Chapter 41

Spoilers for the Seer and Spoils of War.

Jennifer comes to her one day. Louise is preparing her menus for the week ahead, sitting at the table in the kitchen. "Mind if I come in?" Keller asks tentatively. They don't know each other much and Louise has not warmed up to her yet. The girl is too young to her liking and she's not sure she can connect to her. She's not even sure she'll ever fit in.

She smiles at her all the same. It's not her fault she's filling in for Carson and seeing her always reminds her of the friend they've lost. "Sure. What can I do for you, Doctor?" Jennifer sees her unease and mistakens it for a fear of being ordered in the infirmary for a check up or shots.

She lifts her hands in mock surrender. "Before you ask, I'm not here for you. I've come to ask for your help." Louise nods and offers her to sit with her. "As you may know, I have a very sick patient in the infirmary..."

Louise shakes her head. "I'm just the cook, Doctor," she answers self-deprecatingly. "I'm not kept in the loop." Ever since the guys are shunning her, she doesn't get any intel except for what is directly her responsibility.

"Alright," the other woman amends, "well, see, there's that planet – Vedeena. Their leader, Davos, is a very sick man. He also has the uncanny ability, it seems, to see the future. Kind of like a seer."

Louise giggles. "These people don't exist, though, if they did, I bet they would be very valuable to us! A little hindsight would be useful at times."

Jennifer smiles. "I take it you don't like surprises," she chuckles.

Louise chuckles too. "No, I certainly don't. So, you were saying..."

Jennifer sees she now has her attention. "This man has an advanced form of cancer against which I cannot do much. I can make him as comfortable as possible but that's about as far as our medical advancement goes. I was wondering if you could come and see him. Talk to him and see what he'd fancy eating. I know he's trying to make efforts but most of the food on his trays is left untouched," she says despondently, looking at her hands she's rested on the table.

She looks up and sees Louise has spaced out. She waits patiently. After a minute or so, Louise turns to her, a look of pain etched on her features. "My uncle died of cancer when I was in college. We like food in our family and though he was an in-law, he sure adapted well. But when he got sick, nothing my aunt would prepare for him suited him. He said it tasted like ashes. Except for a few things she found he still enjoyed but that was mainly by trial and error. Everyone is different, I'm afraid," she adds, wincing.

Jennifer looks hopeful. "Could you maybe see what he'd like? I know I'll make you pull extra hours..." she adds.

Louise laughs humorlessly. "Time is all I have these days, Dr Keller. I'll help him."

She follows her to the infirmary and is introduced to the patient and his daughter, Linara. They strike a conversation but he soon tires and she offers to come back later. "You rest, Sir," she tells him with an encouraging smile, "and while you do, I'll see what I can do for you. I'll bring a few things and you'll tell me if you fancy anything."

He nods tiredly and closes his eyes. "Thank you, Ms Léger. I know it's difficult for you to see someone with the same ailment as one of your loved ones. It makes your help even more worthy. I do appreciate." She looks towards Jennifer, frowning. They've come together to the infirmary and there's no way anyone has told him about it because she never told anyone – not even John.

She wants to ask but he's already asleep so she just leaves quietly and sets to work, putting Wilson in charge of the kitchen so she can give her undivided attention to their patient. She thinks about her uncle – what he liked to eat when he got sick, before he was too weak and had to be hospitalized. She starts making recipes for one and sets them on a tray and is getting ready to take them to the infirmary when she sees Davos, accompanied by his daughter, walk tentatively in the room. He looks a little better and the IV has been unhooked from his arm.

She walks up to him and offers her arm. He walks cautiously between her and his daughter. Louise leads them to the balcony. "It's a nice, warm day. It would be a shame to spend it inside. I'lll set the table for two and you can pick and choose, find something you like maybe in the food I've prepared for you," she offers.

He settles in one of the chair but his daughter declines to do so, offering to help. She looks lost and sorrowful so Louise accepts her help – to keep her busy. They make quick work of setting the table and bringing the plates she's prepared. She points at each of them, one after the other, explaining what it is and what the ingredients are. "If there's something you like, I'll consider it a staple on your menu, and if you don't feel like eating something, just don't. Holler if you need help," she tells Linara before leaving.

His daughter comes to her half an hour later, telling her what her father has liked and bringing back one of the trays. "He's asked for you, Ma'am, if it's not asking too much," she informs Louise. "I think he wants to talk to you about something."

Louise smiles at her and removes her apron. "Sure. I can spare some time." She grabs her grandmother's cookbook. "Maybe he'll find something in there he'd like to try."

Linara shakes her head. "I don't think it's that kind of talk. Maybe someone told you about my father's ability..." she says tentatively.

Louise nods. "I have to tell you though I don't believe in such abilities. That's just fiction to me," she tells the younger woman gently. She doesn't want to be rude but she has no patience for that kind of tales.

"Just go and see him, Ms Léger. I know I'm asking a lot but he believes nothing happens out of pure luck and he hasn't had so many visions in such a short time. Humor him, please," Linara begs her.

