Fibbers, Pistols and Cash Part 3
by CeRell
Authors note: Do NOT eat or drink while reading this episode. Remain sitting at all times. Put all sharp items in another room. You have been warned.
Part 3 Betrayal
Aeryn found him plummeting the training dummy in the cargo bay. She leaned against the doorway watching him attempt to pound his frustrations away.
"Feeling better?"
"A little now that you’re here." John paused as he looked over at her with a cheeky grin.
"It’s amazing how physical exertion helps." She came over and leaned against the dummy.
He pulled off the mitts. "How about some one on one?"
"I was right on the cemetery planet, John. Wasn't I" Aeryn calmly pointed out, the very voice of reason.
"Well you are not now. She'd get killed." John said sadly.
Her heart went out to him as he wrestled with his turmoil. He was looking lost and vulnerable. She walked over to him and slid her hands up his black tee shirt to rest on top of his shoulders. His shirt was damp from his heavy workout session. It was clinging to him as if a second skin. The heat from his chest seemed to nearly burn her skin as prickly sensations of pleasure ran from her hands to her torso as her fingers ran over his muscles.
"You have to let go." She whispered and kissed him gently. His hands rubbed her lower back slowly.
"I’m trying, Aeryn. I have a block about agreeing to send anyone so young off blindly into such danger." His hands stole their way up to her neck and shoulders. He kissed her softly, letting his lips play over hers, blissfully enjoying the feel of her body.
"Her mind is much older than you think." Her passion was starting to build. Her hands crept into his hair. She pulled him into her, deepening their kiss. Her tongue darting into his mouth to toy with his. He pulled her tightly to his body which was quickly crying with need. Awkwardly they dropped to the floor. John’s body pressed her’s into the mat. He managed to unzip her vest. Aeryn felt an explosion of desire like a white-hot flame as he gently massaged her. Her hands dived under his tee shirt in her need to get closer to him. He pulled away to tear his shirt from his body. She pulled her vest away as well and John roughly laid her back against the mat as he pressed himself back to her.
The cold of the mat brought her to her senses. She pulled her lips from John’s. "No. I can’t."
John looked down at her in stunned surprise, his passion ready to consume him. He pushed himself away from her with great reluctance. She rolled out from under him.
"What the frell is going ON, Aeryn?"
She couldn’t look at him as she rezipped her vest and stood up. He quickly got to his feet and grabbed her elbows.
He managed to sound gentle as he held her. "Tell me what the hell is going on in that beautiful head of yours."
Aeryn looked at him with tears in her eyes. "If I tell you, I’ll hurt you, and I’ve already done that enough."
She pulled away and ran out of the cargo bay.
"Aeryn! Damn it, NO!" He ran after her and caught up to her. He grabbed her shoulders, pushed her roughly against the wall, pressing his body into hers to pin her so she couldn’t escape.
Even in his anger the heat of her body excited him. He felt as if he were dangling on a shredding rope over a bottomless chasm.
"You can’t keep doing this to me. Tell me what is going on!" His exasperation leaked into his words.
She looked into his light blue, hurt eyes. Her own were dark, stormy, swimming in tears. "I’m sebacean."
"Yea, I know that. So what?"
She struggled but couldn’t say the words.
"Tell me." He said calmer and eased the pressure of his body pressing her into the wall. He simply didn’t have the strength to back completely away from her.
She bit her lip. "We peacekeepers are taught to keep the lines pure." She paused.
"And I’m, what, THAT far beneath you?"
"No." She quickly said.
"Aeryn, honey, I’m not that different from sebacean men. We are very compatible. You KNOW that." He pressed closer to her, unable to resist.
"We are so different. It’s a block I have, John. I’m a warrior, you’re a scientist. We’re different people-different species."
"You aren’t a peacekeeper anymore, Aeryn. Like I have; you’ve grown, you’ve changed. You are so much more." He nuzzled her neck. "And I know you feel the same passions for me as I feel for you."
