Late Nights and Early Mornings

Posted on Wed Jun 24th, 2020 @ 3:28am by Lieutenant John Sandoval & Lieutenant JG Aeryn Jameson
Edited on on Fri Jul 10th, 2020 @ 5:53pm

Mission: Death in Paradise
Location: Sandoval's Quarters
Timeline: Immediately after "Normal Again"

ON

The family dinner with the Pandora senior officers felt like just that: a family dinner. It was nice to be interacting with his coworkers and friends at that level. It did make him miss his own spouse. It had been months since he'd seen Katherine in person.

He returned to his own quarters to send her a quick correspondence. Just something to let her know he was thinking about her.

His mind then wandered to the other woman for whom he cared deeply. It was a shame she couldn't go to the dinner, but the invitation was clear; even the Captain's wife didn't attend. Still, he thought of Aeryn and wanted to let her know she was being thought of too.

"Computer," he said, "replicate me five dozen roses, equal parts red, white, pink, orange, and cream. Just the flowers, not the stems." The replicator produced as many flowers as the slot could hold, requiring John to move each batch to the table before the next could be made, until there were literally sixty flowers on the table. "Okay, computer, here's what I need you to do now..."



Aeryn was lying in bed staring at the ceiling, she knew John had the senior staff party to attend but her quarters, and her bed, felt empty without him. She was about to slide out of bed when roses of various colours suddenly arrived on her bed literally burying her in rose flower heads. She lay there enjoying herself amongst the flowers before sliding out of bed and grabbing her dressing gown before heading for John's quarters.



But John wasn’t finished. Anticipating that his girlfriend was on her way, or would find her way to him eventually, he continued replicating flowers. He programmed the door to open as Aeryn showed up and waited patiently...



Arriving at John's quarters Aeryn was surprised when the door opened automatically for her. She had been expecting to find John at the door. Walking inside she smiled as she saw a trail of rose petals leading a path all the way to John's bedroom. Taking off her dressing gown, leaving just her nightdress she followed the flowers all the way through to the bedroom but there was still no sign of John. She stood beside the bed looking around. "I'm waiting for you John...I know you're here I can feel you."

As if summoned, Aeryn suddenly felt the warmth — and a patch of cold — of skin both real and synthetic against her back and the back of her legs. John pressed into her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He began kissing her neck as he held her to him.

Aeryn ran her hands over John's arms as they wrapped around her body, enjoying the feel of closeness the two of them had when they were together. "Someone's in a romantic mood tonight" She smiled as she leant her head against him surrendering herself to his love and affections. "Thank you for all the beautiful roses!"

“One beautiful rose deserves another,” he said. “You just let me take care of you tonight, okay?” He continued kissing her neck in preparation for another amazing night.



As usual, John awoke first, and earlier than he’d have preferred. He smiled when he saw Aeryn sleeping soundly next to him. He rolled over and hugged her, making himself the big spoon.

Aeryn stirred slightly as she felt John hugging her, he'd given her another night of sheer joy and pleasure something she was coming to enjoy not just from her perspective but from his as well as their bond allowed her to feel his full pleasure as well as her own. "Hmmm hey..." She smiled as she raised her hand and gently ran her fingers through his hair, before lowering her hand and running them along his side all the way down to his hip. "That was quite some night."

“That it was,” John agreed. “I’m glad you were in your room when I beamed the flowers in. It would have been funny if you were having a drink with your friends and didn’t see them for a few hours.” He took a deep breath in, taking in the scent of her hair.

"I didn't feel like a night out, I was missing you too much!" She smiled. "I was lying in bed when the roses suddenly materialised on the bed on and around me! To say it was a lovely surprise was an understatement!!" She cuddled herself up against him enjoying the feel of his body against hers. "I'm guessing you liked my nightdress judging from your reaction last night? You've never made love to me like that before."

“Not just the nightdress,” John admitted. “The whole package. But yes, last night, thinking about the way the senior staff is kind of like a family...overwhelmed me a bit, and I was compelled to reach out to the person on board I love. And then one thing led to another and I just couldn’t hold myself back.”

"Oh I'm not complaining!" She rotated her body so she was lying on her back. It made it easier to look up into his eyes. "I enjoyed it very much Imzadi. Our bond makes me feel for you in a way I've never felt for anyone John, but it also lets me feel how you're feeling deep down too." She gently brushed his cheek with her fingers. "You miss Katherine."

