Hello, Stargate Lovers!

Happy Wednesday!

Sooo... I said there would be no chapter until Friday, right? However, I got the information that yesterday, January 9th, was the day that the last episode from Stargate Atlantis aired, "Enemy at the Gate", fifteen years ago! Has it been that long?

So, I decided to post a new chapter today, just a little one.

Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 36: Chapter 5x04

"It doesn't look like you had much sleep last night, Colonel."

John heard Woolsey comment as the new leader found his military commander in the mess hall for breakfast.

"Do I look that bad, Mr. Woolsey?" He half-joked, his eyes immediately finding the table Alexandra was currently occupying, near the balcony. It had been her choice for the past few days... always the same table, alone, a forgotten book near her tray and looking out onto the sunny horizon. Today, her hair was loose and it looked like she didn't had any sleep either. And her breakfast looked untouched.

A spark of worry ignited in him.

"Briefing in ten minutes, Colonel." Woolsey disregarded the pilot's comment and left.

For a moment, John stood still with his cup of coffee, looking towards the balcony.

At the same time, Ronon's eyes found his team leader and noticed John's position. He followed his line of sight and turned to find Alexandra at the other end.

"Something is up with those two." Ronon said to Teyla as the athosian was quietly eating her breakfast.

The two friends looked over from John to Alexandra.

"Is he hesitating?" Rodney had sat down and listened to the other two, his eyes catching the scene.

"She hasn't been around for the last four days when we are all together in the common room. Not even to see Torren in my private quarters." Teyla mentioned, frowning with worry as they saw John walk away, without even a second look to the table Alexandra was in.

"When she went to visit me in the infirmary, she looked... sad. And he's been quieter than usual." Ronon continued.

"Well, maybe he did something she didn't like. Remember when she avoided him after that whole thing with Larrin?" Rodney remembered as he ate.

Ronon and Teyla looked at each other, concerned.

Another jump.

As they stood together and alone, looking at the computers screen on the Daedalus command center, Teyla took the opportunity to speak.

"Is everything alright? Between you and Dr. O'Neill?"

The athosian dark eyes caught the way his back got tense and he stood still for a moment, before turning slowly.

"Did she say something?" John asked, his tone showed curiosity but also a carefulness.

"No. Well, it's more what she is not doing."

Frowning, the pilot turned fully to his friend.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Alex has not come to the common room at the end of the day as usual, or visit Torren lately... She hasn't been much present..."

"She has other responsabilities now, Teyla. I'm sure she'll come around with her work hours." John turned back to the controls, checking the screens, trying to show he didn't want to continue that conversation. "No one can resist Torren, after all."

Understanding what he was doing, Teyla's lips turned into a thin line. She knew him, she knew he was hiding something.

"John... what happened?"

"Nothing happened, Teyla." He immediately said.

Taking a step closer, she stood in front of him and saw him get still, as if waiting for an attack.

"John?"

He was quiet for a moment, not meeting her eyes.

"We kissed. And, then, she proceded to push me away."

"That's why you didn't go to her this morning, at breakfast time?"

The pilot's hazel eyes looked up to his friend.

"You saw that?" Teyla nodded and he sighed. "I'm giving her time. I'm giving us time to get back to normal. She... she asked me to just be friends. She didn't even consider anything more. Even if it was for just one..."

"Did she gave you any reason?" She was worried now. She always thought Alexandra wouldn't back down easily. Not when she could see her and John had some kind of connection, something more than friendship.

"None that I would believe in. I mean, she tried to make it work with Mitchell, right?" He ranted. "She even gave up her rank. She could be a Major right now, did you know that?"

"Are you..." As she watched him go about the various screens, Teyla smirked, sensing something in his tone. "Jealous?"

"No." He immediately said, frowning at her. Then, sighed again. "I don't know. You know me, Teyla. I'm simple. When I want something, I get it. When there's a fight, I'm there. When you need help, I'm your guy. She's..."

"Complicated." The athosian finished for him. "But you know that from the beginning, John. And you became friends with her anyway. And for what I've seen, beside us, you trust her with your life."

"I do. She taught me everything I know about the gates, the Ancients, Atlantis..."

"John, you know her well enough to understand why she's pushing you way. She's an Ancient, after all."

"So?" The Colonel frowned.

"John..." Teyla gave him an exasperated look. "Have you truly understood what it means to be someone with powers that no one understands? From what I gather, it seems similar to my abilities of sensing the Wraith, but much more complicated. Besides, you've met Ancients. They have their own rules and ways of doing things."

