Sorry this has been taking so long to post. Got a new job so am knackered but I'll try to be quicker this week. Thank you so much for all your reviews…I wonder if I'll ever write a fic without ShepWeir (or Sparky…I'm liking this name better me thinks…guys at the Gateworld forum – SheppardWeir thread of course- are so witty!)Hope you like this chapter, just a filler really.

Enlightened Beings?

Chapter 5: Talks and tests

Elizabeth dumped her jacket on the wrinkle free bed and let out a huge sigh. She wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed but could still smell the dampness of her t-shirt so headed for the shower. Just as she reached the bathroom there was a knock at the door and allowed her head to drop for a second, staring at her feet.

She was tempted to just ignore whoever it was but decided she would just have to deal with it later so shuffled over the door. Waving a hand over the panel she plastered on her best 'What's up?' face and felt a slight breeze as the door slid open.

"John?" She greeted confusedly.

"Hey." He answered waving and then gave her his best apologetic expression. "Sorry to bother you-"

"No, no. It's fine, really." Elizabeth assured him kindly and moved back into the room. "Come in."

John smiled and came in, glancing slowly around the room. "I just wanted to check the whole Furling thing wasn't…you know…"

"Bothering me?" She asked and he nodded. "Well, not much I can do about it is there? But, you and Dr Beckett have dealt with the Ancient gene so…" She shrugged and sat down on the bed.

John nodded but remained standing, folding his arms. "Yeah. It's just we don't know that much about them."

"Yeah, that's a little annoying." She admitted. "But Rodney's checking the database as we speak."

John chuckled as he remembered the debriefing. "Man, Rodney's face when we told him about you, ha ha, he really hates not having an original gene!"

Elizabeth laughed too. "Yeah, he looked really disappointed." She let the laughter subside and fixed him with a worried look. "I hope you reiterated to Ronon how we just swam."

"Oh, um, I think he went to visit Teyla." The pilot muttered avoiding her gaze. "You know how close they are." As she continued to glare at him he shook his head. "Don't worry about it, Elizabeth. Nothing happened, you and I know that and that's all that counts."

Elizabeth prolonged her probing stare before finally relaxing. "I suppose. I just wish Kyra had warned us."

John jerked his neck towards her metal desk chair and pulled it over when she gave her consent. Plunking himself about a meter in front of her he asked, "Amazing how much bad history the Ancients have, huh? I mean, I thought they were practically the perfect race."

"Me too." Elizabeth agreed thoughtfully. "But I guess everyone has an iffy past."

John scrunched up his face in amusement. "Iffy?"

"It's a perfectly acceptable word, Colonel." She shot back in a mock scolding.

"Of course it is. I just thought that with your kind of experience in negotiations you could find a better-"

"Oh, shut up!" She cried and swatted him on the knee not noticing how he jumped at the action. He shook off the excited feeling he had gotten and tried to focus on what she was saying. "As I was saying no one's past is perfect."

"Not even yours?" He asked curiously, leaning forward slightly and noticing how wide her eyes went.

She gave him a cautious look before softly saying, "Not even mine."

They stared at each other for a few seconds before John eventually coughed and leaned back again. "Wish I'd gotten more information from Faenus and his gang but they weren't exactly forthcoming."

"Surprising what with you being a 'true Ancient'." Elizabeth muttered in annoyance.

"All they told me was how the Wraith evolved. Claimed they couldn't get involved any further." He added disappointed. "Faenus wasn't really impressed when I asked for some new, kick ass weapons."

Elizabeth grinned at his statement knowing very well it was how he had worded it. "I wonder why?"

He scowled back and then sighed when his radio crackled in his ear. "Colonel Sheppard?"

"Yes, Rodney?" He drawled rolling his eyes at Weir.

"I've found this really cool device that I thought you could try to-"

"I thought you were looking through the database Rodney?" Elizabeth cut in sternly.

"Oh, you're there Elizabeth?"