"I just…I can’t John." She felt the same familiar fear of violating the deeply imprinted doctrines of her upbringing of no serious commitments as well as the deeply imprinted taboo of giving in to her desires with John, not only being an alien, but what she had to consider as a lower life form. But the worst part; was falling in love with him, needing him and loosing him. That she didn’t want. Wouldn’t chance. Couldn’t chance.
"You can’t keep leading me on and dropping off the cliff like this Aeryn. I can’t go on this way."
"I’m sorry." She tore from his grasp and ran back for the cargo bay. John stood breathing hard, watching her leave, his heart awash in pain, his eyes filled with tears. When he’d first met her, in that early beginning, she had been clear about his being vastly inferior. But he’d changed, she’d changed-they’d come closer together. Now the unaccustomed feeling of being considered unworthy; by Aeryn, of all people, cut deeply, causing pain and confusion that threatened to consume him. He pushed himself from the wall and headed for the kitchen.
He didn’t notice Jothee sitting by himself in the far corner. He had eyes only for the flask of Felip nectar. He was well into his fourth cup when Chiana strolled into the kitchen.
Noting that drinking was not his usual behavior she went over and plopped herself into his lap.
He wrapped his arm around her waist, leering at her breasts. "Well if it isn’t my favorite Nebari. How’s it hanging, lil Pip?"
"Just fine, now." She purred as she kissed his cheek. He gave her a return quick peck and dumped her off his lap as he stood up.
"Go keep Jothee company. My friend and I have a date." He grabbed the flask and headed off to his quarters.
"You do have a way to get thrown off the ship, Chiana." Jothee conspiratorially told her.
"What?" she asked absent-mindedly as she watched the doorway John had just stumbled through.
"Go to him tonight as Aeryn. He'll be drunk. He won't know. I’ll see to it that Aeryn shows up. He'll be so upset he'll kick you off the boat."
"He's like my brother. We flirt but that's ALL." Chiana looked at the youth "He's my friend!" she insisted. "You may not know what having a friend feels like."
"That may be true. I’ve never had a friend-you’re the closest I’ve known. I’ve known enemies. I’ve known distrust. But I do know how to get out of jams. On my own. Do you want to get to your brother or not? Can you think of a better way? Besides, I'll go with you. I don't want to stay on this mind numbing ship either. To be a part of the resistance. Now that sounds exciting, Chiana. That’s living!"
Chiana thought in silence for several long microts as Jothee watched her intently. "We’d need to find out where to head for first."
"Yea," Jothee replied eagerly. "Let’s go inquire of Pilot." He pulled her arm and drug her off to Pilot’s chamber.
An arn later Chiana was starting to rethink yet again her escapade. She hesitated at the last junction to John’s quarters. Jothee leaned into her. Again he prodded her mercilessly.
"The end results are worth it. Do you want to stay on this barge of boredom or do you want your freedom? You’re not afraid are you?"
"No!"
"Then do it."
"I will." She took a deep breath and entered John’s quarters. He was snoring loudly, the empty flask on the shelf beside the bed.
She disrobed and climbed onto him, draping herself languidly along his body contours. She kissed his face, waking him up.
"John..it’s me, Aeryn. I’ve had a change of heart. I want you." She tried to modulate her voice as much like Aeryn as she could.
He ran his hands through her hair.
"You cut your hair?"
"New life. New hair. I’m not a peacekeeper anymore."
"I miss the hair, Aeryn." he murmured in her ear.
"And I miss this." Chiana kissed him deeply; rubbing her body over his naked skin. She reached down to his privates to stimulate him. He rolled her over and proceeded to have his way with her, the nectar driving him blindly.
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Authors note: Hey-it COULD happen! What better way to get off the ship if John is dead set against her going…??? Anyway--I’m blaming this on Gigi (per her prior chat that Chi would do something we’d hate her for) who will in turn blame it on the writers J Still love ya Gi!