The Musings of Anneliese

Interview

2007-05-14T21:13:01Z

Hey guys.

I have an interview the day after tomorrow and it's really important that I do well because I really, really want this job. It's not my dream job but it's a step in the right direction and for all of you out there who are working, you know how important and rare that is.

So please, any good thought or crossed fingers/toes ... I'll take anything that'll give me a little extra good luck for Wednesday.

Even interview advice. ANYTHING.

:D

az_anneliese @ 2007-05-04T21:27:00

2007-05-05T02:37:34Z

Latest meme floating around ...

Bold where you've been, italicize where you WANT to go, and name one place you want to go that is NOT on the list.

1. Times Square, New York City, NY: 35 million visitors every year
2. National Mall & Memorial Parks, Washington, D.C. (Washington Monument, Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, the war memorials): About 25 million
3. Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.: 16.6 million
4. Trafalgar Square, London, England: 15 million
5. Disneyland Park, Anaheim, Calif.: 14.7 million
6. Niagara Falls, Ontario and New York: 14 million
7. Fisherman’s Wharf/Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco, Calif.: 13 million
8. Tokyo Disneyland/DisneySea, Tokyo, Japan: 12.9 million
9. Notre Dame de Paris, Paris, France: 12 million
10. Disneyland Paris, Marne-La-Vallee, France: 10.6 million
11. The Great Wall of China, Badaling area, China: About 10 million
12. The Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Tennessee/North Carolina: 9.2 million
13. Universal Studios Japan, Osaka, Japan: 8.5 million
14. Basilique du Sacré-Coeur de Montmartre, Paris, France: 8 million
15. Musée du Louvre, Paris, France: 7.5 million
16. Everland (amusement park), Kyonggi-Do, South Korea: 7.5 million
17. The Forbidden City/Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China: At least 7 million
18. Eiffel Tower, Paris, France: 6.7 million
19. Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando, Fla: 6 million
20. SeaWorld Florida, Orlando, Fla: 5,740,000
21. Pleasure Beach (amusement park), Blackpool, England: 5.7 million
22. Lotte World (amusement park), Seoul, South Korea: 5.5 million
23. Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, Japan: 5.4 million
24. Hong Kong Disneyland, China: 5.2 million
25. Centre Pompidou, Paris, France: 5.1 million
26. Tate Modern, London, England: 4.9 million
27. British Museum, London, England: 4.8 million
28. Universal Studios Los Angeles, Calif.: 4.7 million
29. National Gallery, London, England: 4.6 million
30. Metropolitan Museum, New York, NY: 4.5 million
31. Grand Canyon, Ariz.: 4.4 million
32. Tivoli Gardens (amusement park), Copenhagen, Denmark: 4.4 million
33. Ocean Park (amusement park), Hong Kong, China: 4.38 million
34. Busch Gardens (amusement park), Tampa Bay, Fla.: 4.36 million
35. SeaWorld California, San Diego, Calif.: 4.26 million
36. Statue of Liberty, New York, NY: 4.24 million
37. The Vatican and its museums, Rome, Italy: 4.2 million
38. Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia: More than 4 million
39. The Coliseum, Rome, Italy: 4 million
40. American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY: 4 million
41. Grauman’s Chinese Theater, Hollywood, Calif.: 4 million
42. Empire State Building, New York, NY: 4 million
43. Natural History Museum, London, England: 3.7 million
44. The London Eye, London, England: 3.5 million
45. Palace of Versailles, France: 3.45 million
46. Yosemite National Park, Calif.: 3.44 million
47. Pyramids of Giza, Egypt: 3 million
48. Pompeii, Italy: 2.5 million
49. Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia: 2.5 million
50. Taj Mahal, Agra, India: 2.4 million
51. Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park: 2.6 million
52. Antarctica: 30,000
53. Ile de la Réunion: 400 000
54. Sedlec's Church of All Saints ossuary, Prague (The Church of Bones)
55. Eidenburgh Castle, Scotland
56. Dublin, Ireland

And my addition ... 57. Barbados

'Ello Friends!

2007-03-10T06:08:10Z

Well, I got this from Dixi and now I'm spamming it my flister's way. :D Basically people, I don't know some of you very well so this is a good idea anyway. All you have to do is fill this out and comment back and I'll do the same for you. I just did it and it only took a couple minutes so ...

1. Can you cook?
2. What was your dream growing up?
3. What talent do you wish you had?
4. Favorite place?
5. Favorite vegetable?
6. What was the last book you read?
7. What zodiac sign are you?
8. Any Tattoos and/or Piercings?
9. Worst Habit?
10. Do we know each other outside of Livejournal?
11. What is your favorite sport?
12. Do you have a Negative or Optimistic attitude?
13. What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me?
14. Worst thing to ever happen to you?
15. Tell me one weird fact about you.
16. Do you have any pets?
17. Do you know how to do the Macarena?
18. What time is it where you are now?
19. Do you think clowns are cute or scary?
20. If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be?
21. Would you be my partner in crime or my conscience?
22. What color eyes do you have?
23. Ever been arrested?
24. Bottle or Draft?
25. If you won $10,000 dollars today, what would you do with it?
26. What kind of bubble gum do you prefer to chew?
27. What's your favorite bar to hang at?
28. Do you believe in ghosts?
29. Favorite thing to do in your spare time?
30. Do you swear a lot?
31. Biggest pet peeve?
32. In one word, how would you describe yourself?
33. In one word, how would you describe me?
34. Will you repost this so I can fill it out and do the same for you?

Hope to hear from ya'll soon!

BtVS/BSG TtH100 Table, Buffy Summers crossovers100 Table

2007-02-14T04:40:33Z

BtVS/BSG Prompt Table Progress: 28/100

001. Moon	*Death*	*Love*	*Prophecy*	005. Pets
Blood	School	008. Illness	009. Writing	Dream
011. Night	012. Sunlight	013. Winter	*Earth*	015. Fire
016. Water	017. Air	Soul	Pain	020. Weddings
*Traitor*	022. Space	*Pride*	*Anger*	025. Jealousy
026. Money	Fear	028. Curse	Heartache	030. Costumes
031. Friends	032. Snow	033. Pumpkin	034. Luck	035. Turkeys
*Past*	037. Birthday	*Legends*	039. Funeral	040. Birth
041. Doctor	042. Time Travel	043. Castle	044. Clouds	Dimensions
046. Universe	047. Fantasies	Hate	049. First Times	050. Devil
051. Sin	052. Evil	053. Good	054. God/dess	055. Heaven
056. Drinking	057. Star	*Villain*	*Fight*	060. Lake
Planet	062. Game	063. Computer	064. Diary	Vampire
066. Were-animal	067. Immortal	068. Hero	069. Spell	070. Destruction
071. River	072. Fresh	073. Worship	Faith	075. Ink
*Deceit*	077. Annoy	Travel	079. Stumble	080. Party
081. Wet	082. Gloves	083. Picture	084. Wish	085. Watcher
086. Forest	087. Hot	088. Ring	089. Exclamation	*Angst*
091. Examine	Green	093. Future	094. Portal	095. Cold
*UST*	097. Bonds	098. Club	099Torture	100. Dry

Buffy Summers Crossover Prompt Table Progress: 26/100

001.	Beginnings Supernatural	002.	Middles.	003.	Ends BSG	004.	Insides.	005.	Outsides.
006.	Hours SG-1	007.	Days BSG	008.	Weeks.	009.	Months.	010.	Years Grey's Anatomy
011.	Red.	012.	Orange.	013.	Yellow.	014.	Green BSG	015.	Blue.
016.	Purple.	017.	Brown.	018.	Black.	019.	White.	020.	Colourless.
021.	Friends Anita Blake	022.	Enemies.	023.	Lovers.	024.	Family BSG	025.	Strangers SG-1
026.	Teammates.	027.	Parents Smallville	028.	Children.	029.	Birth.	030.	Death BSG
031.	Sunrise.	032.	Sunset.	033.	Too Much.	034.	Not Enough BSG	035.	Sixth Sense.
036.	Smell.	037.	Sound Supernatural	038.	Touch Firefly	039.	Taste.	040.	Sight.
041.	Shapes.	042.	Triangle.	043.	Square.	044.	Circle.	045.	Moon.
046.	Star.	047.	Heart.	048.	Diamond.	049.	Club.	050.	Spade.
051.	Water.	052.	Fire.	053.	Earth BSG	054.	Air.	055.	Spirit.
056.	Breakfast.	057.	Lunch.	058.	Dinner.	059.	Food.	060.	Drink.
061.	Winter.	062.	Spring.	063.	Summer.	064.	Fall.	065.	Passing.
066.	Rain.	067.	Snow.	068.	Lightening.	069.	Thunder.	070.	Storm.
071.	Broken Supernatural	072.	Fixed.	073.	Light.	074.	Dark Merry Gentry	075.	Shade.
076.	Sun.	077.	Trees.	078.	Sea.	079.	Desert.	080.	Island.
081.	Mountain.	082.	Cave LoTR	083.	Wet.	084.	Dry.	085.	Hot.
086.	Cold.	087.	Choice SG-1	088.	He Grey's Anatomy	089.	She.	090.	Home BSG
091.	Birthday.	092.	Christmas BSG	093.	Thanksgiving.	094.	Independence.	095.	New Year.
096.	Gossip Grey's Anatomy	097.	Responsibility Grey's Anatomy	098.	Lost LoTR	099.	Break BSG	100.	Portals SG-1

Jolinar of Malkshur Prompt Table Progress 0:15>

001.	Destiny	002.	Team	003.	Potential	004.	Defend	005.	Spirit
006.	Jello	007.	Artefact	008.	Hidden	009.	Technology	010.	Parallel Universe
011.	Asgard	012.	Infinite	013.	Double	014.	Black Hole	015.	Techno-babble

Been Awhile ... How about a Summation of the Month in Fic?

2007-01-30T03:49:25Z

Gah! I can't believe I haven't posted in so long. Time flies ... yes?

Well, besides other various and sundry RL distractions, my friend asked me to teach her how to speak German. While I was wildly ecstatic that I would have someone to *torture* ... just kidding, that I'd have someone to brush up my favorite foreign language with, I'm still a bit curious as to why she wants to learn.

Whatever. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth and all that, right?

Fic-wise I've done a couple updates.

I added In Case of Emergency, a drabble crossover FFA pairing Buffy/Jo, Torture Via Babs, another drabble crossover FFA pairing Dawn/Eric Cartman, Looking Forward, a double drabble FFA pairing Riley/Jack O'Neil and finally, for the last FFA drabble pairing Buffybot/Scarlet from Sequential Art, The Best Cure into Year Round FFA's.

On the Battlestar Galactica side of things I've created a story to put the one shots that are completely unrelated to anything I currently have going on as far as BSG is concerned for the TtH100 called Logistical Rendezvous which is actually what the first chapter is called, a Faith/Lee Adama FFA entry. The second chapter is Kidnapped, a Dawn/Karl "Helo" Agathon FFA entry.

Alterations of Fate, my SGA/BtVS crossover got a new update this month, chapter five is here.

Also, Watery Future, my place for fanfic100 entries surrounding Laura Cadman from SGA (which tends to get shippy with the Carson lurve *sob*) was updated with Sweet Returns and Sensory Memory.

