Title: Twinkling

Author: Erised

Category: John/Elizabeth fluff

Spoilers: Season 2 Conversion, Season 3

Rating: PG

Summary: John is jealous

Notes:

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or the show

"So, who is coming here this time?" John Sheppard caught up with Elizabeth Weir as she was walking towards the gate room. Now that SG-1 had found another ZPM, they were able to send another group to Atlantis very quickly; on the other hand, now that John's team had found another ZPM on a mission to P3x-5464, they could provide quarters for more people, and have them to unravel the mysteries of the city.

"I don't know that many of them, actually. The only person I know from the group is Daniel Jackson. You have met him as well."

"Daniel Jackson? Oh, I remember. Him and McKay will have a great time together."

Elizabeth let out a giggle. They kept walking together towards the gate room, talking about how many people would be arriving and whether they would be bringing some more of John's favorite turkey sandwiches and coffee – to shut McKay up.

They arrived in the gate room just in time. The Stargate activated, the SGC's IDC was received, and Elizabeth ordered to lower the shield. Soon, people started stepping through the event horizon. The first was, of course, Daniel Jackson. John imagined him running through the gate like a kid into a candy store. He loved everything that had to do with the ancients. About thirty other people came through and about three times more boxes and luggage. Turkey sandwiches have to be there somewhere, John thought.

Elizabeth went to meet Daniel Jackson personally. John watched them. He knew that Daniel and Elizabeth were friends back on Earth; they spent a lot of time together and, sometimes, John could have sworn Daniel was flirting with her. But just why he was thinking about that, he did not know. Or did he? He really didn't want to think about it. Instead, he commanded the new crew not to touch anything. He couldn't blame them. The first time he had stepped through the gate and into Atlantis, he had wanted to touch every single glowing object. Everything in Atlantis seemed to be glowing, even … no he must not think about that. He focused his eyes on Daniel and Elizabeth again. She was showing him around the control room; he seemed very excited, though excited about what exactly, John wasn't sure. His stomach flip-flopped. He ignored it.

John knew that he had to personally welcome Jackson into the city. He was, after all, the one responsible for finding its location.

"Dr. Jackson, I see you have finally gotten your wish and come to Atlantis."

"Colonel Sheppard, yes, they let me go for a few weeks. As you know, things aren't exactly going well in the Milky Way."

"Oh, yeah. Evil Ancients! I thought the wraith were creepy."

"I'd like to know more about them too, but first I can't wait to learn as much as possible about the ancients and Atlantis."

"And Elizabeth…. " John realized what he has just said. "…. Seems to be doing a fine job helping you." John finished his sentence with whatever came first into his mind.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow; Jackson did his 'confused' face, as he and Elizabeth exchanged looks.

The three of them stood in silence for a while. John decided to break the moment.

"Well, I will go and see if they brought some turkey sandwiches." He walked out of the control room as fast as he could.

John kept walking fast, thinking about what he had just said, and how he could be so stupid to let it slip like that. Most importantly, just why he said it, or even thought of it, and why his stomach flip-flopped, and why, just why he cared about Jackson flirting with Elizabeth at all. He knew that he and Elizabeth were more than two leaders of the expedition; they were friends, very good friends. They told each other about their problems and tried to help solve them; they comforted each other and laughed together, they exchanged looks every time they had to make a hard decision for Atlantis; and he knew they did not have to do it.

John found himself standing next to his quarters. Wasn't he going to get some sandwiches? Whatever, he thought and decided to go inside and get some sleep.

He couldn't; images of Jackson flirting with Elizabeth kept popping into his mind. No one has a right to flirt with my Elizabeth.

At that thought, John mentally slapped himself. Wait a second, My Elizabeth? "Alright!" he said out loud. "Enough," he did not want to know why he thought of Elizabeth as his. "Where are those sleeping pills?"

…

John woke up the next morning by Atlantian sun shining into his eyes. Well, he thought it was the sun. Someone was knocking on his door, yelling "Colonel Sheppard, are you in there? Open up now or I will break in! You know I can!"

"McKay?" John said, lazily.

