Chapter 60
It's a couple of weeks before Christmas when he returns – until at least New Year's Eve, he promises. They've worked their asses off to complete their task, whatever that is. She never asks him to explain more than what he lets on because she knows there's always a possibility they might be overheard through whatever listening device is lurking in the sky. You're never too cautious. Knowing they've succeeded and returned mostly unscathed, except for a few bruises and broken ribs for him as well as a few of his men, including Ronon, is all she needs to know. He'll tell her when he's ready or allowed to do so. She tells herself she shouldn't complain. She gets regular updates from Woolsey who's still minding the City and calls at least once a week when John's away. Her former leader has become her lifeline. Without his calls – which she knows have been authorized by the IOA – she'd be lost. She's been part of the whole secrecy surrounding the SGC and Atlantis for so long, she'd come to take it for granted, but it's not and it's becoming more and more difficult to feel kept out of the loop.
Everyone from the team, including Woolsey and her former under-cooks, have come at least once to visit her, staying sometimes for extended vacations but never all at once, so she's very excited to host them all for Christmas. She'll close the B&B for a few days before and after that date to make sure she has time to prepare everything and has as much time as she can with her friends.
John has not let on much the last time he called from the SGC, having only touched ground for a few hours before heading back to who knows where, but he's told her things are gonna change very soon and it might be the only opportunity they'll have to gather the gang again before long.
It keeps her awake at night, thinking it cannot bode well. Whatever he's gonna tell her means life changes again – big time. She's lost a few pounds and doesn't sing in her kitchen as she used to. She knows it's not good for business to look unwell so she keeps a brave front and tries to be gracious to her guests, pampering them, but she feels empty inside.
She sometimes even thinks about how John had been attracted to that traveller leader and wonders if maybe he sees her sometimes on his off-world missions. He's gone for weeks or even months at a time and, though he always comes home with that hungry look in his eyes and locks himself up with her in their bedroom for days when he comes home, she's afraid of the opportunities he's encountering out there.
It's their first Christmas here in Tahoe and she needs to buy everything – the tree, outside decorations, tree ornament, you name it. She doesn't really feel Christmasy and has thus decided to wait until later during the month to trudge to the stores. She sometimes cater to people in the area so she first deposits her boxes of Christmas cookies she's been ordered and heads for the store.
The B&B is closed and she's left Shep at Ray's while she shops. He likes to see other dogs and Ray likes to use him to train his new puppies, be the example to follow. When she returns, she barely has enough room for him. The car is filled with decorations and food supplies. She tries to find a radio station that's not playing carols but it seems like a lost cause so she switches it off with a growl, making Shep jump from the passenger seat with fright. She pouts. "Sorry, buddy. Your mommy is in a foul mood these days. Not you're fault, though. You're a good dog," she says, patting his head, making him wag his tail.
She rounds the bend and sees John walk down the stairs of the front porch, looking obviously upset.
She parks the car and lets the dog out who bounds towards him joyfully. He pats his head and lifts his finger to make him sit and wait then walks to her briskly. "Where were you?" he demands, frowning.
"And a good day to you too," she counters. "I was at the store, shopping for decorations as you can see," she says, pointing at the car.
He pouts. "Sorry. I got here half an hour ago. You were not answering your phone. I got worried."
She glances at her phone. "Oh, yeah, sorry. Didn't hear it in my pocket. Was kind of busy out there."
"Why didn't you leave the dog here?" he demands, still pissed.
She rolls her eyes, tapping her foot impatiently. "Left him at Ray's. He needs to have a social life. What got into you today?" she growls.
"Wanted to see you," he answers gruffly. "You were not there and as I said, I got worried."
She opens her arms. "Well, I'm here now..."
He relents and wraps her in his arms. She looks up at him and leans in, to get a kiss. "Are you still pissed at me, Sheppard?" she asks.
He gives her a peck on her lips. "Kind of, yeah!"
She bats her eyelashes playfully. "Angry sex?" she offers with a smirk.
They've left the decorations and most of the supplies in the car, only taking inside what needs to be put in the fridge. By now, Shep knows that he won't get any attention until John's spent time alone with Louise so he settles on his mattress with a sight as they pass the office to their room. John chuckles as he hears the dog's protest. "Don't start, buddy. She's mine for the next few hours. Better get used to it."
He closes the door and heads for the bathroom, motioning for her to follow. Her eyebrows shoot to her hairline. "Angry sex in the shower?" she teases him.