Monster Investigating was updated as well (surprise!!!). The latest chapter in the never ending story of the trials of Buffy working for RPIT in Anita's world got a fifteenth chapter which you can read here.

And now what am I working on? All of my ongoing fics (which I have resolved to complete this year) plus working on the Supernatural/BtVS series I've been dabbling at for awhile. I even have plans for a Veronica Mars cross (at least ficlet) which have both been started.

By the way, I'm like halfway finished with at least three different chapters, all for different fics, and they do not want to be finished. I swear, it's not my fault! I'm innocent!

:)

Hope all my flisters had a good weekend ... this week ought to be a doozy!

Eleven Reasons Challenge Complete

2006-11-07T07:15:51Z

Here are my entries for Buffy/Battlestar Galactica for the challenge. They are all drabbles (100 words).

I do not own BtVS or BSG, nor do I intend to make a profit on these fics.

They were all human beings; all had the same level of fragility. Even the skin jobs. They all bled the same color, all had feelings and they all had agendas.

That’s why she’d never tell anyone: Adama, Lee, Chief … anyone. Earth was her secret. The fact it existed, was more than a myth was something for only her to know and protect.

It didn’t matter if Roslin thought she was the Chosen One written of in their ‘holy books’ because she wasn’t. In this way, keeping silent, Buffy knew she was still the Chosen One and she wouldn’t fail.

Buffy looked at Boomer through the glass separating them and tried to think of her as the enemy who befriended many people on board and betrayed them.

She couldn’t.

Looking into her eyes she saw confusion and pain. Sharon really didn’t realize she was going to shoot the Old Man and didn’t remember that she had.

It made her a weapon and a victim at the same time.

Buffy put her hand to the glass and nodded her final goodbye to the cylon. She wasn’t going to be fooled again by her kind again even if she did feel pity.

She watched Apollo with Dualla while they sparred. Every time she’d try to jab him she’d drop her arm slightly and he’d know. He’d compensate. Lee was very serious, very determined in almost everything he did.

She didn’t like him when she first met him because he seemed like an asshole but as she watched her two friends spar her change in opinion about him was confirmed. He was an asshole but it was because, like her, he was protecting something.

For him, it was the heartache of losing someone close to him again. For her, it was something bigger.

Religious faith was a big part of people’s lives here. If they knew that their gods were nothing more than myths on their precious 13th colony it would be hard to swallow. If they knew that most people on Earth revered one god as the cylons did … Buffy didn’t even want to think about it.

The home that they were looking for would be a place that nurtured the philosophy of their greatest enemy.

How could they reconcile themselves to that?

Earth was more than a destination to the survivors; it was a way back to a nonexistent normalcy.

She was used to being on the lookout for vampires and demons but hunting cylons was a different thing. She’d given herself the challenge of trying to find out who the unidentified cylons were and had gone through months worth of surveillance trying to find duplicates of people and moving on from there.

So far, she had nothing.

Buffy looked at Kara interrogating Leoban and realized what her problem was. She was in the habit of hunting monsters, not cylons trying to be human.

She closed her eyes and wondered how well Starbuck would be able to handle a vamp.

Galactica wasn’t a place that inspired cheerfulness. It was sterile and grey and dull. Some people took comfort in the order of the Battlestar but Buffy wasn’t one of them.

She sometimes wondered how people could go back to a regular life after going through all this. She’d never been able to after she’d gotten her free pass from slaying.

There was an entire civilization filled with people who’d learned to live in a state of war and actually thought they could go to Earth and go back to life as they knew it.

Things were just all around depressing.

“How’d you get that scar on your back?” Helo asked.

“Which one?”

He glanced at scars left from some demon that was long gone and Buffy tried to think of a good excuse.

She made up a story about falling down a ravine and getting thrashed by branches along the way and he accepted it.

It was a good thing too. He was in love with a cylon and she couldn’t risk the other Sharon suspecting anything because she could accidentally leak the information to another cylon. Just because she said she didn’t have programming didn’t mean it was true.

After the cylons attacked the colonies there was a sense of anxiety in the air. Panic, fear and sorrow were prevalent right away but the anxiety managed to creep in and linger.

The first time she saw it fade was when the Old Man said he knew where Earth was. It was a lie that caused a vicious pain to shoot through her heart. The second was when they had found New Caprica.

Both times the population ended their elation with disappointment.

She hoped they would realize someday that there was no Promised Land left anymore. Not even on Earth.

She could see it in their eyes even if it didn’t show on their faces. A smirk, as devilish and sly as could be. It told her all she needed to know about them. They felt like they had accomplished their goal by keeping the spiritually lost human beings under their control and they were fraking smug.

It was a weakness Buffy knew how to exploit.

Human nature was taking its course and Buffy had even seen Tigh’s wife with a certain cylon a few to many times to make her comfortable. The colonel’s wife.

No wonder they were smug.

It was something she hadn’t seen for over a year. A real hug.

They were given freely after New Caprica but then things changed. Another facet of human nature exerted itself and now they were killing each other.

It was quiet and decisive and assassination.

It was an abomination considering they were trying to survive with an endangered population.

She thought they might give up on Earth after the New Caprica disaster but it seemed the opposite was true.

Buffy wondered if there would be any hugs after the disaster that they’d have to survive if Earth was ever found.

She had mixed feelings hearing about the research Baltar left behind that might help them find the road to Earth. She wanted to go home but she knew she couldn’t.

She hoped to find Earth for herself but she wanted to keep everyone else, her friends and people who had become a second family to her, away.

No matter what her heart hoped for, she was still the slayer and her end hadn’t changed, no matter the path her life took. She would die alone in the dark and, unfortunately she going to have to take the Capricans with her.

Buffy/BSG Table

2006-09-11T06:11:25Z

Title: Cry No Tears for a Forgotten Life
Fandom: BSG/BtVS
Tth100 Prompt: 045 - Dimensions
Word Count: 303
Disclaimer: I don't own Battlestar Galactica, Buffy the Vampire Slayer or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG

Life or death, those were her choices. It was a choice she thought had been determined for her. Something that was fate or destiny or whatever you wanted to call it. It was something that she figured was out of her hands. After all, death was the crappiest gift she’d ever been given, she figured it was pretty much her trump card. When all else fails … death.

It was a decision she took into her own hands when she saw Dawn on top of the tower that night and it was a decision she didn’t look back on and regret. After all, she might have suffered in heaven but she was brought back to life, willing or no.

And then it happened all over again …

She’d moseyed on into the wrong ritual held by another group of nerdy guys who decided to try tossing about a bit of magic and she’d ended up in another world or dimension or reality or whatever it might be called. Caprica.

She’d woken in the hospital and it didn’t take long to figure out that things were … strange. She had a nasty enough head injury from what they told her was a really bad fall so it wasn’t hard to fake amnesia. No one came in claiming to know her so she’d gone from Jane Doe to Buffy Summers, a name that she told the doctors and nurses just ‘felt right’ and they’d taken care of the rest for her. Legitimate paperwork was a good thing to have, especially since she didn’t have to go through all the hoopla to get it.

As Buffy walked into the apartment that she’d finally been able to afford after months of waitressing on Caprica, she sat down and looked around.

Now what am I going to do?

Title: For Lack of Bacchus
Fandom: BSG/BtVS
Tth100 Prompt: 065 - Vampires
Word Count: 316
Disclaimer: I don't own Battlestar Galactica, Buffy the Vampire Slayer or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG

One of the first things she noticed about Caprica was that there weren’t any vampires. Up until lately she hadn’t had time to worry about anything but surviving but things were different now. She had a place to live, food on the table. Things might have been tight but she was doing okay.

The thing was, she was a warrior, born and bred. Being a fighter and not having anything to fight made her feel damn useless. She missed the thrill, the chase, the chance that she’d come across something bigger and badder than her. The challenge.

One of the things she’d started to do was to go on runs around the city and every day she’d see them. A bunch of ‘nuggets’, as they were called. They trained physically and mentally for months and in the end they wound up in space playing a dangerous game that was a combination of hide and seek and tag with very dangerous pieces of machinery and weapons. From what she’d heard, it took incredible instinct and adaptability in order to survive.

Those were two things she had in abundance.

As she walked through the crowd she made a decision. Whether or not there were vampires in this world or not, she needed to feel like a fighter. There were several different colonies. She’d noticed the use of the Greek myths awhile back and she hadn’t heard anything about Bacchus, the one ‘god’ that might be connected to vampires even if she had heard of the so-called mythical thirteenth colony. In this place, her best shot at getting some action was in the cockpit and that was fine. She’d do it. Even with her mistrust of the military, she’d do it.

As for the flying part … well, it wasn’t like there was a whole lot going on up there in space. She probably wouldn’t crash into anybody.

Right?

Title: What’s in a Name?
Fandom: BSG/BtVS
Tth100 Prompt: 007 - School
Word Count: 451
Disclaimer: I don't own Battlestar Galactica, Buffy the Vampire Slayer or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG

There was something about not having to worry about the consequences of giving orders that Buffy found refreshing. It wasn’t that she liked taking orders, and as a nugget, she got quite a few. She didn’t always agree with the people in charge and she’d already gotten herself quite a reputation at flight school.

All the Nuggets got little nicknames. There was Grounder and Hornet among others. Descriptive little nothings that substituted for a name.

Hekate was hers. It was a name she’d earned for several reasons, one of which was that she was seen as too wild in the air and that there had to be some magical force behind her skill. Another was the way she took pilots without as much instinct under her wing and gave them advice.

She went to the library the day after she was donned the moniker to look the name up. She knew the Greek gods were actually believed in to an extent in her new home but she thought that Hekate was a Wiccan thing.

Wrong.

Hekate: Lunar goddess associated with sorcery, childbirth and protection, wildness and soft heartedness.

At least that’s what the text the librarian gave her said. It went into more detail but it was both comforting and disconcerting how well her peers had named her. Of course, they had no idea about slayers. But, if they knew about her past and that she was from the mythical ‘13th Colony’ they’d freak out over what they’d named her after they got over the initial shock of having an Earthling among their ranks.

She ended up going home that night and thinking about home. Dawn would be in school right now, Willow would be too. Xander would probably out at a site and Anya would be at the Magick Box. Giles, well, he was harder to pin down. Without her there as his Slayer, he could be anywhere.

Did she miss them? Did her heart ache thinking about them? Yes.

Did she mourn the fact that she wasn’t with them? Did she want more than anything to go back? It took her a long time to admit it to herself but the answer was no.

Even though she was restless without the vampires to slay, she loved flying and had never felt freer than she did while she was maneuvering through the sky, twisting, banking, turning, dipping.

It was a kind of freedom she thought she’d only get by dying before and she was more grateful than she could say that she finally got to enjoy it while she was alive. Buffy smiled at that thought as she jumped into her cockpit.

It was time to own her new name.

