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TITLE: The Barista - Chapter 9: Withdrawal Symptoms
SUMMARY: All he wants is five minutes and lunch. That's all. How hard can it be?
CATEGORY: AU, Romance, Drama
RATING: PG-13
NOTES: ...I've run out of things to say in this section.
The Barista - Withdrawal Symptoms
Elizabeth looked up impatiently as John gave up trying to concentrate and grabbed his cellphone. "She'll understand, John."
"Five minutes," said John, holding up five fingers. "That's all I want."
They'd been at this all day. Statistics and numbers, holdings lists, and boards of directors. Financial statements, newspaper clippings, and notes; discussions, debates, and heated arguments. And this was just for the proposal that was to go before the Pegasus directors on Monday morning.
O'Neill hadn't just okayed the Pegasus proposal, he'd told them that if they were so intent on jumping off a cliff, it was only fair to let the trio throw themselves before the lions. The mixed metaphor did nothing to alleviate John's concern about the situation.
"Say 'hi' from us," Rodney said, without looking up from his laptop and ignoring the glare Elizabeth sent in his direction.
As he dialled Teyla's number, John wondered if she'd been disappointed or relieved by the interruption last night. She'd seemed very prosaic about John's need to leave, and hadn't stayed on at the T-Bar, although he'd pointed out she could still listen to the improv sets there.
But she'd let him take her cellphone number and program his number into hers.
Out in the corridor, John moved past the high-rise boardrooms of the Stargate Central conference centre, and out to one of the seating areas with its tea and coffee facilities.
Teyla picked it up after four rings. "Hey."
"Hey, Teyla. It's me, John." There was a moment of awkward silence. All the things John had thought to say while he was working with Rodney and Elizabeth immediately fled his mind and he found himself scrambling for words. "How's things?"
"Oh, we are very busy around here." In the background, John could hear the radio, and the sounds of easy conversation. "You?"
"Oh, the Atlantis proposal is coming along," he said. "We'll be working on it all weekend for a presentation on Monday..." With a rueful smile, he broke off and flung himself down into one of the couches scattered in the area. "You don't want to hear about it."
"I think it is better that I do not," Teyla said after a moment. There was a hesitant note in her voice that warned John what was coming a second before she spoke again. "John, I do not think we should be seeing each other."
He could be calm when kicked in the teeth. He could ask, "Why not?" in a reasonable tone of voice.
Teyla hesitated. "Because there are circumstances of which you are unaware."
"Such as?" The silence on the other end of the phone had the quality of someone trying to think of a satisfactory answer. "Did you enjoy last night?"
"I did. But--"
John rolled right over her. He had experience dealing with Rodney McKay; Teyla was easy by comparison. "Is it because I had to cut our date short?"
"It is not that."
"Then what's changed?"
Silence. "It would take too long--"
"I've got-- Okay, so I don't have time. But I think you owe me an explanation. Say...tomorrow lunch?" If he had to lock the other two out of the conference room, and have security kick them out of the hotel, John would get tomorrow lunch free if Teyla would meet up with him.
"Tomorrow lunch is not possible."
"Dinner."
"I cannot--" She broke off, and he heard her saying something sharp to someone in the background before she came back on. "You will understand soon, John, I promise." He heard the sigh she gave, a huff of air that transmitted lightly through the mouthpiece. "I enjoyed last night. It was...fun. I have not--" She broke off. "It was fun."
"We could do it again."
"I-- Not this week."
"All right, then. Next Friday."
"John..."
"Saturday?" John had the shaming feeling he was very close to begging.
More noise in the background - it sounded like someone yelling Teyla's name down an echoing hallway. "John, I cannot explain it now. I...I have to go."
"Will you be at the Bean on Monday?"
"Yes. But, John--"
"Then I'll see you on Monday."
She made a sound that was almost like a sigh. "John..."
"Monday, Teyla."
"Should I ask if it is a promise or a threat?" Teyla asked, sounding both amused and resigned. "Never mind, John. Good-bye."
The call terminated, even as John murmured, "Take care."
He flung the phone hard across the seating area, not caring if it broke as it skidded across the room and crashed against the wall.
What had changed? She'd had fun last night, that was obvious enough to John, and she'd said as much during their conversation. And John was pretty sure there wasn't anyone else. But she'd retreated on him, withdrawn for no reason she was willing to admit.
As he scooped up the phone and went back inside, he wondered if he could persuade her to admit the real reason she was avoiding him when he saw her on Monday.
