CHAPTER 8 – THE SEARCH
When he awoke in the morning it was to the sun's first tentative rays peeking over the horizon to bring the azure brilliance of the Pacific ocean to a gem like shine. He shaded his eyes slightly, registering that he still lay on the sand, although a light blanket now covered him and turning, he saw that the dented area beside him,was empty. Sometime during that long night … one night... as he told himself again, she had gotten up and gone into the cottage to get a blanket for warmth.
Blinking a little now he sat up, and his gaze again, was drawn to the magic that unfolded before him as the heavens open their doors and poured liquid gold down below. Hell yeah – this was one piece of paradise on earth. The Pegasus Galaxy? A million light years ago, and fifty years in the future... a future that was beginning to blur, just a little for him.
He heard singing from a distance and smiled. She had a lovely voice and it was a song he did not recognise. Likely before my time... and smiled again. Everything here was before his time. But time today, to do something about that. Time today, to search for the portal where he had come through. Dreams and beautiful moments aside, he did not belong here and if he chose to stay – there would be ripples and effects that did not bear thinking about. So find the portal he would, and knew also, that the team on the other side were attempting to do the same thing. Knew that Rodney would not sleep until he discovered where the Colonel had gone. He was that kind of guy. For all his faults, Rodney knew the creed that John both lived by and insisted his team follow. You left no one behind – ever!
The singing got closer and he saw her then and it was more than just his face that smiled. Hell, his heart smiled – if that was even possible. And knew too, that if Rodney was here, he would have some derisive and totally scientific reason as to why this could not possibly happen. But for today, for this now – damn, his heart most definitely was smiling. What looked like some beach goddess strolled across the sand towards him, hair waving attractively in the early morning breeze and that warm sunkissed look on her face with eyes that just spoke beautifully of a woman who had been loved. Oh yeah, she made his heart smile...
"John! You missed the most beautiful time of the day... sunrise on my island. Something I rarely miss. It gives me that special lift and makes the day begin... as it should."
She reached him and passed down the tray in her hand and he smelled bacon and freshly squeezed tropical juice, and closed his eyes to savour yet another magical sensation of that morning. Then set the tray down and grasping her ankle firmly, ran his hand up the length of her leg as it stood in front of him and growled. "I know of another pleasurable way to begin the day..."
She laughed and dropped down onto the sand beside him, dropping her head lightly against his shoulder. "One night Colonel John Sheppard. One night... then we search for your portal, your way home. We'll do as we said. And John? Thank you... it was one night I will not forget – not for the next fifty years. And on July 4 2012, if I should still be here in this world, I will think of you and know that you step back into my time and it will all begin again..."
She reached across him for the tray and he smelt the aroma of coconuts and tropical fruit that came from her freshly washed hair and wanted nothing more than to bury his face in it, in her and tell the next fifty years to go to hell. Not gonna happen John. Time to go home. People are waiting for you and you need to let this lady live her life, her way. You cannot influence her...
They ate in companionable silence watching the sun as it rose relentlessly higher in the sky and the water became even more brilliantly hued with shades of blues and greens. The heat began to build and at last they stirred themselves and he rose, brushing sand off himself and offering a hand down to help her up.
"Let's go find that portal Gina..."
They spent an hour searching the area where she had found him lying on the beach yesterday morning. Just twenty four hours ago. A lifetime ago... thought John and did not imagine that so much could happen in a short twenty four hours.
"I was just lying on the sand... nothing was around me? No glowing ring? No rippling area in the air? Forgive me if I sound a little insane, but I'm not even sure what this portal would look like. On my side, it was a construction of polished stones, not a ring, but there was a space in between and when the connection was made – whatever the connection it was? This purple light went from one side of the construction to the other, forming a solid puddle – I don't remember touching it or going through it willingly, so I have to assume I was pulled into it somehow. I don't even know I opened it up, whether it was something it registered in me? As I said, I didn't touch it to start with..."
Ah hell thought John just what the hell had happened. How did he even begin to explain time travel to her when he didn't even understand it himself?