Stranded
The explosions were getting closer. Elizabeth Weir, covered in dirt and grime, her nice formal blouse and skirt were now covered in blood as she scrambled toward the Stargate. Lieutenant Ford sprinted the last few meters to the DHD and began frantically pressing in the symbols, as the Stargate splashed out in front of them, Elizabeth only has one thought.
She was going to KILL John Sheppard.
There he was, his voice was echoing through the midst of gunfire and missile explosions, giving orders to his team as he laid out cover fire. Teyla, under his instruction ducked through the Gate after sending the code, on her way to Atlantis. McKay followed just as quickly, discarding his empty pistols to the ground as he leapt through the event horizon.
Ford and John continued shooting at the oncoming army, as Elizabeth moved closer to the Stargate. John waved Ford to the Stargate, his face covered in dried blood.
Despite her better judgment, she took a step toward John as Aiden vanished into the event horizon, as he backed toward her, firing his P90.
"GO!" He shouted, as he stepped back up the final step. Elizabeth turned, only to feel a large burning pain cross her shoulder. Wincing, she leapt through, John following quickly behind.
John was expecting anything but what greeted him as he rolled from the Stargate.
A desert. Elizabeth was slowly crawling to her knees from the ground a few meters away, and as John slowly raised himself to his feet, his face illustrated the confusion he felt inside.
"Where the hell is Atlantis?" He asked no one in particular, staring at the barren landscape around him.
It was a woman's groan that brought him back to reality.
"Elizabeth?" He whispered, sprinting to her and eyeing where her hand was tightly gripping her upper arm. She whimpered slightly in reply. "Elizabeth," He prodded gently, "You have to let me take a look at your wound."
She scowled, regaining her usual composure in less then a heartbeat.
"You think I'm going to let you tend my wounds after the mess you just got us in?"
John leaned back on his heels.
"How is this my fault?"
"You're the one that told me the Etheral were a peaceful people!"
John cocked his head to the side.
"So I'm meant to be immune to making mistakes?"
"No! Your just not meant to get me involved!"
He laughed.
"And how do you figure this is entirely my fault?"
"You're the one who told me we could negotiate for some of their advanced weaponry! You convinced me to join this mission, and of because you, the negotiations not only failed badly, but we now have a new enemy!"
John put up his hands in defense.
"Hey! I didn't know these guys were so sensitive about their ceremonial bowl! Ford knocked into me! It's really not my fault I dropped it!"
Elizabeth frowned.
"Speaking of Ford…?"
John stood up and looked around.
"No signs of them. No footprints either." He raised him radio to his mouth, "Ford! Ford come in? Can you hear me? Teyla! Respond!"
The only reply was static.
"Dial Atlantis. I want to at least get home for dinner." Elizabeth sighed, standing up.
She wobbled slightly, and was surprised when John Sheppard's arm snaked it's way around her waist, keeping her upright.
"Stay here." He said gently, sitting her down on a broken stair. He left her and she watched him walk to the DHD.
"Uh oh."
Elizabeth scowled.
"What do mean 'Uh oh'?"
John stared at her.
"I mean Uh oh. The DHD is smashed."
Elizabeth scowled.
"How are we going to get home now Major? And for pete's sake, where the hell are we?"
He shrugged.
"Where ever we are, looks like we'll be here for the night."
Elizabeth groaned, and not from the pain.
"Now you going to let me patch that up for you." John commanded, coming to sit beside her, pulling bandages and a small vial of rubbing alcohol from his vest pockets. She glared suspiciously at him, before slowly removing her hand.
"Your lucky."
"How is being shot in the arm lucky!?" She asked, her teeth digging into her lower lip as he cleaned the wound.
"Not that way." John answered, as if talking to a three year old, "I mean the type of fire weapon they use cauterized it. It's better then a solid matter, likes bullets."
"So I'm meant to be thanking my lucky stars, Major?" She asked sarcastically.
John grinned.
"Perhaps you should by thanking your lucky Major."
"Ha ha." She said, smiling anyway.
John grinned in return. "I amuse myself."
"Clearly."
Several hours later, John and Elizabeth had unpacked some thermal blankets from her back pack and laid them out with the gas lantern, relaxing behind the Stargate as they watched the only red moon rise into the darkening sky.
