Hierarchy3

John stood looking at Moira. Silent, assessing. Gaze wandering along her curves hidden by the bulky blue sweater. His eyes paused where he knew the baby bump to be. Roved back to her pale face, defiant expression. Sorrow. "Are you all right? I heard you were sick."

"Fine."

He waited, but she was silent. He frowned. "Moira, what the hell are you doing here? You can't run away from home, you know."

"Oh, but I can, John. What does look like? I'm moving in, at least temporarily. Until I can arrange a room for myself."

"Stop this now!" He stepped to her. Grabbed the pack. "Point taken. Let's go."

"No." She snatched the pack from him, dropped it onto the bed. Folded her arms under her breasts. "Since you don't want me I won't burden you with my presence in our–"

"Don't be ridiculous, Moira! Of course I want you. Now let's go–"

"No. I 'm not moving back until you give me your word, John. Because you never break your word. Do you?"

"No, I never do. My word on what, Moira?" he asked, although he could guess.

"That you won't send me to Earth before we go together for the birth of John junior."

"I can't do that, Moira. If I deem there is a serious or significant threat to you I will send you to Earth. You don't have to go now, okay? But you will if I decide it is necessary."

"Not good enough."

"What? Come on, Moira!" he flared, "it's a fair compromise. I need to keep you safe, and I can't even do that in the fucking city let alone in the–"

"Damn it, John, you did keep me safe! Or as I remember it I kept you safe! Your fine, fine six, colonel, was in more danger than mine! So no, colonel. Your word that you will not send me to Earth before we both go. Or I'm staying right here."

"Damn it, Moy, don't be so stubborn! I can't give you my word because in all likelihood I will break it. And I won't lie to you. Not ever."

"I appreciate that, John. But until you can give me your word I am going to live here now. And there is no way you will be get me out of this city and out of this galaxy." She held his stare with her own. Just as stubborn. Unmovable.

"Fine," he finally responded. "If that's how you want it, Moira. Live here. I can still send that pert little ass of yours to Earth whenever I want!"

"No! I won't go, colonel! If you want a divorce you know where to find me!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Moira!" He sighed. "Is it any wonder I didn't want to be married again?"

"All I need is your word, John."

"You can't have it. I can't budge on this, Moira. I can't." He touched her pale cheek, tenderly brushed a tendril of hair from her face. "Besides," he added laconically, smile on his handsome face, "you won't last a single night here. No...you'll be running back to our bed. To my arms. You know you can't resist me." He kissed her. A slow, seductive kiss. "That's the last taste of John Sheppard you will have until you come to your senses, baby. And obey me," he added with a glint of mischief in his brilliant green eyes.

She frowned. Batted his hand away from her. "Really, John? I see. Well, colonel, I'll survive somehow. I don't know how you'll survive, though. All alone in that big, cold bed. With no way to deploy your considerable ordnance. At least not the way you did last night, sweetie. I won't budge either, and I sure as hell won't obey you."

He smiled. Amused, aroused by her anger, her defiance. "Fine. Stalemate. I'll be waiting for you, baby. However you want me."

"John! This isn't about sex! It's about you sending me away when there's no reason! At least no reason you'll admit!"

"You know my reason. My only reason. You want to live here? Fine. I'm still your husband. I'm still your military commander. I'm still your–"

"I'm not one of your damn marines so stop trying to order me like one!" she flared. "Get out! Now!" She pointed at the door.

"Fine, your highness. I'll go. Enjoy your new quarters. Your cold, lonely little bed."

"Go!" He smiled. Strode out of the room, nearly knocking into Katie who stumbled back from him in alarm. "Make sure she's eating and keeping her food down. And relaxes. And rests. If there's anything wrong, I mean anything have me paged immediately."

"Of course, colonel," Katie assured. Watched him leave. She entered the room. "Moira? Are you all right?"

Moira sat on the bed, hugging herself. "Yes. I...he's so damn stubborn!" She sighed. "Damn him! Well, I can be just as obstinate as he is! I can be...oh shit!" She rose, hastened to the bathroom. Quickly fell to her knees and retched over the toilet, but nothing came up.

"Moira! Moira, are you all right? Should I send for Carson?"

"No!" Moira straightened, once she was sure nothing was coming up out of her. She returned, sat on the bed. "My stomach is just upset, is all. Don't bother Carson. I think I'll take a little nap and try to relax."

