Fic, Galileo: Aether (SGA, Beckett/Cadman, G)
Title: Galileo: Aether
Challenge: stagesoflove, fanfic100 055. Spirit (Table here)
Theme: Elements(Air, Water, Fire, Earth, Spirit)
Pairing: Carson Beckett/Laura Cadman (Stargate Atlantis)
Rating: G
Summary: "Galileo looked up into the sky and discovered all of these wonders, and here we are, doing the same thing, wondering if that star right there has friendly natives or that one has something like chocolate," Laura said, motioning to a pair of bright stars hovering above the west pier.
Note: Much thanks to spazzula for helping me find my phrasing. It makes all the difference :)
Laura leaned forward against the railing, taking in the spectacular view from the North Tower balcony. Nights in Atlantis were more often than not both cool and clear. The wind whipped off of the water, blowing her hair around because she refused to tie it up when she was off-duty. There was something about standing up here, far away from the noise and commotion of the city proper, far away from the pungent smells of Athosian coffees and whatever not-delicacy the mess was serving, far away from reports and meetings and injuries and armories. Standing up here she could smile against the night breeze and watch the stars arranged in unfamiliar constellations twinkle and pretend like she was rediscovering Atlantis for the first time.
“Penny for your thoughts.”
She smiled brightly, pausing for a minute to find the right words. “Galileo,” she finally answered as she turned to face Carson, who was mimicking her stance against the railing. “I was thinking about Galileo.”
Carson looked confused for a moment. It wasn’t the answer he was expecting, and curiosity seemed to get the best of him. “And what do you mean by that?”
“It’s like we can discover everything over and over again from up here,” Laura explained. “Galileo looked up into the sky and discovered all of these wonders, and here we are, doing the same thing, wondering if that star right there has friendly natives or that one has something like chocolate,” she added, motioning to a pair of bright stars hovering above the west pier.
Carson smiled easily. “You’re feeling meaningful tonight.”
“Well, I’m thinking deep thoughts over here right now.”
“But that’s not what you’re really thinking about.”
Laura cringed slightly. He could read her entirely too well. No, her mind was on another thought, but she hesitated to say it. Once she said it, there was no taking it back. And she wasn’t sure if she wanted to risk…
Oh, to hell with it.
“If we were back on Earth, would you have asked me to marry you by now?” she blurted out before she could talk herself out of it.
Carson’s mouth twitched in amusement, but he struggled to keep a neutral expression. “Excuse me?” he asked. He turned around to lean with his back against the railing and slipped his hands into his jacket pockets. “Did you just ask me to marry you?”
Laura flushed. “No! I mean, not really. It was just a question, and I was wondering, and I probably shouldn’t have asked… why are you laughing at me?” she snapped as soon as Carson doubled into laughter.
He wiped a tear from his eye and took a moment to compose himself before placing a hand gently against her chin. “I’m not laughing at you, love. I’m laughing at fate right now.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small ring. Laura gaped slightly as the starlight caught in the gem’s facets as Carson twisted it slightly in his fingers. “I was going to go to all this trouble to ask. I was going to set it up perfectly. I’d bring dinner up here to the balcony, filch a bottle of Athosian wine from Teyla. I was going to wait until dusk, when the sky had those reds and purples in it that you say reminds you of home. And I was going to do the very traditional thing and get down on a knee and ask you to marry me.” He shrugged slightly, considering the ring in his hand. “I guess that’s out of the question now.”
Laura tried to sputter a response. “You… you what?”
“So yes, if we were on Earth, I would’ve asked you already,” Carson continued. “It took me a while longer because I had to get back to Earth and introduce myself to your family…”
“What?” Laura’s gaze moved from the ring to Carson’s face. “How… you mean…”
“Aye, I made a quick stop on my way from Colorado to Scotland,” he chuckled. “But to answer your question-”
“No!” she snapped. “No, you’re not answering my question! You’re going to do all of those things that you said you were going to do! That is too good not to get.”
Carson smiled, trying not to laugh at her insistence. “But you already know,” he countered.
Laura shrugged, grinning innocently. “But I can forget,” she replied. “Easy done. Now, put that back in your pocket and lets try again.”
Carson nodded, complying with her request. As soon as the ring was safely tucked away, he leaned against the railing and smiled gently at Laura. “So, love. I was thinking… how would you feel about a picnic up here tomorrow evening? I’ve got something I want to talk to you about.”
Laura shifted closer and laid her head against his shoulder as she stared out at the dark sky. “I think that sounds great,” she answered. “I can’t wait.”
