Prompt: Stockings

Fandom: Stargate Atlantis

Pairing: John Sheppard x OFC

When John approached them with the idea of celebrating Christmas after losing a few of their teammates on the recent Genii attack, Natalia thought it was a great idea. After all that they had been through, they all deserved a little pick-me-up. Natalia knew it was a tough sell to Weir and Bates, but once she explained to them that morale around the city was plummeting and this would be a good way to lift everyone's spirits, they agreed.

Natalia saw John taking charge and taking upon himself the mission of getting everything perfect for everyone and that just confirmed what she already knew: that John was an amazing man. She tried helping him, but he was determined to do it on his own, besides it was his idea and he didn't want to burden anyone with what needed to be done.

She knew that he would include her and his team at some point, like with choosing decorations, or decorating the city. And she had to admit, John was good. He knew exactly where he wanted certain decorations and that just made her heart burst with pride.

Natalia knew it couldn't be easy for John to juggle everything, so she did all she could to help him, almost becoming his assistant. Between her work in the infirmary and helping John with whatever he needed, her days, and his, were completely full.

As the time went by, she started noticing that everyone was getting into the Christmas spirit. Weir was researching what the traditions were among the Athosians, while Bates had appointed himself the official food tester and then there was John, making sure he had everything just right.

Then one day, completely out of the blue, Bates came to her, asking if she could go with him to the mainland so he could buy a Christmas present for someone special. She was surprised that he would ask her and not someone closer to him, but he told her that he thought that she could actually help them, instead of giving him suggestions for gifts that would most likely miss the mark. Natalia couldn't help but smile. "Yep, that sounds like something some of his friends would do.", she thought, still smiling. She agreed, besides she needed to buy her presents as well.

The entire ride to the mainland, Natalia could feel his eyes on her. She knew what he had picked up on, but she simply told him to just leave it alone. He smiled at her and agreed. Trying to change the subject, she asked him if he had anything in mind as far as presents go and was rewarded with a blank expression in return. She chuckled and told him not to worry, that she was sure they would find something.

They must've talked to everyone in town, trying to find something for Bates. Natalia already had hers, all wrapped up and sitting safe in one of the overhead compartments of the jumper, plus a special one. Eventually, Bates found what he was looking for. As they're making their way back to the jumper, Bates told her he still had one stop to make and that she could just wait for him in the jumper, that he wouldn't take long. Natalia wasn't a fan of letting him walk around the village on his own. She knew he could take care of himself but there were so many things that could go wrong, especially with Bates' temperament, that she didn't like leaving him alone. But Bates reassured her that he would be quick, so she agreed.

Twenty minutes later, he reappeared with a couple more presents. Bates stored them in the overhead compartment and got in the pilot's seat. Natalia watched as he started the jumper and soon they were returning to the city. She tried asking him what those presents were but he just shrugged and didn't say anything. "He's up to something.", she thought, not sure if she wanted to know exactly what it was.

They got to the city at the same time as Weir was coming out of a meeting and, after they helped her get rid of the last of the scientists, they walked together to one of the rooms where they knew John was. On the improvised table, they found a large box with stockings in it. Looking them over, Natalia noticed that each stocking had the name of the head of a department embroidered in it in large letters, along with the last name of every single member of that department below in smaller letters . They were beautiful. "I'm glad I kept it with me.", she thought, remembering the special present she got earlier.

She heard John coming into the library and walked over to him, kissing him when she reached him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her back. They were interrupted by Weir teasing them to get a room and Bates' chuckle. Breaking apart, that's when Natalia saw that John had a hammer and some nails in his hands. She knew what they were for.

John called Bates over and asked him if he could help him hang the stockings up. She looked over at Bates and saw a questioning look on his face as he said sure. Natalia saw John handing Bates a hammer and a few nails and couldn't help but smile at the olive branch that John was extending Bates. Looking back at Weir, she saw that the gesture didn't go unnoticed by her either.

They took their time and when they were done, everyone just stood there admiring their little corner. Natalia snaked her arm around John's waist and felt him kiss the top of her head. She loved him so much and knew that nothing could ruin that happiness.

That's when Natalia decided to give John that special present she had gotten earlier. Pulling it out of her jacket pocket, she handed it to him and waited. In his hand was a child size stocking, with "baby" sown at the top. She looked up at John's face and saw that he was wide eyed looking at it, tears already polling in them.

John slowly turned his head towards her and asked her if she was serious. For a second, she was afraid that he was gonna be upset, but when she nodded affirmatively, he wrapped his arms around her and picked her up, kissing her passionately. Tears mixed in the kiss and she realized that it wasn't just his tears but hers as well.

Natalia heard Weir asking what was happening and Bates telling her that she was pregnant. Weir gasped and soon she felt a second pair of arms wrapping themselves around her and John. John put her down and she was whisked away into Weir's arms. When she finally released her, she saw her hugging John. That brought tears to her eyes again. Looking at Bates standing on the side, just looking over at them, she called him over and told him that he was right and that he was going to be an uncle as well, just like Weir was going to be an aunt, before pulling him into a hug.

Natalia knew that, in the past, John and Bates had had their fill of disagreements, but she was hoping that now with the olive branch that John extended to Bates and with the baby, they could have a better relationship. Natalia wanted their baby to have as many uncles and aunts as they could possibly get, and considering that Bates would, every so often, go off-world with John, it didn't hurt to have someone to look after him when that happened. Sure, John's team watched over him, but they were more likely to follow his lead than actually go against it. She knew that Bates would have no problem in calling him out, making sure he came home in one piece.

Suddenly, Natalia felt herself in the middle of a tight group hug, since John and Weir had decided to join in. Eventually, they ended the hug, everyone still laughing with happiness at the news. John pulled her close to him again and kissed her, whispering an "I love you" and rubbing her belly, before breaking away to hang the little stocking next to the others.

Seeing it up there with the others just confirmed what she already knew: they were a family and she couldn't be happier. She knew that that baby was gonna be spoiled and protected by this mix-matched family and that thought filled her heart. After all, family doesn't end in blood.