A Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Part 7
Author: MacGateFan
Disclaimers in Part 1
Elizabeth looked at everyone present for the meeting, and then turned to the man on her right. "Colonel Caldwell, I trust Major Lorne briefed you on the situation?" At his nod, Elizabeth continued. "What are your thoughts on how to handle Dr. Kavanagh?"
Caldwell had a feeling he knew what direction the Atlantis personnel's thoughts were going. "I'm waiting to hear back from General Landry. He said he spoke to the President about this."
"I hope you realize that everyone in this city currently loathe Kavanagh at this time," Rodney said. "You should just take him back to Earth now. Why does the President get the final say? Kavanagh almost killed a man and tried to blackmail someone, what more would you need to be convinced?"
Ronon glared at Caldwell. "If this is the way your government works, it sucks."
"I agree," Teyla said, "attempting to murder someone is an offense that would result in banishment among my people. Surely you would have a similar action in place."
"We do," Elizabeth replied.
Rodney coughed. "Just not as humane." He shut up when Elizabeth gave him a look that said she wasn't in the mood.
"Don't misunderstand me," Caldwell said, "I am just as pissed off at Kavanagh as the rest of you, but the only person I answer to is the President."
Elizabeth felt like she was suffocating in the tension that was building in the room. She glanced over at Lorne, who gave her a shrug. "Well, I guess we'll just have to wait for the President," she replied.
John was quietly sliding off his bed, when Carson walked over. He had yet to see the Scotsman as his back was to him. Wincing, John turned around when he had finally removed the IV.
Carson had never seen a man jump so high. He quickly grabbed John's arm to steady him, shaking his head. "Are you daft, son? What kind of stunt was that? And I can't believe I scared you, of all people!"
John just glared at Carson as the doctor helped him back onto the bed. "Sorry, I have to go to the bathroom."
"That's what this is for, Colonel," Carson replied sweetly, handing him a bedpan. John sighed and took it, muffling a cry as the movement aggravated his injured knee. "What am I going to do with you?"
He was about to reply when Elizabeth walked over. "And how's our patient doing?"
"I'm fine," John replied just as Carson said, "He nearly killed himself!"
She smiled at them, amused. "What did you do now?"
"Um, apparently I'm going to leave my mark on this bed because I still have to use this damn bed pan!" John growled, face red.
Carson's eyes widened and moved to pull Elizabeth away, making certain to secure the curtain around his patient's bed. "Sorry about that!" he called.
When John had finished his… business, Elizabeth appeared from behind the curtain. "Carson told me what you did. John, that wasn't very smart, you could have injured yourself even more."
"Truthfully, if I had seen the bedpan, I wouldn't have gotten up." She stared at him in disbelief. "Okay, so I didn't want to use the damn thing, can you blame me?"
She chuckled and shook her head. "No, I can't, but next time call for help."
"Yes, Mom," he replied.
Elizabeth just stared into those innocent eyes. She never noticed the flecks of green in them before. He absolutely took her breath away. It was then that she realized she had come close to losing him twice and the second time was her fault!
"Hey," John said, reaching out to wipe a tear from her cheek. She hadn't even noticed she was crying. "What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"For what?"
"Kavanagh almost killed you because of me."
John seemed to be confused by this statement. "I don't follow you, Elizabeth. As far as I know, Kavanagh did this all on his own. How are you responsible?"
"When we were in the chair room, Kavanagh was trying to blackmail me into making him head of the science department. He said if I didn't, he would tell General Landry about our involvement. I got scared and I was so pissed off at him for hurting you that I picked up the gun before I went to meet him."
He took a deep breath. John was pissed off at Kavanagh too. Not for attempting to kill him, but for the fact that he had caused Elizabeth so much pain, even if it wasn't physical.
"So what's going to happen to him?"
"You're not going to believe this, John," Elizabeth replied. He eyed her curiously, waiting for her to continue. "The President is coming to Atlantis."
Okay, that threw him for a loop. "Are you serious? Who's bright idea was that? Do they realize how much danger he could be in if he came out here?"
"Yes, General O'Neill, who's coming too, and yes. Colonel Caldwell is currently setting up security parameters for his visit."
John yanked the covers off and was about to remove his IV again when Elizabeth stopped him. "What are you doing?"
"If the President is coming here, I should be dealing with this, not Caldwell."
Elizabeth sighed. "At least talk to Carson about this. If he agrees to it, then I won't stop you."