"Very well, I will listen to him. But don't ask me to believe what he says."

They converse congenially for a half hour or so. He hasn't mentioned his vision and she's glad of it. He gets tired after a short while and Louise calls the infirmary to get a wheelchair and a medic to come and get him. He thanks her for her time and efforts at making him comfortable.

Chris drops by as he's being wheeled away. He takes one look at the younger man and grabs Louise's hand. "Can I talk to you in private, Ms Léger?" he asks, taking her by surprise. She pouts but relents, thinking how little time he has left and is yet worrying about others instead of his own well-being.

Chris sighs. Everytime he drops by, there's always something coming up that takes her away from him. She sighs too and stares at him, clearly pissed at his impatience. "Can you give us all a minute," she tells the medic and Johansen. Linara smiles at her and leaves the room quietly behind them. Louise folds her hands on her lap and waits.

The older man watches her intently. "He's your companion, isn't he?"

She flushes and looks away. "More like a temporary boyfriend," she corrects him, looking embarrassed.

He nods. "I agree. I don't see him in your future but I have seen something else I'd like to talk to you about."

She scoffs. "Yeah, well, it wouldn't take much insight to see we're not made for each other. And as for guessing he's my boyfriend, that was quite easy, seeing how he acts all proprietary around me."

Davos pouts. "Your walls are so high, my dear..."

She sniggers. "Yeah, well, someone told me that some time ago. But, you know, I'll take that as a compliment. It's kept me alive until now so..."

He looks at her sadly. "But this young man, you're keeping him at bay, like everybody else. He doesn't stand a chance. And as for what I've seen earlier, you need to know..."

She cuts him off. "Look, I don't wanna know, OK? If it's something about Atlantis or anyone else on this expedition, you need to talk to Colonels Sheppard or Carter. They're the ones in charge. If it's solely about me, I don't give a damn shit about what the future has in store for me. Fate has been a bitch from day one. I don't see why it'd change." She looks away, tears in her eyes.

"Ms Léger, I didn't want to hurt you. I was just trying to help," he apologizes.

She turns to him with a smile that doesn't reach her eyes. "I know, Mr Davos. I'd just like to have a say in the matter if you don't mind and right now, I am sick of being told by others what I have to do. I'll call your daughter now. I need to get to work on the evening meal as well as yours."

She looks around as Linara and the medic come to get Davos and wheel him to the infirmary but Chris is nowhere to be found. She walks out of the mess hall and looks around too. She sees John and Mr Woolsey walking her way.

The latter gives her a broad smile. "Ms Léger! Exactly the person I wanted to see! I asked your friend here to make a little detour before our meeting in the conference room."

She shakes hands with him, trying hard to ignore said friend. John makes a show of ignoring her as well, staring at his shoes, his hands behind his back. "Mr Woolsey, good to see you again. How have you being doing?"

"Good, quite good," he replies genially. "You may wonder why I'm here..." he baits her and sees her eyes crinkle then she sobers up.

"None of my business, Sir. I'm just the cook," she replies, glancing at John briefly. She has not forgiven him for keeping her out of the loop.

Woolsey glances at Sheppard briefly and sees him huff. He makes a mental note of inquiring into it later. "You're no ordinary cook, Ms Léger. As a matter of fact, the IOA is very much interested in the missions reports you have filed about those new trading partners. I, myself, am quite impressed by the amount of work and time you've put in those negociations," he praises her and sees her blush slightly.

"It was nothing, Sir. I had great teams with me and the reputation established by Dr Weir to back me up. It was a walk in the park," she replies, seeing John tense at Woolsey's praises.

"A walk in the park, indeed," he mutters under his breath.

Woolsey turns to him and lifts his eyebrows. "Aren't you satisfied with the results, Colonel?"

Sheppard scoffs. "It's not the results I'm worried about right now. It's the method," he replies nastily.

She tenses and looks away. She knows he's talking about her run in with Michael.

"Not all missions can be a hundred percent successful, Colonel," Woolsey defends her. "We are well aware of Ms Léger's run ins with a few problems ever since I saw her last," he adds then turns to her. "Youth befits you, my dear, I must say..." he teases her.

She chuckles. Woolsey is supposed to be a pain in the ass but he's still very nice to her and she must admit, that's something she's in dire need of these days. She nods quietly and blushes.

"As for those two little incidents with this Lucius man and then Michael, we've decided it was more a bane than a boon. Given your recent success with establishing further partnerships and the added bonuses of your gene and youth, I've been allowed to tell you you're not under the scrutiny of the IOA. Quite the contrary, actually. And against all odds, I might add. Because you, my dear, had started on the wrong foot with them..." he teases her further.

She looks ill at ease so he decides to put an end to her misery and turns to Sheppard. "I'll come and see this young lady later on. We have work to do." He turns to Louise and shakes hands. "I'll be most happy to chit chat with you over dinner if you can make time for me, that is..."

