A/N: I must thank ladygris for all her assistance and insight. She has been a brilliant source of inspiration as well as a great friend.

To Lithane: Is this John/Evan-centric enough for you? :-P

Gracias,

~Sandy

Not a Hero

Chapter 15

The Enemy of My Enemy

Jennifer started to topple over backward and clutched at the person to keep from falling before she realized it was David. She'd thought he'd left already and didn't bother to hide her surprise. A shiver of revulsion made its way down her back at the feel of his hands on her arms.

Since she'd met him, the thought of having him near her for any reason had turned her stomach. It was instinctive, almost primal. She'd thrown his card away because she had absolutely no intention of ever calling him. If she were drowning and the only way for her to be saved would be to let him help her, she'd sink beneath the waves rather than take his hand. Taking two steps back so he'd have to let go, she crossed her arms and waited for him to speak.

"Jennifer. I've been expecting your call." The look on his face was more like a leer.

"I've been…busy." Jennifer refused to explain. "What do you want?"

"To show you something." Reaching into his pocket, David took out his SmartPhone, touched the screen and handed it to her. She took it and watched the video of herself and John the night they'd kissed. It showed her dragging John down the hall and up to the door of his room where they passed out of camera range. Unfortunately, she had no way to prove they hadn't spent the night together. When the video ended, Jennifer made herself look at David. "Why are you showing me this?"

He pocketed the phone and crossed his arms. "I could have just had you fired. You'd lose your medical license and be censured by the medical community, never allowed to practice medicine in the US ever again. And with the resources available to us, to me, no other country would have you either. And you'd never see Atlantis again.

"As for Sheppard, he'd end up in prison where he belongs. Now you have to make a decision. Accede to my request or it goes to Woolsey, the AMA, Dr. Weir, General Carter, and anyone else I can think of. Hell, I'd even post it on YouTube if I thought it would get me what I want."

Trying not to show how panicked she'd become, Jennifer unflinchingly met and held his eyes. "And what do you want, Mr. Magee?" As if I don't know.

David stepped in front of her, his left hand on the wall beside her head, his right reaching out to lift a lock of hair that rested along her collarbone. "You. I want you." Taking a step back, he gave her a smile she didn't like at all. "You have two days to make up your mind or Sheppard will be on his way to a Federal prison so secret there's only a few people in this country who know where it is. It's a place where they not only lock you up and throw away the key, but they sometimes throw away the room as well. Now I know you're wondering how I know about it. It had to be built by someone and that 'someone' was my family's company.

"So you see I hold all the cards in this hand of poker we've been playing." He leaned close enough she could smell his breath. Wintergreen again. "And I always win."

~~O~~

His growling stomach forcing him to think of eating, John pushed a hand through his hair, opened the door and stepped out. He made certain to pull it completely shut despite the fact that most people on the premises could get in without much trouble. The door across from him opened and he came face to face with his partner.

Avoiding Evan's gaze, John turned in the direction of the Commissary, annoyed when the other man followed. Just before they reached the corner, John heard muted voices recognizing one as Angel's and the other as Magee's. Putting up his hand in a fist, John signaled for them to freeze and Evan obeyed automatically.

Edging up to the corner, John peeked around and pulled back. Evan tapped him on the shoulder asking a silent question. In quick succession, John flashed the signals for listen, watch and enemy. Nodding, the shorter man traded places with John. They continued to communicate with hand signals until David headed in their direction. Neither one could hear what was being said but they didn't like the smug tone coming from David and the fear from Jennifer.

They quickly retraced their steps, stopped and turned. David reached the corner at the same time they did, his face in a scowl. "What are you two doing? We're not paying you to just stand around."

John crossed his arms, humor in every line. "Since I haven't actually gotten a paycheck yet, Magee, you're not really paying me to do anything."

Playing along, Evan agreed. "You've got a point."

Falsely jovial, as if they were best buds, John grinned. "Thanks, Lorne."

"My pleasure, Sheppard."

Pushing past them to the door that led to his office, David tossed a final remark over his shoulder. "Then stop loitering in the hall. I'm sure there's something else you can be doing."

The two special agents watched David through the secure door as he entered his office, the door slamming behind him. Their smiles disappeared as soon as he was gone.

Evan shook his finger. "You know, there's something about that guy I just don't like."

Waving his hand next to his head, John agreed. "He makes my Spidey-sense tingle, and not in the fun way."

"Spidey-sense?" Evan chuckled. "Good analogy. And I really didn't like the way he was looking at that girl."

"That girl is the head doc around here. He's been harassing her." John got a thoughtful look in his eyes. "Ready to break in that brand new super-secret government ID?"

"Say the word."

"Word. I know what our first mission's gonna be."

