Nature's and a discovery

Over the next few days you started forming a routine that would form the basis for life in Greece for the next few months. In the morning you'd make love just after waking up, make breakfast, then go on walks through the hills on the island you put your base camp up on. That usually led to another session of making love, after which you'd use your equipment to see if there was anything on the island. You loved being outside with Sophie, the two of you growing more in love with every passing day no small contributor there.

"John?" Sophie asked a month after your arrival.

"Yeah?" you asked as you stood over one of your maps, crossing off yesterday's scanning location.

"Do you think we'll find anything?" she asked.

"I have no clue, honey" you told her, looking up. "Honestly, I don't think so, but I really hope so." You smiled. "I still have to get you that engagement ring."

Sophie laughed. "You're still dead set on getting me something ancient and priceless, aren't you?" she asked.

"Yes, of course. How else can I prove my love to you?" you replied.

"Well, you could just buy me a regular engagement ring, not something that's worth millions" Sophie said as she joined you at the table, resting her head on your shoulder.

You nodded. "Sure, I guess I could settle for mediocre and boring for the woman I love" you said. This made Sophie laugh again.

"If it means not going to jail for stealing from the Greek government, sure, I'll agree with mediocre and boring" she said.

A week after your conversation about a ring you were awoken by a loud rumbling noise. Sophie looked at you in terror. You quickly put on shorts, tossed Sophie one of your shirts that would cover all of her, and ran outside with her hand in yours.

"What is it?!" she yelled.

"I have no idea!" you replied. You stood there together, not knowing what to do. But then, as suddenly as it had begun, the quaking stopped.

"Let's get dressed, we should see if there's any damage" Sophie said.

The two of you went inside of the tent, got dressed, then surveyed the damage on your base camp island. There was nothing but a slight shift in the hills where rocks had tumbled down, but nowhere near your camp. That, at least, was your luck. Looking at Sophie you smiled.

"Looks like we were lucky" you said.

"Yeah, I know. It's been a few months since the last quake so I guess we were due one" Sophie said, looking pensive.

"What's up?" you asked. "Worried about the camp?"

"No, not at all. I'm thinking about the damage this might have done to our finds" she said. "After all, the Colossus fell after an earthquake."

"I know, professor" you said with a smile.

"I know you know, dummy" Sophie said, giving your cheek a kiss. "I'm just thinking out loud."

"Then how about you think about looking at the other islands to see what kind of damage has been done there?" you asked.

"Good idea" Sophie said. "You pack some of our equipment, I'll prepare lunch."

You laughed and kissed Sophie's cheek in return to her earlier one. "My domestic goddess takes good care of me" you said.

As you rowed to one of the other islands Sophie smiled at you.

"What is it?" you asked as you took a moment to wipe the sweat off your brow.

"I don't think I could have picked a sexier assistant" she said. With a laugh you showed off your biceps.

"You keep having me truck you around in this boat and I'll get in shape faster than I could ever get in a gym" you told her.

"That's assuming I didn't think you were in shape now" she replied.

"Thanks, honey" you said with a smile. You leaned in to kiss her. Sophie leaned in towards you then gasped. "What? What is it?" you asked. You turned around and could only gape at what you saw.