A/N Thanks a bunch for the reviews guys! I like getting those, really I do. So, in gratitude, I present… Chapter 11!
Oh yea. Some heavy spoilers for The Storm in the next few chapters. I'm deciding to integrate that into my little world, but it's going to be a bit different.
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"Here Adien. Try these ones on." Carson handed the thin-framed glasses to the young solider, who took them and twirled then slowly in his hand.
"Doc, I only have to wear these when I'm reading, right? Not off-world or anything like that?" Adien lifted the lenses to his face and slipped them on. He glanced over towards Amanda, who smiled at him.
"They work for you, honey. Very manly, actually." She looked over to Carson and smiled at him as well. He had made a good choice with the frames. They suited Adien's face perfectly.
"Uh huh. Well, so long as I don't have to wear them all of the time, I'll survive. I just don't think they are my style, you know?" Carson just shook his head.
"It'll take time to adjust, lad. I just need you to look over here so I can make sure the prescription is right." Carson pointed at the eye chart that had been placed on the opposite wall. "Just read the third line for me, please."
"E, C…"
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"I've read your reports, and I've spoken to every one of you. However, I still need to know. Is your team going to be ready to ship out once Lt. Ford has recovered?" Elizabeth sat across the table from the three members of AT-1 who were not currently busy. Rodney McKay was focused solely on Liz, as was usual for him during a briefing. Major Sheppard was glancing around the room whenever he felt the need, but for the most part he was also paying attention.
Teyla, however, was busily playing with the hem of her shirt. She had decided to take a trip to the mainland to visit her fellow Athosians. This would be her first trip back since discovering that she was with child, and she was a bit nervous about everyone's reaction. Without even looking over, John snaked his hand over hers and squeezed it softly. She knew that whatever she might have to go through, that he would be there.
"Teyla? Do you believe your visit to the mainland will be finished within a week?" Teyla snapped her head up, having been so lost in thought that she missed the question the first time around.
"Yes, I hope to return before then. Are you not planning to accompany Dr. McKay?" Teyla had finally let go of her shirt and focused on the briefing that was going on around her.
"Yes, I believe it would serve as a bit of a vacation as well as an excellent opportunity to discuss continued relations with the Athosian people." Liz stood from her seat, followed quickly by Rodney and John. Teyla was slower to stand, but she was up nonetheless.
"Alright then, once Dr's Beckett and Foster are ready, we'll head off for the mainland. Until then, dismissed." John and Teyla filed out of the Atlantian briefing room, but Rodney hung back a moment.
"Liz, can I steal you for a moment?" Rodney smiled mischievously at her.
"My office is glass, Rodney. And Peter is smirking at the look you just gave me." Liz nodded her head towards the window and smiled. Rodney blushed a little but pressed forward.
"Ah, who cares? Listen. I was thinking it should only take you a few hours to talk to the Athosians, right?" Liz nodded her head, not sure where this was headed. "Well, don't make any plans afterwards." Rodney rocked back on his heels and smiled brightly.
"And why would I do that?"
"Just because. No more questions, you'll just have to find out later."
"So, you're warning me that I'm going to be surprised later? Not much of a surprise then."
"Well, I thought, oh, never mind. Just make sure to finish up your talks before night, ok?" Rodney moved to the door, then scooted back over to the desk. Leaning over, he gave Liz a quick kiss before retuning to the exit. "I'm going to be in my lab for a bit, so, I'll see you in the jumper." He left the room, the door sliding shut silently behind him. Liz could see him stop at Peter's desk and hand him something that looked suspiciously like a candy bar. Peter stared at it for a moment before pocketing it with a smile. Rodney straightened back up and left the control room, presumably off to his lab.
Liz shuffled the papers on her desk and sighed. Hopefully the doctors would be ready to go within the hour, and, barring any major complications, she might actually get a real vacation.
With any luck, of course.
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"Alright everyone. This is your captain speaking. Please remain seated until the puddle jumper comes-" John Sheppard was seated in the pilot's seat, making sure that the jumper was ready for flight. Next to him was Adien Ford, and behind Adien was Liz. Teyla had thrown her jacket into the seat behind her husband and was currently helping Carson and Jana with their equipment.
"John, we aren't even moving. Why in the world would we need to sit?" Rodney was standing between Adien and John, watching the pre-flight sequence.
"It sounded good. Why do you have to question everything?" John pushed a few random buttons and watched as a light began blinking.
"I'm a scientist. That's what I do. Why did you turn that on?" Rodney pointed to the light, which indicated that the shield had been activated. He watched John push another button, and the light was switched off.
"To make sure it hadn't been damaged. These ships to get shot at rather regularly, you know."
"Yea and I'm usually in it." Rodney grumbled another few words beneath his breath before turning to Adien. "Everything working over here?" He reached his hand towards one of the inviting buttons, but Adien swatted it away.
