Chapter 12

"Are you sure you left it in here?" John questioned as he and Elizabeth walked into his room. "I don't remember seeing it anywhere."

"It's got to be here," Elizabeth replied as she started searching his room. "I've searched my entire room and it's not there and the last time I remember having it is when I was studying here with you. It's due back at the library tomorrow, I really don't want to get fined."

"We'll find it," he told her as he helped her look.

Elizabeth searched the pile of books he'd left on his desk and was relieved to find her library book in the middle of them. "I've got it," she said, lifting the books from on top of it and putting them to one side.

"I guess I just scooped it up with the rest of my books," John rubbed the back of his neck. "I should probably organise that desk better."

"That's what the shelves are for," Elizabeth gestured to the empty shelves above the desk. She caught sight of something among the mess on his desk, a crumpled up piece of paper and she pulled it out of the pile, sitting on the edge of his bed to read it. "Is this your history assignment?"

John grimaced, "Yeah, kinda."

"What happened to it?" she asked, trying to smooth out the creases with the heel of her hand, sighing when she failed. "You know this is due in a few days right?"

"I know," John nodded. "I'm starting again, that was a bad attempt."

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and then looked down at the paper, reading the unfinished essay out loud. John groaned and sat next to her, Elizabeth smiled in amusement, shifting the paper away from him when he tried to make a grab for it.

"Enough with the torture," he whined but she finished reading before she handed it back to him.

"There's nothing wrong with it, it's a good essay, or start of an essay," she said as he put the paper aside.

"Well, I didn't like it," he shrugged and then grinned. "You know, if you cared, you'd write it for me."

"But if I really cared, I wouldn't write it for you, but I would help you," she told him and then looked thoughtful for a moment. "Do I care that much?"

"You know that you do," he leaned forward and kissed her.

She grinned against his mouth, "Maybe."

His hands moved down her sides, one of them wrapped around her, pulled her closer. The kiss grew deeper, more demanding. She felt herself falling backwards, John moved with her, his body pressed against hers and she could feel his heartbeat against her chest, fast and hard, like her own. It wasn't the first time their kisses had started heading down this path but it was the first time she'd felt sure she wanted to keep going.

"Elizabeth," John mumbled and then pulled back slightly, she could see the question in his eyes before he asked it.

"I'm sure," she said and pulled him back to her, their lips meeting again.

Sam sighed as Rodney looked over her shoulder once again to copy the notes she'd made. He was an exceptional student, when the subject actually interested him. Unfortunately, sociology was probably his least favourite subject and so his attention tended to waver. She should develop some kind of shorthand that was impossible for anyone else to understand, that would keep Rodney from looking over her shoulder every few minutes.

She couldn't blame him entirely though, the Alteran council wasn't exactly the most riveting topic and with her father on the council, she already knew a lot of what they were being taught. She listened anyway, made her notes; paying particular attention to anything new she learned.

"That's it for today class. Your lesson on Thursday has been cancelled, if it is possible, you may attend one of the other sessions, if not then please come and see me at the end of the week for a catch up assignment."

"Well, that hardly seems fair," Rodney complained. "They cancel our class and we end up with extra homework."

"You wouldn't mind so much if it was potions," Sam said as she packed up her things.

"It's not potions though," Rodney replied and Sam rolled her eyes as he walked away from the table with a slight limp. She knew his leg had already healed from the pulled muscle, he walked fine most of the time but every now and again when he thought about it he seemed to develop a phantom limp.

She looked at Radek, "Is it bad that I'm tempted to kick him in the shin so that he has a reason to be limping around?"

"Not at all," Radek said with a smile. "If you don't do it, I will."

Sam laughed as the two of them followed Rodney out of the classroom. The corridor was crowded with students all heading for lunch and Rodney's limp soon disappeared when his attention was on weaving through the crowd.

When they arrived at the cafeteria it was already packed and they couldn't actually get a free table so they went to their usual backup plan when the weather was decent enough to permit it. They grabbed their lunches and headed down to the river. Jack, John, Elizabeth and Teyla were already there, sitting under a tree with their own lunches.

"Still no free tables I take it?" John questioned as they all sat down.

"None," Sam replied as she sat next to Jack who was eating fries from a paper plate.

"They need a bigger cafeteria," Rodney stated, "There should be enough room in there for every student."

"They have enough room in there for most of the students but we're big group, we take up two tables. If no one gets there fast enough, we're not likely to get that," Radek pointed out. "Besides, it's not so bad down here, a little chilly today but nothing a decent coat can't fix."

"Sometimes your optimism is annoying," Rodney said as he took a bite out of his sandwich.

"And sometimes you're unnecessarily mean," Sam responded as Carson and Daniel arrived.

Girl time was something they didn't get enough of, Teyla thought as they stepped out of the cute little boutique that had opened in town last week. She had a new dress, folded neatly in the bag dangling from her wrist. Elizabeth had refused to buy anything no matter how hard Teyla had tried to push the little red dress she'd found on her.

