Who: John and AJ When: October 28th Where: Their house What: Talking Rating/Warnings: PG Status: Complete
John came home, tired and thoughtful, and headed for the kitchen. He had brought food home for once, from a kitchen though, so at least it was freshly made and individually so. He began unpacking it, knowing AJ would be home soon, and he wanted to be ready. He had some things to tell her, and something to ask her.
AJ wandered home not long after. She’d hopped over to the Target nearby to pick up a couple new bathroom towels. Their towels were looking so old and ragged, even though they couldn’t have been that old, could they? It was possibly the only thing in their bathroom that wasn’t new. She knew she should have registered for nice towels.
She came through the front door and dropped her keys into the basket. “John?” His car was out front, where was he?
“Hello, beautiful!” He came from the kitchen, and smiled as he headed to her and snugged her close, kissing her warmly. “How are you?”
“Hey.” AJ broke into a grin, wrapped her arms around him, and returned his kiss. Then she released him so she could pull off her scarf and jacket and hang them by the door. “I’m good. How are you? Did you cook?” She could smell the faint smell of delicious food.
“I got food from the home cooking deli down the way?” He smiled softly and groped her rear very thoroughly, and then one breast, lightly. He smiled softly as he nodded. “Sit down and I’ll bring it to you.”
AJ nodded, then slipped into a chair at the kitchen table. “What’d you pick up? I’m starving.” She was pink from his hands being all over her, but grinning none the less.
John smiled, feeling his heart pound as he looked at her. AJ was an amazing woman and he loved her so deeply. She was… in his belief, the best part of his world. “Roast beef, the real stuff, and cabbage, roasted potatoes, stir fried broccoli, and a cheese sauce covering homemade bread. “ He smirked. “Some of it may be good, some may not, but I wanted to have a good meal with you.’
“Sounds delicious.” AJ said, giving a nod. “Can I help you dish things up?” She added, rolling up her sleeves and moving to the sink to wash her hands.
“Of course! I’d like that. Can you grab the broccoli and cheese sauce and bring them to the table?” He had already started cutting up the roast beef, and was now placing the bread around it. The cheese sauce could be poured over the bread, or the broccoli, he realized. One he was done with that, the potatoes and cabbage all got their own containers, and he started walking things to the table.
“How was work?”
“Sure.” AJ grabbed the food and moved to the table. She started to set things out, grabbing plates and silverware, too. “Same old same old. With Mac back home at the orchard, it’s actually lightened my load a bit. Seems like.”
“Yeah? That’s good. I’m sure he will be glad to know it.” with the food on the table, he settled down and then caught one of her hands to kiss it. “Now eat, sexy eyes.” He grinned at her and nodded, and started to eat himself.
When he had eaten about half of his food, he looked up and smiled, thoughtfully. “I was talking to Nathan Summers, and he’s asked me to help him out with something.”
“Oh?” AJ asked. She set down her fork and reached for her glass. She’d read this thing about how one was supposed to put one’s fork down and sip water between every bite. While she didn’t do that every time, she was trying to do it more. “What’s he working on?”
“A time travel mission. He wants to send a team to the alternate future he spent some time in to find his son. And if the boy is willing, to bring him home.” He sipped his water and then added as he looked her in the eyes. “He’s asked me to go.”
AJ blinked at him. “...a time travel… what? You’re going to travel through time?” She asked, as if she didn’t comprehend what he was saying.
“ If it doesn’t bother you too much, yes.” He smiled softly. “To rescue a child from an rather not nice time and place, supposedly.” He eyed her, taking one of her hands in his.
“No, it doesn’t bother me… it concerns me a bit.” AJ said, honestly. She squeezed his hand. “Is it safe?”
“No. Time travel can be done, and really, it’s no more dangerous than traveling from here to Paris, with current technology, but there are dangers. There are problems. And of course, there is bad luck that sometimes happens.” He kissed her hands. “But know this, AJ. No matter what, No matter how, I would come back to you from anything that happened.”
“Okay.” AJ said. She squeezed his hands. It was scary, and she wasn’t sure that she liked it, but she trusted him. She knew that he was strong, and capable, and she believed him when he said he would come back to her. “Okay. Whatever you want to do. I’m behind you. I’ll be here for you.”
“Thank you, AJ. I’ll come back.” He kissed her and moved to hug her close, everything else unimportant. She was his solidity and his life.
AJ wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. “Okay.” She nodded, pressing her face into his shoulder. “Okay.”
He hugged her tight. And kissed her hair and her neck and snuggled her close. “I just would not do something like this without telling you first.” He kissed her lips then, and held her tight, and smiled softly. “I do love you so.” He loved this woman, more than life itself.
“You are amazing.”
AJ gave a little sigh. “I know.” She said, breaking into a little smile. “You’re amazing, too.” And she pressed a kiss into his neck. “I love you.”