(no subject)
OK...for now this is just being posted in my LJ :P And yes I am totally aware that World Cup took over my brain...so...naturally this happened....
Author: Angel of Fire SG1
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: None
Pairings: John/Elizabeth, Ronon/Teyla, Daniel/Vala and Cadman/Beckett
Summary: There had never been a female coach for a World Cup team, but Jack O'Neill believed she was capable of it and he was going to make sure it was proven to the world. AU (SG1, Atlantis)
Turn It Around
Prologue
7:03PM Local Time
Washington D.C.
USA
Elizabeth Weir’s first thought was that the phone was ringing. Loudly. She opened one eye and stared at the cordless phone lying on the table in front of her, her mind taking a few moments to realise where she was.
Home.
Somehow waking up on her own sofa, in her own living room, in her own country was a stranger experience than she had remembered it being. But then again it had been a while. Sitting up and rubbing her eyes she picked up the phone.
“Elizabeth speaking,” she said, yawning as she did so and glancing at the clock.
Not a good time to have fallen asleep, this was going to screw up her jetlag even more.
“Ah, Elizabeth Weir?” came an unfamiliar voice.
If this was another person from the press she was going to have to have a word with whoever had leaked her phone number.
“Yes,” she replied warily, flicking on the TV and reading the news headlines down the bottom of the screen.
“My name is Daniel Jackson…”
She managed to tune out for a few moments as the sports headlines rolled across the screen.
USA soccer team coach quits just weeks before world cup qualifying match, reasons unknown.
Well that was certainly interesting…
“…and I was wondering if you’d be interested in being assistant coach?”
“I’m sorry, I just tuned out for a moment, you actually woke me up,” Elizabeth laughed slightly, trying to cover her own embarrassment for not paying any attention to this Daniel guy.
He sighed loudly. “I told them you’d be tired…to put a long story short, I’m assuming you’ve heard that Marshall Sumner quit as coach of the US soccer team?”
“Yes…” Elizabeth said, suddenly very confused.
He’d said ‘assistant coach’ just earlier, right? Or was her brain so exhausted that it was jumping to conclusions that were obviously impossible…?
“Well this of course means Jack O’Neill has stepped up as head coach, which leaves an assistant coaching position open…”
Elizabeth frowned. “Ah…Mr Jackson was it?”
“Yes.”
She paused, not exactly sure how to word her next question.
“Well, not that I’m not grateful but since when do teams trying to qualify for the World Cup have a female assistant coach?”
“Well…you’d be the first.”
Suddenly she was very awake.
“You’re serious aren’t you?”
“I hope so,” Daniel replied.
“Why me?” Elizabeth frowned.
“O’Neill said you were the best and he only wanted the best.”
The best? Well, she knew Jack was a good friend but she was hoping he wasn’t just doing this because of that. She was far from the best, and she had no experience at coaching men’s teams…especially not at this level.
“Well I’m going to have to think about this…”
“I wouldn’t think too long the opportunity probably won’t last long…” Daniel replied. “If you want the job give me a call some time this evening, I’ll be up till midnight your time.”
“OK…” Elizabeth replied.
He gave her his cell number and she wrote it down quickly.
“Will do that, Mr Jackson.”
“Call me Daniel. Bye.”
He’d already hung up by the time she returned the sentiment. Settling back onto her sofa and pulling her feet up onto the cushions, turning the volume on the TV up. They wanted her to be coach of the USA men’s team? Were they nuts?
Obviously so…
She sighed and sat watching the news reports, trying to concentrate hard enough on it to make some sort of decision regarding the matter.
Not that she really had a choice…
Either way - the press were going to have a field day with this situation.
~*~
4:09PM Local Time
Los Angeles, California
USA
“You’re kidding…” John Sheppard stared at Marcus Lorne in shock as he kicked the ball towards him.
“That’s what McKay told Zelenka,” Lorne shrugged and picked up the ball with his right foot, kicking it in the air a few times before passing it back to John.
“And McKay knows how?” John asked, stopping the ball.
“O’Neill,” Lorne said.
“And they’re serious?”
