CHAPTER 47 – A TOUCH OF NORMAL

John watched the pallor come to her face and saw her falter. She had pushed herself today, spending too much time in Rodney's lab, trying too hard to fit herself into even a small corner of Rodney's too big shoes. It had been cruel of Rodney to push her into this position and while it was likely that he had recognised in Gina, the same drive that took him to his many great finds – he had a history with the stargate programme and the advantage of being from this time. Gina was already hopping two steps behind – make that fifty years behind. John failed to see how she could help fit Rodney's missing puzzle pieces, unless he needed someone with an unclouded eye, someone who saw possibilities and probabilities from an earlier time, uncluttered by modern perception and prejudice.

"Enough Gina – Rodney's an ass for expecting you to step up and follow all this. If he was here right now, I'd kick his butt all the way back to earth. That wasn't fair what he did, put all this pressure on you to continue something in all likelihood, he would not be able to complete."

"I saw the look on your face John – you know it can be done. You know he's close, and you suspect he's doing something in my present to expedite his work."

"This is your present now Gina.. .that is your past..." John gently took her hand, wanting to lead her away. "And your present man is telling you enough is enough for now – time to eat, get out of here and play nice in our safe single universe, in our own time. I promised you normal, we've yet to get to that point yet. Everything we've experienced has been extraordinary. Tonight – now, we have normal. So sweetheart, take my hand and allow me to escort you to our delightful mess where we shall sample the delights our less than ambitious base chef has decided to attempt tonight. No guarantees there, some of the offerings leave little to be desired. But normal we shall have, just for tonight. Then I shall take you dancing out on the east pier, courtesy of my ipod and external speakers and once I have plied you with Ruus wine, we shall adjourn to our room... for more intimate pleasures. Does that sound... normal?"

Gina leaned comfortably against him, glad that Radek had made his escape earlier. His words were for her alone.

"So, we leave poor Schrodingers cat in here for tonight? Seal it back up until we decide what to do about him? Or do you let me have a go at what he started? If you say no, I'll find a way... just so you know... I'm not too good with orders... sir..."

"Cheeky wench... come here..." and he pulled her tightly against him covering her giggles with the hard kiss that silenced her, just as it was meant to. "See the word Colonel on my uniform? That makes me in charge..."

"In or out of the bedroom.. hmmm?" Laughing now she pulled away from him and went to gather up Rodney's notes. "He knew what he was doing John, knew that my mind would not let it rest, just as his didn't... guess he knew me better than I thought he did. Or he's already met me in another universe..."

"Out! Now!" John's stern voice had her quickly packing up and barely avoiding his hand which went to swat her rear end none too gently.

"Ok.. going..."

They had their normal, their ordinary and John allowed himself to relax for the first time in almost a month. He tried to keep his mind firmly away from all that had happened, but unbidden the odd thought would come spiralling to the surface. A little difficult to shut it down completely when the woman beside him was a part of all that happened to this point. He sat across from her – as promised, a simple dinner in the mess and smiled at the look of distaste that crept across her face. He had been right. The food did leave little to be desired almost as though the chef had compromised distance for quality.

"I cannot imagine one getting overweight around here John. Do you manage to sneak in supplies from earth, tastier ones?"

He laughed, reaching across to hold her hand, turning it over to idly trace patterns on the palm. "Sometimes we get invited to gatherings and festivals offworld and get to sample the local fare from other planets. That can be an interesting experience. Some of the food you need to have eaten since birth to have an type of appreciation for. Some are just plain unpalatable – on those occasions, we come back to Atlantis and the food doesn't seem too bad. Other times, it's a matter of need really. You force it down because you need the fuel. But yes, I sneak food in all the time... popcorn, one of my weaknesses."

She pushed her tray away, wrinkling her nose. "Sorry John, perhaps I could offer to give your chef some cooking lessons.. you promised me dancing... and other things." She smiled at him and he wasted little time in helping her out of her seat.

"A date, of sorts. We've known each other almost a month and have never been on a date. Time I remedied that...hmmm?"

He proceeded to do just that. Holding her close while swaying to nondescript music coming from the small external speakers he had plugged his ipod into out on the east pier, she sighed contentedly. Head resting on his shoulder, she paused occasionally to look up at the stars that glittered like cold hard diamonds in the sky above and felt a shiver of knowledge that these stars were not the ones she had spent hours looking at on earth. She swayed in the arms of a man who was fifty years in her old future, on a planet in a galaxy she could not have comprehended a short time ago. And had been left a legacy by a scientist who now took her place in her own time line. To help expedite a programme that was only in it's infant stage.

Normal and ordinary? Her life could never be considered normal and ordinary, not any more. Normal was her old life where she went through each day with slightly baited breath, waiting for something to happen, on edge and unknowing – always with that glimmer of knowledge that she was meant to do more than what she had allowed herself.

Normal and ordinary? Pushed through a rift in time by a father and aunt who no longer took human form, but who had become ascended beings. One who had been on earth for more than 10,000 years. Sent forward in time fifty years to be with a man for a reason that still waited self consciously at the back of her mind, waiting for them all to make the connection. Sent forward in time to complete a project that she already knew would consume her in more ways than one.

Normal and ordinary. Every moment of my life from the day I was born led me to this point. I am the catalyst that has changed all these lives. Not John with his ancient gene – he was simply my guide. Normal and ordinary...