Title: Ancient Treasure
Author: heimedall and angelsdee
Pairing: Elizabeth/John
Season/Spoiler: None, but set in season 3
Rating: NC-17
Beta: angelsdee
Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just play with them.

Summary: John finds out something unexpected about Elizabeth and somehow, its all Rodney's fault!
Notes: This story is seriosuly old, I think I started writting it last summer but never got around to finish it. There is no real connection to season 3, I guess you could call it an alternate story, so be nice :)

Previous Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3

Chapter 4
'Colonel?' John started as the nurse approached him; he had been too busy looking for Carson to notice her approach. 'Is there something I can help you with?'

'I was just looking for Doctor Beckett.'

'He went to talk with Doctor Weir,' she said and John gave a short breathy laugh.

'I hope he's having better luck finding her than I am.'

With that, he turned and moved back out of the infirmary; so far he'd had no luck finding anyone who could give him information. Elizabeth was supposed to be resting, but it had been six hours ago that he'd left her room and it didn't shock him that she was no longer there.

However, she was also not in her office, the conference room, the control room, the balcony or any of the other three hundred places it felt like he'd tried.

He'd given up twenty minutes ago looking for her and decided he just needed to find out if they were any closer to knowing what happened to her. So he'd gone in search of Radek and once again spent twenty minutes searching for what seemed to be the impossible.

'This city is far too big,' he said catching up with Ronon and Teyla as they left the gym. 'Have either of you in the last few hours seen Elizabeth, Radek or Carson?'

'Nope,' Ronon said shortly, 'I need to shower,' he added then turned a corner and was gone.

'Elizabeth did not have breakfast this morning; perhaps she has gone for lunch.'

John checked his watch, Teyla was right, it was lunch time. Why hadn't he thought of that?

'I knew there was a reason you were on my team,' he said with a bright smile and then separated from her to head for the mess hall.

He stepped in and scanned the room, nothing. He was beginning to think everyone was avoiding him. He'd get a complex this way, spending hours chasing people around the city for answers he wasn't completely sure they'd give him.

'Sir?'

'Lorne, tell me you've seen Elizabeth, Radek or Carson lately.'

'All of the above sir, about five minutes ago with General O'Neill.'

'Wouldn't happen to know where they are now, would you?'

'Sorry sir, they left a few minutes ago, looked pretty serious,' he said and watched as John shifted uncomfortably. 'Sir,' he said stopping John from turning away. 'Is something wrong with Doctor Weir, she seems... different lately.'

'Sorry Major,' John said meaning the words. 'You'll find out soon enough, but I can't tell you anything.'

John turned before Lorne could ask anything else and headed out of the room at top speed. A serious sudden get together in the mess could only mean that both of the doctors had found something of interest. John seriously suspected that Elizabeth wouldn't want to hear either piece of information in a public area.

He crossed the gate room and took the stairs two at a time. He wanted to know, it was now driving him crazy, someone in this city was undoubtedly the father of that baby and he had to know who. What he'd do with that information he didn't know.

Kill them? Someone had dared force themselves on Elizabeth and he hadn't been there to stop it.

Despite what would happen, he would still love for the baby to be his. The chance to be a father, to feel it move and kick inside the most beautiful woman in two galaxies, be there for the birth.

He had denied for years his feelings for Elizabeth because of her rank in the city, she was the leader and he knew the chances of getting close would be dangerous for both of them career wise.

Hell he wouldn't care who the kid belonged to, he'd be there like a father anyway if it meant he could be with her. But he'd still have to pound in the head of the actual father. He could list three people off the top of his head who had caused problems for Elizabeth in the past and if any one of them had still be living in the city he'd have beaten them up days ago.

Spend years punishing them? The worst and most horrible jobs in the city were theirs now.

Or nothing, it was possible after all that Elizabeth did know everything that was going on. She had admitted after all that she'd kept the baby a secret for fear that she'd lose her job, but he couldn't honestly believe she'd lie, especially to him.