He wraps his arms around her and whispers in her ear. "Yes, sweetie. And we need to talk..." She sobers up for a moment and nods. They don't often talk about what he does as she always lets him initiate the conversations but when they do, they get in the shower in case they should be overheard.
"But it can wait until I'm sated and you are too," he adds, getting rid of his clothes impatiently.
"Still angry at me?" she asks as she joins him under the warm water.
"Very," he groans, turning her around so she faces the wall, his body pressing against her back. He smirks, hearing her breathing become uneven. "Aren't you?" he teases her, fondling her breasts with one hand while the other goes south, making her squirm. "I like it when you're angry," he says smugly. "Makes for even better sex..." She turns in his arms, blushing, which makes him smirk. "And I love making you blush like a schoolgirl," he adds. "Turns me on even more." He lifts her, placing one hand under her butt while his other arm wraps around her waist, pressing her against the wall.
She gasps knowing they're seconds away from having mind-blowing sex. Of all the places they've tried, the shower is her favorite. She whimpers. "John, please..." He's more than happy to comply and she forgets about the loneliness and worry of the last months, focusing only on the here and now.
They wash each other slowly, enjoying the touch of each other's skin and leave the shower on, speaking in hush tones. She's weak from the sex they've just had and the lack of food. She doesn't eat much these days though now he's here, she feels hungry again – ravenous actually. She smirks inwardly, thinking how good he is for her. Now he's here, she intends to take time to sit at the table with him and eat properly.
"You've lost weight," he points out, stroking her waist and hips, mirroring her thoughts.
She blushes with embarrassment and shrugs. "Got busy," she says.
"Excuses, excuses," he tells her. "Missed me?" he asks, raising his eyebrows.
She shrugs again. "Course I have, silly."
He nods and wraps her tightly in his arms. "I'm sorry. And for what it's worth, though I know it doesn't warm your bed at night, I missed you too."
She smiles against his chest and kisses him. "But it does warm my heart to know you still think of me sometimes when you're out there, working at saving the universe with those beautiful alien ladies..."
He growls. "Where did that come from, Louise?" He tilts her chin to him and looks into her eyes. "There's no one but you, sweetie. No one fills my heart with joy and my body with desire but you, little witch," he informs her, making her grin. He suddenly looks serious. "Louise, I need to tell you about what's been happening these last few months. I couldn't keep you in the loop but now is the time you know what me and the gang have been up to."
She nods. Here goes nothing. She makes a silent prayer this is good news.
He smiles at her reassuringly. "I promise it's only good things. Look, I'm telling you this now because there will be a meeting at work soon," he says, lifting his eyebrows. Work means SGC. Meeting means secret reunion to decide of the future of the galaxy and beyond.
She nods and waits. He caresses her arms under the warm water. "Let's make this quick or we're gonna grow fins," he banters. "Look, we've been out there all these months getting intel, planning and harvesting," he says.
She knows he means mingling with old and new allies alike, getting information about new threats probably and obviously laying their hands on quite a few ZMPs from the look of satisfaction he sports. "We are planning a new expedition," he whispers the last word in her ear.
She looks up in amazement. She'd never thought they'd leave so soon again. Her heart stutters to a halt. How can he say it's good news when he's going to leave her, maybe for good? She gulps and he sees she's not gotten his point.
"Hey," he adds with a reassuring smile, "not going anywhere without you. You're in if you want. All you have to say is yes."
"Yes," she simply replies right away, making him laugh.
"You're unique, sweetie. I haven't told you yet where or when or how long!"
"I don't care. As long as I'm with you, it's all I need to know," she says, turning off the shower and handing him a towel.
"OK. But not even a girly demand like, can I bring my food processors and bread machines with me?" he teases her.
She smiles. "Can I?"
He grins. "Of course. You're the cook, after all!"
She wraps a towel around herself and heads for the bedroom. "There's one thing though," she asks despondently, knowing he's going to say no. He looks at her expectantly. "Can I take Shep with me?"
He smirks. "Took you long enough to ask, sweetie. Yes, you may," he says and pushes her on the bed. "but as long as we find a dog-sitter on board for when we need to spend some quality time together."