Title: Someone to Look Up To
Fandom: BSG/BtVS
Tth100 Prompt: 091 - Examine
Word Count: 531
Disclaimer: I don't own Battlestar Galactica, Buffy the Vampire Slayer or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG

He was like a father to her by now. He didn’t really train her or anything, he was just always in the back of her mind as the ideal. He had honor, courage, loyalty … none of the things that her own father really had. As she waited for him to reach her down the line she had a hard time standing still. She was a newbie along with everyone else. A nobody as far as he was concerned but he wasn’t arrogant or cold toward them. He was warm behind his façade of military propriety and he looked at each one of them like he cared about them. From what she’d researched about him, what she’d heard from people who knew him or had met him, he was a lot like Giles. She really wanted to be around someone she could trust like Giles again. When he got to her she put her hand out to shake his and he held it between both of his for a moment while examining her face curiously.

“Are you Summers?” he asked. She couldn’t remember ever hearing him raise his voice. He always had a quite, strong tone that was completely unwavering, steady as a rock. It was a voice that commanded attention and respect.

“Yes, sir.”

He nodded. “That was a very dangerous move you made out there,” he commented referring to her last test. She’d been reckless to say the least but she was the only one who successfully completed their objective in her class.

“Gotta be willing to take some risks if I wanna be a Viper pilot, sir,” she said.

He nodded again and a shadow seemed to flit across his face. He released her hands and moved to adorn her lapel with the appropriate insignia.

“One thing you always have to remember is that all the members of a ship are your family. I need pilots who are willing to go past the red line to protect their own,” he said and Buffy could hear her heart beating in her chest. A chance to be on board a Battlestar was the main goal of more than a few pilots.

“I expect to see you on board the Galactica for your debriefing at 0800 hours tomorrow.”

Buffy couldn’t help but releasing her smile. This is what she’d been waiting for. “Yes, sir.”

“Alright then,” he said and moved on to the next person down the line.

He didn’t know what it meant to her that he’d offered her a family. He didn’t know what it meant to her that he’d offered her a purpose, and he most certainly didn’t know what it meant to her that he’d offered her the opportunity to become a part of something bigger than her again. She didn’t realize that she’d miss being the Slayer. It wasn’t the fighting or anything in particular. It was about being a part of something that was good and right and worthwhile even if not everyone knew about it.

Commander Adama had given all that back to her after she felt like she’d been stripped of everything and she was going to make sure he never regretted it.

Title: Soul in the Bucket
Fandom: BSG/BtVS
Tth100 Prompt: 018 - Soul
Word Count: 100
Disclaimer: I don't own Battlestar Galactica, Buffy the Vampire Slayer or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: G

Galactica had soul.

That repeated in her mind as she walked through the corridors of her home. Galactica had character and grace and soul and in a short span of time it would be nothing more than a museum for outsiders to gawk at.

It made her wonder if Dawn felt like that at times before she left. If she was an object with a soul that might be looked at with mild curiosity and then discarded someday.

Buffy closed her eyes against the old ache in her heart for her family. She could only hope that wasn’t the case.

New Fic Post List

2006-09-07T05:59:17Z

Laura Cadman Fic Table

Title: Dawn of Infirmity
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett, OC
Fanfic100 Prompt: 031 - Sunrise
Word Count: 883
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Laura tries to avoid Carson after a mission because she is sick.
Authors Note: No series spoilers.

Laura rested a hand on her abdomen trying to calm its uproarious churning as she waited for the rest of her team to meet up at the gate. It was still early in the day, the sun was still high in the sky, but she felt like she’d already put in a full days work. They’d gotten to PRX-441 at sunrise and they were probably only on the planet for a couple hours, four tops.

There was no doubt about it, she was sick. That wasn’t the worst of it though. The worst of it was that she was sick and the girlfriend of the head doctor on Atlantis.

Laura cringed at the thought. Maybe she could hide …

“Everyone’s here,” she heard Saurez say to Mitchell and somebody dialed the gate.

She picked up her P90 and walked through the event horizon. On the other side there was the usual sight, people going about their daily business, single mindedly getting research done or making sure that they would be doing anything but work.

Colonel Sheppard was wearing a Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses catching some rays on the observation deck ignoring Rodney who was trying to tell him something that he obviously felt was very important by the way his hands were waving about.

At that sight, she’d have to be made of stone not to chuckle. Even though the action caused her stomach to jump, she couldn’t help it.

All she had to do was make it to her quarters and everything would be okay. That was all she had to do. She was starting to break out in a cold sweat and all she wanted to do was climb into a scalding hot shower and lay down.

Only three more corridors to go and she’d be home free.

Her stride became a bit slower as she tried to maintain her cool façade. It may be out of the ordinary for her to walk at such a relaxed pace but no one would run off and tattle to Carson that she wasn’t well if all she was doing was walking along at a leisurely pace and that was what she wanted to avoid.

Almost there. She only had to hold on a little longer.

If she didn’t get home soon then there’d be no way to hide the fact that she was sick because in about two minutes she was going to erupt. Her belly was not happy with her and was rebelling. She could feel the nausea go from bad to worse to okay to manageable to bad again and wasn’t going to be able to control it much longer.

She raised her hand to open the door and couldn’t keep her hand from trembling as she did so. There weren’t that many people around to notice it anyway, she just walked as quickly to her bathroom and knelt before the porcelain god. With her mental determination to not throw up gone, her stomach quickly complied and promptly emptied itself. She had never been dainty or delicate about anything in her life, no matter what Carson said, and when she got sick it was always violent. There was just no other word for it.

Once she was finished she let the dizziness take over for a minute and swayed. It was then that she noticed the capable hands smoothing her hair away from her face, the cool cloth on the back of her neck, the soothing voice.

Damn.

Her boyfriend had just seen her all icky and spewing. She was not in the mood for said boyfriend to be around her. She was way past the point where she really cared what she looked like around him but for crying out loud! She didn’t want him to see her like this.

“Let me help you sit up, love,” Carson said.

Laura closed her eyes and let him get her situated temporarily on the bathroom floor. She leaned her head back against the wall and groaned as she felt Carson put a cup of water up to her mouth.

“Can’t,” she managed to choke out. Her throat didn’t seem to want to work.

“Just to rinse your mouth out, darlin’, that’s all.”

She complied and was relieved when he finally left her alone for a minute. She braced herself to stand up but Carson lifted her up into his arms before she got the chance and carried her to the bed. He undressed her and tucked her in and she didn’t think that being the girlfriend of a doctor was so bad when said girlfriend was sick after all.

Unfortunately, that thought was quickly squashed.

“Now,” Carson said, businesslike, “how long have you been feeling ill?”

Laura groaned again, closed her eyes and turned over hoping he would take the hint and go away.

She felt his hand go to her forehead and he kissed her lightly on the temple.

“You’re free for now but I’m coming back later and you’d better be ready to talk then, woman,” he said and got another glass of water to put on her nightstand along with a damp cloth and aspirin.

Before he left she heard him mutter “stubborn lass” under his breath.

Laura sighed and cuddled deeper into her blankets. Already she felt better.

Title: Practice Makes Perfect
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett
Fanfic100 Prompt: 067 - Snow
Word Count: 1293
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: R
Authors Note: Season 3 spoilers.

It had been a break. A crack. A tear. Whatever it was it was hard to admit to herself that it was the right thing to do. They needed some time apart. They needed time to breath. Things had gone so fast with them … too fast. Too much had happened; she’d changed because of him. Some ways were good, some not so good, but that was what happened when someone becomes such a big part of your life. They rub off on you.

As Laura waited in her apartment for him to come see her, she watched the snow drift slowly through the air. It made everything else in the world seem so quiet, so still. She closed her eyes and prepared herself for the task to come.

Then she heard Carson knock on her door.

She knew it was him because she was expecting him. Atlantis was supposedly back in the rightful hands of the Ancients and the team had been brought back to Earth and had scattered. He’d only been back a couple weeks and usually she wouldn’t have called him and asked to see him but things were different now. They were different ever since last week.

That’s when she found out.

She opened her door, a genuine smile finding its way onto her face.

They way he looked … it was like she’d just come home.

“Laura,” he said nervously reaching out to hug her before pulling back awkwardly and putting his hand out to shake hers.

Laura took it and used it to pull herself into him for the hug they both wanted.

He smells so good.

“Carson,” she said moving to kiss his cheek, “come in.”

“Thank you, love,” he said and walked inside her tiny apartment, easily going back to their ‘normal’ routines.

“You’re welcome,” she whispered.

As she took his jacket from him he tilted her face up to take a better look at her.

“You look a bit different,” he said, frowning slightly. “Have you been ill lately?”

Only every morning … she thought to herself wryly.

“I’m fine, thanks,” she answered, leading him over to her couch to sit down.

“How have things been since you got evicted from Atlantis?” she asked lightly.

Carson leaned forward and looked at her critically before bringing his hand up to her face and gently smoothing his finger between her eyebrows,

“They’ve been fine, a little strange, but fine. You didn’t invite me over for small talk, Laura, and I can tell you’re worried about something. Give over, love. Tell me what’s wrong.”

Laura took a deep breath and grabbed onto one of his hands. She played with his fingers, long and elegant, as she tried to think of how to tell him what she needed to say. It wasn’t that she was afraid, she was just nervous. Who wouldn’t be?

“Laura?” he prodded.

She looked into his eyes, so blue and honest and the words just fell out of her mouth.

“It’s been two months since we last saw each other and they’ve been the longest of my life. I thought things were going too quickly for us, that things started off wrong between us because of that whole body switching thing with me and Rodney but I was wrong. I’ve missed you, Carson, more than I can say. I just want us to be together again.”

Carson smiled and she felt a little better. Then the idiot started to chuckle. Laura got a little offended when he started out and out laughing and stood up but before she could get far, she found herself being picked up and twirled around by an elated Scotsman. She rested her face in the crook of his neck and grinned as she felt him giving her butterfly kisses along her neck and behind her ear.

“I’ve missed you as well. It’s been harder than you know, going through all this without you,” he said and Laura could see how difficult leaving Atlantis and the people he’d been living and working with for the last few years.

“Oh, love, I’m so glad that’s settled,” he sighed and sat back down with her on her lap.

“Well, there’s something else that I need to tell you, Carson, so don’t get too relieved yet,” she said.

“And, what’s that?” he asked, looking down at her happily.

She took one of his hands in her own and brought it gently down to her belly, holding it there with both hands as she waited for a reaction.

“When you asked me if I’d been sick, well, I haven’t. Not really. It’s just that …” she trailed off, unable to say the last of it. Hoping that he would understand.

“You’re pregnant,” he finished and she felt his hand jerk under hers. His expression went blank for a moment and she continued.

“I just found out last week. The doctor said that I’m probably a little over two months along.”

His hand was still resting on her lower stomach and she was getting nervous by his lack of reaction.

“You’d be two months, thirteen days along,” he stated.

Laura did a double-take and rolled her eyes at him. “You’ve been counting?”

That got a reaction from him. He blushed slightly and his eyes actually seemed to see her as he looked at her now instead of looking through her.

“All men do. It’s a man thing. A manly thing. Ask anyone and they’ll tell you,” he defended quickly.

Laura couldn’t help but let a gut wrenching laugh escape her at that. It was just so typically Carson.

As soon as she gained control of herself she felt him put his hand under the hem of her sweater. His fingers traced from the top of her jeans to her belly button and back down, once, twice, three times before he laid his whole palm down, almost protectively. She felt a shiver go up her spine.

“A child?” he asked.

