It was the way she looked at him.
He knew Elizabeth. He could read her. But he was used to the way she threw up her defenses, keeping her eyes guarded even as the world crashed around them. Her voice would be steady, and her shoulders straight and tall - it was the facade she put on for everyone to see, and it was usually the only thing that kept him from dragging her into his arms.
It wasn't there this time. He had found her on the balcony - it wasn't even itheir/i balcony, but he had somehow known where she would be - and stood right beside her, shoulders almost whispering as they met. She took a deep breath and he imagined the walls were going back up, but when she turned her head, he realized that they had been falling instead of building. For the first time since he had met her, John knew he was seeing iElizabeth/i.
And she needed him.
His nose bumped against her cheek, but then his lips were moving over hers slowly. This close, he could feel her tremble, and the hand that came up to grip his collar was shaking, Her hold was firm, though, and as the kiss continued, she matched him eagerly. His hands snaked around her waist, pulling her body completely against his as he slid his tongue into her mouth.
He wouldn't have pulled back if he hadn't needed to breathe, and as it was, he waited until the last second before letting his mouth leave hers. She didn't leave his arms, and that surprised him; instead, she pressed her nose against the side of his face.
"Thank you," she murmured.
That wasn't the response he was expecting, and he wasn't sure whether it gave hope or disappointed.
"I'm happy to help any time you need a kiss, 'Lizabeth," he said, smirking at her despite the worry eating away at his insides.
She blushed a little. "I'm afraid I could be quite demanding."
He knew which side of the coin that fell on, and his smirk grew into a broad smile.
"I serve at the pleasure of the leader of Atlantis," he murmured, kissing her again.