Title: The Journey Home

Chapter 2: ...get drunk.

Rated: R

***

Two arns later found Crais, Cassandra, John, and D'Argo in the central chamber with what
seemed to be an endless supply of fellip nectar. John was already on the edge of drunk.

"Ya know," he slurred, "I think I've got this whole labor thing down." He stood and swayed.
"I'm gonna go to Aeryn now."

D'Argo pushed him back into his seat. "Sit. The last thing Zhaan and Jool need is your body
laying in the middle of the floor."

"I'm fine," he protested.

Cassandra snorted. "John, do you remember when Xhalax was born?"

He stared at her confused. "Vaguely."

"You spent the first thirty microts yelling at Zhaan and Jool. You resisted all our efforts
to calm you down, and it took six arns before you were drunk enough to not go into hysterics
when you saw Aeryn," Cassandra said matter-of-factly.

Crais smiled. "I don't understand why you can be by Aeryn when she is injured and keep somewhat
calm, but something as simple as labor makes you farbot."

John scowled. "I'm fine... and that's not how I remember it."

D'Argo laughed. "What do you remember, John?" he asked seriously.

"Uh..."

Cassandra grinned, "Yes?"

"Leave me alone, I can't think right now." He stood again. "Got to go to Aeryn."

D'Argo pushed him back down. "Sit. Have another bottle."

{4 arns later}

John was utterly and completely drunk. Cassandra was staring blankly at nothing. D'Argo was
singing, and Crais was unconscious.

"D'Argo will you shut up!" John yelled.

"You don't like my singing?" D'Argo asked slightly hurt.

"You want to hear a real drinking song?" John asked oblivious to the question. "Hey, Cass,
sing with me: Show me the way to go home." He tapped out the beat on the table. "I'm
tired and I wanna go to bed..."

Cassandra joined in. Beating her latest bottle on the table in time with the music. "I had a
little drink about an..." They both laughed, "...arn..." More laughter. "...ago and it
went right to my head..."

{3 arns later}

D'Argo had long since joined Crais in unconsciousness; John was still merrily singing every song
he could remember, and Cassandra was slowly loosing her grip on reality. Chiana walked in and
grinned.

"John, Aeryn wants you."

John grinned happily. He stood swaying, and Chiana went to his side to help balance him. "Pip,
did you know we're having a baby?"

Cassandra's head snapped up at that. "Chiana, you're pregnant with John's kid?" She shook her
head. "Aeryn's not going to be happy about that," she said and promptly passed out. Her head hit
the table with a loud thud.

Chiana laughed and helped John walk to the apothecary. "I can't wait to see you all tomorrow."
She glanced over at the oblivious John and grinned. "And Cassandra wondered why I wasn't going to
join you this time."

"You missed one hell of a party," he assured her as they stumbled into the apothecary.

Aeryn was breathing heavily, resting after a contraction, but she smiled when she saw him. He
stumbled over to her, completely unaware of Zhaan and Jool. "Hey, baby," he said and gave her a
sloppy kiss. "How are ya feelin'?" She didn't reply, but gripped his hand as another contraction
came, groaning in pain. Chiana had managed to bring him just in time.

"Aeryn, it's time to push," Zhaan said soothingly.

John seemed to sober somewhat at that statement. He helped Aeryn sit up slightly. "John!" she
panted. He sat down behind her, propping her up more, letting her lean her back against his chest
and grip his arms where they circled under her breasts.

"Push, Aeryn!" Zhaan commanded as the next contraction hit. Aeryn let loose a wordless scream.
Aeryn sobbed as the contraction ended. Another began almost immediately. "Push!" Zhaan called to
her. A microt later, "Okay, Aeryn. Rest for a microt. *Don't* push." Zhaan checked to make sure
that the umbilical cord wasn't wrapped around the baby's neck. "Alright, Aeryn, I need you to push
again. Push!" A microt later. "Once more, push!" Zhaan took the small infant in her arms as Jool
cut the cord. "It's a boy," she said happily as John and Aeryn's son protested being taken from his
mother's womb. John and Aeryn laughed in joy and shared a loving kiss. "Okay, Aeryn, time for the
afterbirth."

