Just Married

Summary: It was supposed to be just your average alien celebration… only by morning John Sheppard will be waking up a married man to none other than Doctor Elizabeth Weir.

A/N: Haron's in trouble! But when his supposed betrayal is exposed, so are a couple of other things. Sorry this took so long, but this was a pretty deep chapter! Prepare yourself! Some angst ahead:D And don't forget to tell me what you thought!

Part Eight "Sometimes Wine Ain't so Fine…"

"Did we interrupt something, Doctor Weir?" Caldwell asked.

"I'll say!" someone mumbled from behind him.

Although only seconds ago Elizabeth had been about as coherent as a rock, she had no trouble getting coherent once she realized just where she was, and what position she was in. There she was, on the bridge, lying in Colonel John Sheppard's arms, and literally everyone in the room was grinning. Slowly Doctor Weir got to her feet, smoothing out her uniform and clearing her throat as she saw every single eye on the bridge directed at her and Colonel Sheppard. "Colonel Caldwell… not at all. You're early."

Caldwell stood, folding his arms his smile fading… somewhat. "Yes well we tried to contact you, but there was no answer. We were getting rather worried, and when Teyla told us they didn't know where you were… we felt we had no choice but to beam you up."

Finally Sheppard got to his feet rolling his eyes. 'Well isn't he just a modern day Scotty… too bad he doesn't have an accent. Maybe Carson should give him lessons.'

Elizabeth ignored John's unspoken remark. "We believe one of the villagers, Haron locked us in the small room you just took us from. We've been there for days."

"Haron told us you'd simply gone to visit one of the other villages nearby, but you had not even informed us. We'd known something was wrong, but we had no idea…" Teyla said, unable to finish.

"I believe I understand why he did it, but I think it would be best if I had a bit of a talk with him… he is after all an ally," said Elizabeth, determined to learn the truth, even if she feared she knew exactly why he'd done what he did.

"Not every day an ally locks you in a room," Ronan cut in.

"That's what I said!" John added.

"Until we learn why he did what he did, I refuse to jump to conclusions, Colonel Sheppard."

'You've already jumped to conclusions Elizabeth. You know exactly why he did it. He was trying to force us together! It doesn't matter what the reason was.'

'John, please, back me up on this. I don't want our new friendship with his people to go down the toilet for this. I really do believe Haron didn't do it to hurt us. I need to talk to him. Please, John.'

"Fine, but there's no way in hell you're going down there alone," John told her.

'John, I can feel your anger as if it were my own. I don't think that's such a good idea, you coming down with me.'

'I don't care. Haron locked us in a damn room, Elizabeth, you're not going down there alone.'

'I could take Ronan, he's more than capable.'

'Elizabeth, this is no time to argue!'

'I'm in charge here, John, it's my call.'

'I'm in charge of security Elizabeth, it's MY call!'

"Ronan is just as capable! The only reason you want to go is because you just happened to be stuck in there with me! Don't give me that 'head of security' crap, it's still my call." Elizabeth finally spoke, confusing everyone in the room as they realized they'd obviously missed part of their conversation, how that was possible was beyond them.

"Doctor Weir?" Caldwell spoke, gaining both Elizabeth and John's attention. "Care to explain?"

"What?" She'd become so used to having John's voice in her head, so used to communicating to him nonverbally thanks to the link she hadn't realized not everyone was aware of the new development.

"I think what Colonel Caldwell means to say is… what the hell is wrong with you two?" Rodney exclaimed, looking slightly worried.

It took a moment for her to realize what they were asking. 'I completely forgot about the link.'

'Guess we should tell them.'

'Great! First we get beamed onto the Daedalus' bridge during the same moment that we just happened to be in bed together, and now we have to explain to them just why I now have you're voice in my head.'

'Hey, I'm willing to bet there's a ton of women who'd kill to have my voice in their heads.'

'Not if they knew what I knew.'

