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John paced the control room and ignored the looks Chuck sent him every time he passed him. She was an hour past her return time, and while it was entirely possible it was something as simple as the team getting too absorbed in the ruins, or not being used to the pace back to the Gate, his gut churned and he didn't like it. He couldn't tell if it was his intuition or if he was just giving in to his over protective urges now they were whatever they were. Rodney's appearance and look of confusion that neither the data or Elizabeth were back didn't help matters.
He was about a minute away from saying to hell with it and assembling his team to check on her when the Gate flared to life and Chuck announced it was her IDC. He was at the steps by the time the wormhole stabilised, and halfway down when Lorne's team started to appear through. No obvious bleeding or injuries from the first two marines, though they were soaking wet and muddy, but then Elizabeth appeared, one arm over Lorne's shoulder and hopping along, and he lost them from his mind as he focused on her.
She was just as wet as the others, but Lorne's hand was on her waist keeping her steady as she kept all her weight off her left leg. He reached her near the Gate, and she gave him a wan smile. "Torrential rain washed away the path and I fell and injured my ankle. No one else hurt anything but everyone could do with a hot shower."
He could hear her attempt at light-heartedness, and combined with the nod from Lorne, it reassured him a little. Not enough to stop him calling for a gurney though.
"John," he heard the exasperation in her voice, "a wheelchair will be fine." She gave him one of her unimpressed looks, but it didn't quite hit the same when she hung on to Lorne like she'd fall over otherwise.
Still, he took her point enough especially since she wasn't pretending to be fine, and she would make him aware of her annoyance later if he tried to push it further. He nodded and contacted the infirmary, and it took a lot of willpower not to follow her and the others to get checked out.
Instead, he tried to do what she normally did when he was the injured one, and he only headed to the infirmary when he'd finished up in the control room and waited long enough that she would have been checked over at least a little.
She'd been given a towel by the time he arrived, the whole team had he realised when he glanced around. Lorne gave him an all clear nod and smiled as he glanced at Elizabeth. "We'll get cleaned up and start the scientists off with the data." Lorne grinned. "We'll leave Dr Weir in your hands."
Lorne's tone was just the right side of teasing that he let it slide as the good-natured ribbing it was supposed to be and headed straight over to Elizabeth.
She was sitting upright, a blanket over her outstretched legs, one corner thrown back to show a new cast on her ankle. He stopped right at her bedside and barely stopped himself from touching her. He knew if he did, he would wind up plastered to her side and sneaking his hand under the towel draped over her shoulders until his brain was satisfied she was going to be alright. Not very discreet, and they'd be the butt of a lot more knowing grins for the next while. Which was the last thing either of them wanted.
Maybe one day he would stop feeling awkward around her in public.
She gave him a half smile that suggest she knew exactly what she was thinking. "Carson says it's quite a small break, a couple of weeks and I should be upgraded to a boot if it heals nicely."
"That's something." He looked over her drying hair, the small dry t-shirt she'd already changed into. "When can we break you out?"
Her lips quirked like she was trying not to smile too much. "A little longer until the cast fully sets." She tilted her head, and he knew she was going to let her sense of humour show. "Although I'm not sure if it counts as a break out if Carson said I could leave." She looked entirely innocent, but he wasn't fooled.
"You take all the fun out of it." He exaggerated his sigh and was rewarded by another quirk of her lips. He looked at her another long moment. "Are you sure everything is all right?" He lowered his tone so she was the only one who heard.
Her eyes softened, and she didn't bristle at his hovering. "I'm fine, John. A few hand scrapes but nothing else." She smiled softly. "I just need a hot shower and some hot food to finish warming me up. Probably food first because I may just sit down after the shower and fall asleep." Her voice was equally as soft as she admitted the last, and he felt a rush of warmth that she was admitting her vulnerabilities to him.
His own smile was small but genuine. "I can certainly help with that."
The moment was broken by the arrival of one of the nursing staff, Lester he thought, one of the newer recruits. "Here's your crutches and dry pants, Doctor Weir. Doctor Beckett says you can go now as long as you follow his advice and take these painkillers before sleeping." Lester raised an eyebrow.
Elizabeth laughed lightly. "Don't worry, even if I was tempted to ignore medical advice," she had the cheek to glance sideways at him, "I'll have plenty of supervision between this one, his team and the control room staff."
Lester laughed and headed away before he could say anything else. She dropped the towel off her shoulders and reached for the pants.
He stood back and pulled the screen around her to let her get dressed in privacy even though he'd watched her put them on this morning in her quarters. He stood upright when he heard the squeak of the crutches on the floor, and tried not to act like he was ready to catch her if she wobbled on the crutches.
Her look said she knew exactly what he was doing, but the joy of them now being together for lack of a better word meant he didn't have to pretend he wasn't, and he just grinned at her. Her roll of the eyes seemed affectionate though and kept him amused as they slowly made their way to the mess.
He gestured with his head towards an empty table, but she shook her head and headed towards the food counter. He sighed, but he still followed her and managed to get there before her and grab a tray. He may have placed it down in front of them with a pointed look, but she pretended not to notice as she looked at the options. He just took a small portion for himself since he'd ate earlier but wanted to keep her company. He added a cookie to her plate for her with an expression that dared her to comment.
