Title: 6 months
Notes: There was a glare that Elizabeth directed at floozy of the week I swear it.
Spoilers: Epiphany
Pairing: John/Elizabeth

John left his bathroom, freshly shaved and showered and adjusting to that fact that he had just gained six months he thought he had lost. As his eyes scanned his room he could see someone sat on his bed. Her back towards him as she read something, which was obviously his report. John knew the woman was and laid across the bed to kiss her neck.

She turned and faced him and he sat up and kissed her on the cheek.

"What you doing?"

Elizabeth turned back to the report.

"I just wanted to go over some things in your report."

John sat next to her and nodded

"Ask away"

Elizabeth faced turned very stern.

"Was she the new floozy?"

John shook his head

"Don't know what you're talking about"

Elizabeth shook her head and stood up

"Don't lie to me John. Did you sleep with her?"

John looked down to the blanket, which sat on his bed, the action gave Elizabeth the answer she needed.

"Of course you did"

Elizabeth turned away from him purely to hide the fact that tears had formed in her eyes and were threatening to fall freely.

"It was six months for me Elizabeth. I didn't think you were coming"

Elizabeth shook her head again, this time the tears which had been forming fell.

"I would have waited an eternity for you. I walked through the portal for you. I came for you"

John walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders, which caused Elizabeth to pull away from him.

"Don't touch me John"

John dropped his hands slowly to his side. He moved his mouth to Elizabeth's ear and whispered

"I'm sorry Elizabeth"

Elizabeth choked back the sobs which were forming in her throat.

"Sorry doesn't make it better John"

John shook his head and walked away from her, pissed off

"You strung me along for a year Elizabeth. Are we, aren't we? And it all depended on whether your precious Simon came to Atlantis"

Elizabeth turned round to face him, her tears now gone and replaced with anger

"I didn't string you along John. I never slept with you"

John nodded and sneered

"Yeah but the minute he dropped you, you came to me. You wanted me. Tell me something Elizabeth, if Simon had come to Atlantis would you have even considered being with me?"

Elizabeth looked down contemplating her answer, but Elizabeth didn't have one. She'd never thought about it.

"I don't know John, and plus that has nothing to do with this."

"It's the same thing Elizabeth, same situation"

"No it's not John, it's completely different. I never cheated on Simon"

John nodded

"You wanted to. I could feel it every time we were together. Even if it never got physical between us"

Elizabeth sighed

"John I can't discuss this anymore."

Elizabeth went to leave his quarters, but John wasn't ready to finish the conversation.

"You're a tease you know that. You screw around with me and you know you're doing it. You like the power."

It would have been fine if John had left it there, but he couldn't control his tongue and what happened next was inevitable

"Look at me when I'm speaking to you"

Elizabeth turned round and faced him

"Why? So I can endure more abuse from the Atlantis whore"

John shook his head

"You're just as bad as me Elizabeth. Face it you're a slut."

John saw it coming but was still surprised when Elizabeth's fist connected with his jaw.

"Bastard"

The overwhelming emotions smothered Elizabeth as she launched herself at John and began hitting him. John grabbed her arms but that didn't stop her from trying to hit him and for the first time he could see the tears falling from her eyes but his anger was the only thing he was concentrated on.

Finally John grabbed her wrists harder than he pushed her into a wall with a little too much force, he could tell that by the way the wind got knocked out of Elizabeth.

She struggled against him for a moment and he pushed her harder into the wall. Elizabeth whimpered in pain. The whimper made John snap out of his rage, when he realized he was hurting her he moved away from her and watched her as she bent down to catch her breath.

John could hear her sobbing quietly. John instinctively moved over to her and try to comfort her but she pushed him away. He could see the fear in her eyes has she looked up at him before rushing out of the room.

John watched as she left the room. He was shaking. His whole body was shaking with fear and shock at what he'd just done. John moved to his bed and sat down and buried his head in his hand, as he was finally unable to keep his tears at bay.

He cried for a few moments before rubbing his face and moving to his bedside table and picking up his second radio which had a frequency which could only be picked up on Elizabeth's radio.

"Elizabeth?"

The only answer he received was static.

"Liz. I'm sorry Liz"

John received no answer again but he knew she was listening so he continued.

"I know that doesn't make it right Liz but please just...just know she meant nothing to me."

John didn't know what to say about what had just transpired in his room. He didn't know how to apologize for hurting her. What could he say? Nothing he could say would make it better.

