John hovered in the doorway to Teyla's room taking a moment to watch the two occupants with an amused smile. He'd been searching for Elizabeth everywhere before remembering her offer to babysit and sure enough he'd found her doing just that.
"Having fun?" He announced his presence with a slight cough, crossing the threshold to join them.
Elizabeth turned, bouncing the young child in her arms with a smile. "Look Torren, it's Colonel Sheppard. He's been busy writing up reports, yes he has-" she cooed at the infant, directing her gaze towards John with a raised eyebrow, "or at least that's what he should have been doing."
He smirked, forcing the gesture into an innocent smile as he reached her side. "No one ever taught you the art of procrastination did they?"
Torren gurgled happily at the comment and she sighed, shifting him to sit more comfortably against her chest. "Teaching him bad habits is only going to get you into trouble with Teyla..." she pointed out matter of factly, though there was humour behind her voice, "I don't know who's influence is worse yours or Rodney's."
"Hey, at least I've never dropped him!" John protested the insinuation, glancing further around the room. "Where are the proud parents anyway? Shouldn't they be back from the mainland by now?"
Elizabeth shook her head, letting her attention fall back to the young child. He seemed content with blowing spit bubbles, oblivious to his mother's absence and she silently hoped he remained that way. Babies somehow lost their cuteness when they started screaming blue murder. "They called in about an hour ago and I told them not to hurry. I imagine it's hard for them to find time alone together with this little guy being so cute and all."
"-and of course it had nothing to do with wanting to play babysitter?" He motioned with his hand, amused by her playful tone. She seemed to have a natural flare for parenting but as comfortable as the scene felt, it wasn't something he was looking to replicate any time soon.
"Relax John." She sensed where the conversation was headed and glanced up at him, "as much as I'm enjoying this, I take great comfort in the fact I can give him back at the end of the day."
"That's a relief-" he caught the look she shot him and mentally kicked himself. "Not that I don't want... it's just, being here and..." the words died in a jumble and he flinched, settling his hand against the small of her back, "that came out wrong, you know what I mean..."
While neither of them were ready to start a family in the near future, the fact he wasn't opposed to the idea was comforting and she filed the topic away for discussion at a later date. "I do, I just like seeing you get all worked up," she conceded with a smirk, suprised that he was so easily flustered by the topic.
"Well, there are far more enjoyable ways..."
He stepped forward, spreading his fingers further along her hip and she stiffened, playfully admonishing him, "John I don't think right now is entirely appropriate, do you?"
"What?" He raised an eyebrow, directing his gaze to the young child in her arms. "It's not like he's going to say anything-" there was no indication the kid was unsettled by his close proximity and John found a light smile touching his lips. With such a rewarding gene pool and calm persona, the infant was definitely going to be a little heart breaker.
"No-" Elizabeth brought him back with a firm tone, "but it'd probably traumatise him for life and I'm not explaining to Teyla why her son can no longer sleep through the night."
A sigh broke his lips and John reluctantly let his hand drop but still remained contently in place. He'd never really thought about it before but if he and Elizabeth ever did decide to start a family their child would be a shoe-in. So long as he, or she, took after their mother and didn't inherit his knack for getting into trouble...
Elizabeth watched his eyes start to glaze over and nudged him gently, "not getting clucky on me are you?" She offered the insinuation with a smile, bouncing Torren as he spat yet another bubble out.
John tilted his head, not ashamed to voice his line of thought. "Well you have to admit a littler version of us running around would be kind of cool. With my hair and your-" he waved motioning towards her in general, "...everything else, world domination would be a snap."
"A snap?" Her lips twitched in a light smirk. "Well then, it's a good thing we're going to hold off for a while."
Torren reached out and John found the small hand with his own, jiggling the tiny fingers. "Yeah, you're probably right. We should wait and see how much trouble this one causes first."
Elizabeth smiled fondly at the child, watching his eyes draw into narrow slits before he reluctantly prised them back open. He was getting tired and after a few more sluggish repeats, she curled his hand away from John and bounced him over to the wooden crib Teyla had set up.
John watched her tuck him in, feeling a swell of pride at how accomplished she was with the task. Given everything she'd been through, the memories she had to live with, the nightmares... it was a near miracle she had come out the other side able to function at all. But here they were, close to a month since her 'official' return and she'd exceeded everyone's expectations and he couldn't be more proud.
