Back To School
Title: Back To School
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Mckay/Weir
Warning: Doesn't really go anywhere.
Spoilers: None.
Summery: Rodney and Elizabeth argue.
Notes: Mostly for million_moments because she'll get all the references. Part Three after The Library and Young Adult.
The argument was still echoing around in her mind as she slid a Star Wars novel onto a shelf. She still wasn’t sure whether they should be putting in Star Wars novels in with the regular, original sci-fi but Carson and Radek had been very vocal on the merits of Star Wars novels and their importance in the grand scheme of things.
The grand scheme of Star Wars things at least, something she hadn’t understood at all until just recently. Rodney had sat her down to watch the films for the first time just last week. She had enjoyed then and now she wasn’t the only person in the world who hadn’t seen Star Wars. Not that it really changed her life much in the long run but Carson seemed a little happier with this, though she wasn’t sure she was ready to read…she looked a the book she’d just shelved, The Courtship Of Princess Leia, just yet.
And all these thoughts about Star Wars and sci-fi weren’t really helping her forget about the sharp words she and Rodney had shared the night before.
She wore it badly, the argument and minor agony that came with it. It was etched on her face, in her body language. Both John and Carson had spent the morning asking her if she was okay. John had pulled her into the back room twice for a little chat but she really didn’t want to talk about it. What was she going to say? She and her new boyfriend had had their first argument and she’d been to blame? The one to push too far?
She was having a hard enough time admitting it to herself right now. It wasn’t life or death, she just needed a little time to assess the situation and decide how to fix her mistakes.
Asses the situation?
She was librarian not some sort of military commander. Her own book was starting to get into her head. In the past four months she’d created a whole world in her head and on paper set in the lost city of Atlantis and was well on the way to having it set out in size twelve font. She’d had no idea she was capable of something so imaginative or complex but Rodney had been great for both her ego and motivation and an endless source of information, answering all her random questions quickly and patiently.
She’d called him a moron.
She wished she had a radio to distract her, Star Wars made her think of Rodney, Atlantis made her think of Rodney, the Young Adult section made her blush and thinking about Rodney made her miserable because she’d been horrible.
And he could be so annoying and stubborn and she pushed the trolley of books out of the sci-fi section with anger, a couple of the books dropping to the floor and being abandoned.
She pushed it back behind the desk, leaving it with Carson and heading into the back room, surrounding herself with more returns, new books yet to be labelled and other library junk that had yet to find a place. She could never seem to get it all organised. Every time she straightened it up John brought in another box of new books or Carson dropped another return in.
Settling onto the sofa they had stuffed in there she closed her eyes and thought about dinner last night. Dinner had been great, there had been wine, a little kissing and promise of something more but had ended with him walking out and slamming her door so hard she had been afraid it was going to come off the hinges. He’d acted like a petulant child, a surly teenager but she had pushed him into it.
She’d called him a fucking moron.
Not her finest moment she had to admit. She never swore. Never. No one had ever made her feel that angry or annoyed or amazing. No one had made her feel like Rodney did and no one had made her this miserable.
It was her own fault.
And that was it, she could admit she had been in the wrong, she could take responsibility for it but she wasn’t sure what she could do to make things better between them.
Sorting books was far easier.
Through the open door she saw John return from lunch, climbing over the counter, Ronan watching, before collapsing into a chair and pushing himself across the floor and out of her view. She pushed herself up off the battered green sofa and walked out into the library.
“I’m taking the afternoon off.” She said, grabbing her coat from the hook and pulling it on. She could feel their eyes following her movements and imagined shocked faces. When she turned to see she wasn’t disappointed.
“Is everything okay Elizabeth?” Carson asked.
“Fine, I just have a few errands to run.”
“Errands?” John looked at her with disbelief.
“Yes,” she checked her pockets for her keys and phone, “I’ll see you all tomorrow.” She started to leave the library.
“I’ll lock up then?”
“Please.” She didn’t turn back to look at him or wave, she just kept walking and could hear the conversation start up before she’d even opened the main door, Ronan’s voice drifting out into the open ahead of her.
“I thought you said she was a workaholic?”
*****
She hadn’t been inside the high school since she’d been a student there herself. She parked up a street away and walked up and onto the school grounds, watching the kids milling around.
She didn’t miss high school.
She hadn’t been Miss Popular and she hadn’t been bullied or friendless, she’d just found the entire experience boring. College had been far more interesting and enlightening.
