"You still alive John?" Elizabeth's soft voice filled with a mixture of concern and amusement filtered into John's sleep and pain muddled head the next morning.
"No and I'm going to haunt Carson and the others for the rest of their lives, cause they did this to me." John groaned, burying his head deeper into his pillow. After a moment of silence John spoke up again. "My head hurts."
"I'm sure it does, but you're the one who made the choice to get drunk." Elizabeth smiled as she gently massaged John's neck.
"The guys tricked me into." Truthfully John couldn't remember all that much about the night before, just that there had been lots of alcohol and something about Rodney and a blond bar tender.
Giving a slight chuckle Elizabeth stopped massaging John's neck and began to slide out of bed. Feeling Elizabeth starting to move off the bed John reached an arm out wrapping it around Elizabeth's waist, preventing her from moving any farther.
"Don't leave me to die alone." The blurry, blood shot, puppy dog eyes John gave her nearly made Elizabeth stay.
"I have to, my mother and sister will be here soon to pick me up." Elizabeth pried John's arm off her waist and finished getting out of bed, giving John a tender, loving kiss on the forehead.
"Remind me again why we're being forced to spend the day before our wedding apart." John managed to prop his head up while Elizabeth disappeared into the bathroom.
"Because it's tradition, that's why."
"Well it's a stupid tradition. I mean we're technically all ready married so why do we have to follow these stupid traditions?"
"Because a lot of people don't know about our first wedding in Atlantis and because both my mother and Kendra say we have to." Elizabeth came back out of the bathroom and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Have I mentioned that it's a stupid tradition? One which I hate." John dropped his head back down onto the pillow, finding it too much effort to hold up.
"You didn't seem to mind the traditional bachelor party."
"Aiden, Rodney, and Carson kidnapped me, remember?"
"Funny I don't seem to remember you putting up too much of a fight."
"Don't go." John reached out lazily wrapping his arm around Elizabeth's waist again, resting his head against her thigh.
"I have to. Trust me you don't want my mother coming after you because you wouldn't follow tradition." Elizabeth ran her fingers through John's hair pressing a gentle kiss against his temple, understanding that he didn't feel good and slightly amused and touched by how clingy John was being that morning.
"If I can handle the Wraith, the Genii, and worst of all Rodney, I think I can handle your mother." John buried his head deeper into Elizabeth's side.
"Maybe so but what about Mrs. J?" Elizabeth may not have known Kendra Jenson for very long but she did know that if the woman asked – or told – John to do something he'd do it no questions asked.
"Damn it." John knew Elizabeth had him with that one. There was no way he could deny Mrs. J anything and both women knew it. Sliding out of John's grasp Elizabeth gave him one final kiss before slipping off the bed again.
"Call my cell if you need anything."
"I thought I was banned from speaking to you as well?"
"What they don't know won't hurt them." With that Elizabeth finally left.
"Stupid traditions…" John mumbled as he watched Elizabeth leave. One had him being with out Elizabeth all day and the other had his head feeling like it was going to explode.
After a few more hours in bed John managed to drag himself out to the living room where he sprawled out on the couch. A knock at the door had John groaning as he hauled himself up off the couch and headed for the door.
"Christ son you look like hell." Mark grinned as he walked past John into the house.
"Blame it on your son and the others." John closed the door and went back to the couch. He didn't feel as bad as he had when he'd first woke up, but his head was still pounding a bit.
"Oh they're all paying for it I can assure you."
"Good, it's the least they deserve for trying to kill me."
"Yes well you'd better get a shower and pull yourself together. Marcis and the rest of the guys will be here soon for the final fittings of their tuxes."
While John dragged himself off to the bathroom for a shower Mark started the coffee. Twenty minutes later there was a knock at the door since John hadn't made a reappearance yet Mark went to open the door. Opening the door Mark was greeted by a group of the most sorriest looking bunch of men he'd seen since his own bachelor party.
