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Chapter 69: Original Chapter 0.26

"So, you want us to find her?"

John looked at the Travelers second in command that had come to Atlantis to ask for help. The woman turned back to him with a serious look.

"You have the resources. And Larrin has been missing for five days. She told us that if she wasn't back by now, to come find you and ask for your help, Col. Sheppard."

Frowning, the pilot considered the request and the implications of it.

"Well, I don't know if we can accommodate that request. I am currently out of a team. And the others are offworld on Wraith business because of the new threat."

"Nonsense, Colonel." Woolsey intervened with a quick smile. "The Daedalus is available and you can ask Major Lorne to accompany you. And I'm sure Dr. O'Neill would like to help."

"To find Larrin?" John turned to his leader with a raised brow.

"Of course. Besides if Larrin did find the last box, I'm sure Dr. O'Neill would like to know right away."

Woolsey offered a smile, knowing the pilot and the scientist were at odds for days. Perhaps a push in the right direction was all they needed. And since Teyla was helping settling the Athosian people in a new planet with Ronon's aid, while Rodney had been away helping Beckett fight off a flu pandemic on another, knowing Jonh Sheppard, the Atlantis leader knew he was starting to claw at the walls for not going offworld.

"I can ask her for you, if you prefer. I'm sure she will appreciate to leave base for a couple of days too."

"No, sir. I'll... I'll ask her." Even if John was hesitant in doing so.

Finding her was not hard.

At first he had been surprised to find her lab empty, files and open books all over the tables, tablets and computers disconnected. It was not like her to leave everything like a tornado had gone through it. So, given the evidence, he knew there was only one place she could be in that moment.

Her favourite spot.

The pier.

And John was dreading it, because he knew what he would find.

Hazel eyes followed her movements as he approached her slowly after exiting the transport.

Aside from a few words, here and there, in meetings between teams because of Adria's threat, he had barely spoken with her, even when she tried to strike up a conversation during dinner time while they were all together, since Teyla, Ronon or Rodney kept pulling her onto their table.

However, she had stopped trying.

And a month had gone by. And by the looks of it, even if hearing reports and his friends telling him so, her powers had increased much faster than before and that was obvious by the way the waves danced alongside her as the ocean was tipically calm.

The way her arms arched, her legs moved, her body looked like one. Her ponytail flowed with the sea breeze. But why did she had to dress like that? Why did it had to be a top that covered almost nothing and leggings that shaped her form and that made him regret agreeing with Woolsey? He could ask his first in command to ask her about the mission. Right?

"What do you want, Colonel?" His heart wrenched at the cold tone she had started using for the past week everytime they found themselves in the same room.

Placing his hands in his pockets, John sighed.

"I have a mission. Woolsey asked if you wanted to come with me." He saw her stop, her back still to him.

"Woolsey asked." The words came out in a snort.

"Yeah. Thought you could use a little time away from the base."

"With you?" Turning to him, Alexandra crossed her arms. The hardness in her brown eyes struck him. "So... now I exist?"

"Alex."

"Don't Alex me, Colonel." She leaned down to pick up her jacket and placed it on, zipping it up. It didn't go unnoticed to her the sigh of relief that came from him, even if his eyes had followed her movements. "You barely look at me, exchange words or stay in the same room for more than five minutes. Why would you want me on a mission with you? Especially without any buffers around?"

"We'll have Lorne." John narrowed his eyes at the way she flinched at his words. He hated that he was doing that to her. Even if she didn't remembered them.

"Right. Lorne. Because you're not able to get past what happened and just be around me."

"Alex, you kissed me." His tone came out annoyed. It was the first time he said the words out loud. "And then you said you didn't know me."

"So?" She took a step closer to him. "Would you like me to lie?" And she saw the way he tried to avoid the look in her eyes. "You are dying to just step back, aren't you?" She humphed and surpassed him to get back to the transport.

"You told me once to not go alone on a mission." The pilot saw her stop and turn back to him.

"I thought you were taking Lorne." Alexandra narrowed her eyes.

"I am. It's just..." He sighed.

"What are you not telling me, Colonel?"

The pilot rubbed the back of his neck.

"It's Larrin. She's missing for five days and her instructions were to come ask Atlantis for help if she wasn't back by now. She... she was trying to find the last box."

"What? I..." Then, she leaned her head to the side, as if reading him. "How does she know about the boxes?"

"I told her."

"What? Why? The boxes are mine to find, John!" As Alexandra said the words, her lips turned into a thin line.

"I thought another set of eyes were good. And because I trust her." He frowned, seeing the way she hesitated.

"Right. You trust her... Does she know how to handle the box, at least?"

