Elizabeth held her food tray in front of her and scanned the mess hall, but there was no sign of John. A bit disappointed she walked to a table in the corner and took a seat. After thoroughly inspecting her food, she prodded a small bit on her fork and placed it in her mouth. Slowly she chewed on it and decided it indeed didn’t taste well. She placed the fork down on the tray and knew she shouldn’t behave this childish and pick at her food, but she could not stop worrying for John. She had not seen him since yesterday, after they had returned to Atlantis with the jumper.
The first thing Carson had done was giving Elizabeth a lecture that she was supposed to take it easy. Of course, John took the blame for it and he also got the full load for neglecting his responsibilities to take care of her. On top of Rodney wasn’t too pleased with John’s actions either, in sabotaging the jumper and complaint that he was always the one who had to clean up his mess. Before things got out of hand, she had wisely decided not to protest against anything that was said and to join Carson’s journey back to the infirmary, after which she had returned to her own room to get some sleep.
It wasn’t that Elizabeth had expected John to come to her room in the middle of the night, he probably wanted to give her some rest, but she had hoped to see him today. Until now, she had not seen or heard from him and an unsettling feeling crawled up her spine. She took a deep sigh and lifted herself from her seat. She would feel more at ease in the familiar environment of her own office.
*****
The door to Elizabeth’s office slid open. She stepped inside and took a seat behind her desk. For a brief moment, the same wonderful feeling as earlier that morning seeped into her mind. It was so good to be back at work, to sit in her own chair, behind her own desk, drinking coffee from her own mug. To see the pile of finished reports John had left behind for her had been a nice bonus. It had made her feel even more special than a few days before.
Yet Elizabeth still wondered why she had not seen John today. It would be inappropriate to go look for him. She sighed softly and took a report from the pile. Maybe she could ask him to come to her office to talk about the reports. That would be a valid reason for him to come and see her. She rose from her chair, walked to the door and briefly glanced down into the Gate room. There was no sign of John.
“Colonel Sheppard, please report to my office,” Elizabeth spoke into her headphone after she had activated it. She felt a bit awkward, but was sure she had sounded serious enough. She took a deep breath and waited for John to respond. A long period of silence made her restless. It was nothing like him not to respond to her call. She activated her earpiece again. “Colonel Sheppard, please respond.”
A soft but painful groan made her stomach twitch. “John?” she asked startled by the sound she had heard through her earpiece. “John where are you?” she demanded to know. It sounded as if something was wrong with him, which made all her senses go to high alert.
“Elizabeth,” John groaned weakly, making her even more upset and worrying.
“John where are you?” Elizabeth asked clearly. She felt restless and scanned the Gate room to decide which way she had to go. “John!” she yelled almost in despair.
Finally, an answer came back. “Room,” John breathed, letting out a painful groan simultaneously.
Without hesitating, Elizabeth ran out of her office, in the direction of John’s room. She heard his weak breathing and occasionally a soft groan coming from him. “Are you injured?” she asked, but got not answer. The moment she reached his room she pressed the overwrite code in on the control panel and the door opened. She looked inside, but John was not in his bed. Quickly she made her way to the bathroom, but he wasn’t there either.
Frightened by the faint breathing in her earpiece Elizabeth activated it again. “John, please tell me where you are,” she had sounded desperate and that was exactly how she felt at the moment.
“Room,” John spat out with all air he had left in his lungs, after which some loud and painful groans made his breathing irregular.
It struck Elizabeth with great pain to hear John like this. She looked around the room, but he was not here. Suddenly it made sense to her and she rushed out of his room. He had not meant he was in his room, but in hers, or at least she hoped. She ran as fast as she could until she stood at her door.
Before Elizabeth opened the door, she took a deep breath. Inside her bed, she saw John lying rolled on his side. “You scared me,” she said while she approached the bed. He had his eyes closed and his whole face was covered in sweat. Softly she placed her hand on his forehead and felt he had a high fever.
For a brief moment, John opened his eyes and instantly received a kind smile from Elizabeth. He moved a bit, causing some weak groans to leave his painful lungs.
“Lay still,” Elizabeth softly whispered while she activated her earpiece. “Doctor Beckett, could you come and check Colonel Sheppard out, he’s in my room?”
It wasn’t long before Carson responded, “I’m on my way.”
“Thank you,” Elizabeth spoke into her headphone and gently tucked John in with the blanket. At least he didn’t seem to be injured; it was a small relief that took away her worst fears. She went to the bathroom and wet a washcloth before returning to the bed.
John’s breathing had calmed down again, making Elizabeth’s tension ease a bit more too. Carefully she placed the washcloth on his forehead to cool it. In response, he opened his eyes and stared at her. “You’ll be fine,” she soothingly whispered, receiving a small nod from him in return.
