Disclaimer: Not mine, just the bad puns

A/N: So, this was planned to be a mere little filler but over the past few days it got so much more! I realized that I had to add some things that couldn't/shouldn't stand alone so this one kinda mutated until it was as much of a monster as the last one... even longer!

Some story developement and quite Elizabeth heavy but I'm not quite satisfied...but I'm afraid it's the best I could do for this one. Please tell me what you think, your opinions really matter to me!


09. Drama Queen and Lion King

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Rodney groaned. Elizabeth was in full mother hen mode, a side which she didn't show a lot of times but when she did, you didn't want to be on the receiving end. Rodney was only glad that she was solely focused on John and mostly seemed to ignore him. Rodney suspected that she didn't expect anything else from him, but John was the chief of security and...

"I didn't expect Rodney to come to me. But you John, you are the chief of security and if there is a risk of security, I want to know about it!"

Rodney hid a smug smile behind his hand. Sometimes it was almost appalling how well he, Mr. Bad-people-skills personally, knew his colleagues. John on the other hand wasn't smiling. Actually, he was pouting like a little kid, caught with the hand in the cookie jar.

"I just tried to protect Rodneys privacy ma'am." Sheppard sounded awfully stiff and the smile died on Rodneys lips. Oh, damn him and his guilt trips.

"Oh, don't "ma'am" me John!" Although Elizabeth was still pacing in exasperation, Rodney could see that she wasn't as agitated as she was before. "Have you some suspects yet?"

"Yes, we have!" John said at the same time as Rodney blurted, "No, we haven't!"

John attempted to stare Rodney down, while Rodney just felt weary and tired. Maybe because there was nothing left of the pseudo-romantic atmosphere from a few minutes ago. Maybe because he still couldn't grasp what had happened, or almost happened, or would have happened for that matter, if Elizabeth hadn't come in when she had. The twisted and insecure part of him dreaded this possibility, but another, more quiet and small part, would have liked to know. But when he imagined that Sheppard could have reacted with disgust, not so much with Rodney maybe, but with himself, he shivered and was almost glad that Elizabeth had interrupted. Almost.

While the conversation continued (over his head), he felt the pain in his skull coming back with a vengeance.

'And maybe you are just so tired because of the damn concussion, genius.'

"Who do you have in mind Colonel?"

"Well I found the behaviour of Lt. Connolly most suspicious during our time in the Jumper Bay earlier today."

Ok, hellish headache or not, this was his cue to do damage control. "Please, you still think that it's Connolly? Didn't you listen at all? It could have been absolutely everyone!"

"I did listen Dr. McKay." Oh, doctorate and last name. He was pissed. "But that doesn't mean that the Lieutnants odd behaviour is any less suspicious. Besides, Connolly had still the best opportunity to get the flowers, without the chance of being observed while picking them from Browns little flowerbed."

"Connolly" Elizabeth drawled before Rodney could tell Sheppard exactly what he thought of that theorie. They watched how she tapped her chin thoughtfully in an unconscious manner, before she shook her head no and looked expectantly at John. "The name doesn't ring a bell. Did you have problems with her before Colonel?"

Rodneys head snapped towards Sheppard who did his best not to look at him. Rodney mouthed the words "I dare you" anyway, hoping that his murderous vibes alone would be enough to shut him up.

They weren't.

"Actually, Connolly is a 'he' , Lt. Alex Connolly." Sheppard stated coolly. "And no, I didn't have much to do with him until now."

Elizabeths eyebrows disappeared under her hairline. Her eyes met Rodneys briefly before she snapped them back to John and muttered a feeble "Oh" for lack of a better word. Rodney wouldn't have been half as embarrassed if they knew that he wasn't just interested in women. But they didn't, and somehow, although he couldn't say why, that made a big difference.

"Let me tell you that I don't agree with the Colonel." And boy, was he proud that he didn't stammer. "I always thought that it was just a stupid prank." Ok, so lately he'd had this tiny little doubts, but they didn't need to know that. So he just pointed at the flowers lying on his nightstand and said: "Now more than ever!" He crossed his arms over his chest with an expression on his face that dared them to question his conclusions.

Elizabeth regarded him and the flowers with a thoughtful expression and Sheppard seemed to be ready to question him anyway, that stubborn bastard.