Lorne nodded. “Come on John pass the ball back before O’Neill catches you slacking off…”
John passed the ball back to his team mate. “Elizabeth Weir? I mean I heard she was good but…”
“She’s a she?” Lorne finished for him.
John stopped the ball again as it was passed back to him. “Exactly.”
“OK that’s it, go home,” Jack O’Neill shouted.
John picked up the ball at his feet and carried it towards the bag lying at the edge of the field. Lorne jogged to catch up with him and then walked next to him.
“So you think she’ll actually take the job?” Lorne asked.
“No idea,” John replied, still confused.
It wasn’t like he had anything against having a female assistant coach, it was just…well…it didn’t happen. He’d never met the woman, but she came with a reputation, a good one. There had been talks amongst the top coaches for years of getting her onto the coaching staff somehow, but they’d always pushed it aside as something that neither FIFA nor the public would go for.
Obviously they were desperate.
John dropped the ball in the bag and held it open as others did the same. He caught Jack’s eye and smiled as his newly-appointed coach walked over to him.
“So I guess you’ve all heard the rumours,” Jack said.
“Sure have,” John replied.
“Well then you’ll be meeting your new assistant coach tomorrow,” Jack said.
“She’s accepted?” Lorne asked.
Jack looked at him. “Not exactly…but she won’t turn this down.”
“How can you be so sure?” John asked, closing up the bag and swinging it over his shoulder, carrying it back inside.
“I won’t let her,” Jack smiled and walked ahead of them.
John turned to Lorne and raised an eyebrow. Lorne smiled.
“So this is gonna be interesting…I wonder what the press is going to say…” John commented.
“I’m sure that Vala women will make something interesting out it,” Lorne replied.
John smirked. “She’ll be disappointed. There’ll be a member of the coaching staff she can’t flirt information out of.”
“I don’t think it’ll stop her…she still manages to get information out of Teyla,” Lorne muttered as they entered the locker room.
“Yeah but she’s only on the events organising committee…”
They stopped to find a line of still-fully-clothed players blocking their way.
“Guys can we please get moving, I wanna go home some time tonight,” John said loudly.
He pushed passed and found the reason for the team still being clothed.
“Vala…” John sighed.
The woman smiled sweetly at him. “Good afternoon, boys.”
“Get out,” he said as he rolled his eyes.
“But I was hoping for an interview,” she almost pouted.
Almost.
“Well you can have one after everyone’s showered and clothed.”
She folded her arms. “You always say that and you always manage to disappear through some back door I don’t know about.”
“So you decided to fix this problem by waiting for me in the locker room?” John grabbed her by the arm and pulled her after him as he walked out of the room.
Once in the hallway he didn’t stop, in fact he marched all the way to the office with “team manager” written on it and pushed the door open without knocking. Daniel Jackson, who was sitting at his desk reading something on his computer jumped and looked up.
“What’s she doing here?” he asked, adjusting his glasses and frowning at her.
“I want that interview,” Vala pulled her arm free from John’s hand and he shrugged behind her back.
“She was in the locker room,” John informed him.
Daniel sighed and stood up. “Look, Vala, you can have your interview after John’s cleaned up and changed into normal clothes…if that’s OK with him. But trust me, if you wait one more day you’ll have information to discuss with him that’s much more exciting than how training’s going.”
Vala frowned for a moment. “Like what?” she turned and looked at John. “Are you getting married?”
“Married? I don’t even have a girlfriend!” John replied.
Vala opened her notepad but he pulled it out of her hand.
“I think Daniel’s talking about the appointing of a new assistant coach…” John continued.
“Oh,” she looked sad again. “Well how is that exciting? I want some real gossip guys…”
“Oh you’ll get it,” Daniel said. “But just…wait a day, OK?”
“Fine,” she said, grabbing her notepad out of John’s hand and storming out of the room. “But I want my interview,” she called back as she left.
Daniel sighed loudly and sat back down in his chair. “She’s trouble.”
“She’s hot though,” John replied.
Daniel glared at him in disapproval and John decided this would be a good time to leave the room and get ready to go home for the day.
