No Sacrifice Too Great

By Shelley Robinson

Disclaimer: I own no part of Farscape or its characters.

Season/Spoilers: Through Season 1 and the beginning of Season 2 before LATP 1. John and Aeryn's feelings for each other are just beginning to really take shape.

Summary: John accidentally creates a wormhole while on maneuvers with Aeryn in his Farscape I module and they are sucked through to the real Earth.

Rating: G

Part I--Old Love

It was a humid Florida evening. One of those nights where sleep was difficult to come by unless you were lucky enough to have man's greatest invention on Earth, central air. However John couldn't sleep for other reasons. It had been 48 arns (hours) since he and Aeryn were drawn into the wormhole he accidentally created while flying his sling shot maneuver in his module. He was "hot dogging" trying to impress Aeryn with his growing flying ability. When the wormhole appeared, they both assumed at first that it was the Ancients trying to contact John again but soon found that they were actually being drawn into an honest to god wormhole with Earth on the other side of it. The last broken transmission from Pilot had confirmed it.

It had been 48 arns since they crash landed. It had been 48 arns of tests, tests, and more tests to determine if he was truly who he said he was. Most importantly it has been 48 arns since he had seen Aeryn. He didn't know where she was or what they were doing to her. He had overwhelming guilt for putting her in this position, yet again. Before the incident with the Ancients on the "false" Earth John believed that Aeryn could find a way to make a life in his world, he is not nearly as confident now and events of the passed two days have done nothing to ease his fears.

Within 24 hours (he had to get use to speaking his language again), his father, Jack, and DK were with him at the IASA holding facility. Jack tried to find out what he could about Aeryn and her whereabouts but the military was keeping it extremely quiet, 'need to know' basis only. John was given lodging and restricted to the base until clearance was given from the higher ups.

*******

Once the sun began to rise on John's third day on Earth, he found himself quite restless. He decided to go for a run. He put on a pair of military issue shorts and a t-shirt and headed out. He jogged vigorously around the base trying to wear himself out hoping that sleep would finally claim him this night. He noticed that he had some company tagging along with him just about everywhere he went.

When he got back to his bungalow his father was waiting for him on the porch.

Jack: "How was your run? Did it help?"

John sat beside his father on the steps.

John: "Not really. Did you find anything out about Aeryn? I can't get a straight answer out of anyone around here."

Jack: "She is being kept in a high security facility on the other side of the base."

John felt a glimmer of hope.

John: "Then she is here and she is alive?"

Jack: "Yes."

John saw a look on his father's face that he hadn't seen since he was a little kid.

John: "What Dad? I know something is up. I saw a lot of big trucks coming on to the base last night."

Jack: "It is medical equipment. They have a research team coming in do testing on your friend."

John: "I have to get in to see her Dad. She must be so scared. I wonder if she even knows that I am alive and that I am here?"

Jack: "John, there is more."

John: "What?"

Jack: "The medical research team is being headed by Alexandra."

John looked at his father.

John: "Alex, is here?"

Jack: "She is inside. When she heard about what happened to you two years ago we kept in touch and when you were found she contacted me."

John stood up. At one time in his life he thought wanted to marry Alex. He thought she was the love his life but career circumstances parted them. It had been nearly two and a half years since they had seen each other. John touched his father's shoulder and walked up the stairs into the bungalow. As he walked inside he saw Alex standing by the window. Her shoulder length blonde hair shining in the sunlight beaming through the window.

John spoke softly.

John: "Hello Alex."

She turned and smiled at him. She was wearing a crisply pressed suit. She walked toward him with her arms outstretched. John stepped away.

John: "Oh no don't. I have been jogging."

Alex: "Do you think I really care?"

They smiled at each other. He walked into her outstretched arms. They held each other for a long time.

Alex: "Welcome home spaceman."

As much as John wanted to play 20 questions with Alex and catch up on her life and tell her all that he saw and did while traveling through amazing galaxies, Aeryn was foremost in his mind.