"It would be better if you don't touch it." Rodney rubbed his wrist and moved away.
"Fine, I know where I'm not wanted." He moved Teyla's jacket off her chair and sat in it. Rodney twisted so that he was facing Liz, who was sitting quietly with her head leaned back and her eyes closed. He just sat there, quietly watching her. She was so beautiful when she was relaxed, like all of the worry was erased from her face.
Rodney had never understood what all the women we babbling about when they first heard Teyla was pregnant, about her 'glowing'. But, now that Liz was pregnant as well, he could tell. There was a change in her. It wasn't obvious, not by any means, but it was still there. It was like she was emanating complete happiness from within.
"Hey everyone, ready to go?" John had finally finished checking the jumper, and was now ready to leave. Liz stirred and opened her eyes at his call, and Rodney was a little upset that she had woken. He had been content to watch her sleep forever.
Teyla moved to the forward section and smiled. "We have finished with the supplies and are ready to leave." Rodney stood and let Teyla have her seat, which she took gratefully.
"Hey McKay. You want a flying lesson this afternoon?" John stood up from his chair and pointed to it.
"Uh, I, um, really? I can fly the jumper?" Rodney was grinning from ear to ear. Sure, John had promised him lessons, but had always found a reason to back out of them. Now he was practically pushing him into the pilot's seat.
"You can learn how, yes. It's a simple trip, no Wraith, so you're on." Rodney turned back and smiled at Elizabeth before plopping himself in the chair.
"Ford, why don't you let me sit here and teach him?"
"No argument from me." Adien stood and moved into the back next to the doctors."
"Alright McKay. Just connect with the ship and concentrate on turning on the engines while I let Grodin know we're ready to go." John reached over and pushed the button on the console that connected him to the main control room.
"Atlantis base, this is Major Sheppard. Jumper one is ready to embark."
"Rodger that, Jumper one. Have a nice trip to the mainland." Peter responded quickly to the radio call and opened the roof hatch in the jumper bay.
"I got the engines on. Now what?" Rodney had his hands wrapped tightly around the controls.
"Just concentrate on lifting the jumper off the ground and everything should be ok." Rodney nodded and closed his eyes for a moment. The jumper shuddered a bit, then lifted itself through the space in the ceiling.
"Doing pretty good there, McKay. Just keep the link between your mind and the jumper and there won't be a problem.
"Why didn't Amanda come with us?" Carson looked over at his girlfriend and smiled.
"The lass is scared of flying. I needed someone to stay and watch the infirmary, and she volunteered because she doesn't like to fly." Jana laughed at this revelation.
"What is Adien going to do without her?" She knew the two were inseparable as of late, except for AT-1's occasional mission. Even then, Amanda had spent the entire time talking about Adien, right up until the point that he came back through the gate blinded. Jana still marveled at Carson's skill with recovering his eyesight.
"He's supposed to come back once we are all on the mainland, and he'll be back to pick us up in a few days." This came from Liz, who turned around in her seat to talk. Adien had moved to stand between Rodney and John after Rodney had lost control of the jumper. For a few seconds, they were in free fall, and Adien had grumbled about wanting to see his death before reaching it.
Teyla was scolding both her husband and Rodney for picking on Adien's new glasses, which he had donned upon request. Liz did have to admit, they looked odd on him, but it could be the fact that the frames looked like they were for someone much more… feminine.
Adien just yanked them off and shoved the lenses carelessly in his breast pocket, not worrying if they were damaged. Teyla just smiled at the both of them before looking out the front window. She had hoped to see the outline of the mainland, and it was there, but, there was something else off to the side.
"John, what is that?" She pointed her finger in the general direction of the disturbance. Her question caught the attention of the rest of the passengers, who all stood and clamored for a better view.
"McKay, better let me drive for a while." Rodney made no argument but stood from his seat to allow the Major in. John settled into the seat and grasped the controls.
"It looks like a storm. A big one at that." Rodney outlined the general shape with his hand.
"That doesn't look like any storm I've ever seen." John lifted the jumper's nose so that it was almost vertical and started an ascent into the stratosphere.
"John, what are you doing?" Even though the internal gravity of the jumper hadn't changed, Liz was latched onto the back of Adien's chair like a lifeline.
"Getting a better look at this thing. We need to see if this is a threat to Atlantis." John reached the altitude he desired and leveled off. He made a few circuits of the storm, mapping it with the jumper's sensors.
"This is bad." John pushed a few buttons and a screen appeared before the front window.
"I have to agree with John. This looks very bad." Rodney was staring intently at the screen; oblivious to the five people around him who were holding their breath.
"We need to go back to Atlantis. Now."
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Okies. There is chapter 11, y'all. Hope you enjoyed!