"Yes, McKay! Open up! You have missed the briefing, Mr. Sleeping Beauty!"

"Wha…?" He looked at the clock and jumped. It was 1200 hours in the morning and the briefing was supposed to take place at 0900.

"Fine! I'll be out in five minutes!"

He washed his face quickly, got dressed, and ran out of his quarters, straight into Elizabeth's office. She is going to be so angry.

"'Lizbeth!" he said, breathing heavily.

"John.." Elizabeth said as she raised her head from a boring looking report. He thought he saw her smile, but couldn't think of a reason. He must be imagining things.

"Have you been sleeping this whole time? Why did you not answer the radio? I had to send McKay to break the code on your door!"

"Yeah, I noticed." said John, licking his lips. "Look, I'm sorry I missed the meeting. I did not expect to sleep for so long."

"You did not expect? You've been missing since 1800 hours!"

"Yes…I kind of… took some sleeping pills." John did not look into her green eyes. He felt like a teenager who was late for a science class.

Elizabeth seemed to be taken aback by this. "Sleeping pills?" She paused; her face almost worried. "Is something bothering you John?"

"Er… no, just a random day when you can't fall asleep, everyone has them."

"Well, I hope that's all it is. Otherwise you will have to spend the day in Atlantis instead of going on a mission."

"A mission on that planet with all the kids? What did they do this time? Broke that shield generator again?"

She raised an eyebrow "Yes. Your team, along with Dr. Zelenka, are going."

"Oh no really, I don't think I feel so good 'Lizbeth. I think I took too many pills. I will have to sit this one out."

She giggled. "It's alright John, you don't have to go. I know …" But just what she knew, John never found out. Daniel Jackson came running into the office, stopping rather suddenly.

"Oh, have I interrupted something?"

"No, Daniel. Have a seat." said Elizabeth

John suddenly felt nauseated. Jackson was looking at Elizabeth in that way again, but she did not seem to notice. She looked back at John. "So, John. You don't have to go. This is your day off."

"Right," he replied. "I'm going to go for… a run."

Over the next few days John noticed that Elizabeth and Jackson were spending a lot of time together. In the briefings, however, he caught her looking at him instead of Daniel. This made him feel better, and the never-ending urge to kick something disappeared every time he looked into her big, green eyes.

John had been running a lot lately, thinking why it bothered him that Jackson was being around Elizabeth so much. Though he already knew why. He had figured it out about a week ago, but did not want to believe it. Yet, all the evidence seemed to be pointing to it. He loved Elizabeth.

One morning after his run and a quick shower, John suddenly felt an urge to go into Elizabeth's office. He needed to talk to her.

When he has finally arrived at his destination he, again, saw Jackson, just sitting there, rather close to Elizabeth. A monster awoke in his stomach and he felt cold sweat all over his body. No one but me sits that close to Elizabeth, he told himself.

Despite his growing anger and an urge to kick something, he tried to enter Elizabeth's office as casually as possible. "Oh, am I interrupting?" he said, but then realized that he has just said exactly what Jackson did a few weeks ago.

"Oh, no. We were just trying to translate this text we found in one of the unexplored sections of the city. It's very fascinating." Said Elizabeth.

"Is it now?" John tried to keep his voice calm, but did not think it worked too well.

"Yes, this section of the script talks about a ZPM, its properties, and how to build one. It's so complicated and I don't think we are nearly adv…." John did not let Jackson finish his sentence because as he was talking, he moved a lot closer to Elizabeth and touched her hand. John expected him to move away quickly but he didn't.

Oh for crying out loud! That monster inside him was winning this time.

"OKAY! What's going on between you two!"

"Excuse me?" said Elizabeth. Jackson looked confused again. What an actor, thought John.

"You don't need her to help you translate these stuff! You are the expert on ancients! Elizabeth has more important things to do!"

"John! What has gotten into you?"

"Colonel Sheppard, this is a very massive text. I need help translating it; me and Elizabeth are the only experts on the ancients in this city."

