TITLE: "BY THE RULES"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "Farscape"

PAIRING: John/Aeryn

RATING: NC-17

STATUS: New.

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed

SERIES/SEQUEL: SEQUEL to "CLOSE ENOUGH"

The usual disclaimers apply. No infringement of copyright is intended.

"BY THE RULES"
A "Farscape" story
Written by Alison M. DOBELL

He had died and gone to Heaven. Aeryn was in his arms and not only was he making love to her, she was doing the kind of things to him he had only dreamt about. All those lonely empty cycles he had searched for her. A Universe of tears dried in a single smile. He did not think he would ever get over that feeling. A joy so intense it was almost painful. He deepened his kiss, gently sucking her tongue as she stroked him. Her touch on his cock firm yet gentle, totally assured. It had surprised him at first how well she knew his body, how perfectly she anticipated his reactions. With a jolt he realised why but like a good Southern gentleman said nothing. The cycles had taught him that much. Where once he would have probed and asked and nagged away at all the intimate details, now he knew better. His twin was gone. There was only him. Him and Aeryn. Oh God, just thinking like that almost gave him an orgasm. He felt Aeryn smiling and pulled back the tiniest amount from her lips so he could speak. His breath puffing in her mouth. "What're you smiling at, sunshine?"

"You." Her touch on him became even more intimate. He shivered and closed his eyes a microt. Her lips kissed his closed lids so tenderly. He was flying. Wow. "Everything you think and feel, John, is on your face."

His eyes snapped open. Momentarily alarmed. Guilty almost. "It is?"

Aeryn laughed and papered his face with kisses then slid slowly down his chest to lick and tease a nipple with her teeth. He wriggled and groaned.

"Ahhh, your teeth are sharp, Aeryn."

She sucked the bruised nipple, not sorry in the slightest. She enjoyed making him squirm. Loved how her bite had made him jerk. "Do you want me to stop?"

His groan deepened. "If you stop now Aeryn I swear I'll shoot you myself."

She smiled and nipped the other nipple hard enough to make him gasp, her hand on him becoming more urgent at the same time. His breath beginning to labour as her actions became more intense. Oh God, he wanted to be inside her. *Needed* to bury himself deep in her molten core, to fill and pump his seed in her. He ached and burned with passion but Aeryn was the immovable object around which the rest of the Uncharted Territories turned. Copernicus would have been proud of the Radiant Aeryn Sun.

"Oh gawd Aeryn, what are you doing to me woman?"

Aeryn made her slow progress down his body, spreading his knees as she made herself comfortable, her hand encouraging him to leak his silky come, her tongue flicking out to taste him, swirling slowly to bathe the head of his straining cock in her moist heat. He could feel her every taste bud absorbing his essence, the tiny fleshy nodules adding another layer of feeling as she licked and sucked him, her teeth gently catching under cap of the proud head. His hips were moving seemingly of their own volition. Arching upwards slowly at first in little jerking movements in time with her glorious suction. He wanted her to hurry, to never stop, for it to be over already, for it to never end. He was in a delirium of sensory excitement, his arousal scenting the air with his pheromones. Aeryn drank him in slowly as she inhaled his latent perfume, her gifted hands carrying him so high he was sure he was dying. When had she become so frelling accomplished? He tried to wipe the thought from his mind the microt it surfaced, the answer so obvious he wanted to kick himself for his niavete but right now he had no control over his limbs let alone his thoughts. His whole body fired up into one big erogenous zone.

She sucked his rich exotic seed then slid her mouth off him, amused when a deep groan of loss slid out of his throat. She pressed the spot under the head to soften his penis and he almost howled in disappointment and frustration. Wanted to cry foul but Aeryn was not finished. Had only just begun. She licked his root, sucking at the nest of pubic hairs and savouring the rich flavours, her face burrowing in close, her tongue washing further into the sweaty creases of his crotch, nudging his balls and making him jerk again as she devoured his perspiration and licked every bead encapsulating his heady must. It was as if it was an aphrodesiac and she could not get enough. He was moaning almost continually now and that pleased her. She wanted to drive him utterly bartantic with want and need and lust. Nothing more than his complete surrender would do. Determined to have every last drop of his jism and leave him crying with relief and joy when she stopped. Almost nine years of fasting had at last come to an end. Whether Crichton ever lived through it was immaterial. The human was the one place he most wanted to be. Alive *or* dead. With Aeryn. Doing the one thing he most wanted to do with her. Anything beyond that was a bonus.