John: "I need your help, Alex."

Alex stepped back and looked into his clear ocean blue eyes.

John: "I need to see her."

Alex: "Most astronauts go out into space and bring back rock samples, water, or dirt. Leave it to you to come back with an alien. A female alien at that."

John: "Her name is Aeryn. Aeryn Sun."

Alex took a breath.

Alex: "I was told of the foreign bodies that they found at the base of your brain. This is how you communicate with her?"

John: "They are translator microbes."

Alex: "She has them as well?"

John: "Yes."

Alex: "So she understands when we talk to her?"

John: "Some things, if they are not to 'earthy', she can understand you."

John heard the sound of trucks and walked over to the window at. He looked back at Alex.

John: "I know you can get me clearance to see her, Alex."

Alex: "I don't know John. Her visitors are limited. She has been quite disruptive and has been put in restraints."

John got a desperate look on his face and moved over to Alex.

John: "Aeryn is a soldier, a warrior, by birth, by nature. Her first instinct is to fight when she feels threatened or frightened. I can calm her. I can explain what is happening but you have to let me see her."

Alex searched his face.

Alex: "You really are worried about her, aren't you?"

John: "She is my friend. She is here because of me."

Alex: "Let me make a call."

John: "I am going to get changed."

John went to shower and change.

******

Jack accompanied John and Alex to the medical facility where Aeryn was being held. John was looking around at all the military guards posted around the facility. Jack touched his arm when he noticed what John was doing. He whispered in his ear.

Jack: "I know that look. Don't even consider it Son."

John looked at his father and then walked through the facility door behind Alex. John spotted DK in the observation booth. DK came down. He kissed Alex's cheek.

DK: "Hey Alex, it is good to have our boy home again, isn't it?"

DK put his arm around John's shoulder. Alex smiled.

Alex: "Yes, it is."

John: "What are you doing here DK? Is the module being kept here to?"

DK: "No, it is in Hangar 9. I am curious about the alien just like everyone else."

John got a sick feeling in his stomach. He saw all the scientists standing near a rounded glass partition in the middle of the room. He walked over and looked down. There was Aeryn. She was laying almost in a fetal position in a corner of the room. Her legs were drawn tight up to her chest. She was wearing a pair of white hospital pants and was bound by a straitjacket. Alex walked up beside John and looked down.

John: "Are there people here all the time watching her like a lab rat?"

Alex: "No, she has private quarters for sleep and showering but when we are testing, she is brought into this room."

John: "I want to see her, without the audience."

Alex gestured for him to follow her. John touched his father's shoulder. He looked back at DK.

John: "I will come by the hangar later to see the module."

DK: "Okay buddy."

*******

When Aeryn heard the lock on the door to her rounded cell click she rolled over so that her back was facing the door. She tried to make herself as small as possible in that room hoping that all of this was just some horrible nightmare and would go away. She heard two sets of footsteps approaching her. She moved closer into the corner. Her mane of thick raven hair was covering her face.

John kneeled beside her. He reached out slowly and pulled her hair back from her face. His face filled with concern and fear.

John: "Aeryn?"

She didn't respond. Aeryn thought it was a trick her mind was playing on her. She was afraid to look and not see Crichton there.

John: "Aeryn, Baby?"

Alex heard John call the alien 'baby'. She shot a look in John's direction then at the female alien. Aeryn turned her head slowly. Her eyes brimming with tears. When her eyes met his, her tears started to flow.

Aeryn: "Crichton!"

She rolled over into his reassuring arms. He stroked her hair soothingly. He pulled back and looked in her eyes.

John: "Are you all right?"

Aeryn: "They put me in this contraption. I can't move my arms. They said I am violent."

John: "Aeryn..."

He smiled slightly at her.

Aeryn: "I didn't hurt anybody who wasn't trying to hurt me."

Alex stepped forward.

Alex: "What is she saying John?"

Aeryn glared at her.

Aeryn: "Who is that? She was with those people taking my blood earlier."