John’s expression changed from one of pure lust to one of slight sadness. He couldn’t hide it. He did miss Katherine, very much. He wanted to be by her side, but both understood that circumstances couldn’t allow for it. “I said this before, but with real love comes respect. I miss her, but I could never ask her to leave what she does to come here. And she couldn’t ask the same of me. But,” he continued, putting his hand on top of the hand she had on his face, “that doesn’t make this any less real for me. This isn’t just physical and you’re not some side piece.” He moved the hand on his face to his lips and kissed it.

Aeryn knew she couldn't keep her feelings from John anymore than he could from her, not now they were bonded. "I'm sorry I don't mean to sound like I'm doubting you. It just hurts John, I love you more than life itself." She took his hand and placed it on her hip before gently turning a little to face him her lips meeting his in a passionate kiss. As the kiss broke she pushed him gently back onto his back. "I'm going.." She kissed her way down his neck "To give you..." She carried on down his chest with more kisses before pausing. "So much pleasure..." She grinned as she looked up at him. "You'll be begging me to stop!"

John smiled down at her. “That sounds like a challenge! How much can John Sandoval take before needing to tap out? You think you’re up to testing my limits?”

Aeryn smiled the biggest smile yet as she kissed lower. "Oh I'm going to test you Imzadi."

John lay back, closed his eyes, and allowed himself to be tested.



John was dressed in his uniform, though the jacket was still on the dining chair. His leg made him wince as he knelt to the floor to try to collect the rose petals. “I might have overdone it with the number of roses,” he joked.

"Leave it, I'll do it for you." Aeryn smiled as she moved across to help him up. "Is your leg giving you a lot of pain?" She grinned a wry grin. "I guess I did give you quite a workout last night."

John let out a laugh and stood up. “That you did, but I’m not complaining. I might just talk with Alexandra later if it bothers me.” He sat back down and took a sip of coffee. “Thank you. Not just for helping me clean, or for last night. Just...for everything.”

"John..." Aeryn moved across gently leaning against the coffee table. "You've come to mean more to me than I imagined possible, if I was to lose you I don't know what I'd do!" She sighed. "You know how I feel deep down inside, you've become the rock I depend on and I don't care if you are married I will always be here. I NEED you!"

“And I’ll always be there for you,” John said. “I didn’t expect to fall in love when I came to the Pandora, but I have, and I’m not taking that lightly. I sense your feelings for me too. I need you too. To talk to after shifts, to check in on after dangerous encounters, to share meals and yes someone to take to bed and share pleasure and intimacy with.”

"Just don't ever leave me John." She gently took his hand and held his palm against her cheek. "I can't imagine my life without you in it now, if it meant moving with you I'd do it. I would face any upheaval just to be at your side."

That sort of talk made John nervous. He really didn’t like the idea of anyone just throwing their life and career away to be with him. Facing any upheaval was a sweet idea, but when he knew he probably wouldn’t be capable of doing the same, he was made deeply uncomfortable. He was sure she could sense his discomfort, but he wasn’t sure what to do about it. He wouldn’t lie, but he couldn’t break the moment. “I love you, too,” he finally said, hoping it conveyed the feelings in his heart. Maybe he would get to where she was someday. Maybe he was incapable of that level of connection with anyone. Maybe his views on romance were just very different from hers and that would be a hurdle they’d face together. He liked the thought of that last one; of facing future challenges and issues with Aeryn, and of making their relationship even stronger.

Aeryn felt the sincerity he conveyed but she also felt how deeply uncomfortable her statement had made him. "You don't feel the same when it comes to me being willing to move for you do you? I know we've talked about it before John but I can't help how I feel for you." Her smile faded as she didn't know how she should feel about the way he was feeling. "Starfleet reassigns its people with a moment's notice, if I woke up to find you gone out of my life I..." She stopped talking the pain she felt at the sheer thought was like someone thrusting a sharp knife deep into her chest. She stood up and moved across to the window looking out at the stars, the tears that started silently rolling down her cheeks were a visible sign of only a proportion of the pain she felt just at the idea that she could lose him one day.

“I can’t help the way I feel either,” John said. “And that’s nobody’s fault. We all feel the way we feel. I went into this from a different starting point. Remember that first night? It was just about combatting loneliness through sex. I’m extremely happy I fell in love with you but I didn’t expect it. And maybe given time I’ll find myself where you are. So please give me patience, love.”

Aeryn wiped her eyes and walked back across to where John was sitting, not wanting to sit on his bad leg she gently sat on the floor by his feet and lay her head on his good leg. "I'm not pushing John, I won't do that to you. I'm here for as long as it takes, I'm not going anywhere."

John said nothing. He just gently stroked her hair in a loving way as they shared a moment of silence before both needed to go on duty.