“A child,” she whispered as he leaned down and kissed her once on the lips, softly, hesitantly. It quickly became more heated, deep, sensual, a greeting of lovers separated too long.

When he pulled away he looked down at her and smiled and it was joyful. “Did I ever tell you that I come from a large family?”

Laura froze, she could see where he was headed with that phrase. “Oh, no. No no no no no no. This is not going where I think its going. I haven’t even gotten used to this one yet!”

“All I’m saying is that I don’t want our child to grow up lonely,” he grinned, an evil glint in his eyes as he turned so she was laying back more against the couch and he was next to her.

“Me either, but that’s not the issue here,” she protested as he unzipped her pants and started unbuttoning her shirt.

“Mm hmm,” he said and laid over her and pecked her nose.

He leaned down and kissed her chin, her neck, just above and then below her bellybutton. When she felt him hook his fingers under her panties, she sat up.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

He grinned up at her and winked. “I’m practicing for the next one, love,” he said and pulled them down.

Laura looked out the window and saw the snow coming down, cocooning them in their own little world, safe from any harm and pictured her new family in her mind and smiled.

“I guess practicing can’t hurt anything.”

“You actually thought I was going to wear orange to the Haloween party?” she asked Carson.

He shuffled his feet and looked at her bashfully. “Well, you said something about going as the ‘Great Pumpkin’ so I thought so, yeah.”

Laura choked out a laugh. “So is that why you’re dressed up as Snoopy?”

His face turned a deeper shade of red. “I thought we’d look more like a couple that way.”

Laura pressed a hand to her chest and looked at him. He really did look adorable with the puppy dog ears.

“Oh, honey,” she smiled.

“Aye,” he said tiredly.

“Didn’t you know that red heads tend to avoid orange? I was having some fun at Rodney’s expense.”

Carson raised a brow. “And how’s that?”

Laura smirked evilly. “You should see the costume that I talked him into.”

Title: The Return
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett.
Fanfic100 Prompt: 090 - Home
Word Count: 124
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Carson goes through his regular ritual when Laura goes off-planet.
Authors Note: No series spoilers.

“Always remember I’ll come back to you,” Laura whispered to Carson’s sleeping form before kissing his cheek and leaving the room.

Once he heard the tell-tale sound of the door clicking shut he’d raise his fingers to his cheek, got out of bed and made a cup of tea. He’d take it out on the balcony and drink it as he watched the sun rise across the horizon and then he’d wait. Wait for the sky to light up. Wait for his shift to start.

Most importantly, he’d wait for Laura to fulfill the promise that she’d given him countless times, never knowing he heard every whispered word. Felt every touch of her lips against his cheek.

He’d wait for her to come home.

Title: Ceremony’s End
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett, OC
Fanfic100 Prompt: 003 - Ends
Word Count: 286
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Laura and Carson get stuck participating in a Harvest Festival.

Something tells me I should have called in sick today, Laura thought to herself as she stood before the people of this particular world with Carson at the annual Harvest Ceremony.

Their hands were tied together with white cloth, as were several other peoples at the ceremony, and there was a shaman-esque person waving some petchulie scented smoke in their direction while chanting in their ancient language.

Carson looked over at her and she couldn't tell if it was his worried or terrified expression.

Just as she was thinking that they were a part of some mass human sacrifice instead of a ‘joining’, the shaman guy bent down on his knee's and swiped his hand across the ground. He bobbed up and down a couple times and stood up again.

"It is finished," he announced and raised his hands high in the air. “Now the gods shall bless you all on this glorious night.”

The shaman walked away, as did many of the people at the ceremony.

“I’m glad that’s over, lass. Thought there’d be something more binding about the whole thing than that,” Carson said as he untied the knot around their wrist.

“Yeah,” she answered, “that’s no lie.”

Once they were free they turned around to leave but a young woman stopped them.

“What’s the matter?” Laura asked.

“You cannot leave,” the girl answered.

Carson had had enough. “And why the bloody hell not? We’ve gone along with the laws of your culture and now we want to leave.”

As Laura crossed her arms and nodded her agreement with Carson, the girl just smiled serenely and let loose her bombshell.

“You are our honored guests. Therefore you must lead the fertility ceremony as well.”

New fic post

2006-08-03T05:47:45Z

New fic post. The other one was getting way too long.

Laura Cadman Fanfic100 Table

Title: Sensory Memory
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett
Fanfic100 Prompt: 036 - Smell
Word Count: 690
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Laura’s feeling lonely without Carson on a free day.

Laura woke up and knew that he had already left that morning. She reached across to the other side of her small bed and felt that the sheets were already cold, signaling that she had been alone for quite awhile now. It was amazing to her that he never woke her up when he left her bed. She was trained to be alert but he was so careful when he left early in the morning that she never even budged.

He told her once that he thought that she slept like the dead. The first night he had to leave early on in the morning he said he’d fumbled around her room looking for his clothes and actually tripped on one of his boots. She didn’t believe it but he said he’d even given her a kiss goodbye and was surprised himself that he didn’t wake her.

When he left the second time, she believed him. Not waking her once could be written off as a fluke but twice was a little more than coincidence. She’d had to accept the fact that maybe she was just that comfortable with the man. That maybe she just trusted him enough that when he was with her at night she could rest easier. It wasn’t an easy pill to swallow, that he made her feel safer at night, that just knowing he was there made her sleep deeper. It was the truth though and it gave her a good feeling. Back in the beginning, that was all she needed.

She rolled into the middle of the bed and buried her head in the pillow and taking a deep, relaxing breath and smiled. He’d been gone for hours but she could still smell him on her pillow. Somehow that just made her day start off a little brighter.

Laura remembered the first time she’d gotten close enough to him to actually notice his scent and she’d been a bit surprised. She’d expected a sterile, plastic smell to permeate his every article of clothing, his very being because of him being a doctor but that wasn’t the case. He smelled like citrus and sandalwood. Earthy, grounded. Really, really good.

She wrapped her arms around the pillow and hugged it to her chest as she lay in bed and thought about him.

When they went on their first date he had been wearing a dark blue sweater that made his eyes pop and a pair of jeans that made it hard for her not to check out his behind. Casual, but nice.

They’d gone to the mainland, had a pick-nick on the beach and ended up going back to the Puddlejumper with spray from the surf dampening their bodies. She hadn’t brought anything for cool weather since it was a warm day and he’d given her his sweater while he was stuck in an undershirt.

She’d never given it back and he never asked for it.

As she got up from bed she tried to think of something to do that day. It was one of her free days and she usually spent those with him but he had to go off-world with Sheppard so she was stuck without him.

Suddenly feeling like she might be getting a chill, she went to her dresser drawer and grabbed the sweater. She pulled it over her head grinned. She had washed it a couple times but the scent of the ocean and Carson still clung to it and it gave her a great feeling.

Sensory memory was a wonderful thing.

In fact, they hadn’t been to the mainland lately for personal purposes. She grinned as she plotted. It probably wouldn’t take much to shanghai him when he got back and once she let him in on her nefarious plan she had no doubt that he’d find a ‘jumper in no time at all.

She went to find a pair of pants. If she wanted to get anything good for their pick-nick she’d have to get to the commissary before the lunch crowd hit.

Laura smiled as she went out the door. Sometimes she was such a great girlfriend.

Title: Getting to Know You
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett
Fanfic100 Prompt: 028
Word Count: 200
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: G
Summary: Laura and Carson talk about kids.

“You’re telling me that you were the sixth of seven children?” Laura asked surprised.

“Aye, the house was always full but there was never a dull moment to be had,” Carson smiled. “You didn’t come from a verra large family, I know, but seven children really isn’t all that many.”

Carson was surprised Laura’s eyes didn’t actually bug out. It was a fine effort the lass made but he could tell she was starting to get a wee bit unsettled.

“So what would you classify as ‘many’?” she questioned as she tugged at the hem of her shirt.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Carson said lightly and acted as if he was in deep thought. He crossed his arms and wrinkled his brow a bit for good measure. “Maybe ten.”

Laura examined him for a moment before a grin stole across her face. Carson chuckled and pulled her onto his lap.

“You have a decent mind for mischief, Dr. Beckett. I don’t think you get half the credit you deserve,” Laura said and rested her head on his shoulder.

“I think I might be better off without the credit, love,” he retorted and then kissed the top of her head playfully.

Title: Breaking the Cycle
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett, Elizabeth Weir (mentioned), Rodney McKay (mentioned)
Fanfic100 Prompt: 044 - Circle
Word Count: 1026
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Carson finally finds a way to bring Laura to terms with his profession and the dangers she doesn’t think should be a part of it.
Authors Note: Spoilers for ‘Setada’.

“Well I heard that the first thing he said when he got shot in the ass was ‘Oh this is so not happening’,” Laura said as she scooped another spoonful of chocolate pudding in her mouth.

Carson chuckled. “I’m afraid that Elizabeth may have gotten a wee bit perturbed with me. I gave him a little more morphine than I should have but it was the only way I was going to be able to work on him. He’s such a bloody baby, love. I couldn’t help it. Unfortunately that resulted in his inability to concentrate on anything, including her questions.”

Laura smirked and shook her head. She didn’t know what she felt the most sympathy for: Rodney or his ass. Probably his ass. It was far less irksome.

Carson reached across the table and gently wiped away a bit of the pudding off the corner of her mouth and she licked it off his finger before he could move away. His eyes went a darker shade of blue, turned more intense.

“Wanna know what else I heard?” she asked.

Carson cleared his throat and raised a brow in question.

“I heard that my gentle, considerate, boyfriend saved the day by kicking some Wraith ass.”

“Did you now?” he asked lightly.

Laura nodded. “Mm-hmm. And that you flew the ‘jumper in a battle situation and used the weapons. I’m proud of you.”

Carson leaned forward. “Twas nothing, lass. We weren’t in any situation that I could have done anything else.”

Laura raised an eyebrow of her own.

“How are you taking this, really? You killed something that’s part human.”

“In defense of our lives. I don’t regret it and I’m also not going to dwell on it. Neither, for that matter, are you,” he said and moved her tray from in front of her. He took both her hands in his own and brought them up to his mouth for a couple small kisses.

“What are you talking about?” she questioned and leaned forward to be a little closer to him.

“I don’t want you worrying. It’s over now.”

“I wasn’t worrying,” she said and pulled away. “This is a worry free zone, buddy.”

Carson shook his head. “Nice try but I’m not buying it, love.”

Laura sighed. She grabbed her tray and stood up to throw away the contents noticing that she wasn’t shaking Carson. He was right there with her. After she set her tray down again he took one of her hands and they started walking to her room.

“Maybe I was a little worried but I’m entitled,” she insisted quietly.

Carson nodded his head in agreement. “But I’m back and sound as ever. It’s time to let the worry go.”

“I never said there was worry going on now,” she said defensively.

Carson just tilted his head to the side in that way that annoyed her incredibly half the time and practically charmed her pants off the other half. At the moment, the former was more true than the latter.

They entered her quarters and she immediately started changing into more comfortable clothes. Carson took off his shoes and got comfortable on the couch. She could feel his eyes on her as she took off each article. Boots, then socks. After that her shirt and pants. She looked over her shoulder and winked at him even though she was perturbed. It was always so cute to see him when he was flustered. Made her think of all kinds of things she could do to fluster him. She threw on her old college t-shirt and a pair of shorts before flopping down next to him on the couch.

