A/N: Wow. :cough: Has it really been two months? :wince: So sorry guys. I've decided that deadlines are made to be missed because, looking back, I saw that I promised this would be done by Christmas, then by Spring Break, and then by summer... It is now summer. lol. The good news is, there are only 8 more chapters after this one. And I'm far enough ahead that if I post one each Wednesday(mah new posting day), we should be able to finish the rest of the story out without skipping any weeks. :D Thank you all for your patience and your faithfulness. I love y'all. :D


Sixteen Years Old - February 2023

"You're the one I've always thought of. I don't know how, but I feel sheltered in your love. You're where I belong. And when you're with me, if I close my eyes, there are times I swear I feel like I can fly. For a moment in time, somewhere between the heavens and earth I'm frozen in time, oh, when you say those words. When you say you love me, the world goes still, so still inside. And when you say you love me, for a moment, there's no one else alive." - Josh Groban, "When You Say You Love Me"

"C'mon, Mom!" Aiden begged. "Louie's seen it, for crying out loud."

"Louie's mom lets him watch and do a lot of things I won't let you do, Aiden," Evie countered.

"John's seen it."

"I'm not John's mother."

"Please?"

"John, feel free to step in here at any time," Evie said.

John glanced up from the comics section of the latest newspaper that had found its way through the Gate. "Aiden, take 'no' for an answer," he said. He then promptly returned his attention to Garfield.

Evie rolled her eyes at her husband. "Why do you even want to watch it so badly?" she asked Aiden.

"'Cause it's awesome. It's got Jason Jackson in it, Mom. You know he's my favorite action star."

"Yeah, and it's got sex and boobs and people getting their heads blown off, too," she pointed out.

"…so?"

Evie shook her head. "Alright, we'll settle this the guy way. If you can take me down, you can watch that movie."

John looked up from the antics of Bucky and Satchel.

"Mom, I'm like twice as big as you… Deal." He reached his hand out to shake on it and Evie grabbed his wrist and attempted to yank him forward. Aiden was caught off-guard, but all he had to do was lean his weight back to keep her from pulling him towards her.

Aiden chuckled as she kept tugging futilely. "Having fun, Mom?" he teased.

Realizing her strength wasn't going to overcome his dead weight, Evie decided to go for something different that almost always worked with John. She stopped pulling on his arm and the second she did, he yanked her forward -- which was what she'd been counting on. Her shortness finally being an advantage, Evie twisted and ducked under his arm so she was behind him. A swift kick to the back of his knee and a forceful shove between his shoulder blades sent him tumbling to the floor. Before Aiden had a chance to recover, Evie was on top of him, sitting on his lower back. She quickly grabbed his right arm and forced it behind his back.

Aiden struggled to shake her off for several seconds, glaring at John's amused smirk.

"Say uncle," Evie demanded, pressing his arm down harder.

"Ow! Uncle!" Aiden cried in defeat.

Evie released his arm and got off her son. "Your father always falls for that one, too," she said, reaching a hand down to Aiden.

"I do not," John said defensively.

"Yes, you do. And you curse my shortness every time. Then you kick my butt at stick-fighting. Now, Aiden, I want you to give that movie back to whatever Marine you borrowed it from."

"It's Ronon's."

Evie snorted. "Figures." Remembering something, she looked at her watch. "Aiden, you don't have time for a movie anyway. Aren't you supposed to be taking Rachel on y'all's big Valentine's Day date in, like, half an hour?"

Aiden looked at his own watch. "Oh, yeah! I gotta go get the stuff we're taking for dinner! Bye, Mom! Bye, John!" He dashed out the door.

"Honey, wait, wait, wait!" Evie called, rushing out after him. "Who's taking you two in the jumper?"

"Aunt Summer!" he called back.

"Okay. Have fun. And be safe!"

"We will."

XXXXXX

Just a little over half an hour later, Rachel, Aiden, and Summer landed on the mainland near a lake Aiden had scouted a few days before; he'd been planning this date for weeks. "Now I'm not going to follow you two around," Summer promised. "I'm going to sit here in the shade and read my book. So I want you to stay where I can see you."

