3.

It was later that night, the Atlantis expedition was subdued, more so than it had ever been. And John, who had been pacing all day- finally decided to talk to Elizabeth again and he found her on their balcony, watching the city sparkle in the night.

"I hate this." She stated turning around to face John whom she felt approach. "I really do."

"So do I." John replied with a sigh, feeling more nervous than he had ever felt in his life. He was about to do something that could save Elizabeth from leaving, and even though it was risky, and even though it would change them forever, he knew that it was the only way that he wasn't going to lose her/

"And it's not just the fact that I'm being replaced." Elizabeth continued.

"No?" John asked, snapping out of his thoughts.

"No!" Elizabeth exclaimed, even more upset than she had been a couple hours earlier. "It's the fact that Atlantis is being militarized. Our goals should remain the same!"

"I agree." John agreed with a sigh before he continued on. "Is that all you hate about this?"

"No." Elizabeth admitted looking down.. "I hate the fact that I'm being recalled to Earth, permanently." Elizabeth explained softly. "I hate that I have to leave you-er-all of you." Elizabeth sighed and sat on the railing and stared at the crescent moon lamenting the fact that she was leaving. "…..if there were only some way I could change their mind- or stay."

"Marry me."

"What?" Elizabeth asked, whirling her head around to look at John, not quite sure on what he said.

"Marry me." John repeated again, more slowly and full of confidence.

"Marry you." Elizabeth echoed softly standing to face him. "You want me to marry you?"

"Yes."

"W-why?"

"Well, if we were married you could stay on Atlantis." John explained logically.

"John that would never work," Elizabeth protested turning away.

"Why not?" John asked, slightly hurt. He had thought that….but he guessed that he had thought wrong.

"Well, for one thing the IOA wouldn't allow it." Elizabeth pointed out, turning to face him again.

"They can't stop family from staying together." John pointed out as well

"We already are family." Elizabeth stated softly. "You that that John."

"I do know that," John agreed, deciding to push this as far as he could. "…but is there anything wrong with trying to keep our family together?"

"No," Elizabeth agreed softly, tears coming to her eyes because she thought that John was only wanted to marry her to keep her on Atlantis not because he- "But marriage isn't just about keeping people together," Elizabeth continued breaking off her train of thought. "…it's about love."

"Well," John began before taking a deep breath in preparation to take the plunge. "….what……………….what if I said that I………that I love you?"

"J-" Elizabeth began to stunned to speak.

"What if I said that I love you and I don't want to loose you?" John asked placing his hand on Elizabeth's shoulders and pulling her closer to him. "What would you say to that?"

"I- I'd say…." She trailed off, barely knowing what to say. The hurt from Simon suddenly flared up again and for a moment she wasn't sure if she could let herself get into that position again. But as she looked into John's eyes and realised what a risk he had taken by telling her how he felt, she knew in her heart that she couldn't abandon him. She would have to take that risk as well. "……I'd say that I love you too." She answered with a smile. "….and I don't want to loose you either."

"Really?" John asked, slightly shocked that Elizabeth had admitted that she loved him.

"Really," Elizabeth assured with a giggle. And she watched as John was so overcome with emotion that he swooped in and kissed her. The kiss seemed to last forever and when they pulled away, they were both breathless. "Wow…" Elizabeth stated with a smile.

"Yeah," John agreed as well. "Wow."

"I've wanted to do that for a long time." Elizabeth admitted, stressing the word 'I've'

"So have I." John agreed pulling Elizabeth into a hug, knowing exactly what she meant. "Elizabeth…"

"Yes John?" Elizabeth asked looking up into his eyes.

"Let's get married."

"Here?" Elizabeth asked with a giggle. "Now?"

"Yes. Here, now."

"But no one in Atlantis can do the ceremony." Elizabeth pointed out, always her logical self.

"I never thought of that." John replied with a groan of frustration. "I could request some leave on Earth, heavens knows that I have enough of it stacked up….." He paused and thought about it. "…we could have a small ceremony."

"I could invite my mum," Elizabeth stated with a small smile. "And you…." She paused and realised that John had never talked about his family to her at all. "Do you have any family?" She asked taking his hand in hers. "I've never heard you speak about them, not in three years….and when we were under siege, you didn't send a message to anyone."

"You're all the family I've ever had" John stated with a smile as he brushed a stray curl from Elizabeth's face. "The only family I'll ever need."

"Oh John…" Elizabeth began, tears rising to her eyes. "That's so…."

"Shh…." John soothed and he swooped in and kissed her again. And together they stayed on their balcony watching the Atlantean sky, knowing that on this night, their entire lives had changed.

A/N- Hey well I know I said that I wouldn't update this for a while, but I got it done on the weekend and I've been trying to upload it all week and FF has been being stubborn- but it's up now, hope you like it, I'm thinking that they'll be one more chapter...oh and I know that this seems a little rushed John suddenly proposing but I think it works- they're not the type of people to take it slow and I'm working under the assumption that they know eachother really well already so the initial dating phase doesn't need to happen... :D Other than that just a chonological note, this story takes place after the Return Part 2 but before Echoes which (I must say) was a totally wonderful Sparky episode. :D Look for the epilogue/conclusion coming soon...I hope.