He stopped halfway up the stairs. What if he was the father, what if after all this they just didn't remember that night. There's no alcohol in the city except for the wine kept under lock and key in the mess, but that was saved for extra special occasions as it was the best of Athosian wine.

There had been no such celebrations in Atlantis for over eight months. If it had happened from an overdose on Athosian goodness, she would have been excessively close to her due date by now.

His heart was pounding in his chest; he couldn't believe this was happening. Even in his wildest of dreams this had been much easier to deal with. But then again, in those dreams, Elizabeth had willingly slipped into his bed.

He rounded the corner at the top and jumped over the last three steps to the conference room. He didn't hesitate to push the door panel open and step uninvited into the room.

'...DNA matches Colonel Sheppard.'

~~**~~

She knew he was going to say that before he'd even finished the sentence. Her temples were throbbing under her fingers, her heart felt as though it had stopped and she wanted nothing more right now than to give into the swaying motion of her stomach and pass out.

Once they'd stepped into the room the General had taken control, asking Radek first whose command code has been used to stop the camera. Naturally, Radek had stuttered to explain how he found out, avoiding the actual answer.

John Sheppard. He'd stopped the video camera for over an hour. But why? And how was it that she didn't remember him coming to her room? She was sure she'd remember the experience, she'd love to have that memory, she'd lost track of the fantasies and dreams she'd had about him.

'Aye, that makes sense, as the baby's DNA matches Colonel Sheppard.'

She squeezed her eyes closed, the door had opened somewhere in the declaration. Someone had heard that last piece of information and she wasn't willing to look up and find out whom.

'I'll assume that like most conference rooms, if the door is closed that means all people who are needed in the meeting... are actually in the meeting?'

There was no reply to Jack's comment, no movement, just silence as whoever had entered stood probably in shock over what they'd heard.

'Sheppard,' Jack shot and Elizabeth had to bite her lip to stop from whimpering. This was far from the way she'd have wanted him to find out.

She heard movement and dared herself to look up only to see John's back as he left the room. She could feel all the eyes turn away from the door towards her and had to clench her jaw to stop herself snapping at them all.

Radek and Carson were still in the room. The General was probably more confused than she was, considering she'd told him she had no personal relationships with anyone. And to top it off, she hadn't been able to tell John properly.

As the seconds ticked by she found it harder and harder to tell the difference between wanting to throw up and the need to pass out. Both were looking equally appealing, as either way she'd get out of the room and get their eyes off her.

She composed herself quickly and then very slowly pushed herself into a standing position. She swallowed back the need to vomit as she looked at the three men still standing in the room watching her.

'Thank you,' she said mostly to Carson and Radek. She pushed away from the table where she'd been leaning and felt the small familiar pang in her lower back. 'If you'll excuse me, I think I need...' she pulled her hand to her stomach and swallowed again, 'to lie down.'

'I'll walk...'

'No, thank you,' she said cutting Jack off from offering to walk her back to her room. 'I'll be fine.'

She moved away from the table and slowly circled it to the door. Even as she made her way cautiously down the stairs she could feel their eyes on her back. She was willing to bet they all knew where she was really heading.

~~**~~

John crossed his room, paused and kicked the wall before he turned again and paced back to the other side. He paused again, kicked the wall and turned to slump against it.

For over a week, one whole week, he'd gone between being afraid she'd found someone else, to wishing the baby was his. So why was it now so hard to accept that the baby was his?

It was impossible, he'd never slept with Elizabeth, he'd only been in her room four times since they'd moved into Atlantis and two of those times had been in the last week.

The door opened uninvited and John looked up ready to snap at whoever had dared to disturb him; but the comment died as his eyes met Elizabeth's. She was pale, looking ghostly white and like she wanted nothing more than to find a comfy spot on the floor.

