[fic] Through the Looking Glass (Heightmeyer/Sheppard/Weir) [R]
Title: Through the Looking Glass
Author: havocthecat
Pairing: Kate Heightmeyer/John Sheppard/Elizabeth Weir
Rating: R
Author's Notes: This is the story of how Kate and Elizabeth met in the AU of Fatal Pride, which is my swficathon 2007 story. I just really felt the need to write some basics on how they got together.
***
"Dr. Weir," said Kate, smiling pleasantly as she looked up from her meal. "Have a seat."
"Dr. Heightmeyer." Elizabeth's voice was light and easy. She nodded at Carson and sat down with her tray of food. "Thank you. It's not often that I get a chance to take my time and enjoy a meal."
"It's important to take the time to relax," said Kate, smiling. "As well as to set a good example for the rest of the expedition. Don't you think so?"
"Mm," said Elizabeth picking up her fork and glancing back up at Kate. "I agree. As the woman in charge of the expedition, it certainly behooves me to be on my best behavior." Their eyes met, and locked, and something ghosted through Kate's eyes at that. Elizabeth smiled slowly in recognition.
"Well, I don't think we need to be worrying about that," said Carson cheerfully. He shoveled a forkful of food into his mouth. "I can't imagine Dr. Weir being anything less than angelic."
"Oh, yes," agreed Kate, her voice thoughtful. She studied Elizabeth. "You do have an absolutely sterling reputation, Dr. Weir."
"As do you, Dr. Heightmeyer," said Elizabeth matter-of-factly. She leaned forward, one forearm resting on the edge of the table. "Your former patients have given you glowing references, you know."
Kate's eyes lit up, a smile playing around the corners of her mouth. "I thought that was why you chose me for this expedition."
"Well, Dr. Weir could hardly have chosen someone who didn't have the best interests of her patients at heart," said Carson.
"Please," said Elizabeth, her gaze flickering off Carson and lingering at Kate's face. "Call me Elizabeth. As senior members of the expedition, we really ought to get to know each other better. We're going to be working very closely together."
"I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to the opportunity," murmured Kate.
"Don't be shy, lass," said Carson, nudging at Kate's arm with an elbow. "After all, how many people get the chance to do the kind of work we're doing?"
A flicker of irritation was evident in the set of Kate's mouth, but her training as a therapist let her hide it from anyone who hadn't learned to read body language the way Elizabeth had. "Oh, no one gets the kind of chances we're getting," said Elizabeth, glancing pleasantly around the room. "Right, Kate?"
She met Elizabeth's eyes again, and Kate's gaze was thoughtful and considering. "That's just right, Elizabeth," she said. "You have no idea how much I appreciate it."
"I know I, for one, am grateful," said Carson exuberantly. He patted his mouth with a napkin.
Elizabeth and Kate glanced at him, nodding and smiling with practiced ease, before they turned to look at each other again.
***
"Elizabeth." Kate glanced up as Elizabeth walked into her office. "I hadn't expected to see you visiting my office quite so soon."
"After our discussion at lunch yesterday, I wanted to get to know you a bit better." Elizabeth paused, a pleasant smile on her face as she palmed the lock on Kate's door. "I've read your file, but that only tells me so much about who you are."
Kate's eyes flickered to her door, but she met Elizabeth's gaze without hesitation. "I see," she said. "I'm sure you know I've read your psychological profile. In fact, I was just reviewing it. It's very fascinating material."
Elizabeth tilted her head as she studied Kate. "Really? I'd be curious to hear what you think of it."
Kate slipped her stylus back into the holder, and put her handheld down on her desk as she studied Elizabeth in return. Her eyebrows raised a fraction, and she nodded at one of the chairs set to the side of her desk. "Have a seat," she said, standing.
Seconds later, Kate was sitting in front of her, leaning forward slightly. "I'm not used to being examined like that," said Elizabeth.
"How do you think I'm examining you?" asked Kate, her voice soothing.
"It's hard to say," said Elizabeth. "You made your initial judgment of me based on my profile, the one you requested that every member of this expedition take."
"In order to assure their psychological fitness for an expedition into an unknown galaxy, yes," said Kate. She clasped her hands together and rested them on her knees.
