eretria | SGA-fic "Clarification"

Need to get this out before canon screws any more with Elizabeth's character.

Title: Clarification
Author:

eretria
Summary: "I see." Elizabeth feels cold fury prickling along her scalp, her fists clenching. "For the record, Colonel, I’m glad that Colonel Sheppard isn’t that kind of man." - -"Oh, I’m sure you like the kind of man Colonel Sheppard is." This time, she can’t ignore the sneer and the double meaning made clear by the tone of Caldwell’s voice.
Main characters: Sheppard, Weir, Caldwell, with a cameo by Rodney
Rating: general
Spoilers: "Runner" (go ahead, call it a tag-scene)
Beta:

auburnnothenna
Disclaimer: Not mine, just playing
Feedback: Please.

Caldwell is walking beside her along the corridor leading toward the control room; long strides; the tone between them as they speak civil but not pleasant.

"I believe Colonel Sheppard when he says there was nothing to be done to stop Lieutenant Ford."

"I’m sure you do, Doctor."

She ignores the veiled sneer for the moment, pushes on. "What would you have done in his situation?"

"What was necessary to ensure the safety of this base."

She breathes against the anger rising. "And that would have been what? Assassinating Ford?"

"If necessary."

"I see." Elizabeth feels cold fury prickling along her scalp, her fists clenching. "For the record, Colonel, I’m glad that Colonel Sheppard isn’t that kind of man."

"Oh, I’m sure you like the kind of man Colonel Sheppard is." This time, she can’t ignore the sneer and the double meaning made clear by the tone of Caldwell’s voice.

"Excuse me?"

They have reached the control room now and her raised voice has drawn more attention than she is strictly comfortable with in this situation.

Caldwell smirks and suddenly she’s sick of all of this. Sick of him being here, criticising her people, her city, her work, herself, her decisions. This has gone on too long without her standing her ground. Enough is enough.

"Would you mind accompanying me to my office, Colonel?" she asks, a smile on her face that is a mockery of pleasant.

"Elizabeth, there you are, I need to - -"

She holds up a hand, stopping McKay from continuing. "Not now, Rodney."

He blinks in surprise. Behind him, Sheppard looks equally startled.

"Colonel Sheppard, would you mind coming to my office, too?"

They leave McKay standing where he is and she has to ignore the twinge of guilt she feels at his hurt expression.

Both Caldwell and Sheppard wait until she has entered her office, then follow her.

"Elizabeth, what’s - -"

"In a minute, John." She has seen Caldwell’s eyebrow rise at Sheppard’s use of her first name and now uses his deliberately.

Elizabeth steps up to Sheppard, notices the confusion on his face. Outside of her office, she can see Rodney peering inside, his face tense with curiosity.

"Would you mind doing the honours?"

The windows turn opaque before Sheppard has finished nodding.

"Colonel Caldwell," Elizabeth says and steps so close to Sheppard that she can smell the new aftershave he bought on Earth, "please observe."

She takes a deep breath, willing Sheppard to meet her eyes. When he does, she reaches up to draw him into a kiss. He’s still for a second or two, lips warm but unresponsive against hers, then he takes her shoulders, pushing her away with a look on his face that clearly questions her sanity.

"What the hell?"

"Thank you, John," she says, face twisting into a cold smile. "Exactly the reaction I’d been hoping for."

Elizabeth turns to Caldwell, who just barely manages not to gape, only blinks rapidly.

"I want one thing to be abundantly clear here, Colonel." Her jaw is set and she fixes him with a look that has made politicians and royals back away. This is her fighting ground, and she knows the rules better than he does. "Yes, Atlantis is handling things differently from how they’re handled on Earth. Yes, relationships are close-knit here. Yes, Colonel Sheppard is a very attractive man." For a moment, it’s hard to keep up the tough façade when she sees surprise ghost over Sheppard’s face, soon morphing into a smugly pleased expression. He stretches and all but puffs his chest. It’s difficult to ignore him and not burst into helpless laughter, but she manages.

"However," she continues, "the fact that I have eyes doesn’t mean that I’m sleeping with my military commander."

Caldwell’s jaw works.

Sheppard chokes. "You ... what?"

Ignoring Sheppard, she continues: "I know you dislike the position you’re in now. But Colonel Sheppard’s promotion request had nothing to do with a fuzzy chain of command on Atlantis."

She holds up a hand before Caldwell can voice a protest. "Please, Colonel. Do you think I don’t know what you were insinuating?"

He holds her gaze, and she is surprised to find something at least resembling contriteness in it.

"Doctor, I think - - "

Again she holds up her hand. "I don’t want to hear any explanation right now. But, quite frankly, Colonel, if your attitude toward my staff and myself doesn’t change drastically within the next few days, I’ll make sure that when the Daedalus returns to Atlantis, you will no longer be its commanding officer."

She leans forward, eyes fixed on his coldly. "I didn’t make it to where I am now by sleeping my way through important beds. Neither did Colonel Sheppard." She straightens. "Are we clear?"

Caldwell’s eyes flash, but he doesn’t argue, only gives a sharp nod.

"I’m glad we agree. Enjoy your lunch, Colonel."

She can see the battle in him, the wish to lash out, the shock and disgust at being dressed down that way by a civilian woman in front of a lower-ranking officer.

"Thank you, Doctor," is all he says in an even voice before he leaves her office in long, effective strides.

She can’t help the grudging respect for his reaction and the victorious glee over finally having been able to ram her point home.

Sheppard turns to her carefully, looking at her in astounded amazement. Appraisal soon turns into a smirk. "So ..."

"Not a word, John," she warns. "Not one."

On his way out, she hears him mutter something about "balls of steel" to Rodney who is still waiting outside.

It’s Rodney’s dry reply that undoes her, finally brings out the broad grin that she’s been unable to find ever since Caldwell arrived. "And you’re noticing that now?"

Finis

Current Mood: accomplished
Current Music: Carla Bruni - J'en connais

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SGA-fic "Clarification"

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