The following morning Elizabeth called a meeting with all of her staff. It hadn't escaped her notice that some of her team members, notably Rodney, were beginning to exhibit a somewhat impertinent manner and were acting without her go-ahead. It was time to take control of her team again.
'Good morning gentlemen. How are we all this morning?' Elizabeth asked.
Each of them muttered that they were well and then returned to the silence that had filled the room. It was undeniable. There was definitely something amiss here, tension of some sort.
'Is everything okay here?' Elizabeth asked.
'Just peachy.' Rodney said sardonically.
'Now don't you take that tone with Elizabeth.' Carson said, sitting up in his chair and glowering at Rodney.
'Here we go again.' Rodney said.
Further down the table, Zelenka began mumbling in Czech angrily. Completely bewildered, Elizabeth look at John for a sign that he knew what was going on here, but given the way he was frowning, he was as confused as she was.
'Do we have a problem?' Elizabeth asked.
'Do we?' Rodney sneered at Carson.
'Rodney.' Elizabeth warned.
'Yes, as a matter of fact, we do! You were out of order yesterday, son.' Carson said.
'Meredith is the leader here; I was merely showing my support for him.' Rodney said, smugly.
'That's what you call is it?' Carson said.
Elizabeth slammed her hand on the table and they all turned her look at her. Although her demeanour was relaxed and controlled, she was fuming. They had been left alone for one day and reverted into a bunch of squabbling kindergarten children.
'I will not have any member of this team throw insults around. Now I want you to tell me exactly what is going on here. Carson, you start.' She demanded.
'Well, as you know, Dr Beckett and I have been working on research which could prevent the Wraith from needing to feed,' He looked uneasily at Rodney, 'Well we bloody were until yesterday! Meredith came in and humiliated Dr Beckett, accused him of neglecting his patients in front of the whole infirmary which is untrue! And then Rodney laid all of the blame on me and...and...implied I was unprofessional!'
Elizabeth looked up to see angry tears in Carson's eyes, and looked across at Rodney just in time to see him rolling his eyes.
'Is this true?' Elizabeth asked Rodney.
'I merely pointed out that Carson may have been putting a little pressure on their Doctor Beckett.' Rodney said.
'For the sake of billions of people at home!' Carson said.
'Whilst Rodney sits around all day with Meredith stroking his ego.' Zelenka said.
'This is ridiculous! Have you heard yourselves? Rodney you assured me that this mission was crucial to our developments in Atlantis, but as far as I can see, your pig-headedness is becoming a severe obstacle to this. From today, I want you to ensure your undivided attention is focused on getting us back home. No more long lunches with Meredith. No more undermining my leadership. Do you understand?' Elizabeth asked.
'I suppose – yes.' Rodney said, unwillingly.
'Thank you. Now feel free to go off and do whatever it is you need to do.' Elizabeth said.
Three of the men shuffled out of the room looking even more frustrated than when they had arrived. Begrudgingly, Rodney had at least accepted the order to work on the device which it seemed he had been neglecting. All she could think of was getting away from this place as soon as possible.
'Wow. That was fun.' John said.
'I can't believe how they're behaving. It would be funny if it wasn't so...'
'Pathetic?'
Elizabeth smiled and looked up at him.
'You okay?' She asked.
'Fine. You?'
'Fine.'
'Breakfast?' He asked hopefully.
'Yes please.'
With nothing else to fill their day, and after a day of hardly eating, Elizabeth had two portions of a variation of bacon and eggs, much to John's amusement. As she looked across at him, Elizabeth became rather preoccupied with the small spread of chest hair that was just peeping through his shirt. A shirt. Although the rest of the team had remained in their uniforms, John had opted for more casual wear, and a white shirt and jeans were his choice for today. Given the appreciative glances in his direction, including the odd one from Elizabeth, it certainly worked in his favour. Mindlessly, Elizabeth wondered whether she should take the opportunity to dress down for a couple of days, with jeans and a tank top buried in the bottom of the bag she had brought with her.
'Morning.'
