Synthesis11
Moira led John out of the cafeteria. She paused, taking his hand. Turned to him as they stood in the hallway. In the shadows. "We have to settle this now, John, or it will fester. I'll do the talking. You just be quiet and gorgeous. Since you fucked it up the first time by talking."
He frowned. "Hilarious, Moira. I don't want you involved. I don't want–"
"I don't care what you don't want, sweetie. Let's go." She began to walk, but nearly fell backwards as he hadn't moved to follow her. Hadn't moved at all as he stood. She turned, freeing his hand to frown. "John? John Sheppard, will you move that fine, fine ass of yours?"
He smiled briefly. But kept silent. Stood immobile. Intractable. Folded his arms across his chest. Scowled at her. "No," he finally said.
"John! You–"
"I said no, Moira. I said I will handle this, not you. Got it? No one is taking you away from me or getting between us, so you may as well move that pert little ass of yours to our room, baby."
She glared. "Damn it, John, stop it! Look, I know you are trying to protect me, to shield me from all of this and I love you for it but we have to face this head-on. Both of us. We'll need Weir in our corner, right? Once the IOA comes calling. Let's go get this over with, okay? John? Drop the caveman act and move!"
A smile formed, but he shook his head. "No. I said I'll handle it," he repeated. Stubborn. Nothing touches you. Nothing. Except me."
She sighed. "Fine, sweetie. You be all macho and Alpha male then. I'll go see her by myself!" She whirled, crossed into the control room.
"Shit. Moira!" John followed, trying to catch her arm but his leg buckled. He halted, swore. Limped as he pursued her. "Moira!"
"Watch and learn, flyboy," she called over her shoulder, ascending the stairs rapidly.
"Fuck," John noted, watching her quick strides, the swing of her hips, her rear. He rubbed his leg. Pain flaring. He was about to start to climb the stairs when Moira appeared, hastened down them. "What is it?"
"She's not there. Pier. You–"
"Hell no!" He grabbed her arm, halting her before she could elude him again. "Fine, we'll go together then. It won't be pretty, Moira, I'm warning you. I–"
"Let me do the talking, flyboy. Come on!" She took his arm, guided him towards the southeast pier. "How's the leg?"
"Sore. So make this quick ,baby, before I become incapacitated," he stated gruffly.
"Shut up, sweetie," she whispered, freed his arm to walk ahead of him. She slowed her steps. Elizabeth was engaged in a lively group discussion with a selection of scientists. All vying to get their points across. Hands gesticulating in the air. The sun was setting slowly, an orange ball diving into the dark blue waters surrounding Atlantis. The mood was convivial. Animated. But at her approach all the voices stopped. Stilled. All eyes turned to Moira and she paused. Uncomfortable. But she felt John standing behind her. Very close. "Excuse me. I am sorry to interrupt, but could we have a quick word, Doctor Weir? In private?"
Elizabeth nodded. Glanced at John. Glanced at him again. The sunset's orange glow spilling onto him. Onto his black and green shirt as he stood behind Moira, expression unreadable. Yet a quick, fierce glint illuminated his green eyes, as he surveyed the other men who were still eying Moira. Elizabeth stood. "Please." She gestured, began to walk down the pier to a more secluded area. A quieter area.
Moira followed, feeling her stomach coil with tension. Felt John at her back, right behind her. Still silent. Reassuring. She glanced at him and he nodded, warmth filling his gaze for a moment. She looked back as they reached the secluded corner.
Elizabeth leaned on the railing a moment, turned to them. "I can imagine what this is about. And I'm sorry I upset you, John. We got a little heated, and I said some things I shouldn't have. About your um, personal life. But my opinions about your reckless behavior still stand."
"That's not much of a–" John's complaint was cut short by Moira's elbow poking his stomach.
"I agree, Doctor Weir. John shouldn't have gone on the mission at all since he was injured. But it's not the first time, nor will it be the last. He is always risking his life to save another's."
"True, but he–"
"Is reckless? Yes. His duty to the people of Atlantis is always foremost in his mind. And I don't think any of us can change that reckless streak when it comes to saving the people he has a responsibility towards, as military commander of Atlantis. I'm hoping he'll be more prudent in the future but you and I both know his sense of duty, of responsibility drives him. Even to the point of endangering his own life."
"Yes, that is true, Moira. But that is the problem. He needs to realize his importance here. Even, and I hate to say this, but even at the expense of others."
John tensed. Touched Moira's back. "Not Moira."