She walked up to the main entrance and looked around, wondering if the physics labs and teachers lounge were still in the same places or if she should ask someone to point her in the right direction. Or any direction. Looking around at some of the students and seeing a face or two that looked like the people she’d recently turned away for the position at the library she decided against it and headed off in the direction she remembered taking physics classes in.
She turned down a corridor that had a lot of doors with numbers on them but no laboratories like she remembered. The bell rang and she was suddenly surrounded by students, criss-crossing the halls and walking around her as if she wasn’t there. Feeling overwhelmed she stayed on the spot and was surprised to see a familiar face heading her way.
“It’s Elizabeth isn’t it?” The young woman said, once she had reached her in the centre of the corridor.
“Yes, hello.”
“Teyla.”
“Of course.” She remembered her now, the week she had first joined the library had been the same week she and Rodney had first gone out. “I’m looking for Rodney McKay. This used to be the science block.”
“This is now the English department.” Teyla smiled, “I’ll take you over to the new science building, I’m sure he’ll be over there somewhere.”
“Thank you.”
Weaving through the students that dawdled and wandered to their next class, Elizabeth followed Teyla through the main building and out into a courtyard that was brand new to her but looked as though it had weather a decade. They crossed it on a path and went into a another building.
“Rodney teaches in S07.” Teyla said turning to smile again, “though he wasn’t in a pleasant mood this morning,” she added, “it might be best to avoid him like the rest of the faculty are.”
“It’s my fault he’s in a bad mood.” Teyla didn’t respond and continued to lead her through the new building.
They came to a stop outside S07 and she looked through the small gap in the blinds to see Rodney sat at his desk marking papers, the rest of the desks empty of students.
“You’re in luck Elizabeth.”
“Thank you very much.” She smiled at the other woman and waited until she had walked away before knocking on the classroom door.
“Come.” The word was more of an annoyed sigh and Elizabeth walked into the room and shut the door behind her.
“Can we talk?” He looked up from his papers, face a picture of surprise. Miserable surprise. Her guilt went up a notch.
“Elizabeth, what are you doing here?”
She walked up to his desk and leant back on one of the desks opposite him.
“I came to apologise.”
“Oh.”
There was that awkward silence she had come to hate and she realised she needed to say more. Explain further.
Actually say sorry.
“I didn’t mean to push you so hard Rodney,” she said, “if you don’t want to contact your sister then that’s your decision.” He didn’t reply so she carried on. “And I shouldn’t have called you a moron when you are anything but.” She looked carefully at his face, waiting for a reaction. She hadn’t seen him so expressionless.
“I’ve been called worse.” He smiled and stood up, walking round his own desk. “You look awful, this really got to you didn’t it? Upsetting me?” She nodded, afraid suddenly to speak. “It’s okay, I’m sorry too.”
“What for?”
“Reacting so badly.” She could see how hard it was for him to apologise and saw how badly the argument had effected him too. For one little argument about his sister they both looked like they’d been through the wringer. It was ridiculous that he could make her feel that bad, it was worth it though. He made her feel just as good. He gritted his teeth a little, unable to make eyes contact. “It’s a sensitive subject.”
“You can talk to me Rodney.”
“Jeanie tired to contact me a while ago, saying she’d be away for a while. I didn’t answer her calls and now she’s off the radar completely.” He relaxed once the words were out of his mouth. “I have no idea where she is or what she’s doing and it’s her birthday next week.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this last night.?”
“Because it’s hard to talk about.”
“You told me she worked on some classified projects in the past and for the Russian government. She may have been seconded to Area 51 or something.”
“I know.”
“Are you worried about her?”
“I don’t know.” He’d closed down again, she’d come to recognise it in him, when he was unwilling to talk about anything too emotional he shut down, shut her out. She had hopes for a long term future to this thing between them, and hoped he wouldn’t always shut out like this. Looking around quickly, like she would in the library to check they were alone, she stood and leant forward to kiss him on the lips.
“Do you want to make it up to me tonight?” He asked, the smug look returned to his face and she immediately felt better. There was the Rodney she knew….and loved?
“How about now?” She offered, grinning but a definite, serious look in her eyes.
“No way.” He said, holding his hands out to stop her from getting any closer. “Jack would kill me.”
“Jack.”
“O’Neill. The principle.”
“Oh.” She tried to kiss him again but he pushed her away. She pouted.
“No Elizabeth. I’m not stupid.”
“We did it in the library.” He sighed and lowered his hands, letting go of her.
