"All of the things that I want to say just aren't coming out right. I'm tripping on words. You've got my head spinning. I don't know where to go from here. 'Cause it's you and me and all other people, with nothing to do, nothing to prove. And it's you and me and all other people, and I don't know why I can't keep my eyes off of you." - Lifehouse, "You and Me"

When John Sheppard awoke, he was aware of two things. One, his arm throbbed with a dull, aching pain. And two, he was hungry. As he looked around, he recognized the familiar room in which he was yet again temporarily residing. Heck, he was almost used to sleeping in these blasted infirmary beds! When he looked down, he saw Evie in a chair she had dragged close to the bed. He must have been out of it for a while, because she was currently asleep with the top half of her body draped next to him on the bed. He smiled and gently stroked her hair, waiting for her to stir. After a moment, her eyes fluttered open and she looked relieved when she saw him. "Mornin' Sleeping Beauty," he teased quietly.

"Glad you're back with us, John," Evie said with a relieved smile. She sat up and stretched, her muscles sore from sleeping in that awkward position.

He looked her up and down. "You're not hurt, I take it?" he asked, noting her bandaged wrists.

"Definitely not as bad as you," she said, in reference to the fifteen stitches in his shoulder, the bullet wound in his arm, and the bandages on his neck and cheek. "Busted lip, terribly chafed wrists and ankles, and a little dehydrated, but that's it. How are you feeling?"

"My arm hurts," he deadpanned.

"Wonder why?" Evie teased. "Carson managed to get the bullet out when we got back here. Summer had to use her scrunchies as a makeshift tourniquet." She smiled slightly at the memory of Carson brusquely removing the Captain's hair elastic. "Oh, yeah, by the way… why did you kiss me?"

Sheppard shrugged. "I don't know. I was about to be shot. It seemed like a good idea at the time."

While this comment would have offended or incensed most women, Evie laughed, recognizing it to be a paraphrased movie quote. "So, what exactly did you mean by it?" She silently hoped it hadn't just been an effort for one last cheap thrill.

Meeting her expectant hazel eyes, he answered softly, "That if we were going to die, I was going to make sure you knew that I cared for you as more than a friend and hope to hell that you reciprocated. And judging by your response, you do." He had managed to find her hand without taking his eyes off hers and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Yes, sir," she whispered with a smile. "When did you first…"

"After the Perasia mission," he answered. "When you saved my neck."

Evie nodded with a thoughtful smile. When one of the nurses walked by, she started, suddenly remembering something. "Oh! I was supposed to go get Carson and tell him you're awake."

"Wait just a second. Come here."

Evie looked at him quizzically. "What?"

Sheppard beckoned her closer with his finger. When Evie leaned in closer to him, he sat up and captured her lips with his. When Evie made no objection, he brought his uninjured hand up to tangle through her hair and deepened the kiss.

Evie pulled away after a minute, blushing. "Now you can go get Carson," Sheppard said with a boyish grin.

Evie stood and crossed the infirmary to where the good doctor had gone to check on another patient. "Oh, Carson…" she called.

Carson looked up to see who was calling for him. When he saw Evie approaching, he patted the arm of the young man on whom he was checking and said, "I'll be back later." He strode over to Evie. "And just what are you doing out of bed, young lady?" he asked, trying to be stern but not quite succeeding.

"You told me to let you know when Colonel Sheppard woke up," she said quickly.

"Aye. I said to let me know, not to come and get me. You're still very weak and need to rest," he insisted.

"But, Carson, I really feel fine," she protested. Carson put his hands on his hips and raised his eyebrows. "Yes, sir," she said, giving him a mock salute before scurrying back to the bed beside Sheppard's.

Carson tapped his radio and informed Dr. Weir that Sheppard was awake. Then he walked over to stand by his patient's bed. "Good to see you're awake, Colonel," he commented, smiling at the wounded pilot. "So how are you feeling?"

"Well, my arm is killing me, I've got a headache, and I'm starving. But," he paused for dramatic effect, "I don't want to complain." He finished with one of his trademark sarcastic grins.

"Well, I'll give you another dose of painkillers, but I--" He was cut off by Elizabeth and an entourage of concerned teammates entering the infirmary.

"Colonel Sheppard," Elizabeth greeted with a smile. "Glad you're alright. Excellent work, Carson," she said, nodding to the doctor.

