Chapter 5

"Ok, good work on getting that trade agreement resolved. Anything else to add?" Elizabeth looked around the table. John's team all shook their heads, looking exhausted, then John leaned forward.

"Actually, I was kinda hoping we could get a little down time. Those guys refused to leave the table, or even take a break longer than five minutes until the negotiations were finished. That took 14 hours. Personally, I feel shattered, and Mckay looks like he could fall asleep right here." Rodney glared at him.

"Yes well if you had just managed to avoid insulting their main crop then we wouldn't have had to spend 6 extra hours in there trying to calm them down!"

"I wasn't the one who got up when we were in session!"

"I needed to toilet! How was I to know they would find it insulting, but describing that bloody fruit as "sour" was a pretty obvious mistake wouldn't you say?"

"Gentlemen!" Both Rodney and John glared at each other, then settled back down.

"Ok, it's clear you're all tired. Get some rest." The team stood, and left the briefing room. John stopped at the door, and turned back.

"By the way, did Carson say anything at your appointment?"

She shrugged.

"He says that the energy is still there, and that it's doing something. Other than that, no change." John nodded slowly. He remembered how excited they had been two weeks ago when Dr Beckett told them the ancient therapy had somehow generated a small energy field around the damaged nerve cells. The only problem was that none of the medical scanners could penetrate the field, and Elizabeth said that she still didn't feel anything in her legs.

"Hello, Atlantis to John!" He looked up

"Sorry, day dreaming."

"Get some sleep John, that's an order." He gave a little half-smile, but inside he felt an odd feeling, one he didn't feel very often. He was nervous.

"Yes ma'am. Hey, you want to have dinner later?"

"Sure. Commissary?" He shook his head

"Nah, they'll probably want to cook something with that fruit."

"If it tasted so bad then why did you trade for it?"

"You said we needed food, remember?" She sighed, admitting defeat. "Anyway, I have a better idea. See you at 8?" She smiled.

"I'm guessing that if I ask what this idea is you won't tell me." He just looked at her

"Yeah, thought so. Fine, 8 it is. But if this turns into another half-assed attempt to force me to take a holiday I will kill you."

"But it was such a good plan!" He whined, knowing he probably looked like a little kid

"You thought that luring me to the Eastern Pier and then sealing it off counted as a holiday?" He winced

"Ok yes that one didn't go to plan. I promise this is just a meal. Ok?"

She rolled her eyes. "Oh don't look so hurt. I'll see you at 8. Should I dress up?"

He beamed, feeling a wave of relief wash over him.

"Up to you really. I'll see you then then. I mean, I'll see you… never mind"

He walked outside, and nearly walked into Rodney

"Major! I was just, ummm" Rodney's voice trailed off

"Just…eavesdropping?" Rodney attempted a look of outrage, but failed

"Honestly Major how immature do you think I am?" John raised one eyebrow, and walked away, counting under his breath.

"one, two, three, four, five, six sev" Rodney caught up.

"Well Major although I would hate for you to think that I was listening in, I assume you won't be available to test out a new piece of ancient technology we found?"

"No Rodney, as you heard I have some other plans." Rodney smirked

"Yes, it's interesting how often you seem to have 'other plans' at the moment."

They were walking through an empty corridor, so John stopped and turned to Rodney.

"Meaning?"

"Nothing, it's just that you and Elizabeth seem to be spending a lot of time together lately."

"So?"

"I just…umm, think it's good. That the two of you are spending so much time together. It's….good." John continued to stare at him "I should probably get back to work, let you get some rest." Rodney turned and started to walk away, then over his shoulder: "After all, you wouldn't want to be tired for your date!" before breaking into a run.

John just stood there, shocked. It wasn't a date, was it? After all, two people can spend time together without it being a date, right? And if they both enjoyed it, what was the big deal? Ok, they had been spending a lot of time together, but that didn't mean that…. Ah. Shit. They had been spending a lot of time together. A lot of time. And he had enjoyed it, really enjoyed it. And now he had invited her to have dinner with her, in private. And he really had been nervous, hadn't he? He hadn't been that nervous since… He started walking again, back towards his room, but his mind continued to work. He was never that nervous, even when he was asking someone out on a real date. He had always been relaxed around women, but when he was in that office he had been scared she would say no. Of course, she hadn't said no, had she? In fact, she had seemed quite excited.

He walked into his room, and collapsed onto the bed. He had a lot of thinking to do.

At exactly 8 p.m John knocked on Elizabeth's door. He had spent the last few hours arguing with himself about whether it was a date. He had decided to play it safe and was wearing casual slacks, a shirt, and a jacket. The door was opened by Nurse Adams, a pretty young English nurse who was assigned to be Elizabeth's helper that week.

"Major, Dr Weir will be out in just a second."

"Thanks, I'll wait."

He leaned against the wall, hand in his pockets. The door slowly slid open, and Elizabeth wheeled herself out.

"Wow."

Her smile at his reaction could have powered the city.

"You think so?"

"Wow." She was stunning, wearing a slender red dress. Even in that damned chair, she looked amazing.

"Well you did say it was up to me, is this too much?"

"Nono it's, it's, yeah. Shall we?" He snapped out of it a little, and moved behind her. Nurse Adams had somehow appeared at the door.

"Thank you Lily, I'll be fine tonight. See you in the morning."

"Yes ma'am" she nodded, and moved past the two. If John didn't know better he would have sworn he saw a slight smirk on her face. He started to wheel her towards a transporter.

"So where are you taking me?"

"It's a surprise, remember." He sighed a little "It might be a bit much, I mean, I wasn't sure." She lifted one hand behind her head and rested it briefly on his arm.

"John, I'm sure it'll be fine. I could use a break from reality."

They continued on in comfortable silence. That was one thing he loved about Elizabeth. She wasn't one of those people (like Mckay) who always had to talk just so that everyone knew she was there. Hell, he always knew when she was there.

"Oh my god!" Elizabeth gasped as John pushed her out onto the balcony overlooking Atlantis that they had first visited soon after she had left the infirmary.

"Too much?"

"Are you joking? This is beautiful! I always wanted to come back here!" she exclaimed as he drew her up behind a table.

"Well, enjoy. Anyway, for our first course…." He turned away to another table, and then turned back with…

"Turkey sandwiches? Are you serious?" He smiled and shook his head

"These aren't just any turkey sandwiches. These are the last turkey sandwiches in all of Atlantis!"

"Ok, I see your point, are you sure you can spare these?" She asked, grinning slightly smugly at him

"I'll manage." He responded dryly, sitting down opposite her. All things considered, this might be a date.

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Wow that Chapter really ended up in a different place to where I was going. Hope you liked it, and hopefully the next chapter will be up soon, real life got in the way for this one