John looked over his shoulder.

John: "I am going to take this jacket off of her. She has promised to behave."

John looked in Aeryn's eyes.

John: "Right?"

Aeryn reluctantly agreed. John turned her around and began to unfasten the straitjacket. Aeryn pulled her arms out of it. She was wearing a t-shirt and started to stretch her arms to get the feeling back in them. She looked over at Alex.

Aeryn: "Who is she?"

John: "She is a friend. This is Alex. She is head of the medical research team."

Aeryn: "A friend?"

John looked at Aeryn. From the look in his eyes, Aeryn could tell this was the Alex that John used to speak of his first cycle on Moya.

Aeryn: "This is your Alex? The one you used to talk about."

John: "Yes."

Aeryn lowered her eyes. John took her arm and helped her to her feet.

Alex: "What is she saying John?"

John: "She is scared Alex. She doesn't understand why she is being kept in here like this."

Alex: "We just want to understand your species. You look like us and some of your physiology is the same but there were anomalies in your blood that we are interested in studying more. We also want to look at your brain wave patterns and your internal organs to see if they are also similar to ours."

Aeryn remembering the false Earth and what was done to Rygel immediately went into peacekeeper mode. She lunged toward Alex. John got between her and Alex. A couple of MPs rushed into the room with tranquilizer guns ready. John yelled.

John: "No, don't!"

He held Aeryn from behind with her arms pinned under his.

Aeryn: "I am not going to let them cut me open to look at my organs."

John: "Stop it Aeryn or they will shot you with those darts."

She looked at the guards and then over her shoulder at John.

John: "They are not going to cut you open. They have machines that take pictures of your insides with no pain and no incisions."

Aeryn looked from Alex to John.

Aeryn: "I will not be a lab rat like with Namtar or like when we were on your 'false earth'. I will not be studied like some animal."

John: "Aeryn, you have to take it easy. Trust me, Baby. I am not going to let anything happen to you. You have to relax or they are going to put you back in that."

He gestured to the jacket on the floor. She relaxed her arms. John let her go slowly. He turned her around so he could look into her eyes. He reached up and gently stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.

John: "You have to trust me now. Just like when I first got to your world, I had to trust you. You have to trust me. This is my turf. For once you have to follow my lead."

Aeryn: "More Sundance to your B-u-t-c-h?"

He smiled slightly.

John: "Yes."

Aeryn backed away and sat down on the table in the middle of the room. Alex waved the guards away. John went over and sat next to her. He looked at Alex.

John: "Could you give us some time, Alex?"

Alex: "Yes."

She walked over and stood in front of Aeryn. They looked into each other's eyes.

Alex: "I am not trying to hurt you. We just want to understand you, Aeryn Sun."

Aeryn looked at John then back at Alex. Aeryn held her hand out as John taught her. Alex looked at John. John smiled.

John: "Go ahead. It is all right."

Alex and Aeryn shook hands. Alex smiled at her. She turned and left the room. John watched her leave. Aeryn looked at him. When he looked back at Aeryn, she looked away. John took Aeryn's hand in his.

John: "I am sorry I got you in this mess. I always seemed to be doing something to complicate your life."

Aeryn: "Like a plague."

John smiled.

John: "Well, I am glad to see you are getting your sense of humor back."

She looked at him.

Aeryn: "I can't stay here John. I am sure you trust your friend but she is a scientist. It is just a matter of time before these pictures will not tell them everything they want to know and they decide to..."

Her voice trailed off. John rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb.

John: "I will find a way to fix this. I promise."

Aeryn looked in his eyes. The door opened. Alex stepped inside.

Alex: "John, we have to go. She has to prepped for her CT scan."

John looked at Aeryn.

John: "This will not hurt and I will be here watching. Just behave yourself and trust me."

Aeryn nodded. John slipped off the table. He looked back at her as he reached the door. Aeryn smiled slightly. He smiled back. She laid back on the table and curled her knees up to her chest.

Part II-Betrayal >>

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