Out of their Minds: Epilogue
by John Clifford
Several arns had passed aboard Moya, and with them, the sense of exhilaration which had followed her crew’s return to their own bodies. The ship was nearly silent, and it felt like night time. Or maybe just late evening, with that peaceful but not yet sleepy feeling John used to get after a big family meal back home, when he was content to sit and watch the world go on. Or the stars, in this case, drifting past the terrace.
For once it was Aeryn, sitting beside him, who broke the silence.
“John, I can’t help but wonder…what would have happened if that first switch had been permanent?”
“You mean, if I’d been trapped in your body, for good, and…” John felt himself starting to turn red, and then redder still as Aeryn raised one eyebrow, ever so slightly. He took a deep breath. Time to drop the defensiveness, embarrassment, and the guilt. Long past time. “Aeryn…look, I know what I did…in your body…was wrong. And just plain dumb. And I’m sorry, I…”
He didn’t get any farther than that, because Aeryn was smirking at him, and holding his face in one hand, squeezing his cheeks together so that he probably looked something like a fish. “I know, John. It’s all right. That’s not what I meant…”
All too suddenly, Aeryn’s grin was fading again, and before a troubled frown could quite take it’s place she had set her jaw and turned away, her gaze locked firmly on the stars-and away from John’s eyes. He wanted so much then to take her in his arms, to make himself a wall between Aeryn and all her fears and worries. But he knew life didn’t work like that, no matter how hard he wished it to. All he could do was sit and wait, and give her time to face this on her own terms.
After a few microns she was ready to try again. “What I meant, John, was…what if I’d been stuck in Rygel…” She turned to face him again; not easily, but resolutely. “What would have happened to us?”
John blinked; not so much at the question, which he should have expected even if he hadn’t, but at the subtle but unmistakable accent on the last word. And then, slowly, he smiled.
“Aeryn, nice as it is…it’s not the body I care about.”
“You would have…treated me exactly the same, even if I’d remained an Hynerian?”
“There’s not a doubt in my mind.”
This time he did hug her.
And after a long moment, she squeezed him back. “Don’t ask me why…but somehow I believe you, John Crichton.”THE END