Hello, Stargate Lovers!

Happy Sunday! I hope you are all well.

Thank you for the reviews and the follows!

This one is a little chapter, but I do hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 43: Episode 5x09

"Welcome back." Woolsey was waiting for the team as they stepped out of the wormhole. "I thought you would like to know that Dr. O'Neill has awaken, Col. Sheppard."

The last few days had been slow and after the last events of the present day, to receive that news after the team had just been gone for a couple of hours to settle the young girl with her new family, was a surprise. And nerve wrecking for John as he wasn't sure on what to say or act after his conversation with Kal.

"Go ahead, Colonel. I'll debrief you in an hour." Woolsey continued at his military commander silence.

"Yes, sir." John ended up saying as he walked away, leaving Teyla, Ronon and McKay behind. The three friends shared a concerned look for a moment, before parting their own ways.

For the past two weeks, John had been thinking and overthinking more than he usually would.

Tossing and turning in bed, running through Atlantis halls, training with Ronon... Nothing had helped to keep him at ease after his resolution of not spending his nights next to her bed.

And, as his hazel eyes fell on her bed when he reached the infirmary hall, John came to the conclusion that anything he had come up with to keep them at a distance, even if he had her own reasoning in mind, he knew that anything that came out of his lips would definitely damage their friendship.

"Colonel." Evan Lorne stood from the chair as soon as he saw his C.O. "I was putting Dr. O'Neill up to speed."

"Good thinking, Major." John smiled, stepping closer to the bed, his eyes going from Lorne to Alexandra. "Can you give us a moment?"

"Of course, sir. See you soon, Alex." The Major gave his friend one last smile before leaving.

The scientist nodded with a smile before landing her eyes on a still geared up John, who was staring at her silently.

"Stop that, Sheppard." She said in a serious tone.

"Can you blame me?" The pilot saw the color on her cheeks and the sparkle in her eyes. She was okay. And looked fully recovered. But did he had doubts about it? For a split of a second he had imagined she could have lost her powers, or be upset about using them in such a manner. But it didn't look the case.

"It's not the first time you've seen my power."

"Not like that. It was… different." He took another step closer. "It was... light. Pure light." His voice was almost a whisper.

She rolled her eyes, then her brow creased as her brown eyes looked away.

"M… Michael escaped."

John frowned at her voice breaking about the half-wraith escaping. His hand closed in a tight grasp, not only from that failure of his, but also from keeping himself of touching her.

"We'll catch him, Alex. At least we know he's alive now."

Alexandra only nodded, thinking back on those last moments. Then, she looked up at the pilot.

"I hope I didn't hurt you. I don't control my shield when…"

"You didn't." He reassured her.

Alexandra offered him a soft and relieved smile that twisted his stomach into knots because of what he had to do next.

"Listen, Alex…" John started, looking at her in a way he hoped she would find nonchalant. "I just wanted you to know that I am backing off." He saw her frown. "You're right. After... I understand now. Anything that I might have been feeling, I know it was Kal and it would ruin our friendship anyway, like you said."

Those words knotted her stomach. Even if it had been two weeks since her explosion, knowing full well what her powers looked like to others, Alexandra didn't understand the sudden change in him. What had he seen? For a moment, she thought back in time that he would never give up. Had she scared him? But now... she should be grateful, right? She wanted that... right? She had pushed him away, time and time again, right? To protect him. To always protect him.

"It's better like this, right?" Her silence made him frown and take one step closer, almost touching her bed as his hazel eyes found hers. There was curiosity and confusion in them.

"Yes, yes, of course." Alexandra gave him a smile that she hoped didn't felt strange. "It's better like this. I've told you. I'm glad you snapped out of whatever Kal left inside of you." She tried to make a joke. It was better like this. It would keep him safe from whatever would come her away, now that her powers were back, in almost full force if that display in Michael's Ancient ship was any indication.

"I know. I just…" John rubbed the back of his neck, only to keep his hands occupied. "Anyway, I'm glad you're awake and alright, it seems."

"Yep. No damage done." She gave him a smile, even if inside she just wanted him to leave so she could curl up under the covers.

"Good." The pilot offered her his usual, relaxed smile. "Well, I have to debrief Woolsey about our latest adventure."

"Right. Lorne told me about the second Runner. Is Ronon okay?"

"Yeah. And he is. We just arrived from leaving the little girl." John was already backing away. "See you soon?"

"You bet, Sheppard." With her hand, she made a mock salute that made him chuckle.

And just like that Alexandra saw him leave, and even if she didn't understand what exactly changed his mind, she felt relieved that everything was going back to normal.

...Right?

Then why did she felt a hole in her heart?

Days Later

Fully recovered and needing to exercise her stiff body, Alexandra entered the gym area behind Ronon. Immediately, her eyes landed on John and on one of the new female marines she hadn't met yet. She averted her eyes as it was clear they were having a moment.

She hadn't seen him in three days, which was strange.

In the past, he was always in the infirmary to keep her company while she stayed there.

Now... he was flirting, at plain sight... and not that weird thing he was trying to do before she was taken... no, that was an actually flirty John Sheppard pose she was seeing.

"Are you done, Sheppard?" Interrupting both her thoughts and the pilot's moment, Ronon's eyes went from his training partner to his team leader.

John and the marine took a step back from each other, slightly flustered. However, the pilot eyes landed on the small figure that walked to the opposite side of the room without acknowledging him.

"Hey, Ronon. Do you need a partner?" The pilot frowned, his eyes going back to the Satedan.

"Naaah. I'm helping doc here." Ronon pointed at Alexandra that had approached them in the meantime.

"Is that wise?" John turned to her, concerned. "You just got out of the infirmary. And Ronon is… well, not a softie. Maybe I can…"

"I trust Ronon." Alexandra interrupted. "And I asked him. I don't need someone to go easy on me." She shrugged, trying to not sound affected by the pilot's words.

"Of course." John did not miss her cold tone. "I'll leave you two alone, then." He was slowly heading out, not sure if he wanted her to change her mind and stop him from leaving, or if he just wanted her to look back at him, since she hadn't spared a glance towards him as she positioned herself on the training mattress. "Have fun."

"We will." Ronon smiled, getting the sticks.

WIth one last look, John waited for a response from the scientist, but didn't get one. So, he left.

"You should go easy on him, doc." Ronon commented right before he threw himself at her. "He was scared of losing you. For as much bruised and hurt that he was, he didn't even let me carry you out of that warship."

After standing up, Alexandra looked the Satedan with a thoughtfull look for a moment.

"You know, that's the most I've heard from you since I've been here." She teased him, knowing it wasn't as such. Ronon just shrugged. "Besides, John is a big boy. He has his own thing going on, Ronon. He's going back to his normal self. As am I. And it's better this way. Finally, we're going our separate ways after everything that happened with Kal. And now with Michael." She put herself into position. "Now, are we talking or training?"

Ronon gave her an almost feral smile, not believing one thing she said as he launched himself at her once more.

Ps: Thoughts?