Hello again! I know, it's amazing, another chapter! Not one of my absolute best, but it's nothing if not interesting. :)

As always, a billion thank-you's to those who reviewed.

Enjoy!

Compromising Positions: Chapter 5
Jumper

Morning arrived with Elizabeth feeling strangely refreshed, even though she'd only gotten about four hours of sleep. Breathing deeply, she turned over under her warm sheets and turned off her blaring alarm, already eyeing the path between her bed and the bathroom and wondering how fast she could turn on the hot water. It took a moment for her to gather the inner strength to get completely out of bed, but once she did, she executed her plan of battle against cold mornings and darted straight to her shower and turning it on, shivering with contentment when the water ran warm moments later over her extended hand.

Blearily, she stumbled through her morning routine: a little toothpaste here, some lotion there, not really paying attention. As per usual, she snagged a red shirt from her closet, pulling it quickly over her head to reduce her contact with the chilly air (Elizabeth was almost always cold) and stepping into some trousers with similar speed. It rarely took her more than forty minutes to start her day; not enough time to wake up properly.

Wincing a little at her youthful-looking freckles as she passed the mirror on her way out, Elizabeth tucked an errant strand of dark hair behind one ear and made her way out of her quarters, yawning. The transporter was only a few doors down from her own, so before she knew it, Elizabeth was trotting up into the control room, nodding good mornings to the staff that was trickling in to replace the night shift.

Elizabeth hadn't even sat all the way down behind her desk when the stargate activated with a hum and a clunk.

"Incoming wormhole!" someone shouted from below, their voice filtering in through the open door of her glass-walled office.

Automatically, with concern creasing her features, Elizabeth scurried from the room and made it down to the 'gate controls just as it finished dialing, the wormhole expanding with a familiar kawoosh.

"Receiving IDC… It's Earth, Dr. Weir," Chuck said.

"Lower the shield."

"Receiving radio transmission."

"Put it on speaker." The back and forth was familiar enough to soothe her, as strange as that might sound.

"Atlantis? This is General Landry from the SGC."

"SGC, this is Dr. Weir," Elizabeth replied, concerned as to what dire circumstances had resulted in the ZPM from Antarctica being brought down to Colorado Springs. "What seems to be the problem?"

"No problems here, Atlantis. One of our SG teams discovered a partially depleted ZPM that we currently have access to, and we had a few people who would like to pay you a visit."

"You're clear to send them through, General." Yeah right. Something pretty dang important must have been happening, even with access to a new power source, seeing as the 'gate bridge wasn't ready for foot traffic yet.

"Here they come, Atlantis."

There were several seconds worth of silence, and then the event horizon rippled as three figures emerged. Richard Woolsey appeared less than thrilled to be back in Atlantis, his forehead puckering as he put on a painful grimace that was obviously intended to be a diplomatic smile. Kate Heightmeyer, on the other hand, couldn't have appeared happier to be back. She was grinning delightedly and bouncing on the balls of her feet, nodding her greetings when someone called out to her. In one hand, she gripped a neat black briefcase, and in the other, she held the wrist of a younger woman, who had obviously never been to Atlantis before. (Newbies were easy to spot by their dumbstruck body language.)

Elizabeth smiled without showing teeth and nodded, acknowledging the new arrivals. "They're here, safe and sound," she informed Landry, still wary.

"Thank you Atlantis, that will be all. Landry out."

The wormhole shut down with a hiss, and Elizabeth waved at Kate to head to the conference room so they could talk without the hubbub of the 'gate room interrupting their conversation. After asking Chuck to please have someone try and paint over those unseemly scorch marks on the floor left over from last night, Elizabeth quickly ducked into the conference room where the three were just sitting down at one end of the table. "I'm glad to see you Kate," she greeted, seating herself and steepleing her fingers in front of her casually. "In the days you were gone, I'm pretty sure half the expedition lost what little was left of their sanity!"

The doctor smirked and said serenely, "Why do you think they were so impatient to send me back?"

"They wanted to send you back because you were shooting their political careers to hell," Woolsey muttered sourly under his breath, falling silent again immediately. He had been staring at her with the same fascination she had become accustomed to during the first few days after regaining consciousness after M51-237, but was now pointedly avoiding staring.

Elizabeth chose to pass this comment with only a raised eyebrow, for now. "Kate, I don't believe your friend and I have met," she said instead, nodding at the new woman, who snapped her attention back to the conversation as Kate nudged her. She was surprisingly young, seemingly only in her mid to early twenties. (But who was Elizabeth to judge age based on appearance?) Like Kate, she wore a plain formal shirt underneath her Atlantis uniform jacket as if trying to bring a little more professionalism to the practical outfit. But other than this similarity, the two didn't look at all alike. Unlike Kate, the woman was of darker coloring, with tanned skin, a mess of long brown hair, and light brown eyes. Her facial features were overall more prominent and defined, and Elizabeth thought that once she had wiped the expression of shock and awe off of her face, she would appear quite noble.