Elizabeth rose from her knees and started to pick up John’s clothing. Meanwhile Carson arrived and headed straight for the bed.
“I think he has a fever,” Elizabeth explained.
Carson nodded and opened his medical bag. “I’ll check him out,” he confirmed while he pulled a penlight from the bag. After he turned it on, he used it to check John’s pupil reaction.
John wiped one of his arms between his eyes and the light. “Headache,” he groaned.
“Okay, I’ll turn it off,” Carson said while he put the light back in his bag. With one hand, he took John’s wrist to take his pulse, while he used the other to pick up a thermometer and placed it in John’s mouth.
Elizabeth was still worried sick about John. It was not like him to lay this still and obediently undergoing the medical exam without any complaints or remarks. She sighed softly and hoped there was nothing seriously wrong with him.
After Carson removed the thermometer, he changed his focus to Elizabeth. “His temperature is 103,” he said.
Elizabeth nodded in response and looked a little comforted by the calm expression on Carson’s face.
“Feels like 105,” John breathed, making a smile rise on Elizabeth’s lips.
“It’s only 103,” Carson repeated and turned his view back to John. “105 would not be good at all.”
“It does feel like 105,” John claimed while he groaned.
“Well you know what they say, women have a much higher pain threshold then men,” Elizabeth stated.
“Are you sure it’s not 104?” John asked.
Carson sighed. “Yes I’m sure.” He lifted a stethoscope from the bag. “I will check your lungs and take a blood sample to see what’s wrong with you, but my guess is that you’ve inherited Elizabeth’s flu.
*****
After Carson was finished examining John he put his equipment back in his medical bag and closed it. “No pneumonia, that’s good. I will get the blood results as soon as possible,” Elizabeth nodded she had understood him, while John seemed to be asleep again.
With his bag in his hand, Carson moved to the door and Elizabeth followed him. “I can take him to the infirmary,” he said, even while he knew she would refuse.
“No thanks, I will take care of him for now,” was the response Elizabeth gave.
“Aye,” Carson sighed. “I will check on him in a few hours, call me if his fever increases or if there is anything else I can do for you.”
“I will,” Elizabeth said. She added, “Thank you for coming,” when Carson left her room.
Elizabeth turned around to see John holding the blanket up. She was a bit surprised and silently shook her head in disbelief. “I do have to work you know,” she said while she approached him.
“Just a few minutes…” John whispered, almost begging for attention.
Elizabeth gave him a wide smile as she took off her shoes and crawled under the blanket. John snuggled close to her and his hand gently tugged her shirt out of her pants, making her bare stomach accessible to his hand. He softly rubbed her stomach with his thumb for a while, until he fell asleep.
The first thing Carson had done was giving Elizabeth a lecture that she was supposed to take it easy. Of course, John took the blame for it and he also got the full load for neglecting his responsibilities to take care of her. On top of Rodney wasn’t too pleased with John’s actions either, in sabotaging the jumper and complaint that he was always the one who had to clean up his mess. Before things got out of hand, she had wisely decided not to protest against anything that was said and to join Carson’s journey back to the infirmary, after which she had returned to her own room to get some sleep.
It wasn’t that Elizabeth had expected John to come to her room in the middle of the night, he probably wanted to give her some rest, but she had hoped to see him today. Until now, she had not seen or heard from him and an unsettling feeling crawled up her spine. She took a deep sigh and lifted herself from her seat. She would feel more at ease in the familiar environment of her own office.
*****
The door to Elizabeth’s office slid open. She stepped inside and took a seat behind her desk. For a brief moment, the same wonderful feeling as earlier that morning seeped into her mind. It was so good to be back at work, to sit in her own chair, behind her own desk, drinking coffee from her own mug. To see the pile of finished reports John had left behind for her had been a nice bonus. It had made her feel even more special than a few days before.
Yet Elizabeth still wondered why she had not seen John today. It would be inappropriate to go look for him. She sighed softly and took a report from the pile. Maybe she could ask him to come to her office to talk about the reports. That would be a valid reason for him to come and see her. She rose from her chair, walked to the door and briefly glanced down into the Gate room. There was no sign of John.
“Colonel Sheppard, please report to my office,” Elizabeth spoke into her headphone after she had activated it. She felt a bit awkward, but was sure she had sounded serious enough. She took a deep breath and waited for John to respond. A long period of silence made her restless. It was nothing like him not to respond to her call. She activated her earpiece again. “Colonel Sheppard, please respond.”
A soft but painful groan made her stomach twitch. “John?” she asked startled by the sound she had heard through her earpiece. “John where are you?” she demanded to know. It sounded as if something was wrong with him, which made all her senses go to high alert.
“Elizabeth,” John groaned weakly, making her even more upset and worrying.
“John where are you?” Elizabeth asked clearly. She felt restless and scanned the Gate room to decide which way she had to go. “John!” she yelled almost in despair.