She gave in with a bemused shake of her head, and he realised the fatigue was starting to hit her. He led them over to an empty table and made sure she sat down before he turned away. She was trying to organise her crutches when he came back with silverware and water, and he had to bite back a grin at the adorable frown on her face as they kept slipping off the table. He placed the water in front of her and took the crutches from her to lie them on the floor, neatly tucked under the table to avoid others tripping over them.
He waited until she'd eaten several forkfuls before he spoke. "So was the trip worth the hassle?" He stuffed his own forkful in his mouth.
"The ruins were definitely an early civilisation, the language has roots similar to Ancient, but it will take a while to translate."
He nodded along at her enthusiasm, but he made sure to glance at her plate at the end of every other sentence to remind her to eat. He loved seeing her all animated like this, and he let himself bask in her joy for a while.
It wasn't long before first Teyla and Ronan, then Rodney joined them. The conversation shifted, and Elizabeth quietened down after answering their questions. She did look a little less pale for finishing her meal though so he counted that as a win even though he knew she'd have to head to her bed soon.
"Come on, I'll walk you to your quarters." The others fell away now they'd been reassured she was alright, and he resumed his watchful pace near her. Her pace was slower than before, and he could see how tired she was in the line of her back. He kept up a stream of inane chatter until they reached her door, and out of habit he checked no one was around before he followed her in.
She rested one crutch against the wall and reached into her pants pocket. She brought out a bunch of plastic, and he realised the medical staff had anticipated her need to shower.
She bit her lip and looked shy and uncertain.
"I can stay out here on standby if you want, or," he shuffled his feet, "I can go if you prefer?" Relief flooded him as she relaxed.
"Could you stay? I mean I should be fine, but I," she flustered in that way she only did rarely when something was personal to her. "I would appreciate it."
He loved that she did it around him, and he tried not to look too eager as he nodded. "I'll just wait here until you shout on me." He sat down on the edge of her bed.
She smiled. "Pass me my pyjamas?" Her voice rose at the end as she gestured towards her pillow.
He knew from past experience that she kept the shirt and shorts she slept in under her pillow so it only took a moment to grab them and pass them to her.
She smiled in thanks, and he watched her as she slowly made her way into the bathroom.
He heard the sound of her crutch against the wall, but the rustle of her clothing was too quiet for him to hear. The plastic, however, was loud enough, and the rustle lasted long enough he was considering offering to help. The shower started then, and he relaxed. He drummed his fingers against her blanket as he waited and looked around her room to try and avoid thinking about her in the shower.
It suddenly dawned on him that he didn't have to avoid those thoughts any more, and he stilled as he remembered her stretched out in his bed the other morning. It didn't take much of a leap from that to imagining water cascading over her. He could feel his blood rush downwards, and his mouth suddenly felt dry as he wanted so see that, to step in behind her and taste her wet skin, at the realisation that someday soon he could.
He took a deep breath, licked his lips, and tried not to get too turned on (even if it would make her blush, he didn't want to make her feel any kind of pressure). Luckily, the shower stopped, and the lack of noise made it easier to start counting tiles on the wall instead of thinking of her.
He got to 163 when the plastic rustled again, shorter this time, then there was a clink that was possibly her hairbrush against the counter. It wasn't much longer before the squeak of her crutch sounded again, and she reappeared.
She'd pulled her wet hair back into a ponytail, and she had a little more colour to her despite how tired he could see she was.
He stood and pulled the blanket back with a flourish he was glad no one else was around to see. It brought a smile to her face though, and she squeezed his upper arm as she passed him. He took the crutch from her after she lowered herself onto the bed, and he gathered the other one as she arranged herself. He placed them both within easy reach of the bed and looked for her medication.
"Where'd you put the painkillers?"
She frowned and then her shoulders slumped. "Still in my pants pocket."
He was moving before she could say anything else, and she looked a little sheepish when he arrived back with them.
"Thank you." She took them without any hesitation which told him exactly how tired and sore she was.
He felt he had to lighten the mood, and he sat down on the edge of the bed. "Gotta say, I don't know how you stand waiting for our overdue team, it was bad enough waiting an hour to hear from you."
She laughed, and despite her exhaustion she smirked. "It helps I've had more practise." She raised an eyebrow. "And now I can relieve my frustration in other ways." He couldn't help but return the smirk. "But don't think that will make it more acceptable. After all, you've set the precedent for hovering after a minor mishap."
"So that's why you've been so co-operative!" He narrowed his eyes at her, but he couldn't disguise his amusement.
She laughed again. "I'm neither confirming or denying." Her smile softened, and he could see how tired she was.
"Well, I'm just glad you're on our side."
Her cheeks flushed, and she glanced away for a moment. "I do appreciate it though," she said softly as she placed her hand on top of his.
"I can't promise I'll be as gracious as you when it's my turn, but, uh, I'll try." He gave her a lopsided smile.
She gave a quiet laugh and shifted to lie down.
He caught the small grimace as she stretched out her legs. "I can stay a bit before I go check on the city," he offered. He'd love to crawl under the covers and sleep all night with her, but although she wouldn't ask, he knew she'd sleep better if he kept an eye on things. Besides, there was another team due back in a few hours, and he wanted to hear their report.
"I'd like that." Another small smile, and she closed her eyes.
It only took him a minute to take off his boots and lie beside her on top of the blanket, and he nestled into her rather than pull her in and possibly hurt her ankle. He gave into the urge to drop a kiss on her temple, and he held her tight as she fell into sleep.