A/N: okay... so I'm not sure this chappy is all that interesting. Just some snarking, and a little whumpage, but its building to some excitement soon. (And did I mention FLUFF?). Also, Star Wars is the universal uniter. They should play it during United Nations meetings, then all would be happy. Oh, and sorry for all the chap breaks. somehow writing nonstop through all of Star Wars just didnt seem economical.

-MD

ahem nothing has changed, I still don't own John Sheppard or any of Stargate for that matter. Blah. That holds forever and ever, sadly.


Sometimes our subconscious gives the reins over to our hearts.- MD
Faux Wood Blinds

Chapter Three - All Night Star Wars Marathons EqualsAwkward Couch Cuddling


Kavanagh managed to behave for about three weeks before he locked horns with Sage Ilia Gilbert. They were in the conference room, waiting for Elizabeth Weir, who had been diverted on her way to the briefing by the early return of SGA-1, when disaster struck. Kavanagh was still sour over Lia's decision to expand the search of Atlantis when they had finished early. He had argued that they had done what they came to do, and should go back. Lia had told him to leave if he wanted to, but the rest of the team would go on. Finally it had boiled over, after three weeks of nit-picking and comments behind her back, Lia had lost her temper. However, the sense was far different from Rodney and Kavanagh's usual arguments.

Lia was standing at the head table, her arms braced on either side of her laptop, her faraway eyes focused on Kavanagh and they were not their usual, calm gray, but much darker, like the ocean in a midnight storm. Kavanagh was in the middle of the room flailing his arms about in frustration and yelling at the top of his voice. Lia just stared at him.

John only had time to assure Elizabeth that they had not been attacked on P78-X29 before Kavanagh's voice reached them. Rodney groaned as he followed his team members up the stairs and into the conference room. Teyla and Ronan smiled at each other, they had overheard Kavanagh grumbling about the mission that morning in the mess hall and Rodney had predicted a blow-up was eminent. John raised his voice over Kavanagh's screams of 'feminist' and the arguments of Lia's team.

"KAVANAGH!" When he got serious about it, John could get the attention, mostly because he rarely had reason to yell.

The room fell silent.

"What the hell is going on here?"

Kavanagh spluttered, unable to speak. John was the last person he wanted to handle the situation. He knew he could not use his height to intimidate the Colonel.

Lia spoke up, her voice calm. "Dr. Kavanagh has a problem with my decision to use out time wisely and search a larger area that we originally planned. He also seems to believe that this base is run by a bunch of feminists who are out to put down good men like him."

Elizabeth folder her arms across her chest and set her face in a frown. "Kavanagh, I am officially transferring you to the off-world science team. Effective immediately."

Kavanagh spluttered a moment, then burst out. "You can't do that!"

Rodney rolled his eyes. "Yes, being the leader of Atlantis, she can."

"You stay out of this, McKay." Kavanagh advanced on Elizabeth, towering over her. "You cannot transfer me to the off-world team!"

John grabbed him by the jacket and pushed him back. "Fist off, she just did. Second, if you keep up like this, I will send you back to Earth right now."

"Go ahead, send me back." He smirked. "And say good-bye to Atlantis, because when they get my report, both of you will be home before you can blink."

John snarled. "We'll see about that." He let Kavanagh go. "Pack up your stuff, your out of hear ASAP."

The scientist threw a dagger-ridden look at Lia before storming from the conference room. John looked at Lia, who sighed audibly and sat down, her eyes losing that dark tone that always held him in awe of her, and reminded him of the last time they had spoken in person. The past didn't happen, remember? He turned back to Elizabeth.

"Nothing happened on P7... whatever its called. We just ran out of things to look at, and since it is uninhabited, that was it."

Elizabeth nodded. "Okay, you can brief me on it later this afternoon."

John nodded, cast one last look at Lia, who was ignoring his presence, and waved his team off to the mess hall. Turkey sandwiches were in order.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lia heard him, but chose to pretend she did not know he was standing in the lab doorway, watching her work at her laptop. After several minuets he stepped into the lab, obviously hoping she would speak first; she continued to ignore him. Finally he spoke.

"Lia?"

"Yes, John?"

"Er... I just wanted to-"

"Nothing ever happened, remember?"

He paused for a moment. "Right then. I just wanted to know if you wanted to come watch a movie in the rec room."

Lia finally looked up. He was standing in front of her desk, legs splayed like he was fighting the urge to run from the room, and the look on his face clearly showed he had no idea how to act around her. Just like the first time.

"What are you going to watch?"

"Oh..." he ran a hand through his hair, "Teyla has a thing for Star Wars, so that's what we're watching."

Lia powered down her laptop, clicked the screen shut and looked up at him. His hair was standing out and even odder angles than usual. "Of course. I like the old Star Wars movies." He was about to bolt, having faced the dragon and lived, but Lia was enjoying his discomfort. "John, will you walk me there? I'm not sure I know the way..."

"Er... I have to go make popcorn." He almost made it to the door.

"I'll help you."

John finally gave up trying to escape, realizing that she was not going to let him go so easily, and waited for her. They walked in silence to the mess hall where they made several bags of popcorn in a microwave brought on the Daedalus and interfaced with Atlantis. Radak Zelenka had a thing for popcorn. As Lia poured the warm popcorn into bowls, she looked up at John, who was watching her intently.

"I was wondering," she said, handing him an empty bag, "if you could teach me to fly a Puddlejumper some time?"