The light in Evan's eyes got brighter, his interest piqued. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." The anticipation of finally having something to do besides orientation meetings and working out kicked his appetite into high gear for the first time in days. "You up for a weasel hunt?" They resumed their trek to the Commissary though after a few steps John stopped his and Evan's forward motion, his expression one of mild shock. "Wait. Did we just agree on something?"

Evan was a little startled too. "Yeah."

Together the men said, "That was weird!"

With an exaggerated shudder, John started walking again, Evan falling into step beside him. "You know, that kinda creeped me out."

"Me too. Let's not do that again."

"No problem. I…wait. Did we just agree again?"

"Yeah." Evan paused a beat. "We set a dangerous precedent with that first one."

A moment later, Tish left her office, purse slung over her shoulder. She was in a short skirt and four-inch heels, her hair up emphasizing the length of her slender neck and making her appear even taller.

With something analogous to shock, Evan stumbled to a halt and just stared at the picture she presented.

She grinned as if she could tell what he was thinking as she stopped in front of them. "Hello boys."

A little nervous about seeing her outside of their sessions, John said, "Doc. How's it going?"

"Oh, it's goin'." She looked at Evan inquiringly. "And who might you be?"

Belatedly, the ex-detective remembered his manners. "Special Agent Evan Lorne. Lorne, Doc Adams."

Obviously trying to keep his eyes on her face, Lorne extended his hand. "Doc."

"Special Agent. I'm the shrink, by the way. But don't hold it against me. Everyone has to do something."

"A pleasure, ma'am."

Tish winked and turned to go. "We'll see about that."

They watched her pass through the main security door and enter Woolsey's office without knocking.

Not knowing what to say, Evan just stared for a while. "Uh, Sheppard…" John tapped him on the arm to get his attention then held a hand just under his chin. Evan's eyes got even wider, if that were possible.

John nudged him again. "Engaged to Woolsey."

Evan blinked. "Lucky man!"

Shrugging, John started walking again. "If you like Amazons with legs so long they could wrap around a potbelly stove and thighs that can crack a walnut."

Evan choked, pulling the collar of his shirt away from his neck.

John grinned. "Or so I've heard."

Atlantis

Gate Room

Elizabeth thanked the Marine pushing the cart with her personal belongings, the man nodded and went to stand with his squad. Every member of the expedition crowded around the edges of the Gate Room, filling the stairs and balconies almost beyond capacity. Caldwell, as the new expedition commander, stood at the rail close to Operations, Chuck, Amelia, Ronon, Teyla and Reed at his side. Radek, to show his displeasure at the change in command, was on the Gate Room floor at the front of the Science and Research team.

She'd already said all she needed or wanted to say, even allowing Anouke to speak to the senior staff. The only one missing was Rodney and she didn't fault him for staying with his wife and their newborns. With one final glance at the faces she'd come to know over the last few years, Elizabeth pushed the cart toward the blue puddle illusion.

~~O~~

Caldwell wanted to begin his tenure as commander on a high note so the transition would go as smoothly as possible. No matter that he thought he was the better choice, Elizabeth had been respected by all, including himself, and even loved by many of the staff.

"Company! A-ten-hut!" He snapped to attention as did every member of the military. What surprised him was when the civilians did so as well. Their stances weren't perfect but that didn't matter. This was about honoring a departing dignitary, not adhering to protocol. As a group, they saluted, holding the position until she'd passed through the event horizon and the 'gate shut down. He paused for precisely five seconds. "Company dis-MISSED!"

Area 52

Commissary

Head down, Jennifer hurried into the Commissary and straight for the coffee. She snatched a cup from the stack but her hand shook so badly she couldn't pour. Before she could drop it, a hand took both and placed them on the counter. She looked up and John was beside her, his face mask of concern. He took her by the hand, leading her to the table he was sharing with the brown-haired man from the gym. She sat down, head resting in her hands.

~~O~~

John and Evan had just seated themselves at a table when Jennifer rushed past them to the drink station. Coffee splashed on the floor when she attempted to pour herself some of the hot brew and he hurried to her "rescue." Taking the pot and cup from her hands, he urged her over to the table and into a chair.

That creep Magee had really upset her this time. Instead of going after him, he exchanged a quick glance with Lorne, seeing agreement. He nodded to emphasize his response. "You know, I haven't been out of this place much since I got here. Let's go get a beer. Lorne?"

"I'm in."

The trio headed for the motor pool, John's hand on the small of Jennifer's back so she would know he was there for her. When they arrived at the parking area, she still hadn't said anything, just went to a black H3 and climbed into the passenger seat. John and Lorne stared longingly at the shiny black Dodge Ram four-door pick-up and shared another eye roll at yet another thing they agreed on. After John checked the vehicle out with the Marine Sergeant in charge, he took the keys and got behind the wheel.

