Whenever I Say Your Name, Chapter 5
:::::Flashback: Atlantis (2 years after The Storm):::::
"Major Sheppard? John!? Are you okay?"
Lt. Ford gives John a not-so-subtle nudge.The Major has been staring stupidly up at Dr. Weir since the team walked through the event horizon over a minute ago. Elizabeth is starting to look very concerned - which isn't unreasonable. It's rare for this particular team to come back from a mission with no injuries.
Great, John says to himself, she probably thinks I got another concussion.
Sheppard hears a snort from behind him and turns to find McKay barely able to contain his laughter. John gives the scientist a glare before looking back up at the control room to find Elizabeth gone. He looks around frantically and sees her coming down the main stairs to the gate room. He hands Ford his P-90 and runs to meet Elizabeth at foot of the stairs. John reaches her side just as Beckett and his medical staff walk into the room.
McKay earns a second glare from John when he lets out another snort at the sight of the medical team. Sheppard gets a thumbs up from Ford and a reassuring smile from Teyla before turning back to Elizabeth. She looks even more worried than before. Sheppard positions himself so he's between Elizabeth and the growing crowd behind him.
"I'm not hurt," says John quickly, earning him a look of disbelief from Elizabeth. "Really. I swear. The Melonians are peaceful and live in a civilized society."
"Then why are you back early?" asks Elizabeth, still suspecting that John somehow managed to get hurt, but didn't know it.
She looks around him to Beckett. The doctor is standing next to Ford, who has just finished whispering something in Beckett's ear. The Scot gives her a huge a grin, making her even more suspicious. John realizes that there's no easy way to explain all this and decides it's now or never.
"I came back early because I love you," he says.
Elizabeth looks back up at John with a raised eyebrow. This is definitely out of the norm. Although their relationship is widely know in Atlantis, they do not make a habit of public displays of affection.
"John, what—" Elizabeth's next question is interrupted when John gives her a swift kiss on the lips.
She opens her mouth to start again, but can only let out a startled gasp when John drops down on one knee in front of her. Her startled eyes meet his happy ones as John grins up at her. Everyone else in the room is forgotten.
"I haven't really thought this out too much, so this is probably going to sound sappy," John prefaces, before continuing. "I love you. You are everything I've always wanted and never thought I deserved. You make the fight worth fighting and life worth living. There's no longer a me without you. Dr. Elizabeth Anne Weir, will you marry me?"
Tears are streaming down Elizabeth's cheeks as she lets out a shaky, "Yes." John pulls a ring out of his pocket and slips it on her left ring finger. Elizabeth's eyes never leave his face. He stands and she steps into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck. They share a lingering kiss before John pulls back to smile at her.
"What? You're not even going to look at the ring?" he asks.
"I love you, John. The ring doesn't matter," Elizabeth responds. John's smile widens.
"Okay. But humor me and look at it anyway."
Elizabeth pulls her hand out from behind John's neck and looks at her engagement ring for the first time. She lets out another small gasp. The ring is a simple solitaire, but the diamond in its center is absolutely stunning. It's a large, round, perfectly cut diamond that is the same sparkling blue as the ocean which surrounds Atlantis.
"How?" is all Elizabeth can say.
"It's a real diamond," John explains. "I had McKay check. Diamonds are apparently everywhere on Melona, so they've become experts at cutting them. The blue ones are rare, but the shopkeeper saw how I reacted when I saw it, so he gave it to me. He said he knows true love when he sees it and that the only payment he would take is for us to visit him together one day."
"It's beautiful," says Elizabeth, turning her hand to watch the diamond sparkle.
"So are you," John counters, starting to dip his head for another kiss, but they're interrupted by a loud voice from behind them.
"Enough of that, now!" scolds Carson. "Step away so we can congratulate the lass."
John and Elizabeth are surrounded by more people than they remember being in the room. A large number of the expedition team had trickled in during the proposal, alerted by Grodin at what was about to happen. There are hugs all around for Elizabeth, pats on the back and good natured ribbing for Sheppard. A bottle of Athosian wine appears, sending Grodin out to the mess hall for whatever glasses he can find.
Beckett hushes everyone and raises his glass, facing John and Elizabeth.
"Congratulations to ye both. And I think I speak for everyone when I say…" Carson pauses and looks pointedly at John. "Don't screw this up."
TBC...
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I somehow couldn't see Sheppard preparing some big speech. I thought that the improvised, from the heart, proposal was more like him. Hope you all agree.
And thanks for all the great reviews. Sorry I was absent for solong. I'm very happy that my stories are so well received.