Elizabeth sat at her desk, elbows leaning against the smooth surface. Her lower lip was caught between her teeth, a nervous habit. Drumming her fingers together, Elizabeth felt bent her head, trying to find a solution to her unknown problem.

Every solution had a problem—

Or was it the other way around?

Elizabeth was not really sure anymore. The solution was very clear. Get John help, get him back on duty and get him back to normal again. Get, get, get—get John to—Elizabeth slammed her hand down on the table, ending the train of thought abruptly as her hands stung.

"Dr. Weir?"

She looked up sharply at the Marine in front of her. Immediately Elizabeth guessed something was wrong, not that she could know from his face. Getting to her feet, she grabbed the earpiece on her desk, sliding it into her ear.

"What's the problem?" she asked zipping up her jacket.

"Dr. Beckett asked for you immediately," he said. She nodded and followed him. He led her away from the infirmary and towards the sparring room. Hiding her confusion, Elizabeth followed him to the doors where Carson was waiting with Sheppard and McCay.

"What's wrong?" she asked as the Marine departed. Her eyes flashed from Carson's face, which looked torn between amusement and worry to John's comfortingly familiar 'I-knew-this-would-happen' look to Rodney's face which had horror written all over it.

"Well," Carson said, "it depends how you look at it." He hit the door which slid open silently, "we found them like this."

"Correction, I found them like this," Rodney said shuddering slightly. Elizabeth looked into the room. On the ground were two sparring swords, cast aside rather than set down. A long tan jacket, distinctly belonging to Ronon Dex lay folded neatly on one side of the room while a shorter one lay on the other side. Her gaze traveled up before her eyebrows shot into her hairline.

Lying against one of the columns was Ronon, clearly asleep. Curled around him was Telya. His head was against the pillar, hers was on his shoulder. One of his arms was around her waist, holding her to him. One of her arms was resting on his chest.

"Why haven't you woken them?" Elizabeth asked.

"Do you want to?" Carson asked, "I'm a doctor not an idiot."

The other two had looks on their faces that said they clearly agreed with him. Elizabeth frowned and crossed her arms.

"One of you has to wake them up," she said motioning to the sleeping couple, "we have work to do."

"Why don't you do it?" Rodney demanded.

"Because I'm in charge," Elizabeth said putting her hands on her hips, "and I know better than to wake them up. You three on the other hand—" she trailed off menacingly. Carson cleared his throat.

"Look at the time, Rodney I've got to go finish that—thing," he said, "come with me."

"Uh right," Rodney said. They practically ran off. Elizabeth rolled her eyes with a mutter of the word 'men'. John hid a smile and craned his neck instead to see them still lying there, obviously happy enough to be in each others arms to throw warrior instinct to the wind. He wondered what if it would be like that wit him and Elizabeth.

Dismissing the thought roughly, he clapped his hands together, half-hoping it would wake them. It elicited a small sigh from Teyla but nothing else. Turning to Elizabeth he fixed his eyes with hers. Winking he walked into the room and picked up one of the long poles used for practice.

Elizabeth craned her head, trying to see what John was up to and keeping a safe distance from the action in case it worked and the two tried to kill him. Stepping as far back as the pole would allow, he inched it forward and poked Teyla on the shoulder.

She groaned and pushed her face into Ronon's shoulder.

John poked harder.

Teyla's eyes snapped open and she spun around, stopped dead and looked from John on the other end of the stick to Ronon who's arm was still around her waist and back again. She jumped to her feet, waking Ronon who was on his feet instantly, looking around for who he needed to kill. His eyes hit John's and he got to his feet a great deal more slowly and stepped over to them.

"John, is there something you need?" Teyla asked, forgetting the formality in her embarrassment.

"Just to have my team awake and alert," he said hiding a smile perfectly.

"Right," Teyla said, obviously flustered, "we are."

"I can see that," John said easily, "dismissed."

They both left, Ronon shooting him a look that plainly said he was an idiot. John shook his head, throwing the pole aside. Running a hand through his hair, he looked at Elizabeth who had moved inside the room and was leaning against the wall with her arms folded and an amused look on her face.

"I'm impressed," she said lightly.

"I'm late," he said walking past her, "by the way, I that ever happens to us, you have to wake up first."

He walked out, leaving her standing there with a slight smile on her face, her mind a million miles away.

88

Teyla walked down the corridor, heat burning in her face. Trying not to curse loudly, she felt her fists ball up and increased her pace. The last thing she remembered was sparring with Ronon, disarming him as he returned the gesture before her lack of sleep caught up with her and she sat down. He sat next to her and it felt so nice, so right. She had closed her eyes, keeping her head upright.

Ronon watched Teyla walk away and did his best to keep his face neutral. He knew better than to follow her when she was this humiliated. He hadn't missed the look in John's eyes that said he'd love to switch places with Ronon. He had been jealous at first, until he realized John's eyes were no where near Teyla.

They were on Elizabeth

He had scarcely believed it, especially considering John's kiss with Teyla, the fact he was turning into a Wraith aside. But as time went on he noticed the smiles between John and Elizabeth, their comfort with each other.

A part of him was jealous.

He wished he had that kind of a relationship with Teyla. The two of them had warrior instincts drilled so hard into them that they hardly knew how to deal with impractical things. The feelings that coursed through his veins when Teyla's head fell on his shoulder was as impractical as the feeling when he woke up with her in his arms.

And that was very.

Shaking his head, the warrior walked down the hallway, not paying attention where he was going until he looked up and found himself outside Teyla's room. Shaking his head, he turned and walked away.

88

"Shrinks!" The word, replacing every curse-word he knew was full of anger. He was angry—no he was furious. He hated people prying in his mind, that's what he loved about Elizabeth, she didn't pry. She let him take his time and come to her with the issue, rather than hunt him down.

John froze.

Did he put the words Elizabeth and Love in the same sentence?

"Damn it!" he yelled to no-one in particular. The confusion and anger poured htorugh him. Dimly he realized that the anger was too exaggerated. He gasped and ripped back his sleeve. It felt like Ronon had taken his gun and fired on 'kill' into his elbow. Clutching it to his chest, his knees buckled and he collapsed to the floor.

Ronon was walking down the hallway, trying to put as much distance between himself and his confused emotions which he hoped he left at the door of Teyla's quarters. Because of this, he did not see John until he was literally underfoot.

His eyes widening, he fell to his knees in front of the man. Pressing two fingers to his neck, he closed his eyes. Grabbing John in his arms, he lifted him over his shoulder and ran down the hall.

"Dr. Beckett!" he yelled running into the room. Carson looked up, his jaw dropping. Pointing to a bed, he motioned for Ronon to lay him down.

"John," Carson said, gaining no response. He felt for a pulse, "get Dr. Weir down here now!" he yelled at one of the marines. He thrust an air mask into Ronon's hands and began compressing John's chest while an assistant got the crash cart.

"Come on John," he muttered grabbing the paddles.

"Clear!" he yelled pressing the paddles to his chest. John's chest lifted off the bed with electricity. He was still a flatline. Repeating, he got no response. The third time, he was rewarded with a pulse. John drew a sharp breath, his eyes snapping open.

Carson stepped back.

They were reptilian and yellow. His eyelids closed in an exaggerated blink and he opened his eyes which were once again brown. Exhaling, Carson bent over him. John exhaled audibly and closed his eyes, going limp. Only the heart monitor assured Carson he was alive.

"What happened?" Elizabeth asked sharply. Carson looked at her.

"You need to sit down," he said motioning, "Ronon get Teyla and Rodney please. This is something you all need to hear."