Chapter 9

John's Return and Surprise

A/N: Hey I'm back, sorry it's been a while since I've updated but I have had a test in all my classes this week and haven't had time to work on this. I'm hoping this will be a good length chapter, but not to long. I hope you enjoy it, and please review.

Responses to my Reviews

Muave: Thanks for reviewing...again I'm glad you liked his speech, it was hard to do and I was afraid that it wasn't....Jack. But you saying that you thought it was good made me feel better... I hop you like this one, It's going to probably be mostly fluff. Talk to you soon, Liz.

Ok now I'll get on with the chapter, hop you enjoy, talk to you soon.

'Last time'

"That's great," he said smiling, "Ready for another surprise?"

"More!!" She said excitedly.

"Yep." He said looked nonchalantly behind him to see if John was there yet and grinned, "Look behind you."

She did and a huge grin spread across her face, "JOHN!"

'Back to new chapter'

John smiled and started walking over to her and Daniel. When he got closer to her, he held out his hands for her and she ran into his arms, wrapping hers around his waist. He picked her up and twirled her around with her giggling. He then set her down and guided her over to the porch where the porch swing was. When they got there he set down and pulled her down besides him.

He smiled, "I figured you would still be in your uniform." He said sarcastically knowing that would get her temper flaring.

"HELL NO!!" She said, "You should know my distaste for skirts. Besides the heals weren't doing anything good for my leg so as soon as I got here I changed." She said smiling.

He looked at her, "How's you leg doing?"

"It hurts, but it's getting a lot better every day. Janet told me it hurts cause it's still weak and as I use it more it's going to hurt a little because it's getting back its strength." She told him.

"Good, I'm glad to hear that." He said smiling at her. "How's your birthday going?"

Rachel looked away when he asked that question not wanting to tell him about the dream she had early that morning. She held back the tears, composed herself and then turned back to John and smiled.

"It's been great!" She said only half lying.

John knew she was hiding something from him, "Rachel, what happened this morning. Janet said something happened this morning but didn't tell me what."

"I just had a really bad dream that stuck with me most of the morning." She said not wanting to talk anymore about it.

"What was it about?" He asked softly reaching out with his arm and wrapping it around her waist.

She sighed, "It was about you and Lieutenant Ford. You had found him and were on your way back to Atlantis, something happened to your puddle jumper and you crashed and didn't make it. Danny and Janet told me that you were ok that you had called dialed in and told them that you had found him and were ok and that you had to do something before you came back. That made me feel better but I kept thinking about it. Until we went to the base then I forgot about it in all the excitement." She said softly.

He didn't know what to say; instead he just pulled her into his lap and wrapped her up in his arms. She laid her head against his chest and let the tears fall. After a few minutes he pulled her back and looked at her.

"Hey, it's ok. Just to let you know, I've gone over the puddle jumpers. It'll take a lot to take one of those things down." He said trying to make her feel better and it did.

She smiled at him and wiped the tears off her face. She then realized he was wearing his Uniform and her jaw dropped...she hadn't seen him in his dress uniform in a long time.

'Damn I forgot how good he looks in that.' she thought to herself, and continued to drool.

John smiled, "Rachel?"

She jumped two feet in the air or would have had he not been holding her, and came out of her drooling session, "Yea?" She asked, innocently.

"You ok?" He asked, knowing she had been admiring his uniform.

"Yea, just realized you are wearing your uniform and that I had been crying on it." She said

"Uhhuh well don't worry about it I need to get it cleaned anyways." he said laughing.

"Why are you laughing?" She asked.

"You, I know you were umm.... Appreciating my uniform." He said and laughed as she blushed and looked down. "Ah I made you blush; I love it when that happens. Unless it's a bad blush...it's not a bad blush is it?"

"No," she said.

He smiled, "Good."

The wind started to blow a little harder and a little cooler and she shivered since she was just in a t-shirt. He frowned and pulled her a little closer to him.

"Why don't we go inside, it's getting cold," He said trying to get up but she protested.