Instinctively John pushed away from the wall and moved towards her, his arms reaching out as his brain ticked over the idea that she looked ready to pass out. Instead though, and to John's complete surprise, she moved forward and inserted herself between his arms.

He felt her arms around him, her head on his chest and the small shudder of her body as she tried to keep her composure. This was all too strange and yet so much like a dream he'd had not too long ago.

Only in this dream, he'd been working at his computer and had for no reason got up and gone to see her. She'd been waiting for him, wrapped herself around him, just as she did now and things had...

'John,' Elizabeth broke his train of thought, 'I need to sit down?'

John pulled her closer and turned so she had her back to the bed before he eased her down to sit on it. He crouched in front of her looking up at her pale face trying to work out if she was all right.

'I just need a minute,' she said. John pushed up from the bed and moved to the small fridge on the other side of the room to grab a bottle of water. He handed it to her without the lid and sat carefully beside her; he had a feeling this was going to be a long night.

A short silence fell between them, but John couldn't look away from her. He watched the colour slowly reforming in her cheeks, her hand as it came up to tuck the loose strand of hair behind her ear. He followed the hand as it returned to her lap and watched her fingers stretch out to brush against her belly.

'Knowing whose it is hasn't put you off having it?'

She looked up sharply at him and he knew he'd said something stupid. Elizabeth leaned down, placing the water bottle on the floor and then turned back to him.

'I'd keep this baby no matter what, John, even if it belonged to... Caldwell,' John screwed up his face. 'It's just lucky that it's yours,' she reached out and took his hand in hers and his eyes dropped as she flattened his palm out over the small bump.

He licked his lips several times, his mouth feeling oddly dry as he searched for the words. She was offering him the chance to be a part of it, to step into her life and that of her... their baby.

Their baby, it had a nice sound to it and John couldn't hide the smile that spread across his face.

'We're having a baby,' he said simply lifting his head and finally looking away from his hand still pinned to her body by her own hand. It felt strange to say, considering he didn't remember making the baby and there'd never been anything beyond small flirting between them.

'Yes we are,' she said raising her free hand to touch his face.

He reacted without know why, his brain whirled at the statement he made being confirmed. They were having a baby! He and Doctor Elizabeth Weir were going to become parents.

He'd pulled his hand away, sharper than he'd meant to and got quickly to his feet. He stood there for a moment looking down at her, hurt and fear on her face as she looked up at him.

'John?'

'I don't know about you,' he said pausing to lick his lips, 'but this is a little too strange for me. That can't be my baby; I was never in your room or had you in here long enough to... do that.'

'John.'

'I heard Carson saying the DNA matched mine, but I still can't see how it's possible. I want to remember making a baby... with any woman, so until I know for one hundred percent surety that I made... that, then it's not mine.'

Somehow, John felt dirty. He couldn't look at her, the last time he'd looked at her while he'd said the words "with any woman" she had tears brimming in her eyes and there was no doubt in his mind that they would be making their way down her cheeks by now.

He was an idiot; he loved her, why couldn't he just say it? Why couldn't he just accept the baby, become a father. He was afraid, that was why, he knew the mistakes his own father had made and he was sure he'd make the same ones without even realising it, and that wasn't what he wanted.

John had been pacing the room furiously as he'd spoke and now stood leaning against his desk. He heard her move, heard the rustle of his bed sheets and her feet on the floor as she moved.

There was silence for a moment and he suspected she was trying to find something to say. He closed his eyes when the door opened and then closed again signalling that she'd left.

~~**~~

Despite the fact that he was running the corridors of an unexplored section of the city, Ronon had to admit he preferred to take his runs at night. The cooled air felt great against his skin, the dimmed lights of the city in sleep mode were calming and the sound of silence was heavenly.

Not to mention, he thought as he turned the corner and took the stairs up to the top level of the tower, his secret balcony.

While this section was still uncharted territory, no one knew that there was a beautiful open balcony on the top level where you could see over the whole city and far out over the ocean.

