AN: This is my response to the LJ Sparkathon May challenge. Use the phrase, "Love and Reason are sworn enemies."

This is set a good few years in an alternate future. It does have a touch of Ronon/Teyla and Rodney/Katie. It's just a light piece I'm not too sure about, tell me what you think?

Nine year old Love Sheppard was losing to eight year old Reason McKay. It was the game of the month among the scientists and now a crowd was gathered in Zelenka's lab (chosen so as not to give Reason any advantage) to watch the two young girls battle it out. Back and forth they were going, first to three wrong loses.

Though she wasn't winning, Love stared defiantly at her opponent with green eyes that belonged to both her parents. John and Elizabeth had had the first Atlantean born kid. It had been a scary thought, but the two loved each other too much to let the possible negative consequences dim their happiness on starting a family together. Love had grown up showing a nice mix of both her mother's and father's qualities.

Reason was in her confident mode, which was quite similar to her fathers, but a touch more modest because of her mother, Katie. Reason was the second-born on Atlantis. She had a sister, Rhyme. The whole process behind which those two got their names was long and strange.

Love had gotten her name from Carson. While Elizabeth had been pregnant, whenever Carson said 'love', she had kicked. Before she was born, the city had lost their doctor. She was given the name Love in honor of him.

Tagan, Ronon and Teyla's son, stood by watching his two friends, who were in fact best friends with each other, but foes for the moment in this chosen game.

Neither John nor Rodney know how this game had in fact started, but from the very early years of their kids' lives they had been taught well, Rodney of course being the head scientist, John being a closet math geek.

"Next number is 29143." Reason stated.

"Prime." Love cringed as she said it. Prime Not Prime was not her best game. In fact she hadn't won a game yet, despite doing well in math.

"Sorry Miss Sheppard, that is incorrect." Radek declared. He announced Reason as the winner and small cheers broke out. Rodney shot a smug look at John, but both had a twinkle in their eyes to show it was all in fun.

Love came up to her father with a frown. John just shrugged and smiled at her before picking her up and twirling her. She let out a squeal and laughed some as he let her down. He loved his little girl to pieces. 

In his opinion she was the cutest kid around. Of course, there weren't many kids that were around. And he was biased, no doubt about that. Especially when she was looking so much like her mother already.

"You did good, sweetheart."

"Thank you Daddy!" she said, before running over to Reason. The two left the lab with Tagan, followed by Ronon and Teyla who had agreed to watch them for the day.

Rodney came over to John. "Nice job Sheppard, but I think this proves who the better man is, hmm?"

John rolled his eyes. "I'll see you later, Rodney. I'm off to see Elizabeth."

He found her on the balcony, staring out at the blue of the familiar water that surrounded them. Whenever he saw her there nowadays, he was always slammed back into the memory of what didn't feel like so long ago. The day after they had found her. He had come out to talk to her; they had been arguing at first, but somehow ended up in a heartfelt, shattering kiss.

Things definitely hadn't been easy, but were easily labeled as the best years of John Sheppard's life. Coming close to her now he was so grateful she had come back to him. She had a few more lines etched lightly on her face, her hair was longer. But she still had her strength that emanated from her and the adventure that shined in her eyes. She was as beautiful as she had ever been to him. The same woman he had fallen in love with.

As per usual, she sensed him behind her and turned to face him with a smile. "Hey."

He greeted her with a chaste kiss. She moved her gaze back to the ocean, while he was content to watch her. After a few moments of silence she tilted her head to him, raising an eyebrow, and prompted, "So?"

"She lost. But she's fine with it."

"So your amazing math skills didn't win?" She grinned. The competition had always been between him and Rodney to teach their kids the best.

He grinned back. "Oh, there'll be a rematch."

"John-"

"Hey it wasn't my idea! I heard your daughter suggest it to Reason. She's a competitive one."

"I think you mean our daughter."

He smiled and encircled his arms around her waist from behind. In an announcer's voice he used rather often, he intoned, "Love and Reason are sworn enemies."

She chuckled. "Ironic, huh?" she said softly. It had always bothered her.

He looked at her and frowned slightly. After a moment he said, "I never thought of that."



"You never really listened to the rational part of yourself when it came to us, did you?"

He smiled again. "No, I just knew I wanted you."

She turned towards him, still caught in his arms, and moved her arms around his neck. "Well you got me."

"Yes I did. And you know that means eventually Love will win." Elizabeth laughed, the sound floating out into the bright sky behind her. He loved to make her laugh, to see her so happy. And she had been happy for a long while now. It was the greatest feeling to know he was why.