“Even if I was still worried, you couldn’t blame me,” she said and pulled her legs under her. “I mean, I was worried about Rodney, too.”

Carson turned so he was facing her on the couch and put a hand out to rest on her knee, caressing it lightly.

“So you had the same amount of concern for Rodney that you did for me? I’m touched, lass,” he said sarcastically.

Laura sighed again. What was it with this man? Why couldn’t he just accept that she cared about him without making her get all talky-talky about it?

“Do you want to know what bothers me?” she asked and moved into their usual position, her legs draped on top of his.

“Aye.”

“You aren’t supposed to be put in these kinds of positions. You shouldn’t have to be making decisions about killing anyone or anything. You are supposed to be the one making decisions about how to sustain life. I feel like everything goes topsy-turvy when this happens and it makes me get pissed off on your behalf and it pisses me off even more that you are so freakin’ calm about it. Why aren’t you more upset?” she demanded.

Carson looked at her thoughtfully for a moment and absentmindedly stroked her calves. Up and down, methodically, up and down.

Finally he came back to reality.

“I did what needed to be done to save my friends life. I would do it again in a heartbeat. There are pieces of what I used to be that I have had to let go while I’ve been here but I’ve gained much as well. If it comes down to it, I’d rather be here and be threatened by the Wraith than anywhere else. I’ve the most loyal friends in the world and I’ve found you as well. I wouldn’t change a single thing that’s brought me to this point.”

Laura was speechless for a second but couldn’t come up with anything else to say. He’d told her time and time again how he worried for her when she was off on a mission but she knew he accepted it because it was what she did. It was much harder for her to accept him being in danger for the simple fact that it wasn’t supposed to be what he did and he wasn’t trained for it.

And now he made it impossible for her to ever complain about it again because he explained it in a way that made sense to her. She’d been in an endless circle of misery when it came to him being in danger when he went off world and he’d broken the damn cycle. The jerk.

“Okay,” she said.

“Just okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I’m not saying I like it but you have the same problems with me so it’s not fair for me to argue about it anymore.”

Then he smiled and it was beautiful and dangerous and sexy all at the same time.

“So we can worry about other things now?” he asked.

She grinned. “Well what other things could you possibly have in mind?” she asked, doing her impression of Scarlet O’Hara – talking in a southern accent and batting her eyelashes.

Carson leaned forward and she leaned back.

“Oh, I have a few things in mind, love. Don’t you worry about it at all.”

Laura brought her hand to his cheek and pulled him down to kiss her, hard.

When she pulled away she smiled lazily and said, “Talk is cheap, doc. Why don’t we have a practical demonstration instead?”

Title: Petals and Poetry
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett, Teyla, Ronon
Fanfic100 Prompt: 019 - White
Word Count: 441
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Carson and Laura’s first hallmark holiday comes.
Authors Note: No series spoilers.

It finally came. Their first hallmark holiday. She didn’t know how to tell Carson that she wasn’t really into Valentine’s Day but he was so excited that she couldn’t help but play along.

When she came back to her quarters that night she found that the whole place was covered in white rose petals from Earth.

She stood rooted to the spot she was in, the door left open.

Teyla and Ronon were walking by and peaked in to see what was going on.

“Lt. Cadman?” Teyla asked but was given no response. “Laura?” she tried again and put her hand on her shoulder.

“Huh?” she asked, startled.

“Is everything alright?” she asked.

“Yeah, its fine. I was just surprised is all,” she said and walked the rest of the way into her room, Teyla and Ronon following.

Ronon picked a few petals off the top of her bed. “This one of those Earth ritual things we’ve been hearing about lately?” he questioned.

Laura was still in shock. “I can’t believe he did all this,” she said softly.

Ronon smiled and looked over at Teyla. “Perhaps we should go,” the woman said.

“No, no, that’s okay,” Laura said absentmindedly. She had found an envelope with her name on it and opened it immediately. As she read it, her smile deepened until her cheeks hurt.

My dearest Laura,

I tired several times to construct some flowery poetry for you but decided that it was in both our best interests if I didn’t. My mother would surely be appalled but I’d just as soon she didn’t find out that I’m not courting you properly in that respect if you don’t mind. Anyway, instead of poetry I’ve brought you a bit of home. Katie Brown has the roses growing quite well in her green house and was kind enough to donate a couple dozen for this faltering fellow.

I hope it brings a smile to your face. I know I’ll see you in a few hours but I couldn’t wait to give you your surprise.

All my love,
Carson

Laura looked up from the note to find that Teyla and Ronon had left anyway.

It was probably for the best though, she thought. Now she had time to figure out something really special for Carson and she didn’t think she’d be able to get herself in the right mood for it with them around.

Turning on some soft music and lighting a couple candles, Laura went through her naughty underwear drawer and picked out an ivory teddy.

Yep, she thought and got a wicked smile on her face, that would match her flowers perfectly.

Title: Hotter than Asphalt
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett (mentioned)
Fanfic100 Prompt: 063 - Summer
Word Count: 100
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: G
Summary: Reminiscence on a hot day. Laura-centric.
Authors Note: No series spoilers.

She always hated summer. In Arizona it always felt like someone was pointing a blow-dryer at her body.

On Atlantis there was barely ever any change in the weather. It was wonderful.

Here she was in comfortable weather, sitting on her balcony, sipping an iced tea and catching some rays thanks to Rodney’s his super-de-duper sun block.

After all, just because the weather wasn’t summery didn’t mean she couldn’t still follow tradition and sun-bathe.

Besides, if she got burned she’d just have an excuse to visit Carson in the infirmary and oh, what a hardship that would be, she smiled.

Title: It Happened One Night at a Harvest Festival
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett, Rodney McKay, John Sheppard, Ronon, Teyla, OC
Fanfic100 Prompt: 043 - Square
Word Count: 1497
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Laura and Carson break a ceremonial urn and suffer the consequences.

If Laura thought back on it all, she figured that this whole mess started with her accidentally breaking a ceremonial urn.

Sheppard and his team had gone to PL9-402 and successfully made friends with the locals and Teyla had arranged things so there would be some nice trading going on. Apparently the farmers on the mainland could use some particular fruit that the Karthans had and were willing to trade with them for some other agricultural item.

Sheppard and Rodney ended up staying behind so Rodney could fix some ancient doo-dad for them while Teyla and Ronon came back to Atlantis for the trading items along with Carson. Apparently the village elder’s oldest son was very ill and Sheppard had generously offered Atlantis’ medical services.

So another team had to be assembled and she was on it. If she was honest, she had to admit she was a little excited to be going on a mission with her man. It wasn’t something that was a common thing for them. Carson seemed to be pretty happy about it too. When he finally made his way to the gate room he gave her a quick wink before he started ordering about his nurse technician.

When they got to the planet it was buzzing with activity. She scanned the area for threats and was satisfied with what she saw. There was a party being planned and it was gonna be hoppin’. It wasn’t just any party though. It was Karhanian’s annual harvest festival.

Suarez nudged her as they were walking along the path to the village elder’s, Dregha’s, house. Apparently three whole generations lived in one complex. “Do these people look familiar to you?” she asked.

Laura checked the people out and nodded. “They look like hippies who just got out of a commune.”

The two women smirked at each other.

“What’s a hippie?” Ronon asked as they turned the corner.

Laura opened her mouth to explain the intricacies of 1960’s Earth culture when Sheppard walked down the front steps and interrupted her.

“We’ll talk about that later,” he said and looked to Carson.

“He’s not looking too good, doc. Follow me, the room’s just around the corner here. Cadman you stay with us, I think we might need an extra pair of hands. The rest of you go down to the village and help out. If we’re lucky, we’ll be out of here before sunset,” he said and turned around.

Laura looked to Teyla and she shrugged her shoulders. She didn’t know what was going on either. Ronon noticed their silent conversation and added his two cents.

“Everything is paired up here. With Teyla, the two nurses and you there will be four women to match up me, Sheppard, McKay and the doc.”

Not knowing what else to say she just nodded her thanks and walked into the room after him.

The man lying in the bed was almost violently ill and Carson went to him immediately. In the meantime she helped the nurses unload equipment and set it up. It was boring, all in all, but it was probably better than hauling produce.

In the corner where they had set up a work station, she noticed a giant pot. It was one of those things that looked like a giant pot for a plant back on Earth but it was highly decorated and done quite intricately. She examined it for a moment and noted that the colors on it blended seamlessly from the top to the bottom. It went from yellow to green to purple and in the center of each color there were symbols drawn artfully. In a way, it almost looked like Arabic.

Dregha noticed her looking at it and came over to her. “I see you are interested in the urn,” he said.

Laura smiled. “It’s very pretty. It looks like it was done with a lot of care, did someone in your family make it?”

“No, no one in the family made it. It does have great significance to our family though and all the rest of the people of Karthanis.”

She nodded and turned to face him. “I’m sorry about your son. Carson is excellent at what he does though. If there’s anything that can be done to save him, he’ll do it.”

Dregha nodded. “I am sure that Dreghan will be healed. I have faith.”

Laura crossed her arms and tried not to look as though she thought he was a wacko.

They both got distracted by a shout coming from the bed. Carson had Sheppard and Ronon holding the young man down as he stuck a needle in him. Moments later he calmed down and fell unconscious.

Dregha left her then to talk to one of the nurses and Laura looked around the room as Carson took care of things.

I’ve always loved a man who can take charge, Laura thought as she watched him work.

“I think that he’ll be just fine. I’m going to run a couple more test’s though just to double check on things. It’ll take quite awhile for him to be back on his feet but there doesn’t seem to be anything more serious going on than what we can see,” he said and went over to the work station.

Carson looked like he was having trouble getting one of his cases up on the work table that had been set up so she went over to help him. As she bent over she accidentally caught her boot on an uneven board and went down but not before she took Carson and the giant urn down with her.

“Crap, crap, crap,” Laura said under her breath as she picked herself up off the floor. It was damn humiliating.

She looked around and Sheppard looked exasperated. Ronon and Teyla looked like they were trying their hardest not to laugh and Carson rolled his eyes.

“You don’t have to pretend to be clumsy, Cadman. You’ll have time to fall all over Carson when we get home.”

Once again Laura opened her mouth to give Rodney what for but was interrupted.

“Watch yourself, Rodney. Now’s not the time for this,” Carson ordered sternly and glared at Rodney.

Laura looked to Dregha. “I’m so sorry about this.”

“It is no trouble child. All it means is that will be allowed to be part of the ceremony tonight.”

“Ceremony?” she parroted.

“The harvest ceremony. Members of the clan and their shvanne are the only ones allowed to participate.”

“And just what does that mean, if you don’t mind me asking?” Sheppard interjected.

The old man looked up at him through weak eyes. “It means that our two peoples will be united through friendship and honor for all time.”

“That’s great!” Laura said and smiled at Dregha bemusedly.

Carson seemed to be as confused as her as to what was going on.

“So you aren’t worried about the wee bit of pottery then? It seemed to be quite important to your family,” Teyla questioned.

“It is meant to be broken,” Dregha answered.