"Any idea where we are yet?" He asked, stretching.
Elizabeth watched him from the corner of her eye before answering.
"I would be more concerned on the idea of how we got here."
"Why?"
"Because if this is the same thing that happened to Sam Carter and Jack O'Neill
in 1997 that means we could be in a number of planets from MG6-78, where the Etheral were, to Atlantis."
"And what happened to them?" He asked, slightly fearing the answer.
"The Captain and Colonel jumped through the Stargate behind SG-1 as they exited a planet whose occupants were firing on them from afar. One weapon blast, similar to a staff weapon, hit the Stargate, causing it to jump destinations as they were going through. They landed on Earth, at another Gate in Antarctica."
John cocked his head to the side.
"So…We could be on the right planet, just another Stargate?"
"Or…We could have been thrown to a planet near Atlantis. It doesn't necessarily mean we landed on Atlantis. There are at least twenty planets en route."
John frowned.
"Dare I ask how you remembered this mission after so many months on Atlantis?"
Elizabeth frowned.
"I remember nearly every mission they ever went on. I was Base commander for a time before Atlantis you know."
John's mouth fell open.
"But you told me it was for like four days!"
Elizabeth shrugged.
"I spent a lot of time going through the files."
Blinking, John shook his head.
"So you were a workaholic even before I met you."
That earned him a scowl.
"I'm not a workaholic!" Elizabeth protested, crossing her arms.
John laughed.
"You are so! Look at you! You spend every living minute commanding this and writing that!"
"It's better," She retorted, "Then going off world and getting injured nearly every time! You know how many times I had to clean up your messes?"
John's expression suddenly turned slightly colder and Elizabeth realised it had been the wrong thing to say.
"Oh John, I'm so sorry, it was such a stupid thing to say-"
"Don't worry about it." He said icily, "I'm going for a walk."
And he got up and walked away, and Elizabeth watched him go, cursing inwardly for her big mouth.
Elizabeth waited several hours. She sat, arms wrapped around her knees, head resting on her knee caps, as she waited for John to return, the weather steadily getting colder.
Finally, her panicked thoughts of what would happen if John had gotten lost followed her into nightmares.
Elizabeth woke up several hours later. She was aware she didn't feel as cold as she had when she first fell asleep, moving her head slightly, she realised long arms had been wrapped around her. Looking at the face which was resting lightly on her shoulder, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"John." She whispered, untangling her hand and lightly running it through his hair.
He smiled, eyes closed.
"I never left." He whispered.
She smiled softly, pulling her hand away.
"Where did you go?"
John opened one eye to look at her.
"Walking."
She nodded.
"I'm sorry for what I said John. I don't really believe it. You're the best leader for the team, and the best second in command a leader themselves could have."
His smile grew.
"You love me." He said sleepily, his eyes closing in sleep.
It was a full ten minutes for Elizabeth spoke again.
"Yes I do John. Yes I do…"
The morning was born in spectacular warmth. The cold from the night before faded away and heat replaced it. John and Elizabeth woke, pulling away from each other slightly embarrassed.
John was set on making tea or coffee, using the small sachets that had come in his vest, and making a small fire. Elizabeth collected a small meager supply of dry wood, and then they both began to eat their breakfast meal, tea without sugar or milk, and MRE's which tasted much like carpet. But neither of them denied it was the best meal they had in a long time.
Both acted like nothing had happened the day before, neither mentioned the way John had left, or the way they had slept in each others arms. But as the day drew on, both decided it was time they tried to fix the DHD. John insisted on changing Elizabeth's bandages, before making a suggestion which made Elizabeth protest.
"I want you to change into the spare BDU's." He said, holding them out to her. He didn't even mention the fact his own clothes were covered in blood and muck.
"No John." Elizabeth frowned, "My clothes are fin-" She glanced down before re-phrasing, "Are dirty, but I'll survive. We'll get home soon anyway."
John took a step forward.
"I don't care. I want you to change. Your wound could become infected with all that filth near it. I don't want you to die here and leave my to get eaten by the giant turkeys."
Elizabeth's eyebrows shot up.
"Giant Turkeys?" She asked, taking the clothes from his hand.
He smiled as he turned around.
"I hear they're wild around these parts."
