Moments Like This

Chapter 4 – Crossed Paths

It had been one of those days; the days that gave new meaning to the cliché of wishing she'd stayed in bed that morning. The bad run of luck hadn't even had the decency to start occurring once she was in her office, as Stackhouse's team arrived home exactly 5:15am, some seven hours late, which had pulled her out of bed after a good two hours sleep. The news that the supposedly 'cut and dry' alliance had collapsed and the villagers had turned on them, hadn't been the most welcome one, add to that an assortment of minor injuries and Elizabeth was down a team for at least a week or two.

During an argument with Carson who was threatening to pull medical rank on her if she didn't get some more sleep, word came in that a couple of scientists on Zelenka's team had –thankfully - narrowly avoided blowing up themselves up, but had managed to cause a fair amount of fire damage in one of the main labs.

Days that started out like this only promised more trouble to come, and with Sheppard's team heading out that didn't bode well. Elizabeth ran a hand over her tired face, and combed her fingers through her hair in an effort to make herself more presentable for the impending briefing.

"Elizabeth?"

She raised her eyes to meet John's ever-cheerful face, and couldn't help but smile at his friendly grin. "If you've come to make any last minute requests I'm not going to like then you've picked me in the wrong mood."

"Tough morning?" He asked with genuine sympathy, sitting himself on the chair opposite her desk.

Elizabeth nodded, resting her elbows on her desk and clasping her fingers together under her chin. "I hope that will dissuade you from getting you or your team into any trademark Sheppard trouble off-world."

He feigned a hurt expression and folded his arms over his broad chest. "Liz, contrary to what you may think, I don't go looking for trouble. It just… happens."

"You just attract it, John. It's one of your gifts." She accused him jovially, a smirk of her own adorning her lips.

"I promise to do everything I can not to make your day any worse, how's that?" The charming grin accompanied by the raising of the fingers on his left hand as a mock 'scout's honour' was enough to make her laugh, forgetting he was likely to be the source of more headache that day, at least for a few seconds. "In fact," his eyes lit up as an inspiration struck him. "I have an idea to make your day much better."

"Why does a feeling of dread come over me when you say that?"

"Because you don't trust me." He replied easily, leaning towards her on the desk. "But I happen to know of a certain hot-tub that'll be available while I'm exploring the galaxy and staying out of trouble."

Elizabeth laughed at his pleased-with-himself smirk. "It's a tempting offer, John, but with everything going wrong today I don't think I'll get the chance."

"Well," John sat forward in his chair, that flirtatious glint in his lovely eyes that she found she'd been privy to lately. "It's yours any time you want it."

"Thank you, Major." She watched him rise and walk to the door before adding; "I suppose I'll put my plans to evict you from that room on hold, then."

He grinned happily back at her as though the joke had ever been an actual worry to him, waiting until her gaze drifted back to the laptop in front of her before countering. "Elizabeth, I could swear you just want to get into my bed."

Her eyes snapped back to his in a flash, but only caught his wide grin as he disappeared from sight. Everything turned into innuendo with that man, Elizabeth sighed, then decided she couldn't say she disliked that it was directed at her, a guilty smile spreading infectiously on her lips.


Elizabeth hadn't been wrong when she'd predicted the day would play out badly, but at least – for once – John Sheppard wasn't in the middle of it. In fact, his team had radioed in a little while ago to confirm the natives were friendly and indeed interested in becoming allies, and extended their return to the following day due to the hospitality of the people there.

If only the rest of the city would be so kind. Running purely on caffeine and the two hours sleep she'd gotten, Elizabeth was feeling her focus slipping as the security briefing went on, Bates' explanations becoming harder and harder to concentrate on. A headache was forming rapidly at her temple and her limbs were weary, every part of her crying out to rest. A sudden thought of John's Jacuzzi came to mind, a wonderful way to alleviate the aches in her legs and arms and hopefully relieve her of her headache.

"Doctor Weir?"

