This has been sitting on my hard drive for a good seven or eight months because I had intended on fleshing it out but I figured you'd still enjoy the skinnier version. Enjoy!
"Hey, sir." Major Evan Lorne approached his commanding officer.
"Major." Colonel John Sheppard looked up from his lunch. "What can I do for you?"
Evan skipped over the question. "Where's the rest of your team?"
"Rodney is spending the day with Keller, Ronon is plucking up the courage to ask Amelia out, and Teyla is spending her day on Athos with Torren and Kanaan." John replied. "And yours?"
"Lt. Kagan and Capt. Moreno are competing for one of the botanists, and Dr. Kelly is... I have no idea." Evan answered.
John caught on. "Bored and nothin' to do."
"Yessir." Evan said smiling.
"What you do in your free time as a kid?" John asked, finishing off his lunch.
"Paint and drive my Dad's ATV through our woods." Evan responded smiling fondly at the memory.
A grin lit John's face. "That gives ma an idea. Follow me." John said, abandoning his lunch.
Evan matched his grin and followed the Colonel eagerly.
"Colonel, Major. What are you doing here. It's your day off." Woolsey said when the two Air Force pilots walked in.
"Could say the same about you." John pointed out.
"Yes well, I have a few things I need to..."
"Anyways, I know how much you want us to stick to protocol. So, permission for use of two 'Jumpers?" John asked hopefully.
"What for?" Richard asked in surprise.
John glanced at Evan. "Fun."
"Uh... Alright. Permission granted." Woolsey said hesitantly.
"Thank you, sir." Evan responded
Both pilots hurried from his office before Woolsey could change his mind or ask any more questions.
Evan followed John's 'Jumper in the general direction of the mainland.
Okay, here's a good a place as any. John said through the radio, the city had disappeared over the edge of the planet.
They aligned the 'Jumpers side by side.
"You got the layout down, sir?" Evan asked.
"Yeah, and stop calling me 'sir' we're off duty playing games." John ordered. "Oh, and, I suggest you turn the inertial dampeners down to 90%. Makes it actually feel like you're flying without any risk of too many Gs."
Suddenly John's voice switched from the radio to the telepathic bond they both shared with Atlantis.
Atlantis you wanna say go for us?
Of course. Atlantis readily agreed. Before I do. Out of curiosity, how long do you intend to spend in these ships.
All day. Evan put in, grinning.
Or until the next major crisis, whichever comes first. John added.
Amusement washed over them, making them grin wider in their already playful mood. Very well. One, two, three, GO!
John and Evan's response was immediate. They slammed on the mental gas, and the 'Jumpers sped forward. The city appeared on the horizon again. It grew bigger and bigger as John and Evan approached, and it grew fast. They reached the piers and headed for the long bridge the connected two of the piers. It being the mandatory Sunday off, there were a few people out on the piers. Careful to avoid them, John and Evan looped around the bridge three times, John slightly in the lead. Next they circled each of the tallest towers on all six piers. They had reached the bridge again, and flew straight through the center of Atlantis as fast they could. Whoever made it past the opposite pier first would be the winner. They weaved through as best the could at the base of the buildings. Once cleared they urged the 'Jumpers to give them all the speed possible. Evan, eventually emerged victorious. Though only slightly.
John and Evan spent the next hour repeating the course, both winning half and losing half. They'd earned quite the audience on all the piers, groups of people simply watching the Puddle Jumpers fly through their course.
"Hey, how about follow the leader?"
John grinned at Evan's suggestion, "Only if you think you can handle it."
"You're on, si– John."
"Okay."
John flew the 'Jumper a few hundred feat above the central tower, intent on giving the Lanteans below a very entertaining show. Reaching the desired height, John sent the 'Jumper into a nose dive and the started a barrel roll.
The spectators watched in awe as the Puddle Jumper changed it's direction with barely room to spare between it and the control tower and the second Puddle Jumper followed closely.
Evan followed John as closely as he dared. After the nose dive stunt, Evan followed John as he weaved through the city randomly. Dodging towers, circling them, and flying vertically next them. A few times Evan couldn't follow him and had to pick him up later. Evan enjoyed it though. With the inertial dampeners ever so slightly down he could feel the Gs without getting killed. The pull he felt against his body exhilarated him.
John pulled as many stunts as he could. Reveling in the feel of flying that had captured him years ago. He wasn't sure how long he spent being the leader, only that the sun was much lower in the sky than it had been when he'd started. Talking through the 'Jumper's communications John said, "Okay Evan, your turn."
"This'll probably be a piece of cake for you." Evan said chuckling.
"You never know. Just try to do some of the stuff I did and it'll at least be interesting." John joked.
Rodney smiled at Jennifer, he was carrying a picnic basket and they were headed for the east pier for dinner. Jennifer swiped her hand over the panel and as the door opened they were greeted with the Whoosh of a Puddle Jumper flying by followed closely by another.