But before he could, Elizabeth nodded to herself. "I think Rodney is right Colonel. You were right to assume that it had to be one of Higgins team, but if you had asked me, I could have told you that the flowers were available to everyone." Sheppard looked like he wanted to interrupt but she stopped him with a raised hand. "It seems hinky that this person manipulated the video feed, I agree. But there's no proof that she, or he, is dangerous and that it isn't just a prank like Rodney thinks. It actually makes more sense that way. Someone wanted to pull his chain a bit, but didn't want to get caught. Maybe a scientist who had been one time too much on the receiving end of your wrath?!" She had locked eyes with Rodney during the last sentence and he frowned a bit in confusion when her serious expression turned into an amused smile. "And let's not disregard that, maybe, there really is just a shy, little lady out there who has a crush on you, hm?"

Rodney blushed under her glinting eyes but didn't protest. After all, he was winning.

And Sheppard didn't seem to like it one bit. "What about the letters?" he blurted, clearly distressed.

Rodney was, for the nth time today, surprised by his odd behaviour. He knew that the Colonel had a little problem with his over-protective streak, but this was extreme, even for him.

Elizabeth didn't seem to notice though. "What about them?" She sounded almost bored, eager to end this particular conversation. Rodney thought that she seemed to try to appear a little bit too indifferent. And Rodney could have sworn that there had been a hint of pink on the Colonels cheek, but when he blinked it was gone.

"They are clearly not written by a shy, little lady!"

Elizabeth seemed to find this vastly amusing. "And how would you know that?"

Sheppard didn't step down. 'A man on a mission', Rodney thought fleetingly.

"You would think so too if you would have read them!"

Suddenly Rodney had a sickening feeling of foreboding. 'Oh no, she wouldn't...'

"Well then," Elizabeth sounded smug, like she had wanted this all along. "show me!"

Rodney squawked a bit from his bed. Ok, he had to stop this. This had gone too far. Way too far. "No! No no no no no! There is no need for that! You already agreed with me!" And he didn't care that he whined like a petulant child. When his teammates had read the letter it had been humiliating enough but his boss would be unbearable.

Elizabeth just graced him with a leveled look which couldn't quite hide her excitement. Why was it that everyone forgot how to handle things professional when said things had something to do with him?

"Don't worry Rodney. I just want to show the Colonel that he worries about nothing." Yeah, sure. Heck, she was even grinning now. "I won't tell anybody."

"But..." Sheppard stopped him with a hand on his shoulder and smiled encouragingly down at him from the side of his bed and Rodney couldn't help but smile back. Maybe Sheppard would support him after all and end this madness. Sheppard squeezed his shoulder lightly and looked back at Elizabeth with steel in his eyes, before...

"I left it in Rodneys quarters. Follow me." It happened so fast and nonchalant that Rodney was still smiling when Sheppard had already disappeared through the door, Elizabeth following hot on his heels. Only when Elizabeths head reappeared in the doorway, his face fell with realization. She smiled at him and called: "Don't worry. I'll bring him back in time for your next wake-up call."

A second later she was gone and Rodney buried his face in his pillow, a rather vain attempt to suffocate himself.

His day was now officially screwed.


John and Elizabeth drifted trough the deserted Atlantis, each one dwelling on their own thoughts. They didn't encounter anyone else. After all it was already quite late and the only personnel awake were the scientists doing a night shift in the lab and the marines on gate duty.

It was eerie silent at this late hour but Sheppard really didn't mind right now. It gave him the opportunity to mull over the last few hours. The accident in the Jumper Bay, Rodneys injury and of course the scene in the infirmary.

The first time Rodney had woken up John had took his hand totally subconsciously but when he had realized what he'd done and seen that Rodney didn't withdrew either it had felt natural. Familiar. Right.

And then later...oh he just got hot when he thought about that.

John hadn't noticed how close they had gotten. He truly hadn't. But he also couldn't say that he particulary minded the closeness. That he acutally minded Rodneys breath on his face or the feeling of Rodneys thigh under his hand... and how the hell had that happened anyway? He had never been the touchy-feely guy, so why hadn't it felt awkward at all? And why couldn't he just stop thinking about Rodney and the mess he got himself into for one friggin minute?

"You seem angry John."

