly moving and not getting a lot of sleep. The extra energy was undoubtedly from that endorphin fueled high of just having him by her side.
He dipped his head, bringing their mouths together and kissing her tenderly as one of his hands stroked over her stomach. "Where's Jameson kicking?" He asked as he pulled away.
That prompted a trickle of laughter. "You're not naming your son after whiskey." She released her grip on his hair and let her head fall back against the pillow.
"What about Porter?"
"Or beer." Though she couldn't see his face, she could vividly picture the roguish grin undoubtedly plastered there.
"You don't know that's what I was thinking." He kissed the back of her shoulder as his hand drifted up from her stomach, lazily groping at her breast. "They are perfectly good names."
"They might be perfectly good names, but I think you just woke up thirsty. Stop using the hotel minibar for inspiration and stop pitching baby names when you are pawing at me. You're not going to slip a crazy name past me no matter how foggy you make my brain."
"At least I didn't try for OJ." He chuckled softly against her ear as she brought her heel back against his shin. "And I didn't just wake up. I couldn't sleep. I went through the email Suzanne sent, my list is done."
"I hope you didn't just cross off all the ones you didn't know."
"She had them sorted by Dave's guests and hers. I just went through Dave's list and I emailed you the people from Atlantis I was thinking of asking."
His fingers were stroking almost casually against her skin and her nerves were already starting to flutter appreciatively in response. If they had any chance of getting on the road that day, she needed to redirect his attention while she still had the capacity to do so.
She laced her fingers though his and pulled his hand away from her breast. "The baby's already turned, you can feel him kicking here."
"That reminds me, when's your next doctor's appointment?"
"Next Monday, why?" She asked.
"Bunch of emails from work too. They want to schedule a video conference or bring us back next week once they get a better handle on a few rising concerns. McKay is freaking out over power consumption, running the cloak continuously isn't helping, plus they've been bringing on board new personal, new supplies-"
"Adding to the weight of takeoff. They should have the Daedalus beam the supplies up after Atlantis makes orbit."
"Weight is a minimal concern in light of everything else. There are plenty of other things more pressing, McKay outdid himself with this update to the how screwed we are report."
She sighed, reminded again that a leisurely afternoon in bed wasn't in their future. "I guess I need to check my email too."
"After that, if you're up for it, I thought we might try to push as far north as Carmel. If we get on the road by two, we can make it before dinner."
That actually didn't sound so bad, she'd been enjoying the coastal drive even if it did take more time than going by interstate. The scenery was gorgeous and she was enjoying the look on John's face as he steered the Jeep along the coast. She had a feeling that enjoyment would surge even more once they hit the historic and winding Route 101. "I've never been there, but I've heard it's beautiful."
"It would bring us closer to San Francisco, so we could spend two nights there if you want." John's lips found their way onto her neck. "We can stay in bed or sit on the beach all day tomorrow, no driving or rushing around. I thought it might be good for you to get a break. We'd just need to get up early Friday to meet Lorne at the hanger."
She shifted around so she could see him better, resettling on her back. "That means only one bed to destroy for the next two nights, think you can handle that?" She bit down on her lip, probably doing a lousy job of hiding her grin.
He flashed a soft, simmering smile. "That's what housekeeping is for." John reached down for her hand and his thumb brushed over her engagement ring. "Suzanne also emailed the name of a jeweler there, someone a friend knows, so we could look at wedding rings."
She still found it hard to picture John wearing a wedding band, well, wearing it and not constantly fidgeting with it. "You don't have to do the ring thing if you don't want to. I know a lot of the military personnel don't wear them."
John's forehead creased as he studied her face. "They don't always wear them in the field, but they have one and so will I."
There wasn't a trace of hesitation in his voice and it tugged at her heart to realize he was dead set on wearing one. "You know, they sell men's bands that are made of titanium."
"They make aircraft out of titanium." John's tone was of wondrous delight. "They make wedding bands with that?"
"They do." She had known that would catch his attention.
"That could be cool," he offered casually, though she could tell he was trying to temper his enthusiasm.
"Just a little?" Her grin widened when John rolled his eyes and cocked his head to the side, avoiding her knowing smile. "I guess we need to get up," she said, glancing at the clock.