At the gate Woolsey and Tish were just pulling out. The shrink buzzed the window down. "Where you guys headed?"

"Thought we'd go get a beer."

Tish grinned. "We'll join you. We can celebrate our engagement and your new partnership."

~~O~~

In the back seat, Evan took the opportunity to observe Sheppard without his knowledge. He couldn't decide what to think about the man he'd always felt had been responsible for Lee's death. One minute he was the biggest jerk in the world and the next he was solicitous of the young doctor without being overly obvious about it.

He watched Sheppard cast furtive glances at the doctor whose name he didn't know, his detective's mind putting together what few pieces he'd gathered in just the last ten minutes. Sheppard was very attracted to this girl…woman but was uncertain if he wanted to pursue it.

Evan leaned forward. "Excuse me, we haven't actually met. I'm Special Agent Evan Lorne." She finally smiled though it didn't reach her eyes. He knew he wasn't the cause so took no offense as she extended her right hand over her left shoulder.

"Dr. Jennifer Keller. Welcome to Area 52, Special Agent."

"Evan, please." Her smile didn't fade completely but it dimmed a little as she faced front again. He settled back, his usual laid back expression in place. But under the surface he was seething on her behalf. He could tell that she was a compassionate, thoughtful and kindhearted soul who'd been taken advantage of. Whatever Sheppard wanted to do to this guy, he'd help him.

~~O~~

It was the middle of the week so the bar wasn't overly crowded, mostly regulars and a few stragglers who just happened to wander in. The house band was playing a Willie Nelson tune and doing a so-so job of it while a few couples danced.

Woolsey, Tish, Jennifer, John and Evan found a table not too far from the pool tables. Their drinks arrived in short order and Jennifer made the toast. "Richard and Tish, May your life together be long and happy."

Tish tipped back her glass of white wine and Richard took a long drink of the juice he was drinking in lieu of alcohol. The shrink gave her fiancé a quick kiss. "Oh, it will be, Jennifer. It will be."

Next they toasted the new partnership of John and Evan. The two men didn't look at each other as they drank from their bottles as if they agreed.

~~O~~

John was about to take a swig of his second beer when a guy in chinos and a polo shirt approached Tish. The man obviously hadn't noticed the rock on her left hand. Over the last couple of weeks he'd gotten to know some of the subtleties in the shrink's expressions and the one she wore now told him she would be having fun at this guy's expense. Oh, cool. A floor show.

"Would you care to dance?"

With an exaggerated sigh, Tish turned to face him. "And after this dance, I suppose you'd like to buy me a drink." Not giving him a chance to answer, she plowed ahead. "And after I've had a few too many, you'll no doubt invite me up to your apartment, condo, penthouse, hotel room, whatever and want to have your way with me."

"Uh…"

"Let me save you some cash, honey, and we'll just skip right to the sex."

The man opened and closed his mouth a few times. "Are you serious?"

"Oh, I know what you're gonna say but it's no big deal. Really. This happens all the time." She stood, purposely leaning forward until her chest was practically in his face. Turning to Woolsey, she smiled fondly, her tone wheedling. "You don't mind, do you, Dickie Darling?"

Woolsey pushed back the sleeve of his suit jacket, glanced at his watch and let out a long suffering sigh. "Okay. But try to be home no later than midnight. We have an appointment with the marriage counselor in the morning."

Pouting, she planted her fists on her hips. "Do we have to go? I think that shrink hates me." Looking back at the man who was standing there with a dumbfounded expression, she grinned, her eyes giving him a leisurely once-over. "And he looks like he's good for at least four or five hours. Not like the last one who…"

"Oh, alright. I'll reschedule the appointment…again. But I'm taking the car this time so he'll have to bring you home. One last thing, what should I tell the kids?"

The rest of the conversation flowed around them as John said to Evan, "And they say romance is dead."

Evan didn't respond, just hid a grin behind his beer bottle as he took a drink.

Jennifer had obviously seen Tish in action before because she didn't bat an eyelash as she crunched on a pretzel. John was gratified to see that her smile, the one he'd first seen when he'd been rescued from the desert, had returned.

Resuming her seat, Tish took a drink of her beer, set the bottle down, turned to the side and crossed her legs, her foot swinging in time to the music a she watched the flummoxed would-be suitor leave the bar.

Woolsey unbuttoned his jacket and smiled. He caught the bartender's eye and the man grinned and shook his head. This wasn't the first time Tish had made a fool of a guy who only saw her beauty and sex appeal.

Evan couldn't contain himself any longer. "That was amazing, Doc."