'Somehow I get the feeling that wasn't a compliment.'

"Hello! Anybody home?!" Rodney called out, waving a hand in front of Weir's face.

"It's complicated," Sheppard finally spoke.

"Complicated how?" asked McKay.

"Before we were taken Haron gave us something… some type of drink. Before either of us knew what was happening, we lost consciousness. We woke up in the room you just beamed us from. We're not sure if it was the drink he gave us that did this, or something else… but we… uh," Elizabeth faltered, looking over at John.

"We're linked," he finally spoke once he felt her hesitation.

"Linked?" Teyla questioned, taking a step closer to them.

"Yeah… we can hear each other's thoughts, communicate with one another with our mind. We've tried blocking out each other's thoughts but nothing works, and we have no idea what it means. We don't even know if it's a permanent bond or whether with distance if it will fade," John explained, running a hand through his hair.

"You mean… you can hear each other's thoughts?" Rodney asked, his eyes suddenly growing wide with interest and surprise… and perhaps a little fear. "Just each other's right? No one else's? Right?"

John rolled his eyes. "Just each other, Rodney, don't worry… we can't hear what you're thinking… thank god," he said, mumbling the last part. Rodney, who had apparently heard was less than amused.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Huh?"

"John!" Elizabeth suddenly snapped, folding her arms as she glared at him.

"What? What'd he just think?" McKay asked.

John smiled as Elizabeth shook her head. "You don't want to know."

"Okay, just wait a second here. Let me get this straight. Not only did this Haron fellow kidnap you and lock you up, but he also drugged you, and did something to you both so you could sense each other's thoughts?" Caldwell asked, looking slightly disturbed.

"It's more than that, Colonel. We share each other's dreams. I read a book, and it's as if he's reading it with me. Sometimes I swear I can even feel him touch me even though we'll be nowhere near each other. Whatever this bond does, it's been getting stronger by each passing day. I need to speak with Haron and figure out what he did to us."

Caldwell frowned, shaking his head. "I can't do that, Doctor Weir. We have no idea what he did to you."

"We just told you what he did to us!" John fought.

"Just because those are the symptoms you know about doesn't mean that's all he did to you. You need to go to the infirmary," Caldwell insisted.

"If we go down and speak with Haron we will KNOW what he did to us… all of what he did to us. I know Haron, this wasn't meant to harm us! He was only trying to help!" Elizabeth tried to explain.

"Help? Help what? How does giving you drugs, locking you in a room, and linking your minds help?" Caldwell asked, frustrated by their resistance.

Elizabeth frowned, having a clue why, but not really wanting to say it. They'd found out enough, too much as far as she was concerned and she wasn't too keen on telling them the rest. She knew John felt the same as he sighed, mouth closed and he looked at her.

"You're marriage!" Rodney finally shouted a proud look on his face at figuring it out.

Elizabeth winced, closing her eyes in embarrassment.

"Marriage?" Caldwell asked.

"It's a… long story," John told them.

"Not long after you left the villagers had a celebration to commemorate our joining as allies. Apparently by both drinking from this… cup they signaled their 'love' for each other and were seen as married in the eyes of the villagers. Of course we had no idea what it was, so they had no clue what they were drinking," Rodney explained.

'Now can I kill him?'

Elizabeth sighed, shaking her head. 'That's the best idea I've heard all day, John.'

Caldwell stared in surprise, first at Rodney, then at the two standing awkwardly together. "And I'd thought the kiss was gonna make for a rough report," he mumbled shaking his head. "Alright… go, but I suggest you take all of you're team down… in case Haron tries anything. Contact me if you need any assistance."

Elizabeth nodded, thankful that he was cooperating, as well as that he hadn't said anymore to make the moment worse for her and John. At least Rodney telling him the truth had convinced Caldwell that they needed to go down there. "Thank you, Colonel."

Caldwell sighed. "Just find out the truth, Doctor, I'd like to leave orbit as soon as possible."