"Oh, you call her by her first name too now?" he yelled. Everyone in the control room and the gate room turned to Elizabeth's office; all eyes on him. He did not care.

"John, why don't you go to the infirmary?" said Elizabeth in a frightened voice.

"No"

"No? I'm ordering you to." She repeated.

He wanted to yell again but did not want to upset Elizabeth. What he did next was much worse than yelling, and it instead scared even him. He kicked a window in her office so hard that it shuttered; the guards came running from the control room, all guns pointing at him. It took him a few seconds to realize what has just happened. Déjà vu, he thought. John looked at Elizabeth; her face was full of fear. He couldn't blame her. Last time he acted like this, he was turning into a monster and almost killed her soon after breaking this very same window. He wanted to apologize to her but did not think it would help. Instead, he decided to go to the infirmary, even though he knew exactly what was wrong with him.

John returned to his quarters after numerous tests Carson put him through. He did not find anything but suggested John went to see Dr. Heightmeyer the next day.

Of course, he couldn't sleep again. Elizabeth was on his mind; a frightened Elizabeth. He felt guilty for breaking her window, for shouting at her, and for scaring her. John thought that taking sleeping pills again wouldn't be a good idea so he tried to fall asleep the old fashioned way; it did not work. Finally he decided to read War and Peace, hoping to focus on the story rather than Elizabeth. It did not work either. This book reminded him of that time Elizabeth came into his room and started teasing him about reading it. As he threw the book into his closet, in hopes of letting the last bit of anger out of him, he heard a knock on the door. He got up and opened it. Elizabeth was standing there, in her pajamas, a pink tank top, purple pants, and very fluffy slippers.

"John…" she said softly.

Surprised by this late-night visit, he opened the door wider so she could come in.

"What are you doing here, Elizabeth?" he asked.

"Just came to check on you."

"Really? Didn't Carson tell you that I was fine?"

"Yes, he also told me you have see Dr. Heightmeyer."

"And you came to make sure I do?" It came out sounding very rude, John thought.

"John…" she looked hurt, her deep, green eyes watering.

"I'm sorry…I'm just… I don't know. Look, about what happened…"

"It's okay John, you don't have to explain anything."

"I don't? Wow, so breaking windows now is a normal thing to do? Look, I don't know what came over me. I saw Jackson sitting way too close to you, flirting with you and touching your hand. I just couldn't control myself when I saw that, I…"

He stopped himself before he could finish. He knew where his sentence was going and he had given away too much already. He expected Elizabeth to look surprised, but she didn't. Her eyes were looking into his, and he felt as is she was seeing right through him, as if she could read his mind. She knows, he thought. Her lips curved into a gentle smile. Unless he was horribly mistaken, she felt for him exactly what he felt for her.

He wanted to be closer to her but did not know if it was okay. What if he was wrong?

No, he had to do it. He knew Elizabeth Weir would never make the first move. However, he changed his opinion of her almost instantly, because that was exactly what she did. She moved one step closer to him, and it gave him the courage to say those words

"I love you, Elizabeth"

Her eyes twinkled in the moonlit room. He thought he noticed tears forming in her eyes and, somehow, knew they were the tears of happiness. "I love you too John." She whispered as she hugged him just like she did a year ago, after he came back from the suicide mission.

They just stood there, joined in a tight hug. And this time he knew that she was all he ever wanted, she was the only woman he had cared about in his life. He did not want to let her go, he wanted to hold her in his arms for eternity.

Elizabeth was the one to slightly pull back. She looked up at him, her eyes on his. They leaned towards each other until their lips met. He pulled back as if to ask if it was okay and, when he realized that it was, he leaned forwards and kissed her. John Sheppard had kissed many women before, but not like this. With Elizabeth, his whole body was involved; he kissed her with passion and millions of goose bumps rose all over his skin. His heart was beating faster than it had even beaten in his life. It felt as if millions of years had passed before they broke apart.

Elizabeth was glowing. He had never seen her so happy before. This was the real Elizabeth, the one he fell in love with, the one he loved that night, the one he was ready to die for every time a threat came into the city, the one that made him the happiest he had ever been and the one whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.