Stargate Atlantis Fanfiction - Gravity - Part Six: "Together"
Gravity:Part One: Curls
Gravity:Part Two: A Gift
Gravity:Part Three: Yoga
Gravity:Part Four: The Garden
Gravity:Part Five: The Gathering
Gravity
~Together~
John stood quietly in the open doorway of Elizabeth’s office, knowing that the room’s occupant was very aware of his presence even though she had yet to say anything. He waited for her to breach the silence first, and as he did so, John found himself watching Elizabeth and aching to hold her close.
The dark circles under her eyes worried him, and the tense set of her shoulders spoke volumes. More than any words, the quiet, agitated tap of the stylus on the pad in Elizabeth’s hands said that she was wrestling with whatever was written there. She twisted the chain and gold pendant at her throat anxiously, and there were shadows surrounding Elizabeth that even the warm summer light couldn’t seem to chase away.
“They’re questioning every decision we ever made,” Elizabeth spoke finally and quietly. “That I’ve made,” she amended.
“Let them,” he responded, stepping into the room. “Let them pick over every choice we ever made,” John said as he walked a path over to the white couch and settled himself next to Elizabeth.
“And you know what they’ll find?” He asked her. “That each of those decisions were the right ones for Atlantis and the expedition,” John insisted as he looked into her ocean green eyes. “Each one,” he repeated.
“I’m not so certain,” Elizabeth countered as she rose from the couch and began to pace the open confines of the room.
“I am,” John replied.
Elizabeth stopped, turned to face the man sitting on her office couch. “How can you be so sure, John?”
“Because it’s the truth,” he responded simply.
“The IOA has a way of not letting inconvenient truths get in the way of their judgments,” she answered knowingly. “It won’t matter what the real reasoning was behind the decisions, or even if they were the best choices. All that will matter is what they want to see, and more importantly, what the IOA wants the truth to be.”
She walked back to the couch and handed John the computer pad.
“And the truth is, that they have finally found the technicality that will serve their purposes,” she said, referring to fraternization charge that the IOA was demanding that they both answer in person at the Cheyenne Mountain complex that housed the SGC.
John scanned the computer pad, seeing what Elizabeth meant as he looked over the long list of reports and decisions that the oversight committee wanted to review in regards to the Atlantis expedition. With most of the events, John could see nothing that could even be linked to the proposed charges. What few things listed there that could be related, were long ago made decisions, including his own assignment as the military commander of Atlantis. But he knew that Elizabeth could very well be right in saying that it might not really matter.
“Politics,” John said darkly under his breath.
“We may be stepping through the Gate and not returning to Atlantis, John,” Elizabeth confirmed.
John rose and looked into Elizabeth’s familiar green eyes, his own dark with emotion. “So be it,” he told her sincerely. “It doesn’t change a thing about how I feel. I don’t regret a single moment I’ve had with you. And given the chance again, I know that I would still choose to be with you. You’re everything I need.”
“I would always choose you,” Elizabeth murmured in reply before John kissed her for a tender, brief moment.
“We should go,” she whispered against his lips, gently breaking the warm kiss. John nodded and waited for Elizabeth to retrieve the data pad and her computer before walking out of the office with her. They crossed the walkway and were greeted by an agitated Rodney.
“They’re idiots and this review is the height of useless stupidity,” he said fervently. “I’ve included it all here,” he continued, handing Elizabeth a disc. “And I’ve made certain that the IOA and the SGC know that I’m the best scientist that they have and that I refuse to acknowledge that there is anyone more capable of leading this expedition.”
Teyla placed a gentle hand on the astrophysicist’s shoulder. “I believe what Dr. McKay is trying to say is that we all support you both and look forward to your return.”
“Thank you, Teyla,” Elizabeth replied. “I know Atlantis and the expedition will be well looked after.”
“Keep them all out of trouble while we’re gone,” John added with a grin.
Teyla smiled, “Of course, Colonel.”
“Good luck, Elizabeth,” the Athosian leader offered. “May the Ancients watch over you and see you returned to Atlantis soon.”
Elizabeth nodded in appreciation before ordering the Gate opened. John walked with her down the stairs and stood by her side a moment before the wavering blue event horizon.
“Where I follow, you'll go," John said quietly before giving Elizabeth a small, lop-sided smile.