"I'm sorry I hurt you"

Elizabeth rushed from John's quarters seeking the sanctuary of her own which was only a few corridors away. When she reached her room she dropped down onto the bed and began to cry. Her whole body convulsing as she did. She looked at her wrists and saw purple bruises forming where John's hands had been. Quickly she pulled her sleeves back down over the bruises and laid there for a moment

"Elizabeth"

Elizabeth shuddered when she heard his voice

"Liz. I'm sorry Liz"

Elizabeth didn't answer. She didn't want to.

"I know that doesn't make it right Liz but please just...just know she meant nothing to me."

Elizabeth took the radio off and threw it against the wall in anger before burying her head in her pillow and sobbing.

1 Day Later

After the situation which Elizabeth, John had not left his room. All he'd done was shower again, he thought he would help him feel better and wash away the shame but it had failed, and than laid on his bed going through, in his head, what had happened and why he had snapped.

John knew though that he couldn't stay in his room for the rest of his life, so he had arranged a sparing session with Ronon, he'd decided not to train with Teyla because he didn't want to risk hurting another woman he cared about.

John walked into the gym and saw Ronon already training.

When Ronon saw John he stopped and threw two sparing sticks at him.

"You ready?"

John nodded and threw his bag to the side, he than secured the sticks in his hand and mimicked Ronon's actions as the two circled each other. Ronon gave no warning as he landed his first blow on John's shoulder. John winced in pain but stayed on his guard blocking Ronon as he aimed for his leg but didn't realized that Ronon's real target was John's torso. As the blow hit him John fell forward and dropped to the floor. He turned over to find Ronon standing over him looking very pissed.

Ronon lowered himself down and pushed a tick down onto John's neck. John struggled underneath him

"Ronon let up"

Ronon pushed harder as his eyes iced over

"Did Dr Weir beg? When you were holding her against that wall, did she beg?"

John managed to push Ronon away and stand up before Ronon could lay into him but Ronon had decided that words were best.

"Did she cry? Was she even able to or was she too scared?"

John looked at him

"It wasn't like that"

Ronon nodded

"Than tell me what it was like. Tell me why you felt the need to bang her up against a wall. Why you held her so tightly that her wrists and back bruised"

John shuddered as he heard that he had bruised Elizabeth

"I didn't mean to hurt her"

Ronon nodded and laughed slightly

"You know she defended you saying that you didn't mean to hurt her"

Elizabeth walked into Rodney's lab. He had called her to listen to him ramble about some new technology.

As she walked in she saw Ronon and Teyla already there. Elizabeth pushed back the feeling of dread that one of them might suspect something and walked over to Rodney.

"Rodney, what have you got?"

As Rodney talked Teyla's attention began to wonder. She looked over at all the equipment on Rodney's desk and tried to remember their names, it was a task she was getting quite successful at. She than put her attention on Ronon who looked just as bored as she did. She noted that Elizabeth looked interested but also knew that Elizabeth was very good at faking interest. She watched as Elizabeth rose her hand and brushed a piece of hair from her eyes. As she the sleeve on the top she was wearing slipped down and Teyla could see a purple bruise on Elizabeth's wrist. A bruise which had not been there earlier. Teyla continued to watch Elizabeth has Rodney talked. When he finally finished Elizabeth was the first to leave the lab and Teyla followed her quickly.

"Dr Weir"

Elizabeth stopped and turned to Teyla.

"What can I do for you Teyla?"

Knowing that they were on a corridor that saw very little personal, Teyla felt there was no reason for beating around the bush, so she grabbed Elizabeth's hand and held it as she pushed up the sleeve on her top.

"How did this happen?"

Elizabeth removed her hand from Teyla's grip and pulled her sleeve back down.

"I don't know"

Teyla, on an hunch, lifted Elizabeth other sleeve to show an identical wound

"Are you still not sure?"

Elizabeth sighed and looked round

"It's nothing Teyla"

Teyla was one of the few people on Atlantis who knew about John and Elizabeth and she also knew that Elizabeth had just been to see John so it didn't take her long to connect the dots.

"Did John do this?"

Elizabeth sighed and looked up.

"It was nothing Teyla. We got into an argument, I hit him, he was just trying to hold me back. He was trying to defend himself"

Teyla closed her eyes.

"It still doesn't make it right. I am taking you to Dr Beckett"

Elizabeth shook her head

"No Teyla. There's nothing wrong"

Teyla looked at her, shaking her head

"He could have broken some bones in your wrists."