Zhaan cleaned up Aeryn while Jool cleaned up the infant and examined him. By the time Aeryn was
clean, dressed in a loose robe, and laying back on the bed propped up in John's arms, Jool had
finished. She brought Aeryn the baby wrapped in a small blanket and placed him in her arms. Aeryn
and John stared in wonder at their son. Jool, Zhaan, and Chiana smiled at the happy family. Though
tired, Zhaan tapped her com. "Pilot, please have Stark and Rygel bring Xhalax to the apothecary,
it's time to meet her brother."

"Yes, Zhaan."

"So, what is his name?" Chiana prompted.

Aeryn looked at John. He had named Xhalax after her mother, and she had agreed completely with
his choice. If it was possible, she had fallen even more in love with him then she had been.
"Jack," she said softly. His eyes lit, and she was happy her choice had touched him as much as
his had touched her.

Stark, Rygel, and little Xhalax came into the room. Xhalax spotted her parents and ran to them.
John leaned over and pulled her up beside them so she could see her brother. "Is that my brother?"
she asked wonderingly.

Aeryn smiled. "His name is Jack."

"Hi, Jack," she whispered softly. She leaned over the quiet infant. "I'm going to take care of
you," she assured him as only a three-year-old can. "I'm going to be the best sister to you."

John kissed his daughter's forehead and she giggled. He stared at her confused. "What?"

"You smell funny."

Aeryn shook with silent laughter, and John stared at his daughter in shock. "Well I never..."

***

"Ah! Someone grab my head! It's rolling down the hall!" Cassandra cried and clutched her head.

"Not so loud!" D'Argo pleaded.

"I'm going to be sick," Crais mumbled and promptly threw up. The DRDs scurried to clean it up.
Cassandra and D'Argo had already emptied their stomachs earlier, Pilot had the DRDs waiting for
Crais to follow suit.

Chiana backed away from the three and grinned. "Anyone want breakfast?" Cassandra turned a
sickly shade of green, D'Argo paled visibly, and if Crais could look any more ill, he did.

"I do," John said cheerfully.

Cassandra scowled at him. "It's a conspiracy," she told her hung-over companions. "Zhaan is the
mastermind behind it all."

"Why couldn't you give us something?" D'Argo asked Zhaan, who was happily eating.

"Because you don't have a baby to care for," she informed them mercilessly.

"I thought fellip nectar didn't give you a hangover," John questioned and took Jack from Aeryn so
she could eat.

"With the amount you four consumed, it was impossible not to," Jool said evilly and glared at her mate.

"This is all your fault, Crichton," Crais grumbled.

"For real, we were helping ya'll out and get treated like dogs for our troubles," Cassandra muttered.

"I am not a dog," D'Argo said emphatically.

"No one said you were," Cassandra replied.

"I did," Rygel said stuffing his face.

D'Argo growled. "If I wasn't sure my head would fall off, I'd kill you right now." Rygel laughed.

"We do appreciate you keeping John under control," Zhaan informed them.

"But you didn't have to drink yourselves drunk as well," Jool finished.

"That's John's fault. Him and his frelling drinking contest," Cassandra said and glared at him.

"Can I come to the next drinking contest?" Xhalax asked.

"No," Aeryn replied.

"Why not?"

"When you are older, you can. Right now, you can't," John answered.

"That's not fair!"

"Sure it is, sweet-cakes," John said and snatched the food in her hand before she could throw it.
Xhalax pouted and shoved her plate away from her.

The three hung-over crew members continued to shoot dark glances at their cheerful companions. Every
once in awhile, the word "revenge" could be heard from their side of the table. Zhaan and Stark
finished eating first, and Stark helped the tired Priestess stand. They walked back to their
quarters so that Zhaan could sleep some more. Aeryn and John finished, gathered their children up
and headed back to their quarters. Aeryn and Jack to sleep, and John and Xhalax to keep an eye on
them. Rygel left with a plate of food, leaving behind a couple of nasty comments for the hung-over
group. Chiana and Jool stayed with the three, until finally Jool had pity on them and left to get
the shot to clear their heads.

***

TBC

WELL... what do ya think? Please review or send me an e-mail!

Can you tell I don't really have any idea what it's like to give birth? was that scene too bad? how
is the story going? like? hate? please let me know!

~Artemis Luna Diana~