Elizabeth Weir tried desperately to explain to her 12 year old niece just why she had to move to Colorado.
"John and I are engaged now. He's based there. It's a way to be closer to him."
Abby gave her a disbelieving look "You told me he was based in the Middle East" she snapped.
Well, yes," Elizabeth was getting flustered "but when he's home, he's based in Colorado."
"When he's home, he's here!" Abby countered.
Elizabeth sighed. "Look, Abby, I can't go into details. I know you want answers, and I know you're angry with me, but I'll be here as much as I can. I can be here almost every weekend."
Abby scowled at her. "Whatever." she said, storming off the balcony.
Matthew Weir was almost knocked over by his daughter as she ran off the balcony and up the stairs. "So... I take it that didn't go so well"
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "That obvious?"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
John Sheppard was cornered by Rodney McKay almost as soon as he arrived back on Atlantis.
"Did you bring me anything?" the scientist demanded.
"What am I, your uncle?"
"Come on, Sheppard, you know you got me something, hand it over!"
John reached into his pack and pulled out a plastic shopping bag, which was instantly snatched by Rodney.
"Is that all??"
John glared at him "You wanted chocolate, I got you chocolate. Quit complaining."
"Not complaining, just saying you could have done better."
John sighed. "So are you going to stand there whining or are you going to ask me how my trip was."
"Fine," Rodney said through a mouthful of Mars Bar. "How was the trip."
"Great, thanks for asking Rodney" John said sarcastically. "I asked her."
"Asked who?"
John rolled his eyes. "Elizabeth."
"Asked her what?"
"Jesus..." John leaned closer whispering "to marry me, you idiot."
"What did she say?"
"McKay, do you ever listen? I just said my trip was great, what do you think she said?" John asked frustratedly.
"She said yes? She's lost her mind..."
"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, McKay!"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Elizabeth Weir stepped into Jack O'Neill's Washington office.
"Elizabeth, great to see you," he said, looking up from some paperwork. "How long before you're ready to make the move to Colorado Springs?"
"Actually," Elizabeth started, "I'd like to talk to you about that... about the setup of the job."
Jack let out a frustrated sigh, "Elizabeth, we're talked about this. You've signed the papers. What's the problem?"
"Well, I don't see the point in actually relocating to Colorado Springs permanently if I'm only going to get intermittent work." she told him.
"We need you to be there."
"Jack, this is the age of email, internet, fax for crying out loud..."
"You want them to send you classified information over your email?" Jack shook his head "come on, Elizabeth. You know better than that."
She nodded.
"You're on a four day week. You'll spend most of that time teaching other staff to translate Ancient. That gives you three days a week to spend with your family, if that's your concern."
"There's something else," Elizabeth said hesitantly.
Jack waited for her to continue. "Elizabeth, I'm not a mind reader."
She smiled, nervously, and held her left hand up for him to see.
"Wow. I was not expecting that." Jack eyed the huge rock on Elizabeth's hand.
She took a deep breath "So... I know we've spoken about travel to Atlantis, and how it's not guaranteed... I'd just like to let you know that... I'd really appreciate the opportunity, should it arise."
"Point taken," Jack replied. "And congratulations, Elizabeth. Sheppard's a lucky bastard."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Elizabeth was exhausted. She'd spend the entire weekend moving things into her new home in Colorado Springs, and now she was alone, on Sunday night, with a trip to the SCG just 10 hours away.
She wished she'd been able to bring Sedge with her, but given the uncertain nature of her job, she'd thought better of it. She loved her dog too much to take her away from the stable environment provided by Matt and Abby.
Elizabeth sat on the floor in the centre of her new living room, pizza box on the coffee table. She hadn't felt so alone since the day she'd been thrown out of the Atlantis expedition.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sheppard and Ronon were geared up for self defence training with some of the scientists who were due to go off world. Three men, two women, among them Melanie Katz.
"Dr Katz," John seemed to be interupting a conversation between the doctor and one of the newer recruits, a woman named Jennie Matthews.
"Colonel?"
"Major Katz give you any idea of basic self defence?"
"A bit," she admitted.
"Okay, how about you go first?"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"That man is seriously hot," Jennie Matthews whispered to Melanie Katz as John Sheppard walked past.
"The Colonel?"
"Yes, the Colonel. I'd like to get me a piece of that..."
Melanie laughed. "Good luck. From what I've heard, he has quite the reputation, but he's only interested in women off world."
