Title: Why Now?

By: Sounni

Rating: PG to PG17

Pairing: Sheppard/Weir

Disclaimers: I own absolutely nothing exspecially anything to do with the Stargate Universe

Spoilers: Season 1 and Season 2

Why now?

Why here?

Why her?

These were the questions that John Sheppard asked himself over and over again! Maybe if he had met her in a different time and a different place they could be more than they were now. His relationship with Elizabeth Weir was complicated and had recently become a little awkward. Neither knew just what to say to the other when they were alone, sticking strictly to business. Neither wanting to cross the invisible line that they both knew was there.

John didn't know what had changed to make their relationship become so uncomfortable. He thought they were more than just co-workers, friends even. If he admitted it to himself he wished that they would become more than just simple friends. These thoughts about Elizabethhad been occuring more and more but he made sure that he acted no different when around her. He didn't think that he had stepped over the line she had carefully drawn between what was professional and what was personal. He had felt her pulling away from him recently and he put it down to this 'thing' that was between them. She confided in him less and usually only talked business when around him, John gathered it was her was of protecting herself.

Rubbing his eyes, John slowly got up out of bed. Pulling his boots on he got ready for the 0900 briefing scheduled for his team. His eyebrows furrowed as he realised he would have to sit through the meeting with her not look at him properly and when she did, stare at him with indifferent eyes, like he didn't mean anything to her.

Looking at his watch, he scowled. "Damn…I'm late!"

Running out in to the Atlantis corridors he sprinted towards the briefing room. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Elizabeth Weir sat in the briefing room clicking her fingernails in a rhythm across the table. He was late! She stared at the others around the table and knew that they didn't really care but to her it was like he was challenging her authority. She knew he didn't do it intentionally but lately it had begun to irritate her and she wasn't sure why.

Deciding not to wait any longer she was about to begin when John came jogging through the control room. Against her will, her pulse started racing. Her heart never failed to beat faster when she seen him and this unnerved her. His hair tousled like always and that grin plastered on his face melted away the anger she felt in a heartbeat but 'No' she told herself 'I need to act professional, take the proper course of action'

"Sorry I'm late…I…" John trailed off as he caught the look in Elizabeth's eyes.

"It's alright Colonel, take a seat. Just make sure it doesn't happen again," she said in a tone that was perhaps a little more harsh than she meant it to be.

"Yes Ma'am," he replied before sitting in his usual seat.

"Lets start shall we?" Elizabeth queried glancing around the briefing room.

Rodney leant back in his chair and started to detail the next mission. "Okay, we sent a malp to LX5 421 and got some promising readings. Energy readings to be more specific. I think that there may be a good chance a zed pm is on this planet!"

The moment those words left his mouth everybodies attention perked up. Elizabeth lent forward resting her chin in the palm of her hand, "Okay, I'm all ears. What do you suggest?" she inquired, her mind racing with all of the possibilities that a ZPM could bring to Atlantis.

Atlantis ran at peak performance with three ZPM's; at present they did not even have one and were vunerable to attack. Rodney smirked knowing that this information would raise the spirits of everyone in Atlantis. Since the ZPM that the Daedalus had delivered to them was depleted, everybody feared that the Wraith would somehow know and return. They all felt that they were just biding time until the Wraith realized that Atlantis was still here and came in even bigger forces than before.

"I think just a simple reconnaissance mission to begin with and if we find something then we'll move from there." Rodney said

Though John had been listening to what Rodney had been saying, the brunette sitting across from him held his interest. Every so often, he would sneak glances at her. He tried to be discreet but sometimes she would catch him and just as quickly as he had looked he would glance away.

Elizabeth could feel John's eyes on her and she secretly enjoyed knowing that he was watching her. Though things had become uneasy between them recently, this had been happening for a while. Every concealed glance, every accidental touch, every silent moment sent butterflies soaring around her stomach and electricity jolting through her body. She sometimes wondered if John felt the same gut wrenching feeling she felt. It was hard to ignore but she tried her best not to be pulled in to far.