"NO!! I want to stay out here; if we go inside we'll get split up." She said. "Someone will want to talk to you and some one else will want to talk to me. I want to stay out here with you."

He sighed, "All right but sit up for a sec." He told her.

She looked at him and frowned, "Why?"

"Because I'm going to take my coat off and put it on you," He told her.

She nodded and set up while he took his uniform jacket off and then put it on her, "There now at least you'll have some sleeves on." He told her.

"Thanks John," She said and laid her head down on his shoulder again.

"No prob Rach," He said gently, wrapping his arms back around her.

They set there like that for a long time with her lying in his lap with her head on his shoulder and his arms wrapped around her waist and gently rocking the swing. She had fallen asleep at some point but he still didn't get up and take her in.

A little bit latter Daniel came out looking for them to tell them that the guest were starting to leave and General Johnson wanted to see her before he left. He found them on the porch swing with her in his lap asleep. Daniel smiled and walked over to them and set down next to John.

"Hey John," He said.

John turned to him, "Hey Daniel. She didn't want to come in so I made her put my jacket on and at some point she fell asleep."

"Yea, she had a pretty exciting day," Daniel said, then remember General Johnson, "Oh I came out here to tell you two that the guest are starting to leave and General Johnson wants to see her before he leaves."

John nodded, "Ok," He said softly and looked down at Rachel and kissed her forehead.

"Rachel wake up," He said gently as not to scar her.

She groaned and slowly opened her eyes, "What is it?"

"The guests are leaving and General Johnson wants to see you before he leaves." He told her.

She raised her head up and nodded, "Ok," She said and then saw her brother and smiled, "Hey Danny," she said.

"Hey Rachel," Daniel said smiling back at her.

She got up and waited for the guys to stand up as well and they all three went inside. Daniel showed her were General Johnson was and she started towards him. Daniel was about to follow her when John reached out and grabbed his arm. Daniel turned around and looked at John with one eyebrow up.

John laughed, "Sorry Daniel, but I want to show you something." He said. Daniel nodded and they went back outside.

Rachel went on to where General Johnson was standing waiting for her. When she got to him, she saluted him and he saluted her back.

He tried to hide a laugh seeing her in John's uniform jacket and seem tough, "Don't you think that Jacket's a little big for you Captain?"

She looked down at John's jacket and blushed, "Oh yes sir, I didn't want to go in wall a go when John saw I was cold so he made me put it on." She said and he laughed.

"Calm down Rach I was just teasing you, I figured as much. Though I hope when you make it to major you jacket's well fit better than that, size them down four or five." He said and she glared.

He laughed a little bit and then quieted down and looked at her, "Well Rachel, as much as I would like to stay for a couple days, I got to go back to the pentagon." He said.

She nodded, "I figured." She said softly.

He reached out and hugged her, "Congratulations Rachel. I'm proud of you, and am glad to see your fitting in so well in with these people. When you get the time, come visit us, your friends miss you and so do I."

She nodded when he let her go, "I will sir, I miss them and you as well. Tell them I said hi." She said.

"I will," He said to her smiling, "I better go, plane is leaving soon."

"Ok," she said, "See you soon, sir." She said.

"Sounds good." He said, "Oh wait before I go you team wanted me to give something, its on the table, I waited to put it there cause it's something for you to open when your alone. They pulled together some money and fixed it up and I think it was Rus that wrote the letter."

Rachel smiled, "Ok tell them thanks."

"I will." He said.

She hugged him once again, "Thank you for coming sir."

"I wouldn't have missed if for the world." He told her. "I got to go Rach."

"I know," She said smiling at him, "See ya later sir."

"See ya later Captain." He said, turned around and walked out of the house.