"Yes." John saw the way she straightened up her body at his response. "Alex, she's our ally. I trust her." He took a step closer to her as if his proximity would reassure her of his belief in the other woman.

However, as he was about to place his hand on her arm, a barely there flinch made her turn away from him, walking in direction of the transporter.

"Fine. When do we leave?" She felt him follow her inside.

"Why are you so uptight, all of a sudden?" His tone was worried now at the sudden change of mood coming from her.

"I am not uptight." She gritted.

"Alex..." His hazel eyes watched her. He hadn't seen her like that since the last time they had been together on that pier, more than a year ago. "You look..."

"I'm gonna get my things." It was her only response as she exited the transport in direction of her quarters.

Hours later

With the Daedalus help, the planet where Larrin was supposed to be was found in a matter of minutes and the team quickly found Larrin's passenger ship.

With Alexandra checking the log, John ordered Lorne and his team to check the perimeter.

"Anything?" The pilot looked around the small ship as he saw her sitting by the controls.

"Not yet." She was focused on the computer, reading symbols, trying to make sense of what was written. "If Rodney was here it would much faster. I'm not an engineer." There it was the annoyed tone.

"Well, he's helping Beckett."

"I know." She huffed, mumbling something he couldn't understand.

"Alex." His eyes were on her now.

"I'm working as fast as I can."

"Is not that." Worried, John saw her stop and look up at him with a frown. "I'm sorry, okay? I should have told you what I asked Larrin to do."

"Nevermind, Colonel." She turned her eyes back to the tablet, not missing the tension that was coming off of him. She sighed. "I get it. You wanted to help. Find the boxes. And she knows the galaxy."

"Yeah."

"And you trust her."

"About that..."

"She's a great warrior. And she's the leader of the Travelers." The scientist started rambling as she worked on the logs.

"She is." There was a tone of reverence in his voice.

"And she's beautiful and smart." The sudden silence on his part made her looked up at him, seeing the way he was watching her. "What?"

"How do you know?"

"Well, I met her already. And I've read previous reports in the past few months. "Did you two ever...?" She asked without missing a beat as she kept working on the logs.

"No." John immediately said, even if he knew it was a lie. "No. Why would you think that?"

"The way you two looked at each other the last time we were all together." Alexandra shrugged. "So why not? She seems like your type. At least from what I heard."

"Alex…"

"Besides... I know there was a kiss." She saw him go quieter than before.

"How do you know?"

"Well, I was just guessing, but you just confirmed it."

Leaning his head to the side, John tried to see more than what it was in front of his eyes.

"Yes. There was a kiss."

"You say it like it was something bad." She leaned her head to the side, not understanding his sudden mood change.

"I guess there was a moment. But that was it. Why are you so interested all of a sudden?"

"I'm not. I was just making conversation... I guess I get it why you would come after her. Or why she asked that it should be you to come for her." The scientist shrugged.

"Alex..."

"Hey! I got it." She stood from the controls, reading the log. "There's some caves north of here. C'mon..." She turned her radio on and started to delay the information to Lorne that acknowledge it. "Sheppard, c'mon!"

The trek was quiet.

Just like he used to, John was following her lead as she stared at the Ancient tablet device where she had downloaded the information she found.

"You know, once we find her, you should take a break too. I don't understand why you didn't do it like the others."

"Well, is not exactly a break what they're doing. Besides, once we find her, we will have the boxes to work on."

"/I/ will have the boxes to work on. Not you. Not Rodney. My powers are back, so that means that my gene is functioning as it should. So, it's my task. So, you should take a break. Especially if we are going to end up fighting the Wraith alongside Adria. Atlantis commanding officer should be at the top of his game by then. So..."

"Alex." His tone made her stop and turn back to him with a frown, not understanding. "Why are you so interested in me and Larrin?"

"I'm not."

His jaw clenched as he stared up at her and took a step closer, getting eye level to her. He tried to read her eyes, see if there was something there, since he had a feeling that something was not the same. However, staring at her, there was nothing he was able to pick up on.

"Larrin is in the past. You were my future, Alex. Whatever that could have meant with our jobs. And then you left." There was no changes in her demeanor as he stared at her.

"You're being weird, Colonel." She snorted. "Besides, if you are angry with me, then you should move on." At that, she turned away from him, not seeing the way his jaw clench and the longing that glimmered in his eyes.

"Alex..."

"I found her!" Her voice carried as if in an echo. "Sheppard!"

He ran and entered the cave, seeing Alexandra kneel down, her hands going for Larrin's neck to feel for her pulse.

"She's barely breathing." Her hands went behind her neck and then to her wrist and she closed her eyes.

A glow shimmered where Alexandra's hands were and barely a second passed by as Larrin opened her eyes a took a deep breath. And the scientist fell back onto her heels, while John knealt down and helped the traveler to sit back up.