“Go lock the door.”
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Mckay/Weir
Warning: Doesn't really go anywhere.
Spoilers: None.
Summery: Rodney and Elizabeth argue.
Notes: Mostly for million_moments because she'll get all the references. Part Three after The Library and Young Adult.
The argument was still echoing around in her mind as she slid a Star Wars novel onto a shelf. She still wasn’t sure whether they should be putting in Star Wars novels in with the regular, original sci-fi but Carson and Radek had been very vocal on the merits of Star Wars novels and their importance in the grand scheme of things.
The grand scheme of Star Wars things at least, something she hadn’t understood at all until just recently. Rodney had sat her down to watch the films for the first time just last week. She had enjoyed then and now she wasn’t the only person in the world who hadn’t seen Star Wars. Not that it really changed her life much in the long run but Carson seemed a little happier with this, though she wasn’t sure she was ready to read…she looked a the book she’d just shelved, The Courtship Of Princess Leia, just yet.
And all these thoughts about Star Wars and sci-fi weren’t really helping her forget about the sharp words she and Rodney had shared the night before.
She wore it badly, the argument and minor agony that came with it. It was etched on her face, in her body language. Both John and Carson had spent the morning asking her if she was okay. John had pulled her into the back room twice for a little chat but she really didn’t want to talk about it. What was she going to say? She and her new boyfriend had had their first argument and she’d been to blame? The one to push too far?
She was having a hard enough time admitting it to herself right now. It wasn’t life or death, she just needed a little time to assess the situation and decide how to fix her mistakes.
Asses the situation?
She was librarian not some sort of military commander. Her own book was starting to get into her head. In the past four months she’d created a whole world in her head and on paper set in the lost city of Atlantis and was well on the way to having it set out in size twelve font. She’d had no idea she was capable of something so imaginative or complex but Rodney had been great for both her ego and motivation and an endless source of information, answering all her random questions quickly and patiently.
She’d called him a moron.
She wished she had a radio to distract her, Star Wars made her think of Rodney, Atlantis made her think of Rodney, the Young Adult section made her blush and thinking about Rodney made her miserable because she’d been horrible.
And he could be so annoying and stubborn and she pushed the trolley of books out of the sci-fi section with anger, a couple of the books dropping to the floor and being abandoned.
She pushed it back behind the desk, leaving it with Carson and heading into the back room, surrounding herself with more returns, new books yet to be labelled and other library junk that had yet to find a place. She could never seem to get it all organised. Every time she straightened it up John brought in another box of new books or Carson dropped another return in.
Settling onto the sofa they had stuffed in there she closed her eyes and thought about dinner last night. Dinner had been great, there had been wine, a little kissing and promise of something more but had ended with him walking out and slamming her door so hard she had been afraid it was going to come off the hinges. He’d acted like a petulant child, a surly teenager but she had pushed him into it.
She’d called him a fucking moron.
Not her finest moment she had to admit. She never swore. Never. No one had ever made her feel that angry or annoyed or amazing. No one had made her feel like Rodney did and no one had made her this miserable.
It was her own fault.
And that was it, she could admit she had been in the wrong, she could take responsibility for it but she wasn’t sure what she could do to make things better between them.
Sorting books was far easier.
Through the open door she saw John return from lunch, climbing over the counter, Ronan watching, before collapsing into a chair and pushing himself across the floor and out of her view. She pushed herself up off the battered green sofa and walked out into the library.
“I’m taking the afternoon off.” She said, grabbing her coat from the hook and pulling it on. She could feel their eyes following her movements and imagined shocked faces. When she turned to see she wasn’t disappointed.
“Is everything okay Elizabeth?” Carson asked.
“Fine, I just have a few errands to run.”
“Errands?” John looked at her with disbelief.
“Yes,” she checked her pockets for her keys and phone, “I’ll see you all tomorrow.” She started to leave the library.
“I’ll lock up then?”
“Please.” She didn’t turn back to look at him or wave, she just kept walking and could hear the conversation start up before she’d even opened the main door, Ronan’s voice drifting out into the open ahead of her.
“I thought you said she was a workaholic?”
*****
She hadn’t been inside the high school since she’d been a student there herself. She parked up a street away and walked up and onto the school grounds, watching the kids milling around.
She didn’t miss high school.
She hadn’t been Miss Popular and she hadn’t been bullied or friendless, she’d just found the entire experience boring. College had been far more interesting and enlightening.