That caught his attention. His eyes snapped back to hers, wrought with fresh determination. "We're not going anywhere, not until you tell me about the nightmare. You keep dodging me but you should know by now I'm sharper than I look. I'm not going to forget no matter how good your skills of distraction are, so don't bother trying that again. Not until tonight anyway," he added in a suggestive tone.
"Distraction?" She asked innocently.
"Maybe retaliation is a better word for it, though if you think what happened this morning will teach me a lesson, I think you misunderstand the definition of punishment. I don't think it's supposed to work out that well for the person being punished."
John had gotten too worked up earlier to be patient long enough to make her beg, leaving him entirely too vulnerable when she'd turned the tables on him.
"I don't know," she said, hoping some of her lascivious thoughts were shining through her eyes. "There is a certain amount of satisfaction in making you beg after you'd threatened me with it."
"I did not beg." John bristled.
She rolled onto her side to face him. "Only because you weren't coherent enough to speak, the begging was implied."
He was laughing softly when she pulled his mouth to hers. His hands framed her face and his kiss was soft and deep and slow, making her wish they could lay in bed all day with their mouths fused together.
"Stop distracting me woman." He ducked back when she swatted at him. "And tell me about the nightmare."
She started to roll back away from him, but he caught her hips, holding her in place.
He cupped her chin, drawing her eyes up to his. "Elizabeth."
She diverted her eyes, mentally cursing herself for not covering better earlier. Telling him wouldn't help her and it would only add to his worries.
"What the hell can be so bad that has you speechless? Come on, Elizabeth."
She suddenly realized her silence may well have been more unnerving than her fear itself. "In my dream, I was on Atlantis." She cast her eyes back to his. "I was standing on the control room balcony, holding our son."
His eyes narrowed. "Go on."
"The gate shut down after your team came through…"
"That doesn't sound so bad-"
"Without you."
His jaw pulsed with tension and he swallowed hard.
She shook her head. "I shouldn't have said anything, it's not fair to you, I just-"
He cut her off with a quick kiss before he tugged her more tightly within his arms. "Have I ever not found my way back to you?"
The conviction in his eyes melted some of that icy fear. "No, but you do have a bad habit of making me wait."
He pulled back, catching her eyes with penetrating gaze. "I'll always make my way back to you. And going forward, I promise to try to do so in a more timely manner."
She forced a small smile in return wishing she felt as confident as he sounded. His lips pressed together and she knew he could see her doubt.
"I should probably tell you I had a talk with O'Neill the other day… or rather he had a talk with me," John said. "He pulled me off to the side when the brass was having a word with the President."
"Jack? What did he say?"
"He told me I've logged as many field hours as he has." His head tilted and his gaze turned more scrutinizing. "You already knew that, didn't you?"
She nodded. "He spoke to me about it a few months ago."
"I don't get it, I've got five years in this program. Jack had, what, at least eight before he stopped going out on missions? It doesn't add up."
"You don't get days off, you are always on call, and how much leave have you taken in the past five years? Almost none. To me, it wasn't exactly surprising news. Jack is worried about you burning out and, honestly, he should be. I asked if he had any better ideas and he just shook his head."
"Well, he's had some time to think and he has other ideas. Apparently, everyone was a little freaked out by what happened last week and not just because of the Wraith. If it hadn't been for Carson..."
John's voice trailed off, but it only took a moment for Elizabeth to understand. While many members of the expedition had the ATA gene either naturally or via the gene therapy, few of them could activate the chair and none with the control that John or Carson commanded.
"They are worried about contingencies. If something were to happen to you-"
"They need to minimize risk because they don't have a lot of options. They didn't exactly treat Carson well, but they are trying to make up for that now. That being said, Carson has his own agenda and it doesn't include him spending the bulk of his time on Atlantis."
Her brain was struggling to process all her streaming thoughts. If she understood his words…"Are they pulling you from missions? Because Jack never discussed that with me, I wouldn't have supported it."
"I know, Elizabeth. This wasn't your doing. They're not pulling me from missions, they are asking me to delegate more, not send my team out as much. I don't even necessarily think it's a bad idea. It's frustrating as hell to get back after a long day only to find out I need to head back out to clean up someone else's mess…a mess I could have prevented had I been in the control room to tell them to get their heads out of their asses before they got in trouble in the first place."
