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sga_santa2005-12-19 09:38 pm
sgasesa-admin.livejournal.com) wrote in sga_santa2005-12-19 09:38 pm
Fic: Christmas Party
Title: Christmas Party
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
aella_irene
Pairing: Teyla/Lorne, Brown/McKay, Cadman/Beckett, Sheppard/OFC, minor Weir/Caldwell, minor Weir/Dex.
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Up to Season 2, Duet. Basically, Lorne, Dex, Cadman and Brown exist
Summary:It was all Sheppard's idea.
For:tielan
Christmas Party
It was all Sheppard's idea. If anyone ever asked Justin Lorne to explain he was going to heap the blame completely, irrevocably, and unflinchingly on Sheppard. If he'd never dug out a calender, no one would ever have known it was nearly Christmas. Unfortunately, as soon as he'd worked it out, Cadman and a few other soldiers and scientists, had begun trying to organize a party. The arrival of the Daedalus had only exacerbated their efforts. Privately, Justin will admit they've done a pretty good job. Publicly, he's saying nothing.
Colonel Caldwell had been doubtful about the idea of a Christmas Party on the mainland, but after a two and a half hour presentation by Dr. Weir, complete with spreadsheets and flow charts, on why it was a good idea, he'd acquiesced.
So here Lorne is, standing in a clearing on the mainland, watching a massive fire crackle and pop as around him the population of Atlantis gets steadily drunker. He guesses his role is too make sure no one falls into the fire. There have been a couple of near misses.
He is glancing round, idly, when he sees Teyla Emmagen walking over. She is wearing her native dress, and looks far more comfortable in it than in the uniform he normally sees her in.
"All right?"
She smiles.
"Yes. Do you know where Colonel Sheppard is? He said he would show me Earth dancing, but I cannot find him, and McKay and Dex are busy."
She's right. Ronon Dex is over near the fire, listening to Dr. Weir as she talks intently. McKay is with Dr. Brown, kissing her near the edge of the clearing, and Major Shepperd is nowhere in sight. Coincidentally, neither is the curvy, blond Athosian woman he was flirting with earlier. Even Beckett is occupied, standing with Cadman the other side of the glade from McKay and Brown, his hands up her shirt. Lorne can barely see them in the dark.
He looks again at the woman in front of him, glorious with the light of the fire glowing in her hair and gleaming on her skin, and the sense of manners his mother worked hard to instill in him rises to the fore. He gestures to the makeshift bar nearby.
"Would you like a drink?"
She smiles.
"Yes, thank you."
It is the work of a few minutes to elbow his way through the crowd, grab a couple of glasses of Athosian alcohol, then elbow his way back, (being slightly more careful on the second time,) and when he gets back she's where he left her, head tilted, listening to the music pumping out of a pair of speakers hastily jerry rigged by a couple of the engineers.
"So," she says as he passes her the drink, "Please explain, what is this "Christmas" you are celebrating?"
"McKay and Shepperd didn't explain it last year?"
"They were somewhat busy."
"Um, right." He pinches the bridge of his nose. Abruptly, the music changes to Slade.
"Lieutenant Ford mentioned something about your God and a virgin birth," she offers.
"Well, about two thousand years ago, in a place on our world called Galilee, which was a town in a place called Judea, which was a province of the Roman Empire, there was a girl. Her name was Mary, and one day, she had a vision of an angel. The angel told her that she was pregnant, but that she should not be afraid or alarmed, because it was the child of God. Then she woke up. Well, she was pregnant, and it was a surprise to her family, and especially her fiancé, a carpenter called Joseph, since they'd never slept together. He wanted to end the engagement, but the angel visited him as well, and told him to marry her. So he did. A bit later the Emperor Augustus called a Census, which is a great counting. Every man was told to go to the town of his fathers. Joseph was of the House of David, so he had to go to Bethlehem. Mary was very pregnant by then, but she still had to go with him. They were late arriving in Bethlehem, and every inn they tried was full. Finally, they got to the last inn in town, and it was full too, but the innkeepr said they could stay in the stable. That night, Mary went into labor. The baby was born, and they called him Jesus."
Absently, Lorne glances up at the sky. It is completely dark now, and the stars are vaguely visible, dim twinkles in black. Teyla has her eyes on his face, and her face is completely absorbed. He takes a breath, and carries on.
"On a hill above the town, shepherds were guarding their flocks, when suddenly the skies opened and a horde of angels descended upon them. They told the shepherds that the King of the Jews had been born in Bethlehem, and that they should go down to greet him. So they did.
Far away, three Wise Men saw a new star in the east. They followed it, riding on camels for twelve days and nights, until they reached the stable. They were surprised that the prophesied child was living in a stable, and they gave him gifts; gold, frankincense and myrrh. Then they left."
Teyla's eyes were locked on his as he finished, rather weakly.