Realising her attention had wandered yet again, she met Bates' waiting eyes, welcoming the sight of the meeting coming to an end. "Thank you, Sergeant." She dismissed, standing up and catching a few of the relieved expressions from other occupants of the room. Waiting for the room to empty, she followed out and turned towards her office. Halfway there she changed her mind, moving in the direction of her 2IC's room instead. 'Just a quick dip, and then back to work,' she promised herself.

It had been dark for hours, the limited light casting an eerie glow over John's room as she stepped in, adding to the foreign atmosphere. "Maybe this isn't a good idea." She said to herself. It felt strange, she'd spent time in his room only a few nights ago, yet to be here when he wasn't just seemed…intrusive.

Turning to leave the room, her eyes fell on the dusty frosted window in the bathroom door, and she couldn't help but laugh. There, in the dust, where most would have cleaned, John had written 'Make yourself at home!' Pushing the button to make the door slide to the right, her eyes widened in surprise at what she saw. The bathroom was at least twice the size of hers, with a shower to the left and a long marble-like countertop running adjacent to it. There was an assortment of toiletries next to the sink, and it gave her the impression he'd actually tidied the place in case she'd decided to take him up on his offer. It made her smile to think he'd gone to the trouble to do it, even though he should realise by now that she knew he wasn't a tidy person.

The large tub was a marbled blue, in a square shape that took her a good while to figure out where to control the water. She was just thinking how she missed bath essences she'd have used should she be on Earth, when vanilla and strawberry smells met her nose, the water filling with bubbles. Amazed at the technology that was probably many times simpler than most of the treasures in Atlantis, she climbed in, idly wondering if John had been kidding about it having special features. The lingering thought left her head as soon as her tired muscles hit the water, revelling in the soothing heat.

Nearly forty-five minutes went by before Elizabeth realised how long she'd been soaking. Quickly rinsing her hair, she grabbed the bottle of shampoo from the countertop, the musky soap smell that she'd deemed as John's greeting her as she used it on her hair. As she wrapped a large towel around her, she realised she hadn't got anything to put on, having not thought ahead to bring her own dressing gown from her room. Still grasping the towel to her, she spied a huge navy coloured bathrobe hanging next to the shower stall. Promising herself she'd never mention borrowing it to John for fear he'd never let her live it down, she grasped the heavy material, pulling it from the makeshift hook.

The second she slipped into the garment, it felt as though she was in his arms, an experience she'd only ever partaken in once, and hadn't been able to enjoy due to the shock. When John had shot Koyla, she hadn't immediately processed that he'd not hit her as well, not until he'd moved forward to take her hand, pulling her away from the Stargate and what had nearly been her fate on another world. The rest was a flash, she had known she was probably going into shock, her body shivering a little, but John's firm grasp of her hand had been enough to survive Rodney's narrow saving of the city. Within seconds John had enveloped her in a fierce hug, which she had detachedly returned, barely hearing his whispered words. "Alive, you're alive."

Thinking about it now, and how protective he'd been of her since, she wished she'd been able to enjoy his arms around her. She wished she'd be able to enjoy his arms around her again, in a much less traumatic setting. But she knew that wasn't likely, a man like John Sheppard flirted and charmed every girl in his path, so their banter certainly didn't mean he saw her as anything more than a friend. Maybe that was for the best, she reasoned. Her track record with relationships wasn't very good. And in her eyes she'd never be enough for an adventurer like her 2IC; add to that she valued and enjoyed their friendship, the easy talks they shared together and the continual teasing between them.

Sitting on the large bed, she towel-dried her hair as best she could, her tired mind on her 2IC but feeling relaxed and ready to sleep.


"Well that wasn't exactly enjoyable." Sheppard complained as he led his team from the Stargate, handing off their weapons to the personnel stationed there. "Let's not do it again, alright?"

Teyla and Ford's matching nods were exhausted ones. The team had made the mistake of introducing McKay to the villagers' own group of 'science geeks' as John so eloquently put, who in turn had thought it necessary to undermine their own understanding of physics with his own, albeit more correct knowledge. But it hadn't gone down well, and the team made a rapid escape, running most of the way back to the 'gate.

