fic: Shades of Life: Blue
TITLE: Shades of Life: Blue
AUTHOR: Shane Vansen
CATEGORY: Sheppard/Weir h/c, angst, established relationship
SPOILERS: None. Follows very loosely after SoL: Grey, Amber, and Black, but stands alone
RATING: PG-13
SUMMARY: "Is this a good thing or a bad thing?"
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Part four of the stagesoflove challenge: 5 colours. Thanks again to elvinborn and quietlybemused, as well as Vicki, for the betas.
He found her sitting in the middle of their bed.
She'd been there for the better part of half an hour, staring at the item in her hand, not thinking. Or, rather, there were so many thoughts swirling around her head that she couldn't focus on any one thing.
When John entered, she could tell that it took him a moment to realize that something was off - he came in talking, only to halt abruptly in both speech and movement when she finally summoned the energy to look up at him. "What's wrong?" he demanded.
Slowly, she shook her head, eyes back on her hands. Elizabeth tracked John peripherally as he crossed the room to sit beside her, one leg on the floor, the other on the bed as he twisted to face her. He didn't ask what she was holding but instead reached over to tug it from her grasp. She turned her head to watch his reaction, taking in his confused expression before his eyes widened in realization of what the white plastic stick with the blue minus sign represented.
They sat in unmoving silence for a while, and all Elizabeth could focus on was the tight grip he maintained on the stick. Eventually he asked, "How long…?"
"Almost two weeks." It had happened before when she'd been under this much stress, but they'd been careless several weeks ago after nearly four days of thinking each other dead.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Though the words could have been accusing, his voice was gentle.
She shrugged. "There was nothing to tell. Still isn't, actually."
They lapsed into silence again, until John moved one hand to cover both of hers where they were clenched together in her lap. "Is this a good thing or a bad thing?" he asked quietly.
That was the question, wasn't it? Elizabeth hadn't thought seriously about having children, not in a long time, but there'd been an undeniable feeling of disappointment, loss even, mixed in with the relief.
"I don't know," she told John. "I really don't know."
He didn't answer, instead reaching back and over to put the white stick on the bedside table. Then he lay down on the bed, pulling her with him, wrapping his arms around her. Elizabeth burrowed into his embrace and held him for all she was worth.
--end--
AUTHOR: Shane Vansen
CATEGORY: Sheppard/Weir h/c, angst, established relationship
SPOILERS: None. Follows very loosely after SoL: Grey, Amber, and Black, but stands alone
RATING: PG-13
SUMMARY: "Is this a good thing or a bad thing?"
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Part four of the stagesoflove challenge: 5 colours. Thanks again to elvinborn and quietlybemused, as well as Vicki, for the betas.
He found her sitting in the middle of their bed.
She'd been there for the better part of half an hour, staring at the item in her hand, not thinking. Or, rather, there were so many thoughts swirling around her head that she couldn't focus on any one thing.
When John entered, she could tell that it took him a moment to realize that something was off - he came in talking, only to halt abruptly in both speech and movement when she finally summoned the energy to look up at him. "What's wrong?" he demanded.
Slowly, she shook her head, eyes back on her hands. Elizabeth tracked John peripherally as he crossed the room to sit beside her, one leg on the floor, the other on the bed as he twisted to face her. He didn't ask what she was holding but instead reached over to tug it from her grasp. She turned her head to watch his reaction, taking in his confused expression before his eyes widened in realization of what the white plastic stick with the blue minus sign represented.
They sat in unmoving silence for a while, and all Elizabeth could focus on was the tight grip he maintained on the stick. Eventually he asked, "How long…?"
"Almost two weeks." It had happened before when she'd been under this much stress, but they'd been careless several weeks ago after nearly four days of thinking each other dead.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Though the words could have been accusing, his voice was gentle.
She shrugged. "There was nothing to tell. Still isn't, actually."
They lapsed into silence again, until John moved one hand to cover both of hers where they were clenched together in her lap. "Is this a good thing or a bad thing?" he asked quietly.
That was the question, wasn't it? Elizabeth hadn't thought seriously about having children, not in a long time, but there'd been an undeniable feeling of disappointment, loss even, mixed in with the relief.
"I don't know," she told John. "I really don't know."
He didn't answer, instead reaching back and over to put the white stick on the bedside table. Then he lay down on the bed, pulling her with him, wrapping his arms around her. Elizabeth burrowed into his embrace and held him for all she was worth.
--end--