"One that may never return home." Elizabeth leaned back in her chair, easy and calm, but her eyes were focused on Kate's reactions.
"Discovering as much as we could about how the members of the expedition handle isolation and stress while forming interpersonal bonds was a critical part of the testing," said Kate. "Which I know you're aware of."
"And how did I rate on all these tests?" asked Elizabeth. Her voice was lightly curious as she leaned forward.
"Your profile fit the qualifications for a leader of this expedition perfectly." Kate smiled knowingly. "I find it amazing how well your personality fit all the behavioral categories."
"It did?" Elizabeth's smile was full of amusement. "How amazing."
"Not really," said Kate. "I've also read your personnel file, and you've had a great deal of experience in diplomatic situations. That, plus your years of education, could give you the ability to come up with the answers that we wanted to see."
"That's a very interesting conclusion, Kate," said Elizabeth. "I'm curious as to how you came up with it."
"Oh, it's only a possibility, Elizabeth," said Kate, nodding slightly before she continued. "Only someone who might have, say, a certain moral flexibility, would be not only able, but willing, to tailor their answers for the desired results."
"And only another person with that same moral flexibility would recognize that, and allow the results to stand unchallenged," said Elizabeth, her eyes narrowing. "As a possibility."
"That is one possibility," agreed Kate, her eyes wide and her expression guileless. "Of course, that would assume that both the expedition's leader and its psychologist had both managed to reach the pinnacle of their careers, all the while disguising what most people consider to be a very large flaw. One that would be very difficult to keep hidden."
"I have to admit, Kate, that I find the idea rather intriguing," said Elizabeth.
"I completely agree," said Kate. "It would be absolutely fascinating."
***
"What do you think about Elizabeth?" asked Kate, her voice lightly curious.
"What do you mean, what do I think about Dr. Weir?" asked John, frowning.
Kate's mouth pursed into a slight smile, but it vanished so quickly John blinked, not sure he'd really seen it. "Yes, Dr. Weir, of course," she said, her voice smooth. "What do you think of her? How have you found your interactions?"
"Fine, I guess." John shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "I mean, she's very, uh, goal-oriented."
"Mm," murmured Kate. "How so?"
"Well, she's very--" John shrugged, glancing away. "I don't know. Intense."
"Oh, she is," agreed Kate. "Very intense."
John's frown grew deeper. "Are you hinting at something, Dr. Heightmeyer?"
Kate smirked. That had to be it. John could swear that she was smirking. "I fucked her, you know," said Kate, her voice suddenly throaty, a lilt to it he hadn't heard before. She leaned forward, her gaze fixed on John. "Right in that chair you're sitting in. I peeled off her clothing, and then I fucked her. She was wet, and I had my mouth all over her cunt."
"In this--" John gulped. "This chair? When?"
"The first time?" asked Kate. John couldn't stop staring at her cleavage. Was she wearing a push-up bra? "The day after we arrived on Atlantis."
"First time?" John's fingers gripped his thigh tightly.
"Oh, only the first time," murmured Kate. "We've stuck to beds since then. For the most part."
"For the most part?" echoed John. He really couldn't talk right now.
"Those balconies are incredibly convenient," said Kate. "The one right outside the control tower is so easy to get to. She tied me to the balcony rails one night, and when she let me down, I pinned her to the floor of the balcony and made her scream my name while she was coming."
"Do you have a point to all of this?" asked John, his palm sliding against his leg.
"Oh, definitely," purred Kate. Her eyes raked his figure.
"And that point is--?" John rolled his eyes and shifted in the chair. "Jeez, wind a guy up for no good reason, why don't you?"
"Don't be ridiculous, John," said Kate. She straightened, stood slowly, her gaze on him the whole time as she walked towards him. "I want to straddle you in that chair. I want your mouth on mine, and your hands on my breasts while I slide onto your cock." She stopped, tilted her head, and gave John the most blandly curious look he'd ever seen on a woman with that dirty a mouth. "Unless you'd rather not?"
"Uh." John snapped his mouth shut with a click. "I'm good."
"You'd better be," murmured Kate. "Considering how mad Elizabeth's going to be if she catches us."
"I don't care," growled John. Kate laughed as he grabbed her wrists and pulled her down to him for a wide, openmouthed kiss.