She shook her head in disbelief. Seeing his head turn slightly, she stopped undoing to buttons of her top.
"Keep your eyes fixed over there Major."
She could sense John's grin.
"Aww. But Lizzie…"
"No peeking." She chastised, "And if you want to live never call me Lizzie again!"
"But what is wrong with Lizzie, Lizzie?" John asked in fake innocence.
Elizabeth, finished dressing, quietly walked up behind him before pushing him over into the sand.
"Hey!" He cried out as she sat on his back, effectively pinning him down.
"Lizzie is a name I wish never to hear from your mouth again? Understand?"
"Okay Lizzie, Okay. Oops, Sorry Lizzie, I mean Lizzie….I mean…" He pretended to stutter, but quickly flipped himself over, Elizabeth fell into the sand beside him as they both laughed and John dragged himself closer as he lifted his face over hers.
Her breathing stopped.
"I'm sorry." He said softy. "I won't call you Lizzie anymore."
She held his gaze, feeling her breathing come raggedly.
"Thank you." She said just as softly. Still entranced in each others eyes, John lowered his head until his lips brushed hers.
He pulled back, as if in silent question. She raised her hand and pulled him back down, deepening the kiss.
They only pulled apart as the Stargate burst to life, causing them both to jump.
The sat in the sand next to each other, each of their faces red and embarrassed as they watched the Atlantis team pour from the horizon.
"Doctor Weir! Major Sheppard! Nice to see your both alright!" Ford walked up to them, as they both seemed to slowly regain their bearings.
"Ford!" John suddenly snapped, "The DHD is smashed."
Ford nodded.
"We brought along a Naquada Reactor just in case."
Elizabeth looked up at him as he looked at both of his superiors slightly confused.
"How did you know where we were?" Elizabeth asked, getting to her feet.
Aiden nodded.
"We actually just went to random planets from MG6-78 to Atlantis, Doctor McKay summarized you must have landed on a planet on the way, he figured it must be the same thing that happened to SG-1 a few years ago or something. I stopped paying attention right around the techno talk."
Sheppard climbed to his feet as well, as the Stargate opened with five or six people holding the inner ring in place.
"Major Sheppard! Doctor Weir!" McKay greeted, leaving the group as they began walking back through the gate, "You alright?"
They both nodded.
"Elizabeth has a burnt shoulder from one of the weapons, but it's nothing serious. Bekket can handle it."
Elizabeth made a small clucking noise with her tongue that John knew was her biting back a retort.
And he smiled as he walked through the open Stargate.
"John you can't avoid me forever." John turned slowly to see Elizabeth behind him. He sighed, looking back longingly at the corridor he had been about to walk through to his quarters.
"What?" He asked, ruder then he intended.
She seemed ruffled, but didn't react.
"We need to talk about what happened on the planet."
John nodded.
"The kiss?"
Elizabeth nodded, glancing around them for eavesdroppers.
"You know it can't happen again?" He knew she was going to say this. This is why he had been avoiding her. Way to get rejected Sheppard.
"It's the best. For Atlantis." She continued.
"Is it?" He asked sarcastically, suddenly unable to hold her gaze and watching his boots.
"It is. In the end, it will be better."
He nodded.
"So I hope this err…talk has convinced you to continue as a functioning member of Atlantis. Your doing a great job." Looking up in confusion, John noticed McKay, Teyla and Ford walking towards them. Elizabeth's face was red from guilt, and he knew his looked the same.
"Err…Right." He said, looking for the quickest escape. "Umm….Bye."
Elizabeth nodded.
"Right. See you later Major."
And the both turned and fled.
The group of three, Rodney, Aiden and Teyla watched the commanders in front of them as they approached.
"Err…Right." John said, glancing around, his face red. "Umm….Bye."
Elizabeth Weir nodded.
"Right. See you later Major."
"Should we tell them we sent a M.A.L.P through first?" McKay asked, grinning as Elizabeth and John both walked hurriedly in separate directions.
Ford smiled.
"Nah."
"How long until they get together you think?" Rodney asked, reaching into his pocket and digging out a snickers.
For grinned.
"After that kiss? Two days."
Rodney raised his eyebrows.
"Awfully certain there Lieutenant." He said smugly. "Want to make a bet?"
End.
Should there be a sequel?