Heartbeat by AndromedaMarine

The Last Duck

After a month of recovery the military commander and the leader of the expedition had shared only one kiss. Although the kiss in question had proved that it was not a mere dream induced by the leader's captor from which the military commander rescued her, it had been the only kiss. While more than simply proving a point had been put into the moment of intimacy both felt as though if they continued the path on which they were set to travel the friendship would be lost over time. Also after a month of recovery most of the pain had diminished to a dull, even throb throughout her body.

The flashbacks had all but disappeared yet John remained with Elizabeth every night. The woman was now convinced that reality had played its hand with her emotions. She knew the truth of her heart yet she could not admit the same to John. Her leg splint was removed and her arm had another two weeks to fully heal. Her broken ribs still ached occasionally, and for the most part were healed. She could walk on her own again. While Dr. Keller hadn't fully cleared her for duty John found the one he loved most often in her office, working. Teyla and Evan had kept the city from destroying itself or being destroyed, and Elizabeth was now back in her proper place of authority.

John walked into her office and sat down. Elizabeth glanced up and smiled, but didn't give him her full attention. "Elizabeth," he said. It had been a while since he used her full name.

She looked at him, the smile slowly melting away as she gazed into John's eyes. "Yes, John?"

He took a deep breath. He'd prepared the "speech" hours earlier, with minor tweaking having been Rodney's part (which probably wasn't a good thing), and he was nervous. "I never realized how much you meant to me until I had to leave you behind on Asuras. I nearly gave up – but Rodney told me that we had to get you back. He actually intimidated me into it. And we did. We rescued you, but at the cost of your pain. The first few hours after we got you back I began to think it was a dream. But my friends – our friends, our family – opened my eyes to reality. I told you the truth because I needed you to know it. Hell, you may have even needed to know it. I also told you because it is true. I couldn't fake this, even if I wanted to. You know what I said and for now I don't want that farther than this room and Rodney. And honestly, I don't believe that the path we walked away from would have led us to a loss of the friendship we've solidified over the past four years. I really understand that you've got to get your ducks in that proverbial row, and if you'd let me, I'll help you with that. But please, don't turn your head and look the other way after what I've confessed. I can see it in your eyes, every night. I saw it when you told me to leave. You don't have to say it back, because I know it's there. And if it'll help you, I'll say it again. I love you and I always will."

He sat there, leaned forward so his elbows were resting on his knees. Elizabeth sat back in her chair, stunned and relieved by these words. "There's only one duck to set straight now."

"Then can I help with it?"

Elizabeth smiled. "I wouldn't be able to get it in line with the others without you."

John frowned. "How do you mean?"

"The last duck is you."

"Again, what do you mean?" John stood but refrained from putting his hands on his hips.

Elizabeth stood and placed herself at a modest distance from the colonel, and crossed her arms. Her walls were glass, after all. "I mean that without you, I'd be dead right now. Without you I would never have fully recovered. Without you I would be in an Earth psych ward by now. Without you I would be completely lost. Without you I would have no one to love."

John's features molded into an expression of shock and surprise. The color must have drained from his face and he felt extremely weak. She had returned the sentiment. "So what is it going to take to get this last duck in line?" John asked softly, his eyes still conveying his shock.

Elizabeth thought for a moment, gathering her words into the right sentences. "You said that your – our – family opened your eyes to reality. If they're truly family they won't care if I do this." With that she pulled John into a shattering kiss, her fingers deeply woven into John's longer-than-military-allowed messy hair. It took John a moment to respond to Elizabeth's unprecedented action but it didn't take long until his arms were around her and his fingers were entwined in her hair. They kissed until oxygen was in dire need. And no one gave them a second glance. "I love you too and I always will."

The last duck had been set in line.