"That's it?" Aiden asked.

Summer nodded and waved her hands at them. "You're free. Shoo."

Aiden grinned. "C'mon, Rachel, let's get that canoe into the water."

Aiden had arranged earlier to borrow a canoe from Halling and the Athosian man had left the boat tied to a tree just a few feet from where they'd camped. The two teens managed to get the small canoe safely out onto the large lake. Summer knew they could both swim, and therefore didn't force them to put on lifejackets. She did, however, repeat that they not paddle the canoe past where they could still see her. She was fine with giving them privacy, but they were still two teenagers on an alien planet, and she wasn't about to let anything happen to them.

After remembering to put on some sunscreen, they paddled around for about twenty minutes, talking and laughing and marveling at the tiny two-headed turtle that swam up beside the boat.

When they passed under an overhanging secoa tree, Aiden cautiously stood up and tried to grab one of the pink and white flowers for Rachel. When he reached, the canoe leaned toward the water.

"Careful, Aiden!" Rachel said, clutching the sides of the boat.

"What's the matter?" Aiden said, starting to deliberately rock from side to side.

"You're gonna flip the canoe."

"No, I won't," he scoffed.

"Aiden, stop," Rachel said worriedly. "You're going to tip the whole canoe over."

"Am not," he said, continuing to shift his weight, rocking the boat faster now.

"Please stop."

"Or what?" he said with a mischievous grin.

"Or I'll push you in."

"No, you won't."

"Stop rocking the boat," she said again.

Aiden shifted his weight to the left, causing that side of the canoe to tip dangerously close to the water.

With an annoyed frown, Rachel leaned forward and shoved him. His weight was already unbalanced enough that her push was all it took. With a startled cry, Aiden fell into the lake.

Rachel gripped the sides of the canoe, which was rocking violently, and watched with a smug smile as Aiden floundered to the surface.

He coughed up a bit of water and wiped his hair out of his face. "I can't believe you did that, you freak!" he exclaimed.

"I told you to stop," she said, justifying her actions.

"Yeah, well, now you're gonna get it," he said, swimming closer to the canoe. He grabbed her wrist and began pulling.

"Aiden, don't!" she cried, her giggles belying her anger. When she reached her other hand out to try to pry off his fingers, he grabbed that wrist as well. "Aiden, I don't wanna get we-- Ahh!" She tumbled out of the canoe and into the cold water with a shriek.

When Rachel's head bobbed above the surface of the water a moment later, Aiden couldn't help by laugh at her angry expression.

"It's not funny!" she cried, punching his shoulder.

"Ow."

"I wasn't ready to get wet," she insisted, treading water.

"Oh, come on. You've got your swimsuit on, right?"

"So?"

"And the water feels good. We were gonna go swimming later, anyways," he pointed out.

She sighed. "Fine. But…" She swam closer to him and put her hands on his shoulders. Then she pushed him down, and quickly moved a hand to the top of his head and shoved him down further, dunking him completely.

When he came back up, he asked, "Feel better now?"

She smiled. "Much."

He pulled off his wet t-shirt and slung it into the boat. When he saw Rachel blush a little, he said, "What? We're swimming; you expect me to keep it on?"

She shook her head and decided to take hers off as well.

When Aiden saw the modest one-piece, he teased, "No bikini?"

Rachel blushed again. "Bikinis are for slutty girls. Besides, I had to beg my dad just to get a halter-top suit. He said something about how impressionable young boys get easily excited by lots of skin." She winked.

Aiden rolled his eyes. "Sounds like your dad. C'mon, I bet we can climb up those rocks over there and jump off 'em."

"I'll race you there," she challenged

"Oh, you're so on."

XXXXXX

It was nearly two hours later before Rachel and Aiden paddled the canoe back to the beach.

"You two have fun?" Summer asked, putting a bookmark between the pages of her fantasy novel.

"We had a blast," Rachel said, toweling her wet hair. "Did you see us jumping off those rocks?" She pointed.

