A/N Anyone who read one of my old stories may recognise this one as it was once two chapters within it. I rewrote sections of this plucking out parts here and there that I didn't like.
I hope its better than it was originally
There will be more to come I hope
His team had virtually dragged him out of his office for lunch and honestly Lorne was quite grateful. Even Parrish going on about some plant or other hadn't made him want to go seek out his peaceful office again.
The hustle and bustle in the mess hall at this time of day was ringing in his ears making his head pound even more. It was barely bearable in the quiet solitude of his office but here it was a rumbling chaos that echoed the pain through his body. The room swam for a second before he steadied himself with a few deep breaths eyes closed tightly shut. The heavy fuzziness threatened to overwhelm him, made his nerves burn as they lost control making his world tilt. Slowly inhaling and then exhaling he dispelled the urge to lose what he had eaten, feeling the tingles running through his body fade away as quickly as they arrived. Opening his eyes he noticed his team was watching him the conversation now stopped as they stared with concern filled eyes.
Luckily a soft voice broke through the silence giving him an easy escape. She only held a cup in her good hand which he assumed meant she had already eaten. She looked good considering. Her arm was still in a sling, a bandage peaking out from under her jacket sleeve wrapping around her hand. The bruises could still be seen along her temple, an injury which he was told was giving her headaches even a week after the incident. Her stance showed she was still uneasy on her feet her weight shifting from one side to the other. He indicated the chair opposite which she took but only after a slight hesitation. She lowered herself slowly wincing when her back hit the seat. A small smile spread when she looked up at them, their looks of concern making it bigger.
After reassuring everyone she was fine she stared down Michaels before he gave in settling back to eating his lunch making her smile big again. He couldn't help but chuckle at that one. Michaels was twice her size and could squash her with one hand but a stare and a raised eyebrow had him backing down in seconds. Parrish and Stackhouse didn't even bother trying. She was stubborn but in a good way if that existed. But he realised she had never pulled anything with him, flashing her small smile at times as opposed to anything.
Her gaze fell to him again and he watched her eyes dance over where she knew every injury would be. The cut to the back of his head was still in dressings and the main reason he had hidden away in his quiet dark office the past few days. The bruise to his cheek was slowly fading leaving a purple and yellowish tinge behind giving him a lopsided smile at times. Her eyes watched him reach for his coffee the tension visible in his reach the bruising along his shoulders, arm and back still causing him problems, ones he knew she knew all too well. There were still the slightest hints of grazing on his knuckles from the drag across the rocks but they had virtually faded away now.
Slowly her eyes lifted to his again, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks when she noticed him watching her. She lifted her cup sipping again at her drink before returning it to the table listening in to the conversation bouncing around the end of the table. She wasn't part of the team: she was normally the one they were babysitting but she seemed to slip into the group easier than Parrish did. They were at ease with her and her with them. It was odd to him at the best of times but something in a part of him just accepted it, his head hurting too much to go in depth with it.
She must have felt him watching her as her eyes danced back to his catching them briefly before looking back to Parrish who was excitedly telling her about some spiky plant that seemed to create a glue like substance. She rested her elbow on the table resting her chin on her hand her eyes flitting to him every now and then. She laughed at a comment Stackhouse made wincing in pain, her hand rubbing across her stomach. Reaching her hand out for her cup again she took slow steady sips. The others seemed to notice aswell their gaze bouncing to him each of their eyes asking him to say something. When he only sighed reaching for his own cup they all turned back to their meals shaking their heads in disbelief.
He knew her injuries were about the same as his her body taking quite the battering as they went down the embankment. He had briefly seen the extent of the bruising when they were in the infirmary together. All her back and down her right side across to her navel were covered in deep black and purple bruising. Just the smallest movement of her arm to check her injured wrist had her biting her lip to stop from crying out. He knew there was no point in saying anything because he knew she was the same as him: In pain but dealing with it. It was all they could do.
The others seemed to have caught on and quickly began talking again.
"So, what's this about you and the Colonel?"
He knew he shouldn't feel the pang of jealousy when he saw them but he couldn't help it. It was late and the mess was deserted other than Sheppard and her. She must have had trouble sleeping like him as she looked to be sat there in her pyjamas. The thin strapped top left the majority of upper back exposed showing the purple bruising across her shoulders until it disappeared down her top. Her bare feet were casually crossed under the chair swaying every now and then. She seemed to be struggling to hear what the Colonel was saying as she had leaned forward slightly resting her arms on the table, a steaming cup nestled in her hands.
They seemed comfortable with each other, Sheppard leaning back in the chair like he always did one hand flat to the table gesturing when he spoke. He hadn't realised that they knew each other that well but with Sheppard's flirtatious nature it wasn't much of a surprise. She had gone on several missions with him and his team and the gossip about the two of them had started instantly. Most of it he knew to be nothing more than idle fantasy but there were a few that caught his attention particularly one about a secret midnight rendezvous in the deserted jumper bay.