Oh thank goodness, Laura thought.

“What’s this shvanne you’re talking about?” Sheppard asked.

“Roughly translated it means square. Something with four edges, four points if you will. It means your Lieutenant Cadman, the doctor, and two witnesses must go to the ceremony tonight.”

Now she was getting worried. She looked to Carson and he had a concerned look on his face as well.

“Because we broke the urn we have to go to the ceremony? What do we need witnesses for?” he asked.

“The night of the harvest festival is the one night a year in which our people can bond to the other part of themselves. That is what the urn is for. The yellow at the top represents the good times, the green the times of growth, and the purple represents the times when life brings hardship. Each symbol represents the emotions that may be involved in those times. When a couple decides they wish to bond to one another they break the urn to symbolize their determination to rise above and endure all these phases together. It is a very serious endeavor, one which cannot be undone. When the harvest festival comes around they are wed. It is the way of our people.”

There was a pregnant pause in the room until Sheppard broke it.

“You’re saying that Cadman and Carson are getting married tonight?”

Dregha nodded.

Carson had a completely blank look on his face and Laura was sure he was still processing what was going on.

Suddenly, panic hit her and she bent down to the ground.

“Wait! I can fix it, I promise!” Laura picked up the shards of pottery and looked around the room frantically. “Does anybody have any superglue?”

Dregha shook his head. “It cannot be undone. You and the doctor must choose your witnesses. I will leave you here to care for my son until it is time for the ceremony.”

Title: Segue to Dreamland
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett
Fanfic100 Prompt: 084 - He
Word Count: 572
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Carson visits Laura at bedtime.
Authors Note: No series spoilers.

Tired. She was so tired. She’d been on for 38 hours and when she got back home to Atlantis all she wanted to do was collapse into bed and forget everything that happened. The problem was she knew she couldn’t. She’d made a stupid mistake and now she was obsessing over it.

She felt more and more like an idiot with each passing minute.

Laura rolled over in bed and gave the pillow a solid punch before setting her head down on it again. She closed her eyes and waited.

…

Nothing. Nothing but the days events playing over and over in her head.

No one had gotten hurt, nothing bad had happened. She just hated feeling like she was a dunderhead and that’s how she felt. And that led to this feeling that she got when she was down, like a spreading tightness and pressure in her chest.

It sucked. Hardcore.

Just when she was about to give up and go over various and sundry reports someone came to her door.

The only one who ever came this late was Carson. She smiled as she called for him to enter.

He came in looking delightfully rumpled. Like he had just rolled out of bed, she loved it when his hair didn’t look so perfectly coiffed. Made a girl insecure to know her man’s hair was styled more than her own.

“What are you doing awake?” she asked, sitting up.

He smirked at her. “I’m a doctor. We’re always awake in case someone needs an aspirin or a band aid.”

She rolled her eyes and leaned back down against her pillows as she watched him get undressed. He was a complete slob in her quarters. It was so strange to her that he could be such a pig at her place but also be so particular and methodical about things in the infirmary or his own quarters. His sweater landed on the handlebar of her stationary bike, he kicked his shoes off in the direction of her desk and he dropped his pants and left them where he stood.

“I think the question should be, why are you awake? You’ve been on duty since yesterday, darlin’, and you should be dead to the world by now,” he said as he peeled back her blankets and crawled in behind her.

She sighed as she felt his body spoon hers, felt his arms go around her.

“Just thinking,” she said.

She put her feet between his. He was the best toe warmer in the world.

“Oh yeah?” he asked and started tracing patterns on her hip.

Laura felt her eyelids drooping and curled into him as much as she could.

“Yeah.”

Carson brought his face closer to her and began to nuzzle the crook of her neck. “What are you thinking about now?”

She smiled as she fought a losing battle against her exhaustion.

“You.”

He was smiling. She could feel it against the back of her neck, the subtle curve of his lips against her skin.

“That’s a good lass. Why don’t you get some rest now?”

Laura put her fingers through his against her belly and felt herself relax even more.

“Sounds like a plan,” she said.

She drifted of to the feel of Carson’s body warming her own, his hands on her body, and his face in her mind. She couldn’t think of a better way to go off to dreamland.

Title: Nearsighted
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett
Fanfic100 Prompt: 014
Word Count: 550
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Carson wakes up with Laura to a terrible fright.
Authors Note: No series spoilers.

Laura awoke to the sound of Carson shouting and tumbling out of bed. She was willing to ignore his outburst. After all, she was still resting up from her previous shift and it was a doozy but Carson just wasn’t willing to cooperate.

She felt the sheets get torn from her sluggish form and managed to crack her eyes open as she felt him pat her legs and feet.

“What are you doing?” she asked crankily and brought the pillow that was resting under her head up and over her face. It was just to dang early in the morning for this kind of insanity.

“You have an infection on your feet. It’s bloody awful! Are you in any pain?” he asked frantically and took her pillow away.

“No,” she answered confusedly as he scooped her up and brought her forehead to his cheek. As far as taking her temperature was concerned, she thought there were probably better ways but she let it go and pushed herself away from him a bit.

“Carson, what are you talking about?” she asked looking up at him.

“I woke up this morning and I was going to let you have a wee bit of a lie in but when I reached over you to grab my shirt I noticed your feet sticking out the end of the bed,” Carson said quickly. “Laura,” he paused, “you have a horrible infection on your feet, lass. It looks to be a fungus of some sort. Don’t you worry though, I’m going to take you to the infirmary and we’ll get you back in tip top condition in no time,” he reassured her, his eyes creased with worry.

Laura sat up. “A fungus?”

“Aye,” Carson nodded tersely.

Laura tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. “What color?”

Carson looked at her seriously. “Did you just ask me what color the fungus is, love? Out of all the things you should be asking me now, will you lose your toes, your feet, will you walk with a limp, the only thing you’re asking me is what color the fungus is?”

“Well, I’d look but you’re blocking the way, buddy!” she answered.

Carson blinked.

Laura raised her brow expectantly.

“Green,” he relented.

At that, Laura relaxed a bit and leaned back onto the bed. She smiled back up at Carson. “Have you put your contacts in yet, sweetheart?”

“What’s that to do with anything?” he asked.

“Well, it might help explain things a bit. My feet don’t have a green fungus, they do have green nail polish though,” she smirked.

Immediately Carson was at her feet, his face about three inches away from her toes. He smoothed his fingers over the tops of her feet and then over her toenails.

She closed her eyes and let herself get ready to go back to sleep when she heard him exhale loudly. “Oh, thank the lord,” he said.

“Satisfied?” she asked with a grin.

She felt him put an arm under her knees and another around her torso. Just as she opened her eyes he lifted her up.

“Not quite yet,” he answered as he smiled at her playfully and carried her off to the shower with him.

Laura laughed out loud with joy. These were her favorite kinds of mornings.

Title: Meaningless Day
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett
Fanfic100 Prompt: 094 - Independence
Word Count: 295
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG
Summary: Laura tells Carson about her own personal Independence Day.
Authors Note: Not set in any particular SGA time.

It was one of the worst parts about relationships as far as Laura was concerned. Sharing of yourself. Talking about your past. Telling stories about the ‘good old days’. She didn’t have cute little anecdotes like Carson. She had a couple stories that were kinda funny but her life was really split into two eras: pre-enlistment and post-enlistment. It all hinged on what she liked to call her ‘Independence Day’. The day she chose to leave home and the only person who ever loved and accepted her for herself – her mom.

But she had Carson now and he seemed to do the same thing. He may not love her but he cared about her and he definitely liked her the way she was. He never tried to change her. He never asked her why she did something one way and not the other. He just accepted who she was and what she did and appreciated her for what she was. It was incredible.

As she took another bite of ‘pasta’ she looked across the table at him and decided it was time for the sharing. Even if it made her uncomfortable, she was going to tell her about why she wanted to celebrate today, a seemingly meaningless day on the calendar. He deserved it and so did she. After all, this was a relationship she was going to hold onto come hell or high water and that could only happen if she was honest with him.

She cleared her throat and tried to grasp for an extra bit of courage. Resolutely, she looked across the table and into the warmth coming from his eyes and gained the reassurance she needed to begin.

“Carson, I want to tell you why I asked you here tonight …”

Title: Cookies and More
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett
Fanfic100 Prompt: 091 - Birthday
Word Count: 748
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: It’s Carson’s birthday and Laura has a special gift for him.
Authors Note: No series spoilers.

Laura fingered the envelope in her hands nervously. She’d managed to find out Carson’s birthday a few months before and now that it had come wasn’t sure how to act. Nobody else seemed to realize that it was a special day for him, not even the man himself.

She went to set the envelope on the top of his pillow but quickly snatched it up and held it tightly to her chest. It was the first time that she had ever given him anything and now she was second guessing what she was giving him.

What if he hated it? What if he thought she was weird? What if he didn’t want to be with her anymore? What if he laughed?

She made sure that the chocolate chip cookies she’d asked for from Earth still looked as gift-like as possible on the shelf before turning around and leaving with the second part of his present. The problem was that when she was leaving, he was coming back.

Carson smiled. “Hello, love. What brings you here?”

He pecked her on the cheek before setting his computer on his desk and sitting down.

“Are these cookies? Chocolate chip?” he asked as he grabbed one up.

“You bet,” she answered. “I brought them over for you.”

He looked up at her happily and made a grab for her hand. Once he had a good grip he pulled her to him and she sat across his lap.

“And why’d you do something like that?” he asked playfully.

“Oh, you know. The usual. I wanted to use them to get into your pants,” she retorted.

Carson raised an eyebrow and grinned wickedly. “Well you don’t need cookies for that.”

She kissed him lightly on the lips and grabbed another cookie to shove in his mouth.

“Happy Birthday, Carson.”

He chewed twice more and swallowed.

“How’d you find out?” he asked and started running a hand through her loose hair.

“Sorry,” she said and then winked, “but I’m not at liberty to reveal my sources.”

“So you got me cookies for my birthday, then?”

Laura thought about the envelope resting inside her jacket and contemplated.

“Thank you, love. It’s the best birthday I’ve had in a long stretch.”

That clinched it. There was just something about the man that made it impossible for her to chicken out.

She reached into her jacket pocket and took out the envelope before giving it to him.

“There’s this, too. It’s not much …” Carson cut her off kissing her deeply, forcefully.

“It’s more than you know,” he said when he came up for air.

Laura, still reeling, nodded and watched him tear open the envelope. Every second she waited for his reaction was torture.

Finally, he finished reading the words she had written down on the paper and looked down at her enigmatically.

Laura, figuring that she had sufficiently freaked him out, stood up and was about to say something, anything to get her out of there but was stopped when Carson got up and pushed her against the wall.

“Did you mean it, lass? Truly?” he asked, his voice dead serious, his eyes staring holes into her soul.

Laura cleared her throat. “I meant every word.”

Carson kissed her again, this time not holding anything back. She found that this kiss was so different from any of the kisses they had ever shared before; she could hardly believe that it was Carson. And yet … there was something about it that just felt so unequivocally right and so true that she couldn’t believe that this was the first time for this kiss. It felt like they should have been doing this forever.