Elizabeth turned to look into John's warm summer green eyes and answered him with a soft smile before stepping through the Gate…
Gravity:Part Two: A Gift
Gravity:Part Three: Yoga
Gravity:Part Four: The Garden
Gravity:Part Five: The Gathering
Gravity
~Together~
John stood quietly in the open doorway of Elizabeth’s office, knowing that the room’s occupant was very aware of his presence even though she had yet to say anything. He waited for her to breach the silence first, and as he did so, John found himself watching Elizabeth and aching to hold her close.
The dark circles under her eyes worried him, and the tense set of her shoulders spoke volumes. More than any words, the quiet, agitated tap of the stylus on the pad in Elizabeth’s hands said that she was wrestling with whatever was written there. She twisted the chain and gold pendant at her throat anxiously, and there were shadows surrounding Elizabeth that even the warm summer light couldn’t seem to chase away.
“They’re questioning every decision we ever made,” Elizabeth spoke finally and quietly. “That I’ve made,” she amended.
“Let them,” he responded, stepping into the room. “Let them pick over every choice we ever made,” John said as he walked a path over to the white couch and settled himself next to Elizabeth.
“And you know what they’ll find?” He asked her. “That each of those decisions were the right ones for Atlantis and the expedition,” John insisted as he looked into her ocean green eyes. “Each one,” he repeated.
“I’m not so certain,” Elizabeth countered as she rose from the couch and began to pace the open confines of the room.
“I am,” John replied.
Elizabeth stopped, turned to face the man sitting on her office couch. “How can you be so sure, John?”
“Because it’s the truth,” he responded simply.
“The IOA has a way of not letting inconvenient truths get in the way of their judgments,” she answered knowingly. “It won’t matter what the real reasoning was behind the decisions, or even if they were the best choices. All that will matter is what they want to see, and more importantly, what the IOA wants the truth to be.”
She walked back to the couch and handed John the computer pad.
“And the truth is, that they have finally found the technicality that will serve their purposes,” she said, referring to fraternization charge that the IOA was demanding that they both answer in person at the Cheyenne Mountain complex that housed the SGC.
John scanned the computer pad, seeing what Elizabeth meant as he looked over the long list of reports and decisions that the oversight committee wanted to review in regards to the Atlantis expedition. With most of the events, John could see nothing that could even be linked to the proposed charges. What few things listed there that could be related, were long ago made decisions, including his own assignment as the military commander of Atlantis. But he knew that Elizabeth could very well be right in saying that it might not really matter.
“Politics,” John said darkly under his breath.
“We may be stepping through the Gate and not returning to Atlantis, John,” Elizabeth confirmed.
John rose and looked into Elizabeth’s familiar green eyes, his own dark with emotion. “So be it,” he told her sincerely. “It doesn’t change a thing about how I feel. I don’t regret a single moment I’ve had with you. And given the chance again, I know that I would still choose to be with you. You’re everything I need.”
“I would always choose you,” Elizabeth murmured in reply before John kissed her for a tender, brief moment.
“We should go,” she whispered against his lips, gently breaking the warm kiss. John nodded and waited for Elizabeth to retrieve the data pad and her computer before walking out of the office with her. They crossed the walkway and were greeted by an agitated Rodney.
“They’re idiots and this review is the height of useless stupidity,” he said fervently. “I’ve included it all here,” he continued, handing Elizabeth a disc. “And I’ve made certain that the IOA and the SGC know that I’m the best scientist that they have and that I refuse to acknowledge that there is anyone more capable of leading this expedition.”
Teyla placed a gentle hand on the astrophysicist’s shoulder. “I believe what Dr. McKay is trying to say is that we all support you both and look forward to your return.”
“Thank you, Teyla,” Elizabeth replied. “I know Atlantis and the expedition will be well looked after.”
“Keep them all out of trouble while we’re gone,” John added with a grin.
Teyla smiled, “Of course, Colonel.”
“Good luck, Elizabeth,” the Athosian leader offered. “May the Ancients watch over you and see you returned to Atlantis soon.”
Elizabeth nodded in appreciation before ordering the Gate opened. John walked with her down the stairs and stood by her side a moment before the wavering blue event horizon.
“Where I follow, you'll go," John said quietly before giving Elizabeth a small, lop-sided smile.
Elizabeth turned to look into John's warm summer green eyes and answered him with a soft smile before stepping through the Gate…