Weeks later…
Elizabeth leaned against the post of the cabin's front porch, marveling at the sky before her. The fiery orange hues of the sun seemed to melt into the deep blue lake. Footsteps vibrated on the decking beneath her bare feet as John exited the cabin and moved to her side. His outfit pieced together from items the villagers had generously donated, almost identical to his attire in the cloister. Elizabeth knew he much preferred his uniform, had it been clean, undoubtedly he would have worn it instead. Fresh from washing up, his wet hair rebelled more wildly than normal; his shirt clung to his damp skin. Her eyes pressed shut and she inhaled deeply, the scent of his soap wafting across her nose.
She'd lost track of how many nights they'd shared while ensconced in the sanctuary of this cloister like village. They'd been fortunate, stumbling across the settlement shortly after they'd arrived. The inhabitants welcoming, instilling them in this vacant cabin just outside the village. There were two bedrooms, but it was small. Intimate. Without the distractions of Atlantis as a buffer, the chemistry she once thought imagined, now flared with raw intensity.
"Elizabeth." John's thumb brushed against her cheek. "Open your eyes."
She braced herself. During these quiet moments, whenever their eyes locked she felt her self-control shatter. Patched too many times in the prior weeks, now it was thread worn. In Atlantis, the idea would have been inconceivable, but here more than anything she longed for the moment that last thread finally snapped. Something had irrevocably shifted between them and instead of continuing to fight, she found herself leaning into the riptide.
Cautiously, her lashes flickered and she peered towards him. A jolt thundered through her body when his gaze fixed on her, speaking volumes with just the slant of his eyes. The space between them had somehow evaporated and the air seemed to bristle with expectation.
He swallowed deeply and turned back towards the lake. "You're missing the sunset."
She slowly exhaled the deep breath she'd been holding, hoping the brilliant final rays of light concealed her flush. Slowly, she turned back towards the horizon. It wasn't Atlantis, but it was still stunning.
The sky was reminiscent of her childhood kaleidoscope, a mesmerizing riot of fire and ice. Her mother had always called the time just before sunset the golden hour, but that seemed too simple to capture the powerful rush Elizabeth experienced as she stood by John's side. A friend had once called it the magic hour and, tonight, she finally understood why.
The light was fading rapidly now, darkness marched across the skyline in earnest. A soft breeze rolled through and her long curls rippled about her bare shoulders, her skirt rustling against her knees. Elizabeth watched until the last embers faded to black and then swiveled, grabbing her sandals from the chair behind her. They'd been a welcome gift from the villagers along with several light sundresses, saving her from the constant wear of her uniform.
"Ready?" John turned to find her hopping off balance as she tried to slip the sandals on. He chuckled softly and reached to steady her, one hand on her arm, the other landed at the small of her back. "We're going to be late for our dinner reservation."
"Is there a good wine list?" Her voice breathless, failing miserably to ignore the heat radiating up her spine from his touch.
His hand stayed nestled against her back as he guided her down the stairs. She tilted her head back, glancing over her shoulder, catching his eyes crinkling in amusement.
"Funny. Though the mead is growing on me." John steered her down the path that cut through the woods to the village. "Got to watch Walsh's though, that stuffs got a kick."
"Hey, did you check the cave today?" Elizabeth couldn't believe she'd hadn't thought to ask earlier.
John's his hand fell away from her back. "Nothing." He finally said, his voice flat.
She reached out, lightly touching his arm. "We'll hear from them, John. You know better than anyone how long it could take."
His muscles were rigid beneath her hand. He pulled away and silently headed down the path again. Even without news today, they knew their team on Atlantis was working to extract them. John had found a note and supplies days after they'd arrived. She'd studied the markings near the cave, worn and mostly unreadable, they'd been little help. Elizabeth had pressed the villagers for assistance, but they appeared to understand little about the energy source protecting their village. It was odd really. There was no monster here to fight, no horrible trials to overcome; Elizabeth was at a loss as to why these residents hadn't yet ascended.
"John, I'm sorry. This was my fault." It was her choice, her insistence to visit this planet. If she would have been more patient-
"Elizabeth, don't." His tone clipped.
Every time she mentioned the mission, conversation stalled and his body grew rigid with tension. John's team was close, Ford had been a difficult loss. She knew about John's visit with Ford's cousin, it had been gut wrenching and John carried that burden with him still. Since the hive…she thought he might find some closure, but any hope of finding peace with the situation shattered the moment they spotted Ford sprinting through the trees.
He walked faster now and Elizabeth struggled to keep up on the uneven path.
"You're not responsible for what happened to Ford." She called.
"But I'm responsible for what happens to you." He abruptly stopped and reeled around to face her. "He's still out there because I haven't been able to bring him in. He did this." John raised his arms indicating the area around them.
"We're alive." Elizabeth worked closer towards him. "This isn't so bad, John."
The overgrown path was difficult to navigate with only the soft shimmer of the moon as a guide. Her shoe caught on a protruding vine and she stumbled into him. His arms tightened around her and he pulled her up, flush against him. A sliver of moonlight illuminated his eyes, simmering in a way that made her stomach roll in delicious anticipation. His hand softly trailed down the side of her face, under her jawline, drawing her mouth towards his lips at a slow, excruciating pace.
"John, Elizabeth! I was wondering about you. Dinner is about to be served."
Elizabeth's heart plunged. She peered over John's shoulder. Walsh, one of the villagers, was rapidly approaching.
John's hand cupped Elizabeth's chin, drawing her eyes back to his. The regret she found in his eyes echoed that churning within her heart. "Later, Elizabeth."
Her pounding heart resonated through her ears and she softly exhaled. Later…
A/N: I hope you enjoyed. More chapters to come…