Fic: Too Late
Title: Too Late
Author:
angelqueen04
Rating: PG
Character(s): Daniel Jackson, Elizabeth Weir, John Sheppard.
Pairing(s): John/Elizabeth, Daniel/Vala, mentions of Daniel/Sha're
Summary: Daniel's view of the events surrounding the Fourth of July social.
Author's Notes:
miera_c's amazing fic, Dance Partners, heavily inspired this little piece. All credit goes to her, not to mention that she was right: this AU has become seriously addictive! ;D
Atlantis' annual Fourth of July social wasn't the total disaster I'd been expecting. The rains that had come down earlier in the day didn't influence the social or fireworks that had been planned for that evening in the weeks leading up to the event. The food and punch were delicious, the music was great.
Vala must have claimed over half of the dances with me, though how she managed to do it I don't really know. Every time I turned around, there she was, grinning saucily at me and holding out her hand. That woman is probably the most self-assured person I have ever met. I have never met someone so confident, so aware of her own beauty and its affects on those around her. Luckily, I was able to get in a few turns about the floor with some other people, so I wasn't completely bound to her the entire time the music was playing. Catherine was obliging enough, as were Janet, Sam, and Elizabeth. Even if Catherine just kept laughing at me whenever I started complaining about Vala's antics. For some reason she thinks there's something between me and Vala, even though I know it's completely ridiculous.
Though, to be honest, my time in dancing with Elizabeth wasn't the most enjoyable dance I've ever had. She'd looked slightly forlorn the entire evening, even when I watched her dance with Jack. Jack's always been good at making Elizabeth laugh, so when he was barely able to get her to crack a full smile, I knew I should probably intervene. Though everyone who knew her could probably figure out why she appeared so upset, I guess I felt like it should be me who should talk to her.
Elizabeth's been a friend ever since Jack first dragged me to Atlantis after Sha're's death. She was from the east, just like I was, and when I made the proposal to really get the school up to date, she was a big supporter, even though she wasn't even on the Town Council at the time. She helped me order textbooks, primers, and all the supplies I needed for the children, even helped me paint and finish up the hastily-put together schoolhouse. While we did that, we struck up a friendship, having a lot in common. I could talk to her about the politics going on back east and not get the glazed look I'd come to expect from Jack. Her presence was a godsend in those early days after I lost Sha're.
Given that she came to mean so much to me, I sort of made it my business to keep an eye out for her, just as any brother would have done for her. It never really seemed necessary, since Elizabeth has always shown that she can take care of herself. The fact that she can stare down people like Kavanaugh and Kinsey without batting an eye is only the icing on the cake in terms of the inner strength she has at her disposal. Still, I did it all the same, and when John Sheppard became somewhat of a permanent fixture in Atlantis, I was glad I had chosen to do so.
Everyone in town sees how close of friends they've become. When I eat dinner at Vala's with Catherine, not a single meal passes without the both of us overhearing one of the gossipy old ladies making some sort of comment. Then, on the occasions that Jack manages to drag me into the saloon for a beer, I still can't escape someone discussing it, and in this case, the comments are nowhere near as... clean as the old ladies at the café. I've nearly punched several people in that saloon on more than one occasion, Kavanaugh included, only to have Jack stop me from losing a fight I have no real hope of winning.
So, when I was finally able to extricate myself from Vala's clutches, I managed to get over to Elizabeth's side just as Carson Beckett was ending a dance with her. As we whirled about the floor at a decent pace, I saw that however much she seemed to be paying attention to what we were talking about, Elizabeth's eyes kept darting about the crowd. It was obvious whom she was looking for.
John Sheppard seemed like a decent enough man, I supposed. He'd saved Atlantis on more than one occasion, and no matter how many times he left on horseback with his rather intimidating partner, he always seemed to be back in town within a month of his departure. Something kept him tied to this place, or rather, someone, and that someone was the woman I had come to think of as the sibling I'd always wanted ever since I was a boy.
What bothered me most about Sheppard was his lifestyle. No matter how goodhearted he appeared to be, he was a gunfighter. No doubt he had more than his share of enemies running around the countryside, and I don't just mean the Wraith gang, though that in itself is bad enough. Anyone close to him would be a target.