And John was, he just hadn't thought that Elizabeth would notice or even approach him about it. But he was, and who could deny him his anger? Rodney could be so stubborn sometimes. Ok, so there were a lot more possibilities, now that they knew about the secret flowerbed. But that didn't change the fact that Connolly seemed to have some suspicious interest in the scientist. Nobody watched someone like that if there wasn't something sinister going on. John wouldn't let Connolly off the hook just yet. He had instincts and he could trust them. Usually.

And he wouldn't lie to Elizabeth again. John had the distinct impression that Elizabeth had been more hurt than angry by their secret. And not because she would have had the right to know as the head of Atlantis, but because she was Rodneys friend too.

Besides, would he had told her from the beginning, he would have known so much sooner about Dr. Browns little project.

"I just think that McKay should take this more seriously."

"And you don't think that maybe you take it a little bit too seriously?" Sheppard gritted his teeth.

No he didn't think so! He didn't think that this was just a prank. And he didn't think that he could settle down before he found this 'Scientist's Lover' and showed him (or her, whatever) what happens when you mess with one of his friends.

John didn't say any of this though. He didn't think that it would do him any good, so he just kept quiet.

He felt, rather than saw, how Elizabeth mustered him out of the corner of her eye, clearly waiting for an answer. When she realized that she wouldn't get one she let uttered an exaggerated sigh.

John was slightly amused. Sometimes she could be an outright Drama Queen. Maybe that was one of the attributes that made her such a good negotiator...

"Well I think that you kinda do."

Keeping quiet was getting harder than he thought...

"But I also know that you have no control over that."

Harder and harder...

"You just can't stand the thought that something is out of your reach. And that's okay, real-ly.

Incredible hard...

"But I also trust your instincts and if you say we shouldn't treat this lightly, we won't."

Suddenly it didn't seem too hard to keep his mouth shut, because he was momentarily stuck speechless. Hadn't she, just a few minutes ago in fact, agreed with Rodney? And now she was agreeing with him? "What?"

Elizabeth regarded his confused expression with an exasperated one. "Oh please Colonel. Don't you think I already have a plan?"

Sheppard just blinked at her. This woman could still surprise him.

"I think that it would be best to get Rodney away from whoever is sending him these things. At least for a little while. There will be a trading mission in two days. I had planned to send SGA-3 because it is a fairly simple thing; the natives are very friendly people, very hospitable. But now I'll send your team instead. The mission will require 3 days, because the Kesslers wouldn't agree to a quick "one day visit". As I said, very hospitable..." She trailed off momentarily, as if thinking about something else. "Anyway. I think three days should be enough time for things to cool down a little."

Sheppard felt something click inside of him and he began to grin at her. "And if you would have disagreed with Rodney he would have thought that we want to get rid of him and he would have bitched about it for weeks." Elizabeth just smirked wider.

Yep, could still surprise him. Well, after all she knew Rodney almost as good as John did. But there was still something he didn't understand.

"But if you believed me from the beginning, why would you want to read the letter?" A sheepish look crossed her face and Johns grin widened. "Don't tell me you were just nosy!"

"No, of course not!" The answer came too fast and she knew it. "Not only! I really want to know if it is a prank or a real admirer sending those things."

John was momentarily lost. "But," he drawled, "you already agreed with me that it is the latter."

"No John", she stated like a teacher, answering the question of an obtuse student, "I agreed with you that we should take this more serious than Rodney does. But I won't rule out that we are just dealing with the prank of an individual with a sick sense of humor."

They paused in front of Rodneys quarters and Elizabeth turned to face him. "If it is a prank I'm confident that the culprit will loose interest and cool down when Rodneys isn't here for a few days. But if it is the real thing, I will find out."

She seemed really confident and Sheppard quirked an intrigued eyebrow. "And how exactly Dr. Weir, will you do that?"

Elizabeth smiled at him, trying hard to stay somewhat serious. "I have my ways Colonel Sheppard. After all, women on Atlantis are quite talkative these days."

Sheppard tried hard not to laugh, but didn't quite succeed. "Sooo, you are going to check out the gossip around here. And what if it is a man after all? Our gender isn't known to talk about things like that, I'm afraid."

Her smile turned feral. "Don't you worry about that either. Like I already said; I have my ways."