Sam hadn't bought anything either but the rest of the girls had all splashed out a little and bought themselves something new. Now they just needed a night on the town to show off all their new purchases.

"Hey, we lost Elizabeth to the book store," Janet announced and Teyla turned around to see Elizabeth walking through the door of a book store, Sam and Kate hot on her heels.

"I guess we're stopping in the book store then," she said as she moved to join her friends.

She wasn't big on reading these days, when she'd been younger she hadn't been able to get enough of books. She wasn't sure why that had changed, it was something she wanted to get back to eventually. Elizabeth always seemed content curled up in bed with a book and you could almost guarantee if her friend was carrying a big enough bag that there was a book in it.

As if sensing her thoughts, Elizabeth pushed a book into her hands. "You'll like this one."

"Why, what's it about?" she questioned.

"A woman who leads her tribe, they have to face a dangerous enemy that has plagued her people for generations. I won't spoil it anymore than that," Elizabeth told her. "But trust me, you'll like it."

Teyla nodded. "Ok, since you constantly buy things that I make you buy, I'll get this."

"Good," Elizabeth smiled triumphantly. "You should read more."

A few purchases later they decided to take a break and sit down for lunch. They had to put a couple of tables together but it was something they were used to. Three different conversations started up while they waited for their food and they quietened down when their meals arrived.

"Did you hear anything about the Mathos appeal?" Janet asked and Teyla swallowed the food in her mouth before nodding.

"Yeah, it failed," Teyla told them. "They judged the trial was conducted properly and fairly, all evidence was admissible and the ruling acceptable. He's going to be serving out the remainder of that jail sentence, fifteen years."

"That's good," Laura said. "Cal and Mathos both in jail, just as it should be."

"And on that note, on to happier topics. Teyla, you never did tell us how your anniversary with Ronon went."

The letter arrived as expected, it had been almost two weeks since she'd last spoken to Carlie and she'd been awaiting the arrival of the angry letter from her father. She stared at his handwriting on the envelope; it lacked its usual amount of flourish which meant he'd been angry when he wrote it. She sighed and opened it unfolding the letter to reveal more of her father's handwriting.

Elizabeth,

I was very unhappy to hear from Carlie that you have not been doing all that you can to ensure she is settling into school well. She tells me that the last time the two of you spoke you were very rude when all she was trying to do was give you some good advice. She was not wrong, I do not approve of your relationship with John Sheppard, his family and ours are political enemies and I will not have you complicating matters.

I am deeply disappointed in you Elizabeth, you are making bad choices and those choices are reflecting poorly on this family and on our county. I cannot allow you to continue doing so, you will change your attitude and behave in the manner that is expected of you, or I will have no choice but to pull you out of Pegasus Magic School and bring you home where I can limit the damage you cause.

Consider what I have said carefully Elizabeth.

Father.

Elizabeth folded the letter back up, placing it back in the envelope she slid it in between a couple of the books on her shelf so Teyla wouldn't find it. He'd actually threatened to pull her out of the school and Elizabeth knew her father didn't make empty threats, if he said he was going to do something, he meant it. She'd known there would be repercussions, she just hadn't realised it would be this bad.

She walked to the window, looked out over the campus. She loved it here, in some ways she felt that she'd really found herself here, her life had changed since she'd started at Pegasus. The thought that her father might take it all away from her was terrifying. What did he want her to do, break up with John? She didn't want to do that, this new relationship she had with John was important to her, she wasn't sure where it was going, they'd barely managed to find their rhythm with each other, but she knew she wanted to find out.

How could she do that if she was taken miles away? She wouldn't be able to see him, she'd only be able to write and she knew that wasn't enough for either of them. She was stuck, no matter what she did she was going to lose her relationship with John, was it better to be here and have him as a friend than not to have him in her life at all? At least she would be able to see him, she'd be able to stay here and study, be with the rest of her friends.

The door behind her opened and Elizabeth forced a smile as she turned around. Teyla walked in, dropping the pile of books she'd been clutching on her bed. "You know, I used to think I needed more exercise but I'm fairly sure between carrying these things around every day and the amount of stairs we have to run up and down that I get more than enough now."

"Probably true," Elizabeth said and Teyla looked up at her, cocked her head to the side inquiringly and frowned.

"What's wrong?" she questioned.

"Nothing," Elizabeth replied, surprised and a little concerned that Teyla could see straight through her mask so easily. "I have a bit of a headache, I was just thinking of lying down for a little while."

"Have you taken something for it?" Teyla asked and Elizabeth nodded.

"Just before you came in, half an hour and I'll probably be good as new again," she said as she moved to sit on her bed.

"Well I was about to ask you if you wanted to come down for dinner, do you want me to bring you something back instead?"

Elizabeth smiled, "That would be great, thanks."

"No problem, I'll see you in a little while, feel better," Teyla said as she turned and left the room again. Elizabeth watched her go and waited until she heard the door close and lock before she allowed the smile to fall from her face.

TBC