She stood there for a few minutes thinking about her adopted family back at the Pentagon. She then sighed and remembered he had said the present was on the table, and headed over there. She saw it laying in the middle of the table and picked it up. She looked around and saw that she was pretty much alone so she decided to open it. She set down in one of the chairs and picked the envelop up that had her name on it and opened it. After reading the front she opened it up to see what Rusty had written:

Hey Rachel,

I fist want to say, this is for all of us by the way, that I really miss you. We all wish we could have been at your ceremony and birthday but some things came up. So we decided to pitch in and get you something special. I was the one that came up with the idea and what to get you, since I was your partner and knew more of what you liked. I had seen you looking at one of these one time so I figured you might like one. The rest of the group pitched in and went with me to get it. Well I got to go, General Johnson is about to leave and I need to get this to him. Stay in contact with us Rach, we miss you, and love you,

Hope to talk to you soon,

Rusty.

By the time she was done with the letter she had tears forming in her eyes. She quickly whipped them away and went to the present and started to unwrap it, and saw that there were two different things. The first that she picked up was a small photo album. She opened it and started looking through the pictures. Most of them were of her and her team that she was on in the Pentagon at different things. The last pictures she saw were different; they were of her and someone else. The first one was of her and Rusty at a park. She smiled, not only had he been a partner at work but he was her best friend, she really missed him. The next one was of her and General Johnson at a new years party. The last picture was of her and John at a park, John was pushing her on a swing, with her facing him, and they were both smiling at each other. She smiled at the memory of when that happened and then closed the album and set it down. She then picked up the second item which was a lock. On the front of the lock there was an inscription that said, "We always have your back." She then opened it and saw that they had placed a recent picture of them in it. Tears formed in her eyes once again, and as much as she tried to stop them she couldn't and she started crying.

Janet was walking back into the house at the time and saw Rachel sitting at the table crying. She ran over to her and set down placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Rachel are you ok? What's wrong?" She asked.

Rachel didn't say anything she just pushed the picture album and letter over, and then gently set the lock down on the table in front of Janet. Janet read the letter, looked at the pictures and then at the lock. When she was finished she smiled at Rachel,

"They must really miss you Rach."

"Yea, and they spent their money and got that for me. I thought it was really sweet, I should call them when I get a chance, I haven't lately." Rachel finished tiredly.

"Yea, sounds good." Janet said, "It really was sweet."

"I knew that they had done this, General Johnson told me. I think the impact of today has hit me and seeing this just did it for me," She said.

"Yea I bet you are pretty tired aren't you?" Janet said and Rachel nodded, "why don't I go find John and Daniel and tell them your ready to go."

"Ok," Rachel said and Janet got up.

"I'll be right back." She said and walked off in search of the guys.

A few minutes later she found them outside in the back yard laughing over something. She walked over to them and gently tapped Daniel on the shoulder. He turned around and smiled, "Hey Jan, what's up."

"Rach is tired, I think we need to get her home." Janet said softly.

"What happened?" John asked

"Her team at the Pentagon got together and got her a present, and I think the combination of being really tired and getting that got to her and she started crying." Janet explained.

John nodded and looked over at Daniel, "Hey do you mind if I get her to come over to my apartment? I won't give her, her present tonight; we'll just talk a little bit and go to bed."

Daniel nodded, "Yea it's fine with me."

John smiled, "Then let's go talk to her," He suggested and stood up.

Daniel once again nodded and stood up and the three of them went back into the house and over to Rachel. She was staring at the table in a tired haze. Janet smiled and walked over to her and gently touched her shoulder. Rachel jumped and then looked up at her and smiled.

"Hey," Janet said, "Look who came to take you home."

She looked over Janet's should and saw Daniel and John standing there. She smiled at them and grabbed the album and held it out to them.

"Look what Rusty and the guys sent me," She said.

John walked over to her, along with Daniel, and took the album. They looked throw it together making comments every once in a while. John looked up after they finished looking at the pictures and smiled at Rachel.

"That's a great present," He said to her.

She smiled and nodded, "Yea but that isn't the best part," She said and got up and walked over to where they were, "They all pitched in their money and got me this to," She finished and handed him the locket.

They both looked at it and smiled at her, "That is awesome Rach, but I don't think that they got it for you to just hold," John said smiling at her, "Come here."