The fact that Elizabeth had let him as close as she has still surprised me. She despised violence of all types, and had an especial hatred for guns. So of all the men to capture her attention, it had to be a gunslinger? It's insane.
I did my best to warn her to be careful. I didn't dare be too direct with her about it because I had little desire to make Elizabeth angry at me by implying that she needed me - or anyone else for that matter - to look after her. She and I both know Sheppard would never harm her, not physically at least. Still, I didn't think that Sheppard could give her what she needed. Even now, when he was withholding his presence from her, he was causing her to feel pain.
However, when Sheppard appeared out of nowhere, silently requesting the next dance from Elizabeth, I saw something. The look in the gunfighter's eyes was one of anger, directed at me. It was a look that he held for a moment even as Elizabeth allowed him to lead her into the first steps of the next dance. The man was angry at me. He'd spotted how upset she had become and assumed that it was me who had caused it. That protective anger surprised me, but I didn't wholly disapprove of it.
Vala appeared at that point, and I was forced to focus on her for the rest of the social. I didn't see Elizabeth until I was walking back home. She was standing in front of the store's front doors and she wasn't alone. Sheppard was with her.
I stopped and stayed within the shadows of the bank, watching them. I had a perfect view of both their expressions. I watched as Elizabeth laughed softly at something Sheppard said and shake her head. He grinned down at her in return.
When Elizabeth uttered a good night to him and turned to enter the building, Sheppard caught her hand in his. She stopped and turned to look back at him, a questioning look on her face. Absolute silence reigned as he slowly raised her hand up to place a gentle kiss on her knuckles.
In that moment, when I took in both of their expressions, I saw something that was frighteningly familiar. The look in their eyes as they stared at one another was eerily like the looks Sha're and I had shared so many times before she died in childbirth.
I was too late. I'd waited too long to keep Elizabeth from the possibility of getting her heart broken.
Still, as I watched Elizabeth smile so beautifully at Sheppard, I couldn't feel entirely sorry about it. I don't think I've ever seen her look so happy, so elated.
When she finally vanished into the store and Sheppard started walking down the main street of town, I stared after him.
Take care of her, Sheppard, I thought. Take care of her or no one will stop me from hunting you down. She loves you. Treat her like she deserves to be treated.
Author:
angelqueen04
Rating: PG
Character(s): Daniel Jackson, Elizabeth Weir, John Sheppard.
Pairing(s): John/Elizabeth, Daniel/Vala, mentions of Daniel/Sha're
Summary: Daniel's view of the events surrounding the Fourth of July social.
Author's Notes:
miera_c's amazing fic, Dance Partners, heavily inspired this little piece. All credit goes to her, not to mention that she was right: this AU has become seriously addictive! ;D
Atlantis' annual Fourth of July social wasn't the total disaster I'd been expecting. The rains that had come down earlier in the day didn't influence the social or fireworks that had been planned for that evening in the weeks leading up to the event. The food and punch were delicious, the music was great.
Vala must have claimed over half of the dances with me, though how she managed to do it I don't really know. Every time I turned around, there she was, grinning saucily at me and holding out her hand. That woman is probably the most self-assured person I have ever met. I have never met someone so confident, so aware of her own beauty and its affects on those around her. Luckily, I was able to get in a few turns about the floor with some other people, so I wasn't completely bound to her the entire time the music was playing. Catherine was obliging enough, as were Janet, Sam, and Elizabeth. Even if Catherine just kept laughing at me whenever I started complaining about Vala's antics. For some reason she thinks there's something between me and Vala, even though I know it's completely ridiculous.
Though, to be honest, my time in dancing with Elizabeth wasn't the most enjoyable dance I've ever had. She'd looked slightly forlorn the entire evening, even when I watched her dance with Jack. Jack's always been good at making Elizabeth laugh, so when he was barely able to get her to crack a full smile, I knew I should probably intervene. Though everyone who knew her could probably figure out why she appeared so upset, I guess I felt like it should be me who should talk to her.
Elizabeth's been a friend ever since Jack first dragged me to Atlantis after Sha're's death. She was from the east, just like I was, and when I made the proposal to really get the school up to date, she was a big supporter, even though she wasn't even on the Town Council at the time. She helped me order textbooks, primers, and all the supplies I needed for the children, even helped me paint and finish up the hastily-put together schoolhouse. While we did that, we struck up a friendship, having a lot in common. I could talk to her about the politics going on back east and not get the glazed look I'd come to expect from Jack. Her presence was a godsend in those early days after I lost Sha're.