Sheppard shivered involuntary and was glad when Elizabeth turned around to enter the code that would open Rodneys quarters and that only she and John knew, besides Rodney himself. "But let's not assume the worst." she chirped and punched the last key. "I'm sure it isn't half as bad as we make it."

The doors swished open and John would have laughed at the sight that met them, wouldn't it had been so damn creepy.

Everywhere were those damn flowers. Dozens of them. Spread on the bed, on the floor, on the table among all kinds of equipment, even in the bathroom. Just everywhere.

Rodneys quarters smelled like a goddamn garden shed and a totally inappropiate part of John thought, that Rodneys allergies would have went haywire, had he found this little surprise and that this person couldn't love him very much if he hadn't considered that when he had set this up.

When he finally felt strong enough to break the silence that had descended on them while Elizabeth had stared at the scene in disbelief, he forced himself to sound bored, altough his insides were boiling.

"Ok.." he said into the almost empty room, "This is getting old."


Two days after their discovery Dr. Weir sat in her office, staring at a piece of paper without really seeing it. After all, she had read it so many times in the last 48 hours that she could recite it by now. She snorted a bit in self contempt. 'Yeah, big accomplishment you got there, Elizabeth.'

John probably knew it by heart too, although he'd had just a short glace at it. After he had found it between some of the Extolias in Rodneys quarters and before Elizabeth had snatched it out of his hands, feeling like her curiosity would kill her otherwise.

She knew that this note was shorter and actually rather harmless compared to the one that John had read earlier that day. Nonetheless, Elizabeth felt a shiver run down her spine, everytime she scanned through the words.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

'My Precious,

I was very displeased with your accident and I am sure that my little surprise will lighten your mood. Please be more careful until I am able to take proper care of you.

Yours truly, Scientist's lover'

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The note could have fooled others to think that it was supposed to be sweet and caring.

Elizabeth wasn't others.

She was the leader of Atlantis and a trained negotiator. During her career she had learned how to read between the lines. While the words were sugar-coated, fooling the reader with a false sense of love and worry, she had been able to read between the lines with ease. Had read of anger and frustration, of 'displeasure', rather than concern and sincere worries. Had read about a guy (she had begun to think of 'Scientist's Lover' as a man without even noticing) that thought he held so much power over Rodney that his presents would certainly cheer him up. After an explosion, for God's sake.

But what made her blood run cold was the last sentence: claiming Rodney already as his, just waiting for the momenthe could take 'proper care' of him.

The underlying promise, the threat, had screamed at her almost immediately, like it had been painted in red all over the piece of paper. And if she was fidgeting with unease and worry, she could only imagine how John had to literally vibrate with it. And in some ways, he had.

When they had locked themselves in Rodneys quarters (or actually, locked everyone else out) to discuss the situation more thoroughly, John hadn't been able to stand still.

Pacing from one end of the room to another and back. Ocassionally stopping to pick at some flowers and either leave them alone after a while or sweeping them from the surface. Just to kick them across the floor when he resumed the pacing, leaving behind a mess of petals all over the room. He had repeated this circle over and over again, almost as if in trance, although a violent one. But when he had spoken his voice had sounded eerie calm, almost bored.

"I assume that you don't believe the 'stupid-prank' story anymore, do you?"

Pacing. Back and forth.

"I mean, bypassing the code, Rodneys code, to get into his quarters is way too complicated, way too risky, to be just a joke."

Back and forth. Stopping. Picking.

"And that he mentioned the accident like he had been there."

Picking. Sweeping. Kicking.

"Like Conolly had been there."

More kicking. More pacing. Back and forth, back and forth.

Elizabeth had felt herself reminded of the one time her parents had taken her to the zoo on her 10th birthday. She had stood hours in front of the cage with the lion, mesmerized with the animals movements. It had paced behind the bars, strength and pride shining in every muscle. But also anxiousness and rage at being unable to do much more than repeat its circle. Back and forth. Back and forth.

Little Elizabeth had admired that strength, but feared the rage. She had imagined that the lion was just waiting to break through the bars and attack his aggressors with all its strengh and controlled rage that had bottled-up while it had resumed its never ending circle.

Although he reminded her of those old days, Elizabeth wasn't afraid of John. She would never fear him like she had feared that predator.

