Hello, Stargate fans!

First, thank you for following this story. I'm sure I am boring you all by my completely and utterly obvious crush.

So, here is a new chapter, with a new development. And a big chapter just before the weekend starts!

Chapter 20: Episode 4x11

Surrounded by most of the female scientists of Atlantis.

How did she ended up like that on her day off, at breakfast time, Alexandra didn't know. She should have stayed in bed, it was her day off, anyway. She could be lazy. She should be lazy after weeks of going back and forth on missions between her team and Sheppard's team.

"What about you, Alex?"

"Hm? What about me?" She looked up at Anna who was, alongside the others, looking at her, expectantly.

"Do you have anything to do today? Hot date? I know it's your day off."

"Uh, no. Read, catch some sun. Explore Atlantis."

"Really? You do that for a living, honey." One of the other women said.

Alexandra just shrugged and went back to her book.

"I heard Col. Sheppard was looking for company to take to the mainland." Another woman said, almost giggly.

"Maybe we could go as a group." Another replied.

"Wouldn't that be weird?"

"C'mon, he's good to look at, at least." The first woman shrugged with a mischieveous smirk.

Alexandra choked on her tea. Why hasn't she left yet?

"Any tips, Alex?"

"What?" The scientist raised her brow at the same time cleaning her blouse, not understanding the question.

"You and Col. Sheppard are friends, right? Tell us. Were you more than friends back on Earth?"

"Oh! Hum... no. Just friends. And, no. No tips."

"C'mon… there must be a story."

The other women chuckled at the roll of her eyes Alexandra gave them.

"Someone should go save her." Teyla said on the other side of the mess hall as she sat down on one of the tables. "She looks miserable."

"Who?" McKay asked and looked towards Alexandra's table. "Oh, she's fine. If she fought the Goa'uld, she can handle a few women. Where's Ronon?"

"At the gym." John said as he approached them, his hair still wet from the shower after sparing with the Satedan. "Have you seen Alex?"

Both Teyla and McKay pointed at the table they had been looking at.

"Oh, good." Immediately, John went to the crowded table, realizing there was something wrong with Alexandra upon seeing her face of annoyance. "Good morning, ladies." He placed his most charming smile which made the women perk up and Alexandra roll her eyes. "May I borrow Dr. O'Neill?"

"What do you need me for?" She bit her apple, looking up at him.

"Damage control. C'mon." John took her book from her hand and turned to walk away. "Have a good day, ladies." He gave them a wink for good measure.

"Oh, please." Alexandra muttered as she heard some giggles and saw John goofy smile. "It just comes natural to you, doesn't it?"

"It takes a lot of work, actually." He smirked as she took her book from his hands. "You're welcome by the way."

"I didn't ask for a rescue. But I do rather face a Goa'uld than a group of women trying to decide who's next in line to…" She stopped midsentence, clearing her throat.

"To what?" John raised his brow as he walked in front of her, stopping her as he saw the pinkish color on her cheeks. That was new. "Next in line to what?"

"What do you need me for anyway, Sheppard?"

"No. No changing the subject, O'Neill."

Alexandra knew there was no escaping.

"They were discussing you." She walked around him. "So, what is it now? You mentioned damage control…?" When she turned, she caught his smirk. "Oh, please, John. C'mon… you must know what the women of Atlantis say about you."

"Actually no. You've never said it after that score game you referred to weeks ago. Care to enlighten me?" He danced on the balls of his feet, not moving from the spot. "Wait, were you discussing me too?" He raised his brow, playfully.

Alexandra squinted her eyes, not liking the direction that conversation took. Why did he always had to go there?

"If you think I needed a rescue back there, then you must have seen my look of annoyance regarding the subject in hand. Besides, that all "I'm a space pilot" is going to get old, you know?" She turned around and bumped into someone. "Evan!" And now she felt relieved.

"Alex! Morning." Lorne smiled softly, pulling his bag onto his shoulder. "Colonel Sheppard."

"You're going to paint?" The scientist continued.

"Yes. It's my day off. Care to join me?"

"Of course!" Alexandra smiled. Anything would do to get away from John at that moment.

"Not." John got in between. The exchange between the two was not of his liking all of a sudden. "Col. Caldwell and Ellis are arriving and Sam needs you in the briefing room."

