AN: Hello! It's October 20, and this story is due in two days. My brain is totally fried, I haven't had a hot meal since Monday, and I am not sure when/if I'll ever get out of Northern Alberta once work sends me there. This might be a bit subpar. But still: SPARKY! So it's a win.

Written for Sparktober.

Spoilers: Um…I don't know. I have no idea what this story is going to be about. I'll come back to this later.

Rating: We'll assume PG. I am not very good at sex scenes, and I don't think sitting in this Starbucks waiting for the internet company to call me is going to be, you know, inspiring.

Summary: Things happen, or not, and sometimes it's totally not at all like Vancouver. It rains a lot in Vancouver, for one. But the trees are a constant.


Work in Progress (or, Sparks Fly Upwards)

For the first three days, Elizabeth doesn't think about anything small. Instead she thinks things like "Is everyone going to drown?" and "Who the heck are all these people?" and "Wait, they suck out your life through your chest? What happens if you're a woman and have, you know, obstacles?"

After all that wears off, Elizabeth wonders about things like "Where did I set that bottle of champagne?" and "Why didn't I bring warmer socks?" and "How much space, exactly, did Major Sheppard allot for hair product?"

Mostly, though, she tries to concentrate on the adventure. It doesn't always work.


For the first three months, John goes running in the morning by himself. At first, some of the marines avoid him as much as possible. He supposes that getting one's CO killed on the very first (okay, second, but the two were related) mission isn't exactly a good way to establish one's authority.

After that, Elizabeth joins him. She had mandated some sort of physical training for all civilians, and then discovered that she really didn't want to exercise with any of them until she was in better shape. John had no idea why she'd want to run with him, particularly since his route was quite long, but she did. The first two weeks, she barely held on, but after that, she more than kept up.

Mostly, John hopes she did it for his company; he was the one person who was closest in rank to her, after all. It doesn't always work.


For the first three years, they fool no one. Not even the random aliens who show up for trade negotiations or because Major Telford brought home strays Iagain/I. They act professionally towards one another, but each of them slips in ways that get progressively more and more blatant as the months roll on.

Caldwell sighs a lot, and Teyla laughs. Ronon smirks at training, and Chuck turns a little bit pink every time someone says the words "storage closet". It's entirely possible that Rodney has in fact not noticed, but it's equally likely that he just doesn't care.

Mostly, everyone pretends right alongside them. It doesn't always work.


For the last three minutes, John has thought of nothing. At all. Except for the part where Elizabeth is naked and Iin his bed/I, and even though it's a semi-regular experience, it's still worthy of a moment of pause.

He looks at her, flushed and smiling, and smirks back. He'd been off-world for a week, which would usually be enough, but even though she'd actually been with him this time, the planet they were on had very strict gender separation, and he hasn't been able to touch her in seven days. He's more than ready to touch her now.

Mostly, he acts like he knows exactly how he got here. It doesn't always work.


For the last three seconds, Elizabeth has been feeling things she tries not to think about during IOA briefings.

It doesn't always work.


fin

AN: Um…I think I'm going to try that again.

Gravity_Not_Included, October 20, 2010