Title: An Atlantis Summer

Author: Angel Leviathan

Spoilers: Anything, everything

Season: ‘Year’ 2

Disclaimer: Stargate Atlantis, characters, concept, etc, aren’t mine.

Notes: The sun is shining and there’s a beach right there… I think there’re a couple of typos somewhere, but I lost them again, sorry!

-

She remembered the first Atlantis summer they’d had. At the time, they’d been too involved with trying to learn how to control their new city, keeping the Wraith threat at bay, learning what buttons enabled the Ancient equivalent of air conditioning (of utmost importance at the time) and which locked the city’s thermostat at forty degrees centigrade (the day of unrivalled infuriated sarcasm). That year, there had been no time for relaxation, though she’d seen a few people on the lower sections of the piers, feet dangling in the water. Now she sat on what she believed to be the most beautiful beach she had ever seen, off the west coast of the mainland, pretending to read, but subtly observing her people. Today was the second expedition to the beach; those on duty back in Atlantis having been the previous week for a day of well deserved rest. Elizabeth would have insisted that she remain in the city for both trips, had her staff not pleaded with her to go with them, even some of those she was sure (she guilty realised) she hadn’t had more than a couple of passing conversations with. And then John Sheppard had smirked at her and said she had to take a break sometime. So she gave in gracefully to their requests.

Elizabeth hid a smile; most of her team looked as if they’d been stranded for months on the beach. Nobody had expected such blazing hot summers, let alone beaches or the need for swimwear. There were one heck of a lot of ripped trousers, T-shirts with the sleeves hacked off, knotted shirts, ragged shorts that had once been ‘uniform’. And, for once, she didn’t care. They were happy. She was happy. She turned the page of her book, trying not to sprawl to the sands in an ungraceful manner, lying on her stomach, feet in the air, propped up on her elbows. Elizabeth attempted to continue to read as a high pitched shriek rang through the air; one she had come to recognise through the day. The voice belonged to Teyla. When they had first got to the beach, Ford had grabbed her, unaware, slung her over his shoulder and run into the sea before he threw her in. So much for dignity! She glanced up, noting quite a few of her people were still in the sea; some of them so far out she wondered if they were attempting to swim back to Atlantis. Elizabeth peered over the top of her sunglasses (now those she’d remembered to pack, but no swimwear?) recognising the figures of her first team, knee deep in the gentle waves of the surf. She smiled; for once, even Rodney wasn’t trying to rise above it all.

If they could just snatch days like these from time to time, she mused, it might just make everything worth while. All the pain and suffering forgotten for a few hours, long enough to make memories worth clinging to when the agony returned.

"Elizabeth!" a shout rang out across the beach, making her jump.

She closed her book and clambered to her feet, absently noting the threads hanging down from her own cut-off trousers. At least her shirt was still intact. Elizabeth headed toward the sea, knowing it was John who had summoned her. She laughed as she approached, seeing Teyla being ganged up on by not only the man in question, but Aiden, Rodney and even Carson. She halted, toes just being touched by the waves as they crept up onto the sands. Elizabeth removed her sunglasses, hooking them onto her shirt before she folded her arms across her chest, "Having fun, children?"

They stopped as Aiden fell back into the water, overbalanced. Teyla tried to keep a straight face, but failed, grinning triumphantly down at him. Rodney shook his head in mock disappointment, whilst Carson tried to retain an air of innocence.

John grinned, "Come on in, water’s great," he called.

"I’m just fine here, thank you," Elizabeth replied, smiling.

"I may require your assistance, Doctor Weir," Teyla began, "These ‘gentlemen’ insist that they have the right to all attack me for being the only woman."

"Oh they do, do they?"

"Yeah," John smirked.

"Yeah, we do," it was Ford who kicked out as he got to his feet, very deliberately splashing her.

She found it took late to step back and avoid the spray, trying an unimpressed semi-glare as she looked up from her soaked shorts.

"Well now you just have to come in here," John folded his arms.

"I do, do I?"

"A rule’s a rule, Elizabeth," Rodney added.

"Aye, I have to agree with ye all on this one," Carson nodded.

"…I’ll get back to you…" Elizabeth answered, warily.

"Oh no you wont!" John lunged for her, grabbing her round the waist, spinning her round until he let her go, sending her unceremoniously into the water.

To her credit, no shocked exclamation left her as she met the ocean, staring up at those around her, stunned for a moment. Elizabeth glared up at them through soaking wet strands of hair, before she snatched a grip on the waistband of John’s trousers and upended him into the water beside her. She waited until he could see straight before she glanced across at him, eyebrow raised, "Hello, Colonel."

"Hello, Doctor," he replied, tone deadly even.

"…I’m not likin’ the looks of this…" Carson whispered.

John looked up at everyone around him, "…Get her!" he shouted, as she scrambled to her feet and tried to escape, her lead team sending so many sprays of water in her direction that she fell back in.

After a moment’s hesitation she whirled round, splashing them all back, "Five on one! This is so unfair!" she protested.

"You’re a diplomat! Talk your way out of it!" John laughed.

But she didn’t. She just smiled and laughed, span around in the surf with her friends as if they were children again. And for once, it was nice to let go.

-

Elizabeth eventually returned to her book, hoping the sun would dry her clothes, not relishing the idea of wandering through Atlantis’ command centre dripping wet. Though, she thought, in the spirit of the day, it might be worth giving people the laugh, herself included. She glanced to her left as John fell down on the ground beside her, arms flung out.

"That’s the last time I play baseball on sand…" he exhaled, eyes closed.

"Who was it that hit the ball all the way over here?" she questioned.

He laughed, "Teyla."

"No!"

"No kidding!" John shifted to his side, closer to her, "What’cha reading?"

"’My Sister’s Keeper’," she replied. She abandoned the book and looked back at him, noticing he seemed content just to gaze across at her, as if he were studying her. Elizabeth smiled slightly, a little confused, "…What?"

There was something in his eyes she couldn’t quite understand, as he moved even closer to her, brushing stray strands of still damp hair from her face, "…Nothing…Daze," he grinned.

"Excuse me?" she blinked, confused.

John laughed softly, "The look on your face when you hit the water," he elaborated, "and just then."

And before she knew it, he was trailing kisses down her neck, even as she knew she should tell him to stop. She was all for the ‘freedom’ theme of the day, but being discovered making out with her 2IC in the sand? Elizabeth tried to protest as his lips found hers, but found herself too involved in emotions she’d long tried to stop herself feeling to care. Soon, the need for air became a priority and she had to tear herself reluctantly away, "…John…"

"…What?" he breathed.

"…We…" she stopped herself, realising she couldn’t actually find a decent enough reason to state they should stop. Everyone was entitled to love. Especially when they often had to live every day as if it were their last. Wait…love? Did she love…him…?

"What is it?" John repeated, concerned, and eyes a little out of focus.

She shook her head, "…Nothing…" she said softly, drawing him back to her to kiss him again, "…What was that you called me?"

He smiled, "Daze."

"Hmmm."

"You have that effect on me too, you know?"

There was little more conversation on the subject.

-

Fin