It was almost dawn when the others moved to depart. Elizabeth could hardly believe they'd all stayed up so late, but they'd been reluctant to leave each other's company. Carson had stopped by to check John's hand and had stayed with them. Though John's knuckles were puffy and bruised, the stitches had held to Carson's satisfaction and he redressed the wound with a much smaller bandage. Lorne and McKay left at one point, returning with huge submarine sandwiches from the mess hall for everyone. John had slipped away long enough for a shower and to change into some battered jeans and a soft worn t-shirt. He'd returned clean shaven and Elizabeth found herself missing the rough scraggle on his face.
Lorne paused in the doorway and looked back to John and Elizabeth. "I'll swing by the control room, tell them not to expect you today. They can call me first if anything comes up. You two should grab some shut eye."
Elizabeth smiled, sensing a bit of guilt beneath Evan's offer. He'd always reminded her a bit of John, actually. They both shared that quick, sarcastic humor and were incapable of hiding their feelings when they disagreed with her. She'd had to stare Evan down on more than one occasion when he didn't share her level of concern when John was overdue, but he'd always stepped up and come through for her, however grudgingly. Elizabeth had a feeling she'd more easily get his cooperation in the future.
"I'd like to plan a service for Ford. Tomorrow maybe. If that's alright." McKay looked toward her.
"Of course." She nodded.
Teyla smiled fondly at Rodney. Her hand went to his shoulder. "We'd all like to assist. We should talk more after we rest. Perhaps after dinner?"
"What about breakfast? I'm starving." McKay's normal bluster was heavily subdued by both exhaustion and sadness. He had a childlike quality of vulnerability when he was like this and had he been closer, Elizabeth would have hugged him at that moment.
Ronon grunted. "For once I agree, McKay. Let's grab some food."
"Really?" Rodney looked surprised and delighted. "Great. Anyone else?"
"I could do with some coffee." Carson chimed in.
"All right then. Let's talk later tonight." John look at his watch and blanched. "Much later. 8 p.m. Back here."
Once they'd all left, the room seemed to hum with the white noise of Atlantis. It was familiar and soothing and the lack of sleep hit suddenly struck Elizabeth hard. She thought John was about to speak when he stretched and a huge yawn escaped his lips.
"Well, honey, we're home." John tucked an errant curl back behind her ear. "Where the heck are we going to sleep?"
Good question, she thought as she rubbed her eyes. They'd only cleared the crew quarters closest to the control room and all of those rooms had tiny beds. She didn't relish the thought of sleeping alone, maybe they should just shut their eyes and stay where they were. She could already feel herself drifting away.
"Come on." John nudged her side to rouse her. He shifted her legs from his lap and swiveled her around so she could easily stand. He stood up and reached for her hands, gently pulling her to her feet. "I've got an idea about that."
He led her out of the rec room and left down the hallway. Most of the doors were open and she soon realized this hall consisted primarily of sleeping quarters. John guided her into last room in the hall before closing and locking the door. Elizabeth scanned the room. It was at least double the size of her current quarters and it had a balcony. Elizabeth's smile stretched wide as her eyes settled upon not one, but two twin beds pushed side by side, aligned perfectly flush. John had disappeared with Lorne for a few minutes earlier in the night and now she understood what they'd been up to.
"It's perfect." Elizabeth opened the door to the balcony and stepped outside.
It was half the size of the balcony outside her office, but the intimate space instantly appealed to her. John followed her outside. He pulled her back against him and crossed his arms around her chest.
"But we can't just move in here together, can we?" Elizabeth's eyes fixed on the horizon. A golden speck of light was growing stronger each second, a new day was dawning.
"I don't see why not. No one's ever down here, but we can restrict access to this hall if you don't want anyone else to know. It's not like we can't open up other hallways if we need additional living quarters or needed to create larger ones for anyone."
Elizabeth would have been too tired to protest, but he'd get no argument from her. She loved every part of living with John. Loved that he was the first person she saw every morning, the last before she drifted off to sleep each night, and it truly was sleep, she hadn't had a nightmare since he'd begun sharing her bed. Plus, she considered, he looked pretty damn sexy stretched out in bed. Definitely a keeper.
"Elizabeth?"
"Hmm?" His breath fell hot on her neck, distracting her more than a little.
"I love you too, you know."
"I know." And she did, but hearing the words still made her heart swell.
She turned, capturing his face between her hands and dragging his mouth down to hers. He pulled away too quickly, his hands landed on her waist and he held her in place as he shifted away.
He nodded her attention back towards the horizon. The tiny dot of light had grown, now flaming gloriously against the water as dawn broke. "You're going to miss the magic hour."
Instead of turning back to watch the sunrise, her fingers latched onto his belt loops and she pulled herself back into him. "This is whats magic and I don't want just an hour. I want a lifetime."