It took them a couple minutes to get ready before they were transported down to the planet. Elizabeth took a deep breath before walking into the village. To say she was a little worried about her talk with Haron was an understatement. The link between her and John and brought a lot out in the open, but it also stripped them bare in the process. She could have no secrets with John, and even now she could feel the link growing stronger. It wasn't just his thoughts then and there that she heard. She could feel his own nervousness and anxiety over what Haron might tell them. In some ways it was as if she were two people at once. Sometimes when John would rub the sore hand he'd hurt while they'd been imprisoned she felt the ghostly touch, the tingle in her had and the faint throb of pain that told her exactly what he was feeling. She knew she should be terrified by it, but she wasn't. She was getting used to it. In some ways it was like a blind man suddenly being given the ability to see. Her senses were sharpened. John could pick up a flower at that very moment and she'd smell it just as he would. It was amazing.

'So what exactly are you planning to say to him when we find him?' John asked.

'Although this link between us has some benefits, I'm worried about what it might mean for us. We don't even know if it's permanent. And what if something happened to one of us? My hand still hurts from that damn glass window you tried to break. What if one of us died? We need to know what's happening to us John.'

'Do you think he knows a way to reverse the link?'

'I don't know John… we'll find out soon enough I suppose.'

'Just for the record… it wouldn't bother me so much if it was permanent, Elizabeth. I mean it did freak me out at first… but now that we know how we feel about each other, maybe it won't be so bad after all. I'm still pissed as hell about the whole thing… but to be honest… I don't think I would have changed what happened to us.'

Elizabeth smiled, taking his hand in hers for a second as she smiled at him. 'I know exactly what you mean.'

Suddenly Rodney coughed, looking at them in confusion. It wasn't until that moment that Elizabeth realized she and John had stopped walking, still holding each other's hand and quickly let go. The blush that resulted couldn't have been stopped as John's team looked at them. "Oh we have got to find Haron!" Rodney muttered.

"Quickly," Ronan added.

Teyla just shook her head and walked on ahead of them.

John gave her his famous cocky smirk before walking on ahead. Elizabeth rolled her eyes before catching up to the group.

"Oh Haron!" Sheppard called, watching the man try to sneak away in the crowd that had formed around them. He knew he was in trouble. John ran off through the crowd, running past him, causing him to make a sudden stop. "Haron… how's it going? We haven't talked in a while," he greeted.

'John! Stop it!'

John frowned, folding his arms as Elizabeth reached them, Ronan, Teyla, and Rodney right behind. "Ah… John… Elizabeth, I am pleased to see you again," Haron greeted, trying to smile.

Elizabeth walked over to stand beside John, not at all looking amused. "Haron, what did you do?"

Haron frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, Haron, you do. You know exactly what we're talking about! Now tell us why the hell you locked us in that damn room!" John shouted, not at all calm. He was frustrated.

Haron sighed, staring at them for a couple seconds. "Look… I only wished to help you."

"I'm sure you did, Haron, but we need to know exactly what you did," Elizabeth said before John could utter something that would most likely make things worse rather than better.

Haron was about to answer when another answered for him. "Haron should not be blamed for what you both have been bestowed with." Elizabeth and John looked away from Haron, seeing another merge from the crowd… Shatish.

"Shatish? Are you saying this was your doing?" Elizabeth asked.

Shatish smiled, although John could tell it was forced. "Haron was only trying to help, you should not blame him. I backed his decision. You were given the ceremonial wine of unity."

"Wine of unity?" Elizabeth repeated, confused.

"The grapes are grown here in this village… but they are far more special than anything you have ever seen. The grapes, if shared bring people together. Our ancestors took those grapes and made them into wine. After one is married they spend one year together, then on their first anniversary they are given the offered ceremonial wine. One normally can choose whether to take the cup or not. It has never been a decision to take lightly. But… there have been times when a couple may go through… hard times. If this happens they are under one of our highest laws, to drink of the wine no matter what they wish. Haron believed the cup should be given to you. You are now linked."

