The next morning Elizabeth rolled over and stretched before looking over at John who was watching her with an amused look. "What?"
"Comfy?" John raised an eyebrow, a sly grin spreading over his face.
Realizing that she had nothing on underneath the covers Elizabeth blushed lightly, "It would seem that someone forgot to dress me before putting me to bed."
Chuckling John reached over to push a strand of Elizabeth's hair behind her ear, "You slept the rest of the night."
"I did." Elizabeth snuggled in close to John, a hand resting on his chest as her leg slid over his. "A pleasant change."
"Indeed." Bending his head John kissed Elizabeth, deepening the kiss as she responded. "What time are you supposed to be back at the SGC?"
"Nine." Elizabeth nipped at John's lower lip.
John stifled a groan as Elizabeth started kissing down his neck, "And what time is it now?"
Lifting her head slightly Elizabeth glanced at the clock on the nightstand next to the bed, "Quarter to eight."
"Damn." John groaned softly dropping his head back on the pillow. "We're meeting you and Kate at O'Mally's tonight, right?"
"Yes. You should probably make reservations just to make sure we can get a table."
"I'll take care of it. Do you think after dinner Rodney and Kate would be OK with bringing Lucas back here, so that we could go...out?" John ran a hand up Elizabeth's arm.
"They could, but..." Elizabeth traced a lazy path along John's side with one finger, "With Lucas having to go to the SGC tomorrow..."
"You want to spend time with him." John kissed Elizabeth. "I understand, we can go out another night just the two of us. Maybe even take a few days and go somewhere just the two of us."
"Maybe we could go dancing..."
"You and your dancing. You know back when we first met I never would have taken you for a dancing fan." John chuckled, looking over his should as a knock sounded on the door. "It's open." He called as Elizabeth pulled the covers farther up.
"Morning." Lucas pushed the door open, poking his head into the room. Seeing his mom still in bed Lucas tilted his head in puzzlement. "Why are you still in bed?" His mom was always up before he was.
"We're running a little late." Elizabeth tried to keep from grinning as she thought of why they were running late. "Why don't you run along and start getting ready, then we'll get breakfast ready."
"OK." With a curious glance Lucas left pulling the door shut behind him.
"Don't suppose you'd like to stay here today and answer his questions?" John questioned as Elizabeth gracefully slid out of bed and gave him a lovely view of her backside as she crossed over to the bathroom.
"As much as I'd prefer that I don't think the Brass would find that an acceptable excuse." Elizabeth called from around the door.
"Hey you never know," John slid out of bed, grabbing a pair of pants as he moved towards the bathroom himself. "A lot of those people have kids of their own you know."
"Sorry not happening." Elizabeth stole a quick kiss as she came out of the bathroom passing John. She laughed at the boyish pout on John's face as she started to get dressed.
"Dad?" Lucas knocked on the door again a few moments later.
"You can come in Lucas." Elizabeth called, frowning as she tried to run a brush through her hair, which had decided it wanted to have a bad hair day. "What is it?"
"Rodney sent me up here to tell you that General Landry is on the phone wanting to talk to dad." Lucas looked nervous, "He's not in trouble is he?"
"No he's not." John emerged from the bathroom and exchanged a glance with Elizabeth as he grabbed a shirt and pulled it on. "Probably something to do with scheduling over the next couple of days."
"Probably." Elizabeth nodded, falling in step with John as they followed Lucas out of the room. "Lucas let's get breakfast ready, while your dad takes his call."
"Me, Kate and Rodney already set the table." Lucas stated as the trio made their way downstairs.
"Speaking of which where are those two?" Elizabeth asked, not seeing or hearing the two.
"After Rodney sent me to get dad, Kate decided she wanted to go for a quick walk and dragged Rodney along saying it would be good for him. I don't think Rodney agreed but he went anyway." Lucas watched nervously as John moved to his den to take his call. "You sure dads not in trouble?"
"Positive." Elizabeth reassured Lucas as she opened the fridge. "Would you bring me the glasses from the table?"
"Can we have waffles?" Lucas questioned as he did what his mother asked. Elizabeth smiled as she poured orange juice into four of the cups and apple juice into the fifth, Lucas had fallen in love with waffles the moment he first tasted them that first morning back in Atlantis.
"I think that can be arranged." Elizabeth put the juice back in the fridge, then handed one of the glasses to Lucas.
"Dad said he'd take me to explore along the lake again today and that we were going to drag Rodney with us, kicking and screaming if we had to." Lucas carried the glass to the table, then returned for another.
"I'm sure Rodney will like that very much." Elizabeth looked as she heard John enter the room. "That was fast."
"Lucas why don't you go see if Rodney and Kate are on their way back." John moved over to the table and sat down. Curious Lucas nodded his head and left the room.