"Is she okay?" Alexandra asked, out of breath, watching them.

John nodded, his hazel eyes catching the way she looked paler all of a sudden. Her powers might be stronger, but they still took a toll.

"Thank you." Larrin's hoarse voice sounded as she moved her leg around. "Even my leg..." They both saw Alexandra find a pack and opening it.

"Don't mention it." She offered a smile to the other woman as her brown eyes glanced at John that had a thankful expression on his face.

"What happened?" The pilot started, without missing the way Alexandra grabbed the discarded bagpack not far from where Larrin was and opened it, her eyes opening in surprise.

They had found the last box.

"I was attacked, but didn't see who it was. Next thing I know, I'm waking up to you two. The cave has some electromagnetic components. That's why I couldn't radio for help." Larrin explained.

"Well, as great as this is, the box is secure and we should go. Thank you, Larrin." The scientist offered a kind smile to the traveler, offering her hand for help.

"Don't mention it." Larrin mimicked her response, taking the hand as John helped her up from the other side.

As they exited the cave, their radios went off.

[Col. Sheppard we have incoming! Do you copy?]

"Who is it, Lorne?"

[Wraith. But they look...]

"It's Adria." Alexandra sighed, glacing at the man.

[They're heading in your direction.]

"Did they see you?"

[No. They went straight to Larrin's ship and then followed your path.]

"We need to get out..." John said, looking to the other women. However, he didn't finish the sentence as shots were fired and they retreated back to the cave. "How do you know Adria's here?" With his eyes on her, he could see the frown forming between her brows.

"I can feel her. Now that I have my powers..." Her brain was going in overdrive, thinking on the possibilities. "I can... I can fend them off. And you can escape. Here." She placed the bagpack onto Larrin with a tracker. "The Daedalus can beam you two up. I'll follow in seconds."

"Alex, you barely took a breath after healing Larrin."

"If it's only foot soldiers I can do it. Adria is not strong enough yet. That's why she's not looking for the box herself."

"How do you...?"

"She can sense me too now. And she knows I have my powers."

"Alex..." Worried for her quick plan, he caught her arm and made her look at him.

"I can do this, John. I won't let Adria put her hands on this box. Wait a couple of minutes. I'll radio Daedalus so Caldwell can beam you all up."

And before he could stop her, she was out of the cave. An explosion was heard and then everything went quiet.

Then, wraith stunner guns were heard in a distance.

"I can't let her do this alone." His eyes were fixed on the entrance of the cave.

"You heard what she said, Sheppard." Larrin frowned, one of her hands grabbing onto his vest.

"Yeah. Well, I don't listen very well." And he was out of the cave, following the sounds, his riffle gun pointed up, ready to fire in a moment's notice.

As he got to a clearing, Alexandra's shield expanded from her body and one of the shots ricocheted and John's grunt was heard as he fell to the ground alongside the group of wraith pursuing her.

"John!" As her eyes found him, she stumbled towards him, out of breath. "I told you to wait..."

He groaned as the pain increased by the second, feeling her hands opening his vest.

"I couldn't. You should know better." He heard his uniform jacket zip being opened. "Well, doc, you could wait for a more private setting, you know? If you wanted to see me..." He tried to joke, then his hazel eyes found hers at the same time he could feel her hands on his skin and he groaned again. There was something in them he hadn't seen since she had left. "You don't have to heal me."

"Sheppard!" Larrin suddenly appeared, kneeling on the other side of John while the scientist looked for the wound in his torso. Her energy was starting to fade and the Daedalus was not yet in position to beam them up.

"You shouldn't have let him get out of the cave." Alexandra glanced at the other woman, annoyed at her presence and swiped her hands away from him as she positioned her own onto his skin.

"You are his partner. I couldn't stop him!"

"Or ask for our help."

"I was helping you!"

"Ladies, no need to argue…" John grunted in pain, feeling himself fall into uncousciousness as he felt Alexandra's soothing touch, the warmth of her hands on his neck, then his wrist. He had missed that.

"If it wasn't for you, he wouldn't be outside." Larrin continued, her tone angry.

"Yes, because I'm the one wandering around with the deep neckline, making heads turns." Alexandra narrowed her eyes at Larrin then looked back at John.

There was worry in those brown eyes and something more. And, as he lost conscience, the words he had just heard ringed something in his memory. Then, he felt warmth flow throughout his body.

Hours later

Beepings. Voices. A touch long forgotten. Energy that felt familiar. Memories. Sighs. Words spoken in naked nights.

Ideas flowing through his head that would have to wait a little while longer.

"Well, hello, there, Colonel." Her voice brought him out of his dream and hazel eyes found green eyes.

