When Elizabeth awoke the next morning, she was surprised to feel two rather hairy legs embroiled with her own with it being so long since she'd slept with a man. On opening her eyes and seeing the sleeping face of John Sheppard, the surprise was replaced by a rather sweet feeling of contentment. To be there with him after all of this time...it was, well, it certainly wasn't expected.
As much as she had tried not to admit it to herself, Elizabeth had been falling in love with John Sheppard for a long time now, the only thing prohibiting her from doing so fully was the certainty that he would never return her feelings. Although, now it seemed that he did, things could get very complicated.
It struck her that she and John had become what Lizzie and Jonathan had always expected and, perhaps in Jonathan's case, suspected. If, and that was a big if, things were to develop into something long-term, could she ever trust John based on what she had seen?
Beside her, John opened his eyes and smiled slightly before rolling onto his back and checking his watch.
'It's late.' He commented.
'Yes.' Elizabeth agreed.
'Hope they haven't sent out a search party.'
'That would mean leaving their other selves.'
'Good point.'
They were making small talk because neither of them knew what to say – there were plenty of things they wanted to say, questions that they wanted to ask, but both were too scared of the answer they might be faced with. And John really didn't do 'talking' when it came to emotional matters – Elizabeth had realised this a long time ago.
John sat up in the bed and reached for his t-shirt and boxers. As he was pulling his t-shirt over his head he looked across at her nervously.
'We should probably get out of here before people get suspicious.' He said gruffly.
'Err, yes, you're right.'
Elizabeth began reaching for her own clothes and dressed, feeling entirely more self-conscious than she had the previous night. When they were both ready, John checked to make sure nobody was around they made their way down to the mess hall to get breakfast without saying a word to each other.
Given his reaction to her since waking up, Elizabeth was beginning to worry that the whole thing had been a big mistake for him and that he was trying to let her down gently; which was very courteous of him given the rumours she had heard but been trying to ignore. There was still the little matter of Jonathan and Lizzie as well – her (could she really call him that?) John knew now that she had kissed him, twice. She had to tell Lizzie; something that she was really not looking forward to given that Lizzie clearly adored John, and was pregnant, and, of course, there was her own involvement in the matter.
'I have to go and tell Lizzie.' Elizabeth said sadly.
John looked up at her, 'Do you?'
'Yes.' She said, adamantly.
'If we had never come here, she would be none the wiser.' John pointed out.
'But we are here John and I can't let him do this to her anymore; she's a good person. A better person than me.'
'You're under a lot of stress.' John said, weakly.
'That doesn't excuse what I did John. I have to do this.'
Resolutely, Elizabeth stood up and walked across the mess hall, passing Jonathan in the process. She tried not to look at him, but her eyes flickered to him for one second and saw the smirk he was throwing her way and something snapped. Without thinking, she grabbed the glass of water that was sat in front of him and tipped it into his crotch. Immediately he stood up in shock and squared up to her.
'What the hell do you think you're doing?' He asked.
'The right thing.'
'Pouring water down my crotch?'
'Much-needed respite, no doubt.' Elizabeth said cuttingly.
On witnessing this scene, John had half-ran across the hall to stand beside Elizabeth, which seemed to amuse Jonathan even more.
'Real Knight in Shining Armour aren't you? Or maybe you're just jealous?' He said maliciously.
'I suggest you shut your mouth now.' Elizabeth warned.
Jonathan continued to stare at John, 'Must really rile you – you've been working at her for two years, she's only known me for a couple of days and she can't keep away.'
Unable to control himself any longer, John launched at Jonathan with a punch to the stomach, who responded by dragging him into the table as he fell and landing a punch of equal force into John's face. Elizabeth stepped forward to try and break up the fight but was pulled away by a marine. She shouted out to John in an attempt to reason with him, but they were both baying for blood and nobody in the world other than Sheppard mattered to either of them.
'Jonathan!' A panicked voice screamed.
Dumb-struck, Elizabeth turned to see Lizzie running into the room clearly beside herself with worry. She muscled herself through the crowd and reached to touch Jonathan's shoulder. Immediately he swung round, irately, not realising her identity and knocked her onto the ground, but retreating away from the fight the second her realised his mistake.
'Lizzie.' He said.
He rushed over to her and crouched down beside her fragile body, grasping at her hand to pull her into a seat.
'What's going on?' Lizzie asked.
Both John's looked at each other and then shiftily looked away.
'How can you be fighting each other; you're the same person?' She asked.
Elizabeth stepped forward, 'They're not the same person Lizzie.'
Lizzie looked up at her with confusion.
'I'm sorry that I'm the one to that has to you this -' Elizabeth began.
'Don't you dare – I will tell her.' Jonathan warned.
Elizabeth ignored him and continued to look at Lizzie's innocent, gentle face.
'Jonathan has been having an affair, and has pursued at least two other women while we've been here.'
Lizzie shook her head, 'No.'
'I'm sorry.' Elizabeth said.
Lizzie stood up, 'Just because you two can't be together doesn't give you the right to ruin our relationship!'
'I'm telling the truth. I know, because one of the women was me.' Elizabeth said, looking away.
Hearing this, Lizzie looked shaken and reached to steady herself on the chair.
'He must have confused us...' She said.
'He knew it was me.'
'You're wrong.' Lizzie whimpered.
'She's telling the truth – I saw them kiss.' John said, stepping forward.
As the shock of this news hit Lizzie, she steadied herself and slapped Elizabeth.
'Stay away from him, you bitch! Thought you'd have a go at my Jonathan because you can't get your own – you make me sick.'
'I don't have any excuses, but you have to know that I am genuinely sorry and that I am doing this for you. He's been having an affair with Laura Cadman.' Elizabeth said.
'No!' A Scottish and American accent rang out simultaneously.
All eyes in the room were on their Carson as he marched into through the people to surrounding people to throw a punch at Jonathan which was easily avoided.
'You told me I was being paranoid! I went to you as a friend!' Carson said.
Gasps and whispers broke out around the room as an unaware Laura Cadman strolled into the room. She looked up to see the sight in front of her, realisation dawning on her as Carson sobbed. Laura's reaction seemed to be the settling factor for Lizzie as she began to pound Jonathan chest, her own sobs covering the sound of Carson who had collapsed into a chair with grief. When Elizabeth had decided to tell Lizzie, this really was not the way she wanted things to pan out.
As Laura finally fought through the crowd to Carson, the sets of eyes in the room struggled to decide on the most exciting scene to witness, with voices cheering on Lizzie as she continued to attack Jonathan, and soothing tones offering support to Carson. All of this was silenced the second that Lizzie's waters broke.