"I'm very sorry Dr. Weir," she said, blushing profusely and offering Elizabeth her hand. "I suppose that I was a bit too… distracted to introduce myself. My name is Dr. Sarah Evans, and I am the psychologist that Dr. Heightmeyer selected to assist her here in Atlantis."

Raising her eyebrows slightly, Elizabeth shot a look to Kate. "The IOA approved that?"

"Yes, some time ago in fact. I hadn't, however, come across someone suitable to be my colleague here until I met Sarah. Colonel Carter had written to me about her, and when I arrived at the SGC, I knew she'd be perfect here," came the explanation. "It was quite unusual though, how Samantha met her…"

"She hit me with her car," Sarah filled in quietly, her mouth twisting into a wry smile as if the irony of the universe was wearing on her. "I was visiting family in Colorado Springs when I was attacked in an alley. I managed to get away, but I was hurt pretty bad, and when I stumbled into the street, Sam hit me." Sarah winced as she recounted the incident. "Needless to say, I wasn't in very good shape, and Sam didn't think she could get me to a hospital in time, so she had the Daedalus, which was in orbit, beam me to their infirmary. But once I was fixed up, she couldn't exactly explain the fact that I could see outer space through my window very easily!" Laughing, Sarah shook her head, her easygoing pattern of speaking already making a good impression on Elizabeth, as well as her remarkable story. "I was sent to the SGC's infirmary to recover, as the Daedalus was due to leave. You might say that I never left, until now."

Elizabeth nodded her approval and offered the psychologist her hand. "Well, Dr. Evans," she began, giving the girl a half-smile. "As the leader of the Atlantis expedition, let me be the first to welcome you to our city. I hope you'll make yourself at home, because we're all glad to have you."

"Yes, yes, this is all very touching, but we do actually have business to attend to," Woolsey pointed out tartly, reaching into his briefcase and withdrawing a sturdy envelope which he handed to Elizabeth. "It's an invitation to dinner at the White House with the first family, as well as a short briefing," he told her, resettling his glasses on the bridge of his nose and handing her a second folder. "I have one here for Col. Sheppard as well."

Elizabeth looked up sharply, glancing between the three people seated across from her quickly. "Earth thinks we've been compromised," she realized aloud, placing the unopened invitation on the table, clenching her fists, and throwing Kate a look of betrayal. "They're going to replace us as soon as we leave."

"Dr. Weir, I can assure you that's not the case," Dr. Heightmeyer said in her serene, even voice.

Drawing herself up in her chair and putting the emotionless mask she used in negotiations over her features, Elizabeth said frankly, "I'm not stupid, as much as the IOA would believe. I've been running Atlantis for over three years, and I know an excuse when I see one. Why are John and I really wanted back on Earth, if not to replace us, Mr. Woolsey?"

The man appeared uncomfortable, his forehead puckering some more. "Earth just wants to do a few more medical tests on you and Col. Sheppard to learn more about your..." He gestured helplessly. "… condition. You'll be planet-side for three days and be returned to Atlantis immediately via a jumper through the Midway Station, providing everything checks out. I will be here in your absence, as well as the four days following your return, to make a few observations," he explained.

All was quiet for a moment, as Elizabeth stared incredulously at him, stunned by his (and Earth's) gall. "Do I have a choice?" she asked quietly.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Apparently not," Elizabeth sighed, massaging her temples. It was never enough, was it? Atlantis was still intact, and Elizabeth was willing to sacrifice anything to keep it that way. That was more than she could say for anyone they might send to replace John or herself. What's more, she and John were a team. Sure, they'd had their disagreements in the past, but they had emerged stronger for it. Atlantis was stronger for it. No one could run the expedition like they could, but Earth just didn't seem to realize that.

What very bad, however, was that Elizabeth could see where they were coming from, and might have even agreed with them under different circumstances. She and John could have been compromised. (Although double medical examinations were, in her current opinion, a bit overkill.) It was a smart decision to check again, if an overly cautious one, so there was nothing she could do to fight the order. Not without seeming hypocritical.

Abruptly, Elizabeth stood, her face still blank. "Thank you, Mr. Woolsey. I will speak with John. We should be ready to leave by 0600 tomorrow in the Jumper Bay." Without pause, her eyes moved from Woolsey to Kate and Sarah (who looked both confused and horribly guilty), her voice never shifting from its flat, dead tone. "Dr. Heightmeyer, I'm glad you're back. Dr. Evans, I'm sure that if Col. Sheppard and I are ever allowed to return, you and I will get along wonderfully. I hope you'll feel at home here."