"If you call starving to death 'alright', then, yeah, I'm fine," Sheppard said, trying his best to look pitiful. Then his expression changed, as if he just remembered something. "What happened to Marshala and…what was his name…the fat one?"

"We handed them over to the Emarians," Ronon answered, then looked over at Rodney. "But only because McKay wouldn't let me shoot 'em."

"Lord Stefan assured us that they and their accomplice, Jakof, will stand trial and be punished accordingly for their actions," Teyla ensured from her stance at the foot of Sheppard's bed.

"Oh." Summer reached into her pocket and pulled out her friend's ring. "I believe you dropped this," she said, handing it to Evie.

"Thanks, dear," Evie said, sliding the ring back onto her finger.

"Ah, yes. That was very clever, Lieutenant," Rodney said, bestowing a rare compliment.

"Thank you, Doctor," Evie said with a nod.

With a quiet sigh, Summer squeezed Michael's hand. She had been so relieved when she had returned to Atlantis to find him and Major Johnson safe and sound…

"Where is Dr. Murphy?" Summer asked the first medical worker she saw.

"Dr. Beckett just released him as well as Major Johnson, ma'am," sweet Nurse Emma replied. "I believe they went to the mess hall."

"Thank you." With that, Summer began quickly walking down the corridor to the mess hall. When she got there, she anxiously scanned the tables for her fiancé. She saw the young doctor grabbing a tray and getting a large plate of food. She quickly approached him. "Michael, thank God you're alright." She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

Michael kissed her gently. "I'm fine, Summer. Did you find Evie and Colonel Sheppard?" he asked worriedly.

Summer nodded, her arms remaining around him. "They're in the infirmary. Sheppard was shot in the arm and Evie's just a little dehydrated." Suddenly, Summer noticed, seemingly for the first time, Johnson standing behind Michael. "Major Johnson! It's good to see you safe as well, sir," she said, shaking his hand.

"Oh, he gets a hug and a kiss and I just get a handshake?" Johnson asked, feigning offense.

Summer blushed; she didn't generally indulge in public displays of affection with Michael.

When he saw her cheeks color slightly, Johnson left the subject alone. "So who took them prisoner, Captain?"

Summer took a step back so that the two men could pile some food on their plates. "One of the militia men and his tubby little sidekick. They were planning on taking control of Emaria and the villages on the other side of the planet. They just needed the firepower and a jumper."

"Some people…" Michael said, shaking his head as he reached for a slice of pie. The three teammates sat down at a table and Johnson and Michael began eating hungrily; Carson hadn't allowed them to consume any food until now.

"So, what happened to the two of you?" Summer asked, swiping some of the whipped cream from the top of Michael's pie and licking it off her finger.

Johnson swallowed his bite of sandwich and told her what little there was of their tale. "The last time I had checked my watch, it was a little after 2200. I was standing by the gate and Michael was asleep a few feet away - he was going to stand guard at 0200. I thought I heard something, so I readied my P-90. Suddenly, I felt a stabbing pain at the back of my neck. Before I could bring my hand up to feel what it was, or even alert Michael, I had blacked out. Beckett said that it must have been a dart with a pretty strong drug."

Summer nodded, her hand straying to find Michael's. She was so relieved that it was all over…

"Well, Colonel," Elizabeth said after seeing that both patients were on the mend, "we'll let you and the Lieutenant get some rest. I hope that arm heals quickly. If it doesn't, I pity the nurses who will have to listen to you whine about wanting to get back to work," she commented with a wry smile.

"I'll be good," Sheppard promised.

As the team members filed out of the infirmary, Rodney stayed behind for a moment. "I thought you said you weren't going to let being held prisoner become a habit," the scientist said, crossing his arms.

"Well, you know how things go when you're popular," Sheppard answered, then couldn't resist the barb that popped into his head. "No, I guess you wouldn't, would you?" He grinned.

Rodney sighed and rolled his eyes. Life was back to normal.

Fin

Author's Note: Whee! That was fun. Thanks for coming along on this ride with me, guys. And don't worry, I'm already about a third of the way done with a the sequel(no thanks to Tigger, hehe). And, yes, it will deal with the fact that since they are both officers under the same command they wouldn't be allowed to actually have a relationship. I want to thank all you nice people who reviewed; you guys made it worth my while. And special thanks again to Commodore Norrington and Tigger: I couldn't have done this without you guys. I'll try to post teh sequel in May-ish. I hope y'all enjoyed this.

the-Bookworm-Princess :D