Title: Denial and Jealousy

Author: Azura Nyx

Characters: Eli Wallace, Dr. Nicholas Rush, Chloe Armstrong, Lieutenant Matthew Scott, Colonel Everett Young, 1 OMC and 2 OFC

Pairings: Chloe Armstrong/Eli Wallace, Lt. Matthew Scott/Chloe Armstrong (only one scene)

Type: Sci-Fi/Romance

Length: ~4,230 words, 2 chapters + epilogue

Warnings/Author's Notes: There are spoilers for 'Light," and "Darkness." This is not a Chloe/Scott pairing friendly fanfic, although I don't berate Lt. Scott either. These characters do not belong to me because they are property of MGM.

Rating: PG-13 (language and very minor alcohol situations)

Summary: During a mission to retrieve a mineral to fuel the Destiny, Chloe learns of Eli's feelings for her.

Chapter 1

Destiny had been lacking sufficient power, and Dr. Nicholas Rush believed solar energy to be an adequate temporary means of obtaining fuel to run the spacecruiser. But the key term was, 'temporary.' So when Rush and Eli found a possible improved way of fueling the Destiny, you can imagine how they must have felt. They rushed to meet up with Colonel Everett Young in his office to notify him of their findings.

"Colonel, you're never going to believe this," Eli excitedly began.

Everett put down his writing utensil and leaned back in his chair, relaxed. "Tell me anyway," he responded.

Nicholas stepped into the conversation by explaining, "We may have found a substantial, better means to fuel this ship."

"Go on," the Colonel said.

"The mineral can be found on a planet's surface not too far from here. Its properties contain everything necessary to suitably and healthily run Destiny," Nick happily stated.

Young returned to the regular seated position, and then inquired, "And when you say, 'not too far' you mean…."

"I mean that using up some energy to go into hyperspace to acquire this source would be well worth it," Rush answered with a grin.

If the Colonel was going to send a team out to obtain the mineral, he was going to need more information. After all, letting people go on a strange mission to bring back a strange substance could turn out to be a disaster. "Are you sure it's worth that much of a risk? What is this mineral composed of?"

Eli and Rush glanced at each other in apprehension. "Well… it's made of the similar molecules of nitroglycerin," Wallace mentioned, shrugging his shoulders.

"Nitroglycerin," Everett uneasily said. "Isn't that-"

"…an explosive chemical compound? Yes," Nicholas hurriedly finished.

Eli further explained, "But… before you disregard the idea, Colonel, keep in mind that I said it is made up of the 'similar molecules' of nitroglycerin. Therefore, it won't blow up if we use it…well-it-shouldn't anyway."

Colonel Young didn't respond, or even imply what he could be thinking, for about 30 seconds. This made Dr. Rush nervous, and so he raised one eyebrow and curiously asked, "Colonel? What do you think?"

"I think" Young started. "…that we would be taking a great risk by allowing someone to go down to the planet's surface and obtain this mineral. Hell! After what Mr. Wallace so confidently said here, I don't even know if using this compound would be such a good idea."

Rolling his eyes, Eli frustratingly commented to Everett, "In all honesty, sir: I think this compound would be a tremendous help to the people aboard this vessel."

At this point, Nicholas thought they had lost the debate. So, he responded the best way he knew how in order to get the Colonel on their side, "Look. Eli's not entirely explaining the situation. If-"

"Oh! I think Eli is describing the situation quite well," Everett crossly said as he stood up from his chair. "I'm sorry to disappoint your pathetic, scientific asses, but I can't stress enough that I am NOT going to risk everybody's lives on this ship merely because the two of you want to do some experimenting with explosive compounds."

Nicholas retorted just as sternly and angrily when he said, "What you do not understand here, Colonel, is this compound may save everyone's lives aboard this vessel, including yours. In case you haven't noticed, Destiny is running low on fuel AGAIN because the solar energy isn't cutting it. We need to find a substantial mineral to last us for a very long time or we're going to die in space. Is that a good enough reason for you, or do I need to make myself clearer here?"

Colonel Everett sneered at Rush's statement and sat back down in his chair. Frustration, anger, confusion- these were all of the emotions spinning through Young's head at the moment. He is trying to be a good leader, and he only wants to do what's best for all of the lives he now holds responsible. But what should he do- allow Nick and Eli to go down to the planet's surface and collect a mineral that could blow them all up, or go the safe route and possibly never find another substance capable of fueling the ship?

Taking a deep breath, Everett stated to Nicholas, "This isn't going to be easy for me to concede to, but I suppose I have no choice. I will allow Eli, Chloe and yourself to gate to the planet's surface. I don't want to travel through hyperspace when it's not obligatory."

"W-wait. Um…Chloe," a puzzled Eli inquired. "Don't take this the wrong way, sir, but… why her? She's never been off-world before."

"First of all, she had requested to go on any vacant, available missions should there be any. Secondly, questioning my decisions is not the wisest of things to do, so I would get out of that habit real quick."

"Right. Sorry," Wallace nervously answered.

As Eli and Rush were walking down the corridors heading back to the labs, Nicholas asked Eli, "What was that all about?"

"What?"

"Don't play coy with me. You know very well 'what.'"

Wallace became extremely confused. His eyebrows slightly lifted in utter puzzlement when he said, "Uh…no, I don't."

Dr. Rush stopped walking any further- making Eli abruptly stop as well. "Why did you question the Colonel's decision to allow Chloe to come with us on the mission?"

"I-I don't know. I just thought it was strange he chose her out of the clear blue sky when he could have sent anyone else who has military training. Why?"

"You have been awfully concerned about that young woman, haven't you," Nicholas said as he and Eli continued walking to the labs.

"If you mean as just friends, then sure," replied Eli.

"No, that's not what I mean."

"Then no, I haven't been concerned for her safety in that regard, Nick," Wallace crossly said. He peered down to the floor for a few seconds and mumbled, "She's with that military macho man anyhow."

"What was that," Dr. Rush inquired.

Eli rolled his eyes and commented in agitation, "Nothing, Rush- Look! Why are you making this such a big deal, huh?"

"Why are you getting angry over it," Nick keenly inquired back.

"Because you- well… you're…," Wallace stumbled in an attempt to say something logical.

A smirk now appeared across Rush's lips. "Yes," he asked.

"Just… never mind, alright? I prefer not to talk about it."

After they arrived in the labs, Nicholas re-started the conversation by saying, "There's nothing wrong with the feelings you have for her. You know that, don't you?"

"Yeah… okay," Eli responded in disbelief.

"Why? Do you think it's unnatural to have feelings for a woman who, supposedly, loves someone else?"

"N-no. It's just Chloe will never care for me the way I do for her. Every goddamn day I see her sitting with Matthew in the cafeteria, and not once does she greet or take notice of me when she's around him. Besides, I can't tell you the various times I see them kissing in the hallway."

"And that makes you jealous, yes?"

Eli felt a bit like he was caught off-guard with that particular inquiry. Nicholas was right on about Eli's emotions, and Wallace couldn't help but to feel a little strange talking about love trouble with a man he recently met. However, Eli thought that perhaps he needed to get these feelings off of his chest, so although nervously, he replied, "Yeah. It does."

"Eli, you don't need to feel less important because Chloe doesn't recognize your feelings for her at the moment. Give it time. She'll come around," Rush kindly advised.

"How can you be so sure?"

"I just know."