Elizabeth stared at Teyla and stood strong

"I am not seeing Beckett"

Teyla nodded

"Very well"

Teyla walked off leaving Elizabeth alone in the corridor. As much as Teyla wanted to believe it wasn't intentional she couldn't. She knew John had a temper and it was possible he'd taken that out on Elizabeth. Teyla was conflicted. She knew John was a good man and a good person, but Elizabeth's wounds spoke for themselves.

Walking around the corridor Teyla bumped into someone, someone who turned out to be Ronon.

"Ronon"

Ronon nodded

"You okay, you ran after Dr Weir very quickly"

Teyla sighed and looked up at Ronon, suddenly remembering something he told her.

"Ronon, you have medical training right?"

Ronon nodded

"Yeah"

Teyla grabbed his arm and pulled him along the corridor.

"I need you to do something for me"

Teyla and Ronon walked round Atlantis to Elizabeth's quarters. Teyla had more than a suspicion that Elizabeth would have come back here. She knocked on the door and a moment later Elizabeth appeared. She looked at the two confused.

"What can I do for you?"

Teyla smiled at her

"May we come in?"

Elizabeth thought for a moment before allowing them entry into her quarters.

Elizabeth stood opposite them and was about to speak when Teyla interrupted

"Show him"

Elizabeth shook her head pissed

"Teyla…"

"Show him"

Ronon stood there confused what the two women were talking about.

"Show me what?"

Seeing that Elizabeth was reluctant to say anything Teyla answered for her

"The wounds Colonel Sheppard inflicted on her"

Elizabeth dropped down and sat on her bed with a sigh as Ronon tried to work through what he had just heard. He came up with only one suggestion.

"I'm gonna kill him"

Seeing he was serious Elizabeth stood up and grabbed his arm

"Ronon, NO. Teyla got the wrong end of the stick. It wasn't like that it was an accident"

Ronon turned to Elizabeth and could see the desire in her eyes. She wanted to keep this quiet, he'd seen the look before and he knew it all too well.

"Let me see"

Elizabeth sighed, glared at Teyla and pushed up her sleeves. Ronon could barely hold back a gasp as he saw the purple bruises on her wrists. He held them lightly.

"No way was that an accident. How did he do that?"

Elizabeth shook her head and answered figuring that it would be the only way to stop Ronon from killing John.

"John and I were having an argument"

Ronon nodded

"What about?"

Elizabeth was reluctant to tell him of her relationship with John.

"It's not important. Anyway, we said some things, he said something which particularly hurt me . I turned round and hit him. I kept hitting him so he tried to stop me"

Ronon nodded again

"How did he stop you?"

Elizabeth ran a hand through her hair.

"He grabbed my wrists and pushed me against a wall."

Ronon looked at her and was suddenly aware of how she was stood, slightly hunched as if a pain in her back was keeping her from standing straight

"He pushed you hard against the wall and he bruised your back, didn't he?"

Elizabeth slowly nodded and Ronon sighed taking Elizabeth's wrists. He gently felt around the bones

"Well nothing seems broken"

Carefully he felt Elizabeth's ribs and she slid back from him

"What are you doing?"

Ronon sighed

"Checking he didn't break any ribs."

Elizabeth closed her eyes and let him feel for any broken ribs, there were none thankfully but Ronon wasn't finished with his inspection.

"I need to see your back"

Elizabeth looked at him with an expression that basically said, 'No way buddy you've already felt me up enough today' but Ronon was ready with an explanation

"I need to check for spinal damage."

Elizabeth sighed and turned her back to him. Slowly Ronon lifted up her top fearing what he might see. His fears were confirmed when he saw a large dark purple bruise on her back. He could hear Teyla gasping behind him, and he was sure he could hear Elizabeth whimper in pain as he felt along her back and spinal cord.

When he was finished he pulled her top back down before Elizabeth, with her back still towards them and walked into her bathroom.

Ronon watched her disappear into her bathroom before sitting down on her bed with a sigh.

"I can't believe he did that to her"

Teyla sat next to him

"Is it bad?"

Ronon half nodded

"There'll be no long lasting wounds, it's just bad bruising."

Teyla nodded slowly,

"Do you think she's telling the truth...that it was an accident?"

Ronon sighed

"I don't know, I've seen wounds like that before and believe me they weren't accidental"

Elizabeth walked out of the bathroom causing Teyla and Ronon to stand up.