He pulled away and kissed her lightly once or twice more, nibbling at the corner of her mouth, drawing a bit of the flesh between his teeth and then soothing the small hurt with another small kiss. It left Laura breathless and then utterly bereft when he pulled away again, this time waiting for her to regain her senses enough to hear what he had to say.

He brought their hands up against the side of the wall next to her head and held them there as she waited. It seemed to take him a moment before he could get the words to form on his lips but he finally did.

“I love you too, lass. More than you can know.”

Laura smiled, her face showing pure joy. She had made the right choice.

Fanfic100's

2006-07-26T17:37:17Z

I'm pretty dedicated to getting my fanfic100 entries done but don't want to be spamming my flist so from here on out, all fics that I post will be done in this post only and linked back to the table.

That 'tis all.

Laura Cadman Fanfic100 Table

Title:</b> Unexpected Initiative
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett
Fanfic100 Prompt: 001 - Beginnings
Word Count: 100
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: G
Summary: Laura runs into Carson in the hall.
Authors Notes: N/A

Laura ran into Carson on her way to the commissary. After their last conversation she decided she would ask him out but had been busy on PR4-661 negotiating a trade agreement.

As she was about to do so, Carson beat her to the punch.

“Would you like to have dinner with me, lass? Just the two of us this time?” he asked and fumbled with his computer.

She was surprised; she didn’t think he would be the one doing the asking. Had half-way believed he was teasing her after the meeting.

“Can’t think of anything I’d rather do,” she smiled.

Title: Going Along with the Fad
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, John Sheppard (mentioned), Rodney McKay (mentioned)
Fanfic100 Prompt: 015 - Blue
Word Count: 262
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: G
Summary: Laura muses on a common color trend and it’s death.
Authors Note: Set after ‘Duet’.

She always told people that her favorite color was pink and then made a joke out of it. After the laughter died down she’d say her favorite color was blue and people usually agreed and say their favorite color was blue too.

It seemed to be a universal thing, blue being a favorite color.

Except on Atlantis. Of course, the people from the Daedalus were a little slow on the uptake with the color fad and kept it going longer than was fashionable.

After the first few months she spent there she noticed people started favoring other colors: orange, scarlet, jade. Anything but blue. Blue surrounded them. Blue was the planet they were on. Blue reflected on the very walls of Atlantis from the waves outside if the light was right.

People were over blue.

Not Laura though, it remained her standard answer when the color choices went to the extreme and exotic in differences.

The reason?

Her favorite color really was pink and if the wrong people knew she favored such a feminine color she would be in for it. Rodney especially couldn’t know. He’d been trying to figure out a way to get back at her for putting black food coloring in his coffee and it would be the perfect ammunition for him. She had a vision of him getting help from Sheppard and painting her quarters in the most disgusting shade he could come up with.

No, she decided and took a sip of water from her canteen. Her favorite color was blue as far as anyone was concerned.

Title: How About a Nice Game of Poker?
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett, Rodney McKay (mentioned)
Fanfic100 Prompt: 078 – Where?
Word Count: 920
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Laura gets frustrated with Carson during a game of ‘Truth or Dare’ until she asks him a question and gets surprising results.
Authors Note: No SGA spoilers.

Laura had convinced Carson that a lighthearted game of ‘Truth or Dare’ would be a good way for them to find out odd little things about each other. They had been going out for about a month now and were still in their ‘getting to know you’ phase. It was one of the first times that they were actually in his quarters instead of her own. He was a much more private person than her and she was more than a little giddy that he had finally allowed her into his inner sanctum.

However, he was being very consistent in his answers of ‘truth’ and Laura was getting frustrated.

“Why don’t you do a dare Carson? I swear I won’t make you do anything embarrassing in front of anyone,” she said and picked up a pitcher of water to fill her empty glass.

Carson quirked an eyebrow at her and tilted his head to the side. There was a grin on his face and a sparkle in his eye that was just adorable.

“Because I know you, lass. You’ll have dared me to put prozac in Rodney’s coffee or something before you’ll have me do something ridiculous like walking around with a wig on. I’ll not be taking a dare from you today, darlin’, and that’s something you can count on,” he nodded his head after he finished speaking in a silent affirmation of his words. She found his reluctance both irritating and sweet. After all, it showed that he knew what kind of woman she was and liked her despite her somewhat immature streaks of brilliance. At least that’s what she liked to call her pranks: immature streaks of brilliance.

Laura frowned and rested her chin in her hand while trying to come up with the most revealing question she could think of. She thought of one but it seemed so clichéd that she didn’t want to ask. On the other hand, he’d be saying ‘truth’ again soon so it wasn’t like she wouldn’t have a chance to redeem herself.

“What is the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done?”

Carson leaned back and crossed his arms. She could practically see him go from one incident to another in his mind before it all stopped and his face turned a little pink. She leaned forward.

“That one. Tell me that one,” she demanded.

Carson looked at her again and sighed. “You’re the devils own henchman come to life lass.”

“It would account for my red hair. Go on,” she urged ignoring the playful barb directed at her.

“When I was a lad just out of pre-med, a bunch of friends and myself decided to go out and celebrate. We indulged in a few too many stout’s and ended up at a tattoo parlor,” he sighed.

“Are you telling me you have a tattoo? How is that embarrassing?” It was unexpected, that was for sure, but it wasn’t completely out of the realm of possibility.

“It’s not the tattoo in itself, love. That’s just an infinity knot. It’s where it is.”

Laura tilted her head to the side and examined him. She hadn’t seen him without his shirt on but even if she had, she didn’t think she would have seen it there. So arms, back, and chest were out. She didn’t think that getting a tattoo on a leg would be all that humiliating either.

“Carson?” she asked hesitantly.

“Aye?” he asked with a glint in his eyes. She wasn’t the only one in the room with a bit of the devil riding their shoulder.

“Where is your tattoo?”

Carson shrugged. “Where do you think it is?”

“Is it, you know,” she couldn’t finish the sentence so she just gestured in the direction of his lap.

Carson smiled. “Aye.”

“You got a tattoo on your penis?!” she yelled and then quickly clapped a hand over her mouth.

At her exclamation Carson stood up quickly and slashed his hand through the air, “Of course not lass, on the right cheek of my arse!”

“Oh,” she said bashfully.

“’Oh’, indeed,” he said and paced around the room a bit.

“Just what kind of man do you think I am, lass?” he asked gesturing wildly in her direction. “Do you have any idea the amount of agony a body would go through getting tattooed there? And the possibilities for infection? I know if you take care of them there shouldn’t be any problem but bloody hell woman!”

Carson stopped his pacing and came back to the table and sat down.

She looked at him and smirked.

“You get that all out of your system?” she asked.

“Aye.”

“Good.”

“Truth or dare?” he asked.

Laura considered her options for a moment and when she came to her decision she tilted her head to the side and gave him a full on grin.

“Whichever one will get me to be able to see your tattoo.”

Carson groaned and put his head on the table’s surface while Laura watched with a triumphant grin.

“Not going to let this one go, are ye lass?” he asked.

“Probably not,” she answered.

Carson surprised her by standing up abruptly and walking over to her.

“How about the next time we play this game I’ll promise to do one dare and you can make it your request?”

She thought it over and nodded. “Sounds fair.”

“Good because I’m never playing this bloody game with you or anyone else ever again,” he said. “Now, how about a nice game of poker?”

Title: Pegasus Brew
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman,
Fanfic100 Prompt: 060 - Drink
Word Count: 691
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Laura is allergic to something on PR4-661 and needs some detox a la Carson.

“Lucy, I’m ho-o-o-me!,” Laura said in a horribly accented voice as she was brought into the infirmary.

Carson came over with a nurse, “What the bloody hell happened to her, son?”

The marine shrugged and followed Carson to a hospital bed and deposited Laura on it as another of her team members stumbled in.

“The team was offered an herbal drink on PR4-661 after a trade agreement was set up. It’s the only thing we can think of that could have effected her and Burke.”

Carson started drawing blood from Laura.

“Owie! Whatcha gotta do that for?” she asked and tried to grab at his free hand, overshooting it completely.

“I have to find out what’s wrong with you love and it would help if I had a blood test. Just hold still a moment more love,” Carson said soothingly.

“Aye, aye Capitan!” Laura exclaimed and giggled at her own silliness.

Carson smiled worriedly down at her before going to the other patient and drawing his blood as well.

“These were the only two people affected by the ‘herbal drink’?” Carson asked.

“Seems so, doc.”

“Was it alcoholic?”

“No, sir.”

“It could be something as simple as an allergy then. Did you happen to bring along a sample of the drink with you?

The man, Lieutenant Wilson, brought out his canteen and handed it over to Carson.

“Good. As long as there are not complications, they should be ship shape by tonight.”

Wilson left and Carson had Nurse Hastings test the drink for toxins and went back to check on Laura, quickly.

“How are you, love?” he asked.

“Feel great! Hey, did you know that blueberry’s are the only naturally blue food in the world? I mean the old world. You know, Earth.” Laura said seriously and yawned.

Carson grinned and stroked her hair behind her ear. “Is that so, then?”

“Mm-hmm,” she said and snuggled down.

“Why don’t you get some rest, love, and I’ll see about getting you better?”

“Sounds good.”

She had practically drifted off already and Carson went to work.

*****

When she woke up she looked around, remembered the way she acted and wondered why the world didn’t just open up and swallow her already.

“I see you’re awake now. How are you feeling?” Carson asked as he walked over.

Laura brought the covers up to her chin and put her hands over her eyes. “Like I wanna die.”

“Bloody hell!” Carson said and furiously began taking her vital signs and shooting questions at her.

Laura giggled and Carson stopped mid-inquest. “I don’t feel like I’m actually gonna die, Carson.”

“Well why’d you say so then?”

Laura rolled her eyes. “Where you here a couple hours ago, Carson, or was that a hallucination?”

“No, we concluded there weren’t any hallucinogens in the tea,” he said and hoisted himself on the side of her bed.

“Oh. Well, that’s unfortunate.”

“What in the name of … what are you blethering on about woman?”

“Just that I humiliated myself in front of you is all,” she retorted and sat up.

“And just how’d you do that, might I ask? You were sick when you came in here. It’s not at all unusual for people to act differently when they’re ill. Do you expect everyone to act like normal when they’ve had an allergic reaction to foreign staples?”

“Well, I guess not.”

“Aye, then,” he said and seemed to deflate a little from his good willed doctor lecturing.

“You’re free to go then if you’re feeling better. I’d like you to come back after dinner and we’ll just check your blood work again, just to be sure everything remains the same.”

“Will do,” she answered and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

“One more thing before I leave you, lass,” Carson said.

“Yeah?”

“I think you’ve a great arse as well.”

Laura was sure her impression of a fish was the best in all Atlantis at the moment. Carson winked at her and walked away.

She didn’t, did she?

She closed her eyes as the rest of what she said came back to her.

She sure did.

Title: Subject #1: John Sheppard
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Miko, Katie Brown
Fanfic100 Prompt: 047 - Heart
Word Count: 100
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: G
Summary: First in the ‘Girls Poker Night’ series.
Authors Note: No series spoilers.

Laura contemplated how much to raise on her flush when Katie said something that put the focus of girls’ poker night off the card game.

“Have you ever noticed how Colonel Sheppard has elf ears?”

