First Time
By AngelQueen

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The first time he meets Elizabeth Weir, he’s reeling too much from the bombshell that’s been dropped on him to really notice her. He knows a beautiful woman when he sees one, but how can anything on earth compare to the fact that the U.S. Air Force has been exploring other planets through a gigantic ring called a Stargate and he’s just made some ancient alien toy light up like a Christmas tree, apparently just because he has a certain obscure gene?

The first time he actually acknowledges Elizabeth Weir in any way other than the dutiful respect an officer has for a commander is in their first minutes in Atlantis. He’s standing on a balcony overlooking the area around the Gate, staring down at her. She’s holding a bottle of champagne that he later learned had been sent by General O’Neill. She looks up at him, a smile tinged with wonder and excitement. He only means to nod at her in acknowledgement, but finds that he can’t help but return her grin with one of his own. It’s then that he sees the beauty he overlooked the first time they met.

The first time he calls Elizabeth Weir his friend, he calls her so only in his own mind. He’s standing out on the edge of the city, the bodies of dead Genii assassins lying just a few yards away. Koyla is threatening to kill her to punish him for killing his men, and John is frantic to save his friend. His friend. He’s already accepted that the men guarding the Control Room are most likely dead, but he is determined to preserve the life of his friend.

The first time he is willing to die for Elizabeth Weir is when they lose the satellite meant as Atlantis’ last line of defense, as well as Peter Grodin. He stares at the Wraith in the holding cell, he stares death. He knows then that they’re all as good as dead, but he knows that he won’t go quietly. He shoots the Wraith, determined to watch at least one of the bastards go. This one won’t touch her. And he’ll do his best to see that none of the others coming get a chance to touch her either.

The first time he begins to think that Elizabeth Weir might be completely insane is when he’s slowly morphing into a bug. He can feel himself changing, can feel something completely alien slowly stirring inside him. She steps into his quarters fearlessly; completely unaware of the danger she’s starting to put herself in. Part of him is grateful for her unspoken gesture, but he’s beginning to see that he may have to protect her from herself. Denial could get her killed and he already has enough blood on his hands. He won’t add hers to it.

The first time he accepts that Elizabeth Weir has him totally whipped is when Phoebus has taken over her body. The crazy woman impersonates Elizabeth rather well, enough that he feels safe in doing what she asks. It’s Elizabeth, he thinks at the time. Elizabeth wouldn’t ask if it was remotely dangerous. But when Thalan enters his mind and asserts his iron control, he realizes that he’s whipped in more ways than just the obvious.

The first time he kisses Elizabeth Weir is after he returns from the Milky Way. The entire Expedition is in high spirits, celebrating their return and the defeat of the two Wraith cruisers that sought to feed on the people on Earth. There’s a small reception going on and the two of them have finished making their obligatory rounds, speaking with everyone, patting Rodney on the back, and all the like. The two of them retreat together from the party, letting everyone else relax without having to keep an eye out for the bosses. They end up on what everyone by now calls ‘their’ balcony. They’re alone. She looks up at the stars, then over at him. There’s something in her eyes that he’s never seen before, or, at least, never allowed himself to see. Their lips brush together before either of them can think too closely about it. Even later he can’t totally describe the feelings she invoked in those brief moments.

The first time he makes love to Elizabeth Weir, he understands all those romance clichés his old girlfriends used to harp about. In her, everything makes sense. It’s hot, it’s passionate, it’s tender, it’s everything. He holds her in his arms in the aftermath and wonders how they’ve lived without this. He asks her that and she just laughs. And he understands what they mean by laughter sounding like bell-like.

There have been so many firsts with him and Elizabeth Weir. He knows that many other firsts have yet to happen to them, hopes that many of them will never come to pass. He watches the sun’s rays spread slowly over the ocean, her head resting on his chest as he brushes his fingers through her curls, and he finds himself content.

For the first time, he has found paradise. It was there all along.