Finding his feet, he shuffled across letting his hands slip around her waist.
She immediately relaxed into the contact and he sighed, resting his head against the crook of her neck, "I love you..."
The words came out smothered by their close contact and he squeezed his eyes shut. He hadn't meant for the admission to slip out but it was too late to take back now and sliding his arms further around, he clasped his wrists lightly over her stomach, "was that too much? I mean, I don't want-"
"John-" she was surprised to find her voice chocked with tears and slowly turned, tracing her nails over the soft cotton of his shirt.
A crease worked it's way into the lines of her forehead as she stalled over his heart, feeling the rapid thud beneath her fingertips. He was nervous, poised on her reaction and the realisation left her warm with reassurance. She did this to him. Not some young attractive alien women that held true to his reputation, not even his friends who struggled to break through his tough solider act. She was the reason his emotions were out in the open, subject to being torn a part... and the fact he held them there none the less, only confirmed what she already knew.
She loved him too.
Smiling through her tears, she found a lighter tone with a soft laugh, "sorry, I...I kind of figured that part out. Just waiting for you to catch up..."
Letting out a breath, he found the relief pushed aside by the fact she was clearly teasing him and tried on a look of mock hurt, "you know, I bare my soul to you and what do I get? Laughed at? I swear, I will never understand women!"
Elizabeth buried her head against his chest, muffling the sounds of further laughter that threatened to escape. Perhaps she had made light of the situation a little too soon but he didn't mind, she could tell by the way his muscles instinctively welcomed her into the embrace.
John rolled his eyes, letting a smile grace his lips as they followed the hug into a comfortable silence. He'd almost forgotten what it was like to be this content, happy. The desperation and cold emptiness he'd felt in her absence was slowly drowning in a wash of new memories and he pushed the dark thoughts to the back of his mind where hopefully they'd stay, forgotten. He didn't need to be reminded of what he'd lost, just be grateful for the things he'd gained.
And right now, he had everything.
OOOO
I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned the hard way that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning middle and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the most of it without knowing what's going to happen next. - Gilda Radner
OOOO
"Having fun?" He announced his presence with a slight cough, crossing the threshold to join them.
Elizabeth turned, bouncing the young child in her arms with a smile. "Look Torren, it's Colonel Sheppard. He's been busy writing up reports, yes he has-" she cooed at the infant, directing her gaze towards John with a raised eyebrow, "or at least that's what he should have been doing."
He smirked, forcing the gesture into an innocent smile as he reached her side. "No one ever taught you the art of procrastination did they?"
Torren gurgled happily at the comment and she sighed, shifting him to sit more comfortably against her chest. "Teaching him bad habits is only going to get you into trouble with Teyla..." she pointed out matter of factly, though there was humour behind her voice, "I don't know who's influence is worse yours or Rodney's."
"Hey, at least I've never dropped him!" John protested the insinuation, glancing further around the room. "Where are the proud parents anyway? Shouldn't they be back from the mainland by now?"
Elizabeth shook her head, letting her attention fall back to the young child. He seemed content with blowing spit bubbles, oblivious to his mother's absence and she silently hoped he remained that way. Babies somehow lost their cuteness when they started screaming blue murder. "They called in about an hour ago and I told them not to hurry. I imagine it's hard for them to find time alone together with this little guy being so cute and all."
"-and of course it had nothing to do with wanting to play babysitter?" He motioned with his hand, amused by her playful tone. She seemed to have a natural flare for parenting but as comfortable as the scene felt, it wasn't something he was looking to replicate any time soon.
"Relax John." She sensed where the conversation was headed and glanced up at him, "as much as I'm enjoying this, I take great comfort in the fact I can give him back at the end of the day."
"That's a relief-" he caught the look she shot him and mentally kicked himself. "Not that I don't want... it's just, being here and..." the words died in a jumble and he flinched, settling his hand against the small of her back, "that came out wrong, you know what I mean..."
While neither of them were ready to start a family in the near future, the fact he wasn't opposed to the idea was comforting and she filed the topic away for discussion at a later date. "I do, I just like seeing you get all worked up," she conceded with a smirk, suprised that he was so easily flustered by the topic.
"Well, there are far more enjoyable ways..."
