Fama Volat, SGA, PG-13
I had this idea in my head for some time, and then the fic sorta wrote itself. I wrote during one day, and it's actually 6 pages long! it's a six pages fluff-fic. heh. ooops
Disclaimer: Not mine. Nope. They belong to TPTB whom we love for creating these characters. Now, let them make babiez goddammit!
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Uhm. After sharing a bowl of popcorn and watching Gone with the Wind, the people of 'Lantis seems to think their superiors are not "just friends".
Athor's Note: All my love and thanx to
sunspawn for the beta.
”No.”
”What?”
”No, you’re not getting in my room dressed like that.”
Doctor Weir gave John a surprised expression. “Are you serious?”
“Yes, Elizabeth. Those are not comfy clothes.”
“I happen to like my jeans.”
“I’m sure you do, they look great.” She crossed her arms, and he realized she was not in the mood for that kind of comment. “But they are not suitable for movie night.”
“So, what now? I go back and you tell Teyla that I wasn’t allowed in because of my jeans?”
“Nah. I probably have a pair of comfy pants you can borrow.” He began to walk back into his room, and she followed.
“John, I’m not wearing your clothes.”
“I have popcorn.” She still looked doubtful. “And tuna sandwiches.”
Okay, so she had to admit that movie night wearing John clothes was more fun. The pants were too big for her, and according to John, they had belonged to some friend of his. He’d once, as a joke, asked if he could get them. He had, and now they were his off-duty pants. After a while of sitting down she’d asked for a warm sweater, and he had given her a hoodie. She looked quite ridiculous. Teyla had even looked quite surprised when John opened the door to let her in. Regretfully, Teyla couldn’t join them, apparently Lieutenant Henderson had began feeling better, and she had to help Carson plan for his physical therapy. They had therefore decided not to see Sound of Music tonight. Instead John had found a German girl who’d brought Gone with the Wind with her and they had sat down for four hours of Scarlet O’Hara and Rhett Butler.
“John, how come you know who has which movie?” He just grinned at her. She decided to eat some popcorn and enjoy the movie instead.
It had been a wonderful evening Elizabeth had to admit. She and John had finally found some time to sit down, relax and talk about other stuff than Atlantis and their work here. But due to their conversation, and therefore having to go back in the movie, and it already being four hours long, it was very late when they finally got out of the couch, and Elizabeth had to go back to her own quarters.
“Oh God, don’t I just love that movie.” Elizabeth smiled at John. “Oh Ashley, Ashley!” she imitated Scarlet. “Did you know I wrote an essay on the character of Scarlet O’Hara in high school?”
“You did?” They stood up and John took the DVD disk out of the computer.
“Yes. Read the book and everything.” He gave her a smile, before being unable to hide a yawn. Seeing this, Elizabeth had to yawn too.
“Guh. It really is late,” John stated.
“It is. I’d better change and get back.” She grabbed her own clothes, neatly folded on the bed. John waved her off.
“Change in your quarters and give them back to me tomorrow.”
“Sure?” He looked down at the woman standing in front of him. Man, was she cute wearing those way too big clothes, her hair all messy and her eyes sleepy. He smiled.
“Sure.” Seeing his smile, Elizabeth wondered what he was thinking. Instead of asking, she smiled back at him.
“Okay, see you in the morning then, John.” She stepped out of his quarters and began walking down the corridor.
“See you, Lizzie,” he called after her.
Lizzie? The word echoed in her head. Since when was she Lizzie for him? They had been John and Elizabeth almost from the start, but Lizzie? But she had to admit, it had made her heart skip a beat. Her heart skipped a beat again when the girl from the cafeteria came around the corner, giving her a start.
“Good… night, I suppose, Doctor Weir.” The brunette smiled.
“Good night Sabina,” Weir greeted before they passed each other. Elizabeth didn’t pay the girl too much attention though, instead she went back to the thought of John and Lizzie. She smiled to herself. It was only in these late hours she allowed herself to be glad about these kind of things. In the morning, she would be Elizabeth again. But just for now, it was Lizzie who entered her quarters, got out of his clothes and even allowed herself to inhale the scent of him before folding the shirt and place it her desk. She would have to return them tomorrow, she knew. Tomorrow, I’ll go to Tara and find a way to get him back, echoed in her head as se crawled into bed, still smiling to herself.