"I did. Looked like fun." Summer smiled. "Are you two about ready for dinner? I set up everything for you guys."

"You're the best, Aunt Summer," Aiden said. He took Rachel's hand and led her to the place where Summer had prepared dinner for the couple. She had laid out a large blanket a little ways up the beach to give them a little privacy. The spot had been selected so that the trees would not block their view of the approaching sunset, and Summer had also gotten a small fire going, knowing that Aiden had brought supplies to make s'mores.

The two sat down and Aiden began pouring her a drink. "Is that cherry pie?" Rachel asked, eyeing the goodies that were spread out on the blanket.

"Well, I know it's your favorite," Aiden answered.

She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "You're the best boyfriend in the whole world."

"Just the world?" he teased.

"Fine. In two galaxies, then. Now may I please have some of those strawberries?"

"Yes, ma'am."


"Everybody else is still at dinner… We could just go back to the rec room and snuggle some more," John suggested desperately.

"Nothing you say will distract me from finding Rodney and telling him you cried in the movie, John," Evie maintained.

"I did not cry!" John insisted. "Crying is when you have tears coming down your face. I…teared up. That's different. I can tear up in a chick flick and still retain my masculinity."

Evie smirked. "Rodney won't think so."

"I'll take back your present," he threatened.

She stopped walking. "What is it?"

"I can't tell you; it's a surprise."

"Is it jewelry?"

"I just said I'm not going to tell you."

"But I need to know."

"Why?"

"Because if it's something stupid, I won't care if you take it back, and I'll just tell Rodney anyway."

"Why would I buy you something stupid?"

"John." She gave him a look. "Do you remember what you got me on our second Valentine's Day?"

"Hey, all the women in all the fashion magazines were wearing them!"

"It was still stupid."

"Fine. You go and tell Rodney and I will just give somebody else your copy of The Wish to Forget that I got signed by the author."

Evie gasped and her eyes lit up. "You didn't!" she squealed. "I've been dying for that book to come out."

"I know."

"You still gonna give it to me?"

"If you promise not to tell Rodney."

"I promise." They started walking again. "I got you something, too. It's in my quarters."

"Is it something stupid?"

"I've never gotten you anything stupid," she answered.

"Yes, you did. The first birthday present you ever got me was that awful--"

"Lalala, can't hear you!" Evie said loudly, putting her hands over her ears. "Not talking about this!"

John laughed.


"You know how Lantea has two moons?" Rachel asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Yeah?"

"Well, I wonder what it would be like if this solar system had two suns. What would the sunset look like then?" she mused.

"I don't know… But I bet it wouldn't look as awesome as this," Aiden replied. The sun was just a golden sliver on the horizon, and the sky was filled with beautiful shades of pink and red and orange.

Rachel scooted closer to him and lay her head on his shoulder.

He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "You smell like lakewater," he commented.

"Yeah, well, so do you."

"Rachel?"

"Hmm?"

"C'mere."

She lifted her head with another questioning "Hmm?"

Gently placing his hand on her shoulder, Aiden leaned in and kissed her.

Pleased, Rachel brought a hand to his face and kissed him back. When he ran his hand lightly down her arm, Rachel shivered and made the softest of noises. He'd touched her before, but it was different, more intimate, with his fingers against the soft, bare skin of her shoulder. He ghosted his fingertips down her arm again and she sighed and melted further into the kiss.

Aiden moved his hand from her arm to rest on her waist. When Rachel didn't object to this contact, he slid it down to her hip.

Rachel quickly pulled away with an uncertain, "Aiden?"

"Sorry," he murmured, removing his hand from her completely.

"I'm just not ready," she said softly.

"I know, I'm sorry."

Rachel slipped her hand in his, lacing their fingers together. They'd had a very candid conversation about three months ago when they'd realized that their relationship was getting a little more serious. Rachel had laid out in no uncertain terms where she was and was not comfortable being touched, and Aiden had agreed to respect that. Still, Rachel knew at times that he wanted more than she was ready to give.