She paused and her mouth opened softly in surprise. She hadn't meant to say that, or say that like that, or…oh. Crap. This lack of sleep thing was definitely affecting her brain. Slowly, she peeked up over her lashes. John seemed completely unfazed and she blew out the deep breath she'd been holding.
He trailed his finger along her jaw, then tapped her nose lightly. "I'll take that as a yes to the moving in together?"
She'd swear he was trying not to smirk. She rolled her eyes, but couldn't keep the smile from her face. "Yes."
He scooped her up so quickly that her head spun. "What are you doing?" Her voice was closer to squeaking than speaking.
"Carrying you over the threshold, I missed that on the front door. Isn't that a thing?" John carried her from the balcony into the bedroom. "Isn't it supposed to be romantic or something?"
He plopped her on the bed and tumbled down on his back beside her. Another yawn wracked his body and she couldn't help but laugh. She propped up on her elbow and traced her finger down his chest. "It's a wedding thing, John."
"Oh. A wedding thing." His brows furrowed and he looked adorably stumped at how to respond. "Well, there's always cake at weddings. Cake is good."
Elizabeth's brow arched towards him.
He scratched his head, before jabbing his finger in the air. "And open bars. Liquor is good."
She needed to put him out of his misery. Her fingers tapped his chest. "This is good. We're good exactly where we are. No need to panic just yet."
He grunted in dissent. "Maybe not exactly where we are. We can do better." He reached towards her and latched on, pulling her atop him as he resettled on his back.
He had a sinful look in his eyes that made Elizabeth melt against him with want. She leaned in towards his lips, but he tilted his mouth just out of reach.
"John?" There was a sudden hesitation in his eyes she didn't understand.
He sat up, pulling her along with him, and propped his elbows on his knees. His hand braced her back as she stayed perched on his lap, her legs straddling his. His other reached for a strand of her hair and he twined it through his fingers, before tugging it gently and letting go.
He finally met her eyes. "It's not marriage that makes me-"
"Terrified?" Elizabeth offered.
"I was going to say uncomfortable." John swallowed deeply. "Just so you know, when I think of all my tomorrows, well. You're always there."
If anyone could actually kiss your soul, Elizabeth imagined they'd feel the way she did at that moment.
"It's just the wedding part that makes my skin crawl, all those people watching you. I hated my wedding, I didn't know three fourths of the people there. It was like it was for them, instead of for us. It just all seemed kind of stupid."
"I never liked the idea of a big wedding anyway. We could always elope. Maybe a small ceremony with just our closest friends." Elizabeth tucked her head down and pressed her forehead into his own. "I mean, of course, if and when that day comes."
"When." His lips brushed hers.
"Hmm." She threaded her fingers into his hair. "Okay."
"No. I'm asking." He kissed her again. "When?"
She pulled back in confusion. She'd been awake for at least twenty four hours and she was pretty sure her mind was playing tricks on her now. John shifted sideways and tugged something out from his pocket. Just when she thought she was going to tumble off his lap, he settled them back down. He held up a gold band with a delicate weave of Celtic looking knots.
"Marry me, Elizabeth."
A jolt of surprise thundered through her body. She loved him with every fiber of her being, but she didn't understand why he was asking her now.
"We have time, John. You don't have to rush because you think I-"
"I'm not rushing. Andara helped me get the ring. I was planning to ask you before we returned, I was half afraid you'd walk away from this once we got back to Atlantis."
"And Ford.." Her voice trailed away.
"Case in point. We can't push pause on our life waiting for the right time, we might not get a second chance."
Elizabeth's heart hammered within her ears. John wasn't wrong. They faced great challenges in the Pegasus Galaxy and powerful enemies weren't the only threats to their relationship. If today's events had gone differently, she'd still be heading to Earth and her return to Atlantis uncertain. She stared longingly at the ring.
"You can pick out whatever you want next trip back to Earth. Just say yes."
"Yes." Her hands were around his neck and she drew him into her lips. "Yes."
He pulled away, fumbling with the ring before managing to slip it onto her finger.
"And the ring is beautiful, John."
Her lips struck his again and this she wasn't about to let him edge back away. She grasped the sides of his face and pushed insistently, deeper into their kiss. John's legs straightened and she gasped, finding herself now flush against his lap. John rolled them onto her back, his hands tugging at her shirt and her pants. She wiggled beneath him, trying to get to an angle to help, but her movement only added to the pleasurable friction of their bodies and made him growl with frustration.
He finally sat back on his knees and frowned. "I hope you brought back some of those sundresses."
Elizabeth laughed, though she understood his frustration. He could undress her in ten seconds flat when she wore dresses. Another yawn rocked his body and she laughed again. He was exhausted. Otherwise, she could have been dressed for a snowstorm and he would have already industriously shed each article of clothing standing between them.