*
The first thing that told something wasn’t right, was when Zelenka smiled broadly as she said she had to leave for a meeting. Well he only raised his eyebrows when she mentioned the meeting, but when he had inquired about whom she was meeting, and she’d answered that it was Colonel Shepperd, that’s when he’d smiled. She gave him a questioning look, before leaving for her meeting.
John was waiting in her office.
“Did you get home safely? No Wraith trying to rob you, or Genii trying to sell you any pills?” She just shook her head at him.
“No, but thank you for your concern.”
“Your welcome. Pick up my clothes later?” He winked at her as he sat down by her desk, facing her. She placed her computer on the desk, and smiled at him from the corner of her mouth.
“Sounds like a smart idea. Shall we begin?” They went through the usual stuff: how much food did they have stored, did the infirmary have everything they needed, how was the staff doing, and so on. It took some time, and she was late for her update with Rodney. He had apparently found something “very interesting”. Knowing Rodney, it probably wasn’t that important, but it was her job to see it anyway. Once again, she got the feeling something was going on. Rodney made some sort of comment about her being late. She explained that it had taken longer than anticipated. To which he smiled. God damn it what was it with these smiles today?
*
John was having an equally strange day. People had been smiling and winking in is direction, and when he had exited Doctor Weir’s office, he was sure someone had made a joke about the see-through glass. He looked around to see who it was, but once again he was greeted by knowing smiles. What was it every one seemed to have so much fun about?
It was Carson that told Elizabeth. And Rodney who told John. She’d gone to the infirmary to get some painkillers, her headache was driving her nuts.
“Have you been eating properly, love?”
“Yes I have. The problem is too little water. Now, a painkiller please.”
Carson sighed. “Well, maybe if you slept during the nights you would feel better, eh?” Then he smiled.
Elizabeth quickly turned to the doctor. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
The smile faded. “Uhm…”
“Carson!” He seemed to actually squirm under her angry gaze.
“Well, love… I know it’s probably not true…”
“What?”
“Well you see… there is this rumour… ” Now Elizabeth’s arms were crossed over her chest, she was standing in front of the doctor, her facial expression letting him know all of her anger. To urge him to go on, she used the eyebrow. “About you and Colonel Sheppard. And a date yesterday.” He blurted out. She didn’t know what to respond. Instead of angry, she was now shocked. What? What?
“A date!?” Her angry voice made the two nurses who were standing over at one of the computers look up at her. She looked back at them, and they quickly pretended to be very busy. Elizabeth looked around her, raised one her arms as if starting to say something, she even opened her mouth, closed it, folded her arms again, unfolded them, took a step away from Carson, folded her arms again.
“Is that… Is that was everyone is thinking?” Carson tilted his head.
“This place is like a little town in a desert, rumours fly.”
“Fama volat,” Elizabeth sighed.
“Huh?”
“Nothing. Carson, it was not a date. Teyla was invited too!”
“I know, love. But people… well…”
“God.” Seeing her apparently devastated by this, Carson didn’t really know what to do.
“Let them talk for a while. It’ll pass.” She looked at him. It’ll pass. Yes, it will pass. Until we do something like this again. She remembered the gossip that had emerged after she’d hugged him. Or after the kiss…
Rodney was in the control room, fiddling with something when John passed by. Since he hadn’t talked to the scientist during entire day, and since the scientist had some new exciting stuff going on and John was bored, he figured he could always say hi.
“Hi Rodney, what’s up?” Rodney looked up from the computer.
“Uhm. I’m trying to get the base to use less energy from the ZPM, to put it simply.”
“Okay.” John sat down on his desk. “Going well?” Rodney shook his head and sighed.
“How do you think it’s going?” John tilted his head and smiled at him.
“I’m sure you can fix it. Lunch?”
“What, Elizabeth’s busy?” Rodney asked from under the table where he and his computer had disappeared. John stood up and walked over to Rodney.
