fic: The Barista - Chapter 8/13: Cursing Fate [PG-13]
TITLE: The Barista - Chapter 8: Cursing Fate
SUMMARY: Jazz, interrupted.
CATEGORY: AU, romance, drama
RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: These characters are the property of MGM, Gekko, and possibly the Sci-Fi Channel. I'm just borrowing them.
NOTES: I'm a little worried about the next few chapters. Having acquainted the characters, we're now moving into the drama/plot/angst section and it might move a bit fast.
The Barista - Chapter 8: Cursing Fate
John turned from the valet parking attendant, in time to witness Teyla's pause as a passing group of well-dressed men and women eyed her denim jeans and long scarf through disdainful eyes. He casually wandered up beside her and slipped an arm around her waist, prompting her up the stairs and into the hotel.
"Don't worry about it," he murmured in her ear, noting the lovely scent of her hair. "You're with me, and it's not important." John fought back the urge to nibble at her earlobe. They hadn't kissed yet, and much as he wanted to, there was moving fast and there was moving too fast.
Dinner had been perfect, the tea had been hot and strong - just to her taste, and John had learned a lot about Teyla Emmagen in the space of two hours - including the fact that her love of music wasn't limited to country and opera, but spanned a broad range of types and styles including jazz.
Which was why they were now at the Stargate Central Hotel.
"John, if the dress requirements..."
"Teyla, I've been to the T-Bar Jazz Club in threadbare jeans and a t-shirt that should have been out to pasture years before."
"If you were one of the employees of the company at the time..."
"And now I'm one of the junior partners," said John firmly. "They'll let us in." And if the worst came to the worst, he'd make a call up to Murray T, who ran the T-Bar and lived in a penthouse apartment at the Stargate Central. If he couldn't get them in, no-one could.
As they crossed the floor, John realised her face was upturned to take in the stained-glass ceiling, a fractured leadlight window in a thousand shades of blue - from pale to peacock. Thanks to programmed lights above and outside the slightly domed canopy, the ceiling became a shimmering pool of light whose refraction echoed across the lobby floor.
"How was it done?"
"We've got the records somewhere. There's a stained glass window in the Atlantis hotel that I've got plans to do up the same way - sunlight by day, and with blue-green tints by night. It'll look great when it's done."
"I can imagine," Teyla murmured, almost beneath her breath. "Why is the Atlantis so important when you already have all this?"
John hesitated a moment before giving her his answer. On one hand, he'd been obvious enough about his passion for the Atlantis proposal. On the other...the reasons why were very personal to John.
"Because this isn't something I had a hand in," he admitted at last. "Stargate Central was established long before I came on the scene. I'm one of the people managing it right now, but it's not mine."
"And the Atlantis Grand Hotel would be yours?"
"Yeah." John wondered if it sounded arrogant.
"What of the owners of the hotel?"
"It's not the ownership that interests me," John said. "That's the province of the company directors - we're looking more at…" A buzzing inside his jacket announced a call on his cellphone, and the caller ID was Elizabeth. After the meeting, she'd expressed the intention to do a little more research about the Pegasus group and informed John that she'd call him if anything turned up.
John grimaced to himself but looked apologetically to Teyla. "Sorry, I have to take this."
She nodded and stepped away, her fingers combing through the tasselled end of her scarf as she went to a nearby window and John answered the call.
"I'm on a date," he said.
The voice that answered wasn't Elizabeth's. "Good for you. Elizabeth's found the companies that hold the controlling interest in the Atlantis Grand," Rodney said without preamble. "Do you want to know who they are?"
"Did I mention the part where I'm in the middle of a date?" Even as John spoke, he knew Rodney would keep talking - this was Rodney.
"We'll start with Genii Corp."
And Rodney suddenly had John's complete attention.
"Kolya," he said flatly.
"Acastus Kolya," Rodney's voice was just as flat.
Oh, God. John reached for a straw of hope. "Wasn't there an argument between him and Cowan Genii?"
In the background, he heard Elizabeth's comment about not underestimating people working behind the scenes.
"And it gets better," Rodney said with relish. "Heard of Sateda?"
"Didn't they go down against Wraith Inc. liquidators?"
"They did," came the short reply. "All but the part with the controlling interest in Atlantis."
"Which went...?"
"Well, it initially went to the Belka Institute…but the current holder is Sharon Athos of Athosia Holdings."
"Sharo--" John broke off, only too aware of Teyla just down the hallway.
"Yes. That would be the woman in whose café we've been casually discussing our plans for the last week because someone developed a crush on the barista!" Rodney sniffed. "Is she listening to this conversation?"
"What do you think, Rodney?"
"Well, I don't know if you're thinking with your brain or your dick--" In the background, Elizabeth cut Rodney off with a sharp comment. "Okay, okay! Don't get your panties in a twist! We're in the boardroom, 22nd floor of Central. How soon can you get here?"
John was tempted to lie that they were halfway across town and unable to get there. He didn't. "Teyla and I were on our way to the T-Bar."
"Great! You can dump her in the bar and come up here. We need to have a meeting..."
"I'm not dumping any--"
"Ten minutes, Sheppard."
"It's a Friday night!"
"All right," Rodney said. "Let's put it this way: do you want the Atlantis proposal to go ahead or not?"
And with that, he hung up, leaving John holding his cellphone, cursing fate.