* * * * *

Yar'keth was getting so aroused. Had never witnessed such intense love making. Worried about giving himself away. He rolled back his two mating extensions and folded them demurely inside his extending cone. His colour was a bright orange which muted into camoflage only with difficulty. It took immense control to keep himself immobile. The couple's love making was so erotic that even though the species were totally different to his own, he could imagine only too clearly how his own mate would react to being aroused in such a complex and thorough fashion. The tenderness between the two of them only heightened the Squa-lik'na's excitement as he watched from his roof space. His three eyes widening like saucers as Aeryn finally allowed her partner to come to orgasm, his cock embedded deep inside her as he thrust hard and eratically into her. She did not try to slow him down, took pleasure in his wild loss of control, egged him on with her hands, mouth, teeth and words whispered so lovingly in time to the frantic thudding of his heart. She bit down on his shoulder as he came, her own orgasm shuddering hot and fierce around him, their juices mingling and washing together as her interior muscles continued to flex and roll up and down his penis as he rocked in and out of her. It was so intense he could not speak, could hardly breathe. All he could do was pump himself again and again inside her, all his seed ejaculating until every last drop had been squeezed out of him leaving his sacs sagging and draining him of energy.

He lay back bathed in sweat, shattered from his exertions. Aeryn still held his cock tight within her, the complex muscles in her vagina and beyond gripping him and keeping him erect inside her. Normally the penis would deflate the microt its' load was spent but Aeryn had a few Sebacean tricks to share with John Crichton. If he thought they would make love then take the time to rest and recover in luxury he was much mistaken. She kissed his shattered face and watched him slowly open his eyes to look at her. The blue ocean in which she swam was hazy. He looked tired but so frelling happy. His sweat shining and helping her glide against him with ease. There was a slightly puzzled look on his happy face. She knew what he was thinking and got a kick out of being able to surprise him. She began to lick the sweat off his face and slid her tongue down his cheek to wash his neck and throat, her interior muscles rolling and squeezing him while he was hugged inside her. A deep groan reverberated up from his diaphram.

"Oh gawd Aeryn, how the frell are you doing what you're doing to me?"

She lapped at his adam's apple, fascinated with how it moved when he swallowed. "I haven't finished with you yet, John Crichton."

He wanted to laugh at that but he did not have enough energy. He closed his eyes and felt her tongue continue its' patient journey, was surprised to feel himself hardening inside her. How was that possible? Human males did not recover from an orgasm this fast. Or was it to do with her alien physiology? Was she somehow able to manipulate his body into producing more semen in record time? If she could do that, fine. He just wished she could also give him the energy to repay the gift in kind.

* * * * *

Ka D'Argo thought he was being more than patient with Crichton but when the second day passed and there was still no sign of his friend he began to worry. "Pilot, can you locate John?"

"Yes, Ka D'Argo."

"Where is he?"

Pilot gave him directions and the Luxan puffed out his cheeks in exasperation, trying the com for the twentieth time. "John? John? Can you hear me? Where are you?"

There was no reply. Huffing, he decided he would have to go and look for him. He just hoped the human had not got into trouble again.

* * * * *

The boy was fascinated. He sat on a permacrete step outside their dwelling and turned the strange device over and over in his hand. It was his father's. Every now and then a voice would come out of it demanding to know the human's location. At first he was going to run back inside and tell his father but he knew what they were doing. Was pleased and a little afraid that this device would take him away from them. So he sat with it in his hand, his brow furrowed as he tried to think what to do for the best. The voice reminded him of the Luxan. As the two had obviously been travelling together it was no great stretch of the imagination to fill in the blanks. He wondered if they were finished yet then grinned to himself. He could not remember the last time his mother had been this single minded about anything.

