The Eye
John was waiting in the embarkation area when Helena stepped through the gate with Radek Zalenka. He smiled at the pair as they walked toward him. Zalenka smiled back, but Helena did not.
"You're not still upset about having to leave, are you, Chief?"
Zalenka groaned. "She's been beside herself with worry the whole time."
Helena shot a glare the scientist's way. She pursed her lips and took a deep breath. "Please tell Dr. Weir and Dr. McKay that the kitchen will be open one hour after I have had the opportunity to assess the damage."
Without another word, she walked away.
John's eyebrows rose as he watched her leave.
"Don't take it to heart, Major," Radek started.
John looked at him.
"She's like a mother who's been away from her little ones for too long."
John smirked.
"She just needs time to calm herself. Then it will be safer to talk to her."
John sighed, then. "Why is it I manage to get myself in the doghouse with every woman I meet, sooner or later?"
Radek offered a commiserate half-smile. "Because you're a man. We all end up there, eventually."
oOo
John stuck his head in the kitchen to find Helena standing, alone, against a counter with a steaming cup of something in her hands. She wasn't drinking it. She was just staring into it.
"Will it help if I said 'you were right'?"
Her head came up and she smiled, half-heartedly. "A little. But only if you say it into a digital recorder, so I can play it over and over again."
John relaxed. "How are you?"
"Two more soldiers are dead. Rodney's been stabbed. Dr. Weir has been threatened with death, not once, but twice. Ford, Carson, Teyla and some kids sat through half a hurricane in a puddle jumper and you – " She sighed. "I guess I should be counting blessings."
John nodded, wordlessly.
She turned around and placed her cup on the counter. When she turned back, her eyes were flashing. "How dare they? Dammit, John, you kind of expect that your home might get broken into if you live on Earth, but here? What the hell?"
John's eyebrows rose to his hairline. "So, you're not so much mad that you weren't here to help, but that they 'broke into' our house?"
Her eyebrows furrowed together. "Hell, no! I'm mad because they broke in and I wasn't here to help!" She slammed her hand on the counter, spilling her coffee. "Sonofabitch!"
She snatched a nearby towel and started to clean up the coffee.
After a moment, John went over to her. "Next time, you stay."
She looked up at him, her eyebrows arched. "What?"
John shrugged. "Between hot coffee, bleach and that tongue, I don't think the Genii or the Wraith would have a chance."
Then he smiled down at her. And wiggled his eyebrows.
And as hard as she tried not to, she smiled. Then she started laughing. Finally, she pushed him away from her side.
"Get out."
John patted her on the back, then turned to leave.
"What's the status of the kitchen, by the way? McKay wanted to know."
"Everything's ready. The staff will be here to start cooking in 30 minutes. We'll be open for rations in an hour and dinner will be on schedule."
John nodded and headed for the door.
"John."
He stopped and looked back.
"I'm glad you're all okay."
He nodded. "Welcome back."
She nodded, then turned away to finish cleaning up the spilled coffee.