She faced them squarely and stared into their eyes showing them her sincerity

"Now you two listen to me. What happened was an accident and I am not saying that to protect him, it's the truth. He didn't mean to hurt me, if it was intentional he would have been the brig already. Now I want the two of you to leave, I don't want you to confront John about this, I don't want anyone else to hear about this either. It wasn't intentional but people think the wrong thing sometimes. Can I trust that neither of you will take this any further?"

Teyla nodded slowly, uncomfortable with what she was being asked but also knowing it was her decision.

On seeing Teyla's nod Elizabeth nodded back and than turned to Ronon who just looked at the two of them before walking out of the door.

John nodded

"And that's the truth. I didn't mean to hurt her"

Ronon walked over to John and stared straight into his eyes with a look that terrified him.

"You touch her again and I will kill you"

Ronon pushed John against the wall and than walked out of the gym.

After leaving the gym, then going back to his quarters to shower John walked up to the control room to see Elizabeth in her office. Ronon was in there with her. Elizabeth looked pissed and Ronon looked like he didn't care. Their voices where low and John could tell they were trying to keep the rest of the control from hearing.

John watched as Elizabeth sat in her chair and rested her head in her left hand and looked up at Ronon. She gestured at him with her hand, a moment later Ronon nodded and left her office. When he saw John in his immediate vicinity he turned back to Elizabeth before walking straight past him and down the steps.

John watched him go and then after deciding for a moment he walked to Elizabeth's office, knocking on the door. Elizabeth looked up at him and after a second of hesitation she gestured him in. John walked into the room and the two looked at each other for a moment. John was about to speak when Elizabeth beat him to it.

"I heard about what Ronon did. I'm so sorry. I've talked to him, he assured me he won't do it again."

John nodded

"Did I hurt you?"

Elizabeth took a deep breath and nodded slowly. John's heart broke as he saw her nod and he sat down opposite her.

"Elizabeth you have no idea how sorry I am and how bad I feel"

Elizabeth nodded

"I know John. Let's just forget about it, forget about everything that has happened the last two days"

"Are you sure?"

Elizabeth nodded

"It's what I want John"

John nodded

"Me too"

Elizabeth smiled and looked down at her reports before looking back up at him

"So you wanna get some lunch?"

John smiled and nodded

"Sure"

Elizabeth stood up, followed by John and the two of them walked down to the mess hall.

Ronon walked into the mess hall and saw Teyla already sitting there. After grabbing a drink and something to eat he went and sat next to her. Teyla looked up at him and scowled

"I heard about what you did. I can't believe you went against her wishes"

Ronon shrugged

"Yeah she's already shouted at me about that. She told me not to do it again"

Teyla shook her head at his lack of guilt.

"Do you not care what you did? There was a reason she didn't want us to say anything"

Ronon shook his head

"I was not about to let him get away with what he had done"

Teyla shook her again and turned back to her meal as Ronon started eating his. His manners had improved slightly but the Runner still wasn't at the level everyone else was.

They were joined a moment later by Rodney who had two cups of coffee, and a meal which could have fed two people. He nodded at them and sat opposite.

"What's wrong with the two of you?"

Teyla shook her head and smiled

"Nothing is wrong Rodney."

Rodney nodded slightly and Teyla continued

"So how are you progressing on that technology you found"

Like a kid in a candy shop Rodney's face lit up as he started explaining what he'd found out so far about the device. Ronon listened for a bit until his attention was drawn to Elizabeth and John who had just walked into the mess hall together. The anger raised in him as he saw them walk over and get some food. They were laughing and acting like nothing had happened. They walked over to the table where the team were sat. Elizabeth took a seat next to Rodney and John sat on the other side of her.

"Hey guys"

Teyla nodded at John's greeting but didn't meet his eyes and Ronon just didn't react to John. He just stared at Elizabeth

"You okay?"

Rodney stared at Elizabeth in concern.

"What's wrong?"

Elizabeth turned to Rodney and smiled

"Nothing"

She than turned to Ronon and gave him a half glare and a smile at the same time

"I'm fine Ronon"

John shifted uncomfortably, he knew Ronon was not going to make this easy for him.

The group ate uncomfortably and Rodney knew there was something going on and he was being left out. Deciding enough was enough Rodney stood up and declared:

"Fine, don't tell me what's going on. I'm going back to my lab"

Rodney was hurt that they didn't trust him enough to tell him what was going on so he dumped his tray and then left the mess hall. Elizabeth sighed and after glaring at the group she went after him.