She walked up to the main entrance and looked around, wondering if the physics labs and teachers lounge were still in the same places or if she should ask someone to point her in the right direction. Or any direction. Looking around at some of the students and seeing a face or two that looked like the people she’d recently turned away for the position at the library she decided against it and headed off in the direction she remembered taking physics classes in.
She turned down a corridor that had a lot of doors with numbers on them but no laboratories like she remembered. The bell rang and she was suddenly surrounded by students, criss-crossing the halls and walking around her as if she wasn’t there. Feeling overwhelmed she stayed on the spot and was surprised to see a familiar face heading her way.
“It’s Elizabeth isn’t it?” The young woman said, once she had reached her in the centre of the corridor.
“Yes, hello.”
“Teyla.”
“Of course.” She remembered her now, the week she had first joined the library had been the same week she and Rodney had first gone out. “I’m looking for Rodney McKay. This used to be the science block.”
“This is now the English department.” Teyla smiled, “I’ll take you over to the new science building, I’m sure he’ll be over there somewhere.”
“Thank you.”
Weaving through the students that dawdled and wandered to their next class, Elizabeth followed Teyla through the main building and out into a courtyard that was brand new to her but looked as though it had weather a decade. They crossed it on a path and went into a another building.
“Rodney teaches in S07.” Teyla said turning to smile again, “though he wasn’t in a pleasant mood this morning,” she added, “it might be best to avoid him like the rest of the faculty are.”
“It’s my fault he’s in a bad mood.” Teyla didn’t respond and continued to lead her through the new building.
They came to a stop outside S07 and she looked through the small gap in the blinds to see Rodney sat at his desk marking papers, the rest of the desks empty of students.
“You’re in luck Elizabeth.”
“Thank you very much.” She smiled at the other woman and waited until she had walked away before knocking on the classroom door.
“Come.” The word was more of an annoyed sigh and Elizabeth walked into the room and shut the door behind her.
“Can we talk?” He looked up from his papers, face a picture of surprise. Miserable surprise. Her guilt went up a notch.
“Elizabeth, what are you doing here?”
She walked up to his desk and leant back on one of the desks opposite him.
“I came to apologise.”
“Oh.”
There was that awkward silence she had come to hate and she realised she needed to say more. Explain further.
Actually say sorry.
“I didn’t mean to push you so hard Rodney,” she said, “if you don’t want to contact your sister then that’s your decision.” He didn’t reply so she carried on. “And I shouldn’t have called you a moron when you are anything but.” She looked carefully at his face, waiting for a reaction. She hadn’t seen him so expressionless.
“I’ve been called worse.” He smiled and stood up, walking round his own desk. “You look awful, this really got to you didn’t it? Upsetting me?” She nodded, afraid suddenly to speak. “It’s okay, I’m sorry too.”
“What for?”
“Reacting so badly.” She could see how hard it was for him to apologise and saw how badly the argument had effected him too. For one little argument about his sister they both looked like they’d been through the wringer. It was ridiculous that he could make her feel that bad, it was worth it though. He made her feel just as good. He gritted his teeth a little, unable to make eyes contact. “It’s a sensitive subject.”
“You can talk to me Rodney.”
“Jeanie tired to contact me a while ago, saying she’d be away for a while. I didn’t answer her calls and now she’s off the radar completely.” He relaxed once the words were out of his mouth. “I have no idea where she is or what she’s doing and it’s her birthday next week.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this last night.?”
“Because it’s hard to talk about.”
“You told me she worked on some classified projects in the past and for the Russian government. She may have been seconded to Area 51 or something.”
“I know.”
“Are you worried about her?”
“I don’t know.” He’d closed down again, she’d come to recognise it in him, when he was unwilling to talk about anything too emotional he shut down, shut her out. She had hopes for a long term future to this thing between them, and hoped he wouldn’t always shut out like this. Looking around quickly, like she would in the library to check they were alone, she stood and leant forward to kiss him on the lips.
“Do you want to make it up to me tonight?” He asked, the smug look returned to his face and she immediately felt better. There was the Rodney she knew….and loved?
“How about now?” She offered, grinning but a definite, serious look in her eyes.
“No way.” He said, holding his hands out to stop her from getting any closer. “Jack would kill me.”
“Jack.”
“O’Neill. The principle.”
“Oh.” She tried to kiss him again but he pushed her away. She pouted.
“No Elizabeth. I’m not stupid.”
“We did it in the library.” He sighed and lowered his hands, letting go of her.
“Go lock the door.”