Hello, Stargate Lovers!

Happy long weekend on this part of my universe.

Life got in the way, but I'm back with a little chapter. Hope you like it!

Chapter 23: Chapter 4x14

Early morning, too early for anyone to be up, but duty called and dawn was actually a nice thing to see in New Lantea.

John had his cup of coffee in hand as he walked to Samantha Carter's office for a debrief. She wasn't there. However, his eyes caught the balcony door open.

"Morning, Sam." John said as soon as he saw her looking out to the horizon.

"You look cheery." Samantha offered him a quick smile. "Doesn't seem you'll be spending the day with Rodney."

"Hey..." The pilot gave her a look. "It's a beautiful morning. Please, don't ruin it."

Samantha Carter smiled and looked out once again. John followed her gaze and saw someone in one of the piers.

"Is she okay?" He frowned, noticing who it was.

"Yeah. She had a rough mission. Lieut. Marks is in the infirmary."

"Wraith?"

"Yes. It caught the team off guard."

"Maybe I should..." John half turned to leave.

"No." The Atlantis leader placed her hand on his arm. "Let her be, John. I know you two are back on talking terms but… She needs to be alone right now. She must be more…"

Blue eyes caught his hazel ones follow Alexandra's movements and Samantha frowned, thoughtful of what may have happened when they were missing for five hours.

On the other hand, John's mind was somewhere else thinking how slow, deliberate, long and flexible the scientist movements were. Even though they were back at being friends for the past couple of weeks, John still gave her space, more than he did before what happened with Larrin.

"More what?" Suddenly, he remembered his C.O. last words.

"Upset. What she's doing... the movements..." Samantha explained at John's confused look. "It was mostly used to keep her anxiety away when her powers became too overwhelming in the first couple of years. After that was just to calm her down after something went wrong and she had no control over it. She hates it when she loses control of something. That's why she plans and plans..." She thought for a moment. "Actually, I haven't seen her do that since..." She almost slipped.

"Since when?" Now, John was curious. He felt Samantha look at him. The female Colonel wondered what was unbalacing so much her younger friend. It couldn't just be what happened on her mission, or even the broke in trust on Sheppard side. Perhaps, Alexandra was reacting to something more.

[Colonel Sheppard.] John heard Rodney's voice in his radio.

"I have to go." The Colonel said, taking his eyes from Alexandra for the firs time.

"Good luck, Colonel." Samantha wished.

"Yes, Ma'am."

As he left, John's mind kept going for the scene at the pier and his leader words. He still had much to learn about Alexandra. She was so much more than what she showed him four years before.

"Hey!" Alexandra stopped in her tracks when she saw John days later. "How was the coronation?"

The pilot sighed.

"The brat made Rodney the hero. On a portrait. Can you believe it?"

"Really?" Alexandra raised a brow, not believing.

"Yeah. And me, cowered, behind her skirts."

"Oh." The scientist imagined the scene and tried not to laugh.

"Don't you dare." John could tell she was about to do it and rolled his eyes, walking towards the armory to leave his gear. "And here I thought you were on my side."

"I am. It's just hard to believe you got bested by Rodney and a thirteen year old." Alexandra followed him, still amused. "Don't be grumpy."

"I bet you were a mean thirteen-year-old." The pilot grumbled.

"Well…" Alexandra leaned against the door frame, watching him take his vest off. "You wouldn't have noticed me." There was shrug as she crossed her arms.

Looking back at her, John raised his curious brow.

"Why not?"

"Basically, I was a nerd. And you would probably have been a jock. Two worlds completely apart." She said, jokingly.

Thinking about her words, John took a moment to check his hand gun and radio, giving both of them a moment. Then, after placing his hand gun back on its holder, the pilot took a step closer, placing his hands in his pockets.

"I would have noticed you, Alex." His hazel eyes locked on hers, his voice was soft. "With your books and backpack too full. Probably wearing glasses every now and then. I would have noticed you."

At his words, Alexandra straightened up from her place against the door frame. The look he was giving her was different. And the thing was she believed in his words. He would have not been the usual jock.

"I believe you." She gave him a small nod. "And that was a too accurate vision of myself back in school." She teased, trying to lighten up the mood, too tense to be comfortable around him in that moment.

John shrugged, not moving from his spot as he watched her become at ease again.

"If it wasn't for the tablet in your hands, I would bet you would have a book, or a notepad, or something else. Pen and paper, remember?" The pilot looked at her as he remembered the first day they met.

Alexandra looked down with a smile, remembering too.

"I do. You were very intrigued about my lack of use of technology." She mused.

"I was." More than that, John thought. The truth of those words surprising him. "Listen, I heard about what happened with Lieut. Marks. Are you okay?"

Suddenly, she became tense, remembering her last mission offworld.

"I am. It became a war zone in less then five minutes. And Marks is off the danger zone now. So, all is good."

The pilot nodded and was about to say something when he saw her hand go for her radio and respond to Zelenka.

"I have to go. See you later, Sheppard."

John nodded, seeing her disappear from his sight as he reflected on the last few minutes.

Ps: Thoughts?

And... this last part of the chapter makes me want to write them as teenagers... :P