"But why lock us up?" John asked, taking a step toward Shatish, trying to understand, if only for Elizabeth's sake.

"Once given the wine you must stay close for a number of days, in order to keep you from the intense pain that can be caused through separation. The first few days are critical. If you had not been locked up, going even a mile away from one another may have very well killed you."

"Wait a second! Are you telling me they'll never be allowed to leave each other? Ever?" Rodney cut in.

Shatish shook her head. "No, it is only when the link is being formed that this must be so. Once the link is completely you will be allowed to go as far from each other as you wish. The link keeps you bound even through distance."

"And if I were to die… what would happen to Elizabeth?" John asked, worried for her safety. He had a dangerous job, he needed to know if he'd be able to continue.

Shatish looked over at Haron who suddenly looked deeply saddened. John wasn't sure he'd ever seen the man look so upset. "She would live, but it would… damage her. She would not be the same. Many who suffer the loss of their bondmate fall into depression, sometimes even to the point of suicide."

John was disgusted. "And so you decide to put that on us?! You call this bond a good thing when it can do that to a person you say you care about?! That's what you people call helping us?!"

"John!" Elizabeth shouted, but he ignored her.

"No Elizabeth! What makes that bastard think he can push this on us? What right does he have?!"

"I was where you are once, John," Haron spoke up. "I loved another once, though at the time I refused to admit so… even to myself! Rasha was everything to me! When she died I went to the very dark place I just spoke of! I can tell you it is not pleasant, that is so, but I would never even think of trading the time I had with her! I carry her in my soul! The link gave me that!"

John paused, staring at him in surprise. 'Did you know he was married, Elizabeth?'

'Yes… he told me. She died years ago. But I had no idea they'd been linked like us.'

"You love her, John," Haron then whispered. "The wine was meant to tell her just how much. From this moment you share your life together. Never alone. As one."

John stared at Haron in surprise, unsure how to respond. No one said a word as the two men stared at each other. "You don't know what your talking about," John told him, trying to deny Haron's words. He knew he had feelings for Elizabeth. He'd told her so, and was glad he had, he knew exactly what he felt, but the bond they would be sharing was beyond anything he was ready for. He wouldn't change the things they'd shared, but he was starting to fear what it would mean for their relationship. There would be no escape if Elizabeth were ever to come to her senses and fall for someone else.

'I'd never do that, John. I… I love you,' she told him, walking over to him. Slowly she slipped her hand into his, forcing him to look at her. 'I love you, John. You're my best friend.'

Suddenly John smiled, staring into her eyes, knowing she was telling him the truth. 'I love you too, Elizabeth, but what about our jobs? The IOA wouldn't never be happy with this bond. They could try to get rid of you.'

'I know.'

'Then we need to find a way to cut this bond.'

John could feel her sorrow, even though they knew it was the best thing to do. Too much rested on their shoulders for them to let their feelings get in the way of their duties. "Haron, we need you to reverse what you did."

Haron shook his head, obviously confused. "But-"

"It doesn't matter, Haron. Our society is very different from yours. You must reverse this," Elizabeth told him. "There must be a way. Please, too much is at stake."

Haron stared at them, surprised. "What? What is at stake?"

John looked back at Haron, a determined look on his face. "Please Haron. It doesn't matter how I feel about her… there are bigger things, things more important than what me and Elizabeth want. You need to reverse this bond."

Finally Haron looked over at Shatish who nodded her understanding. "It can be done, but it will not be easy. If you break this bond it will be as if we have cut off your right arm."

"I know," John whispered. "But we don't have a choice."

To Be Continued….

A/N: Will John and Elizabeth have their bond reversed? What will the IOA have to say about their interesting mission? And will John and Elizabeth ever stop being idiots and just get together already?! Stay tuned to find out! Lol Review please:D