I got only a few reviews from the last chapter (thank you for those), but I hope you are still enjoying the story...

-----------

He stood in the briefing room, arms crossed across his chest, like always when he wasn´t completely happy with what he was hearing.

"They insist on meeting you, Doctor Weir." Major McLain said. "They are interested to meet the woman who is leading the city of the Ancients."

"That´s fine." She smiled at the major. "I´ll be glad to meet them too. Would you tell them that?"

"Of course." McLain smiled briefly before left the room.

"Major Lorne." Elizabeth turned to look at the young man standing close to the doors. "I´d like your team to join us as well."

She didn´t need to say more. The major nodded. "Yes, ma´am."

She trusted him enough to turn to him if John was in trouble. Let him know that she worried and cared for the men and women she sent through the gate. And loved the one man she wasn´t suppose to love. Without a word she had let him know everything months ago. And he respected her even more for that if possible.

Lorne glanced at Sheppard, grinning at his CO before leaving to get ready for the mission.

"I´ll be fine." She said to John without looking up from her papers.

"I know you´ll be." He answered, knowing that she would be, but worried anyway.

She finally looked up, narrowing her eyes at his concerned look . "You don´t like when I´m going off world, do you?"

"No." He answered truthfully.

"I can take care of myself, you know."

"I know."

"And I´ll have you, and Ronon, and Lorne and three other marines to watch my back."

"I know."

"Then why that look?" She asked softly.

"I just worry."

"You know that I can defend myself if I need to. I did learn from the best, after all."

He looked up surprised.

"Ronon has taught me some nasty moves." Her voice was teasing, her eyes laughing.

She moved around the table to him, reaching to touch his arm. "You´ll be right there, all the time, right next to me."

"I´m surprised you let me come along at all." He was surprised that she let him off so easily. Normally his worrying would have made her angry.

"I guess last night in your arms has made me soft." She whispered, teasing him.

"I think I´ll have to keep you in my bed every night then." He moved a step closer, their bodies almost touching.

"For god´s sake." Came a sigh from the doorway. "Is this how it´ll be for now on?" Rodney walked inside.

John took a step back from Elizabeth, letting her walk past him. "How can I help you, Rodney?" Elizabeth smiled softly at the scientist.

"Ah, yes, Carson asked me to tell you that the girls are getting bored down there. I can´t imagine how it´s possible though. The infirmary is my favourite place in the world, and I do know for the fact that Sheppard loves it too."

"Well, maybe I should go see them for a while before we leave." She replied smiling at Rodney´s sarcastic reply and then glanced at John. "Coming? Or do you have to get ready for the mission?"

"I have a moment."

-----

As much as Carson loved to have the girls in the infirmary, he sighed deeply at the two year old who tried to run past him. "Now listen, young missy." He started, reaching to take Cora up in his arms. "If you are not starting to behave yourself I will have to tell your daddy."

"Tell him what?" Elizabeth asked, smiling down at Lily whose small hands reached up for her to pick her in her arms.

Unceremoniously Carson placed Cora in John´s arms. "We really need to discuss some new arrangements for the girls. I can´t have them here for ever."

"I know. And I´m sorry Carson." Elizabeth smiled apologizing. "I know we agreed only for one night."

The look on the doctor´s face softened. "It´s not that I don´t love having them around, this is just not the right place for the children."

"I know. We´ll think of something when we come back."

"Ay, I heard you were going off world." Carson nodded. "Katie Brown has offered to take care of the girls while you are gone."

"Poor Rodney." John smirked, not sounding sorry for the other man at all.

"It´ll do him good." Carson replied, a grin on his face matching the colonel´s.

-----

An hour later they stood in the gate room, waiting for the gate to open with its familiar swoosh. John stood next to Elizabeth, his hand resting against his P-90 comfortably. "I´m glad you brought yours." His voice was quiet, his eyes still staring the open gate.

Her hand moved to touch the gun resting on the holster against her hip. She didn´t like it. She didn´t like guns. And she didn´t like using it. But things had changed. She still was a diplomat, but the enemy here in the Pegasus galaxy wasn´t the same.

"Just in case." John had said, offering her the weapon. "You know how to use it if necessary."

She nodded. She did know. So many nights had been spent on the firing range, aiming and firing, loading and then starting again, over and over again.

Lorne and his team, armed with P-90s and other weapons and Ronon, armed with probably everything he had stepped through the gate first.

"Try not to destroy the city while we´re gone, McKay." John shouted over his shoulder to the scientist who stayed behind.

"Try not to make our new allies mad at us with your smart ass comments. Let Elizabeth take care of the talking." Came a reply from above and he glared at the sniggering technicians before following Elizabeth through the gate.

The crash of thunder was heard, still in the distance, but the storm was closing. He moved to stand next to her, glancing up to the darkening sky.

"Great." He muttered.

The walk through the fields into the small village was long. "Not wanting to sound like McKay but are we there yet?" John asked Lorne who had taken point.

"We should be there soon." The major smiled to himself without looking back.

"Are you sure you´re not lost?"

"Pretty sure."

Elizabeth smiled at the bantering that lasted until they finally reached the small village. She was led inside the small house where the fire was burning in the fire place crackling, pillows and heavy blankets spread on the floor to sit on.

John sat outside the house, glaring at the men who had blocked his way as he had tried to follow her in.

"She´ll be fine, you know." Ronon sat next to him, glancing at the men guarding the door.

Hours passed and the darkness was already falling, but he was still waiting for her, alone. Ronon and the marines still with the other villagers no where to seen. The crash of thunder was heard more closely when she finally came out. The many torches that gave light in the darkness created dancing shadows around them, and he watched as she bowed her head slightly to the old leader before walking away from the small group.

But before she reached him, the sky opened and the rain fell on them with the force. Later when he thought about it, it felt like it had all been planned out, even the rain. He barely saw her thought the rain, heard nothing over the crashing thunder.

The hit came from no where, and he fell to his knees, reacting immediately to the threat. His hand grabbed the P-90, and he whirled around in the ground, shaking his head a little as the dizziness threatened to take over. He heard her crying out his name and he turned to look at the direction her voice had come.

The other hit on his neck made him drop his weapon and fall on his side, and the last thing he saw before the blackness came, was someone looking down to him. The kick from the boot sent him into the unconsciousness.

---------

More to come soon.. promise. Review!