Finally, an answer came back. “Room,” John breathed, letting out a painful groan simultaneously.
Without hesitating, Elizabeth ran out of her office, in the direction of John’s room. She heard his weak breathing and occasionally a soft groan coming from him. “Are you injured?” she asked, but got not answer. The moment she reached his room she pressed the overwrite code in on the control panel and the door opened. She looked inside, but John was not in his bed. Quickly she made her way to the bathroom, but he wasn’t there either.
Frightened by the faint breathing in her earpiece Elizabeth activated it again. “John, please tell me where you are,” she had sounded desperate and that was exactly how she felt at the moment.
“Room,” John spat out with all air he had left in his lungs, after which some loud and painful groans made his breathing irregular.
It struck Elizabeth with great pain to hear John like this. She looked around the room, but he was not here. Suddenly it made sense to her and she rushed out of his room. He had not meant he was in his room, but in hers, or at least she hoped. She ran as fast as she could until she stood at her door.
Before Elizabeth opened the door, she took a deep breath. Inside her bed, she saw John lying rolled on his side. “You scared me,” she said while she approached the bed. He had his eyes closed and his whole face was covered in sweat. Softly she placed her hand on his forehead and felt he had a high fever.
For a brief moment, John opened his eyes and instantly received a kind smile from Elizabeth. He moved a bit, causing some weak groans to leave his painful lungs.
“Lay still,” Elizabeth softly whispered while she activated her earpiece. “Doctor Beckett, could you come and check Colonel Sheppard out, he’s in my room?”
It wasn’t long before Carson responded, “I’m on my way.”
“Thank you,” Elizabeth spoke into her headphone and gently tucked John in with the blanket. At least he didn’t seem to be injured; it was a small relief that took away her worst fears. She went to the bathroom and wet a washcloth before returning to the bed.
John’s breathing had calmed down again, making Elizabeth’s tension ease a bit more too. Carefully she placed the washcloth on his forehead to cool it. In response, he opened his eyes and stared at her. “You’ll be fine,” she soothingly whispered, receiving a small nod from him in return.
Elizabeth rose from her knees and started to pick up John’s clothing. Meanwhile Carson arrived and headed straight for the bed.
“I think he has a fever,” Elizabeth explained.
Carson nodded and opened his medical bag. “I’ll check him out,” he confirmed while he pulled a penlight from the bag. After he turned it on, he used it to check John’s pupil reaction.
John wiped one of his arms between his eyes and the light. “Headache,” he groaned.
“Okay, I’ll turn it off,” Carson said while he put the light back in his bag. With one hand, he took John’s wrist to take his pulse, while he used the other to pick up a thermometer and placed it in John’s mouth.
Elizabeth was still worried sick about John. It was not like him to lay this still and obediently undergoing the medical exam without any complaints or remarks. She sighed softly and hoped there was nothing seriously wrong with him.
After Carson removed the thermometer, he changed his focus to Elizabeth. “His temperature is 103,” he said.
Elizabeth nodded in response and looked a little comforted by the calm expression on Carson’s face.
“Feels like 105,” John breathed, making a smile rise on Elizabeth’s lips.
“It’s only 103,” Carson repeated and turned his view back to John. “105 would not be good at all.”
“It does feel like 105,” John claimed while he groaned.
“Well you know what they say, women have a much higher pain threshold then men,” Elizabeth stated.
“Are you sure it’s not 104?” John asked.
Carson sighed. “Yes I’m sure.” He lifted a stethoscope from the bag. “I will check your lungs and take a blood sample to see what’s wrong with you, but my guess is that you’ve inherited Elizabeth’s flu.
*****
After Carson was finished examining John he put his equipment back in his medical bag and closed it. “No pneumonia, that’s good. I will get the blood results as soon as possible,” Elizabeth nodded she had understood him, while John seemed to be asleep again.
With his bag in his hand, Carson moved to the door and Elizabeth followed him. “I can take him to the infirmary,” he said, even while he knew she would refuse.
“No thanks, I will take care of him for now,” was the response Elizabeth gave.
“Aye,” Carson sighed. “I will check on him in a few hours, call me if his fever increases or if there is anything else I can do for you.”
“I will,” Elizabeth said. She added, “Thank you for coming,” when Carson left her room.
Elizabeth turned around to see John holding the blanket up. She was a bit surprised and silently shook her head in disbelief. “I do have to work you know,” she said while she approached him.
“Just a few minutes…” John whispered, almost begging for attention.
Elizabeth gave him a wide smile as she took off her shoes and crawled under the blanket. John snuggled close to her and his hand gently tugged her shirt out of her pants, making her bare stomach accessible to his hand. He softly rubbed her stomach with his thumb for a while, until he fell asleep.