--end--
Author: havocthecat
Pairing: Kate Heightmeyer/John Sheppard/Elizabeth Weir
Rating: R
Author's Notes: This is the story of how Kate and Elizabeth met in the AU of Fatal Pride, which is my swficathon 2007 story. I just really felt the need to write some basics on how they got together.
***
"Dr. Weir," said Kate, smiling pleasantly as she looked up from her meal. "Have a seat."
"Dr. Heightmeyer." Elizabeth's voice was light and easy. She nodded at Carson and sat down with her tray of food. "Thank you. It's not often that I get a chance to take my time and enjoy a meal."
"It's important to take the time to relax," said Kate, smiling. "As well as to set a good example for the rest of the expedition. Don't you think so?"
"Mm," said Elizabeth picking up her fork and glancing back up at Kate. "I agree. As the woman in charge of the expedition, it certainly behooves me to be on my best behavior." Their eyes met, and locked, and something ghosted through Kate's eyes at that. Elizabeth smiled slowly in recognition.
"Well, I don't think we need to be worrying about that," said Carson cheerfully. He shoveled a forkful of food into his mouth. "I can't imagine Dr. Weir being anything less than angelic."
"Oh, yes," agreed Kate, her voice thoughtful. She studied Elizabeth. "You do have an absolutely sterling reputation, Dr. Weir."
"As do you, Dr. Heightmeyer," said Elizabeth matter-of-factly. She leaned forward, one forearm resting on the edge of the table. "Your former patients have given you glowing references, you know."
Kate's eyes lit up, a smile playing around the corners of her mouth. "I thought that was why you chose me for this expedition."
"Well, Dr. Weir could hardly have chosen someone who didn't have the best interests of her patients at heart," said Carson.
"Please," said Elizabeth, her gaze flickering off Carson and lingering at Kate's face. "Call me Elizabeth. As senior members of the expedition, we really ought to get to know each other better. We're going to be working very closely together."
"I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to the opportunity," murmured Kate.
"Don't be shy, lass," said Carson, nudging at Kate's arm with an elbow. "After all, how many people get the chance to do the kind of work we're doing?"
A flicker of irritation was evident in the set of Kate's mouth, but her training as a therapist let her hide it from anyone who hadn't learned to read body language the way Elizabeth had. "Oh, no one gets the kind of chances we're getting," said Elizabeth, glancing pleasantly around the room. "Right, Kate?"
She met Elizabeth's eyes again, and Kate's gaze was thoughtful and considering. "That's just right, Elizabeth," she said. "You have no idea how much I appreciate it."
"I know I, for one, am grateful," said Carson exuberantly. He patted his mouth with a napkin.
Elizabeth and Kate glanced at him, nodding and smiling with practiced ease, before they turned to look at each other again.
***
"Elizabeth." Kate glanced up as Elizabeth walked into her office. "I hadn't expected to see you visiting my office quite so soon."
"After our discussion at lunch yesterday, I wanted to get to know you a bit better." Elizabeth paused, a pleasant smile on her face as she palmed the lock on Kate's door. "I've read your file, but that only tells me so much about who you are."
Kate's eyes flickered to her door, but she met Elizabeth's gaze without hesitation. "I see," she said. "I'm sure you know I've read your psychological profile. In fact, I was just reviewing it. It's very fascinating material."
Elizabeth tilted her head as she studied Kate. "Really? I'd be curious to hear what you think of it."
Kate slipped her stylus back into the holder, and put her handheld down on her desk as she studied Elizabeth in return. Her eyebrows raised a fraction, and she nodded at one of the chairs set to the side of her desk. "Have a seat," she said, standing.
Seconds later, Kate was sitting in front of her, leaning forward slightly. "I'm not used to being examined like that," said Elizabeth.
"How do you think I'm examining you?" asked Kate, her voice soothing.
"It's hard to say," said Elizabeth. "You made your initial judgment of me based on my profile, the one you requested that every member of this expedition take."
"In order to assure their psychological fitness for an expedition into an unknown galaxy, yes," said Kate. She clasped her hands together and rested them on her knees.
"One that may never return home." Elizabeth leaned back in her chair, easy and calm, but her eyes were focused on Kate's reactions.