"I know," she agreed, startling John as his hand stilled on her back. "And I'm sure he does too. And will act more prudently in the future. Won't you, John?" She glanced at him.
"No. Not when it comes to–"
"Of course you will, John, because there's more at stake now," she argued, turning back to Elizabeth. "And about that, um, I'm sorry. I know I've been monopolizing John's time and all but we did just get married and we hardly see each other as it is and we, um, we, well, we..." she began to splutter as embarrassment blossomed. She took a step backwards and found herself pressed up against John. "I mean–"
"What Moira means," John smoothly took over as his hand slid to caress her arm, "is that we did just get married and hardly see each other as it is so our time together is very special and very private and nothing, nothing is going to interrupt or interfere with that time. Nothing. No one."
"John!" Moira objected, seeing the tension between Elizabeth and John. Startled by it. Startled by being the cause of it. "What I meant is that we will try to be more cognizant of John's duties and demands, and he will have his earpiece with him at all times should the need arise to contact him. But we, we were not giving up any of our time together, I mean...I mean..."
"She means we were not giving up any of our time together. Not a second of it," John continued as Moira faltered again. "And whatever we do in private, together, is no one's business no matter how loud we are or how much we enjoy the–"
"John!" She elbowed him, blushing. "I'm sorry, Doctor Weir. We...um, we'll try to be more discreet and–"
"No, we won't," John argued. "In fact we are going to be even more ow!" he complained as she elbowed him again.
"More discreet," she continued, overriding him, "but you have to understand that we, we did just get married and this is all new to us, to you, I mean all of this, us, this..."
"I see. I can't have John being incommunicado for hours and hours at a time, so yes, make certain he has his earpiece with him at all times," Elizabeth temporized, glancing past Moira to John who was frowning but keeping silent at the moment. His hand still on Moira's arm. "And yes, I know he will more than likely keep risking his life to save others. I just need him to see his importance here to all of us, not just to his team, or to you. You, Moira. You are the problem."
"Whoa! What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" John flared, hand closing over Moira's arm as he moved to take a step, to shield her.
"Yes, I know," Moira agreed, freezing John in his tracks. He stared at her as she stepped to block his forward motion. "I get that, I do. But you need to understand that I'm not going anywhere," she stubbornly asserted. She folded her arms in front of her, across her stomach. "As much as you may dislike it things have changed. As much as you may dislike the situation I am with John now and he, he cares for me. I know you think that will interfere with his job here as military commander but it won't. It won't. I won't let it. Nor will he."
"But he has, Moira, as well you know. I understand that he cares for you but he needs to tread a fine line between his personal feelings and his responsibilities to the–"
"He will. He does. Honestly, what did you expect him to do? Leave me out there on that planet with Ford and his darker self and an army of mutants?" she asked, anger rising suddenly. "I may be just a lower echelon scientist, of no importance or rank but I am still a member of this expedition and should expect to be valued upon the quality of my work here. Not because I am John's wife now but because I have been working with Carson on the Wraith genome and all the rest of it! I don't like the fact that he came after me injured any more than you do! No, I hate it more than you because it's my fault he was out there injured in the first place! But I couldn't stop him, nor could you or Carson or anyone! We can both ask him to be more prudent in the future and maybe he will be, but probably not because he is stubborn and obstinate."
Elizabeth smiled. Glanced at John who was staring at Moira, a surprised expression on his handsome face. She eyed the other woman. "True. It's not that I don't value your work, here, Moira, far from it. The problem is exactly as you outlined. John's feelings for you. But I know I can't change that or any future recklessness on his part. Especially concerning you."
"No, I can't. He could temporize his reactions, though, and he should. If I can get him to see past his own stubbornness and Neanderthal mentality sometimes. Men," she sighed, causing Elizabeth to laugh.
"Tell me about it!" she heartily agreed. Glanced at John. "I'm glad we cleared the air on this. John, don't you have anything to add?"
John shrugged. "Apparently not. Seeing as I am a caveman and all. You heard my wife."
Moira turned to him. Touched his arm. "Sorry, John. Let's go. I need you to help me with the data on the lap top. Excuse us." She moved past him, quickly crossing the pier and entering the building.
Elizabeth shook her head. "Wow...I don't know what to say, John. I didn't expect that."
"Nor did I...no, I did, come to think of it. But what I said stands. No one interrupts my private time with my wife. Nothing. But I will be reachable via earpiece or comm unit." He turned, limped after Moira. "Moira!" he called, catching sight of her as she rounded the corner. He cursed, limping. Paused as she reappeared, moved to him.