"We'll see about that," Jennie said with a smirk.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Elizabeth felt awkward. She was wearing a suit for the first time in.. she didn't know how long. Her hair looked a little too long as well, not quite right with such a corporate look. She'd tied it up in a loose bun, and promised herself to get a trim as soon as she had time.
Right now, she was in her new office. The place she'd be calling home four days a week for the forseeable future.
A knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts.
"Come in," she called.
The door opened and two men aged in their mid 20s entered. Doctors Milton and Chang. Her first two students. The members of her new team.
"Gentlemen," she smiled at them "let's get to work.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
John Sheppard thought it was quite possible he might die of boredom. He'd been furious when Carter had insisted his team go on the scientific babysitting mission.
He and Ronon kept watch, while Teyla and McKay worked with Matthews and Davies on this new piece of technology they'd found.
Who knew what it was. Who cared? He just wanted to be doing anything but watching scientists right now.
These two new ones were worse than McKay and Zelenka put together. Matthew especially was iritating him. She kept bumping into him, stumbling in front of him... her clumsiness meant that he was not going to be allowing her on any missions in the near future. In fact, she was looking distinctly like she needed a remedial course in basic human movement. He'd have to settle for giving her some extra self defence training.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"So how's the new job?" Abby asked Elizabeth.
"Not bad. Kind of boring, but you know... I'm sure it'll get better."
"So when are you coming home to see us?"
Elizabeth laughed into the phone "Abby, I only left three days ago!"
"Yeah, but I want to go wedding dress shopping with you!" Abby insisted.
"We don't even know when the wedding's going to be, Abs, we have plenty of time."
"I guess... have you seen John?"
"No, I don't know when I will."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"You're getting better," John told Jennie Matthews. "You'll need a few more sessions, though, just to get your coordination happening."
"Thanks so much for giving up your time Colonel," Jennie threw a flirty smile at him.
"It's John," he said.
"Okay, John.." she giggled a bit, "Has anyone ever told you you have a great ass?"
John smirked "Oh, sure, every day of the week! I'll catch you for a session same time tomorrow."
He walked out, oblivious to the fact that Jennie was still watching his every move.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Don't look now, but Dr Matthews hasn't taken her eyes off you for past hour," McKay whispered to John as he put a fry into his mouth.
"What?" he turned to look in the direction Rodney was facing.
"I said don't look. God, are you stupid? I think she has a crush... don't encourage her. I don't want to have to pick up the pieces after."
John gave him a disgusted look "Jesus McKay, I'm engaged to Elizabeth. What do you take me for?"
"Just remember that," Rodney told him, glancing again at the blonde scientist who was still staring at John while chasing food around her plate. "Because if you screw around on her, I'll set Ronon on you."
"I'm supposed to be training her tomorrow..." John was starting to worry.
"I'd be sending Teyla." Rodney advised.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Teyla!"
She stopped and turned "John, what can I do for you?"
"I have a training session in 20 minutes. I also have a meeting scheduled with Carter. Think you can take it for me?"
"Of course, John. Who will be meeting?"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
John Sheppard stepped in to Samantha Carter's office unannounced, waiting for her to look up before he spoke.
"John. Take a seat."
"I wanted to thank you," he said "for the change to Elizabeth's contract."
"Nothing to thank me for. It makes sense," Sam insisted. "I spoke with Teyla and Dr Zelenka. They pointed out some areas in which Dr Weir could be very useful. When we need her, she'll be called in. When we don't, she'll be kept busy at the SGC."
"Then I guess I have Teyla and Zelenka to thank..."
"Well, I did think that you and McKay were too close to her. You spent Christmas with her family after all."
"Speaking of close...." John took a deep breath. "Elizabeth and I are engaged. I figured since there's every chance she'll be spending time here, it's something you should know."
Sam stared at him in shock. "Congratulations. Wow. I really, really didn't expect this."
"I didn't expect you would."
"Okay, well we're going to have to make some new ground rules when it comes to security for her, because I can't let you go off-world with her."
"But.."
"No. No buts, Colonel. I can't have you compromising a mission because you're concentrating on protecting one person. You can give her training, you can go over mission details with her, but when she goes out, she'll be going out with Major Lorne's team."
John nodded. "Lorne's a good choice," he admitted, disappointedly.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"I hear John's a bit of a lady's man," Jennie threw the comment at Teyla, hoping for a positive response.