"So you're okay with this?" She couldn't be understanding him correctly.
"Let's just say I get it. I'll support it, but I'm not thrilled with it. It makes me think about Jack giving up SG1-"
"Only after defeating the Goa'uld and only then because he got promoted." Elizabeth reminded. "So what exactly did you two work out?"
"I'm not ready to give up my team and he knows that, but I agreed to delegate more as long as I can go out whenever I need to be out there. I'll just be sitting out on the routine, boring stuff that makes me crazy anyway. McKay's been whining about getting more research time, Teyla wants more time with her family. And Ronon…well, he's never going to take his foot off the gas, but we can keep him as busy as he wants, send him out with the other teams. He could do more in the field training with our teams too, it would only make them stronger."
Her jaw went slack. Even though they'd been apart, she'd picked up on the changes in John over the past couple years. His mission reports were more timely, more detailed. The decisions he made, the structure of the teams on Atlantis...the operation had become more sharp, their procedures more refined. He had grown in his role and she was just starting to realize how much he had…matured sounded too patronizing, but it still seemed the most fitting.
"What? It's not a big deal." John blustered. "You're looking at me like I've grown a second head."
She didn't want to sound condescending by telling him what she was really thinking and couldn't think of a way to phrase her thoughts any differently at that moment. She blinked rapidly trying to find some other appropriate response. There was one thing that hadn't escaped her attention. "So you're telling me I won't have to worry as often, but when you do go off world, I won't just have reason to worry… I'll have reason to worry more than usual?"
John's mouth slightly opened and he paused for a moment. "When you put it that way, it sounds kind of crappy. Besides that, I have a feeling my definition of need to be out there differs from O'Neill's. I'll still be going on plenty of missions, just not seven days a week plenty."
"I'll try to just focus on the not having to worry as often part then." She sighed softly and nudged at his side. "Hand over that laptop, I want to knock out the invitation list so we can get on the road."
"You're just hungry, aren't you?" He laughed when she shrugged in confirmation. "Okay, let's get moving. We need to pick up one of those Women's Health magazine's too." His brows popped suggestively.
John's phone rang again, saving her from a response.
"Dave," John said as he handed over the laptop and stepped out of bed. "Yeah, that's the plan."
He stepped towards the balcony doors, his hand absentmindedly scratching his lower back while he listened, drawing her attention down the still bare bottom half of his body.
"John," she called as she opened the laptop. "Since you already destroyed the bed, you should really consider using that sheet." She tugged the blanket higher up her chest. They were on an upper floor, but still, she didn't want to risk her own exposure when he opened the balcony door.
He quickly released the curtains he'd started to pull open. He turned back, a sheepish grin on his face. "Dave, hold on a second." John put the phone down and sorted through the pile of linen and clothing that littered the floor. He tossed over her nightgown and kept digging until he came up with his cargo shorts. "Thanks for the warning," he said as he pulled on the shorts.
She just rolled her eyes as she tugged on the nightgown before turning her attention to the emails that had piled up in her inbox.
John grabbed his phone. "I'm back." He listened for a moment as he stepped onto the balcony. "Just after midnight."
After midnight? Those were the last words she heard before the balcony door closed behind him, but the thought quickly left her mind once she spotted the size of Rodney's how screwed we are report. She took a deep breath and started reading.
~v~v~ v~v~
Later that night, Carmel…
Elizabeth reached out and gently squeezed John's knee. He'd insisted on sitting beside her at the table instead of across from her, not wanting to put even that small bit of distance between them. That's what he'd said anyway, she still wasn't convinced it wasn't because she'd chosen the side of the table with the better view.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay for desert?" Her eyes slowly panned the scenic view before them. "We can see the whales from here."
They'd found a restaurant overlooking the ocean and had eaten dinner outside on the terrace. It was ridiculously beautiful, the kind of setting that could be the cover shot of one of those glossy travel magazines she always fawned over in the airports.
"We can see the whales from our hotel balcony too. We should tell Keller about this place, get Rodney to take her."
"I'm not sure Rodney would appreciate the whales in the same way we do."
"Exactly," he said grinning deviously.
"John-"
"I'm kidding, I don't really want to tell anyone about this place. I don't want to run into anyone we know the next time we visit." John stood up and reached for her hand to help her up. "We can come back here for dinner tomorrow, that was the beauty of pushing into Carmel tonight, remember? We have another day here. Besides, there's something I want to show you, a little surprise."
