PART 2

" It's not the destination, but the journey..."

The next morning dawned bright and clear, the sun climbing slowly above the horizon, as if in no hurry to ascend. John woke early, laying on his side for nearly half an arn, watching Aeryn sleeping. This was the best part of his day. Usually, she awoke earlier than he did. Her peacekeeper training generally rousing her an arn before the sun ever made an appearance. But as the pregnancy had progressed, her sleep patterns had altered. Smiling to himself, stroking a wayward lock of hair from her peaceful face, he acknowledged that her eating habits had also undergone a radical change.

Who would have believed such a trim figure could harbour such a voracious appetite. He spent a large part of his days, just finding enough provender to feed her. She had begun to rival Rygel. Though in fairness, she worked along beside him with the same vigour she had always shown. Were it not for his insistence that she cut back on the work load she shouldered, she would never have put on any weight.

With a last brush of his fingertips against her warm skin, he sighed, and pushed himself into a sitting position. As he was reaching for his boots, she murmured softly, and rolling on to her side, she flung an arm across his lap. Inching closer to his escaping warmth, she smiled in her sleep.

He grinned down at her. Loving her.

They had been through so much together, and the comfort, companionship and solace they found in one another, had held them to their course. He had once said he would be lost without her. That was never more true than it was right now. She was his rock among the crashing waves. The only thing he could, or even cared to cling to.

He could only hope that he offered her the same.

He gently disentangled himself from her, and rose to greet the day. Today, they would find out what lay beyond this little island paradise they had found themselves on all those monens ago.

He lifted his arms to the sky, feeling the muscles loosen and his spine pop. He grimaced at the sound, but stretched further. he was going to have to get a move on. They only had two arns before they needed to catch the tide, and he had a lot of work to do yet.

Working his way into the trees, he began looking for breakfast. This island , for all it's size, produced an amazing amount of food. There were copper coloured fruits the size of basketballs, sweet solid flesh, that satisfied thirst and hunger both at once. There were tubers and wild rices.

He had learned to trap the small rodent type animals that skittered among the tree-tops, and fled before him on the forest floor. He called them "Rockets", after the cartoon squirrel, and while the process of killing them was distasteful to him, the meat had made a nice change in their diet.

At first, he had tried the obvious, and fished the sea beyond. But the first time he had hooked something, it had nearly hauled him beyond the breakers before he could untangle the line twisted around his fist.

The second time, he had stepped barefoot on a sort of worm in the shallow swells, and had been stung. The poison had dropped him on his face in the space of a heartbeat. It had taken all of Aeryns' skill, and the fact that she would not give up on him, or allow him to give up on himself, to save him. As it was, he had spent nearly three weekens on his back, sweating, shaking, delirious and helpless.

Without her, he would have surely died.

But he was getting used to her saving his ass.

After half an arn or so, he had gathered enough for their breakfast, and for three days on the water. He hoped it would be enough.

A curl of smoke was rising above the trees as he made his way back towards their camp-site. His arms full, he strode down to the beach and dropped his bounty into the sand next to the fire she had made.

She sat with her legs drawn up beneath her, and did not acknowledge his presence until he stooped to kiss her.

As he drew away, her eyes lost the vacant look, and she smiled gently at him. Indicating the pile of provisions she said," I see your hunt was successful."

"Yep," he smiled back at her thoughtfully," I bagged my limit."

" Do you think it will be enough for the journey?" She looked doubtful as her stomach rumbled.

He chuckled, placing a hand over the swell of her abdomen, " Aeryn, that's enough food for three days," wrapping his arms around his knees, he averted his gaze," 'course, if we run out , you can always eat me."

She rolled her eyes, " Don't think I haven't considered the possibility," she replied with a grin.

He eyed her speculatively, " Where were you a microt ago?" he asked, "Everything ok?"

She nodded, but didn't speak for a moment, her eyes once again scanning the vast blue-green expanse before her.

" I'm ok," she replied softly, " I was just thinking about Moya, and the others."

" Yeah," he replied, his eyes following hers," I've been doing that a lot lately, myself."

" John?"

"Yeah baby."

"What happened back there on the planet? How did we end up here?"

They had theorised and conjectured about the events leading up to them awakening on the island. But neither of them had come up with a satisfactory answer. He shook his head, lifting his hands palm up in what she had come to recognise as his," Frell if I know" posture.

" I just don't know Aeryn," he said again, for the fortieth time, " What I DO know, is that we've been relatively safe here. We've had enough to eat, there is water and shelter. No one is hunting us. And...."

"And?"

He grinned sheepishly," Well, on Earth, men fantasise about being stranded on a deserted island with a beautiful woman."

She snorted a laugh through her nose," Well, you certainly got short changed on that score."

" Huh?"

" Well...I can't see my feet anymore, I eat like five Hynerians, I can't walk more than a metra let alone RUN, I cry at the least little thing and..."

He turned and locked his eyes to hers, all humour evaporating, " and you are the most beautiful woman in this, or any other universe."

He reached down and grasped her hand, lifting it to his lips, he kissed it tenderly.

" Baby," he whispered," no fantasy could ever live up to the reality of you."

Aeryns' eyes glittered with unshed tears, but she smiled through them, " Ok," she replied," that just earned you safe passage on this trip, even if the food does run out."

Grinning, he reached out and rolled one of the big fruits towards her," Just to be on the safe side, I think we'd better fill that stomach of yours before we leave. I can always gather a few more of these."

She slapped at him lazily, but her eyes shone with her love for him. He produced a stone knife and cut the fruit into wedges. They ate their fill, then he rose and gathering up the rest of the food, took it down to the boat and stored it under the awning he had made to keep the sun off of Aeryn.

He loaded the lamps he had made, the ropes she had braided, his crude weapons and anything else he thought might be vaguely useful. Within half an arn they were ready to set off. He pushed the skiff down to the water as she followed slowly behind.

He held out his hand to help her aboard, but she turned and stood looking back at their now deserted camp site.

He walked up behind her, and wrapped his arms around her waist.Barely.

" I'm going to miss this place," she said quietly, " It's the only time we've ever been truely alone with each other."

He kissed her cheek," yeah, I know," he whispered against her ear," It's been...."

"Wonderful," she finished the thought.

He nodded," We can stay baby, if you want to," he said hesitantly, clearly not wanting to himself, but willing if it would make her happy.

She shook her head," No," she replied firmly," It's been wonderful, but we belong up there." She lifted her eyes to the sky, " And I want to go back...if we can."

She turned in his arms and kissed him hard, " I love you John, and I've loved being here with you, but I want to go back to Moya. I want to go home."

Smiling down into her face he replied," Well then, let's get going. Time and the tide wait for no one."

He led her to the skiff and helped her in, seeing her comfortably situated beneath the shelter. He pushed the little boat into the water, and when he was waist deep, he clambered aboard. Taking up his home made oars, he sculled out into the waves, and onto the first leg of the journey towards the other island.