Teyla stopped in her tracks. "I think you have the wrong information..."
"I've heard a lot of stories about him... "
"The stories are exaggerated," Teyla insisted. "He has someone on Earth."
"But she's on Earth. That can't be working too well for him..."
Teyla shot her a glare, "I believe it works very well. If I was you, I would not speak to anyone else about John like this."
"So you and him... you never..."
"Of course not. He is with Elizabeth."
"Except that he's not," Jennie said with a smirk, walking off and leaving Teyla standing in the gym.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Elizabeth's first week had been exhausting. Four days seemed like 10. She'd written short notes to John each day but used the time on her Friday flight to see Abby and Matt to write a decent length letter.
"Dear John,
My first week in Colorado Springs is over. I can't tell you how unsettling it is to be back in that environment in such a different role. There are some there who remember my short time in charge of the SGC, and they approach me as though I was in a more senior position than I am.
I'm flying back to Matt and Abby now, and will spend three days with them. Abby's eager to take me shopping for a wedding dress (and of course a bridesmaid's dress for her), but I'm not sure if I want a big wedding. I'd rather just us, Matt, Abby, my mom and Rodney. How do you feel about that?
I miss you. I'm alone in this house in Colorado for most of the week, thinking about how you're just through the 'gate, so close and yet so far..."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Teyla found John in his quarters, not long after the training session.
She took a deep breath, deciding it was better just to spit out her concerns. "I think you should avoid being alone with Dr Matthews." she told him.
John looked confused "Jennie? What did she do?"
"She appears to be... infatuated with you. I told her you had someone on Earth. She seemed to see that as a challenge."
John nodded. "I'd like you to take over her training session... McKay suggested that already.."
"It is a good plan," Teyla agreed. She looked at the notepad on his bed, "Make sure you give my best wishes to Elizabeth" she said with a smile, before leaving the room.
John sat slowly back on the bed, once again picking up his notepad and pen.
"Dear Elizabeth," he wrote.
"It's only been a week since I left, but it feels like a year. I want to be back in the guest room, or on the beach, or anywhere that you might be.
Teyla says to say hi. She's saved my sanity by promising to take over the training of a particularly trying scientist. I won't bore you with the details......"
"John and I are engaged now. He's based there. It's a way to be closer to him."
Abby gave her a disbelieving look "You told me he was based in the Middle East" she snapped.
Well, yes," Elizabeth was getting flustered "but when he's home, he's based in Colorado."
"When he's home, he's here!" Abby countered.
Elizabeth sighed. "Look, Abby, I can't go into details. I know you want answers, and I know you're angry with me, but I'll be here as much as I can. I can be here almost every weekend."
Abby scowled at her. "Whatever." she said, storming off the balcony.
Matthew Weir was almost knocked over by his daughter as she ran off the balcony and up the stairs. "So... I take it that didn't go so well"
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "That obvious?"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
John Sheppard was cornered by Rodney McKay almost as soon as he arrived back on Atlantis.
"Did you bring me anything?" the scientist demanded.
"What am I, your uncle?"
"Come on, Sheppard, you know you got me something, hand it over!"
John reached into his pack and pulled out a plastic shopping bag, which was instantly snatched by Rodney.
"Is that all??"
John glared at him "You wanted chocolate, I got you chocolate. Quit complaining."
"Not complaining, just saying you could have done better."
John sighed. "So are you going to stand there whining or are you going to ask me how my trip was."
"Fine," Rodney said through a mouthful of Mars Bar. "How was the trip."
"Great, thanks for asking Rodney" John said sarcastically. "I asked her."
"Asked who?"
John rolled his eyes. "Elizabeth."
"Asked her what?"
"Jesus..." John leaned closer whispering "to marry me, you idiot."
"What did she say?"
"McKay, do you ever listen? I just said my trip was great, what do you think she said?" John asked frustratedly.
"She said yes? She's lost her mind..."
"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, McKay!"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Elizabeth Weir stepped into Jack O'Neill's Washington office.
"Elizabeth, great to see you," he said, looking up from some paperwork. "How long before you're ready to make the move to Colorado Springs?"
"Actually," Elizabeth started, "I'd like to talk to you about that... about the setup of the job."
Jack let out a frustrated sigh, "Elizabeth, we're talked about this. You've signed the papers. What's the problem?"
