Pairing: Sparky, with mentions of Teyla/Ronon

Spoilers: This takes place in season 3 after 'McKay and Mrs. Miller' so spoilers up to that point.

Disclaimer: I don't own them, if I did things would be going much differently this season

Summary: Elizabeth discovers just how creative betting is in Atlantis, which leads to some surprising results.

Author's note: Please let me know what you think!!! I have the story mostly written, but its been a while since I've written anything remotely creative.

Chapter 2 (The bets)

John broke away from Elizabeth's gently piercing gaze. Sometimes he forgot she was a diplomat and didn't really have to try all that hard to draw things out of people. Not that he would ever lie to her, but he really didn't want to tell her about all of this. Enough stalling, he thought as he ran a hand through is hair, maybe it wasn't as big of a deal as he thought it was. He would answer her questions, and just wouldn't volunteer all the information he had. That decision made, he leaned against the balcony rail, crossed his arms and brought his eyes back to Elizabeth's, noticing that she now looked rather worried.

"Oh Elizabeth, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you, its just the whole thing might be a little…." He paused searching for a harmless sounding word, while gesturing with one hand, "..surprising to hear about."

"Uh-huh," She answered, sounding unconvinced.

"So, it seems that occasionally some members of this expedition have bets on other members of the expedition." John said in a rush, watching for Elizabeth's reaction. To his surprise she didn't seem shocked.

"John, I gathered that much when I rehashed our conversation during dinner."

"Well, then you figured it out, so if there's nothing else I should probably-" He said with false cheerfulness until Elizabeth interrupted him.

"While I don't exactly approve of this behavior, I don't see why you were dreading telling me about a few harmless wagers between co-workers."

"Yeah, well you see…" Despite his earlier resolve to only answer her questions, he now found it hard to conceal the whole operation from her, especially while she was looking at him like that. Stupid diplomat thing. He drew in a deep breath and said, "Its not just a few wagers."

"Okay," She replied with a raise of her eyebrows, inviting further clarification.

"Its kind of a large betting pool."

"Oh." Elizabeth moved to stand next to him at the edge of the balcony and faced the ocean. "So, what is the nature of this gambling ring we have?"

John noticed she had started to sound a little uncomfortable and decided to spare her some further questions, by answering this latest one as completely as he could. "Most of the junior personnel, including some on the Daedalus, have bets running on practically all of the senior staff and senior personnel in Atlantis and on Daedalus. People wager items for dates by which they will think certain events will happen, and the person closest to the correct date 'Price-Is-Right' style wins. Most of the items for wager are candy, coffee, or soda. When things happen new events are added to the pool." He stopped talking and glanced at Elizabeth standing next to him.

"Price-Is-Right style?"

"Oh, closest without going over." Well, that wasn't the question he thought she would ask.

"This seems really well organized." Elizabeth said, sounding a little dazed.

"Well, when you get some of the best minds in the world together and put them in almost weekly death defying situations, I guess they need some outlet." John replied. Elizabeth was taking this better that he thought she would.

"And how did you find out about this? Are you one of the organizers, John?" She asked turning toward him once again.

Still not the bad question, maybe I can get past that one tonight and have time to regroup for another round of interrogation. "No, I found out about it after the Wraith tried to destroy the city, the first time. A couple weeks later I caught Chuck talking to some people and saw the score-sheet. After some persuasion on my part, he told me about it, which quite possible only made things worse for myself. Anyway, I thought it was better that someone keep an eye on things, so he keeps me apprised of the goings on, provided I don't try to affect the results. I also don't report anything that I know to him. Since then I've found out that the other two organizers are one of Beckett's nurses and the cook. When you think about it that pretty much covers the most interesting areas of the city."

"So we have a city of gamblers, led by a triumvirate of spies." Elizabeth sounded shocked, but so far not angry.

"Yeah, although to be fair everyone kind of is a spy, the organizers just seem to be the best informed. I don't think they're doing it out of disrespect or malice. If anything they almost seem to be cheering people on." John shrugged and then realized that in his effort to reassure Elizabeth, who looked like she might be getting used to the idea, he had let something slip that could lead to the questions he was avoiding.

"How is this cheering people on?"

"Well, one of the bets was when Kavanaugh was going to be shipped back to Earth… Which really is more like cheering everyone else on, but you get the idea."

Elizabeth smiled slightly at this. "What is the nature of most of the bets? Are most of them about events like that, or something else."

John could swear she already knew the answer to that question by the way she looked back out at the ocean after she asked it. Well here we go there is no going back now. "Ah, no….I'd say most of the bets involve…romantically linking members of the expedition." That was as delicately as he could think to put it, and the reason he had threatened Chuck when he saw the list, the fact that Elizabeth was 'romantically linked' to several people. Now, he liked to view it as people wanted her to have some happiness. It was better than the John Sheppard-Alien woman bet or the John Sheppard-Rodney McKay bet.

"So Ronon and Teyla's display in the gateroom today would start or further an already exisiting bet about them?"

"Yes."

"Are there any such bets about me?"

"There are bets about everyone Elizabeth." And here is where everything goes to hell.

"I didn't ask you about everyone, I asked you about me. Who am I 'romantically linked' to, John?" She asked quietly, still not looking at him but now rather at the stars.

"Yeah…..maybe you don't want to know that. When I found out about all of this it made me a little paranoid until I got used to the idea, so you could just skip that and try to live in denial." John offered, trying one last time to weasel out of answering.

"John," Elizabeth turned to face him and pin him once again with a look.

"Okay, well…" He started uncomfortably and then continued in a quieter voice, "…there are bets on you and, ah…Rodney, Zelenka, Ronon, Lorne, and me." He finished having faltered a little with the last one.

Elizabeth had blushed more with each name, until she was now rather red. She broke eye contact and said in a clipped tone, "Well, thanks for the information. I think I'm going to go to bed now. Good night John," and then left the balcony before he could stop her.

John was left watching her retreat through the balcony doors, worried about her reaction. I should have just lied to her. I knew this whole thing would probably weird her out. Unfortunately, for reasons that he often didn't want to consider, intending to lie to Elizabeth Weir and actually doing it were two different things for him.