Given that she came to mean so much to me, I sort of made it my business to keep an eye out for her, just as any brother would have done for her. It never really seemed necessary, since Elizabeth has always shown that she can take care of herself. The fact that she can stare down people like Kavanaugh and Kinsey without batting an eye is only the icing on the cake in terms of the inner strength she has at her disposal. Still, I did it all the same, and when John Sheppard became somewhat of a permanent fixture in Atlantis, I was glad I had chosen to do so.
Everyone in town sees how close of friends they've become. When I eat dinner at Vala's with Catherine, not a single meal passes without the both of us overhearing one of the gossipy old ladies making some sort of comment. Then, on the occasions that Jack manages to drag me into the saloon for a beer, I still can't escape someone discussing it, and in this case, the comments are nowhere near as... clean as the old ladies at the café. I've nearly punched several people in that saloon on more than one occasion, Kavanaugh included, only to have Jack stop me from losing a fight I have no real hope of winning.
So, when I was finally able to extricate myself from Vala's clutches, I managed to get over to Elizabeth's side just as Carson Beckett was ending a dance with her. As we whirled about the floor at a decent pace, I saw that however much she seemed to be paying attention to what we were talking about, Elizabeth's eyes kept darting about the crowd. It was obvious whom she was looking for.
John Sheppard seemed like a decent enough man, I supposed. He'd saved Atlantis on more than one occasion, and no matter how many times he left on horseback with his rather intimidating partner, he always seemed to be back in town within a month of his departure. Something kept him tied to this place, or rather, someone, and that someone was the woman I had come to think of as the sibling I'd always wanted ever since I was a boy.
What bothered me most about Sheppard was his lifestyle. No matter how goodhearted he appeared to be, he was a gunfighter. No doubt he had more than his share of enemies running around the countryside, and I don't just mean the Wraith gang, though that in itself is bad enough. Anyone close to him would be a target.
The fact that Elizabeth had let him as close as she has still surprised me. She despised violence of all types, and had an especial hatred for guns. So of all the men to capture her attention, it had to be a gunslinger? It's insane.
I did my best to warn her to be careful. I didn't dare be too direct with her about it because I had little desire to make Elizabeth angry at me by implying that she needed me - or anyone else for that matter - to look after her. She and I both know Sheppard would never harm her, not physically at least. Still, I didn't think that Sheppard could give her what she needed. Even now, when he was withholding his presence from her, he was causing her to feel pain.
However, when Sheppard appeared out of nowhere, silently requesting the next dance from Elizabeth, I saw something. The look in the gunfighter's eyes was one of anger, directed at me. It was a look that he held for a moment even as Elizabeth allowed him to lead her into the first steps of the next dance. The man was angry at me. He'd spotted how upset she had become and assumed that it was me who had caused it. That protective anger surprised me, but I didn't wholly disapprove of it.
Vala appeared at that point, and I was forced to focus on her for the rest of the social. I didn't see Elizabeth until I was walking back home. She was standing in front of the store's front doors and she wasn't alone. Sheppard was with her.
I stopped and stayed within the shadows of the bank, watching them. I had a perfect view of both their expressions. I watched as Elizabeth laughed softly at something Sheppard said and shake her head. He grinned down at her in return.
When Elizabeth uttered a good night to him and turned to enter the building, Sheppard caught her hand in his. She stopped and turned to look back at him, a questioning look on her face. Absolute silence reigned as he slowly raised her hand up to place a gentle kiss on her knuckles.
In that moment, when I took in both of their expressions, I saw something that was frighteningly familiar. The look in their eyes as they stared at one another was eerily like the looks Sha're and I had shared so many times before she died in childbirth.
I was too late. I'd waited too long to keep Elizabeth from the possibility of getting her heart broken.
Still, as I watched Elizabeth smile so beautifully at Sheppard, I couldn't feel entirely sorry about it. I don't think I've ever seen her look so happy, so elated.
When she finally vanished into the store and Sheppard started walking down the main street of town, I stared after him.
Take care of her, Sheppard, I thought. Take care of her or no one will stop me from hunting you down. She loves you. Treat her like she deserves to be treated.