Fic: Stormclouds (Adult)

[briarwood]

Title: Stormclouds
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Pairing: Elizabeth/John
Rating: Adults Only
Notes/Warnings: Vague spoilers for The Storm/The Eye. Written as a Christmas gift for mtmontage.
Summary: There's a storm coming...

---

Lightning over the ocean is completely different from a storm over land. Elizabeth had never realised that before.

She was used to the land: flash - strike - fire. Every lightning strike had its own separate roll of thunder, loud and sometimes frightening, the sound vibrating through her body like an earthquake only she could feel.

Here, in the middle of an alien ocean, with no land in sight, the thunder was a constant rumble that raised and lowered in intensity but never entirely stilled. Each flash of lightning was a sheet of light between the churning clouds and the ocean. The light was almost like liquid pouring down to spread across the waters like phosphorescent oil. It held colours: blue, purple, grey, pink.

Elizabeth rested her elbows on the rail of the balcony. The storm was still a long way from Atlantis, but the wind caught her hair, whipping a few strands across her cheek. Heralding the storm. The rain would begin falling soon.

She felt the warmth of John's body behind her before he spoke.

"Deep thoughts?"

Elizabeth answered without turning around. "No, just enjoying the view." He felt so close to her their bodies were almost touching...almost. The small distance felt unnatural, as if the smallest movement would bring them together.

John chuckled. "It's a bad night for stargazing," he commented.

"But the storm is gorgeous." Elizabeth turned as she spoke so she met his eyes on the last word, making her meaning ambiguous.

He smiled, his eyes twinkling. Gorgeous. Elizabeth reached for his hand and his smile deepened as their fingers entwined.

"Storms around Atlantis. I thought the last one we went through would be enough to last you a lifetime."

It was her turn to smile. "The storm out there is a little baby compared to the last one."

He moved an inch closer to her; it was enough to close the distance and their bodies touched. His hand rested on her waist. His eyes held a question.

"I was thinking of home," she admitted. "I was watching the storm out there, remembering all the others I've watched." She turned in his arms, looking out over the open sea again.

John's body pressed against hers, his arms holding her safe and warm. He rested his chin lightly on her shoulder. "Tell me."

"I was in Kenya a few years ago with a UN delegation. We spent two days out on the savannah and the last night there was a massive storm. The kind that makes you think the sky is falling. They'd warned us it was storm season. I stood out on the decking of this little chalet and watched. The lightning struck an acacia tree about a mile away and it burned, lighting up the night even in the rain."

John's soft laughter was very close to her ear.

"What's so funny?"

"You're an adrenaline junkie!"

"I am not!"

"Yes, you are. You love storms because you get off on the thrill."

Lightning streaked down from the distant storm clouds. She watched it pool across the waves. "Hi, pot. I'm kettle. You're black."

"Or you could just say it takes one to know one," he suggested. John turned his head a little, planting a kiss on her neck, just below her ear.

"Mm-mm. Maybe that's it," she agreed.

One of John's hands cupped her breast. Elizabeth began to move away, an automatic response, but she checked herself and relaxed against his body. It was 2 a.m. There was no one nearby to see or hear them. She covered his hand with her own, trapping her fingers against her breast.

He squeezed gently, his other hand rubbing her stomach. Elizabeth moved her hips, only a little, against him. She heard his small intake of breath with a thrill. Elizabeth lifted her face, feeling the first sprinkling of rain cool against her skin.

John felt the rain, too. "Come to bed," he suggested.

She smiled, looking out at the gathering storm. "Why don't we stay here for a while," she answered.

"Liz, you're not thinking..."

She pressed his hand more firmly against her breast. "No...not thinking..." she said softly. He stiffened against her back (in more ways than one). Elizabeth released his hand and turned to kiss him.

Thunder rumbled across the endless vista of the ocean. She ran her hands up his back, closing her eyes as she leaned in for his kiss. His lips touched hers, a snowflake-light touch and it gave her the same thrill he always did. She got a firm grip on his waist and pulled him to her. He kissed her delicately, his breath a hot sigh across her skin.

"It's raining," he whispered against her lips.

"Is the heroic John Sheppard scared of a little water?" she teased. Her hand found the edge of his jacket and she slipped her fingertips underneath, so only the thin t-shirt lay between her fingertips and his skin.

"What if someone comes?" The words seemed like an objection, but even as he spoke he was pulling her red shirt out of her pants. His hands caressed her bare skin and she sighed.

"My bedroom is two minutes away," John added.

"We'll be seen," Elizabeth said. It happened to be true. Even in this witching hour, Atlantis was never entirely still. There were security guards on duty and she knew that Zelenka was burning the midnight oil in his lab. If she went with John to his room, someone would see them, and would likely reach the obvious, correct conclusion. She wished that didn't matter, but it did. For her to be with John...it wouldn't go down well with the military personnel. They'd talked about it. Agreed.

