CHAPTER 5 FAMILIARITY

He told her a little more, but kept it simple, not wanting to become too involved in long technical explanations that could cause implications at a later stage. He was fascinated by the expressions on her face as he talked to her and smiled a little as she become excited and interjected a little too forcefully, her hands expressive and always moving, his own itching to take her into his arms. Keep those feelings carefully tucked away Sheppard. She's not for you. Different time, different place – can't happen. Wouldn't be fair on her, and likely not fair on you either. Yeah, might be fun, but the consequences may be far reaching... and can't have that little misdemenour on my conscious.

Eventually he wound down, content now just to watch her. She moved about finding him a towel and some men's clothes that she pulled out of a chest of drawers... not sure how he felt about that! Either she still had a man in her life, or until recently, one had been living here. Whichever one it was, he pushed the thoughts aside. He didn't want to think of her with another man. Possessive? Hell yes, for now he could enjoy the small fantasy that she belonged with him. Reality would intrude soon enough.

"Shower Colonel John Sheppard! As fetching as the rugged male look is, the aroma, not so much..." She smiled to show that she was indeed teasing, and he took the towel and the offered clothes and headed to the bathroom. And fought the urge to whistle.

She bustled around cleaning the kitchen and completing her preparations for the picnic. She would take her motor boat to the mainland, to join her family for the required picnic and family time that was both mandatory and expected on the fourth of July, regardless of how she felt about her father. She had still not fully forgiven him for his role in getting Captain Terrence O'Neill stripped of his rank and thrown in the brig. She had still not forgiven him for stepping in and taking control of a situation that she had wanted to deal with on her own. She had intended to throw the man out – it was a personal injury that he had shown her, and should not have been reflected in his professional life. Arguments with her father had not given her any concessions. He had insisted that the Captain he brought up on charges professionally and had paraded her injuries like a pariah. She had felt more than just ashamed. She had hidden here on her island, in her cottage and had made little progress at getting back into a new life and the real world. This was the legacy Captain O'Neill and her father had left for her.

She stopped for a moment to listen to the sound of the shower and thought she heard whistling. This brought a smile to her face. It had been some time since she had heard a man in the shower... and fought the urge to join him in there.

He emerged several minutes later, the shirt a little too tight and the pants extremely well fitting in all necessary areas, and she had to take a calming breath. Really Gina, get some perspective here girl! The man is a guest in your home and he would be mortified if he knew that you were mentally undressing him as soon as he stepped out the shoulder. Or that you wanted to lick that droplet of water that was running down the side of his cheek and follow it down... down... oh dear. Down, girl!

His amused hazel eyes tracked the expressions across her face and saw her cheeks colour slightly as she caught him looking at her.

"Cover story Colonel John Sheppard! We need to come up with a valid sounding one as to how I met you... etc etc... and believe me, after the last debacle that was the end of my rather tragic love life, if a man falls into it these days, he is most definitely going to get more than the third degree. As soon as I give him your name you will be fed into the system and every misdemeanour, every speeding ticket, every bad word you ever said is going to be listed in black and white on a very thorough report. That is my father. Overprotective. Overbearing and extremely obnoxious."

John smiled at he, laughing a little at the way her hands fisted on her hips and she tilted her head provocatively as she listed her father's not so good qualities.

"But you love him? And obviously he loves you... "

"Love? Sure... why not. More like ownership, sense of duty and wanting to sweep my embarassing history under the carpet. And any man that gets associated with me, even in an extremely innocent way will have every aspect of his life instantly brought under scrutiny. So need to have an airtight story. Get your thinking cap on Colonel John Sheppard. We can't give them your real name, not with the military background – what about a family member that would have been your age in this time... something that if checked will come up as accurate?"

"I could just miss this picnic and family reunion and hang out here until you get back... sounds like finding a whole cover story is going to be hard work. Perhaps I'll wander around a little on my own, see what I can find. I'm not up for the whole lie to a general scenario. It's damn hard work, and if he's as good as you say he is, he'll likely see right through me."

"Perhaps John, although if I know my father, he already knows you're here... he's got eyes all over these damned islands..."

"Why not get out then Gina? Get away from him, start a life somewhere else? I can sense that you've had something tragic happen in your life, and likely fairly recently. But a fresh start away from his influence... you need to think about it. And do yourself a favour. I don't know that you're doing yourself one by staying here..."

He saw anger flit across her face and knew that he had crossed a line. "You can't presume to give me advice when you know nothing about my life. Fine! Stay here. I'll warn you though. There's nothing he misses. I'll go to this damned picnic and watch the fireworks and play the dutiful daughter. Because that's what is expected of me. And when I come back, perhaps you'll be here and perhaps you'll be gone..."

She finished throwing food into the hamper and whirled around, opening cupboard doors and dragging out towels and blankets. He felt guilty at her anger and moved to stop her before she hurt herself with all the banging around. "Gina.. stop.. please. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said what I did. You're right – I don't know anything about you, but I'd like you to tell me. When you get back. Go to your picnic. I'll lie low here and make sure no one comes and sees me. I'll not get you into trouble and I'll come up with a cover story in case we have to use it... if for some reason I can't find a way to get back. It's too soon now though... I can't face any more people at the moment, I just need time to get inside my own head and make some sense out of what has happened. Ok?"

He had placed his hands lightly at her waist as she stood with her head inside the large cupboard and felt the tension in her body at his touch. And couldn't seem to remove his hands when he knew he should. His thumbs stroked gently, the soft skin of her waist, warm to the touch even through the thin cotton of her sundress. "Gina, look at me."

She didn't turn and he increased his pressure slightly needing to look at her face. "Gina, please."

He saw her shoulders slump and she turned so that he saw the tears that had filled her eyes. His arms had slid around her waist as she turned and she now stood in the circle of his arms and he pulled a little tighter so that she was against him and could rest a cheek against his chest. His hands ran up her back and he felt the tension ease out of her body. Bending his head near her ear, he smelt the shampoo she used, coconut and something fruity. "Go to your picnic Gina. I'll be here when you get back. You may not know me, but you can trust me. I give you my word." He held her for a little while, a part of his mind wondering at the man who had hurt her so badly. She bore the scars like a badge and part of him wanted to take the man to pieces and feed him to the fish.