Elizabeth moved to face John, "What did General Landry want?"
John took a deep breath, pulling Elizabeth to sit on his lap, "The media knows that you're back. It seems there was a leak of information somewhere along the line."
"What do they know?" Elizabeth paled slightly.
"Thankfully not much at the moment, just that you're back after being missing for ten years and that those years were spent in the hands of the Genii." John paused as Kate and Rodney came into the room. "I assume Landry filled you in."
"Yes," Rodney nodded slowly. "Luckily the media only seems to know about Elizabeth so far." He briefly glanced at Lucas.
"What do people know?" Lucas glanced at the adults, not really sure what was going on but figuring that it wasn't good if his mother was anything to go by.
"Just something I expected, but was hoping wouldn't happen...at least not so soon." Elizabeth, standing up, smiled weakly at Lucas. "Why don't you help your dad and Rodney start cooking breakfast. I need to speak with Kate for a minute."
"Elizabeth...?" John stood up as well, taking hold of Elizabeth's hand.
"I'm OK." Leaning forward Elizabeth gave John a reassuring kiss, then turned to face Kate. "Shall we?"
"Sure." Worried about how Elizabeth was taking the new turn of events Kate followed the other woman upstairs. "Are you really OK?" She asked when they stopped in John and Elizabeth's room.
"To be honest I'm not sure yet, but I have considered what I'd do when this happened. I'm not going to hide, I won't let anyone dictate what I do not anymore. They know about me fine, but what more information they get will be on my terms."
"That's good. What do you need for me to do to help?"
Elizabeth turned to look at herself in the mirror, "Well it's been a while since I've had to worry about my appearance..."
"Say no more, I'm on it." A small almost devilish smile formed on Kate's face.
Thirty minutes later Kate returned to the dining area where John and Rodney were talking with Lucas as they finished up breakfast.
"Is she OK?" John started to stand but froze when he caught sight of Elizabeth who'd entered behind Kate. As his eyes ran from her feet to her head, John began to chuckle, "They won't know what hit them." Elizabeth was wearing - in his opinion anyway - the sexiest pair of jeans he'd ever seen that seemed to hug Elizabeth in all the right places, along with a red long sleeved v-neck shirt. He would be lying if he said he wasn't getting turned on just at the site of her.
"Nope," Rodney agreed, blinking at the new look. "They don't stand a chance."
"John I'd like you to accompany me today." Elizabeth stepped further into the room.
"Gladly." John smirked impishly.
"And you'll behave." Elizabeth grinned at the 'Who-Me?' look that crossed John's face.
"You look different mom." Lucas studied his mother's new look.
"Good different or not so good different?" Elizabeth arched an eyebrow.
Lucas tilted his head, considering his answer, "Good different."
"Glad you approve." Elizabeth knelt in front of Lucas.
"You have make-up on and..." Lucas reached out to touch Elizabeth's hair, "You didn't brush out the curls."
"Yes, Kate talked me into letting them remain." Elizabeth ruffled Lucas' hair as she stood back up and took the seat next to her son. "Lucas I need you to stay with either Kate or Rodney at all times today, OK?" When Lucas nodded Elizabeth smiled, "Good. And if anyone comes to the house or the lake, you do exactly what Kate and Rodney tell you too."
Lucas frowned, "Who would come here?"
"People wanting to know things about us, things we need to tell the people at the SGC first." Elizabeth answered softly, then held out her arms, "Hug?"
Lucas moved into his mother's arms hugging her tightly. "Will we still go out for dinner tonight?"
"Maybe," John knelt next to Lucas. "But even if we don't I promise we will do something special tonight no matter what."
"Good." Lucas gave John a hug as well. "You'll be with mom all day?"
"I won't let her out of my sight." John placed a hand over his heart, "Cross my heart."
"Good." Lucas stated again as both John and Elizabeth stood up.
"Rodney, Kate thank you." Elizabeth glanced at them as her hand slid into John's. "We'll call you later."
"And we will see you tonight." Rodney bent down and picked Lucas up, swinging the boy over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes causing Lucas to laugh.
With a final smile Elizabeth followed John out of the house to the car. Reaching the car John pulled Elizabeth into his arms. "You really do look incredible Liz." Reaching up John traced Elizabeth's cheek, "Are you sure-"
"Yes I'm sure." Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "The only thing that's changed by the media knowing about me is that now I not only have to prove to the big wigs in Washington that I'm of sound mind, I now have to prove it to pretty much the whole world. I want people to know that I'm not cowering in fear somewhere, that I'm not living recklessly, that I'm standing strong and that I'm not going to let this ruin my life."
"Have I mentioned lately how really, really, hot I think you are?" With a soft chuckle John leaned forward giving Elizabeth a deep kiss. "You ready to go?"
"I am." Elizabeth smiled as John opened the car door for her.