"Larrin?" He frowned, feeling her hand on his cheek. That was not the touch he desired.

"What were you dreaming about?" The woman was sitting by his bed, watching him with a cheeky glint in her eyes and a smirk drawn in her lips.

"Nothing." Slowly, John sat up, watching her carefully. His hand went to the bandage on his side, feeling the bruise forming and remembering what happened hours before.

After the Daedalus had been able to transport the whole team seconds after he had become uncouscious, John had woken up only minutes later, the energy that Alexandra had flowed into his body doing its magic and the doctors had seen no use of making him stay in the infirmary after examination, releasing him an hour later. However, her powers were not in full mode, since he had been too tired and sore to do anything else except sleep after informing Col. Caldwell of Larrin's starship location, so they could drop her off.

And even if he was starting to feel like himself, he just wanted to go back to sleep, go back to that dream, a dream that had the woman that was not currently looking at him.

"How did you get inside my quarters?"

"I have my ways." Her tone was seductive as she slid a bit closer to him.

"Where's Alex? She wasn't in the infirmary..."

"Cooped up in her lab since we arrived. Does she remember anything?"

"No."

"Uh. Because she hadn't talked to me the way she did, since the first time we met."

"It must be this mission. She didn't want to come."

"Oh, so you pulled rank." She smirked. "That's hot."

"Not exactly." John rubbed the back of his neck, even if feeling uncomfortably conceited. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"I missed you after being released from the infirmary. Your little friend does punch a great mojo. Not even a bruise on the back of my head."

"Yeah. Listen..."

"Oh, c'mon, Sheppard. We still have hours to get to my starship. And you can't do much else. Since rest was ordered by your captain." She almost pouted, her fingers touching his chest.

He chuckled at her ways, his hazel eyes turning soft, watching the other woman.

"Don't let him hear you call him captain."

"Alright. So, what should we do?" She raised her brow, mischieveously, and in a quick move Larrin straddled him and his hands landed on her waist.

"You know, this is getting old."

"You had no problem last time."

"Only time." John raised his brow, seriously. "And you know it was a mistake."

"C'mon, Sheppard. Is it Alex? She can't even remember you..."

"It doesn't matter. What happened it shouldn't..."

"Hey, John, are you awake?" A softer, hesitant voice was heard as the door to his quarters opened. "The doctor..." Alexandra stopped mid sentence as she looked at the bed. "Sorry, I… I thought I pressed the coms button... I... Forget it." And the door closed.

For a moment, she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, willing her heart to calm down before walking away.

On the other side, right on the moment the door had opened and he heard her voice, John's eyes had immediately fell on Alexandra's face. It was in a split of a second but he saw it. The hurt in her eyes.

"Do you think she's coming back or..."

"Larrin…" The pilot sighed, his hands getting her off his lap, immediately grabbing his shirt and going out the door as he put it on.

Immediately, John found her retreating as quickly as possible at the end of the corridor.

"Wait." Before he could think of it, his hand grabbed her arm and he felt the electricity going from her body to his. "Ouch! What the..." His hand released her.

"Oh. I'm sorry, J... Colonel. I didn't mean to... Why are you..."

"Don't give me that. What you saw..."

"It's fine." She offered him a smile. "It's good that we found her. And the box. I'm gonna keep working on it."

"Yeah, but…"

"I always thought that you two... you know. When I met her a few months ago, I mean. Because, before... I don't remember." She was rambling. And he would know. Because he always knew.

"Right. It's just... what you saw... I don't know why she came to my room..."

"I thought I was pressing the coms button, since I thought you would be asleep and didn't want to disturb you." The words came out quickly, Alexandra not paying much attention to his own words. "Just have fun. Here. That's what I was going to give you. I went by the infirmary and the doctor told me to give you this." She pushed a medication bottle into his hand. "In case you had any pain."

"No pain. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, why?"

"You went by the infirmary."

"Oh, my energy levels were down and they wanted to do a check up." She shrugged.

However, John could always read her when he wanted to. And he knew she desperatly wanted to leave his presence. And the rambling... he hadn't heard her like that in almost two years.

"Alex… Listen. We..." He took a step closer, crowding her, knowing that would make her slip up. And as she looked up at him, John saw it.

"Stop!" Frustration blossomed inside of her, even if she managed a smile at the end. "You almost died, Colonel. We have a few hours to spare. Just... go have fun. Take that break we talked about." She tried to sound amiccable and cheeky at the same time. "I'll be in the lab, checking the box." And before he could say something more, she left.

Watching her go, the pilot was unable to stop her. He didn't know how. Or when. But... she remembered.

So, why was she pushing him into another woman's arms?

Ps: Thoughts?