- tbc -
9: Withdrawal Symptoms
SUMMARY: Jazz, interrupted.
CATEGORY: AU, romance, drama
RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: These characters are the property of MGM, Gekko, and possibly the Sci-Fi Channel. I'm just borrowing them.
NOTES: I'm a little worried about the next few chapters. Having acquainted the characters, we're now moving into the drama/plot/angst section and it might move a bit fast.
The Barista - Chapter 8: Cursing Fate
John turned from the valet parking attendant, in time to witness Teyla's pause as a passing group of well-dressed men and women eyed her denim jeans and long scarf through disdainful eyes. He casually wandered up beside her and slipped an arm around her waist, prompting her up the stairs and into the hotel.
"Don't worry about it," he murmured in her ear, noting the lovely scent of her hair. "You're with me, and it's not important." John fought back the urge to nibble at her earlobe. They hadn't kissed yet, and much as he wanted to, there was moving fast and there was moving too fast.
Dinner had been perfect, the tea had been hot and strong - just to her taste, and John had learned a lot about Teyla Emmagen in the space of two hours - including the fact that her love of music wasn't limited to country and opera, but spanned a broad range of types and styles including jazz.
Which was why they were now at the Stargate Central Hotel.
"John, if the dress requirements..."
"Teyla, I've been to the T-Bar Jazz Club in threadbare jeans and a t-shirt that should have been out to pasture years before."
"If you were one of the employees of the company at the time..."
"And now I'm one of the junior partners," said John firmly. "They'll let us in." And if the worst came to the worst, he'd make a call up to Murray T, who ran the T-Bar and lived in a penthouse apartment at the Stargate Central. If he couldn't get them in, no-one could.
As they crossed the floor, John realised her face was upturned to take in the stained-glass ceiling, a fractured leadlight window in a thousand shades of blue - from pale to peacock. Thanks to programmed lights above and outside the slightly domed canopy, the ceiling became a shimmering pool of light whose refraction echoed across the lobby floor.
"How was it done?"
"We've got the records somewhere. There's a stained glass window in the Atlantis hotel that I've got plans to do up the same way - sunlight by day, and with blue-green tints by night. It'll look great when it's done."
"I can imagine," Teyla murmured, almost beneath her breath. "Why is the Atlantis so important when you already have all this?"
John hesitated a moment before giving her his answer. On one hand, he'd been obvious enough about his passion for the Atlantis proposal. On the other...the reasons why were very personal to John.
"Because this isn't something I had a hand in," he admitted at last. "Stargate Central was established long before I came on the scene. I'm one of the people managing it right now, but it's not mine."
"And the Atlantis Grand Hotel would be yours?"
"Yeah." John wondered if it sounded arrogant.
"What of the owners of the hotel?"
"It's not the ownership that interests me," John said. "That's the province of the company directors - we're looking more at…" A buzzing inside his jacket announced a call on his cellphone, and the caller ID was Elizabeth. After the meeting, she'd expressed the intention to do a little more research about the Pegasus group and informed John that she'd call him if anything turned up.
John grimaced to himself but looked apologetically to Teyla. "Sorry, I have to take this."
She nodded and stepped away, her fingers combing through the tasselled end of her scarf as she went to a nearby window and John answered the call.
"I'm on a date," he said.
The voice that answered wasn't Elizabeth's. "Good for you. Elizabeth's found the companies that hold the controlling interest in the Atlantis Grand," Rodney said without preamble. "Do you want to know who they are?"
"Did I mention the part where I'm in the middle of a date?" Even as John spoke, he knew Rodney would keep talking - this was Rodney.
"We'll start with Genii Corp."
And Rodney suddenly had John's complete attention.
"Kolya," he said flatly.
"Acastus Kolya," Rodney's voice was just as flat.
Oh, God. John reached for a straw of hope. "Wasn't there an argument between him and Cowan Genii?"
In the background, he heard Elizabeth's comment about not underestimating people working behind the scenes.
"And it gets better," Rodney said with relish. "Heard of Sateda?"
"Didn't they go down against Wraith Inc. liquidators?"
"They did," came the short reply. "All but the part with the controlling interest in Atlantis."
"Which went...?"
"Well, it initially went to the Belka Institute…but the current holder is Sharon Athos of Athosia Holdings."
"Sharo--" John broke off, only too aware of Teyla just down the hallway.
"Yes. That would be the woman in whose café we've been casually discussing our plans for the last week because someone developed a crush on the barista!" Rodney sniffed. "Is she listening to this conversation?"
"What do you think, Rodney?"
"Well, I don't know if you're thinking with your brain or your dick--" In the background, Elizabeth cut Rodney off with a sharp comment. "Okay, okay! Don't get your panties in a twist! We're in the boardroom, 22nd floor of Central. How soon can you get here?"
John was tempted to lie that they were halfway across town and unable to get there. He didn't. "Teyla and I were on our way to the T-Bar."
"Great! You can dump her in the bar and come up here. We need to have a meeting..."
"I'm not dumping any--"
"Ten minutes, Sheppard."
"It's a Friday night!"
"All right," Rodney said. "Let's put it this way: do you want the Atlantis proposal to go ahead or not?"
And with that, he hung up, leaving John holding his cellphone, cursing fate.
- tbc -
9: Withdrawal Symptoms