Rodney's voice asking permission for the mission go ahead knocked her out of her reverie and she stumbled for an answer, finally mumbling for him to get a team together.

John stared at her with curious eyes from across the table, watching as she tried to determine every type of problem that could go wrong with this mission. He caught her glancing at him but as soon as he caught her eyes, she looked away. A thrill shot threw him because he knew that her eyes sought him out in the room as she walked in. He also got a buzz every time their eyes connected for just that fraction of a second longer than it should and when their hands lingered on an object that little bit longer. He knew that these types of thoughts and feelings were highly inappropriate, even more so now that the connection with Earth was stronger. Parties interested only for personel gain were observing every decision he and Elizabeth made. They were just waiting for a slip up.

"Colonel…Colonel are you listening?" Teyla enquired as a faint smirk appeared on her face. Everybody wondered about what their relationship was, were they just friends? Or were they more than friends? John knew that they had never progressed passed the plutonic stage but didn't really care what people around Atlantis thought. Years of military training in how to be indifferent had paid off he thought to himself.

"Okay, it sounds like what your asking for is reasonable. You depart at 0900 tomorrow. Dismissed." Elizabeth commanded. As everybody left, she noticed that John was still sitting in his seat perhaps not even noticing the now empty room. She stood and wandered around to where he was, positioning herself on the table in front of him.

"Are you okay John?" She asked in a quiet tone.

Startled John looked up. "Huh? Yeah I'm fine."

"You seem a bit distant today. Anything you want to share?"

"I was just thinking what it would be like if we were still stranded out here, no contact with Earth. Just Us?" John answered her. In a way he wished that they hadn't made contact with Earth, that the SGC wasn't watching them like hawks.

"I think I know what you mean." Elizabeth answered, "Things have been different lately."

"Yeah. A lot more pressure." John replied solemnly.Between them things had changed since he left for the suicide mission. He had seen the look in her eyes as he told her he had to go, he knew the same look had been reflected in his. Then when the Daedalus transported him back to Atlantis and she threw herself into his arms, he knew that he wanted more than just friendship from her but he also knew that she was tough and would stand by the regulations even if they were set by her. Things were not exactly awkward he thought; they were just new. He felt awareness when he was around her, a magnetic pull that had him always seeking her out and he knew that this feeling was trouble.

"I sometimes feel that there are people everywhere, watching, waiting for me to make some mistake." Elizabeth confided softly.

John looked up at her, "I know Caldwell has been applying pressure, but your better than he is. Hold on" he prompted. Elizabeth looked out the window to where people were working in the control room.

The silence hung between them and he looked up and caught her eye, just looking into them and for the life of him he couldn't look away. The moment was broken when they heard Rodney muttering to himself, and then he appeared in the doorway, "Ah...just the two people I wanted to see."

"What is it Rodney?" Elizabeth asked

"Ah nothing really, just wanted someone to talk to about the potential a ZPM could have for us again. We barely scratched the surface with the last one before it ran out and then there is the……" he rambled before breaking off. Looking at John and Elizabeth he said, "It can wait." and backed out of the briefing room.

"Sometimes I just can't figure him out!" John smirked. Elizabeth just smiled and gathered up all of her notes and belongings and headed towards the door.

"Make sure your not late tomorrow!" she threw over her shoulder as she left.

John watched her retreating back and knew that whatever was between them that he was in trouble. Big trouble.

0900 – Next Morning

The team stood in the gate room waiting for Doctor Weir to give them the alright to go.

John looked around at all the gear they were taking and gave Rodney an unpleasant glare.

"So did you really think it was necessary NOT to take a puddle jumper?" John said slightly raising his voice.

"We don't need it. The readings are coming from just near the gate."

"Ahh but you know how lazy I really am." John replied jokingly. Rodney shook his head and moved over to where Ronon and Teyla were gathering their gear. They were standing with two Lt's that would be joining this mission for experience. Smith and Jones had both come from the Daedalous' last dispatch. Both had yet to go out in the field and Elizabeth thought it a good idea if they learned from his team. Rodney of course had protested about not wanting to babysit but Elizabeth just shook her head and ordered them to take the new recruits out on their next mission.