"Surprise?" She asked as they moved towards the exit. They hadn't been apart very much for him to be working on surprises.
The host stepped forward, cutting off John's chance to respond. "We appreciate you and your wife stopping by this evening." The host opened the door to wave them off. "I hope you can dine with us again."
"Thanks." John said, before turning to catch her eye. "Let's go, honey," he emphasized the endearment. He tugged her swiftly away before the host could catch the bemused expression on her face.
It was only a five minute drive back to their hotel. After they parked, instead of taking the path towards the guest rooms, John drew her towards the trail leading to the beach.
"Good idea," she said as she stepped out of her shoes. She was going to miss their nightly walks on the beach when they returned home.
John glanced down at his watch. "I'm glad to hear you say that." He paused long enough to remove his shoes, before grabbing hers and storing both pairs in the shelves provided by the hotel.
"I thought you said something about a surprise." She remembered.
"Always so impatient," he scolded softly.
She glanced up, expecting to see a cocky grin, but instead he had an excited gleam in his eye…not dissimilar from the look in his eye when he'd first spotted the Ferris wheel at the Santa Monica Pier.
His fingers laced through hers. "Watch your step, it's a little dark."
The trail to the beach was illuminated by lanterns. The light was soft, but it was more than enough to help them pick their way down the path. When they crossed over the top of a small dune, she spotted a bonfire glistening a short way down the beach.
"We should do that one night," she breathed, longingly eyeing the fire. It was a nice night, but the breeze rolling in from the ocean felt cool against her bare arms and she'd forgotten to bring her light sweater to wear over her dress.
She'd expected John to lead them straight down to the water, instead, they were closing in on the bonfire. There was only one man by the fire and as they grew closer she realized he was wearing the uniform of the hotel's staff.
"Good evening." The man waved in greeting.
"John?"
"Did you know our hotel has a beach concierge?" John turned and smiled, when he saw her shaking her head no. "Neither did I until I checked us in. Pretty cool, though, isn't it?"
Words eluded her, she could only nod her head in affirmation.
"Mr. Sheppard, everything is set up as you requested. If you happen to think of anything else you need, just give us a call at this number." The man extended a business card. "I hope you and your wife enjoy your evening."
People had been referring to her as his wife for days and neither bothered to correct them anymore. It didn't matter and she suspected John enjoyed hearing it as much as she did.
As the beach concierge slipped away into the darkness, her eyes surveyed the site. She spotted a large stack of wood, more than enough feed the fire late into the night. Near the fire a blanket was spread out, a cooler and picnic basket at its side. Her eyes stretched wide as she noted rose petals scattered around the site, their red hue a vivid contrast against the white sands of the beach.
John looked extremely proud of himself as he helped her settle down onto the blanket. "What do you think?"
"This is amazing… and ridiculously romantic." She nestled close to him not pausing until their lips were just inches apart. "There are rose petals on the sand, John."
"Nothing but the best for my wife." He laughed softly as lips came together in a tender kiss.
She wanted to savor the feel of his lips against hers, somehow convey her appreciation of his romantic gesture, but he pulled away too soon, leaving her to regret the brevity of the contact.
John threw another log on the fire before digging into his pocket. He came up with a battered looking brochure that he handed over. "The roses were part of the package." John reached back and opened the cooler. "Thirsty? It's packed full of mommy to be friendly drinks. Water, juice, lemonade, milk."
Had she ever heard him say the word mommy before? Sometimes she wondered if she wasn't a bit too smitten because every damn thing he did shouldn't seem so ridiculously cute. He was scrutinizing her face, awaiting a response.
"Milk?" She asked. That seemed like an odd choice at a bonfire.
John reached for a picnic basket and drug it closer. "It goes with the chocolate chip cookies."
"Cookies?" She leaned forward, trying to peer into the basket to see what other goodies it held.
"Or s'mores. Everything we need to make them is in the basket." John glanced back and did a double take when he found her wide eyed and staring. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Inflating John's ego was never a good move, but he may have never deserved it as much as he did at that moment. "I was just thinking you set the bar pretty high. What are you going to do for our wedding anniversary?"