“Elizabeth’s busy?”
“Yeah.” When John didn’t respond, Rodney continued, “Come on, don’t play innocent. I’ve heard about your date.”
“Our date?” Something must’ve gone wrong under the table, or control board or whatever it was, because there was sparks and Rodney going “Crap” before continuing.
“The entire base is talking about it. When did you have time to ask for a date?” A date? John’s mind was panicking. Shit, what that was people were thinking? Was that the reason behind all the looks? Did Elizabeth know about this rumour?
“Uhm…” And with that John left the room. He had to find Elizabeth.
“Colonel?” Rodney looked up only to see the other man leave.
She was sitting in her office. He hadn’t wanted to call her over the radio, instead he’d gone directly here, knowing it to be the logical place for her to be.
“John.” She looked up at him. She looked tired. He guessed it was because of that the headache she’d been talking about earlier. Or she knew.
“Elizabeth.” She rubbed her forehead, shut the lid of the laptop and rose. She walked around the table and up to him. Seeing her serious face, John was now certain she knew.
“Uhm…” She looked down, before inhaling and looking up at him. “There is a rumour going on about us.” What else is new? John thought, but decided that wasn’t the smartest answer.
“I know. That’s why I came to see you.” Their eyes met. Even this tired, and upset, he easily drowned in those eyes. He remembered yesterday when they had shone as she laughed, or becoming filled with tears as Bunny died. He had to look away to be able to continue. “I guess we will just have to wait this one out.” She sighed, and he looked back at her. She was shaking her head.
“God, this is so annoying.” She looked up at him. “Why do they think this? I mean Teyla was invited! No matter how much I like the woman, she would not be allowed to come along on my date!” This was a moment when he could have smiled. But he didn’t. Instead he looked like a boy who’d been caught with his hands in the cookie jar. Seeing this, Elizabeth looked at him thoughtfully.
“John?” He inhaled. “Is there something I should know?” She slowly stepped away from him, and when he saw her folding her arms, making them the Crossed Arms of Doom, he knew he was in trouble. Damn it. For a moment he thought about not saying anything, but then he realised that she would find out eventually, and then he would be in even more trouble.
“I… uhm…” She raised her eyebrow. He swallowed. “You know those tuna sandwiches?” This surprised her slightly, but she urged him to go on. “Well… the girl in the cafeteria didn’t really want to give them to me at first.” He looked at the stargate, mentally hoping for an unscheduled off-world activation, but when none came, he had to continue. “And I told her I had a date.”
He was sure time had stopped. As in slow- motion he saw her upset expression give away for surprise, and then settle for anger.
“That. Was. Not. Very. Smart.” She hissed at him.
“I know! But like you said, Teyla was coming along and I-”
“And you allowed me to go to my room in your clothes!”
“Well I-”
“And guess who I met? That’s right. Sabina from the cafeteria.” Okay, now John really wanted to disappear. “Hey, I’d been spreading rumours if I’d been told some one had a date and then finding another person in that person’s clothes!” She looked as if she wanted to hit him, and he was suddenly thankful for the see-through glass that prevented her from doing something without there being a bunch of witnesses. Then she turned away from him, and stood by the window, looking down the gate room. He slowly walked up behind her, though not too close.
“I…”
“John. Get out of my office.” She turned to face him, and in her eyes he saw anger… and sorrow? Confused, he backed out.
“I… didn’t know you’d be this upset. I’m sorry, Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth. There it was again. Well, at least it wasn’t Doctor Weir. But it wasn’t Lizzie either. Occasionally she was Lizbeth, but that was generally when he was in a hurry. Like when he was coming through the gate with Wraith chasing him, or when on his way to do something fun, and didn’t have time to say her full name. She looked down the gate room. A few soldiers patrolled there, looking slightly bored. She bit her lower lip, and suddenly a wave of sadness rolled over her. She had to bit her lip hard to prevent herself from crying. Why was this affecting her so much? Why did she care about some gossiping cafeteria girl creating a rumour that was based on nothing? She looked at the reflection of the urn John had given her for birthday present, and she realised why.
