Disclaimer: Not mine, not making money, not looking for trouble.
Author's Notes: This is kinda sorta the same "series" as Vigilance and Observation. Though series might be too strong a word. "Pseudo-series", perhaps?
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Viewing
by Hatcheter
Elizabeth Weir stopped short at the sight before her. "I hope you don't intend to eat that by yourself, Lieutenant."
Lieutenant Ford turned toward her and grinned. The motion cause the objects balanced in his arms to slip, and Elizabeth quickly lunged forward to save the huge bowl of popcorn before it tipped over.
Stepping back with the bowl, she watched Ford as he shifted his grip on the clay jug of Athosian wine and the stack of plastic Made-in-China cups.
"Thanks, ma'am," he said. "I don't know what Major Sheppard and Doctor McKay would do to me if I dumped the last of the popcorn all over the floor."
"That's still a lot of popcorn, even for three people."
"There's a group of us watching a movie in the lounge," Aiden explained. "We volunteered to make a snack run while McKay and the Major argued about what to watch."
"We?"
Teyla suddenly rounded the corner, carrying another jug and a stack of small bowls. "Aiden, are you sure this will be enough?" She paused when she saw Elizabeth. "Doctor Weir, hello. Are you joining us for the movie?"
"You should, ma'am," Aiden added. "It's a good way to pass a Saturday night."
"Is it Saturday already?" Elizabeth asked. So far from home, one day seemed no different from the next.
"Yeah. With no briefings scheduled tomorrow, the Major thought a late movie would be good for morale. So would…" he trailed off, raising the jug a little higher.
Elizabeth smiled slightly, quickly considering. "I think I can join you for a little while. I should at least make sure that the popcorn arrives safely."
"Great!" Aiden started down the hall again, and Elizabeth and Teyla hurried to keep up.
Hurrying down two flights of stairs, they approached the room that some of the team had turned into a movie lounge. They found a dozen people milling about outside the door.
"Oh thank God," Carson said as he saw them approach. "Elizabeth, we're going to need your expertise on this one."
"They're still arguing?" Ford asked, incredulous.
"Why the hell should we watch science fiction, when we're living it!" Rodney's voice floated out of the room.
"Still," Carson confirmed.
"It's a great movie," they heard Sheppard reply. "Besides, I think we're living science fact here."
"That's beside the point."
Elizabeth sighed, and passed the bowl of popcorn the Beckett. She entered to room to find her military commander and her top scientist sitting on a couch, glaring at each other over the laptop computer between them. A few other people had remained in the room, and were watching with barely concealed amusement as their fearless leaders reverted to children.
"Is there a problem here, gentlemen?" Elizabeth asked. Both men flinched and turned toward her.
"Just a little disagreement," Sheppard answered, smiling innocently.
"He wants us to watch Aliens," McKay explained, lacing the title with disgust.
"We should use the last of the popcorn on one of the coolest flicks ever made," Sheppard replied.
Elizabeth leaned over the back of the couch, looking at the list of films displayed on the laptop. "I didn't realize we had so many movies," she said, scrolling down.
"One of the technicians brought a spare hard drive full of them," Bates explained from his seat across the room. "There was an email that went around where everyone could request their favorite movie. Did either of you get it?" Weir and Sheppard shook their heads. "Aliens was Colonel Sumner's choice."
Sheppard glanced back at McKay, who sighed theatrically. "Alright, fine," Rodney relented, scrolling back up to highlight their choice.
John grinned, then turned toward the open door. "All clear!" he shouted, and watched as Carson poked his head into the room. The doctor quickly shuffled in, followed by the rest of the movie goers. And, more importantly, their refreshments.
Ford and Teyla quickly began to scoop popcorn into the small bowls and pass them out while others began choosing their seats. There were half a dozen couches in the room, and large cushions, taken from unused rooms, were tossed on the floor.
"This movie made me want to become a Marine," Bates said.
Carson cocked his head, examining the man. "Really?"
Bates shrugged, and put his feet up on the coffee table in front of him. "I snuck into the theater showing it when I was twelve. It scared the hell out of me, but I wanted a huge machine gun strapped to my waist."
"I already knew I wanted to be in the military," Markham said from across the room. "This movie convinced me not to be an officer."
Ford frowned as several others laughed. He had seen the movie once on that cable scifi channel when he was in high school. He vaguely remembered that an incompetent junior officer lead the team.
"Starting," McKay announced as the lights dimmed.
Sheppard patted the couch. "Sit down, doc. Stay a while."
Elizabeth sat next to him, taking the cup that was offered to her. "Wine with popcorn?"
Sheppard shrugged. "It's all we have." He took a gulp and sighed. "It's okay though. Besides, this saves us the trouble of going out for drinks after the movie," he finished, smiling at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth nodded, amused by that logic, and turned to the screen as the film began. As the opening credits played, she idly wondered who had taken the time to splice the laptop's output into the Ancient display screen.
John shifted in his seat next to her, slouching down and stretching his legs out on the coffee table in front of their couch. He came to rest with his shoulder brushed against Elizabeth's upper arm.
She leaned forward, looking past John to where Rodney had adopted a similar position, though he was leaning against the arm of the couch. There was almost enough room between the two men to seat another person.
Smiling to herself, Elizabeth sat back, leaning into John slightly. She had woken up before dawn, and didn't intend to stay long. But it was nice to be able to relax with her team for a change.
Ten minutes into the movie, there was a strange, loud crack, followed by a hiss of air. The movie stopped, the lights came up, and Aiden froze. Seated on the floor right in the middle of the room, he was the center of focus as everyone watched him with awe and envy.
Slowly, he lowered the can of Mountain Dew that hovered a few inches from his lips. Still holding it firmly, he cleared his throat.
"Where…?" Markham finally managed to ask.
"I smuggled a six pack in my backpack when we came," Ford explained. "This is the last one."
"Lieutenant, I will give you fifty dollars for that can," Sheppard said.
Ford turned around, looking at the major, then at his soda, then back at the major. "I appreciate the offer, sir, but I've been saving this for a long time."
Sheppard deflated, slumping back against the couch. "Alright. Start the movie back up, Rodney."
The lights dimmed and the movie began again. Barely a minute later, there was another loud pop-hiss. The movie stopped, the lights came on, and everybody in the room leaned forward and glared at Ford. Next to him, Teyla ignored the crowd and took a long, slow sip from her own can of Mountain Dew.
"That was my second-to-last can?" Ford offered, trying to sink into his cushion and out of view.
The lights faded amid loud grumbling, and the movie started again. Aiden, however, was unable to enjoy the film, what with a dozen pairs of angry eyes boring into him from all directions.
Eventually, everyone else seemed to lose interest in him and refocus on the movie. Teyla sat with rapt attention as the Marines in the film fought the monsters chasing them.
Late in the movie, Aiden nudged her, and motioned to the couch behind them. Teyla turned around slowly and looked back. Sheppard sat with his arms folded and his eyes half closed as he stared at the screen. He had removed his shoes at some point, and one toe poked out of a hole in a sock.
Next to him, Elizabeth was asleep, her head resting on his shoulder. One hand was wrapped around Sheppard's arm, resting in the crook of his elbow.
"I'm telling you…" Ford whispered, grinning.
Teyla smiled at him briefly, before turning back to the screen.
Obviously, these were not true events they were watching, but she wondered if the creatures depicted were real, if the Earthlings had ever managed to tame them, and what might happen if they were unleashed on the Wraith.
P.S. This is another product of a sleepless night. As usual, it's un-beta'd, and I blame any spelling, grammatical, or other errors on insomnia.