"So, this "Christmas" is a celebration of the birth of a prophesied one"
"Yes,"
"Why was he so important?"
"He performed miracles."
"Ah."
Lorne glances around the clearing, noting that Shepperd is back, and talking to McKay and Beckett. Cadman and Brown are over near the fire, looking like they're giggling. Weir has moved from listening to Dex to talking to Caldwell, and as he watches Caldwell smiles and touches her arm.
He looks back at the woman standing in front of him, smiling up with pearl-like teeth, and the beat of the music changes once more. He finishes the glass he is holding, waits for her to finish as well, then dumps both plastic cups in a hastily put up nearby bin. And then there is silence between them. He can't think of anything to say, can find no way to express himself. Behind her, the flames of the fire leap higher.
"We have a ceremony somewhat like that," she says after a moment, "It will happen soon. It is a celebration of the Founding of our Tribe on Athos, in which we eat sweet, spiced, breads and jump over the fire in an attempt to gain prosperity in the coming year."
"Sounds fun."
"It is," she says, and smiles again, "Very fun."
And then she kisses him. It is a complete surprise, and for a moment he doesn't think, just reacts on auto-pilot, putting one hand on her back and cradling her head with the other. Then common sense taps him on the shoulder and he remembers who she is and steps back abruptly. She looks at him, surprised.
"Did you not wish me to kiss you?"
"No...well, yes...its a bad idea."
"Why?"
She's genuinely puzzled, and as he looks down at her he can feel all his nebulous arguments drain away. He concentrates, remembers how, before they'd left, Landry had given them a lecture, summed up as "Don't have sex with aliens- and not with civilians if you can help it." The civilian bit had only been implied, which left Cadman free to carry on her 'thing' with Beckett, but the alien bit had been official. Sheppard, as the man with the strongest gene, might be safe in his position. Lorne is not.
"I can't."
It is a cop out, he knows it, and she knows it too.
"Ah," she says, and steps back, creating a distance between them.
"Teyla!"
Sheppard strides over, drops a hand on her arm in easy friendship.
"They're starting the dancing," he explains, and even as he says it a vaguely familiar tune begins, "Remember I said I'd show you Earth dancing when I got the chance?"
"Yes," she replies.
"You don't mind me stealing her, do you Major?"
"No, not at all."
As they walk away, Lorne watches her until he looses sight of her in the morass of people flocking to the dance floor, and tries to ignore the faint, sinking feeling in his stomach. Nothing is wrong, not really. Nothing has changed. Nothing at all.
End
Author:
aella_irenePairing: Teyla/Lorne, Brown/McKay, Cadman/Beckett, Sheppard/OFC, minor Weir/Caldwell, minor Weir/Dex.
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Up to Season 2, Duet. Basically, Lorne, Dex, Cadman and Brown exist
Summary:It was all Sheppard's idea.
For:
tielanChristmas Party
It was all Sheppard's idea. If anyone ever asked Justin Lorne to explain he was going to heap the blame completely, irrevocably, and unflinchingly on Sheppard. If he'd never dug out a calender, no one would ever have known it was nearly Christmas. Unfortunately, as soon as he'd worked it out, Cadman and a few other soldiers and scientists, had begun trying to organize a party. The arrival of the Daedalus had only exacerbated their efforts. Privately, Justin will admit they've done a pretty good job. Publicly, he's saying nothing.
Colonel Caldwell had been doubtful about the idea of a Christmas Party on the mainland, but after a two and a half hour presentation by Dr. Weir, complete with spreadsheets and flow charts, on why it was a good idea, he'd acquiesced.
So here Lorne is, standing in a clearing on the mainland, watching a massive fire crackle and pop as around him the population of Atlantis gets steadily drunker. He guesses his role is too make sure no one falls into the fire. There have been a couple of near misses.
He is glancing round, idly, when he sees Teyla Emmagen walking over. She is wearing her native dress, and looks far more comfortable in it than in the uniform he normally sees her in.
"All right?"
She smiles.
"Yes. Do you know where Colonel Sheppard is? He said he would show me Earth dancing, but I cannot find him, and McKay and Dex are busy."
She's right. Ronon Dex is over near the fire, listening to Dr. Weir as she talks intently. McKay is with Dr. Brown, kissing her near the edge of the clearing, and Major Shepperd is nowhere in sight. Coincidentally, neither is the curvy, blond Athosian woman he was flirting with earlier. Even Beckett is occupied, standing with Cadman the other side of the glade from McKay and Brown, his hands up her shirt. Lorne can barely see them in the dark.
He looks again at the woman in front of him, glorious with the light of the fire glowing in her hair and gleaming on her skin, and the sense of manners his mother worked hard to instill in him rises to the fore. He gestures to the makeshift bar nearby.
"Would you like a drink?"
She smiles.
"Yes, thank you."