"Well, I don't see the point in actually relocating to Colorado Springs permanently if I'm only going to get intermittent work." she told him.
"We need you to be there."
"Jack, this is the age of email, internet, fax for crying out loud..."
"You want them to send you classified information over your email?" Jack shook his head "come on, Elizabeth. You know better than that."
She nodded.
"You're on a four day week. You'll spend most of that time teaching other staff to translate Ancient. That gives you three days a week to spend with your family, if that's your concern."
"There's something else," Elizabeth said hesitantly.
Jack waited for her to continue. "Elizabeth, I'm not a mind reader."
She smiled, nervously, and held her left hand up for him to see.
"Wow. I was not expecting that." Jack eyed the huge rock on Elizabeth's hand.
She took a deep breath "So... I know we've spoken about travel to Atlantis, and how it's not guaranteed... I'd just like to let you know that... I'd really appreciate the opportunity, should it arise."
"Point taken," Jack replied. "And congratulations, Elizabeth. Sheppard's a lucky bastard."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Elizabeth was exhausted. She'd spend the entire weekend moving things into her new home in Colorado Springs, and now she was alone, on Sunday night, with a trip to the SCG just 10 hours away.
She wished she'd been able to bring Sedge with her, but given the uncertain nature of her job, she'd thought better of it. She loved her dog too much to take her away from the stable environment provided by Matt and Abby.
Elizabeth sat on the floor in the centre of her new living room, pizza box on the coffee table. She hadn't felt so alone since the day she'd been thrown out of the Atlantis expedition.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sheppard and Ronon were geared up for self defence training with some of the scientists who were due to go off world. Three men, two women, among them Melanie Katz.
"Dr Katz," John seemed to be interupting a conversation between the doctor and one of the newer recruits, a woman named Jennie Matthews.
"Colonel?"
"Major Katz give you any idea of basic self defence?"
"A bit," she admitted.
"Okay, how about you go first?"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"That man is seriously hot," Jennie Matthews whispered to Melanie Katz as John Sheppard walked past.
"The Colonel?"
"Yes, the Colonel. I'd like to get me a piece of that..."
Melanie laughed. "Good luck. From what I've heard, he has quite the reputation, but he's only interested in women off world."
"We'll see about that," Jennie said with a smirk.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Elizabeth felt awkward. She was wearing a suit for the first time in.. she didn't know how long. Her hair looked a little too long as well, not quite right with such a corporate look. She'd tied it up in a loose bun, and promised herself to get a trim as soon as she had time.
Right now, she was in her new office. The place she'd be calling home four days a week for the forseeable future.
A knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts.
"Come in," she called.
The door opened and two men aged in their mid 20s entered. Doctors Milton and Chang. Her first two students. The members of her new team.
"Gentlemen," she smiled at them "let's get to work.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
John Sheppard thought it was quite possible he might die of boredom. He'd been furious when Carter had insisted his team go on the scientific babysitting mission.
He and Ronon kept watch, while Teyla and McKay worked with Matthews and Davies on this new piece of technology they'd found.
Who knew what it was. Who cared? He just wanted to be doing anything but watching scientists right now.
These two new ones were worse than McKay and Zelenka put together. Matthew especially was iritating him. She kept bumping into him, stumbling in front of him... her clumsiness meant that he was not going to be allowing her on any missions in the near future. In fact, she was looking distinctly like she needed a remedial course in basic human movement. He'd have to settle for giving her some extra self defence training.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"So how's the new job?" Abby asked Elizabeth.
"Not bad. Kind of boring, but you know... I'm sure it'll get better."
"So when are you coming home to see us?"
Elizabeth laughed into the phone "Abby, I only left three days ago!"
"Yeah, but I want to go wedding dress shopping with you!" Abby insisted.
"We don't even know when the wedding's going to be, Abs, we have plenty of time."
"I guess... have you seen John?"
"No, I don't know when I will."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"You're getting better," John told Jennie Matthews. "You'll need a few more sessions, though, just to get your coordination happening."
"Thanks so much for giving up your time Colonel," Jennie threw a flirty smile at him.
"It's John," he said.
"Okay, John.." she giggled a bit, "Has anyone ever told you you have a great ass?"
John smirked "Oh, sure, every day of the week! I'll catch you for a session same time tomorrow."
He walked out, oblivious to the fact that Jennie was still watching his every move.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Don't look now, but Dr Matthews hasn't taken her eyes off you for past hour," McKay whispered to John as he put a fry into his mouth.
