A/N: Okay, was fighting writers block (I know, so soon?) on this one, but I got past it, and now have had a wonderful idea: we could be having a John/Lia flashback! And this chapter has a little of just about everything in it! Yay! So, on with the show!
-MythDreamer
Disclaimer: If only they were mine... sigh. Do you think if they disappeared any one would notice?
"There's a lot to be said for self-delusionment when it comes to matters of the heart." - Northern Exposure
Faux Wood Blinds
Chapter Four - Scotland 1, Canada 0
"You, sir, are even more immature than I thought you were!" Lia's voice was not raised, but it had the cold, angry tone that would make anyone shake in their boots. "That was extremely unprofessional, and I thought I made it quite clear that the past never happened."
John glared at her. "Lia..."
"No." She held up her hand. "I should have turned down the job when I saw you as commanding officer. I guess I just thought it would be different, but obviously things have not changed."
The heat was slowly rising up John's neck, along with frustration. "Lia! That's fine, whatever floats your boat. In fact, I'll personally dial Earth if you want to go back."
"That's not what I'm saying, just listen-"
"You listen to me, Lia, your hiding behind this whole 'the past never happened thing', and it's bullshit. You can't erase the past, and you can't change it, so just get over it! I'm sorry that we both fell asleep last night and you used me as a pillow, okay? Does that make you happy?" He was breathing hard, his hands clenched at his sides.
Lia just stared at him a moment. "I'm not hiding." She turned her back on him, blindly sorting through a stack of scientific reports. "Please leave."
"Yeah, okay, just like old times." John turned on his heel and quickly left the lab.
Lia sighed, letting all the tension and built-up emotions flow out of her, and rested her forehead against the cool of the lab table. "Why does he have to be so damned difficult," she muttered to her self. From some where in her mind a voice said, rather snarkishly, For the same reason you have to be so 'forgetful'. She snorted at the thought, then looked at her watch, pushing away the possibilities it raised, and noting that it was only ten. Perhaps, since John was no longer an option, she could get Dr. Beckett to teach her how to fly a jumper. Rodney McKay was not an option, as he was having a field day with the lab she had found on the west pier. Her mind made up, Lia pushed her self out of the chair and headed for the infirmary to find Carson Beckett.
After a short walk from her lab, she found the good doctor shuffling papers on his desk. He looked up and smiled when she knocked on the doorframe, a smile that reached all the way up to his blue eyes.
"What can I do for you?"
"Well," Lia remained at the door, "I was wondering, if you weren't busy, if you could give me a flying lesson in a jumper."
"I can barely fly one myself, I don't know why you would want me to teach you, but I do have a little while, and I'm guessing the more qualified are occupied."
Lia smiled warmly. "That sums it up. I'd really be grateful if you would, I fear I may never get to learn until it too late! I've already been here almost a month and I haven't set foot in one yet."
"Alright then," Carson stood up, "lets go now, so we can make it to lunch before Rodney does. He has a thing for Army food you know."
Lia laughed at the doctor's serious tone. "Sadly, I do."
Regardless of his bright tone, Carson was thinking dark thoughts concerning Dr. Rodney McKay, and what he would do to the physicist, if Rodney stole his spot at Elizabeth's table.
oooooo
"So what is going on with Dr. Gilbert?" Ronan panted out the question as he ran next to John. The colonel gave him a sideways glance.
"What makes you ask that?"
"Last night."
John did not answer for a long time, and Ronan let him think about it. Then, as if he had made his mind up about something, John spoke.
"Lia and I were going to be married in a different life."
If the ex-runner was surprised, it did not show.
"Some stuff happened, and when they sent me to the middle-east, we broke up. It was pretty ugly, since I hadn't been home in a year." John paused, then went on, panting out the story as he ran. "We met when we were juniors in highschool - that is, when we were about seventeen and going to school - I had just moved there, in the middle of the year, since my dad had gotten a transfer to the Reece air base. I guess it was for the better."
After a moment, during which Ronan processed the earth-lingo, the burly man spoke. "Does anyone know this?"
"No." John laughed. "I didn't even know she was coming, I didn't read the files Elizabeth gave me, and the whole trip here on the Daedalus she hid from me. She had known for a week or so that I was the military leader here, but she decided that coming to Atlantis was worth enduring my presence."
"She seemed to be enjoying you last night." Ronan watched John's face out of the corner of his eye. It paled notably.
"Yeah, she's pretty pissed about that right now, and I don't know what to do. I woke up this morning with her head on my chest and I had this pathetic desire for her to love me again." John laughed sadly at himself. "That will never happen."
They lapsed into silence for a while, then Ronan spoke up again.
"I am going to ask Teyla to marry me."
John stopped dead in his tracks, mouth gaping open and eyes wide. "Seriously!"
Ronan turned to face him, a quizzical look on his face. "Yes..." To his shock, John leapt up in the air and shouted.
"YES! RODNEY OWES ME CHOCOLATE!" After a moment of congratulating himself, John turned more serious, though he was still grinning maniacally. "When are you going to ask her?"
Ronan looked at his feet, an uncharacteristic blush coloring his face. "I was going to take her to the North pier at sunset tonight."
John laughed out loud and clapped Ronan on the back. "About time."
oooooo
Elizabeth looked up at the figure in her doorway. Rodney was leaning on the frame, smiling, with his hands crammed in the pockets of his jeans, the tail of his 'I'm with Genius' shirt hanging loose.
"Take a break for lunch, Elizabeth, it's supposed to be your day off."
She smiled at the scientist, pushing her laptop away. "You're one to be talking, I heard you left for the West pier before the sun came up this morning."
"That was purely recreational, since it's not even my find," he shrugged. "So, are you up for some lunch?"
"Yeah, lets go." She got up and left her office, Rodney falling instep beside her, animatedly explaining that he had no idea what this latest Ancient laboratory was for. As they were crossing the control room, Carson came charging down the stairs from the jumper bay, looking at his watch and nearly colliding with Rodney.
"Watch it!" exclaimed the ruffled physicist.
"Sorry." Carson stepped back from him and smiled at Elizabeth. "I was wondering if you wanted to get a bite to eat?"
Elizabeth glanced at Rodney, who was giving Carson a death-glare, before answering. "We were just headed to the mess hall, you should join us, Carson."
The doctor smiled and dipped his head. "I think I will, lead the way, love." As Elizabeth passed by, Rodney leaned in and spoke softly so that only Carson would hear him.
"You must have worked up an appetite teaching Dr. Gilbert to fly."
Carson narrowed his eyes at the man. "As you must have, sitting on the West pier for eight hours, thinking up something intelligent to say. It obviously didn't pay off."
Rodney gaped at him, lost for words, and Carson smirked before turning to follow Elizabeth. A single, childish thought ran through the doctor's head, triggered by Rodney's shocked look: Score!
Snarks! Wonder how Rodney is going to take losing all that chocolate to John? evil grin -MD