- tbc -
10: Uncertainties
SUMMARY: All he wants is five minutes and lunch. That's all. How hard can it be?
CATEGORY: AU, Romance, Drama
RATING: PG-13
NOTES: ...I've run out of things to say in this section.
The Barista - Withdrawal Symptoms
Elizabeth looked up impatiently as John gave up trying to concentrate and grabbed his cellphone. "She'll understand, John."
"Five minutes," said John, holding up five fingers. "That's all I want."
They'd been at this all day. Statistics and numbers, holdings lists, and boards of directors. Financial statements, newspaper clippings, and notes; discussions, debates, and heated arguments. And this was just for the proposal that was to go before the Pegasus directors on Monday morning.
O'Neill hadn't just okayed the Pegasus proposal, he'd told them that if they were so intent on jumping off a cliff, it was only fair to let the trio throw themselves before the lions. The mixed metaphor did nothing to alleviate John's concern about the situation.
"Say 'hi' from us," Rodney said, without looking up from his laptop and ignoring the glare Elizabeth sent in his direction.
As he dialled Teyla's number, John wondered if she'd been disappointed or relieved by the interruption last night. She'd seemed very prosaic about John's need to leave, and hadn't stayed on at the T-Bar, although he'd pointed out she could still listen to the improv sets there.
But she'd let him take her cellphone number and program his number into hers.
Out in the corridor, John moved past the high-rise boardrooms of the Stargate Central conference centre, and out to one of the seating areas with its tea and coffee facilities.
Teyla picked it up after four rings. "Hey."
"Hey, Teyla. It's me, John." There was a moment of awkward silence. All the things John had thought to say while he was working with Rodney and Elizabeth immediately fled his mind and he found himself scrambling for words. "How's things?"
"Oh, we are very busy around here." In the background, John could hear the radio, and the sounds of easy conversation. "You?"
"Oh, the Atlantis proposal is coming along," he said. "We'll be working on it all weekend for a presentation on Monday..." With a rueful smile, he broke off and flung himself down into one of the couches scattered in the area. "You don't want to hear about it."
"I think it is better that I do not," Teyla said after a moment. There was a hesitant note in her voice that warned John what was coming a second before she spoke again. "John, I do not think we should be seeing each other."
He could be calm when kicked in the teeth. He could ask, "Why not?" in a reasonable tone of voice.
Teyla hesitated. "Because there are circumstances of which you are unaware."
"Such as?" The silence on the other end of the phone had the quality of someone trying to think of a satisfactory answer. "Did you enjoy last night?"
"I did. But--"
John rolled right over her. He had experience dealing with Rodney McKay; Teyla was easy by comparison. "Is it because I had to cut our date short?"
"It is not that."
"Then what's changed?"
Silence. "It would take too long--"
"I've got-- Okay, so I don't have time. But I think you owe me an explanation. Say...tomorrow lunch?" If he had to lock the other two out of the conference room, and have security kick them out of the hotel, John would get tomorrow lunch free if Teyla would meet up with him.
"Tomorrow lunch is not possible."
"Dinner."
"I cannot--" She broke off, and he heard her saying something sharp to someone in the background before she came back on. "You will understand soon, John, I promise." He heard the sigh she gave, a huff of air that transmitted lightly through the mouthpiece. "I enjoyed last night. It was...fun. I have not--" She broke off. "It was fun."
"We could do it again."
"I-- Not this week."
"All right, then. Next Friday."
"John..."
"Saturday?" John had the shaming feeling he was very close to begging.
More noise in the background - it sounded like someone yelling Teyla's name down an echoing hallway. "John, I cannot explain it now. I...I have to go."
"Will you be at the Bean on Monday?"
"Yes. But, John--"
"Then I'll see you on Monday."
She made a sound that was almost like a sigh. "John..."
"Monday, Teyla."
"Should I ask if it is a promise or a threat?" Teyla asked, sounding both amused and resigned. "Never mind, John. Good-bye."
The call terminated, even as John murmured, "Take care."
He flung the phone hard across the seating area, not caring if it broke as it skidded across the room and crashed against the wall.
What had changed? She'd had fun last night, that was obvious enough to John, and she'd said as much during their conversation. And John was pretty sure there wasn't anyone else. But she'd retreated on him, withdrawn for no reason she was willing to admit.
As he scooped up the phone and went back inside, he wondered if he could persuade her to admit the real reason she was avoiding him when he saw her on Monday.
- tbc -
10: Uncertainties
no subject
Should I ask?