With that, Elizabeth swept from the room, letter from the President in hand, in search of John.

"No! You're doing it again! Every single time you're down here, it's the same! What is it about the phrase 'Don't touch anything,' that you simply cannot get through that thick skull of yours? Here. Let me say it again. Don't. Touch. Anything! Do you get it now, Sheppard?"

"Having fun, Rodney?" Elizabeth asked mildly, walking into the lab.

Her head scientist was tinged a bright pink, glaring angrily at her military commander who was standing casually next to the shattered remains of something that looked expensive.

Rodney, at least, made an impressive effort to compose himself. "Elizabeth," he greeted in a clipped voice, smoothing out his hair. "Was there something you needed?"

Smiling apologetically, Elizabeth replied, "Only to borrow John."

"Oh thank God!" Rodney gasped, visibly brightening along with John, who didn't seem too keen to be berated any longer. "Take him. Take him. Don't let him come back," he mumbled distractedly, pushing the offending party in her general direction and stooping over the broken piece of equipment, hands already fiddling.

"Love you too, Rodney," John muttered, but happily moved to Elizabeth's side and followed her as she led him into an unused lab space nearby. "Do I have something I have to clean, or did you just want to borrow me for my dashing good looks?" he asked teasingly.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, turning to face him. "Cheeky."

"I try."

A grateful smile tugged at the corners of her mouth for a moment, but the seriousness of the situation soon sobered her. "John, Richard Woolsey came through the 'gate from Earth this morning," Elizabeth stated, green eyes glued to his face.

Picking up on the mood, John's joking mannerisms disappeared as well. "I heard," he mentioned, visibly concerned. "What's he want this time?"

In answer, Elizabeth handed him the envelope that Woolsey had given her at their meeting. She had since opened and read her own thoroughly, discovering that it did indeed explain the situation as well as invite them to a dinner. She watched in silence as John did the same with his own envelope until he looked up at her, confused. "He has one for me as well," she informed him, looking down at their feet and tugging at the hem of her shirt. "We are both expected to be ready to leave for the SGC by morning in a Jumper. It wouldn't do to be late to dinner with the President."

John's eyes narrowed, and Elizabeth looked into his face again, sharing one of their silent 'conversations'. After a long moment, she began again. "And, for convenience's sake, Earth would also like thorough medical examinations to be made of the both of us while we're there."

Sighing, John stepped back, ran a hand over his face, and managed to shoot her a weak smile. "Well, you have to admit; we do have a knack for getting ourselves into compromising positions."

"Uncannily so, and I can't exactly fight them on this," she added morosely, but firmly. "We have to go. As much as I hate it, they're right, and we have to go. At the very least, they're extending every courtesy to us during our stay."

"Dinner with the President. Can't get much more courteous than that," John agreed. "But three days? Is that really necessary?"

"You read the letter. That's how long it takes to run some of the bloodwork," Elizabeth pointed out, crossing her arms. "We don't have to do much for the most part though. Try and think of this like… a vacation."

"Yeah, that will make Teyla feel better when I tell her I'll have to skip out on training with her, which I've been promising to do all week," snorted John, messing his hair with one hand. Elizabeth simply shook her head and made to leave, but stopped, surprised, when John caught her wrist in his hand, not letting her go.

"Look, 'Lizabeth… I'll go. I'm not going to make a fuss about it," he said, suddenly stumbling about for words as Elizabeth watched him curiously, intrigued by the sudden loss of his normally quick wit. "But I don't like it. I don't like being herded around like dumb cattle, you know?"

Elizabeth nodded slowly, and seeing this, John pressed on. "I just… want you to promise me something, all right?" He paused, and Elizabeth nodded again, transfixed by the rarely seen earnest and awkward side of her friend and the fact that he still hadn't released her wrist. "Off-world, everyone knows that you never, ever separate from your team, and in this case, we're a team. I know this is Earth we're talking about but… promise to stick around, all right?" The expression on his face was one Elizabeth wasn't quite familiar with on him, and the mixture of concern and sincerity she saw there totally disarmed her.

Without pausing to even think about it, Elizabeth nodded her head. "All right."

At this point, John finally released her and stepped back again, running the hand through his hair. "If I come back from lunch with broken bones, blame Teyla," he joked sheepishly. "I'll see you in the 'gate room by 0530 tomorrow morning, Elizabeth."

Then, he left, leaving Elizabeth alone and running a hand through her own hair, wondering what had just happened.

"Dr. Weir."

"Mr. Woolsey."