Tish shrugged. "Some people make it way too easy." She finished off her beer while Woolsey downed the last of the acai juice that the owner kept behind the bar just for him. They stood together, the shrink gazing fondly at her fiancé. "What most men don't realize is they need to be at least this tall…" she raised her hand level with Woolsey's chin, "…to get on this ride. Plus be cute and just a little bald." Giving him a kiss, she followed when he urged her toward the door. "'Night."

~~O~~

Evan watched the door close behind Woolsey and Tish giving the other two a dubious look. "Are you sure she's a shrink?"

John lifted his beer for the last swallow, his eyes unreadable. "Oh, yeah."

Jennifer was grinning too. "Every one of us has gone up against her at one time or another. She always comes out on top."

"Huh."

~~O~~

They were silent for a while then John pushed his empty bottle aside. Jennifer was staring at a point half way between the two men not really focused on anything. "I know you don't wanna talk about this, but we have to do something about Magee."

She sighed in resignation. "You already know he's been harassing me." Not wanting to meet his eyes, she kept them on her hands clasped together in front of her. "Tonight he showed me a video."

"Of what?"

"An…incident that occurred a few days ago. He threatened to send it to the AMA."

Evan grabbed a pretzel from the full bowl in the middle of the table. "How bad can this video be?"

Opening and closing her mouth a few times, in a barely audible voice, she said, "There's no audio and it looks like I'm about to…sleep with a patient. I didn't but I can't prove it. And if they called…the other party, he probably wouldn't be believed for a variety of reasons. None of which are important right now."

John knew she was protecting him and he appreciated it though it wasn't necessary. He begged a pen from the bartender and grabbed a handful of napkins. "We have to bring this guy down. What areas besides the break rooms don't have cameras?"

Jennifer shrugged. "Some of the storerooms, the janitor's closets, um…that's all I can think of. This is information he has. That's why he's never gotten caught."

"He's done this before? Why didn't someone turn him in?" Evan raised his voice but not enough to be noticed by the other patrons.

"Don't know. And now he has that video."

Evan fuming under his calm exterior brought up something the other two seemed to have forgotten. "What about in the hall tonight? There are cameras all over the place."

Shrugging again, Jennifer finished her beer. "I noticed the other day that the little red light wasn't on like it usually is. Does that mean it doesn't work?"

"He could have disabled it, adjusted the angle or even changed the viewing range on it. If he's computer savvy, he could have recorded the empty hall and looped the recording through the secure lines to keep security from getting suspicious." Evan's detective mind went over the possibilities. There were more but these were the easiest to accomplish. "Does he have that level of expertise?"

"Not a clue. Um, I know this is kinda but not really off the subject. I have this weird…thing that happens when I first meet someone. If my instincts tell me that person can't be trusted, my palms begin to feel oily and it's never failed me yet. The first time I met him, I wanted to take a long hot shower I felt so dirty." She shivered. "No way I'm letting him…do what he's suggesting." Out of the corner of her eye she saw Evan get up and go to the bar, returning shortly with a cup of hot tea. He placed it in front of her and resumed his seat. "You guys ever get anything like that?"

Her question was aimed at both men and John was intrigued. Angel has a Spidey-sense? He also wondered if this sense had demonstrated itself when they first met in the morgue over the body of Thomas Crane. Shaking his head, he reasoned that it most likely hadn't or she wouldn't be here now nor would she have done any of the little extras for him that had begun to make him feel as if he mattered to someone. One side of John's mouth lifted in a half smile. "I guess you could call it that."

Evan was nodding. "All cops develop some sort of radar as a defense mechanism or they wouldn't last long. Putting your trust in the wrong person can get you killed, especially when undercover."

Jennifer sipped her tea. "You've been undercover, Evan?"

"No. But I've had friends who've done it. You have eat, sleep and breathe your new persona, and have answers for any questions someone might ask and paperwork to back it up. One slip…" he didn't have to finish the thought.

She nodded understanding. "So what're we gonna do about this?"

John's resolve hardened. No way would he allow her to be involved when they took Magee down. "There is no we as far as you're concerned. This op is mine and Lorne's."

Her chin came up in that way he was beginning to recognize as her way of preparing for a fight. "But, John…"

"No! You will go back to Stargate Command or better yet, Atlantis." He'd never used that particular tone with her before and the shock of it showed on her face. She was almost hurt by his words. To ease the sting, he lifted his hand, allowing it to hover uncertainly over her smaller one resting on the table before taking it in his. The contrast between his sun darkened skin and hers, fair to match the blonde hair, was, in his opinion, just another way of showing him that they didn't really belong together. Softening his tone and features, he spoke quietly to her. "Please, Angel. Stay out of it. I want you as far from Magee as possible until we figure out how to take him down."

TBC