Robert went back inside only long enough to leave a little note to let them know he was going to look around the stalls. He wanted a Martolian Chok. Aeryn had refused initially until he had wheedled a half agreement from his father. Seeing him weaken Aeryn had sighed and then smiled at him. He could have a Martolian Chok provided he kept it fed, clean and exercised. If it got lose and caused trouble or damage Aeryn threatened to eat it. Although he was pretty sure she was kidding his father's look had made him grin with amusement. He looked horrified. Thus reassured he left for the market stalls.

* * * * *

She watched him sleep the sleep of utter exhaustion. Aeryn was happy. She lay on her side, propped up on one elbow, to watch him. Her hand gently running over his body as if she had to constantly remind herself that he was real. A thousand memories triggered by his touch, the way he scented the air with his passing, the sound of his unique and very odd human way of speaking.
The gentleness of this man. This one being who had not only loved her with a quiet intensity which surpassed anything she had ever known before but with a passion which had rewritten everything she thought she could feel about another living, sentient being. To mate was one thing, to love was something entirely different. The passion of the body augmented and rarified with the passion of the heart. And she had him to thank for that. "Thank you, John." She whispered as she leaned in to drop a gentle kiss on his sleeping lips. She lingered, her lips brushing his, her body keening softly for him. Only with a massive act of will did she rein in her desire for him. Let him rest and recover in her loving arms. She would watch over him and be with him while he slept. The better to enjoy watching him wake. A mischievous sparkle glittered in her eyes then she settled against him and lay her head down on his chest, pulling the covers over them and settling in to the strong and steady beat of his heart. She let it lull her to sleep, her smile smug and content. Finally she understood one of his odd Earth sayings. Home really was where the heart was.

* * * * *

The Dar'ga'nel rippled with colour. "What do you mean?"

"They are never apart." Answered Yar'keth.

"You exaggerate."

Yar'keth made an odd bubbling sound, his colour changing to a blue and grey then darkening. "I would never exaggerate a simple truth."

The Elder looked at him in silence for several microts. He sensed more than anything else the truth of his words. "You speak true." He said at last. Wondering what they should do about the Sebacean. Aeryn Sun was theirs but not for much longer if the intensity of this mating continued.
Instead of leaving it looked like the male might actually stay. If so they needed to assess him. Take samples to record him in their data banks. Tie him to them so that he could never betray them. It would cost him his freedom but it would save his life. To the Dar'ga'nel that was more than generous and more than good business. It was a concession from one who gave so few. If the male accepted the same terms the female had he could be useful. If he did not they would have to impose the rules and make certain he understood that the cost of disobedience would extend far wider than his own life. It would threaten also the female Aeryn Sun and her offspring. If Yar'keth was right and the male really did love this female they had nothing at all to worry about. So why did he feel a strange stir of uneasiness? As if danger was lying in the shadow this man cast?

* * * * *

Aeryn rose and went to see if Robert was back yet. There was no sign of him. She was not worried. Robert was a sensible boy but he shared his father's fascination with anything new. He would spend arns wandering around the market stalls if she let him. She smiled. Crichton got up and ran the water jet so they could take a shower. He tested the temperature and looked amused at the smile on Aeryn's face when she joined him. "What are you smiling at?"

She told him. His mood shifted to one of concern.

Aeryn laughed lightly. He was certainly taking the notion of fatherhood very seriously. "Relax. There is nothing to harm Robert on this planet, John."

"Maybe, maybe not, but I think I'll get dressed and go look for him just to be on the safe side." Seeing the look on her face at his reaction he stroked her cheek gently. "Humour me, Aeryn."

She nodded and he felt his heart flutter. "Shower first."

"Okay, baby."

