Title: Drunk on Love or Good Wine
Author: CptnSuz
Rating: K –for cuteness
Summary: What if the SGC didn't call when the formers leaders of Atlantis were at dinner? What if they really were home for good? Shameless McWeir fluff. Minor spoilers Return pt1.
Spoilerage: (minor) The Return pt1
Disclaimer: I make no claims of ownership on Stargate Atlantis or its characters. No infringements intended.
"Elizabeth."
"Rodney."
The diplomat crossed her arms and looked around trying to figure out what the scientist was doing, standing in the restaurant parking lot.
"Didn't you get a ride here with John?" she nagged. It was so easy to fall into old patterns with the guys around. 'The guys,' she thought. How banal that sounded.
"Oh," Rodney answered distractedly, "I told him I'd catch a cab back to the base."
Night breezes tickled her neck with tendrils of her own hair. She wished she was staying on base. No, she didn't. It would only remind her of the part of her life she'd left behind –she wouldn't get another chance at that…
"I miss the stars," Rodney spoke abruptly.
"Sorry?"
"I said I miss the stars."
"But surely you can see the stars in Nevada? You can see them even better here in Colorado than I can in Washington."
"I meant our stars, our night sky."
"Oh."
The conversation died again.
"Would you like to go for a walk?"
It sounded so odd coming from Rodney that Elizabeth had to look at him to believe he'd actually said it. But there he stood, looking at her expectantly.
She smiled slightly, "Why not?"
Later
"Do you miss it?" he asked later as they strolled along the lakeside path.
"We aren't supposed to talk about that, Rodney."
"Oh, come on, Elizabeth. It's not like anyone would bug the whole park."
When she still seemed reluctant, he added, "Just use generalities."
"Fine, yes, I miss it."
Silence prevailed again.
Elizabeth's feet were beginning to ache, unaccustomed to wearing dress shoes again. She stopped at the next bench and sat down. Rodney ambled over and joined her.
"What are you thinking about?" she asked reflexively, as she slid her feet from their confines and ran them through the cool grass.
"Ah, I'm not sure if I miss the place or the people more."
"Your sycophants aren't good company?" she teased.
"Oh, and mental note to thank Sheppard for sharing that –no, they are not good company. It's like…always hearing myself echo. No one ever says no."
"You miss being shut down then? I'm surprised to hear that."
"I didn't say that…" Rodney piped up.
"Really?"
Awkward silence regained its rule.
"It's getting cool out here." Elizabeth rubbed her arms. Rodney grunted in reply. She elbowed him gently in the ribs. "That's your cue to offer me your jacket."
"Oh, right." The scientist divested himself of his outer garment and laid it clumsily around her shoulders.
"Thank you."
Being Rodney he snarked, "Of course now I'll be cold."
"No, you won't." Elizabeth leaned against his shoulder.
"While I appreciate the gesture, my shoulder is not particularly cold and that is only going to make it fall asleep."
"You really are bad at this."
"What? Bad at what?" Suddenly his voice went very serious. "Elizabeth, are you flirting with me?"
The combination of question and questioner evoked a giggle from Elizabeth.
Rodney was studying her intently now, waiting for an answer. "Are you? Because I didn't think you drank that much at dinner. But if you're feeling that, you should probably go back to your hotel. We're probably not even supposed to be in the park this late anyway – they have closing times, and…"
She cut in before he could continue, "Rodney."
"Yes?"
"I don't know."
"Oh…"
Kurrr-pft-pft-pft-pft-pft-pft-pft-pft-pft-pft
"…no."
Kurrr-pft-pft-pft-pft-pft-pft-pft-pft-pft-pft.
Later
"And you would pick the nicest hotel in town! So that all the staff could stare at us when we walk through the lobby dripping wet!"
"Quiet!" Elizabeth shushed. She playfully whapped him with his own soaked jacket as they made their way to the elevators. "I can spend my money how I like."
Something strange had come over them after that first cringe-worthy blast from the park sprinklers. They had run hand-in-hand for the nearest area out of range, then run back to the bench for her shoes, and returned in a mutual fit of laughter. All the giggling made it difficult to call a cab, and the driver that eventually picked them up made some comment about them being "drunk on love or good wine."
Elizabeth certainly did feel all jazzed up as she slipped the keycard from the door and walked into her room. She half-expected Rodney to follow her in, but turned a moment later to see him still standing in the door, the dorky grin slowly draining from his face.
"What's the matter?" She stepped back towards him.
"Are you sure you'll be alright?" he asked with sober voice and concerned face, reaching to hold her hands in his. "You're not going to fall down and give yourself a concussion?"
"I'm fine, Rodney, really."
"Alright then," He quickly pulled her forward and kissed her on the cheek, "Goodnight, Elizabeth."
Pure shock froze her. Mentally Elizabeth replayed the scene a dozen times before she moved a hair. For someone who took some pride in her decision-making abilities, she was having a heck of a time reacting to this situation.
She took a step back into the room and let the door swing shut. Had it all been a dream? Some momentary hallucination? A delayed onset of post-traumatic stress?
Elizabeth was running all manner of thoughts through her head when she saw the jacket still dripping over the back of the chair, and heard the knock on the door.
AN: Thanks to Asdeed for beta-ing! And sorry to any readers of 'Every Time She Falls.' I have the worst case of writer's block on that next chapter of that. This unrelated fluff has been floating around so persistently in my head that I started writing it with pen and paper. Shocking, I know! Reviews & rebukes welcome from all.