He slowed down as he neared the door and raised his face to the cool night air as he turned to step through the door and stopped.

'Long way down,' he said watching as Doctor Weir swung around a little shocked to have anyone in the same area as her.

His heart skipped a beat as he caught sight of the tear tracks down her cheeks and prayed silently to the ancestors that no man had caused the pain he saw. He watched as she looked back down at the distance and gave a short laugh.

'And not a very nice landing.'

Ronon had to walk to the edge to look down at what would be waiting. The usually flat and smooth platform of the city's walkway was jutted with lamp posts and access points; there was no way anyone who fell would be able to avoid them all.

'You weren't planning on jumping I hope,' he said with just as much amusement in his voice as she had previously displayed. But she didn't answer. 'You know who the father is,' he stated and watched her nod. 'You told him, and he didn't want to know.'

'Not quite, but I am confused about what he wants.'

Ronon moved to one of the walls and sat down with his back to it and the edge of the balcony to his side.

'He told me yesterday that he wanted to help me, that he wouldn't let me do anything alone; even offered yours and Teyla's help.'

'And now?' he asked watching as she straightened out, stretching her back slightly.

'Now,' he said heaving a sigh, 'he's confused.'

'What did he say?'

He watched the fresh wave of tears rush down her pale face and had to look away and fiddle with his sleeves as she pushed the emotions aside.

'That,' she took a deep breath, 'that unless I could prove it, that he wasn't the father.'

'Sheppard's an idiot at the best of times,' Ronon said making her turn sharply to look at him, so far no one had mentioned who the father was. 'But does it really matter what he thinks?'

'I don't know anymore.'

'Weren't you going to keep the child anyway?'

'I...'

'You're that child's mother, and I thought you were stronger than this, that you wouldn't let his emotional stupidity get to you.'

'I am not weak,' she spat. Ronon climbed to his feet and moved back to stand in front of her.

'Then why are you standing at the top of a tower contemplating suicide?'

'I wasn't, I was enjoying the view.'

Ronon smiled, it had been him who had started the idea of jumping from the edge. Though now, she was pissed at him and not John and she was smiling at him as though she could so easily reach out and hit him.

'You're just as infuriating as John sometimes, you know that?'

'That explains why you never call us to your office at the same time.'

'I'd never win an argument; I have to keep my ground.'

'That's better,' he said watching her shiver in the night air. 'Now all I have to do is get you to get some sleep and beat up Sheppard.'

'If I go willingly will you promise to leave John alone?'

'He hurt you, isn't it only fair to return the favour?'

'Normally, I'd say yes, but....' Ronon watched as she turned away and wiped at the tear streaks on her face.

'You want to give him time to come around,' she nodded and tried to hide another shiver. 'Come on, I'll walk you back.'

Silence followed them back through the city, he let her walk slightly ahead of him, a respect given to any woman on Sateda who bore a child. The memory was still a little painful, things he'd long ago lived for and now was lost in these new friends.

But this woman deserved to be treated the way he'd once seen his best friend treat his wife; as one treading the path of beauty.

'You know,' she said as they slowly made their way up to her level. 'You're the last person I would have expected to sort me out. Well maybe second to last.'

'Yeah, I should imagine McKay would have just made things worse.'

The laugh she gave was playful, he'd hit on what she'd been thinking and it amused her. Out of the corner of his eye as he smiled down at her, he caught sight of John standing down the corridor just out of her vision.

'Thank you,' she said reaching out and placing her hand on his arm, 'and I'm sorry I took you're private balcony away for the night.'

'You think I'm not going back?' he said teasing a smile back onto her lips. 'Get some sleep; I won't be there to make you look strong tomorrow.'

She gave him a smug grin before she opened her door and vanished into her room. Ronon turned towards John gave him a look of warning and then turned his back and moved towards the corner and the stairs they'd just climbed.


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