Crichton brushed his hands through her long black hair. The midnight waterfall running through his fingers like silk. Steeling himself not to go down that road again and get distracted. First he wanted to make sure the boy was safe. He would never forgive himself if the child came to harm.
Aeryn stepped under the shower with him. His quick wash became a little longer than he had planned though he was not complaining. Letting Aeryn soap him was putting his hormones through some pretty impressive gymnastics. He stopped it going too far, amused by the soft moan in Aeryn's mouth when he pulled out of her embrace and stepped clear of the water jet. He reached for the towel, already drying himself as he continued to step away before things could get too intense. She frowned at him as she soaped herself all over. "What's the hurry?"

"Aeryn, I've only just got used to the idea of Robert. I am really fond of him, love him already. If anything should happen to him..." He broke off. Too emotional to finish the sentence.

She washed the soap off and stepped out of the shower, beginning to rub herself down vigorously on another towel. "Then perhaps I should come with you."

He shook his head. Adamant. Dressing quickly. "No Aeryn, bad idea. If I miss him and he comes back to an empty home what kind of message is that gonna send him?"

Her eyebrows rose. "We could always leave him a note."

A firmer head shake, then he kissed her briefly. "Our son is *not* gonna be a latch key kid."

"A what?"

"A child who always comes home to an empty house. The parents would leave the key, the latch key, under the door mat or a flower pot or hanging on a hook in the garden shed. Hence the term *latchkey kid*. I want him to know there will always be one of us waiting for him."

Aeryn smiled at the depth of his concern. Loved how caring he was. How easily he had made a place in his heart for her son. They kissed. Such a sweet delicious confection. A confirmation of love as if there had never been any emotional distance between them. *How sweet it is to be loved by you* he thought, remembering the words to a song. Aeryn was his song. More than that, she was the air he breathed. She watched him go out to look for Robert and felt a warm feeling of joy spread through her heart. Why had she been so afraid to let him into her life? Only fear had parted them and now that he had found her she realised how much her heart had been yearning for this. Missing him with every microt they were apart. He was the other half of her soul. The half that mattered more than life itself. Without John Crichton she could never be complete. Her smile widened as she finally accepted the truth and her heart sang.

* * * * *

The market stalls were busy. Strange for such a dull place. It was not as if they had much to offer and what they did have was so low down the food chain that it was almost an insult to call it food. Ka D'Argo sighed and stopped to scan the stalls closely before pressing on. Where the frell was
he? Pilot had said he was here. He consulted the hand scanner which Pilot had downloaded the signal from Crichton's com badge to. It was definitely coming from here. He moved more cautiously, now looking under the tables in case the human had been in a fight and was lying unconscious nearby. Nothing. He straightened slowly and as he did so met a pair of eyes so blue
he froze. The boy looked as startled to see him as he was to see the boy. His jet black hair was straight and cut just below his ears. It was not very level but that was not what fascinated the Luxan. It was who the boy reminded him of.

"Who are you?"

The boy had difficulty making his mouth work. D'Argo reminded himself this was just a child. He moderated his deep booming voice.

"I will not hurt you. My name is Ka D'Argo and I am a Luxan."

Robert smiled. "I know, you have tenkas."

He smiled. The boy reminded him of Aeryn with his shock of black hair and facial features but the eyes and the smile were pure Crichton. "Yes, I have tenkas. What is your name?"

"Robert."

"I am a friend of John Crichton's."

The boy nodded, his fear rapidly fading and turning to curiosity. "I know, I saw you with him before."

D'Argo was feeling happier. This was a good omen. "I need to find him, speak to him. Can you tell me where he is?"

A wariness crept into the boy's face. He had a feeling he could trust the Luxan but what would his mother say? She was paranoid about not letting people know where they lived. Being careful about strangers. Only the fact that he had seen his father with D'Argo reassured him at all. D'Argo read him as easily as if he were an open book. He hunkered down so as not to tower over the boy.

"Do not be alarmed. If it makes you feel happier I will wait here. Go and tell Aeryn that Ka D'Argo is here. That his eyes ache to see her again."

His eyes widened. "You know my mother?"