"It's my day off, John." Alexandra whined.

"Sam requested it herself. Are you going to say no to her?"

Sighing, Alexandra turned to Lorne.

"Next time."

"Sure." Evan smiled. Then turned more serious to John. "Colonel."

"Major." John saw him go and turned to his friend, already walking ahead to the control room. "Are you two… a thing?"

"Really, John?" Her bad mood was starting to simmer and show. "What are you? 16?"

"I'm being serious." He could see it, a sign of something in her eyes. He didn't know what was it though.

"Evan is my friend." She said pointedly.

"So, not a thing?" He pushed his luck, he knew it.

Alexandra sighed, her day off was not going as planned.

"Who's a thing?" Samantha intervened as they approached.

"Alex and Lorne."

"We are not a thing! He's my friend. Same as you. It's not like I go around Atlantis and…" Alexandra continued.

"I wonder if you and Mitchell..." John tarted at the same time.

"Okay! Here we go." Samantha stopped them, knowing her oldest friend was becoming grumpy for some reason by the look in her eyes. She handed her a tablet before Alexandra would say something she would regret. "Col. Sheppard, perhaps we should change subjects, don't you think? Col. Caldwell and Col. Ellis are ready to beam down." The leader of Atlantis placed herself between the two at the same time McKay arrived, frowning slightly at the tone she used.

John frowned at his C.O. suggestion, thinking on what Alexandra was going to say. Of course, he knew. Was she upset about it? She couldn't, since she had teased him about it just before. Was she upset of his joke towards Lorne? Or did it remind her of her breakup with Cam Mitchell? She barely talked about him and no one knew exactly why they broke up, not that he asked. And he couldn't ask Samantha Carter after all.

His thoughts drifted as a bright light appeared in front of them.

"Colonel. Colonel."

"Colonel. Colonel."

"Really?" McKay asked while Alexandra smiled, reading the briefing Samantha had given her.

Rodney ends up explaining how the Replicator device worked, tracking all ships, all coming together to come up with a plan to destroy all of them once and for all.

One week had gone by, with victories for both the Daedalus and the Apollo ships.

At some point, Alexandra was passing by in one of the Atlantis corridors and she caught John's last words to Teyla as they arrived after one of the dangerous missions yet. She frowned when he went by her with an angry frown, even no acknowledging her.

Worried, the scientist approached and looked between the athosian and Ronon, that had stayed behind.

"Teyla? What's wrong?" She could see the other woman was hurt, not only physically but emotinally.

"John… he's angry at me…"

"She's with child, doc." Ronon finished.

"Oh…" Alexandra looked between the two. "Oh!... Okay. That's new. I heard what happened over the coms. Maybe you should go to the infirmary. And I'll have a talk with Sheppard. Okay?" Alexandra said softly, with a smile.

"Oh, no... Alex, please don't. He's right." Teyla sounded tired.

"He might be right, Teyla..." Alexandra placed a conforting hand on her shoulder. "But it doesn't excuse the way he talked to you right now. Ronon, go with her, please." The satedan nodded. "Oh, and Teyla… Congratulations."

The athosian smiled softly and saw her new friend walk out, determined to find her prey.

"Do you think she's going to be too hard on him?" Teyla asked, suddenly worried.

"With the mood she's been all week, she's going to kick his ass." Ronon said, amused.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Alexandra asked the moment she entered the gear room and found him.

Turning to her as he took his vest off, John was confused.

"I don't understand."

"Teyla." She crossed her arms.

"That is none of your business, doc." He checked his weapon, avoiding her look. "She should know better by now."

"Of course she's my business. She's my friend and you hurt her feelings." She followed him out.

"Alex, she knows how much danger we face every time we walk out that gate. She shouldn't have gone with us in her condition." He looked serious.

"And that excuses the way you talked to her?" She stopped him by walking in front of him and placing her hand on his chest.

"Alex." John frowned, annoyed at her angry tone.

"Don't Alex me. She's all alone. Pregnant. Her people are missing. The father of her child is missing. You had no right talking to her like that, Col. Sheppard. Team leader or not."

John stood in attention at the use of his rank. That was new coming from her.

"Look, you might be angry at me, doc. But…"

"Of course I am angry at you. She knows you're right, John." Alexandra softened her tone. "But you better apologize to her for the tone you used."