He rewarded her words with a knee weakening simmering stare. "Maybe we should come back here," he finally said, nodded towards the brochure. "Try the original package."
She glanced down at the brochure and saw the original bonfire package included choice of champagne and strawberries or wine and cheese. "I don't see s'mores or chocolate chip cookies on this brochure anywhere."
"We had to improvise," he said, smiling as he reached into the basket and picked up a cookie. "So what'll it be?"
"Definitely s'mores." She said as John chomped into the cookie.
"Good answer. The cookies aren't as good as yours." He passed over a roasting stick and bag of marshmallows, before dragging the picnic basket closer.
"I'll take one of those waters, too."
He reached for two bottles of water before he settled back beside her, watching as she pierced a marshmallow onto the roasting stick and eased it into the fire. "You're going to burn it," he warned.
"Are you seriously critiquing my s'more making technique?"
John loaded his own roasting stick with several marshmallows and pushed it out and above the fire. "Technically, it would be your marshmallow roasting technique and, yes, what you're doing is a fire hazard." He jousted her stick with his own, nudging it out of the fire.
"Stop it," she laughed.
"Doesn't matter, it's too late anyway."
He wasn't wrong, her marshmallow had turned into a tiny ball of fire. She waved the stick around trying to knock the flame away, but she only succeeded in sending the flaming marshmallow hurtling through the air.
John doubled up laughing, purposely leaning away from her as if he expected retaliation, but she couldn't do anything but laugh with him.
"That'll be enough of that." John pulled the roasting stick out of her hand. "I'm taking over official s'more making duties."
She frowned, thinking the failure hinted at a larger problem. "I'm going to be a terrible mother. I can barely cook, I can't even roast a marshmallow. I sent a fireball flying through the air and instead of making sure the fire is out, I'm sitting here laughing." And appreciating the sight of a handsome man illuminated by the warm light of the fire, she mused.
"It landed in the sand, it's fine." He sounded completely unconcerned, but she didn't miss his eyes flash in the direction her marshmallow had launched in. "And if my Air Force buddies are right, most kids live on grilled cheese, pizza, and chicken nuggets. We'll manage just fine."
"I was completely unprepared for the baby until you got us organized and took us shopping." Her mind was racing now, it was going to take more than a kind reassurance from John to settle her down. "Plus, you're already making lists of baby supplies we need to get stocked on Atlantis, it hadn't even crossed my mind."
"That's just logistics, Elizabeth. You stayed on top of the doctor's appointments, took the vitamins, gave up caffeine." He looked at her pointedly, knowing just how much that last one had hurt. "Plus, you have all the important stuff down. You're a hugger to start, kids like that. You collect pets like they are stuffed animals, don't think I didn't miss the new cat in our barn, but my point is…kids love animals. And you make better chocolate chip cookies than this fancy hotel, what else could a kid want?"
He smiled almost shyly before he turned his attention back to the s'more he was assembling.
John was going to excel at fatherhood. While he hadn't said anything, she could practically sense his thoughts, read his steely determination to ensure he had a completely different relationship with his son than he had with his father. She suddenly wondered if he harbored any doubts on the matter and realized she was probably well overdue in contributing her two cents. "You're going to be a great father," she said quietly.
"Yeah. I know."
She elbowed him for the exaggerated cocky tone, almost making him drop the s'more. "Obviously, I don't disagree, but I'm curious, what exactly are you basing that on? Besides your ability to use a fire extinguisher, which will obviously come in handy with me around."
He passed Elizabeth the first completed s'more. "Well, I like things that are fast, all boys do."
"Double entendre there, John?"
He gave her a wicked grin, but otherwise ignored her remark. She bit into the s'more, the gooey concoction immediately oozed from the sides of the graham cracker, threatening to cover her face and fingers with the sticky mess.
"I like video games, Ferris wheels, and football, what boy wouldn't like those things?" John continued. "Great father son bonding opportunities."
She swallowed down her bite before speaking again. "Not bad, but those weren't the reasons I was thinking about."
"Which were?" John managed over half of his s'more in one bite.
"You'll make him feel safe. Loved." She paused to draw in a sip of water. "You'll believe in him and make him feel strong. You'll make him laugh…and teach him enough crap about popular culture to make him the wittiest kid in two galaxies."