Challenge: stagesoflove, fanfic100 055. Spirit (Table here)
Theme: Elements(Air, Water, Fire, Earth, Spirit)
Pairing: Carson Beckett/Laura Cadman (Stargate Atlantis)
Rating: G
Summary: "Galileo looked up into the sky and discovered all of these wonders, and here we are, doing the same thing, wondering if that star right there has friendly natives or that one has something like chocolate," Laura said, motioning to a pair of bright stars hovering above the west pier.
Note: Much thanks to spazzula for helping me find my phrasing. It makes all the difference :)
Laura leaned forward against the railing, taking in the spectacular view from the North Tower balcony. Nights in Atlantis were more often than not both cool and clear. The wind whipped off of the water, blowing her hair around because she refused to tie it up when she was off-duty. There was something about standing up here, far away from the noise and commotion of the city proper, far away from the pungent smells of Athosian coffees and whatever not-delicacy the mess was serving, far away from reports and meetings and injuries and armories. Standing up here she could smile against the night breeze and watch the stars arranged in unfamiliar constellations twinkle and pretend like she was rediscovering Atlantis for the first time.
“Penny for your thoughts.”
She smiled brightly, pausing for a minute to find the right words. “Galileo,” she finally answered as she turned to face Carson, who was mimicking her stance against the railing. “I was thinking about Galileo.”
Carson looked confused for a moment. It wasn’t the answer he was expecting, and curiosity seemed to get the best of him. “And what do you mean by that?”
“It’s like we can discover everything over and over again from up here,” Laura explained. “Galileo looked up into the sky and discovered all of these wonders, and here we are, doing the same thing, wondering if that star right there has friendly natives or that one has something like chocolate,” she added, motioning to a pair of bright stars hovering above the west pier.
Carson smiled easily. “You’re feeling meaningful tonight.”
“Well, I’m thinking deep thoughts over here right now.”
“But that’s not what you’re really thinking about.”
Laura cringed slightly. He could read her entirely too well. No, her mind was on another thought, but she hesitated to say it. Once she said it, there was no taking it back. And she wasn’t sure if she wanted to risk…
Oh, to hell with it.
“If we were back on Earth, would you have asked me to marry you by now?” she blurted out before she could talk herself out of it.
Carson’s mouth twitched in amusement, but he struggled to keep a neutral expression. “Excuse me?” he asked. He turned around to lean with his back against the railing and slipped his hands into his jacket pockets. “Did you just ask me to marry you?”
Laura flushed. “No! I mean, not really. It was just a question, and I was wondering, and I probably shouldn’t have asked… why are you laughing at me?” she snapped as soon as Carson doubled into laughter.
He wiped a tear from his eye and took a moment to compose himself before placing a hand gently against her chin. “I’m not laughing at you, love. I’m laughing at fate right now.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small ring. Laura gaped slightly as the starlight caught in the gem’s facets as Carson twisted it slightly in his fingers. “I was going to go to all this trouble to ask. I was going to set it up perfectly. I’d bring dinner up here to the balcony, filch a bottle of Athosian wine from Teyla. I was going to wait until dusk, when the sky had those reds and purples in it that you say reminds you of home. And I was going to do the very traditional thing and get down on a knee and ask you to marry me.” He shrugged slightly, considering the ring in his hand. “I guess that’s out of the question now.”
Laura tried to sputter a response. “You… you what?”
“So yes, if we were on Earth, I would’ve asked you already,” Carson continued. “It took me a while longer because I had to get back to Earth and introduce myself to your family…”
“What?” Laura’s gaze moved from the ring to Carson’s face. “How… you mean…”
“Aye, I made a quick stop on my way from Colorado to Scotland,” he chuckled. “But to answer your question-”
“No!” she snapped. “No, you’re not answering my question! You’re going to do all of those things that you said you were going to do! That is too good not to get.”
Carson smiled, trying not to laugh at her insistence. “But you already know,” he countered.
Laura shrugged, grinning innocently. “But I can forget,” she replied. “Easy done. Now, put that back in your pocket and lets try again.”
Carson nodded, complying with her request. As soon as the ring was safely tucked away, he leaned against the railing and smiled gently at Laura. “So, love. I was thinking… how would you feel about a picnic up here tomorrow evening? I’ve got something I want to talk to you about.”
Laura shifted closer and laid her head against his shoulder as she stared out at the dark sky. “I think that sounds great,” she answered. “I can’t wait.”