They stared at each other for a moment until he gave her a tense nod. Next thing he knew, she was walking away without another word.

That behavior was strange. Serious, tense, he had seen her that way, but angry? At him? That was new and he didn't know how to react to an angry Alexandra O'Neill.

FRAN was different from any other replicator she had dealt with until that moment. And she kept replaying their conversation as she had helped McKay and Zelenka program her.

"Oh… Excuse me." Alexandra's eyes fell on the couple right outside the briefing room. She had been distracted with her own thoughts as she came upon John and Larrin, leader of the Travelers. Even if they had met just hours before, for a brief moment, she felt scanned by the other woman and shook that feeling away. The Travelers Commander was only there to help track down and destroy the remaining Replicators ships. John cleared his throat, cutting the sudden tension. "Colonel." She greeted them seriously. "Larrin."

"Doc." John gave her a quick smile, stepping away from Larrin.

Entering the room, Alexandra sat on her usual seat, with Ronon next to her. From the corner of her eyes, she saw John sat next to her with Larrin right in front of him.

As she heard the plans being laid out, the scientist observed the other woman. Why? She wasn't sure. However, she could see how beautiful Larrin was. And fierce, as she heard her tone as she spoke. Right what she imagined would be John's type. And why did it make a pit in her stomach considering that? She had no clue. Or perhaps she knew and just didn't want to admit it.

"What about some Ancient help?"

Those words pricked Alexandra's ears and she looked up to find Larrin staring intently at her. The scientist narrowed her eyes and she felt John turn stiff by her side at the same time.

"We don't have Ancient help." Samantha pointed out, clearing her throat.

"What about her?" Larrin nodded at Alexandra.

"Larrin." John warned, looking at the other woman, serious all of a sudden.

"You're an Ancient, right, Dr. O'Neill? Can't you help?" Larrin continued, paying no attention to either Samantha or John. Her eyes on the scientist.

"What I can or cannot do is none of your business." Alexandra finally spoke, trying to remain calm.

"So, you are just going to hide in Atlantis? Your kind created the Replicators. It should be you the one to confront them."

Fury bubbled inside when Alexandra stood from her chair.

Immediately, John got between the two women and his eyes caught Alexandra's. Hurt and anger. And before he could utter a word, she left the room.

"Alright." Samantha continued, cutting through the silence. "Colonels, Larrin, get ready. We leave in 30." As she finished, she gave John a heavy look.

And John Sheppard knew he screwed up. Big time.

"Col. Sheppard was looking for you before he left." Teyla mentioned as Alexandra sat on one of the chairs in the control room. "And, I don't know what you said, but he also apologized."

The two women had been left in charge of Atlantis while the fleets battled the Replicators in their home world.

"Good." It was Alexandra's only response as she looked towards the computer screens.

"Did something else happened between you two?" Teyla frowned. She was curious, remembering John's contrite expression as he apologized and asked about Alexandra's whereabouts.

"How's the baby?" Alexandra asked, changing the subject.

"Healthy and strong." There was a proud tone in her voice.

"You know, there's this tradition on Earth. A baby shower. You get pampered, gifts. It would be good to lift your spirits up."

"I can't…" The athosian started.

"Teyla..." Alexandra held her hand up and Teyla took it. "Kanaan wouldn't like you to give up on your life."

The athosian gave her a tiny smile and relaxed.

"Whatever John did, I'm sure he didn't mean it."

"I know." The scientist eventually said, though tense. She felt hurt about what he did.

Looking at Alexandra, Teyla sighed and they just waited.

"Two days she's been avoiding me. I don't know how she does it."

"Well, you know how personal her powers are for her, John. Why would you tell Larrin about it when Alex can't even use them?" Samantha asked, looking up at John from her computer.

"It slipped. I made a mistake." John stood from the couch.

"I'm sure she will forgive you. In time." The Atlantis leader watched her military commander pacing. He looked lost which was new to her. "Listen, she's… her powers were everything to her and a very difficult thing to deal with. And when someone asks her bluntly to use them it tends to open old wounds. She gets protective of herself. And defensive. So expect some blows."

The pilot looked at his leader. Curious and frowning.

"Mentioning Mitchell as well."