Elizabeth looked up, very much aware of her racing heart, as Jonathan cockily walked passed them. Although she desperately wanted to avert her eyes away from him, she couldn't help but watch him saunter across the room. And she couldn't help but notice the way that Laura Cadman returned his smile with a dirty look worthy of awards. Just the day before, she had been happily chatting and flirting with him. Elizabeth was suddenly struck by a thought, and continued to watch Laura even when Jonathan had left the room. Sure enough, Cadman angrily slid her chair out and marched to the doorway which Jonathan had just exited through. Mimicking her actions, Elizabeth gave John an excuse then set off to follow Laura.
The route they were taking, took them to the far edges of the city which were barely used at home. Granted, it couldn't be assumed that the same applied here, but Elizabeth had a feeling that it did. When they had walked as far as they could, Elizabeth stayed behind a corner as she heard the sound of a slap across the face.
'Come on L.' Jonathan said.
'Don't call me that! I've had it with you.' Laura shouted
'You know you want me.' He whispered seductively.
'Go back to Lizzie.' Laura said.
'All of this over one kiss?' Jonathan asked, sounding exasperated.
'Yes! Because you told me you loved me, that you were only staying with Lizzie until the baby was born...I just can't take the lies anymore!' Laura shrieked.
Safely hidden behind the corner, Elizabeth heard another slap which was followed by the sound on footsteps. Elizabeth quickly hid in a toilet now wanting to be caught eavesdropping quite yet. She pressed her ear to the door, and waited until a set of footsteps had passed. When they had, she let herself out and walked straight into Jonathan who she pushed back into the exact place where he had been slapped by his lover just seconds previously.
'You bastard.' She said.
'Aah.' He said, realisation hitting him.
'Aren't you even going to defend yourself?'
'That depends on how much you heard.'
'Enough to know that it's happened before and that it's going to happen again.' She said raising her voice.
He pushed her against the wall and put his hand over her mouth, which she violently pulled away.
'Keep your voice down.' He hissed.
'I'm sorry, do you not want people finding out that you are cheating on the mother of your child?' Elizabeth said.
'It isn't like that.' He said, angrily.
'Then how is it?' She demanded.
'I'm not in love with Lizzie; I never was and I never wanted to have a baby with her.'
'How can you say that?'
'Because it's true, and you know that; we're not right for each other. You and I, on the other hand...' Jonathan said huskily.
Her eyes widened in shock, 'What?'
'Come on 'Lizabeth, we were both there last night.' He whispered.
Suddenly, he ran his hands through her hair and pulled her into him, kissing her passionately. She struggled against him before lust overcame her and she allowed herself to kiss him back. His hands were beginning to move towards her trousers, when his body suddenly pulled away from hers and she opened her eyes to see John Sheppard punching himself. Pulling back, John shook his wrist slightly, before turning to grab the material of Elizabeth's jacket and frogmarching her down the corridor, and then through the city, only letting go to shove her into his quarters.
'What they hell are you playing at?' He asked, rounding on her.
'Oh God.' She said, the reality finally hitting her.
'Seriously, what are you playing at?'
'He kissed me and I...I couldn't...'
'Resist? Did you sleep with him last night?' John said, piercing her with his eyes.
'What?'
'Don't play it innocent, I heard. And I saw the state you were in last night.' He said.
The menacing way in which he was pacing the room was beginning to panic her. Never in the time she had known him, had she seen him so angry, almost shaking with it.
'We kissed.' Elizabeth admitted.
'Why?'
'What?' Elizabeth was suddenly confused.
'Why did you kiss him?' He asked in a low voice.
'This doesn't concern you, John.' She said, making to walk away.
He stepped nearer to her, and grabbed both of her arms, preventing her from leaving. He stared into her eyes searchingly.
'Is it because he reminds you of me?' He asked.
'John.' She warned.
'Is it because he reminds you of me?' He sounded more urgent this time.
'Stop it.'
'I need an answer.' He said desperately.
'YES!'
Unruffled, by the way she had just screamed at him, he kissed her violently, keeping his hands on her arms and roughly pushing her onto the bed where he urgently began pulling at her clothes. Recovering from the shock, she reached for the buckle of his belt.
A/N: Reviews would be much appreciated.
