Love Just Is

Chapter One: Hidden Feelings

The sun had not even began to rise over Atlantis, and already Elizabeth Wier was in her office reading over new reports and signing papers that had been stacked up while she had slept. She grabbed her cup of coffee and took a sip as she looked out the window. Everything was so peaceful outside. The waves were slowly rolling by and the stars twinkled pleasantly in their own little rhythm. Elizabeth couldn't help, but let her mind wander back to a subject that seemed to be on her mind a lot lately, John Sheppard.

John was defiant, and irrational, and a pain in the ass at times, but he also had a knack for being caring, and compassionate, and just the person Elizabeth needed when she was in over her head and needed a helping hand. By the time Elizabeth had realized she was falling for him she had already fallen hard. She spent far too many nights staring out the window thinking about him, daydreaming about him pulling her towards him and sweeping her into a passionate kiss, and wishing that she could have a place in his arms. She realized all too well that she cared for him much more than she was supposed to, given their professional relationship to each other, but matters of the heart rarely take professional relationship into consideration.

She sighed and closed her eyes. It was almost painful, how easy she was able to see John holding her in his arms protectively, kissing her softly, and loving her with all his heart.

"Elizabeth." The sound of her name broke her out of her trance and he turned towards her doorway where Rodney McKay stood.

"Rodney, good morning." She said with a friendly smile.

"Are you alright?" Rodney asked. His concern was evident in the features of his face.

Elizabeth smiled wider. "Yes, of course, why?" She asked.

"I've been trying to get your attention for a few minutes now." He said as if it were obvious.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, it's early, and I didn't get much sleep last night." She said.

Rodney looked at his watch. "You still have a few hours before the general population of the city wakes up, you can still get some rest." He said.

She smiled at his friendly suggestion. "Thank you for the concern Rodney, but I'll be alright." She said. "Is there something you needed?" She asked, remembering that he was more than likely not there for the sole purpose of suggesting she get some rest.

"Oh, yes," Rodney started as he pulled out the monitor that was almost always found in his hands. "I wanted to talk to you about some research I'd like to start." He said showing her a page he had brought up on the screen.

By the time Rodney had fully explained his theories, and how he planned to go about researching them with his science team, an hour had passed by. The sun was now up in the sky and the city was stirring to life. Through her window Elizabeth could see many familiar faces walking through the city, many people coming from the mess hall with cups of coffee and all of them going towards their assigned area of work. There was nothing abnormal about today, which was the way Elizabeth liked it, though she didn't hold tight to the grand idea of it staying that way. Atlantis had never been a place of normality, it's citizens had adapted to that, and in many cases enjoyed the thrilling experiences they had on a daily bases. Elizabeth didn't mind the abnormality as long as at the end of the day her teams came home safely and the city stood to go on another day.

Elizabeth stood up with a yawn and stretched before walking into the control room.

"Good morning Doctor Wier." Lieutenant Thorton, one of the many people who worked in shifts to run the computers in the control room, said.

"Good morning." Elizabeth said. "I'm going to get a coffee, if anyone comes to see them please invite them to take a seat and wait for me to return." She said.

"Yes Ma'am." Thorton said.

With that Elizabeth turned around and walked down the steps into the gate room, and turned down the corridor that led to the mess hall. There was a few people sitting around chatting quietly with each other over cups of coffee and bowls of barely edible oatmeal.

"Good morning Doctor Wier." One of the men behind the counter said as he arranged fruit in a basket to put out with the oatmeal.

Elizabeth smiled. "Good morning." She said as she grabbed a cup of coffee.

"Would you like a bowl of oatmeal?" The man asked.

"Not today." She said imagining the horrible taste of cardboard that was associated with the oatmeal. She gave him one last smile before taking her coffee and heading off towards her office. She had made it about halfway there when she heard someone saying her name. She stopped and turned, knowing who the voice belonged to, and ran straight into John.

"I'm sorry." She said taking a step back.

"My fault, I didn't expect you to turn so sharply." John said. Before she was able to say anything he continued. "I was just on my way to see you." He said.

"Oh really, and to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" Elizabeth asked as they walked towards her office.

"I was wondering if you'd give me permission to go to the mainland with Teyla today." John said.

"She's going there for a holiday celebration, right?" She asked.

John nodded. "She said something about celebrating the memory of the ancestors." He said.

"I don't see anything wrong with you going, it sounds interesting." Elizabeth said as she walked into her office, and took a seat at her desk behind a new stack of files that had appeared while she was getting her coffee.

John leaned against the doorway. "Well, I'll bring back a souvenir or something." He said with a playful smile.

Elizabeth just shook her head, and smiled at him. Her heart fluttered as she fought to keep her cheeks from going red. He'd never know what that smile of his did to her.