Tomorrow was sure going to be interesting…
Author: Angel of Fire SG1
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: None
Pairings: John/Elizabeth, Ronon/Teyla, Daniel/Vala and Cadman/Beckett
Summary: There had never been a female coach for a World Cup team, but Jack O'Neill believed she was capable of it and he was going to make sure it was proven to the world. AU (SG1, Atlantis)
Turn It Around
Prologue
7:03PM Local Time
Washington D.C.
USA
Elizabeth Weir’s first thought was that the phone was ringing. Loudly. She opened one eye and stared at the cordless phone lying on the table in front of her, her mind taking a few moments to realise where she was.
Home.
Somehow waking up on her own sofa, in her own living room, in her own country was a stranger experience than she had remembered it being. But then again it had been a while. Sitting up and rubbing her eyes she picked up the phone.
“Elizabeth speaking,” she said, yawning as she did so and glancing at the clock.
Not a good time to have fallen asleep, this was going to screw up her jetlag even more.
“Ah, Elizabeth Weir?” came an unfamiliar voice.
If this was another person from the press she was going to have to have a word with whoever had leaked her phone number.
“Yes,” she replied warily, flicking on the TV and reading the news headlines down the bottom of the screen.
“My name is Daniel Jackson…”
She managed to tune out for a few moments as the sports headlines rolled across the screen.
USA soccer team coach quits just weeks before world cup qualifying match, reasons unknown.
Well that was certainly interesting…
“…and I was wondering if you’d be interested in being assistant coach?”
“I’m sorry, I just tuned out for a moment, you actually woke me up,” Elizabeth laughed slightly, trying to cover her own embarrassment for not paying any attention to this Daniel guy.
He sighed loudly. “I told them you’d be tired…to put a long story short, I’m assuming you’ve heard that Marshall Sumner quit as coach of the US soccer team?”
“Yes…” Elizabeth said, suddenly very confused.
He’d said ‘assistant coach’ just earlier, right? Or was her brain so exhausted that it was jumping to conclusions that were obviously impossible…?
“Well this of course means Jack O’Neill has stepped up as head coach, which leaves an assistant coaching position open…”
Elizabeth frowned. “Ah…Mr Jackson was it?”
“Yes.”
She paused, not exactly sure how to word her next question.
“Well, not that I’m not grateful but since when do teams trying to qualify for the World Cup have a female assistant coach?”
“Well…you’d be the first.”
Suddenly she was very awake.
“You’re serious aren’t you?”
“I hope so,” Daniel replied.
“Why me?” Elizabeth frowned.
“O’Neill said you were the best and he only wanted the best.”
The best? Well, she knew Jack was a good friend but she was hoping he wasn’t just doing this because of that. She was far from the best, and she had no experience at coaching men’s teams…especially not at this level.
“Well I’m going to have to think about this…”
“I wouldn’t think too long the opportunity probably won’t last long…” Daniel replied. “If you want the job give me a call some time this evening, I’ll be up till midnight your time.”
“OK…” Elizabeth replied.
He gave her his cell number and she wrote it down quickly.
“Will do that, Mr Jackson.”
“Call me Daniel. Bye.”
He’d already hung up by the time she returned the sentiment. Settling back onto her sofa and pulling her feet up onto the cushions, turning the volume on the TV up. They wanted her to be coach of the USA men’s team? Were they nuts?
Obviously so…
She sighed and sat watching the news reports, trying to concentrate hard enough on it to make some sort of decision regarding the matter.
Not that she really had a choice…
Either way - the press were going to have a field day with this situation.
~*~
4:09PM Local Time
Los Angeles, California
USA
“You’re kidding…” John Sheppard stared at Marcus Lorne in shock as he kicked the ball towards him.
“That’s what McKay told Zelenka,” Lorne shrugged and picked up the ball with his right foot, kicking it in the air a few times before passing it back to John.
“And McKay knows how?” John asked, stopping the ball.
“O’Neill,” Lorne said.
“And they’re serious?”
