Authors' Note: My first fan-fic, so any suggestions are appreciated.

Disclaimer: Farscape never has been, nor ever shall be mine

Rating: G

Setting: After 4.22

Spoilers: To catch all the nuances in this story it helps to have seen Kansas and Terra Firma, but it's not essential to the plot.

Hold Onto the Hope

Nervously he began pacing in the chamber. What was taking so long? This was killing him. He had everything planned out, but with their recent history he had no idea what the outcome would be. But he had to try. He ran a hand through his short brown hair, making it go in even more directions if that was possible. He was beginning to develop a tick in his left eye. She'd laugh at him if he didn't get himself together before she arrived. Surveying the room he was sure everything was perfect.

Was he being an idiot? He thought back to his parents and gained reassurance. Even though theirs hadn't been a happily-ever -after kind of union they had loved each other, and that love had been their strength. He understood that now, though when he was younger he and his father had fought frequently. If only his father hadn't been so obsessed with his work! How many times did he watch his mother try to hide the fear and worry when his dad left on a mission? Was he becoming his father? That wouldn't be such a bad thing, he guessed. His father had given him his strongest trait; hope. If a Crichton didn't have anything else he had hope.

He wiped a damp palm on his pants and laughed at himself at the reminder of the black leather. Even that had been strategic. He knew she had a weakness for them. All was fair in love and war, right? He wasn't sure which this was, so he was doubly justified. If D'Argo could see him now, he'd never hear the end of it.

Finally the door opened and he watched as she glided in. Her gracefulness was one of the things he loved about her. She never seemed to walk anywhere - she floated. She had been growing her hair out and tonight it made a white rope braided and laying over her right breast. A grey had reached up and began playing with the end of the braid. His breath caught in his throat and he pasted on what he hoped was his most charming smile.

"Good evening."

"What's all this about? Pilot interrupted something to send me here. If I knew you'd be here I wouldn't have come."

"This is an apology."

Her black eyes sparkled. This was a game to her. He knew she wasn't still mad, but she was going to make him grovel anyway. Great.

"I made dinner for us. You'll like it. I even made chocolate pudding for dessert." She wouldn't be able to refuse, she never could. Sure enough she moved to the table feigning disinterest and let him hold her chair for her.

"I'll stay because of the pudding. You're lucky no one else on board knows how to make it right."

"There's a lot of things no one else one board knows how to do right for you."

"Yeah, well, I guess everyone is good for some things." When she shared his smile he knew he'd been forgiven. Deciding not to wait for dessert he abandoned his plan and pulled out the blue velvet box, opened it and placed it on the plate in front of her.

He had never known her to be speechless before and he wasn't sure if that was a good sign. "I'm tired of the miscommunications. I'm tired of pretending you're not as important to me as you are. You are the other half of me and I am incomplete without you. You know this was my mothers ring. Will you wear it as my wife?"

She only stared at the ring. Did he hash it? Did he say too much. too little? The silence was eating away at him. Hold onto the hope.

Finally she spoke. "Do you think Aeryn would have minded me wearing her ring?"

"Oh, baby no. She would have wanted that more than anything in the world. You were like a daughter to her. Become her daughter for real."

A tear slowly coursed its' way down her cheek. "Oh, Josh, it's about frelling time!" She laughed and sniffed as he gathered her into his arms and tenderly kissed her. When he stopped for air she smiled wickedly. "What do you think mom is going to say?"

"The last thing Chiana said to me was, 'Don't be like your father and wait until it's nearly too late.'"

"Sometimes she's pretty good at that advice stuff isn't she? I'll have to be sure to thank her."

"Not yet." He pulled her back into his arms and they both forgot about the chocolate pudding.