Hello, Stargate Lovers!

Happy Saturday, my dear readers! Hope your week has been amazing. Mine was tiresome, so it's good to have a chapter out.

Hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 26: Chapter 4x16

In charge. He could do anything he wanted. John smiled at the thought as he walked into Samantha's Carter office after he saw her, Keller and McKay go to MS-303.

His eyes fell on the balcony door and he walked through. He scoured the piers until he saw a shadow on one of them. He frowned as he recognized Alexandra. And recalled his commanding officer words.

Something was troubling her. And the thing was that he could feel it. Somehow. Even though they had come to good terms and were friends, he could feel Alexandra was more guarded with him, not going on many missions with his team, making sure there was somewhat of a distance between the two when they were together.

As John walked, his mind kept replaying the last couple of months.

After everything that happened on Earth, all of the small moments that he wasn't able to deny that he felt attracted to her... the jumper, the conference, at her house. After he had been shot, he had wanted to say all of this to her and ended up changing his mind. But, to be honest, he was afraid she would push him away.

He was a man of few words. Action was more of his nature. But, as he approached the spot, the word mesmerizing was at the forefront of the adjectives he could use as his hazel eyes watched her for a moment.

The static electricity in the air turned his skin into goosebumps.

Suddenly, there was a new feeling.

A new thought.

A new scent. No, not a new scent. She recognized that scent even in the middle of her movements, with the parfum of the ocean surrounding her.

The music in her ears didn't help stay focused as her mind kept analyzing over and over the last few months.

The argument.

The jumper.

The sniper.

John.

A sudden rise in her energy made her movements connect with the water and a wave came crashing into the pier, soaking her to the bone.

"Alex!" Running, John appeared out of nowhere, worried.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Alexandra snapped at him. "Shouldn't you be making your rounds or something? I thought Sam left you in charge." She turned away from him, upset, drained and wet.

"What the hell just happened?" John was confused at her sudden anger. His hand stopped her before she could walk away and turned her to him.

"Nothing you should be concerned about." The scientist yanked her arm from his hold.

"It is my concern. I'm your friend. And right now, I'm your commander too. I might not know everything about your connection with the Ancients but I know when somethin is troubling you. And after everything we've been through, I hope you can trust me enough for you to talk with me."

"Trust you? After what you did?" Her anger bubbled inside and she couldn't control her words. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"

John frowned, not understanding her anger.

"I thought we got past that. I'll leave you be, then." He stepped away, going for the transporter.

Taking a deep breath, Alexandra had heard the pain in his tone and was able to see the tension making his back straighter.

"John… I… I didn't…" She went after him. "Wait. I'm sorry."

Not being able to deny her, the pilot turned to her. And his eyes told her she had messed up this time.

"You caught me off guard. I…" Alexandra squared her shoulders. "You're right. We got past what happened. I was just upset and the energy was building up… You could have gotten hurt. That's all."

"Why?" Now he was curious but still defensive, knowing she wasn't telling him everything. "Why are you upset?"

Alexandra bit her lip, not sure if John was the best person to talk to about her powers.

"Alex..."

"My powers…" She rubbed her hands, starting to feel the cold the water had left behind.

"I thought you only had the shield."

"Well, yes. But I've been using the shield for more than that. It healed you, remember?" She saw him nod. "And sometimes it acts up... So I have to get it under control. Just like when I first got them. And if I have to use them again…"

"You won't." The colonel took a step towards her. He couldn't even imagine seeing her lay down on the infirmary bed for a week again.

"You don't know that. What if we have to protect Atlantis? I can help, John."

"Alex, Atlantis is safe. You don't need to use your powers for anything but to protect yourself."

Alexandra frowned. He sounded condescending.

"If anyone is in danger, I won't just back down. Is not in me to do that."

There was so much he didn't know about that side of her. And he couldn't ask her to change just to appease him.

"I know that." There was an intensity to his words.

Placing her arms around herself to keep warm, Alexandra gave him a small smile as they entered the transport to take them to their quarters wing. Then felt something around her shoulders and looked up at the pilot. "Thank you."

After placing his jacket on her shoulders, his fingertips touched her skin for a moment. Immediately, John placed his hands in his pockets.

"Listen..." Alexandra turned to him as she exited the transport and he stayed, his hazel eyes finding her face as his thoughts were interrupted. "I am sorry for what I've said. You didn't deserve my backlash."

John looked at her for a moment. He hated the gloomy feel between them. So he took a step forward, leaning against the frame of the transport, stopping it from closing.

"You can make it up to me."

"Yeah? How?" She raised her brow, curious.

"You still owe me that beer." John gave a shrug.

Alexandra sighed.