"John." Samantha warned, not wanting to go that way.

"No. What happened between them?" He leaned over her desk.

"That's between them."

"But you know." The pilot narrowed his eyes.

"I do." Samantha sighed. "Listen, John. Alex is not like you and me. Everything is heightened inside of her and her powers just make it worse."

"How much worse?" Those Ancients were just bastards, he briefly thought.

"She got hurt, at the lack of a better word, every time she used them. Even if it was just using the shield. And the Ancients just asked more and more of her each time. And when she gets to the limit, she tends to explode."

"Explode? Is that literally or…"

"However you want to interpret it. But I would be careful dealing with her for the next few days."

John nodded, letting those words sink in.

She needed that. A way to blow out some steam after that last couple of weeks.

"You're not focused, doc."

"Shut up, Ronon. I am focused." Alexandra circled him, looking at the satedan.

Ronon smiled and launched himself at her. She dodged him and punched him on the side which made him grunt.

"That's new. Are you going soft, big guy?"

The moment Alexandra heard his voice her shoulders tensed up and her eyes hard upon meeting the hazel ones.

"Come in here and I'll show you how soft I am, Sheppard." Ronon said.

However, John's eyes were on Alexandra.

"Next time, big guy. I need to have a talk with the doc."

Ronon looked between the two and nodded.

"Rematch next time, doc."

"You bet, Ronon." Alexandra gave the satedan a smile before heading to her bag.

Ronon left after a quick glance towards John.

"I have nothing to say to you, Col. Sheppard." She said as she heard the doors of the gym close.

"You don't have to say anything. Just spar with me."

"What?" Alexandra turned to him, confused.

"Spar with me. You're angry at me. I understand. So beat me up if you like."

"I'm not going to spar with you just so you can lessen your guilt." Her words came out hard.

"I deserve it, don't I?" John stepped closer, determined to the task at hand.

"Then maybe I should call Ronon back here. He'll be more efficient at that, don't you think?"

John smiled and launched himself at her but she dodged him easily. He saw she was in defense mode and did the same. This time she elbowed him on the side.

"What do you expect after this?" She dodged him again.

"Going back at being friends. For you to stop to avoid me."

Alexandra grunted and tripped him but John was fast and grabbed her arm, spinning her until her back was against his chest.

"C'mon..." John groaned in pain. "You're not hitting hard enough."

"I don't think Sam would like me to beat up her commanding officer." She moved against him, but his arms held her against his chest.

"Just hit me. Free of consequences. Give me your best, Alexandra."

And she did. Her anger bubbled up inside of her. Her foot stepped on his, her elbow went straight to his stomach and the surprise of her strength made him release her and fall back on the floor of the gym.

John coughed, holding his stomach. His hazel eyes fell back on Alexandra. Her brown eyes were not angry anymore as she stared back at him.

"Didn't that feel better?" He saw her go back to her gym bag without a word as he sat back up. "C'mon, Alex… Just tell me what can I do to make it up to you."

"Nothing." She said after a moment. "Or, perhaps, not telling people, that I know nothing about, what I am."

"You know you two could be friends." As soon as the words came out of his lips, he knew he had made a mistake.

Alexandra turned to him and the glow he already was familiar with flashed out of her body for a moment.

"And that makes it okay?!"

"No! Of course not." John stood but kept a safe distance from her. "I didn't mean it like that." He saw her grab her bag. "Wait, Alex, let me explain." He grabbed her arm.

"No." She pulled her arm from his hold. "I… I can't even look at you, John."

The pilot took a step back at the hurt in her voice.

"Alex, I am sorry." He said softly.

"You broke my trust." She narrowed her eyes. "A woman bats her eyes at you and you just tell things that are supposed to be a secret."

"It slipped." He didn't know when to shut up, did he?

"It slipped? It slipped?!" Alexandra took a step towards him, then two back. She took a deep breath. "Just… shut up, John." She said, tiredly.

Silent, John placed his hands in his pockets. He had the urge to gather her in his arms but he knew she would just push him away. Probably, actually hurt him.

"Why? Just tell me why did you tell her?"

In that moment, the hurt in her eyes was the worst thing he ever saw. And anything he would say would just make it worse, so he stayed silent. And let her step further away from him and disappear from his sight.

Ps: Thoughts?