It is the work of a few minutes to elbow his way through the crowd, grab a couple of glasses of Athosian alcohol, then elbow his way back, (being slightly more careful on the second time,) and when he gets back she's where he left her, head tilted, listening to the music pumping out of a pair of speakers hastily jerry rigged by a couple of the engineers.
"So," she says as he passes her the drink, "Please explain, what is this "Christmas" you are celebrating?"
"McKay and Shepperd didn't explain it last year?"
"They were somewhat busy."
"Um, right." He pinches the bridge of his nose. Abruptly, the music changes to Slade.
"Lieutenant Ford mentioned something about your God and a virgin birth," she offers.
"Well, about two thousand years ago, in a place on our world called Galilee, which was a town in a place called Judea, which was a province of the Roman Empire, there was a girl. Her name was Mary, and one day, she had a vision of an angel. The angel told her that she was pregnant, but that she should not be afraid or alarmed, because it was the child of God. Then she woke up. Well, she was pregnant, and it was a surprise to her family, and especially her fiancé, a carpenter called Joseph, since they'd never slept together. He wanted to end the engagement, but the angel visited him as well, and told him to marry her. So he did. A bit later the Emperor Augustus called a Census, which is a great counting. Every man was told to go to the town of his fathers. Joseph was of the House of David, so he had to go to Bethlehem. Mary was very pregnant by then, but she still had to go with him. They were late arriving in Bethlehem, and every inn they tried was full. Finally, they got to the last inn in town, and it was full too, but the innkeepr said they could stay in the stable. That night, Mary went into labor. The baby was born, and they called him Jesus."
Absently, Lorne glances up at the sky. It is completely dark now, and the stars are vaguely visible, dim twinkles in black. Teyla has her eyes on his face, and her face is completely absorbed. He takes a breath, and carries on.
"On a hill above the town, shepherds were guarding their flocks, when suddenly the skies opened and a horde of angels descended upon them. They told the shepherds that the King of the Jews had been born in Bethlehem, and that they should go down to greet him. So they did.
Far away, three Wise Men saw a new star in the east. They followed it, riding on camels for twelve days and nights, until they reached the stable. They were surprised that the prophesied child was living in a stable, and they gave him gifts; gold, frankincense and myrrh. Then they left."
Teyla's eyes were locked on his as he finished, rather weakly.
"So, this "Christmas" is a celebration of the birth of a prophesied one"
"Yes,"
"Why was he so important?"
"He performed miracles."
"Ah."
Lorne glances around the clearing, noting that Shepperd is back, and talking to McKay and Beckett. Cadman and Brown are over near the fire, looking like they're giggling. Weir has moved from listening to Dex to talking to Caldwell, and as he watches Caldwell smiles and touches her arm.
He looks back at the woman standing in front of him, smiling up with pearl-like teeth, and the beat of the music changes once more. He finishes the glass he is holding, waits for her to finish as well, then dumps both plastic cups in a hastily put up nearby bin. And then there is silence between them. He can't think of anything to say, can find no way to express himself. Behind her, the flames of the fire leap higher.
"We have a ceremony somewhat like that," she says after a moment, "It will happen soon. It is a celebration of the Founding of our Tribe on Athos, in which we eat sweet, spiced, breads and jump over the fire in an attempt to gain prosperity in the coming year."
"Sounds fun."
"It is," she says, and smiles again, "Very fun."
And then she kisses him. It is a complete surprise, and for a moment he doesn't think, just reacts on auto-pilot, putting one hand on her back and cradling her head with the other. Then common sense taps him on the shoulder and he remembers who she is and steps back abruptly. She looks at him, surprised.
"Did you not wish me to kiss you?"
"No...well, yes...its a bad idea."
"Why?"
She's genuinely puzzled, and as he looks down at her he can feel all his nebulous arguments drain away. He concentrates, remembers how, before they'd left, Landry had given them a lecture, summed up as "Don't have sex with aliens- and not with civilians if you can help it." The civilian bit had only been implied, which left Cadman free to carry on her 'thing' with Beckett, but the alien bit had been official. Sheppard, as the man with the strongest gene, might be safe in his position. Lorne is not.
"I can't."
It is a cop out, he knows it, and she knows it too.
"Ah," she says, and steps back, creating a distance between them.
"Teyla!"
Sheppard strides over, drops a hand on her arm in easy friendship.
"They're starting the dancing," he explains, and even as he says it a vaguely familiar tune begins, "Remember I said I'd show you Earth dancing when I got the chance?"
"Yes," she replies.
"You don't mind me stealing her, do you Major?"
"No, not at all."
As they walk away, Lorne watches her until he looses sight of her in the morass of people flocking to the dance floor, and tries to ignore the faint, sinking feeling in his stomach. Nothing is wrong, not really. Nothing has changed. Nothing at all.
End