No, she was afraid for 'Scientist's Lover'. This guy had made a big mistake. He had placed himself in front of the vivarium with a piece of meat around his neck. And he had left the door unlocked.

Elizabeth had forced herself back into the present then, trying to soothe John with promises. Promises to investigate. Promises to take it serious. Promises to keep Rodney safe.

At that he had locked eyes with her, eyes that had radiated determination. "Don't worry about that! That is my job!"

She knew that he hadn't meant his position as the chief of security, not even as the leader of SGA-1, but she had just nodded and hadn't commented on it.

Elizabeth had long since sensed that there was something special about the way John and Rodney acted around each other. During certain times she had even wondered if there was something blossoming between the two of them that was more than mere friendship. Ever so often, she chose to ignore it, telling herself that the romantic novel loving part of her saw feelings and gestures that weren't there.

But, sometimes, she would let her thoughts roam free. At those times she would imagine playing matchmaker, something she had been fabulous at during her Highschool days.

Sometimes Elizabeth had even considered talking to John about it. Not to put an end to it, but to encourage him. She had always thought that 'don't ask, don't tell' was quite a stupid rule, especially when you are currently living in another galaxy.

But in the end, she had always decided against it. To Elizabeth it had always seemed like John didn't really notice all the little things he did. Like holding Rodneys arm a little bit too long when he steadied him after a bad mission. Like sitting a little bit too close to the scientist during the debriefings. Or like the little fond smile on his face, everytime Rodney entered the mess hall when they all had already assumed that he had forgotten their appointment again. Elizabeth had feared that she would do more bad than good when she told him what she saw, that he wouldn't be ready for it, wouldn't see it for what it was and automatically deny it without even thinking about it.

And although Rodney seemed to be a little bit more aware of the tension between them, she would never ever speak to him either. God, he would probably rip her head off and give her the silent treatment for a few years.

But back then, in Rodneys quarters, watching John's pacing, she had reconsidered.

Something had definitely changed in the last few days. John had always concealed his concern with snide or sarcastic remarks, just so nobody could see that he actually felt something for Rodney, whether it was friendship or something else.

But back in the quarters, he had done nothing like that. He had been actually dead serious. Only genuine worry coloring his voice. John hadn't seemed to care anymore if Elizabeth saw through his facade. Hadn't cared that she saw his helplessness. Oh sure, he had still overplayed it with a stoic face and grim determination, but not as thorought as she was used to from him. Elizabeth assumed that he had felt it too much of an effort to hide his emotions, like he had been more aware of them himself. More aware of his feelings considering a certain scientist.

Elizabeth couldn't help but feel self-contended at that realization. Despite the situation it had just felt good to be right.

Nonetheless, she had decided to let the two of them deal with it alone for a while. If some letters and flowers could trigger such a change in the Colonels behaviour, she didn't want to imagine what three days of a shared tent could do at the moment.

"John" she had said instead, "what is the plan?"

And John had told her the plan.

They would proceed as planned, meaning that they wouldn't tell Rodney about the new delivery and go on the mission.

Elizabeth had gaped at that, but he had explained that all her smart planning would have been in vain, would they tell Rodney about this. He would think more than ever that they only wanted to get him out of the picture and probably outright refuse to go on the mission. So they wouldn't tell him at all, clean this mess while he was still in the infirmary and change the code for the door.

When Rodney had dicovered his new "key", Sheppard had told him that he had changed it, because the head of a department shouldn't have the same code for too long. Elizabeth had (discreetly) slapped her forehead at the bad and therefore rather obvious lie. But Rodney had been so enraged by the fact, that John had changed the code without his knowledge, that he apparently hadn't even given much thought of the squishy explanation.

At that moment Elizabeth had felt a pang of guilt for lying to Rodney about something that essential. But they did it to help, not to harm him, so she had swallowed her doubts and kept silent.

Now she sat in her office, staring at the note, waiting for Team Sheppard to get ready for the mission.

A fairly easy mission, mind you. Nice, sweet, overall simple people. Liked to dance, according to Major Lorne. They had finally agreed to trade food for medicine, although it had gone against their traditions. The negotiations promised to go fairly easy. Elizabeth had to smirk. It was actually more a vacation than a mission, especially for the boys. Teyla would do all the negotiations, although Elizabeth was sure that the Athosian wouldn't have many problems with the merry, easy-going leader. Yeah, it would be the perfect mission for them to take their minds off of things. Elizabeth frowned down at the note again.