John watched her go and sighed, turning to Ronon and Teyla.

"Don't do that again."

Ronon stood up

"Why? Will you beat us as well?"

John closed his eyes

"I didn't. We've decided to forget about it and you two should do the same"

Ronon shook his head and stood up

"Never Sheppard. Remember what I told you earlier, well that threat still stands"

Ronon left the mess hall and John turned back to Teyla

"You believe me right?"

Teyla closed her eyes

"I believe Elizabeth. If she says you didn't mean it, I believe her"

With that Teyla stood up and left the mess hall. John looked around to see that all eyes were on him, after shooting a glare at them he left the mess hall as well.

Ronon laid on his bed in silence in a meditation state. He'd cleared his mind and was entranced in the silence of his room. He reveled in the calmness. This was the only time during the last few days that he had felt as peace.

As he lay his head became filled with visions of people from his homeworld. People he loved, care about and missed. His brother Liem, his niece Kala, his mother. As he thought about his mother he thought about his childhood, about things he'd seen. Most people thinking the Wraith would haunt his nightmares, but they didn't. What haunted his nightmares was his mother and what she went though. Ronon snapped his eyes open and sat up breathing heavily. He sat like that for a few moments until he heard a knock on the door. Ronon was reluctant to answer it but another knock cam followed by a voice.

"Ronon, it's Dr Weir"

Ronon quickly stood up and walked to the door, opening and asking her to come in before Elizabeth could even say another word. Elizabeth stepped into his quarters and Ronon offered her a seat. Elizabeth declined and stood facing Ronon.

"Ronon, I asked you not to take it any further. What you did in the mess hall was out of order"

Ronon shrugged

"I only asked you how you were"

Elizabeth nodded

"But in front of Rodney. You know what Rodney's like, I've just had to talk to him and tell him a lie, which I don't like doing"

Ronon stared at her for a moment before smiling somberly.

"Why not just tell him the truth?"

Elizabeth shook her head

"You know that's not an option, plus we've put it behind us"

Ronon laughed slightly and shook his head

"I've heard that before. You wouldn't believe how many times I've heard that"

Elizabeth sighed

"It was an accident and he's apologized. It won't happen again"

Ronon shook his head

"It shouldn't have happened this time. Once is one time to many"

Elizabeth nodded and then something inside her clicked and it connected all the dots, suddenly making a lot of sense

"How have you seen this before?"

Ronon stared at her harshly

"It doesn't matter"

Elizabeth retained her stance

"It does. Tell me"

Elizabeth sat down in the chair Ronon had offered her earlier and stared at him. Ronon suddenly felt like a child again. Slowly he sat on his bed and looked up at Elizabeth.

"When I was young, my Dad was a military man. The usual, loving, caring. He was the perfect father and husband. One day he went in a battle against the Wraith. I don't know what he saw, he never talked about it, but whatever it was it was bad. He took it out on my mother."

Elizabeth gasped silently

"I didn't know"

Ronon shrugged

"Why would you? My mother told me it was an accident. That he didn't mean it and it would never happen again"

Elizabeth nodded and Ronon continued

"I believed her. I was only seven. my brother was five we didn't understand. My mother was such a strong woman, like you. So I believed her, then he did it again and he kept doing it and each time she told me that it was the last time."

Elizabeth stood up and went and sat next to Ronon.

"I'm sorry your mother had to go through that. I'm sorry you had to go through that"

Ronon sighed

"That's why I don't think Sheppard should get away with it. I let my father get away with it."

Elizabeth went to put her hand on his shoulder but thought better of it.

"Ronon. I can't imagine what you and your mother went through but that's not what happened between John and I"

Ronon closed his eyes for a moment thinking.

"But that's how it started with my Mother, I don't want to see you go through it"

Elizabeth nodded

"And I won't. If it happens again, and I'm not saying it will but if it happens again I would have in in the Brig so fast his feet wouldn't touch the ground."

Ronon nodded slowly.

"Okay."

Elizabeth smiled at him and stood

"Ronon, what happened to your mother?"

Ronon looked down at the floor

"There was a culling, my mother was out when it happened. Some people say that she walked out in front of the beam"

Elizabeth sighed

"I'm sorry Ronon"

Ronon nodded and Elizabeth left his quarters.

Fin...