"Discovering as much as we could about how the members of the expedition handle isolation and stress while forming interpersonal bonds was a critical part of the testing," said Kate. "Which I know you're aware of."
"And how did I rate on all these tests?" asked Elizabeth. Her voice was lightly curious as she leaned forward.
"Your profile fit the qualifications for a leader of this expedition perfectly." Kate smiled knowingly. "I find it amazing how well your personality fit all the behavioral categories."
"It did?" Elizabeth's smile was full of amusement. "How amazing."
"Not really," said Kate. "I've also read your personnel file, and you've had a great deal of experience in diplomatic situations. That, plus your years of education, could give you the ability to come up with the answers that we wanted to see."
"That's a very interesting conclusion, Kate," said Elizabeth. "I'm curious as to how you came up with it."
"Oh, it's only a possibility, Elizabeth," said Kate, nodding slightly before she continued. "Only someone who might have, say, a certain moral flexibility, would be not only able, but willing, to tailor their answers for the desired results."
"And only another person with that same moral flexibility would recognize that, and allow the results to stand unchallenged," said Elizabeth, her eyes narrowing. "As a possibility."
"That is one possibility," agreed Kate, her eyes wide and her expression guileless. "Of course, that would assume that both the expedition's leader and its psychologist had both managed to reach the pinnacle of their careers, all the while disguising what most people consider to be a very large flaw. One that would be very difficult to keep hidden."
"I have to admit, Kate, that I find the idea rather intriguing," said Elizabeth.
"I completely agree," said Kate. "It would be absolutely fascinating."
***
"What do you think about Elizabeth?" asked Kate, her voice lightly curious.
"What do you mean, what do I think about Dr. Weir?" asked John, frowning.
Kate's mouth pursed into a slight smile, but it vanished so quickly John blinked, not sure he'd really seen it. "Yes, Dr. Weir, of course," she said, her voice smooth. "What do you think of her? How have you found your interactions?"
"Fine, I guess." John shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "I mean, she's very, uh, goal-oriented."
"Mm," murmured Kate. "How so?"
"Well, she's very--" John shrugged, glancing away. "I don't know. Intense."
"Oh, she is," agreed Kate. "Very intense."
John's frown grew deeper. "Are you hinting at something, Dr. Heightmeyer?"
Kate smirked. That had to be it. John could swear that she was smirking. "I fucked her, you know," said Kate, her voice suddenly throaty, a lilt to it he hadn't heard before. She leaned forward, her gaze fixed on John. "Right in that chair you're sitting in. I peeled off her clothing, and then I fucked her. She was wet, and I had my mouth all over her cunt."
"In this--" John gulped. "This chair? When?"
"The first time?" asked Kate. John couldn't stop staring at her cleavage. Was she wearing a push-up bra? "The day after we arrived on Atlantis."
"First time?" John's fingers gripped his thigh tightly.
"Oh, only the first time," murmured Kate. "We've stuck to beds since then. For the most part."
"For the most part?" echoed John. He really couldn't talk right now.
"Those balconies are incredibly convenient," said Kate. "The one right outside the control tower is so easy to get to. She tied me to the balcony rails one night, and when she let me down, I pinned her to the floor of the balcony and made her scream my name while she was coming."
"Do you have a point to all of this?" asked John, his palm sliding against his leg.
"Oh, definitely," purred Kate. Her eyes raked his figure.
"And that point is--?" John rolled his eyes and shifted in the chair. "Jeez, wind a guy up for no good reason, why don't you?"
"Don't be ridiculous, John," said Kate. She straightened, stood slowly, her gaze on him the whole time as she walked towards him. "I want to straddle you in that chair. I want your mouth on mine, and your hands on my breasts while I slide onto your cock." She stopped, tilted her head, and gave John the most blandly curious look he'd ever seen on a woman with that dirty a mouth. "Unless you'd rather not?"
"Uh." John snapped his mouth shut with a click. "I'm good."
"You'd better be," murmured Kate. "Considering how mad Elizabeth's going to be if she catches us."
"I don't care," growled John. Kate laughed as he grabbed her wrists and pulled her down to him for a wide, openmouthed kiss.
--end--