10. Healing
It was a couple days after the rescue of John Sheppard and Elizabeth was well on her way to recovery. Her side was still extremely tender and sore and Carson threatened to destroy her computer so she couldn't read mission reports if she didn't take it easy- yet surprisingly Elizabeth complied and took the three days off.
On the fourth she petitioned Carson to let her see John and reluctantly he agreed- warning her though, that she could only see him for a couple of minutes both for her sake and for his. And that is how Elizabeth found herself, injured at John's bedside. Carson had given her some privacy and in the stillness of the infirmary Elizabeth reached out and took John's hand.
She sat like that for several eternal seconds before she whispered quietly the thoughts that had been running through her mind for the couple days since she woke up and was apprised of the situation.
"John…." She began quietly, her eyes glancing around the infirmary before continuing once she confirmed that the coast was clear. "…John you have to pull through this. You just have to…
….I mean, Atlantis needs you, that is why we came back." She continued, her quiet voice breaking slightly with emotion. "You're my second in command and I couldn't let you go….
….John….you have to wake up…..Who's going to help me out of awkward military situations? Who's going to remind me that there are other ways of negotiating? Who's…." Her voice broke completely because of a small sob that escaped her
Elizabeth furiously blinked back the tears that she wanted to shed, trying to remain strong for John's sake.
"…who's going to come talk to me on the balcony over looking Atlantis…who's going to be there for me when I need them most…..Atlantis needs you John-" Elizabeth whispered fiercely as she squeezed his hand. "…..I need you."
"….your bedside manner is improving…" John murmured quietly, giving Elizabeth's hand a squeeze as he floated back to the conscious world.
"J-John…?" Elizabeth stuttered in disbelief as John opened his eyes, a huge weight being lifted off her shoulders. "….oh, thank god- Carson…CARSON!"
"What is it lass?" Carson asked frantically, racing towards them, worried that John had flat-lined or something.
"Look…" Elizabeth answered with a smile, glancing down at John's open eyes. "…he's awake…."
"Well hello there lad…" Carson stated with a small laugh as he bent over John to look him in the eyes. "…you gave us all quite a scare."
"-didn't mean to Carson…sorry-" John apologized quietly, his voice hoarse and rough.
"Now I'll not have you apologizing in my infirmary-" Carson ordered with a smile before turning on Elizabeth. "-now you, back to bed. I have to make sure that the Colonel here is okay…alright lass?"
"Alright Carson," Elizabeth stated with a sigh, taking one last look at John before she wandered back to her own bed. "-I'll talk to you later."
"I'm looking forward to it…."
SPARKYSPARKYSPARKYSPARKY
Later, to Elizabeth's dismay was not later that evening, or even later the next day; No, Carson all but barred her from even seeing John for another good four days while his injuries healed enough that he could be released. And she finally got to talk to him when he found her on her balcony over looking Atlantis and the moon rise over the ocean.
"Hey there," John began quietly not wanting to break the stillness of the night air. "-I see that you are up and about."
"Yeah," Elizabeth stated, nodding with a smile as she turned to look at him. He had a sling over his left shoulder but other than that he looked perfectly normal- a fact that Elizabeth was extremely grateful about. "-so are you."
"Yeah, Carson let me out on good behaviour-" John answered with his usual fly-boy smile, that seemed to shine even brighter in the moonlight. "-of course, he's barred me from off world missions for about a month till this damn shoulder heals."
"Well it's for the best-" Elizabeth agreed, her left hand touching her own injury on her side, reminding herself that she too had injuries that need to heal. "-he's got Rodney redirecting the mission reports to him and he's releasing them one at a time-" Elizabeth paused and looked at the shocked and bewildered expression on John's face. "-it's to ensure that I'm not over doing it."
"Ah, well- it's all for the best-" John echoed, leaning against the railing, his sore shoulder gently brushing up against Elizabeth's.
"John-"
"Elizabeth-"
They had both turned at the same time, and they both looked slightly bewildered and nervous that they had been interrupted before they could say what it was they had wanted to say.
"You go first." Elizabeth insisted with a small smile, watching uncertainly flash across John's eyes.
"Eh…okay…" John muttered quietly as he tried to rearrange in his mind what he had wanted to say; once he had done so he simply said it to get it out in the open. "I just, I wanted to thank you Elizabeth- for coming back for me."
"We don't leave people behind John," Elizabeth answered quietly, remembering their first argument on the spot that they now occupied. "-you taught me that."
"I know-" John stated with a nod, clearly unnerved about having to bear his feelings like he was doing. "-but still….thanks." John paused and then prompted Elizabeth to say whatever she had wanted to say. "-what did you want to say?"
"Oh me?" Elizabeth began nervously, fighting slightly like a nervous school girl as she turned her gaze back to the moon and drew strength from it. "I um- I wanted to thank you for rescuing me…"
"….did you really want to say that?" John asked with the same scepticism that she had in her own voice once.
"No," Elizabeth admitted with a small smile as her gaze left the moon and returned to John's face.
"Then what did you want to say?"
A/N- Hey guys! Well, this story got up a little later than expected but the last chapter will be updated tomorrow, I swear. :D Thank you Sophie Fatale, jasminesmommy and stargatecrazy for reviewing and thank you Stargatecrazy for the congrats... :D This chapter was a little longer than ususal...I hope you all like it and please review! This is your second last chance...