"John? Do you need to see Carson?" she asked, glancing down at his leg. Back to see his warm gaze on her.
"No. Just slow down, will you? No, better yet speed up ahead of me so I can see that pert little ass," he teased with a smile. "Six, baby! Six!"
"Four. Come on! I need your help with the flash drive." She took his arm, guided him slowly down the hallway.
"Six. Are you sure you need my help? Me being a caveman and all," he chided. "And what the hell was that? John cares for me? Cares for you? Hell, I love you, Moira!" he declared after they had entered her room. He stopped, hands on hips as she freed him, moved to get her data pad. "Moira?"
She turned to him, data pad in her arms, up against her chest like a shield. "We need to work on this, please. We'll have to use your table." She entered his room as she talked. "Now I've tried all sorts of entries but so far I can't access any of the screens or data. John?" She turned. She was alone. She sighed, annoyed. Returned to see him standing in her room. Implacable. Arms folded across his chest again. Irritated look on his handsome face. "John! I need you to help me with this, not get all pissy again!"
"Tough. Sometimes I don't think you believe me, Moira," he accused. Gaze roving over her.
"What? John, we need to access this data now! You can pout later, all right? I need those passwords!"
"No. I want to know." He limped to the bed. Sat. Waited.
Moira sighed. She freed her hair from the confining ponytail. Ran a hand through her hair. "Want to know what, John?"
He licked his lips. Hand resting on his thigh as the pain slowly ebbed, faded.
Moira sighed again. Moved to him. Sat near. Touched his thigh. Began to gently caress, to massage the muscle. "How's that, sweetie? God you are obstinate sometimes! John?" She kissed him. A gentle brushing of her lips against his. "Honey, I'm sorry. I didn't meant to upset you, but I had to say those things to Weir. About you having to consider your own importance here. And to not be so damn reckless. I love you, John."
"I know. But do you, Moira? Do you know?" He caught her hand on his thigh, stilling it. "Do you have any idea?"
"John," she eyed his hand on hers, "we need to work on the flash drive. Please. It could be important. Very important."
"As important as this? As us? No." He fingered the wedding ring, the engagement ring she wore. He kissed her. Ran his mouth lightly up her throat to her ear. "Do you have idea how much I love you?" he asked quietly. Voice low, sending a shiver along her skin. The promise of passion teasing. "Not just the sex, although I love that, man do I love that. But you, Moira. You. All of you. Every stubborn, infuriating, sexy, shy, sciency inch of you."
"John..." She started, stared. Felt tears. Pulled her hand from his but he drew her to him. Kissed her passionately.
"Did I mention how much I love the sex?" he teased, moving her onto his lap now. Pulling her to straddle him. His mouth catching hers over and over. His hands running up her back. Then down to grab, squeeze her rear.
"John!" she laughed, squirmed. Pushed halfheartedly at his chest. "The flash drive!"
"Go for seven, baby? I've still got on the green boxers. You know, the ones that drive you wild for some inexplicable reason."
"Five, sweetie, and no!" She scrambled off him. "Get your mind out of your pants and focus, sweetie!"
John licked his lips. Began to unbutton his shirt. "It's not my mind I want to get out of there, baby." She tried to be stern, but laughed. He smiled. "Come on, sweetheart. Get those clothes off. But leave the panties. I want to pull them down with my teeth again." He stood. Slowly pulled off his shirt, dropped it to the floor. Very aware of her avid stare. Although she hadn't moved. Was still holding the data pad like a shield. As if frozen in place. He sat. Removed his boots and dropped them to the floor. "And lose the bra. I want those beautiful tits."
"Shut up, John!" she flared, but her voice was breathless. As he undid his belt. Undid his pants. Unzipped. Paused, about to pull them down when he looked at her. Slowly smiled. He freed them. Beckoned with one hand.
Moira smiled. Set the data pad on the table, moving quickly to it, then back to him. She neared. Gaze moving up and down his body. He waited, watching her every move. Every emotion on her face. She brushed her hair behind her shoulders. Emboldened by his love, his avowals. His desire. She pulled off her shirt. Removed her shoes, her pants. Revealing the matching set of teal bra and panties. She moved to her knees in front of him. "Colonel Sheppard...I suppose it is still tease John's cock day, isn't it? But you must help me with the flash drive afterwards. Okay, sweetie?"
"Get me off. I'll get you off. Then we can work on the flash drive, baby," he agreed.
She sighed. "The things I have to do for you, John Sheppard."