They fly to Cheyenne Mountain the next day. Meeting's due a couple of days later when everyone's tied loose ends. They've left Shep with Ray. She worries they won't have time for their Christmas party. He laughs it off. "Once we're done here, it's gonna take some serious planning to do. We need quite a few new people to replace those who do not wish to come back as well. Don't worry. Plenty of time to have fun and say our goodbyes."
Once they're in the complex, they can talk all they want in secured rooms so he finally explains to her what they're planning to do. It blows her mind. Now Rodney and Zelenka have been able to activate the wormhole device, they can technically go wherever they want. Of course, not at once, so they need to make regular jumps from one end of a galaxy to the other and then to the next one. Apparently quite like what Destiny – that new ship on which the Alpha base survivors are trapped – was built for.
They've harvested enough ZMPs to last indefinitely. What they're planning to do is establish further contacts, as far as they can, and if they're lucky, rescue the Destiny's crew. It's like searching for a needle in a hay stack, they know, but following and maybe taking over the Ancient ship will lead them towards what the Ancients themselves were looking for in the first place, when they started seeding stargates across galaxy – the origin of everything. Rodney tells her all this and some more but the rest is lost on her, though she'd been clear she needed the Cliff Note version of his theory.
"So we're leaving with Atlantis?" is all she wants to know. She's missed the old girl and can't wait to get home again. Tahoe was fine for a few months but she's realized it will never come to mean to her what Atlantis is. She misses how the City seems to hum to her, telling her she belongs there – especially since she's been given the gene. Sometimes she still wakes up at night and hates to be reminded by the utter silence and darkness that she can't turn things on with her mind at her new digs.
Rodney rolls his eyes. "Yes, Louise, you can have her back!"
She beams at him and slaps his arm. "Good! When are we leaving?"
"You might want to know if you say yes, Ms Léger," Woolsey informs her, "that it might well be a one-way ticket."
She sighs in exasperation. "John said that to me three times already, O'Neill once – because, obviously he's the only around who's noticed I'm not as stupid as I look – and Rodney... I think I stopped listening after the fourth or fifth. I don't care. I want to go. I'll make sure everyone is well-fed, I'll go on food negotiations, and I will never whine. I promise," she adds, making the scout sign. "Please, take me with you, Mr Woolsey."
He smiles at her and shakes his head. "Actually, Ms Léger, it's not my call anymore. I won't be leaving with you."
Her eyebrows shoot to her hairline. "So who's the leader?"
John smirks, looking incredibly smug. "It would be me, sweetie. Oh, and by the way, I'm being promoted to full-bird Colonel," he adds, waggling his eyebrows. "Not bad for a guy who'd been told he'd never make it past Captain!"
She gapes and he mocks her. "Close your mouth, Léger. You're going to swallow a fly!"
She rolls her eyes at his antics. "You're going to be the leader? Then who's the CO?"
Lorne raises his hand. She snorts. "Might as well exchange your roles right away, guys, cuz I know how this is gonna end. John will want to go on missions all the time and you, Evan, will be left behind to mind the fort..."
Woolsey gives her a look so she clams up. If he allows them to not play it by the book, who is she to protest?
She calls after Mr Woolsey in the corridor at the end of the meeting. "Wait! I need to talk to you."
He smiles at her and waits for her to join him. "What can I do for you, Ms Léger?"
"Well, first, you could tell me you'll come to our Christmas party..."
He smiles at her and nods. "I will. Won't miss that for anything. Now, what's the second question?" he asks, knowing she's on an agenda.
She sighs. "You know me well. OK, eh, see, it's kind of embarrassing..."
"You want to know if sleeping with the leader of the expedition is going to be a problem," he supplies. She turns beet red but nods. "Well, apparently it won't. The IOA thinks you're actually an ace for the expedition. As for your relationship with Colonel Sheppard, they just want the assurance this is solid and not a fling. I suggest you make it official one way or another. You don't want them to think you two will fall apart and wreak havoc on the expedition. It was difficult enough to keep them at bay when you and Sheppard were at odds because of that young man you were seeing..." He sees her look up in surprise. "Yes, they know about him, Ms Léger, and then some," he says with a smirk. "But don't worry," he adds, patting her arm, "you and Colonel Sheppard are a given for this expedition."
He leaves but then turns round and points at her. "Just do as I advised. Make it clear you two are an item. This all secrecy thing has lasted way too long if you ask me." She snorts, thinking you got to be kidding me! With all the secrets he keeps from the general public, he chides us for not having told our friends yet?!
TBC