"No, it's someone who can mimic her exact voice…tone, pitch and everything." John sarcastically replied for her earning him a small smile.

"Really?"

"Rodney!"

"Oh, ha ha, very funny children. I put Radek on that task. I was getting bored. But this device looks really cool and-"

"I'll be there in a minute Rodney." John told him shooting Weir an exasperated look. "Guinea pig time!" He announced over cheerfully and stood up.

"Never know John, it could be something really big." Elizabeth suggested walking him to the door. "But probably not." She added donning an innocent expression as he scowled at her.

"I wouldn't mock Elizabeth." He warned as he left the room and turning so he was walking backwards, a little sad at leaving the warmth of her room. "I might just suggest Rodney write an extra long report for you on the very uninteresting device!"

She narrowed her eyes playfully before letting the door shut effectively ending his jibing.

"Finally Colonel." Rodney exclaimed when Sheppard entered his lab and glanced dramatically at his watch. "I only contacted you half an hour ago."

John shrugged as he glanced around the shinny room, watching the light glint off of the various scientific tools. "Was hungry. Stopped by the mess hall."

"Bring me anything?" Rodney asked hopefully only to receive a disbelieved look from the officer. "I'll take that as a no then."

"Where's this device?" John asked impatiently wishing he were anywhere else but with the scientist. He tried to ignore the small voice in his head suggesting back in Elizabeth's room and tuned into Rodney's explanation.

"Here!" He cried placing it in front of him. It was a silver box with two handprints on the lid and had markings around the imprints, John thought he recognized the symbols but merely looked up at the excited man.

"And?"

McKay rolled his eyes. "Well, place your hands on it!"

"Why didn't you try?" He asked not making a move content to leave his hands on the table.

"Well…it wouldn't work…so I just assumed it needed a stronger gene presence." Rodney gritted out glaring when a smug look appeared on the pilot's face.

"Really!" John asked knowingly enjoying the annoyed look on his friend's face. He was really pissing the man off today and he was okay with that. "Well, let's give it a go then huh?" He asked and stood in front of the box.

"Go on." McKay muttered watching as his colleague cautiously laid his hands within the handprints and both held their breaths.

After a few seconds of silence both sighed in disappointment and John lifted off his hands. "That was exciting."

Rodney frowned before grumbling. "It doesn't make sense. Why create a device that not even the Ancients could use?"

"Maybe it wasn't the Ancients who designed it." John ventured a guess tracing his hands over the smooth material. "Maybe you should get Dr Weir to check out the symbols."

This remark caught Rodney's attention and he narrowed his eyes. "Dr Weir? I would have thought after your excursion today you would be on a first name basis permanently."

His scathing statement made John's head snap round and he pursed his lips. "Okay Rodney, for the last time we were just swimming. And why does it bother you so much?"

"It doesn't bother me." He replied moodily. "I just thought you both would have been more professional about your relationship-"

"Nothing is going on!" John exclaimed. "Eliz-Dr Weir is one of the most professional people I know. And we've all been working together for longer than a year Rodney so forgive us if we talk and do other things besides work!"

After this John turned on his heel to stalk out when Rodney called to him. "Wait! What about this-?"

"It doesn't work Rodney." John said reluctantly facing him, glowering. "Either get someone to check out the language or ditch it. I really don't care." And he marched away and headed for his room.

The scientist's comment had hit a nerve and John wished he had been a little less abrupt. Eventually reaching his room he strolled in and fell face first onto the bed, his muscles finally relaxing after the day's events. His mind had been going over and over what had happened in the cave, from seeing Elizabeth practically naked to finding out she was a Furling.

Every time he remembered her little fall he got a jolt of fear mixed in with excitement as his body imagined her pressed up against him. Groaning into the bed cover he knew he should take a shower, and a cold one at that, but decided to stay where he was, as his eyelids suddenly felt heavy.

Letting them droop he finally gave in and let the darkness come, his mind moving on to blissful incoherent images.

A/N: More to come! Please R'n'R!