"Get down here old man. It's late and you're exhausted. We can sleep and get back to the good stuff later."
He crashed down beside her and rolled onto his side. His face tucked into her neck.
"I can't believe you just called me an old man." He muttered. His mouth trailed up toward her ear, his lips were hot on her skin, ravaging her neck as he moved higher.
His hands skimmed against her rib cage and she squealed. "Stop tickling me."
"Did you really offer to just snuggle when I was trying to undress you?" His mouth hit the sensitive spot just below her ear at the same time his fingers teased back along her ribs. She jerked and her knee popped up into his stomach.
John groaned and rolled onto his back.
"Are you alright?" Elizabeth cringed and gingerly reached out to his stomach. "I'm sorry, but you know it's dangerous to tickle me."
"I'd pictured this all going very differently. Give me back the ring. I'll try again tomorrow."
Elizabeth laughed and tilted her head towards him. "No way. It's mine. For better or worse, remember?"
"No, I don't remember. I'm pretty sure we haven't gotten to that part yet." John's face was petulant. He halfheartedly reached for her hand. "Give me."
"Stop it." Elizabeth swatted him away. She yawned widely and her jaw popped in response.
John laughed. "See, I told you. We're not doing this right. Give me the ring."
"Hush. Even better, go to sleep. You're clearly useless to me right now."
John grunted. "You're going to pay for that remark later."
Elizabeth shifted closer to him.
"You need to get out of those clothes, you'll never get to sleep with all that on."
"I'm perfectly comfortable, John, yoga pants are considered loungewear for a reason. You just want to watch me undress."
John shrugged lazily in confirmation.
"What about you? You haven't even taken off your shoes."
"Then you can undress me too."
"Nice try." Elizabeth rolled away and eased out of bed. "I'm going to the bathroom. See if you can't lose some closes while I'm gone."
She wasn't gone long, but when she returned he'd managed to free himself of most of his clothes. He'd also managed to succumb to sleep. She took off her yoga pants and slipped under the sheet beside him. She propped on an elbow and turned towards him. Her hand fell on his chest, her fingers tracing small circles on his skin. The morning light cut through a crack in the curtain, the light glinting against the golden band on her finger. Elizabeth felt a profound sense of contentment. She could hardly believe this was real.
"Not having second thoughts already, are you?" John's eyes had flickered open and he sleepily reached for her, his hand gently cupping her chin.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "No, but I halfway wonder if you were just drunk from exhaustion and are going to wake up tomorrow and run away."
"It is tomorrow and I'm too tired to run. C'mere."
She laid down, still on her side, and her shoulder tucked tightly just beneath his. She settled her head into the crook of his neck and stretched her free arm across his chest.
"Mmm." His fingers had found her bare leg. His left hand moved higher and a low grumble rolled through his chest as his fingers splayed onto her backside. The tiny scrap of lace against her skin was both less and more than he'd been expecting. "You'll pay for that later, too."
She loved teasing John, loved that she could evoke that kind of response from him. "In my defense, you told me to get more comfortable."
Without releasing her rear, his right hand reached over and clamped onto her leg just behind her knee. He pulled her bent leg across his abdomen, his hold locking her completely in place plastered against him.
"That's better." His voice rasped even more gravelly than normal and she knew sleep would soon overtake him again. "Don't let go."
Never, Elizabeth thought. But John underestimated his tactile nature, even when he slept. Once he locked onto her, she couldn't get away if she tried. Lucky for her, she was usually happy right where she was. John squeezed her leg and his breathing grew shallow.
Elizabeth's thumb trailed along the ring on her finger. She'd said yes without even pausing to worry about rules, not thinking of the SGC or IOA. She had changed. She could still hardly believe the turn her life had taken in the past six months. The past few years, actually. She'd found love someplace it wasn't supposed to be, somewhere she never would have dreamed possible. Her perspective had truly changed and instead of dwelling on archaic rules, once again, she found herself only considering the possibilities. Warmth from his body seeped into her own and she felt herself drifting off into sleep along with him, wondering what dreams were yet to come.
~The end
For now at least. My plot bunnies have moved on. I have the first draft of a new story, Everlong, almost finished and it is already twice the size of this one and I hope to post the first chapter within the week. It is another John/Elizabeth fic, call it a rut or obsession, I won't object to either tag. I have a playlist for the story (search YouTube Zandra's Ashes) if you'd be interesting in hearing the music I've been listening to as I write. If any of you are making fanvids for my favorite couple, I've got two words: Christmas wishlist. ;)
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed! Special thanks to all who took the time to leave reviews. I find the comments a helpful guide to know what's working (or tanking, lol). See you out there…