The hung over group of men shuffled into the house followed by Marcis, carrying his baby grandson Cale, Ryan, carrying TK, and Seth, carrying Rico. With most of the guys nursing hangovers it took pretty much all morning for everyone to finish up trying on their tuxes making sure they fit. At some point someone had produced a football and for the better part of the afternoon the guys spent the time playing a nice relaxing game of football.
'My brother's going to go nuts when he sees you.' Alexis signed as she stood next to Elizabeth both looking at Elizabeth's reflection in the mirror.
/You think so/ Elizabeth smiled nervously looking down at the dress she was wearing, and once more at her reflection in the mirror admiring the way her gown fit her curves perfectly.
/You look beautiful/ Kendra came up to stand behind the two. /John's a lucky man to have found you/
"I couldn't agree more." Andrea stated as she entered the room wearing her bridesmaid dress.
Elizabeth had chosen a blue color for the bridesmaid's dresses that reminded her of the color of the event horizon of the Stargate – not that any one but John knew that. The rest of the morning went smoothly all the dresses were tried on and any little last minute details were taken care of.
"I'm calling her." John stated to himself out loud. All the guys had long since left and John was starting to feel lonely.
He'd tried watching T.V. but John just couldn't get interested in anything that was on. John just as easily could have sought out the company of one of his friends but had quickly pushed that thought aside, secretly afraid they would try to get him drunk again.
Grabbing the phone John dialed Elizabeth's cell phone.
"Hello." John recognized the voice of Elizabeth's sister Andrea.
"Hey Andrea." John, having been afraid either Hillary or Kendra would answer the phone, if not Elizabeth, perked up a bit. Andrea liked him; she would let him talk to Elizabeth.
"Are you supposed to be calling?"
"Hey it's a free country I can call anyone I want."
"Yeah but mom said –." Andrea was cut off and soon replaced with the voice of a displeased Kendra Jenson.
"Jonathan Sheppard! You know darn well that you're not supposed to be calling."
"Mrs. J hey, how's it going? Look I need to talk to Elizabeth for a minute, please it's important." John was lying through his teeth he knew, but he really needed to hear Elizabeth's voice.
Kendra hesitated, she couldn't tell over the phone if John was being honest or not. His voice certainly sounded serious enough. Sighing Kendra gave in knowing John the way she did she knew he wouldn't give up until he got to speak with Elizabeth.
"Fine but only for a minute." There was a pause, and then another voice came on the phone.
"John, what's up?" Elizabeth questioned hesitantly.
"Nothing I just needed to hear your voice and talk to you. I was feeling lonely her all alone in this big empty house." John gave a few fake sniffles for added effect.
"Oh well in that case what would you like to talk about?" Elizabeth smiled on the other end of the phone; it was just like John to not follow the rules.
"Did you have a good day?"
"Yes it was very nice. All the ladies tried on their dresses and we finished up with some last minute details for tomorrow. And how was your day."
"All the guys tried on their tuxes today and we played some football."
"Not while in your tuxes I hope." Elizabeth joked. She knew John wouldn't do something like that, she just liked teasing him.
"Of course we played in our tuxes. Don't you know that grass stain is the new 'In' look these days?" John played along.
"What was I thinking?" Elizabeth rolled her eyes, looking over at Kendra who was watching her impatiently. "I'd better go now, I'll see you tomorrow."
John held the phone a moment, even after the line went dead, and couldn't help but smile as he finally set it down. Just maybe he could survive the night on his own. Several hours later after a light dinner, a little more T.V. and a shower John was beginning to doubt his earlier assessment about surviving the night alone.
Lying in bed John looked at the clock and debated calling Elizabeth again, but decided against it. Knowing his luck one of those evil sadistic women conspiring to keep him away from Elizabeth would answer and tell him no. Letting out a frustrated sigh John tried clearing his mind forcing himself to relax and soon found himself drifting off to sleep.