His hand found her bra beneath her shirt. Elizabeth let her head fall back as he pinched her nipple through the lace and he swooped in to kiss her neck. He bit down, gently.

"John..." She cupped the hard length of him through his pants.

"Oh, god," he groaned against her neck. "I wish I'd known you like it dangerous."

She laughed, then, unbuttoning his pants to slip her hand inside. "Only with you, John."

Without warning, he grabbed her, pushing her along the rail to the nearby wall. He raised his hands to her cheeks, cupping her face and kissing her fiercely. His tongue forced her lips apart. She tried to respond, wanted to respond, but this was all him, his need overrode hers.

This was what she wanted. She was thrilled he was following her lead. Lightning streaked across the sky above Atlantis and the rain was heavy now, but Elizabeth was caught up in a storm of her own, one made of John's hands pushing her pants down, of the length of him pressing against her thigh.

The chill of the wet air made her feel all the more the heat gathering between her legs. His right hand was balled in her hair, holding her in place. His left hand slid inside the lace of her panties to find her wet. His fingertip found her clit and the knowing pressure tore a cry from her throat. He knew her so well, knew what she loved, knew how to drive her crazy. Her cry was muffled by his mouth on hers. She pulled away from the kiss to say his name, John, John, John, over and over as his hand worked within her. Then, just as she was about to peak his hand was withdrawn.

She stared into his eyes, beyond speech. Rain flattened his hair, sending rivulets down his face.

He was smiling, the bastard. "Are you sure about this? You're gonna get cold in this rain."

"No. I won't."

John caught her meaning and grinned. He brushed a wet lock of her hair out of her eyes. Thunder rolled loudly, vibrating through her body.

John slowly rolled her panties down her legs to her ankles, to join her pants. She did shiver a little as the chill rain caught her now-bare legs, but as John stood she reached for him, opening the last button of his pants. In the next flash of lightning she saw him erect. She took his cock in her hand, stroking the familiar silk-hard rod. Making love out here, though she loved it, was hot and hurried. Touching him, she wanted to take her time. Perhaps later.

"Now," she whispered. The thunder swallowed her voice but John understood her.

He stepped between her legs, over the circle made by the cloth around her ankles. He grasped her hips firmly and lifted her. She wrapped her legs around his waist. She loved how easily he could carry her. Loved his physical strength - and John had plenty of that.

The rising wind gusted beneath Elizabeth's body, chilling her intimate parts. It was a delicious sensation. She looked into his face and saw a mirror of her own excitement. She wasn't the only adrenaline junkie around here.

He shifted a little and then he was sliding into her. Too slow, but Elizabeth learned long ago that it was a mistake to hurry him. She gripped his shoulders for balance as he worked his way inside her. The balcony wall was cold against her back. The rain was stinging needles on her face.

John pushed her top up with one hand and then her bra, exposing more of her skin to the rain. She was past caring. He kneaded her breast and she sought his mouth with hers. They kissed and he thrust rapidly into her. She felt the tremors begin, hot shivering building up in her gut and in her sex. She moaned into his mouth, gripping his shoulders hard and climaxed with his name on her lips. He tore his mouth from hers, biting into her shoulder as he throbbed inside her.

John held her close for a moment, kissing her shoulders and neck. Finally, he withdrew, lowering her carefully to the ground. Elizabeth leaned against him, exhausted, finding her balance, and then, with a last kiss, let him escape. He buttoned up, then knelt and slowly - very slowly - rolled her panties back up her legs. As he reached her thighs he kissed her soft mound, just once, before covering her up. He repeated the process with her pants. As he stood, John stripped off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.

Elizabeth leaned into his arms, appreciating the consideration.

"You certainly keep life interesting," he grinned. Lightning streaked across the sky and he held her tighter. "Elizabeth..."

*****

"Elizabeth. Elizabeth! Hey!"

The hand shaking her arm made her jump and Elizabeth turned away from the window. She collected herself, taking a deep breath before speaking. "I'm sorry, Rodney, what were you saying?"

"You didn't hear a single word, did you?"

She managed to look ashamed. "No, I didn't. I'm sorry, it's just..." Just that intense sexual fantasies were much more distracting than...well, than whatever Rodney had been saying.

"It's just a storm," he said. It was meant to be reassuring.

Elizabeth nodded. "I know. It's just that after the last one we went through...I guess it's making me nervous." She sighed. "I think I'll call it a night, Rodney, if you don't mind."

He looked annoyed, then disappointed, and finally his look turned sympathetic. He nodded. "Okay." He gathered up the gadget he'd been trying to explain and turned to leave.

Another time, she would have gone after him, to deny what he obviously thought: that she was afraid of the storm. But all she felt was relief so she let him go.

Elizabeth turned back to the window as lightning lit up the room again. She raised a hand to her lips. His kiss felt so real... She shook her head, mocking herself, then walked out of the room.