The greetings were short and to the point, much like Mr. Woolsey himself, Elizabeth thought wryly, shifting her weight slightly to soothe the cold ache in her belly and better offset the small duffel she was taking with her. It didn't hold much; just a spare Atlantis uniform and a set of civvies and a few other items she wanted to have on her person, but Elizabeth refused to take anything bigger, for fear of accepting the possibility that she might not be coming back.

Of course, if she didn't come back, she'd made preparations. Elizabeth had stayed up late into the night with a small mounted camera, recording everything she needed to say to her people if she never got the chance to say it in person and putting it on a flash drive: words of courage, words of sadness, words of wisdom, and one last goodbye. It wasn't enough, and she had said as much on the tape, but it was all she had. Once morning had struck the city, (if the ungodly hour of 0430 could be considered 'morning') Elizabeth had trudged up to the infirmary, literally begging the doctor on duty for pain pills to sooth the angry coil in her abdomen, her body reciprocating the stress of this particular day by rewarding her with particularly aggressive cramps. (Elizabeth was not thrilled.) Carson Beckett was the only person Elizabeth trusted with her recordings, and so on her way out, she had carefully sealed the memory stick in an envelope and left it on the good doctor's desk. He would know what to do.

"Sorry I'm late, 'Lizabeth. I was just… well, you know what I was doing." The voice ruining the silence of the Jumper bay snapped Elizabeth back into the moment rather abruptly, and she nearly dropped her duffel.

"John!" she exclaimed quickly in a last ditch attempt to salvage her dignity, hoisting the bag more firmly on her shoulder and leaning up against the side of the Puddle Jumper commissioned for their return, trying not to look as miserable as she felt. (Woolsey was already inside, waiting.) "It's fine. I wasn't out here long."

Sheppard nodded sleepily, ruffling his hair and dropping his own bag at his feet. He too leaned on the side of the Jumper, although he sagged more than leaned. "Didn't sleep well last night," he muttered in answer to her questioning look. "Nightmares."

"M51-237? Or something else?" Elizabeth asked with considerable sympathy.

"237. And the First Storm, as well."

Elizabeth winced. She still had nightmares about that incident as well. Not as many as John, she imagined, but still… it was enough. "I'm sorry," she told him honestly.

A cocky grin tugged at the corner of John's mouth. "I betcha you aren't as sorry as me!" he pointed out.

Maybe it was that her mood was precarious due to her feminine problems, or it was simply just way too early in the morning for her to function, but Elizabeth grinned right back and even went so far as to childishly stick out her tongue at him. "Always got to have the last word, don't you John?"

"You bet!" he laughed, shoving off the side of the Jumper and walking at her side until they rounded to the open ramp and stepped inside.

Their banter helped Elizabeth forget, just for a moment, that she was leaving Atlantis.

"You look like a girl in that hospital gown, John."

"Thanks, Mitchell."

"You're welcome. You look like a baby now, too. How're you gonna get yourself a girlfriend if you look like you're twelve?"

"Mitchell, don't you have paperwork to do?"

"Yes. Hey John, wanna play 'Would You Rather?' with me?"

"No."

"Sweet! Okay, would you rather… get caught putting pink dye into Teal'c's shampoo or have to listen to General Landry tell you about his love life?"

From behind her privacy screen, Elizabeth groaned, a new respect for John welling up inside her. Dr. Lam had warned them that Cam was bored, but Elizabeth hadn't counted on him being more obnoxious than even John. It was almost impressive, really.

"Feeling bad for him now, are we?" Dr. Lam asked from behind her penlight as she continued with Elizabeth's physical. Both she and John had to have one, and now Elizabeth was quite glad that she had gotten to go first, otherwise it would have been her that had fallen victim to curious SGC staff constantly poking their heads into the infirmary and in Cam's case, staying to chat.

"A little bit," she admitted, hearing the banter from outside her little screened-off area continue without a hitch.

Dr. Lam just shook her head and nudged Elizabeth off of her perch on the cot and onto a scale. "He probably deserves it," she reassured her bluntly, frowning at the weight reading. "Are you eating enough?"

"Not you too," Elizabeth groaned. First Beckett, now Lam… What was it with doctors telling her to eat and sleep more? She could sleep when she was dead, and coffee could keep her going just fine. Eating took time she didn't have.

"Cam! I need a box of doughnuts in here, stat!" Lam shouted suddenly, winking at Elizabeth. "And not the cheap kind either! I have a woman in need of calories, here!"

Mortified, Elizabeth felt heat creeping up her neck and she nearly reprimanded the doctor before she realized that she was just grinning at her, Cam was already gone, and John was calling out to her with audible gratitude from the other side the privacy screen that he would get his paperwork done on time for a whole month.

Apparently, the SGC took their doughnuts very seriously.

New characters, new setting, AND doughnuts? Gettin' crazy now. Hope you liked it. :)