"What on Earth..." Rodney stepped quickly through the doors and Jennifer copied.
They stepped outside in time to see the two 'Jumpers pull away from their vertical flight against the tower into three loops, then break off into a straight line and picking up speed. It reminded Rodney of hummingbirds.
"Wow." Jennifer murmured aloud in awe.
"Show-offs." Rodney muttered under his breath in disdain. (Though secretly he was impressed, and even envious of their flying skills.)
"What was that?" Jennifer inquired.
"Probably a certain Colonel and a certain Major killing time." Rodney told her dismissively.
Carson's shift still had half an hour left in his shift when he heard received a call over the radio, it was Chuck. "Doctor Beckett, Mr. Woolsey asked me to inform you that you'll have two patients in five minutes. Puddle Jumper crash."
"Should I be asking who the patients are?" Carson asked with an accompanying sigh, he just knew it was the.
"No, sir," was all the reply Carson needed.
"Thank you Chuck." Carson cut the radio connection and called Dr. Cole to the infirmary. He was going to need her.
The two doctors arrived at the 'Jumper Bay right after the Puddle Jumper settled onto the floor.
The expected patients were laying unconscious on the floor with Dr. Carl Jacques, hovering nearby.
"It's nothing too serious." Jacques announced, "But they'll be staying the night."
Carson nodded and knelt beside his friend, he could easily tell from the awkward angle John's arm was broken.
"Let's get them to the infirmary." Cole said and without further ado the two pilots were loaded onto the gurneys and transported to the infirmary.
"Thanks Rodney, I really had a good time." Jennifer smiled and gave Rodney a kiss on the cheek.
"Well, I had a great time too." Rodney smiled back.
Jennifer swiped her hand over the door sensor of the infirmary to begin her late shift.
They were greeted with the sight of Colonel Sheppard and Major Lorne facing each other sitting on scanner beds.
"What're you guys doing here?" Rodney asked suspiciously.
Both turned to look at the couple standing in the doorway of the infirmary.
"Hey Rodney, good to see you too." John said sarcastically.
"Yes, yes, yes. Greetings, salutations, etc. etc. What are you two doing here?" Rodney repeated, frowning.
"Major Lorne is going to ask Dr. Cole out and I'm backing him up." John lied while Evan bit his lip to keep from grinning.
Rodney and Jennifer might have taken it for apprehension and believed them if the doctor in question hadn't walked over.
"Well Major you have a date. Looks like I have both you boys all night." She said grinning.
John and Evan groaned and shared a look of commiseration.
Jennifer sighed. "What are their injuries?"
"They both have minor concussions, the Colonel has a broken arm, the Major has two broken ribs, and of course they both have a couple bumps and bruises. Dr. Beckett was planning on keep them overnight for observation." Dr. Cole informed, receiving more groans and pained expressions from the pilots.
Carson chose that moment to appear. "That's right," he confirmed. "First we have t' get you both in scrubs and fix up yer injuries." Carson addressed the two female doctors, "You lasses'll need t' lock the doors tonight."
"Oh, please. They'll just use their fancy little genes to open the doors." Rodney inserted, rolling his eyes.
"I wouldn't be so sure, Rodney, Atlantis knows when to keep them here for their own good. And you two," He continued sternly. "There'll be no trying t' sweet talk Atlantis into letting ye escape. She doesn't need t' put up with ye complaining of cabin fever."
"We'd never plead cabin fever with Atlantis." Evan demurred, regarding Carson with wide eyes and placing a hand on his chest.
You had better not. Atlantis warned them, making Carson smiled because she was on his side.
John shuddered dramatically, "Who knows what she'd try do to us."
"Would you three stop acting like the city is rational and female!" Rodney objected, " Because she's not."
The threesome smirked at the use of 'she.'
Jennifer shook her head and smiled as she cut off any response Rodney could come up with. "I'll see you later Rodney."
"Wait just a minute, you still didn't tell me what did you guys did." Rodney objected.
"Uh... we ran into some weather problems." John responded sheepishly.
"You crashed?" Rodney translated incredulously.
"There was no crashing!" John protested indignantly. "We were hurled into the ocean by severe wind and lightning."
"You crashed." Rodney repeated gleefully.
"It wasn't our fault." Evan mumbled.
No it wasn't, Evan, but he's going to hold over your heads for a long time. Atlantis stated, amused.
"We know." Carson sighed, smiling. It was in response to Atlantis but Rodney took it for a response to Evan. "Now let's get you trouble-magnets fixed and then I'll hand you over to Jennifer."
When Evan and John were finally settled and everyone but Carson had left, John cleared his throat, "So, Atlantis..."
"Colonel!"
Oh, John...
THE END