And they sure needed it.

Rodney had gotten two more "packages" in the last two days (like Sheppard had predicted). One in his lab and the other one, thank god, in front of his quarters.

The video feeds had shown absolutely nothing and after a few hours Sheppard had given up his attempt to stake out the balcony with the Extolias of Dr. Brown. It had been like Grand Central Station, he had told her later. Dozens of women and, surprisingly, not a lot less men had come to get some of the flowers. Some had left with their arms full of them and sometimes the little balcony had been so crowded that Sheppard had been forced to leave it, in order to not be crushed.

"Would she sell them," Sheppard had growled in frustration, "Dr. Brown would be a damn rich lady by now."

And Rodney hadn't been of much help either. He had outright refused to at least open the letters anymore, just dumped them and the flowers in the nearest garbage can.

John hadn't protested, hadn't pried, although Elizabeth could see that he clearly wanted to.

If John hadn't followed Rodney almost all the time, they wouldn't even know about the new deliveries.

And therein lied the rub.

Sheppard hadn't let Rodney out of his sight, much to the scientists annoyance, and had eyed everyone that had come near Rodney like a hawk.

By the end of the 48 hour observation, John had twitched with fatigue, which he had counteracted with too much caffein. Rodney on the other hand, had a constant scrowl on his face and was always looking over his shoulder to see if Sheppard was following him once again.

Oh yeah. If someone needed a vacation, it was the two of them.

A rap on the door jerked her out of her thoughts and the head of the gate technican appeared in the door. "Dr. Weir? Team Sheppard is ready to depart, ma'am."

Elizabeth deposited the piece of paper quickly in one of her desk drawers before she stood up. "Thank you. I'll be coming."

When she stepped onto the balcony the first thing she noticed was, that Rodney wasn't standing besides John, like he usually did, but actually rather far away from the Colonel. Sheppard didn't show whether he noticed this but Elizabeth knew he did and that he didn't like it.

But she really couldn't blame Rodney for wanting a little physical space between the two of them after the Colonels constant hovering over him the last couple of days.

Actually, she had been surprised that he hadn't already snapped Johns neck. After all, Rodney wasn't overly tolerant when it came to others invading his personal space. But he had tolerated it from John. Barely, no question there, but he had and Elizabeth felt her smile get smug.

"Good to go Colonel?"

He threw her a knowing grin. "You have no idea."

Ronon and Teyla exchanged a confused look but Rodney threw him a glare as if he knew exactly what he had meant. The glare refocused on Elizabeth.

"I still don't understand why I have to go too. They have no technology whatsoever and no energy reading I could study."

"Suck it up McKay. Either everyone goes, or no one." Although the words sounded harsh, there was no heat behind them.

Rodney looked like he was ready to latch onto a lengthy argument so Elizabeth interrupted him with a loud "Deal the gate". She wanted them gone today after all.

When the Stargate was activated and they went through the gate, there was only Sheppard left in the Gate room so he could shoot Elizabeth a questioning look. She nodded slightly and after a few seconds he also disappeared through the wormhole.

Mere seconds of silent communication had contained so much more to the both of them.

"Don't worry." Elizabeth quitely answered his unspoken question. "I'll handle things on this side."

She turned away, seconds before the wormhole collapsed.


A/N: So... was I right to be dissatisfied or is it okay? Please tell me, I'm really insecure with this one!

Elizabeth knows quite a low doesn't she? But I always thought that she makes a much better observer than Teyla! Besides, when the two finally hit it off together it would be quite fortunate to have an ally in the higher ranks! *hint*hint*

And you see: Sheppards subconsciousness knows for quite a while what's going on! *subconsciousness rocks*

Not much John/Rodney interaction in this one, I admit, but the next few chapter will be so damn stuffed with fluff that I'm getting dizzy just thinking about it... after all I promised you an adventurous off-world mission... and I use the term adventurous loosely...LOL Don't worry though, there will be action too!

Love your reviews!!! Keep them coming guys! I won't set up a new deadline (for the lack of a better word), although it worked really well! You guys rock!