She wanted the rumour to be true.
*
It was past midnight when Elizabeth finally stopped procrastinating it. She had read three scientists’ reports on their latest mission, made four cups of tea, changed sheets on her bed and given her flowers some much needed water. And during that whole time, the thought of going to John and return his clothes had been on her mind. And at 0012, she took the neatly folded pile, and made her journey over to his place.
As the door opened, Elizabeth’s heart couldn’t stop pounding. Gosh, was he adorable. He was dressed in a black t-shirt and…
“I thought you didn’t like jeans?” He looked at her.
“Hi to you too.” She looked up at him.
“Oh I’m sorry. Hi. I uhm... I’m here to return your clothes.” She handed them to him. Taking them, he blinked trying to grasp the situation. “I hope I didn’t wake you or anything.”
“Uh. No, I was…” He swallowed. “No, I was awake.” He looked at her. She was wearing her red shirt, as usual, and her working pants. There was an awkward moment of silence.
“John I-”
“Would you li-?” She looked at him, making him the one who had to finish his sentence. “- like to come in?” She smiled, and he felt like the king of the world.
“Yeah.” They walked in, and he put the clothes on his desk.
“So, what were you trying to tell me?”
“That I’m sorry for my behaviour earlier. I shouldn’t have been that angry.” He was leaning against the desk, and she came up to join him, standing just beside him. He looked down at her.
“Apology accepted. As I hope you accept mine.” She smiled at him.
“Of course.” They gazed out into the darkness of the room. Suddenly, he squeezed her hand. Elizabeth stiffened, but didn’t move. And her heart that had settled down, began pounding again. How could he affect her so easily? Having to do something she turned her palm up, so that their palms were meeting, entwined her fingers with his and gave him a gentle squeeze. Her entire world had disappeared, the only thing existing was the feeling of John’s hand in hers, or hers in his, or whatever. They still weren’t facing each other. A minute passed. Or ten seconds. Or ten minutes. Then:
“Lizzie…” She exhaled a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding and looked at him, unshed tears of relief in her eyes. This sudden movement made him forget what he was going to say, but that was fine with him because… he was looking at the most beautiful woman ever. But was she crying?
“What’s wrong?” Darn, he’d never been good at this. She sobbed, still not crying but very close. And he let go of her hand and instead drew her close to him. “What’s wrong?” He asked, whispering in her ear, one of his hands entwining with her hair, the other one holding her close.
“I…” she sobbed, that heart wrecking sob that was mixed with unshed tears, tears she didn’t allow herself to shed. She hugged him, as if holding on for her life. And in a way she was, because he had become her life, become the one she trusted, the one she needed. And having him so close felt so good.
“John,” she whispered, looking up at him. They both knew were they were standing. At a crossroads. Either they could pull away, and this could just be friends comforting each other, or it could be more. “John.” Still a whisper, but this time more urging, more pleading. And he chose for them. Closing the little space that was between them, let his lips brush over hers. He was scared, scared out of his mind about where this was going. And yet he knew, that ever since that kiss that he had been forced into, he had wondered what it would be like to kiss her, freely. And as one of her hands reached up and pulled his head closer, deepening the kiss, he knew. He drew her body closer to him, not wanting there to be any space between them, not wanting to be separated in any way from the wonderful woman that was Elizabeth. And she was kissing him. Elizabeth clung to John. She had to, her knees were all weak. The kiss was first searching and slow, but soon became needing and passionate. He began caressing her, and moving his kisses away from her mouth, down her neck. She sighed happily.
“Oh god, John.” He stopped his exploration of her neck, and instead looked her in the eyes. She reached up ad took his head between her hands. They looked at each other for a long time, both reflecting joy and passion, but also darker emotions. And as John kissed her gently, Lizzie began to cry. Slow, silent tears were trickling down her cheeks. The kiss tasted of salt, salt from them both as John was unable to prevent his tears to fall. And together they cried, for all the things that was behind them, both the good and the bad, the joy and the sorrows, or friends lost and found. And in the end, of pure exhaustion after a long search for someone to call one’s own.
Fin.