Authors Note: This is my first SGA fanfic and it hasn't been beta-read so I apologize if it has grammar/spelling errors in or if the characters sound a bit off. Please let me know what you think of this, complaints, suggestions; any feedback would be helpful as long as it is constructive.
Also please read "Window to the Soul", it ties in with this fanfic (as does another fanfic I've yet to start entitled "The Days Today"), so the painting mentionned in particular will make a lot more sense.
Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Stargate in any incarnations of course and I'm not making any money, this is just some harmless fanfic fun.
Chapter 1: No lie is a white lie
Previously....
Sheppard looked up bravely and said it outright, about the best way it could come from him.
"What she's saying, is they expect you to be married...", he took a another breath in before blurting out the rest of the truth, "... and I kinda told them you were."
Weir's eyes bored into his skull, as if trying to read his mind, as she practically screamed at him "What!"
He pursed his lips together looking down at the table sheepishly and started to explain only to be cut off by Weir's angry questions. And maybe angry was too slight of a word to use.
"What the hell were you thinking? You told them I was married, to who?"
Before he could begin to construct an answer she carried on her fiery rant at him, hands flying off everywhere in emphatic motions
"No, let me guess you told them I was married to you."
And this was where he cut in, sounding a little smug, to correct her
"Actually no, that would have been too obvious a choice, besides I'd already introduced myself."
She flared up at his self assured answer.
"Oh, of course, it makes perfect sense" she replied sarcastically, something he'd never heard before from their valiant leader.
She looked up briefly and dismissed the other distinctly uncomfortable members of the team – minus McKay who hadn't come to the briefing to start with.
"Teyla, Ford , you can leave" she adopted a softer tone with them as if pointing out that she didn't blame them one bit. Leaving all the blame squarely on him.
He sunk further into his chair as she stared at him expectantly after the others had left, "Well?" she asked slightly less annoyed.
He hoped she'd worn herself out with the sudden outburst.
"It went rather like this...", he started as he recalled the previous events.
/Flashback to the Deluthion Entrance hall./
He'd strolled on over back to the Deluthions after speaking with Teyla. He flashed what he was sure was a charming smile at them and asked what the problem was.
Of course he already knew what the problem was, he just needed a natural opening to fix it.
"We cannot permit an audience with our royalty if your leader is not trustworthy."
"Oh but she is."
It was a quick reply, making the lie a little easier to say.
"So you mean to tell us your leader is partnered?"
Here was where he faltered.
"For sure" he replied unsteadily, feeling a little nervous to lie outright. He rationalised they had no other choice. It as lie or starve.
The Deluthions all smiled, beaming at each other at the news.
"Good, good. Then we will make arrangements with your ambassador."
He frowned for a second wondering who they meant before realising they meant Teyla, who he signaled to come over. She scowled at him as she passed him, resuming a pleasant smile for the Deluthion who greeted her.
As Teyla was lead away to talk with one of the Courtesans the other two crowded round his seeming eager to talk about Earth.
There was nothing he liked better to do and it was so easy to slip into tales of Earth mode, he'd had practice with the Athosians and a few other cultures too.
But eventually their attention had turned back to the subject of Weirs marriage, they wanted to know more about her partner.
He thought about it shortly and realised it was an opportunity to impress. Weir couldn't just marry any old person, he reasoned they would have to be smart and on a close level of authority, so he settled for telling the Deluthions her husband was one the the most important members of their expedition to Atlantis and very intelligent.
Upon mention of this McKays ears pricked up, he moved around to behind the Deluthions listening and apparently seeing exactly where this was headed.
Sheppard carried on talking whilst McKay stood behind the Deluthions making faces and eventually resorting to cutthroat motions, which had been the moment John chose to introduce the most obvious choice for Weir's partner.
He'd not particularly intended for it to be McKay, though all the qualities he'd told the Deluthions did fit there were plenty of choices on Atlantis. He probably should have left it up to Doctor Weir herself but he'd got so sick of McKays presumption he'd already chosen him as the target that he thought it rather amusing to drop McKay right it it.
"And here he is, Doctor Weirs other half. The very modest Doctor McKay"
The Deluthions turned around to a suddenly smiling Rodney McKay who never the less was sending otherwise imperceivable death glares to Major Sheppard.
Ford stifled a laugh at the scene from across the room and Teyla took notice, announcing that everything was in order, pretty much rescuing McKay from further embarrassment.
He would have thought by the fuming looks in the hall that McKay wouldn't have stopped whining all the way back to the gate, yet McKay was uncharacteristically silent, not saying a word the whole time.
/End of flashback/
"At least that explains why Rodney took off to his lab when you got back, and no wonder. Do you have any idea what position this puts us in? You lied to them and now Rodney and I have to live up to that promise."
Her voiced wasn't as raised as before but he got the feeling it would take quite a while before he was forgiven for all this, it really got to her for some reason and he didn't think it was just him going over the chain of command. But his thoughts stopped abruptly as he registered what she'd said.
"You're going through with it?"
He'd presumed as a fine diplomat she could work her ay out of the situation if she had to, so it came as a shock that she would actually even consider it.
It was obviously the wrong thing to say, her level of stress seemed to go higher in her rapid response to his not so smart question.
"What else can I do? We need these supplies and despite the lack of judgment and respect for myself and Doctor McKay that you showed, we cannot just drop off such arrangements. Lying to the people we are trying to forge alliances with is the worst possible thing I can imagine, second worse would be to snub them by cancelling these negotiations."
She turned her back on him breathing in deeply, calming down somewhat. He made the mistake to think it was all over, as she quickly spun around to watch his eyes closely as she made her final point.
"But if you ever do something like this again you'd better be prepared for the consequences. I do not take this undermining of my authority as something minor that will be forgotten. I've already warned you once and this is my final warning, you understand?"
"Yes, ma'am" he barked back in a military manner, regretting his actions severely. Two black marks for Johnny boy now he added mentally.
Elizabeth Weir paced her office, cup of coffee cradled in her hands as Teyla gave her details of the visit and preparations to be made.
She hated the whole situation. It wasn't just that she didn't like the dishonesty of what they now had to do but also that she wasn't sure how wise it was to pretend to be married to one of the senior members of staff , let alone pretend to be infatuated with Rodney. She knew it was because it came to close to the truth, that she wasn't sure where the acting would begin or reality ended. It put both of them in an extremely awkward position that she could d nothing to change.
"Doctor Weir, did you hear what I said" Teyla's melodic voice broke her revere.
"No I didn't, I'm sorry" she apologised to the sympathetic Athosian.
She could tell Teyla was also uncomfortable with the arrangement, Athosians prided themselves on trustfulness and being party to such a deceit did not come lightly to the woman.
"I know this is difficult for you Doctor Weir, it is unfortunate that I could not stop Major Sheppard from his foolish course of action."
"Don't blame yourself Teyla, it really isn't your fault. Besides we are better concentrating on the preparations for the future rather than dwelling on what we can't change."
Teyla caught herself thinking that there was certainly more than one meaning to Weir's statement, and at least one that referred to her 'new husband' and hers relationship.
The subtle changes in the relationship between Drs Mckay and Weir had not gone unnoticed by the Athoisan, she pointedly looked at the portrait on the office wall.
Weir seemed to follow her stare, reminded of the person ho had created such a beautiful picture.
"I think that will do for now Teyla, thank you for your help. I'll convey the preparations to Doctor McKay myself, I'm sure he'll take it all better from me."
Teyla didn't doubt that sentiment as she walked out the door with Doctor Weir but she did worry about how the Doctor McKay would take it all generally.