He stepped forward, spreading his fingers further along her hip and she stiffened, playfully admonishing him, "John I don't think right now is entirely appropriate, do you?"
"What?" He raised an eyebrow, directing his gaze to the young child in her arms. "It's not like he's going to say anything-" there was no indication the kid was unsettled by his close proximity and John found a light smile touching his lips. With such a rewarding gene pool and calm persona, the infant was definitely going to be a little heart breaker.
"No-" Elizabeth brought him back with a firm tone, "but it'd probably traumatise him for life and I'm not explaining to Teyla why her son can no longer sleep through the night."
A sigh broke his lips and John reluctantly let his hand drop but still remained contently in place. He'd never really thought about it before but if he and Elizabeth ever did decide to start a family their child would be a shoe-in. So long as he, or she, took after their mother and didn't inherit his knack for getting into trouble...
Elizabeth watched his eyes start to glaze over and nudged him gently, "not getting clucky on me are you?" She offered the insinuation with a smile, bouncing Torren as he spat yet another bubble out.
John tilted his head, not ashamed to voice his line of thought. "Well you have to admit a littler version of us running around would be kind of cool. With my hair and your-" he waved motioning towards her in general, "...everything else, world domination would be a snap."
"A snap?" Her lips twitched in a light smirk. "Well then, it's a good thing we're going to hold off for a while."
Torren reached out and John found the small hand with his own, jiggling the tiny fingers. "Yeah, you're probably right. We should wait and see how much trouble this one causes first."
Elizabeth smiled fondly at the child, watching his eyes draw into narrow slits before he reluctantly prised them back open. He was getting tired and after a few more sluggish repeats, she curled his hand away from John and bounced him over to the wooden crib Teyla had set up.
John watched her tuck him in, feeling a swell of pride at how accomplished she was with the task. Given everything she'd been through, the memories she had to live with, the nightmares... it was a near miracle she had come out the other side able to function at all. But here they were, close to a month since her 'official' return and she'd exceeded everyone's expectations and he couldn't be more proud.
Finding his feet, he shuffled across letting his hands slip around her waist.
She immediately relaxed into the contact and he sighed, resting his head against the crook of her neck, "I love you..."
The words came out smothered by their close contact and he squeezed his eyes shut. He hadn't meant for the admission to slip out but it was too late to take back now and sliding his arms further around, he clasped his wrists lightly over her stomach, "was that too much? I mean, I don't want-"
"John-" she was surprised to find her voice chocked with tears and slowly turned, tracing her nails over the soft cotton of his shirt.
A crease worked it's way into the lines of her forehead as she stalled over his heart, feeling the rapid thud beneath her fingertips. He was nervous, poised on her reaction and the realisation left her warm with reassurance. She did this to him. Not some young attractive alien women that held true to his reputation, not even his friends who struggled to break through his tough solider act. She was the reason his emotions were out in the open, subject to being torn a part... and the fact he held them there none the less, only confirmed what she already knew.
She loved him too.
Smiling through her tears, she found a lighter tone with a soft laugh, "sorry, I...I kind of figured that part out. Just waiting for you to catch up..."
Letting out a breath, he found the relief pushed aside by the fact she was clearly teasing him and tried on a look of mock hurt, "you know, I bare my soul to you and what do I get? Laughed at? I swear, I will never understand women!"
Elizabeth buried her head against his chest, muffling the sounds of further laughter that threatened to escape. Perhaps she had made light of the situation a little too soon but he didn't mind, she could tell by the way his muscles instinctively welcomed her into the embrace.
John rolled his eyes, letting a smile grace his lips as they followed the hug into a comfortable silence. He'd almost forgotten what it was like to be this content, happy. The desperation and cold emptiness he'd felt in her absence was slowly drowning in a wash of new memories and he pushed the dark thoughts to the back of his mind where hopefully they'd stay, forgotten. He didn't need to be reminded of what he'd lost, just be grateful for the things he'd gained.
And right now, he had everything.
OOOO
I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned the hard way that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning middle and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the most of it without knowing what's going to happen next. - Gilda Radner
OOOO
Chapter End Notes: Sorry it's taken me so long to get this last chapter up. I was planning a sequel but it seems my muse has up and left. I'm hoping that writing some shorter stories will fix that :P Anyway let me know what you think, it's been a pleasure XXX