From the control room Elizabeth looked out over the team and then out to the gate, a knot forming in the pit of her stomach. Since John's team had began going out on missions she had worried, it was natural to worry about ones people right? She shook her head as she realized that it was much more than that, that these gut wrenching feelings were more extreme whenever Johns team went out. It was as if he was a magnet for trouble, nearly every mission almost ended in disaster or things just weren't what they seemed.

"Dr Weir, Do we have a go?" Rodneys voice made her realise she was staring into space and she looked around sheepishly. "Yes, You have a go." She spoke to the team as she turned around to order the dialling of the gate.

The gate opened and the team started heading out, as she did with every mission, she whispered "Be Safe". Somehow she knew this time was different, that something was wrong. 'God your just paranoid' she told herself but no matter how much she gave herself reassurance that everything was going to be alright, the feeling of dread just didn't shake.

John looked around the planet; crumbling ruins were right in front of him. He had to admit that he didn't find it nearly as fascinating as Rodney and the others did. He though was still amazed at the fact that this was another planet. That thought made him feel foolish but it was true no matter how many planets he had visited, he still felt the rush as he stepped through the Stargate.

"Hey, I think I've got something!" Rodney yelled out.

"Smith and Jones go with him and check it out, make sure he doesn't do something stupid." John ordered the new recruits.

John knew that he should probably go see what Rodney wanted but he just couldn't bring himself to listen to the scientist at the moment. His thoughts were back in Atlantis. He was confused. He didn't know exactly what was going on between himself and the city leader, something was there but he knew that Elizabeth would never let her defenses drop enough to explore it. In a way that angered him, that potential happiness could be denied so easily. He was knocked out of his thoughts by a rock hitting the tree behind him.

"Sheppard, what are you doing" Ronon grinned. He and Teyla had just returned from checking out the perimeter around the gate. John thought he must have looked pretty weird just standing there staring out into space. Just as he was about to answer he heard Rodneys voice through his earpiece. 'what now?' he thought.

"Colonel, you need to get over here RIGHT now!" Rodney shouted. John heard the urgency in Rodneys voice, turning he told Teyla and Ronon to remain behind.

Realising he sounded desperate and worried, Johnran over there as fast as he could skidding to a stop as he seen them. "What is it McKay?" he asked.

"There is something seriusly wrong with this situation." Rodney explained. "This is not a ZedPM." he continued, indicating to the box on the ground.

"I can see that! What is it then?" John asked in a don't mess around with me tone.

"I don't know?" Rodney said looking stunned, "It is mimicking every reading a zedpm gives out but as you can see, its not one!".

"Okay, I think we need to take this and leave now." John commanded, flicking his radio he directed the gate to be dialled immediately and for everyone to go through.

"Pack it up Rodney." John directed, "and fast, something isn't right here!"

Rodney nodded and started shoving all his gear back into his bag.

"Colonel, there is movement in the bushes" Teylas voice crackled through the radio

"Take up defensive positions, hold the gate area we'll be there in a minute" John replied his eyes darting warily in all directions.

This is what he was trained for: Tactics, Combat and Sensing danger. At the moment the hairs were standing up on the back of his neck and he could feel that something was up. Gunfire cracked like a whip throughout the air and John started running faster. "Teyla?" he yelled into the radio. "Colonel, we are being ambushed by the Genii." she panted back, "Lt's Smith and Jones are back in Atlantis. Just myself and Ronon remain behind to assi…." Her voice cut off.

"The Genii?" Rodney looked stunned, "Our problems just got significantly worse".

John and Rodney slowly crept behind some trees, peering into the clearing where the stargate was situated. Straining his neck John searched for the remainder of his team, his eyes scanning slowly back and forth until he found them kneeling on the ground with Genii surrounding them. Scenarios flashing through his head, John started to plan a strategy. He suddenly felt the cool metal of a gun barrell against the back of his neck. "Ahhh Major Sheppard, so nice to see you again." the voice that he had dreaded to hear again reached his ears.

"Kolya?"

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..