John cupped her face, his thumb sweeping gently along her cheek. "Okay, your answer was better than mine," he said as he leaned closer and kissed her softly. He licked his lips when he pulled away. "You want another s'more? They taste good on you."
"I haven't finished the first one yet." She rubbed her side.
"Baby kicking?" He asked before he polished off the rest of his s'more.
She nodded. "Or stretching. I just hope he doesn't get too impatient in there. As much as I can't wait to hold him, I want to enjoy every second of our time together."
"I'll have a talk with him. Tell him he's grounded until his due date."
Her heart swelled and again thoughts of her being too smitten and him being too damn cute crossed her mind. "You will, will you?" Her brow arched towards him. "And what makes you think he'll listen?"
"We've already had a few talks while you were sleeping. Haven't you noticed he's been on better behavior? He doesn't seem to be kicking you as much." John snagged the rest of her s'more. "It was getting cold," he explained before tossing it in his mouth.
"You owe me a s'more." She frowned. "And the baby's probably just getting used to your voice."
"He's getting used to my voice because we've had some talks, you're just going to have to trust me on this." John's hand rubbed down her arm and a rash of goosebumps exploded in his fingers wake. "Not warm enough?"
"I am, but you're just a little too far away."
"I can fix that." John leaned forward on his knees and threw another log on the fire. Instead of settling back down where he'd been sitting, he maneuvered behind her and pulled her back against his chest. "Better?"
"Much better." She didn't think it could get any better than this.
"Speaking of not being close enough, we're going to have to figure out our time together going forward, plan out your schedule." John swept her hair across her shoulder and tucked his face closer to hers. "We might have to make another naked rule."
"Another naked rule?"
"Sure, make a rule that we can't go any more than a month without seeing each other naked. And by that I mean no longer than a month when we're not in the same galaxy, not that you can manipulate me with a honey do list for a month before I get rewarded with the pleasure of seeing you naked."
"I knew where you were going with that," she laughed, "but I'll have to keep the honey do list method of torture in mind, that could come in handy."
Laughter rumbled through his chest. "I should probably make more of an effort to not give you new ways to torture me, you are adept enough at that as it is."
"You should probably make more of an effort to remember that fact…especially before you threaten to make me beg." She peered back at him, still finding him smiling broadly.
"Duly noted." His arms folded around her chest, pulling her even more closely against him.
They sat quietly for a moment soaking up the ambiance of the night. The bonfire's crimson flames danced wildly, providing a blazing contrast to the dark of night. There was something soothing about hearing the flames consume the wood, the ensuing cracks and pops sending sparks spiraling away from the fire, but so far the blanket had been just out of reach. Tiny embers fell to the sand around them, smoldering into blackness.
"It's a clear night, you can really see the stars." John's breath fell hot against her neck as he spoke.
"It's beautiful. And all of this is," she paused and waved her hand around the bonfire area, "it's really great, John."
"It seemed like another good one to mark off the bucket list." His lips nuzzled affectionately against her neck.
Package or not, it had been an incredibly sweet gesture. It hadn't escaped her attention that they'd yet to turn on a TV and for someone who loved movies and sports and spent the bulk of his time in a far away galaxy with no access to cable, it said a lot that John was ignoring the remote. He could have tossed the beach concierge's brochure in the trash, but he hadn't and for that she was grateful.
She reached for his hand and their fingers twined together. "This wasn't on my bucket list, but it should have been."
"What kind of crappy bucket list did you make anyway? It doesn't sound like anything good is on it."
She laughed softly. "My list is very short," she admitted.
"Sounds poorly thought out already. What's on it anyway?"
Dozens of things had come to mind when John first jokingly suggested the list, but what she wanted most boiled down to two things. Everything else was just the icing on the cake.
"Marrying you and having a couple adorable babies." God, that sounded eerily 1950's, but it wasn't like she was giving up a career or her identity in the process. She had more than one job, her own money, and she'd accomplished everything she'd ever set out to do, everything except marry this man and create a family of her own.
"Now I feel like an ass, that's a pretty good list. You just need to tweak it a little."
His tone was mischievous and she glanced back in curiosity. "How so?"
"The list should be getting married and making babies. And more than a couple of them."