"Fine." She rolled her eyes, playfully. "You win. When?"

"Tonight. 9 p.m. Mess hall." The pilot smirked, amused by her, and took a step back into the transport. "Bring my jacket." He finished as he let the door close.

What was she thinking? She had been trying to stay clear of John Sheppard, wether conscious or unconsciously, wether because there was clear attraction or because of her vision. And now she was going to have a beer with the man.

Alone.

While making her way to her quarters, his jacket had felt good, safe, and his scent cling to it like a vice, making her feel things that made Alexandra actually think of backing down, on making up some excuse... But she knew she had to make it up to him. It wasn't his fault that her powers were acting up.

Her eyes scanned the mess hall and found him at one of the tables near the balcony, already two bottles in front of him. She took a deep breath and wringed her hands in his jacket.

"I thought I was the one offering those."

"No. I said you owed me a beer. Didn't say you had to get one."

"I'm pretty sure that's what owing means." She said, sitting down. "Here's your jacket."

"Thank you. And you can get the next ones." He took the jacket from her hand.

"Oh? Thinking on getting lucky tonight, Sheppard?" The moment she said it, she regretted it. "Ugh! I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. Don't laugh at me." Alexandra narrowed her eyes at his laughing expression.

"I'm not laughing. And if by getting lucky you mean spending the night talking with a friend, than yes, I am getting lucky." John smirked, taking a gulp to give himself a moment after her words.

"You think you're so funny." She rolled her eyes and sipped on her beer.

"I am funny. Are you saying I'm not?"

"You just have to wonder if I'm laughing with you or at you." She teased.

"You're so mean, O'Neill. I can't believe I'm still your friend." He feigned being hurt.

Alexandra chuckled which made him relax.

"Are you feeling better? From earlier?"

"I am." She nodded, then frowned. "I really am sorry for the way I talked to you."

"Naaah. It's fine." He dismissed it.

"No. John..." Alexandra sighed, looking down at her bottle. "Having these powers are difficult enough and to push your friends away is not difficult." Her brown eyes found his. "I shouldn't have reacted like that. No amount of power can compensate a loss."

"You speak like you know of it." John leaned on the table, his arms crossed. He was curious now.

"Why do you think Anubis possessed my mind? I was… feeling lonely, like no one understood me and after the Asgards had trained me, my powers just grew and I was not very good at controlling them. I was actually glad the Ancients took them away after Antartica."

"You don't have to tell me this." He was about to put his hand on hers, but thought better of it and grabbed his bottle instead.

"I know. I just… In a way, I want you to know, to understand why I act the way I do. At least, sometimes. And if, for some reason, I push people away is to protect them. But what happened earlier… My temper just got the better of me."

John knew it was difficult for her to open like that to him and he appreciated it.

"I know you've been through a lot."

"You finally read my file, uh?"

"Actually, no."

"Why not? After everything that happened since I'm here, I would think you did."

"Let's just say…" For a moment, John's eyes stared at her. "I'm appreciating getting to know you without it."

"Mm…" She took a sip of her beer. In part to calm her racing heart. "That's a good line, Sheppard."

"No… Alex, I'm being serious."

Looking at him, Alexandra immediately knew they were going into a dangerous territory and leaned away slightly from him.

"John…"

"We are friends, right?"

"Of course."

"And we are just having a beer."

"If you're sure is just a beer for you, John."

The pilot looked at her after a gulp to his beer. Slowly, he put the bottle down, not letting his eyes stray from her.

"Alex…"

"I know your reputation, John. A talk leads to a beer and a beer becomes something more."

"You shouldn't believe everything you hear."

"Shouldn't I?" He shook his head and she smiled. "Then tell me your game."

"I'm not telling you that."

"Why not? We're friends, right?"

"That is not fair, throwing my words at me." He raised a brow. "The problem is... you are a… female friend." He almost looked embarrassed.

Alexandra laughed and took another gulp of her beer.

"Fine, fine. You should have your secrets." She teased. "So, how was your day?"

"I'm glad it's over. And that Sam is back in one piece."

"So, not wanting to lead Atlantis anytime soon?"

"No. I'm more of an action kind of guy. Sam is doing a great job."

"She is, isn't she? Probably not better than Elizabeth, though."

"They're in same level. Just different. Sam has been surprising me. Not that she wouldn't. But since she's military…"

"You'd think she would follow the rules by the letter?"

"In a way, yes."

"Sam has been surprising a lot of people since entering SG-1, trust me." Alexandra nodded.

"I do."

The night went on, dangerous territory forgotten. Just two friends having an honest conversation and a little bit of fun in a night off.

Ps: Thought, please?