Lorne nodded. “Come on John pass the ball back before O’Neill catches you slacking off…”
John passed the ball back to his team mate. “Elizabeth Weir? I mean I heard she was good but…”
“She’s a she?” Lorne finished for him.
John stopped the ball again as it was passed back to him. “Exactly.”
“OK that’s it, go home,” Jack O’Neill shouted.
John picked up the ball at his feet and carried it towards the bag lying at the edge of the field. Lorne jogged to catch up with him and then walked next to him.
“So you think she’ll actually take the job?” Lorne asked.
“No idea,” John replied, still confused.
It wasn’t like he had anything against having a female assistant coach, it was just…well…it didn’t happen. He’d never met the woman, but she came with a reputation, a good one. There had been talks amongst the top coaches for years of getting her onto the coaching staff somehow, but they’d always pushed it aside as something that neither FIFA nor the public would go for.
Obviously they were desperate.
John dropped the ball in the bag and held it open as others did the same. He caught Jack’s eye and smiled as his newly-appointed coach walked over to him.
“So I guess you’ve all heard the rumours,” Jack said.
“Sure have,” John replied.
“Well then you’ll be meeting your new assistant coach tomorrow,” Jack said.
“She’s accepted?” Lorne asked.
Jack looked at him. “Not exactly…but she won’t turn this down.”
“How can you be so sure?” John asked, closing up the bag and swinging it over his shoulder, carrying it back inside.
“I won’t let her,” Jack smiled and walked ahead of them.
John turned to Lorne and raised an eyebrow. Lorne smiled.
“So this is gonna be interesting…I wonder what the press is going to say…” John commented.
“I’m sure that Vala women will make something interesting out it,” Lorne replied.
John smirked. “She’ll be disappointed. There’ll be a member of the coaching staff she can’t flirt information out of.”
“I don’t think it’ll stop her…she still manages to get information out of Teyla,” Lorne muttered as they entered the locker room.
“Yeah but she’s only on the events organising committee…”
They stopped to find a line of still-fully-clothed players blocking their way.
“Guys can we please get moving, I wanna go home some time tonight,” John said loudly.
He pushed passed and found the reason for the team still being clothed.
“Vala…” John sighed.
The woman smiled sweetly at him. “Good afternoon, boys.”
“Get out,” he said as he rolled his eyes.
“But I was hoping for an interview,” she almost pouted.
Almost.
“Well you can have one after everyone’s showered and clothed.”
She folded her arms. “You always say that and you always manage to disappear through some back door I don’t know about.”
“So you decided to fix this problem by waiting for me in the locker room?” John grabbed her by the arm and pulled her after him as he walked out of the room.
Once in the hallway he didn’t stop, in fact he marched all the way to the office with “team manager” written on it and pushed the door open without knocking. Daniel Jackson, who was sitting at his desk reading something on his computer jumped and looked up.
“What’s she doing here?” he asked, adjusting his glasses and frowning at her.
“I want that interview,” Vala pulled her arm free from John’s hand and he shrugged behind her back.
“She was in the locker room,” John informed him.
Daniel sighed and stood up. “Look, Vala, you can have your interview after John’s cleaned up and changed into normal clothes…if that’s OK with him. But trust me, if you wait one more day you’ll have information to discuss with him that’s much more exciting than how training’s going.”
Vala frowned for a moment. “Like what?” she turned and looked at John. “Are you getting married?”
“Married? I don’t even have a girlfriend!” John replied.
Vala opened her notepad but he pulled it out of her hand.
“I think Daniel’s talking about the appointing of a new assistant coach…” John continued.
“Oh,” she looked sad again. “Well how is that exciting? I want some real gossip guys…”
“Oh you’ll get it,” Daniel said. “But just…wait a day, OK?”
“Fine,” she said, grabbing her notepad out of John’s hand and storming out of the room. “But I want my interview,” she called back as she left.
Daniel sighed loudly and sat back down in his chair. “She’s trouble.”
“She’s hot though,” John replied.
Daniel glared at him in disapproval and John decided this would be a good time to leave the room and get ready to go home for the day.
Tomorrow was sure going to be interesting…