"Emphasis on the making of the babies, I got it." She laughed, turning her head back towards the fire. "And how many babies are we talking about?" She wasn't ready to point out they would need to have all those babies sooner rather than later. Her doctor seemed to delight in calling her an older mother, something Elizabeth hoped she would temper when John accompanied her to the next appointment.
She could feel John shrug behind her. "A few. Hand me my water?"
She passed his water bottle over her shoulder. "A few as in three? I'm not sure I can survive the naming process if you want any more than that."
He laughed. "So just keep having boys, we should have some good backups names on hand by the time this is all said and done."
"Not my department. Once you're done convincing our baby to behave you can have a talk with your other boys about baby gender. It's kind of a sperm thing."
A spray of water struck her arm as John started coughing loudly.
"Did you just spit on me?" She jerked forward, trying to get out of dodge, but all the water that had been in his mouth was either lodged in his throat or already dripping down her arm.
He cleared his throat as his coughing ceased. "We really need to work on your timing, you're going to make me choke one of these days," he said as he tried to swipe away the water from her arm. "You really are more mischievous than people could ever begin to guess."
"I'd have to be wouldn't I? Otherwise how would I ever keep up with you?"
"Keep up with me? If you haven't noticed, I've been hot on your tail for years. I'm the one who can't keep up with you."
Elizabeth edged sideways to get a better look at John. She smiled innocently, waiting until he braved another sip of water. "I always just thought you were trying to check out my ass."
He tossed the water bottle aside, having managed his sip of water with only a minimal amount of coughing this time. She saw the playful gleam in his eyes, but before she could guess his intent, he'd gently wrestled her down onto her side and started tickling her mercilessly.
"John…stop it," she could barely spit the words out as she worked to thwart his attack.
"I don't think so. You've earned a little lighthearted retaliation and I still haven't heard you beg today."
One of his legs lodged between hers as he held her pinned, continuing to make good on his payback.
"Just remember, I have pounds of extra baby weight bouncing on my bladder," she managed to gasp.
He jerked away so fast it made her head spin. "Thanks for the warning." He collapsed on his back beside her. He had a huge grin on his face and his shoulders were still slightly shaking from laughter.
She shifted onto her side, yelping slightly when he abruptly grasped her face, tugging until her mouth crashed against his. His kiss was anything but funny, his mouth worked against hers with a passion and intensity at odds with all the laughter they'd just shared.
She licked her lips when he pulled away. Their kiss still carried the taste of s'mores. The fire was waning, but there was still enough light to see the heat flaring within his eyes.
His hand cupped the side of her face. "You look hungry."
"That's a bit of a loaded statement."
His thumb strummed across her cheek. "And what do you want?"
"Everything," she whispered before his lips struck hers again. She grumbled in protest when he pulled away, but he was already looking at her suspiciously.
"You want another s'more don't you?"
Her pregnancy appetite really had become the cliché, even she found it amusing how her stomach had become such a dictator of their time. "I really do," she admitted.
"As long as I get to do the roasting."
"We can go in if-"
"We've got all night, Elizabeth, and there is nowhere we have to be tomorrow."
"You're not going to surf in the morning?"
"I'm going to surf. Maybe I'll pay for it tomorrow, but right now…I feel-"
"More awake than you've ever been?"
He slowly shook his head in confirmation, never breaking their gaze. "Something like that."
She wasn't sure who moved first that time, but their lips came together in a deep ragged kiss that had her breathless when she pulled away. This time, it was John's turn to groan in complaint when she pulled back as he tried to recapture her lips.
"How about that s'more?" She asked. When his face crumpled into a pout, she cupped his chin. "I'll make it up to you later."
"Of that, I have no doubt." He shot her a cheeky grin and she just rolled her eyes in response.
"You know, the only thing missing tonight is a little music. Do you have anything on your phone?" She asked.
As he sat up to fish the phone from his pocket, music started drifting down the beach from the outdoor bar of their hotel. It sounded like an acoustic guitar with just one man singing a cover of an eighties classic.
"Did I happen to mention that I have music covered too?" He didn't sound very convincing.
The timing was uncanny, but she knew better. "That was a complete coincidence."
"Call it karmic intervention."
"At any rate, I'm amending my bucket list," she said as she climbed to her feet.
John was rifling through the picnic basket when he glanced back. "Decide you want to go back to the room?"