"If you're sure...okay," Katie relented at her friend's nod. "I'll check back with you in an hour, okay? Take it easy, Moira. He'll come round. Soon he'll be begging you to come back to him."

Moira snorted. "I doubt that. All I need is his word, damn him! Unless he really does want to get rid of me."

"Of course he doesn't, Moira! Calm down," Katie soothed, sitting near as Moira curled onto her side, trying to stop the flow of tears.

"Sorry! I know...I...damn hormones!"

Katie patted her shoulder. "Take it easy, Moira. You have to relax, for yourself and for the baby. John will come around."

John pushed aside his half-empty plate. His appetite had faded. Mulling over the argument with Moira. Her stubborn stance. Her suspicion over his reasons when there was no need to be even remotely suspicious. Her seeming doubt of his love, his fidelity. He scowled. Worried over her health. The health of the baby she was carrying. He sighed. Watched as Rodney joined him, tray overflowing with food. "Any progress?"

"Huh? Oh, hello to you, John. How are you this afternoon? Me, why thanks for asking. I've been busy on several projects and only now had time to grab a bite to eat."

"Rodney," John warned, not in the mood.

"I presume you mean trying to reconstruct the Impulse Blocker? The answer is no. Not yet, to be specific. Are you going to eat that pudding?"

"No. Have at it. And?"

Rodney grabbed the side dish, placed it near his tray. "And until I have the exact crystals to match the exact schematics I can't do a thing. I created a model and it's only a model without the requisite crystals but I think, no, I know I can power it up with the Ancient tech or ours but probably theirs as I am jerry-rigging the thing to the Ancient tech. Or Moira can, but since you are shipping her off like so much useless baggage I guess I will need another super powered–"

"I am not shipping her off, and don't talk about her like that!" John snapped.

"Right now I am scanning the data base to see if any crystals like that or any comparable ones can be found on any other planets apart from the one we can't go to. The aliens, remember? We can't go there, but there must be crystals like that somewhere."

"You are?"

"Well, Zelenka is," Rodney admitted as John's observation. "I'm too busy balancing the equations and fixing up the model so it will work properly once it can work properly."

"You are?" John quipped.

"Yes, well, I was! Even I need to eat once in a while!"

"Once in a while?"

"Colonel," Carson intervened before Rodney could reply, "I trust you have resolved the issue?"

John glanced at the doctor. Glanced at Rodney who was watching. "Um...not exactly." He eyed his food suddenly.

"What does not exactly mean, John?" Carson asked. Voice stern.

"It's, um, complicated, Carson. She wants–"

"She doesn't want to go. So she doesn't go. Simple, really," the doctor argued.

"No, it's not." John met Carson's gaze. "She wants my word I won't send her to Earth before we both go together."

"So? Give it."

"I can't. Because if I deem there's a threat to her I will send her to Earth," John explained. Becoming uncomfortable under the disapproving gaze of the normally placid doctor.

"So? Give it anyway. What's the big deal?" Rodney chimed in, ignored John's quick glare.

"I never break my word. And I won't lie to Moira."

"Come on! You've never lied to her? You've never lied to a woman?" Rodney scoffed.

"Yes, Rodney, of course I've lied to a woman. Several women. But not to Moira. Not ever."

"That's very admirable, John. But you need to find a way to remedy this now. Moira doesn't need any kind of stress, and being apart from you is stressful for her. Being at odds with you is worse."

John sighed. "She's the one who moved out! She's the one who is being stubborn and refuses even a compromise over the–"

"She moved out? Wow! John, she's pregnant!" Rodney exclaimed.

"I know!" John retorted irritably. "Why does everyone keep telling me that? I know! I'm the one who impregnated her, damn it!" He swallowed, his raised voice causing heads to turn in his direction. He felt a faint blush on his cheeks. "Well, I did. She's my wife," he mumbled. "And she doesn't mean it. She's trying to prove a point, that's all," he grumbled.

"And you just let her. Brilliant move, John!" Carson chastised, shaking his head. "She's pregnant, John!"

"I know!" he said with an exaggerated sigh.

"Then take care of her, man! Get her back into your rooms now, today, John! That's an order!"

"I tried, but she–"

"I don't care. Try harder! You shower that woman with love, with chocolate, with whatever makes her happy, damn it! You give her your word and you mean it! You reconcile with her and keep her happy and relaxed or I swear I will send you to Earth!"

"Wow," Rodney commented as Carson left them. "Wow...I've never seen him in such a state. John...you better make nice with Moira. She's pregnant, you know."

"I know!"