A huge smile transformed the solem aspect of the Luxan's face. "It has been my honour to know Aeryn Sun and to call her my friend. For cycles we lived together aboard a living ship along with your father and other friends."

The boy was completely hooked now. His eyes like dinner plates, his mouth hanging open in awe. "A Leviathan? You all lived aboard a Leviathan?"

D'Argo chuckled. "Her name is Moya."

Stunned, the boy found it difficult to speak.

"Robert. Your father. Where is he?"

Certain now that he could trust him, he tugged D'Argo's tunic and began to weave through the stalls. "This way!" A pride in his step as he led the Luxan warrior to his home. For the moment he forgot all about his search for a Martolian Chok.

* * * * *

The alleyway was deserted but it was the quickest route to the market. Crichton walked briskly and thought how lucky he was. How blessed. Thanked every God he could think of that Aeryn had not had the pregnancy terminated or given the child away. It had been one of his greatest fears. That, and never finding Aeryn again. He was almost out of the alley when he sensed something behind him. He turned swiftly, his hand dropping down to his gun just in case. What he saw made him blink. Twice. He had seen plenty of the odd looking aliens in the market. What was it Aeryn called their species? Ah, yes - Squa'lik'na. They were the dominant species on this world. He took his hand away from his gun. Decided to play nice.

"Can I help you gentlemen?"

The Squa'lik'na changed colours from a dark brown to rusty orange then a lighter orange. Crichton was fascinated. Then the whole damn circus moved towards him. It did not walk but kind of undulated along on these rubbery prehensile extensions. They looked like the tentacles of an octopus except this guy, if it was a guy, had a whole lot more of them. The three eyes watched him carefully, the colours flushing through the top comb and out to the limbs now going up through the orange scale into the yellow. Crichton took a step back and felt himself come up against a wall of muscle. Uh oh. He felt rattlers going wild in his stomach. The wall of muscle rippled behind him and he felt a microt of panic. Hezmana. What had he done wrong now?

"John Crichton." Squelched the Squa-lik'na facing him.

"You know my name?"

"You will come with us."

He started to shake his head. Bad move. A couple of the tentacular attachments of the specimen behind him slid over his shoulders and wrapped themselves around his chest. Before he could draw his gun another limb covered his hand. He felt something like a fleshy pad explore his hand, the limb oddly dextrous in the creepiest way imaginable. There were pads all up the underside of its' limb and these explored his bare arm like lights on a Christmas tree going into a chase sequence, though the limb itself once fastened on him did not move. He froze, would not have dared to move if he could. Were these things poisonous? He wondered who he had pissed off now. "Look, if I did something wrong just tell me okay? I'll pay whatever the fee is and apologise."

He began to feel woozy. This was weird. It was like he had been drugged but there were no needles. No sense of being gassed. The only odd thing was the way the creature's pads on its' limbs sought out the vien in his forearm and followed it to the pulse point on the inside of his wrist. A large fleshy pad had then fastened on to his pulse and sensations rippled up through it into his wrist making his hand and arm tingle and go numb. Slowly the feeling seeping outward into the rest of his body. He was hardly aware of another tentacled limb doing the same to his left arm. He had no words for how much these creatures were freaking him out. What the hell was happening? "Hey! What are you guys doing to me?"

Crichton could feel his words slurring, his vision becoming a blurry mess. Something squelched at him that he must follow their rules if he was to survive. Rules? What frelling rules? His sense of balance was fading fast. As he collapsed the Squa-lik'na that held him wrapped the rest of its'
limbs around him until the human was lost in a sea of colour changing limbs. Completely encased as the limbs rolled back on themselves to form a fleshy shell around him. Only a few limbs remained to act as propulsion so the creature could move. Anyone looking would not have seen him. Yar'keth made a pleased sound. They had managed to take him without harming him. He hoped the Dar'ga'nel would be gentle with him. Hoped the *assessment* would go well. There was a sound outside the alley and with amazing speed the two Squa-lik'na vanished quickly in an undulating ripple of limbs, taking their now silent human captive with them.

* * * * *
END