Accidents, Amusements, and Admissions

By: JackO'NeillIsTheMan

Disclaimer: Don't own, if I did there were be more fluffy Sparky moments than anyone could handle!

A/N: I was listening to SheDaisy's "Whatever It Takes" when I wrote this. Give it a listen while reading if you want!

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Elizabeth sighed as she walked down the corridor to the infirmary. It was never just a routine mission for her flagship team, was it? They always got into some trouble, and injuries were ridiculously common. This time they hadn't even been attacked, or in any danger. They had been on a peaceful planet that Teyla was negotiating with for food. John was teaching some kids football, and Ronon had decided to learn as well. She rolled her eyes as she pictured it, John explaining the rules and putting Ronon against him to make the teams even with one adult each. And that's when everything went wrong. John had gotten hold of the ball and tried to make a run for the makeshift end zone when Ronon had caught up and, not being familiar with the 'touch football' idea, had tackled him. Hard. Which is why, once again, she was headed to the infirmary to be debriefed on John's condition. Thank God Rodney had stayed on Atlantis to work on some experiments, it really would have been a disaster if he had been there and was convinced to play.

"Carson?" Elizabeth called as she stepped into the infirmary.

"Hello lass!" Carson smiled.

"'Lizbeth, I'm fine! Tell him to let me out, pleeease?!" A familiar whine was heard from a nearby bed.

"She will do no such thing! You have a broken ankle and several bruised ribs." Carson smirked. "You sure would have made a good football man on Earth Ronon."

"Yeah, it wasn't just me. About 5 kids jumped on him after I took him down." Ronon sat on a stool next to the bed with a barely concealed grin of amusement.

Elizabeth dropped her face into a hand as she tried to decide whether to be upset or just laugh. "How long will he be out of commission Carson?"

"He'll be on crutches for at least a month, but for the first week I doubt he'll want to be moving around much with those bruised ribs."

"Hello! I'm right here! And I don't need to be! Can I please go? I just need rest and I can get it better in my own room! You gave me painkillers already, why am I still here?" John was in full annoy-the-doctor mode.

"Fine!" Carson threw up his hands. "Go!" He turned to go to his office muttering about irritating and ungrateful patients, but sporting a small smile of affection and amusement anyway.

"Well, I gotta go. I have a sparring session." Ronon hopped up off his stool and strode out the door.

John struggled to sit up and get off the bed, getting a wry but sympathetic look from Elizabeth.

"Let me help."

"Aw, thanks 'Lizbeth!" He pulled out that huge grin that she could never seem to get enough of and she knew she had to tell him now, that it couldn't wait anymore.

"Here are your crutches. Now come on, I'll walk you to your room while you tell me why you thought it would be a good idea to teach Ronon football." Elizabeth walked slightly behind him so she wouldn't trip on his crutches and could catch him if he stumbled.

"Well, you see, it started with just the kids and he was only listening but when I began the game he wanted in. I couldn't make the teams unequal it wouldn't have been fair so I had to put him against me. 'Course I had no idea how fast he would catch on, or how fast it would turn on me!" He chuckled.

By this time they had made it to John's room.

"Well, thanks for walking me 'Lizbeth. Maybe I'll see you at dinner?" He asked her over his shoulder as he swiped his hand over the control panel to open his door.

"Actually…. Um, can I come in for a moment John?" Her voice was soft and there seemed to be an undercurrent of uncertainty.

He quirked an eyebrow at her as he answered, "Of course, you're always welcome."

They stepped inside and he quickly went over and sat down on his bed, motioning her to a chair. As much as he tried to conceal it, the trip from the infirmary had been exhausting and slightly painful, even with the painkillers he had been given.

"So what's on your mind?" He looked at her curiously as he set his crutches aside and gratefully leaned back onto his pillow against the wall.

Elizabeth dropped her eyes to her hands, clutched in her lap. "I just… I guess… I'm sick of visiting you in the infirmary!" She snuck a glance at his face, noticing the adorable look of surprise and confusion, before continuing. "I'm the leader and I feel responsible for everyone here- I am responsible for everyone here. But when it comes to you-" She stood up and started to pace. "You are too important to lose. Atlantis- the people here- they need you. And I've finally accepted what I've been denying even to myself for so long. You are essential to me." She stopped her pacing and met his eyes steadily. "I want to know if it's the same for you."

John stared into her eyes totally frozen. 'Huh? Does she mean what I think she means?!'

"John?" Her barely-there whisper reached him through his trance.

"I never imagined breaking an ankle and bruising some ribs could be the best thing to ever happen to me."

"What?" She was beyond baffled and her face showed it plainly as did her voice.

John struggled into a standing position and limped the couple of feet to stand in front of her. His hand came up to softly caress her cheek and brush some strands of hair behind her ear.

"I love you 'Lizbeth. And you are very, very much essential to me as well." He murmured before tipping his head down and gently brushing her lips with his own for a short second.

One word escaped her mouth before she slipped her arms all the way around his neck and caught his lips again, for much longer this time, "Good."

The End

A/N: This was just a little something I wrote a couple months ago and thought I'd finally post. Hope it turned out okay and they are not too OOC. -Jack