She smiled and stepped closer to him. He unfastened the snap and reached forward and put it around her neck and fastened it back together. He then pulled her hair out of the necklace and pulled back smiling at her.

Daniel smiled and then reached out and touched her arm to get her attention. She looked at him and cocked her eyebrow much like Teal'c, and waited for him to saw whatever he was going to say.

"That is pretty special Rachel; make sure you put it somewhere where it will be safe when we go on missions. You don't want to lose it." He said.

She nodded, "Yea but where should I put it? My locker? Quarters?" She asked.

"Put it in your locker, inside a pocket or something like that, it'll be safe there." Daniel told her.

She nodded again, "Ok," She said and hid a yawn.

Daniel smiled and acted like he hadn't seen that, "On that note, you have had a long day, and exciting and knowing how you are, now that the excitement is over with your beat. That attempt to hide a yawn proved to me that that is true." He said smiling as she scowled, "John wants you to go home with him tonight to spend some time together and talk and then tomorrow morning he's going to give you his present. I know what it is, he just told me, and I think that it is a pretty great present. So beat it, spend some time together, get some sleep and have fun...clean fun." He said and Rachel's jaw dropped at his last comment.

"I...we...I'm...not..." She stammered and blushed.

"Rach, he didn't mean it like that," John said laughing.

She blushed even more and then as if acting like she hadn't just done that nodded to Daniel. He laughed at her gently and pulled her into a hug.

"I'll take your uniform home with me and have Janet take care of it and put it up. So besides that you are ready to go," He told her and she nodded.

"I don't have anything to sleep in," She said pulling back.

John smiled, "Rach you can have one of my shirts to sleep in," He told her, then after the look he got from Daniel he added, "And some sorts or sweats or something...even though my shirts go down to your knees."

Rachel smirked, John and Daniel were the only ones that got by with short comments, and nodded.

Daniel smiled, "Ok now that that is settled get out of here."

"Sounds good to me," John said, "What about you Rach?"

She grinned, "Yea me to."

"Good, let's go," John said.

Rachel grinned again and hugged Daniel, "See you later Danny."

"Yep, have fun, and be good," he said.

She pulled away rolling her eyes and started toward the door, "Yes, Dad," She said sarcastically and he laughed.

John followed her out the door and to his truck, were he opened the door for her and helped her up into it. He then shut the door and went to his side and got in. The drive to his apartment was short and quite and when they got there he helped her out of the truck and led her inside and to his apartment. When they got inside he told her to go sit down and that he would get her something to sleep in. She set down and waited for him to come back and leaned her head back, closing her eyes. A few minutes later John came back and saw her leaning back with her eyes closed and smiled. He walked over to her and set down next to her. He reached out and gently pulled her to him.

"Rach I got something for you to wear," He said softly and she cuddled closer to him.

"Ok," she said and slowly got up. He handed her the shirt and she went to change. He got up and went into his room to change as well. A few minutes later Rachel came out of the bathroom and started looking for him.

"John?" She called.

"In here Rach, come on in," He called from his room and she went to the door and went in.

He turned to her when she got in and held his arms out for her. She walked over to him and into his arms and cuddled. He set down on the bed brining her with him and laid back. He had pulled the covers back before she got in, so when they laid down he reached up and grabbed the blanket and covered them up. He then smiled at her and kissed her check.

"I have a question for you Rach and if you want to wait tell tomorrow to decide that's fine, but I want to ask it now, so if you do you can 'sleep on it.'"

She nodded, "Ok, what is it?" She asked.

"How would you like to meet Lieutenant Ford?" He asked smiling at her and waiting for her reaction.

She looked up at him and set up a little, "You mean go to Atlantis with you?" She asked.

Yes that is were I'm stopping it. I've started liking cliffhangers; I get more response when I leave the chapters with a cliffhanger. But I can't always do that, but I did this time and I know I'm rambling so I'll shut up. Review if you can, I want to know what you think. Talk to you later, Liz.