"McKay?"

"I fail to understand the point in visiting planets where their whole scientific knowledge is based on so called facts that are ultimately- "

John's patience wouldn't stand his arguments any longer, so he held up a hand to stop the physicist's tirade, telling the three of them to head to the infirmary. He, however, was a little anxious to see there was no Elizabeth to greet them in the control room and so took it upon himself to allow a few hours before his mandatory post-mission check-up. He got no answer from her room, and when he checked the balconies he knew she liked best he still found no sign of her. It was then that an annoyed Carson Beckett radioed to tell him he was late for his medical and he'd better get to the infirmary fast. Begrudgingly he'd headed there, hoping he'd cross paths with his elusive friend on the way.

"Any idea where Elizabeth is?"

"Sit." Beckett ordered, clearly not in the best of moods. "If she knows what's good for her she'll be sleeping. Something I should be doing, Major."

John kept quiet after that, fleeing from the irritated Doctor and heading to his own room. The sight that met his eyes as he opened the sliding entranceway was so surprising he had to stand and stare for a good few minutes before accepting it wasn't some hallucination.

There, asleep on the bed – his bed – was the woman he'd spent more than an hour looking for. As if that wasn't enough, she was wearing a robe that looked suspiciously like the one he kept in his bathroom. Sleeping on her side, the heavy flannel material had fallen to the bed, leaving John with a lovely view of her long legs, increasing the sense he'd guiltily imagined this scene many times over the months in Atlantis.

As his gaze swept back to her face, he noticed her shifting slightly, brows furrowing in agitation. Instinctively he moved forward, crouched beside the bed and smoothed her hair from her face gently, hoping it would calm her nightmare. It was a trick he'd learned with his young sister, a time that seemed like a different life now. He watched her sleeping face intently as his fingers played over her hairline, wishing what little sleep she managed to get wouldn't be filled with the evil they fought day to day. As her features relaxed, John found himself wondering where he was going to sleep that night, knowing he'd never have the heart to wake her.

He took a few extra minutes to watch her now-peaceful face, before grabbing a fresh outfit and heading to the bathroom to change. Smiling as he found a neat pile of clothes folded on the countertop, he wondered if she would appreciate him seeking out a better room for her to move into. Knowing Elizabeth, she wouldn't be materialistic enough to want a room like that, besides which it was nice to give her an excuse to use his room instead, especially if falling asleep on his bed became a habit.

Once he'd washed up, he found Elizabeth had moved, throwing off the robe and leaving her in only her deep red t-shirt and underwear, the distressed expression back on her elegant face. She'd mentioned in passing that she had nightmares, but then most of the expedition team were plagued by them. Somehow seeing the strong, ever-confident Elizabeth Weir so vulnerable tugged at his heart. Would it reveal too much if he wrapped his arms around her, claiming the pretence of staving off her bad dreams? She moved again suddenly, back to her previous position on her side, beginning to shiver, whether because of her subconscious or the coolness of the room John wasn't sure.

Pulling the bed covers out gently from underneath her, he settled the thick sheets over her slight form, before giving in to the temptation to lay next to her, his powerful arms encircling her body in an attempt to cease her shivering. He lost track of time as he studied her face, all the while half-hoping she wouldn't wake to find him there. With his head so close to hers, the scent of her hair was intoxicating to his senses. Realising she must have borrowed some of his shampoo, he couldn't help but smile. Anyone who found out they were sharing – in the most innocent sense of the word – his bathroom, would certainly distribute the information rapidly, inevitably adding to the betting pools neither leader was supposed to know about.

As the lateness of the evening brought with it a distinct chill, John barely registered tightening his hold on Elizabeth beneath the sheets, pulling her closer to him and feeling the tug of sleep himself. His last thought as he buried his nose in the soft curls of her freshly washed hair was whether she'd be pissed at him in the morning. If that was the price to pay for being this close to her for a night, he found he was fully willing to suffer it.