The pilot stared at the athosian. He never really considered it. Was that the reason why her and Mitchell broke up? Because she is an Ancient and he was just a human? He never really got to know the reason why. However, whatever it was, it had been enough for her to accept a position in Atlantis.

What if she would leave the city now? Go back to Earth and leave... him? He couldn't let her leave.

"John, just be her friend like she asked. Maybe that's what she needs right now." Teyla said softly as she saw his silent stance.

His hazel eyes turned back to the athosian dark ones as he decided on his next course of action.

[Sheppard, come in.]

A new day.

A new morning.

He couldn't wait to have a little time off. Go golfing, perhaps.

Well, that was John's plans until he saw her.

Sitting on the same table as the previous days, by the balcony, looking onto the sunny horizon, book forgotten, leaning against the chair. However, this time, her hair was in a braid, falling loosely onto her shoulder.

John filled a cup of coffee and grabbed an apple on his way to said table.

It had been five days. And he didn't exactly know what he would say or do the next time they would be in the same room. Or table, in this case.

However, he knew, deep down, even before what Teyla said, that he wasn't angry with Alexandra. John didn't exactly understood her reasons to push him away. But she was right when mentioning that they were friends. He had trusted her from the very beginning. On that day at the Antartica outpost. While sitting on that Ancient chair, if he was truly honest.

And, as frustrated as he felt, barely having any sleep for the past week, since everytime he tried to do so she would be there, he was more irritated by the fact that she was avoiding him. And their friends. And Teyla mentioning the fact that Alexandra wasn't visiting Torren either, vexed him deeply.

So, he had to fix it.

"Not a good book?" John startled her as he saw her flinch and turn her face towards him. There was a moment that it seemed she had been far away, far from Atlantis... far from him. He couldn't let her run away.

For a moment, there was confusion, right before her eyes found her book and she straightened on her chair.

"Hum... just not in the mood for reading."

The pilot sat down without asking and took a gulp of his coffee, not taking his eyes from her. There was a shadow in her face, as if she hadn't smiled recently. As if there was a weight on her shoulders he hadn't considered before his talk with Teyla.

"You should eat." He kept going, noticing she had barely touched her tray. Again.

"What are you doing?" Alexandra finally spoke after her eyes had stayed on the pilot for the past minute.

"Being your friend." He shrugged, now giving a bite to his apple.

"John..."

"No." There was a finality to his tone as his hazel eyes turned serious. "We're not going there. And you are going to stop avoiding me. And our friends, for that matter. Torren, as far as I know, misses you."

Alexandra frowned, looking down at her hands.

"I'm not good with words, Alex. Instead of forming words, I did what I did. And you reciprocated. It was good and I know you... we both wanted more." He pressed on the word more. "But if you think it's best for us to not go forward, I accept, because we are friends. And, as hard as it is, I respect your request. And, as much as it is annoying, you have your reasons... Real reasons, not that crap about us working together and that it wouldn't work... However, I do hope that someday you get to trust me enough to explain what those reasons really are. Let me finish..." He gave her a look when she was about to speak. "Your friendship is important, Alex, and I don't want to lose you."

A couple of minutes went by, both in silence, her only staring at him and going over his words as he leaned back on the chair and took another bite to his apple. His hazel eyes finding the sunny horizon.

"For someone who isn't good with words, you were pretty excellent now." She ended up saying, almost in a whisper.

The pilot shrugged, turning back to her.

"Had practice here, with all the diplomatic stuff I had to do."

She gave him a little smile.

"Now, that's more like it." Ronon tapped on the table to draw the attention of his other two friends.

"I'm glad they are patching things up." Teyla continued with a smile.

"They're barely talking." Already out of the infirmary, Rodney frowned, not understanding the sublety as he saw John finish his apple and Alexandra picking on her food.

"Do you know why they were avoiding each other?" Ronon turned back to the table to finish his own breakfast.

"I do. And it's between them. I believe he just needed a little push." The athosian observed her two friends carefully. "Their posture is different from yesterday. She looks more... well, less tense, at least. Can't you see, Rodney?"

"Oh, I get it." Rodney turned again towards the table they were interested in. "Sheppard seems ready to pounce, though. I know that smile."

Teyla rolled her eyes, knowing full well what the scientist was saying.

Ps: Thoughts?