She reached out a hand. "No. I want to dance."
His eyes widened dramatically and she laughed.
"Maybe dance is too big of a word. How about sway? You were planning to dance with me at our wedding, right?"
He shoved up to a standing position. "You say that like you don't think I can. And since you like bringing it up, I'll have you know I did manage to dance at my last wedding."
"And how much of her father's twenty-year old scotch contributed to your ability to dance?"
His mouth opened and closed, as if he immediately realized it was pointless to protest. "What's your point?" He finally asked.
"I don't really have one, it's just entirely too easy to make you squirm sometimes."
His arms finally came around her and he tucked down until his mouth aligned with her ear. "You're going to pay for that."
"I'm looking forward to it."
His laughter rumbled against her skin and her head tilted back, taking in the view of the sky. His strong arm coiled around her waist may have been all that was keeping her upright as sand shifted beneath her feet and the world spun around her. The stars were sparkling, the fire crackling and the oceans waves were crashing soothingly against the shore. The richness of the sensory experience was almost intoxicating and she couldn't imagine there was anywhere better they could be at that moment.
Her hands had been stroking down his back and he groaned softly as she slipped them in his back pockets, lightly gripping and pulling him closer.
"You need to stop instigating; I know you're not in a hurry to leave." He kissed her forehead and pulled her closer against him.
He was right, but her mouth moved almost of its own accord, blazing a trail up his neck until a guttural moan escaped John's lips.
"Elizabeth." He drawled out her name in a low and husky voice, sending a rush of heat through her veins. "You, my lady, are trouble."
"It's a good thing you love me, then."
His hands cupped her head, angling it up until she met his eyes. "That I do." His hand stroked through her hair. "That I always will."
The look in his eyes made her melt back against him, but now she just clung tightly to him as he held her. "Then it's a good thing I love you too."
The song ended and the music shifted into another very familiar melody.
"Everlong," she breathed. She could hear the acoustic version of the song drifting down the beach and she pulled back wondering if she had been wrong about John setting up the music. She could tell by his eyes, he was just as surprised as she was to hear that song.
"Tempting, but I can't take credit for it," he said.
She settled back against him. "Would it be too corny to get something engraved on our rings?"
"Depends on what it is, I guess. What are you thinking?" He looked down and she saw a flash of understanding in his eyes. "Everlong? I think that sounds just about right."
It had been the original promise. Even early on, they'd been aware of their hang-ups, they'd each been skittish in their own way and they'd known the biggest threat they'd faced was from themselves. It was always instinctive to run when staying seemed like it would only cause them pain. As the song continued to play, she focused on the lyrics, "Got to promise not to stop when I say when."
There had been times in the past she thought they'd made it to the point, the point where they could push back when the other faltered and tried to let go. But now she could see it in each caress of his eyes, feel it in each stroke of his hand, and sense it deep within herself. Absolute faith. While she'd had no doubt they could handle anything the universe threw their way, this week had been their first time together where she'd felt complete certainty they wouldn't tear themselves apart once again.
"You okay?" He asked as her body stilled before the song ended.
Her eyes had focused on the rose petals on the sand. They looked different from her current vantage point. "John, are those rose petals laid out in a shape of a heart?" It looked more like a lopsided heart now they'd trampled some of them while dancing, but the arrangement was close enough, they could had been laid out that way when they first arrived and she just hadn't noticed from where they'd been sitting.
He didn't even bother to turn back to look. He just kept his eyes locked on hers in a penetrating gaze that sent sparks racing down her spine. His finger trailed along the line of her jaw. "You really are a hopeless romantic, you know that?"
Once maybe they both had been. But now? "Not hopeless." It was all she managed before his lips laid claim to hers once again.
~TBC.
Though in fair warning, the end is growing near. When we get to that point, I'm planning to do a few periodic updates. Right now, I'm tentatively planning for each of those updates to move the story forward a year so we get a glimpse into the future. So, for a story called Everlong, the end appropriately won't be the end…at least for a while.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed. Thanks to all for reading and always special thanks for those who take the time to leave reviews. It wouldn't have done the story justice, but I would have wrapped it up long ago if it hadn't been for your kind words and interest.
A/N 2: Longest chapter yet. You know the drill, too many words and only two eyes to proofread. I tried.