Padding in softly he poured himself a drink savouring the warmth of the cup against his palm. He tried to stay as quiet as he could hoping to not draw attention to himself so he could slip out as easily as he slipped in. Taking a small sip he almost dropped his cup when their laughter filled the room. It was good to hear her laugh. It was much better than the hiss of pain he had grown used to. He knew she was still in pain just like him, her injuries almost as bad as his. The pain in his head and back made it virtually impossible for him to get any decent kind of rest leaving him tossing and turning through the night until he could take no more.
It wasn't the only thing keeping him awake. Memory flashes sent blinks of pain racing through him, forcing his body to relive points of the accident. The blue hue of the Wraiths beam as it passed by them, his knuckles scraping as he clawed at the ground as the earth gave way beneath them, the suffocating dust burning his throat as rocks pounded into him as they slid down to the river, the icy fingers of the water as it wrapped itself around them making his chest scream for breath, her pulse pounding against his fingertips from a motionless body all hurt him as though he was still there.
When Sheppard shouted, calling out to him it startled him out of his thoughts. Turning slowly the Colonel waved him over asking him to keep her company so that he could get some sleep without worrying about her. Not even waiting for an answer Sheppard rose from his chair sending a wink in her direction before offering his seat to him. Smiling and he gave Sheppard a meagre offering of a goodnight as a response as he took the seat he had vacated wincing slightly when he settled back and the chair pushed on his bruises. It took a moment for him to relax against the pain looking up in time to see her furrowed brow. Instantly waving off her concern he tried to assure her as best he could that he was truly OK.
A silence descended upon the two of them neither of them seeming to know what to say. He looked around the mess his eyes scanning over anything in the hushed light. For a place that was normally buzzing with activity through the day it was eerily quiet and still. He nearly jumped out of his skin when she spoke to him her soft voice cutting through the silence as though she had shouted. He was puzzled though at what she said or more why she said it. To him there was nothing she needed to thank him for, more something he needed to apologise for. She had just smiled that little smile of hers before explaining herself. Apparently the looks between them all at lunch hadn't gone unnoticed on her part and she was thankful that he hadn't said anything.
He didn't know why he did it but he reached out taking her bad hand gently in his before explaining that he knew how much pain she must be in with a big oomph like him landing on her. After chuckling at him she pointed out at least it wasn't Michaels or someone like Ronon or she would have been in serious trouble. They had laughed together at that one. He knew she was right but the guilt when he saw her move stiffly or when he saw her wince in pain wouldn't go away. If he hadn't have landed on her when they fell she would be in much better condition. She squeezed his hand and pointed out that the bruises on his back were from where she ended up over him as they rolled down the embankment.
Agreeing with her he reached out to lift his cup only to watch her do the same before they had both looked down to their still joined hands. She squeezed his hand again briefly before turning his hand running her thumb over the slight grazes that could still be seen. Sipping her tea slowly she watched him over the top of her cup just as he did her. As she placed her cup down she wiggled her fingers bending them repeatedly to relieve the tension.
They sat in companionable silence for a while sipping their drinks occasionally staring out towards the balcony. It was a clear night again bringing out the full range of stars creating a beautiful backdrop to the city. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her shiver slightly and was up in an instant shaking off his shirt. Her eyes never left him watching every move he made as he offered her his shirt. He stopped her objections pointing out he was plenty warm in his t-shirt. He barely held in the thought of her top barely covering anything at all. Holding the shirt open he waited patiently knowing she would eventually give in. She eyed him carefully for a moment before slipping her arms into the sleeves slowly ever careful of her back. She looked good in his shirt even if it did bury her, a comment she made saying she could wrap it around herself again. They had both laughed. Laughing with her made him feel lighter like nothing they had endured recently truly mattered.
As another silence fell on them he found himself glancing at his watch. It was only then he realised he had only two hours left before his shift began. Sighing he drummed his fingers on the edge of his cup trying to figure out whether to stay for a little longer. Watching her stifle a yawn he realised the decision was made. Offering to walk her to her quarters he slowly pushed out his chair waiting beside her own with his hand outstretched. With just a small nod and a smile she slowly pushed her chair back the scraping noise ripping through the room's silence.
Taking her hand gently in his he helped her up from her chair letting her lead them out of the room. She moved as stiffly as he did although like him she was trying to hide it even if she was doing a bad job of it. They walked slowly their hands brushing occasionally but neither of them moved away. At her quarters he let her open the doors before smiling making her promise to meet the team again for lunch and to actually eat something this time. Blushing slightly she looked at the floor briefly embarrassed at being caught out. He smiled before turning heading back the way they had came. Her voice echoed down the empty hall making him smile like a little school boy with a crush.
"Thank you for the company, Major."