"Wanna make s'mores now?"

Rachel smiled. "Sounds great."


"I haven't had a chance to wrap it yet, I hope that's okay," Evie said as they neared her quarters.

"That's fine." He commanded the doors open for her and she smiled. When they stepped inside and she turned on the lights, she was met by the strange sight of a bunch of red, white, and pink balloons covering the floor of her room.

"John, why are there a hundred balloons in my quarters?" she asked, staring at them.

"Because this is more creative than a love letter." He kicked a balloon toward her. "Pop it."

Evie gave him a strange look, then jumped on the balloon, which exploded loudly. She saw a small, curled up piece of paper in the pink, plastic carcass of the dead balloon. She picked it up and read it out loud. "'I will always love you.'" She smiled. "John, did you put something in each of these balloons?" He nodded. "I have to pop them all?"

"There's only seventeen, Evie," he pointed out. "Not a hundred."

"Okay." She was about to grab a red one and pop it, but she paused. "Why are there seventeen?"

"Because that's how many years we've been married."

She smiled adoringly. "Seventeen years and you can still surprise me, John." Then she turned and began attacking the balloons.

Sixteen pops later, their ears were ringing and Evie was holding sixteen small slips of paper. After a moment, she realized that John had color-coordinated the balloons with the compliments. In the red balloons, he'd written things he loved about her. I love the way you laugh at my jokes…even when they aren't funny. I love the way you kiss me on the lips. I love the way you jump into my arms when you hug me. I love the way you snuggle with me when we watch a movie. I love the way you saved yourself for me.

In the white ones, he recalled some of their most significant memories. Remember the first time I told you I loved you? Remember the song I wrote for you? Remember our first kiss? Remember when I had to talk to your dad? Remember when I asked you to marry me? Remember Venalia?

And in the pink ones, he expressed how much he loved her. You are my sunshine, my only sunshine… You make my life worth living. You are my everything. You make me feel alive. I want to be with you forever.

"Wow." Evie said when she was done reading them all. "This is… I'm gonna have to frame these." She kissed him lovingly. "Did you come up with this all by yourself?"

"Well…the balloons were actually Aiden's idea," John confessed. "But I wrote all of them myself."

Evie shook her head in amazement. "Even after all these years you can still blow me away by being completely romantic." She kissed him again. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too." They shared another, longer kiss.

"Wanna get some dinner now?" she asked a moment later.

"Dinner sounds great." Most Valentines Days past, they'd just grabbed some food and brought it back to one of their quarters, locking themselves in for the night, but they were finally past the point where everything had to be celebrated with hot sex. "The mess hall should be empty by now, so maybe we can even sit at the same table and do something crazy, like hold hands," he teased.

Evie smiled.


"That one looks like a Wraith," Aiden, pointing at a cluster of bright stars.

Rachel giggled. "I'm not seeing it." They had put their now-dry clothes back on and were lying beside each other on the blanket, looking up at the stars.

"See, he's holding his hand up. And for some reason he's only got one leg."

Rachel laughed. "Oh, now I see it! What about that one? I call it 'Constellious Jumperus.'"

"And so shall it be," Aiden said dramatically.

Rachel laughed again. Then she rolled over and gently rested her head on his chest. "You ready to go home yet?" she asked tiredly.

"Why, are you sick of me?" he teased.

"No," she said, draping her arm lazily across his body. "I'm just tired. And I have to Gate to Earth tomorrow morning before school, remember? For my piano lesson."

"Oh, yeah. We'll go in just a minute."

When she idly drummed her fingers on his chest, Aiden gently brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers.

Rachel felt her stomach flutter at the contact. For some reason, it seemed a far more intimate gesture than when he'd kissed her lips earlier.

"I love you."

They'd been dating for over a year, and Aiden had never said those words before. Neither of them had. They'd seen enough movies and TV shows to know that that phrase was thrown around without sincerity way too much. They'd agreed not to say it at all until they really meant it.

Rachel thought for a minute, then answered softly, "I love you, too."