"Er... yeah, but you'll have to get the ATA therapy from Carson."

Lia drilled him with her gray eyes. "I have the gene."

"Oh..." John was a little taken back, and just picked up some filled bowls of popcorn. "I guess then it won't be a problem."

Lia smiled at him. That dazzling smile that made his insides start squirming like... like they were right now. "I'm off tomorrow."

"I... think I might have-"

Lia scooped up the rest of the bowls. "Tomorrow is Sunday, John, you don't have anything going on after morning briefing."

"Right." His cocky grin returned. "I knew that."

"Sure you did, John Sheppard."

They argued good-temperedly about it all the way to the rec room, which was packed with people, pillows and blankets, since couch space was limited. John handed off his bowls of popcorn and plopped down on the sofa.

"Here," he said to Lia as she passed off her bowls, "save one of those for the couch goers."

Lia rolled her eyes, making Teyla and Elizabeth laugh before she flopped down, on the only available spot, between Teyla and John. She had the distinct feeling she was being set up. Ronan was sitting on the floor at Teyla's feet and a slight scuffle broke out between Carson and Rodney over who got the end of the sofa by Elizabeth, who had curled her legs under herself to avoid damage.

"I was here first!" protested Rodney.

"Ach, I should think not." retorted Carson, rather immaturely for his usual self.

John held out his feet, now shoeless. "One of you can come sit by me." He grinned at their disgusted looks. "Okay, now, hush."

The lights dimmed and the opening scene of Star Wars scrolled across the screen. Interrupted by a squawk from Rodney, who was now smashed between Ronan and Carson. John reached over Lia and snagged the remote from Teyla who was giggling too hard to work it, and turned the volume up. A few minuets later Rodney leapt up from his spot, howling that Ronan should be kicked out. The ex-runner just smirked at him and pointed to John's end of the sofa. Muttering curses under his breath Rodney moved.

oooooo

Several hours later John stood in front of the screen, looking at only a handful of people left in the room. "Okay, ya'll," he held up The Return of the Jedi, "are we going all the way?"

Teyla nodded, still wide awake after several cans of Mountain Dew. "Yes, John, as you said earlier, if we watch one, we should watch them all."

Ronan groaned.

Elizabeth, who was pretty much asleep by then, muttered something about paperwork and dozed back off, her head on the arm of the sofa. Rodney had curled up and was using the vacated pillows as a bed, but John could see the light reflected in his eyes: he was obviously still awake. Lia nodded, but he could tell she was just about out. Everyone else in the room, except himself and Carson, who was eating the leftover popcorn that Radak had missed, were asleep. Everyone else meaning Radak and Sargent Bates.

"Here we go." John pushed the disk into the player and returned to his spot, being careful not to step on Rodney.

"Don't step on me." he snarled.

"I'm not."

"If I wasn't on the floor it wouldn't be a problem."

"Shut up."

"No. I will tal- OW!"

Ronan faced the screen, a look of innocents on his face.

oooooo

Ronan woke slowly, his eyes feeling fuzzy and out of focus. The screen had gone blank, leaving the room in darkness. As he became more aware of his surroundings he realized that something was laying on him. He reached out tentativly and felt... hair?

"UH!" He jerked away from Carson, who had keeled over on him in his sleep, and ran right into Rodney, who had his arm wrapped around one of John's legs. "Eh, disgusting," muttered Ronan as he disengaged himself from the tangle. His eyes had started to adjust to the darkness and he made out Teyla, who was using Elizabeth for a pillow, and Lia who had her head on John's chest, his arm around her shoulder and her feet on the sofa, tangled with Teyla's. He shook his head. How women can sit like that for so long, I have no idea. He reached down and gently shook Teyla, being careful not to wake anyone else.

"Teyla?"

After a moment she groaned. "What time is it?"

"Shh. Go to bed."

"Huh, carry me."

Ronan helped her off the sofa and scooped her up, then tripped on Rodney who woke up fast enough to curse and throw his pillow at Ronan. Grumbling, Rodney got up and went to wake Elizabeth, only to trip on Carson, who, for lack of Ronan as a pillow, had sprawled out on the floor. The Scotsman yelped in pain and was not to pleased to see Rodney as the culprit.

"Ach, do yah not give it ah rest?"

"Well, we can't just leave her here."

"I... was... having a... good dream." Elizabeth muttered, her eyes slowly opening. "Someone help me up... I think... my leg is asleep..."

Carson scrambled to his feet and he and Rodney had a silent mime fight over who would help her. After a moment of very violent hand gestures, in the dark, they both helped her up and out of the room.

oooooo

When sleep finally released its hold on John, he realized three things fairly quickly. First, the room was dim, but it had the gray quality of dawn. Second, that Lia had her head on his chest, asleep, and he had an arm around her. For a moment he had the bazaar feeling it was a dream. Thirdly, that his left leg was sleep and considering that fact, it could not possibly be a dream. Having concluded these thoughts he proceeded to try to remember what had happened the night before to result in Lia being asleep in his arms. Its never good when you can't remember... right, the movies. John shifted his weight a little bit and felt life tingling back down his leg, Lia sighed in her sleep and snuggled closer to him. I never realized just how much I liked stuff like this. He smiled and kissed the top of her head, completely oblivious to Rodney who was carefully backing his way of out the door.

So much for waking John up.


FLUFF!