"What?" he turned to look in the direction Rodney was facing.
"I said don't look. God, are you stupid? I think she has a crush... don't encourage her. I don't want to have to pick up the pieces after."
John gave him a disgusted look "Jesus McKay, I'm engaged to Elizabeth. What do you take me for?"
"Just remember that," Rodney told him, glancing again at the blonde scientist who was still staring at John while chasing food around her plate. "Because if you screw around on her, I'll set Ronon on you."
"I'm supposed to be training her tomorrow..." John was starting to worry.
"I'd be sending Teyla." Rodney advised.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Teyla!"
She stopped and turned "John, what can I do for you?"
"I have a training session in 20 minutes. I also have a meeting scheduled with Carter. Think you can take it for me?"
"Of course, John. Who will be meeting?"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
John Sheppard stepped in to Samantha Carter's office unannounced, waiting for her to look up before he spoke.
"John. Take a seat."
"I wanted to thank you," he said "for the change to Elizabeth's contract."
"Nothing to thank me for. It makes sense," Sam insisted. "I spoke with Teyla and Dr Zelenka. They pointed out some areas in which Dr Weir could be very useful. When we need her, she'll be called in. When we don't, she'll be kept busy at the SGC."
"Then I guess I have Teyla and Zelenka to thank..."
"Well, I did think that you and McKay were too close to her. You spent Christmas with her family after all."
"Speaking of close...." John took a deep breath. "Elizabeth and I are engaged. I figured since there's every chance she'll be spending time here, it's something you should know."
Sam stared at him in shock. "Congratulations. Wow. I really, really didn't expect this."
"I didn't expect you would."
"Okay, well we're going to have to make some new ground rules when it comes to security for her, because I can't let you go off-world with her."
"But.."
"No. No buts, Colonel. I can't have you compromising a mission because you're concentrating on protecting one person. You can give her training, you can go over mission details with her, but when she goes out, she'll be going out with Major Lorne's team."
John nodded. "Lorne's a good choice," he admitted, disappointedly.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"I hear John's a bit of a lady's man," Jennie threw the comment at Teyla, hoping for a positive response.
Teyla stopped in her tracks. "I think you have the wrong information..."
"I've heard a lot of stories about him... "
"The stories are exaggerated," Teyla insisted. "He has someone on Earth."
"But she's on Earth. That can't be working too well for him..."
Teyla shot her a glare, "I believe it works very well. If I was you, I would not speak to anyone else about John like this."
"So you and him... you never..."
"Of course not. He is with Elizabeth."
"Except that he's not," Jennie said with a smirk, walking off and leaving Teyla standing in the gym.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Elizabeth's first week had been exhausting. Four days seemed like 10. She'd written short notes to John each day but used the time on her Friday flight to see Abby and Matt to write a decent length letter.
"Dear John,
My first week in Colorado Springs is over. I can't tell you how unsettling it is to be back in that environment in such a different role. There are some there who remember my short time in charge of the SGC, and they approach me as though I was in a more senior position than I am.
I'm flying back to Matt and Abby now, and will spend three days with them. Abby's eager to take me shopping for a wedding dress (and of course a bridesmaid's dress for her), but I'm not sure if I want a big wedding. I'd rather just us, Matt, Abby, my mom and Rodney. How do you feel about that?
I miss you. I'm alone in this house in Colorado for most of the week, thinking about how you're just through the 'gate, so close and yet so far..."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Teyla found John in his quarters, not long after the training session.
She took a deep breath, deciding it was better just to spit out her concerns. "I think you should avoid being alone with Dr Matthews." she told him.
John looked confused "Jennie? What did she do?"
"She appears to be... infatuated with you. I told her you had someone on Earth. She seemed to see that as a challenge."
John nodded. "I'd like you to take over her training session... McKay suggested that already.."
"It is a good plan," Teyla agreed. She looked at the notepad on his bed, "Make sure you give my best wishes to Elizabeth" she said with a smile, before leaving the room.
John sat slowly back on the bed, once again picking up his notepad and pen.
"Dear Elizabeth," he wrote.
"It's only been a week since I left, but it feels like a year. I want to be back in the guest room, or on the beach, or anywhere that you might be.
Teyla says to say hi. She's saved my sanity by promising to take over the training of a particularly trying scientist. I won't bore you with the details......"