She nods and smiles. "No problem. Just drop by whenever you want, Mr Woolsey."

He and John leave. He hasn't said a word to her, only glared at her when Woolsey defended her. She sighs. Being seen as the teacher's pet is not what will help her relationship with John, she's afraid.

She doesn't see Chris until much later. She doesn't like to do it but she's finally called him on his communicator when he didn't come to her quarters that night. It's a first. He answers right away but seems very aloof. "Took you long enough to call me," he huffs.

She rolls her eyes, aggravated. "Damn it, Chris. Stop being such a baby! I had things to do."

He doesn't answer so she insists. "Well, are you gonna tell me why you wanted to see me earlier?"

He rolls his eyes too. "Do I need a reason?"

"Well, I don't know. What I meant is, was it urgent?" she counters. He always tries to make her feel guilty, make her feel she's not doing things right. She would never have thought he'd turn out to be the needy type. She'd pegged him for the easy-going, laid-back type, something she's always appreciated in guys. The needy type makes her feel insecure.

"No," he drawls, "except if wanting to have dinner with you counts as an urgent matter, though now dinner has come and gone, it will have to wait until tomorrow, I guess," he huffs.

"Have you had dinner?" she worries.

"Louise, you're not my mom!" he growls.

"Fair enough. I was just offering to cook something for you if you had not," she amends.

"No, thanks. I'm at the gym, with the guys. I intend to spend the night there," he answers, making her know he won't drop by at her quarters now.

"OK," she answers hesitantly.

He hears the disappointment in her voice and smirks. "But I will definitely join you for dinner tomorrow night," he adds.

"Ah, well, that might a problem. I'm supposed to meet Mr Woolsey so I can't tell you for certain I'll be free..."

He huffs. "Whatever," he mutters and ends the communication without a "goodnight".

She does see Woolsey the next night. It's funny how he makes everyone antsy but by now, she's gotten the hang of it and knows it's in his nature to be a busybody so she just ignores it and tries to enjoy the company, now he's told her she's not under their scrutiny.

What bothers her though is being caught between John and Chris, both men being on either side of the mess hall and glancing towards her from time to time. She keeps her head down when Chris passes her to return his tray and leave and then angles herself so she doesn't feel the need to glance towards John.

"Something seems to be bothering you, Ms Léger," Woolsey notices. She's seen him glance towards both men at least once so she knows for certain she's busted.

She pouts and shrugs. "Not every day can be a perfect day."

"I talked to Colonel Sheppard, Ms Léger," Woolsey replies pointedly, making her blush.

"And what did he tell you?"

"That he doesn't approve of your recent choices." She glares at Woolsey. "He also said you'd both agreed to disagree for the sake of your cooperation on the job," he adds, ignoring her unrest.

"We did not!" she protests.

He lifts his eyebrows. "This is not what he said. From what I gathered, Colonel Sheppard said you'd found a compromise..."

"It's more like he found a compromise and I had no choice but to agree with it, Sir," she explains.

"So I take it you're not happy with the whole situation..." He narrows his eyes at her and she realizes she's on shaky ground.

She glances towards John who gives her a quick glance then looks away. She sighs. "Look, Mr Woolsey. Colonel Sheppard and I, we don't agree on certain personal matters."

"The young man who made a show of not looking at you when he passed us a little earlier on, yes. I gathered that," Woolsey replies.

She flushes. "Did Colonel Sheppard tell you about him?"

"No, he did not elaborate on your personal issues, my dear, but it's in plain sight to see," he answers pointedly.

She huffs. "Well, then, Sir, you only need to know one thing. I'm not happy about how my friends are treating me right now but it is not impacting my work or the negociations, as you so kindly remarked yesterday, so I see no cause for you to worry."

"But I do worry, Ms Léger," he counters her, frowning. "It was reassuring to know you'd finally fit in here. I wouldn't like you to revert to your former self, especially as Colonel Sheppard seemed to have a good influence on you. Mend this, Ms Léger," he adds sternly. "We need you both on the job and we need you to cooperate."

She pouts. "It's not as easy as it seems, Sir. He's stubborn. I'm stubborn..." she says dejectedly. "I believe my personal life is indeed personal and he, in return, believes he knows better and I shouldn't be seeing Captain Johansen."

Woolsey nods. "It's not my place to tell you who to see, Ms Léger. You're single and a civilian. Technically speaking, you can see anyone you like. The IOA is aware that a few relationships have bloomed around base – something we expected, of course. I won't judge you for dating that young man in particular, either," he adds, making her flush again.

She cuts him off. "Do you disapprove of my seeing someone younger than myself?"

He shakes his head. "It could be frowned upon if you were older but you look barely older than him and if that young man is what you've been looking for, I don't have anything to say about it. In that case, as I was saying, I advise you strongly to tell Colonel Sheppard it's not his call. As I gathered, you two never talked about it..."

She shakes her head. "How could we when we never talk at all?" she sniggers.

TBC