Everyone stopped, not a word was said for three whole seconds. They laughed so hard their eyes teared up.

“What’s the point?” Laura asked and threw down her cards, all hearts.

They only had poker nigh to gossip anyway.

Miko chuckled and gathered her bounty of M&M’s.

Laura shook her head and wondered how she was going to look at Sheppard again without busting up.

Title: Subject #2: Rodney McKay
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Miko, Katie Brown
Fanfic100 Prompt: 048 - Diamond
Word Count: 100
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: G
Summary: Second in the ‘Girls Poker Night’ series.
Authors Note: No series spoilers.

Laura glanced at her cards and decided the only one worth anything was the king of diamonds. Then she gave in to the inevitability of the night.

“Rodney’s nipples are always erect.”

Silence was followed by raucous laughter.

“It is because of his virility, he cannot help it,” Miko insisted.

Katie blushed to high heaven.

“Did you and Rodney …?” Laura trailed off.

“There’s more to Rodney than you’d think. You would know that after being stuck in his body though, huh Laura?” she winked.

Laura blushed. Yep, she lied to Rodney when she said she didn’t peak.

Oh, well.

Title: Subject #3: Ronon Dex
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Miko, Dr. Heightmeyer
Fanfic100 Prompt: 049 - Club
Word Count: 100
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Third in the ‘Girls Poker Night’ series.
Authors Note: No series spoilers.

Miko was the one who made Laura forget about the queen of clubs she needed for a royal flush.

“Ronon reminds me of a buffer Lenny Kravitz back in his dreadlock days,” Heightmeyer added to their ‘who would we cast as X in Atlantis’ conversation.

“Lenny Grab-its?” Miko questioned.

Then came the laughter.

“Grab its what?” she asked insistently.

Laura gasped. She was laughing so hard she could hardly breathe. She was starting to get a belly ache. The pain! Oh, the pain!

Miko waited for them to finish laughing before she tried for clarification.

“Or was it Lenny Grab-tits?”

Title: Subject #4: Carson Beckett
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Katie Brown, OC
Fanfic100 Prompt: 050 - Spade
Word Count: 100
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: G
Summary: Fourth in the ‘Girls Poker Night’ series.
Authors Note: No series spoilers.

Laura folded her two and nine of spades and was watching the game when it happened.

“Dr. Beckett thinks Cadman has sexy freckles,” Suarez announced.

Laura glared and Suarez’s smile widened.

Katie raised an eyebrow. “Really now? Should I be worried about your virtue young lady?”

Laura threw an M&M at her. “You’re years late on that one I’m afraid,” she answered and winked.

Suarez snorted. “I think we ought to be worried about the doc’s virtue if you ask me.”

Laura agreed and decided Carson would think more than her freckles were sexy by the end of the night.

Title: Sweet Returns
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett, Teyla (mentioned), Jinto (mentioned)
Fanfic100 Prompt: 006 - Hours
Word Count: 100
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Laura comes home after a long day off world and gets a sweet surprise after cleaning up.

Laura spent five hours dragging herself through a swampy planet and she had never felt so gross. She felt dirty and stinky so she walked into a scalding hot shower right away and felt better immediately.

When she came out there was a note left on her desk along with a bunch of wildflowers from the mainland.

Laura,

Jinto gave these to Teyla for you but she saw me first and asked me to give them to you instead. I think the wee lad’s smitten with you. Should I be jealous?

Carson

Laura smiled. Carson could be so cute sometimes.

Fic post for the night ...

2006-07-25T07:24:04Z

I have found the best way for me to get to sleep at night: write a coupla short fic before bed. :)

Title: Gluttony
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Rodney McKay
Fanfic100 Prompt: 057 - Lunch
Word Count: 100
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: G
Summary: Rodney and Laura have a conversation. Missing scene of ‘Duet’.
Authors Note: N/A

Do you have to eat like that while I’m in here?!

“I have a medical condition.”

He heard her snort. Not yet.

“I’m not listening. You’re in there, I’m out here. I’m simply having a well rounded meal for lunch. Deal.”

Well rounded, my pale tail.

Rodney took another bite of his biscuit.

As Laura made nefarious plans for that night, she was glad that they weren’t exposed to every thought that went through the others mind. She was going to work off this dinner tonight whether he wanted to or not. If she could have grinned, she would have.

Title: A Question of Morals
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett, John Sheppard (mentioned), Rodney McKay (mentioned)
Fanfic100 Prompt: 026 - Teammates
Word Count: 455
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG
Summary: Laura tries to help Carson deal with one of John’s decisions.
Authors Note: Set after ‘Misbegotten’.

Laura was trained to accept decisions by her commanding officers and to move on. She didn’t always agree with said officers but she wasn’t in a position to be questioning them.

Unfortunately, for Carson, that was not the case. Getting over what Michael had done to him didn’t seem to be the only issue he had to work through from his latest jaunt off world.

She agreed with Colonel Sheppard’s decision to bomb the ‘people’ to a certain extent. It was easy for her to agree with him though. She wasn’t there. She didn’t interact with Wraiths with human faces on a day to day basis for weeks. Carson did.

What’s more? Carson cared.

It was one of the things that she loved about him and it seemed to be one of his biggest downfalls when it came to going off world on missions. He’d told her about what happened to Perna and half her population and the guilt still tore him up. This thing with the Wraiths … it was the same thing. If he hadn’t created the anti-virus they never would have been in the situation to be sitting ducks to a slaughter in the first place.

She tried to tell him that it wasn’t his fault and he was sort of listening to her.

“You are not the one who made the order to nuke ‘em, Carson. You aren’t the one who killed them. We don’t even know for sure if they’re even dead.”

Carson just looked at her with sad blue eyes. “I told John not to do it. Rodney was there, they had to do it. We need to keep Atlantis safe. I’m just afraid of what we’re willing to become to do it.”

It made her think about herself. What she would be willing to do to keep Atlantis safe. Would she kill a settlement of 200 people who were on their way back to becoming life sucking space vampires? She didn’t know. Would she do it for Carson? In a heartbeat. No question about it.

So what did that make her? What did that make all her friends? Her teammates?

No one on Colonel Sheppard’s team questioned him when he made the order to bomb the settlement. No one. If it had been her and the rest of the team she was on she knew that things would be no different.

But Carson took a stand. He felt it was wrong and he said something. He tried to stop it.

Sometimes Laura wondered if she was good enough for him. She thought she was a nice enough person, just not ‘good’ in an overall goodwill and concern for others type way like him.

Yeah. Sometimes wondering just sucked.

Title: Vanquishing Insecurity
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett
Fanfic100 Prompt: 080 - Why?
Word Count: 686
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Laura asks Carson a question that’s been nagging at her mind.
Authors Note: No series spoilers.

Laura sat up in bed as she watched Carson get ready for the day. He’d just gotten out of the shower and was getting dressed when the word slipped out of her mouth, completely against her will.

“Why?”

Carson cocked his head to the side and grinned. “Are you sure ye’re all the way awake, love? Why, what?”

Laura groaned and slid further into the covers as she contemplated what to say. To say that it was an utterly feminine insecurity wasn’t necessarily fair she knew, but she couldn’t help but think it was clichéd.

But damn it, she just couldn’t figure out why Carson was with her! Neither one of them fit with the image people must think they would want in significant others.

Carson sat on the edge of the bed and Laura pulled the cover over her face.

“Why are you hiding, lass?” he asked and caught the top of the bed sheet between his fingers. He pulled the sheet down and looked at her, concern clearly written across his features.

Laura sighed and sat up, holding the sheet in front of her like a shield. She couldn’t let Carson go off in the morning worried about her or she’d feel guilty all day.

Carson scooted closer to her and rested his hand on her hip. He wasn’t going to let her get away without giving him an explanation either.

“It’s just something I’ve been thinking about lately, is all,” she said and used a hand to pull her hair out from in front of her face. She looked at the nightstand, the dresser, the picture of them together hanging on the wall. Anywhere but at him.

Carson’s hand flexed on her hip so she looked down at it now.

“I’ve just been wondering why you want me,” she finally said.

Carson didn’t say anything for a second and she moved to get out of his bed but before she could get all the way out of bed she found herself being pulled back and down across it with him hovering over her.

He so rarely had to use anything but words to calm a fight or a patient or anyone really, that when he used his physical strength it came as a surprise.

“You don’t know why I want you?” he asked.

She swallowed and put her chin up. “No.”

“Then I’m sorry, love, because it doesn’t seem like I’ve been paying enough attention to you if that’s the case,” he said and kissed her hard, deep.

He pulled away from her and looked into her eyes.

“I want you because you make me smile, make me laugh, make my days better. I want you because of the cute way that your nose crinkles when you laugh. Because of the way you look whenever you eat a piece of chocolate that you won at girls’ poker night, like you’re getting away with something. I want you because of the way you listen to me when I need to talk and always have a way to make things seem less calamitous. I want you because I can look at you and know when you need to be held. I want you because I go through my days and hear a tidbit here and there and think to myself that I must go and tell you what I heard because it will bring a smile to your face. Your smile’s another reason still.”

Laura was grinning by the time he was done. He traced the outline of her smile with his fingertips as he looked down at her.

“Need I go on, lass?” he asked with a smile of his own.

“Nah,” she said and stretched. “I think that’ll do for now.”

She leaned up and kissed him softly before she got up to get ready for her own day and made a clear and absolute decision never to doubt their relationship again. Ever.

But maybe she’d let Carson think she wasn’t getting enough attention every now and again. After all, it did a girl good to hear she was wanted by her man.

Title: Beauty Incomparable
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett
Fanfic100 Prompt: 032 - Sunset
Word Count: 100
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: G
Summary: Laura and Carson watch the sun set
Authors Note: No series spoilers.

Carson thought her hair was the exact shade of his favorite color in the Atlantean sunset. He’d contemplated comparing it to the early morning sunrise but the colors were too soft. Quite simply not alive enough, vibrant enough, for the woman he held in his arms as he watched the pinks and reds and purples and blues covered the sky.

When he told her his thoughts it brought a smile to her face and she told him he ‘made her tummy go all flip-floppy’ with all his ‘mushy’ talk. He just smiled and touched a stray lock of her hair.

Laura Cadman Fanfic100 Table

EDIT: 'Nother one ...

Title: Sittin’ and Waitin’
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett, OC
Fanfic100 Prompt: 076 – Who?
Word Count: 536
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG
Summary: Carson is late coming back to Atlantis.
Authors Notes: N/A

“Now you understand what I go through every time you go off world, lass,” he said in his quiet, dignified way.

It made her want to darken his daylights. The idiot man didn’t understand. She went off world all the time because it was her job and while he might not like it he knew she had a much better track record off world than he did.

That wasn’t to discount that he was needed off world every now and then too but she just didn’t feel like it was necessary for her to get used to him going. It was part of her whole ‘keep things casual’ strategy. It was failing miserably but a girl had to do what a girl had to do to stay sane. The problem was he knew her strategy and was using it against her.

“Dr. Weir said you volunteered for the mission when I saw her in the commissary.”

“Aye, that’s true,” he answered and crossed his arms.

Stubborn, stubborn, stubborn.

Her eyes turned to slits and she glared at him.

“What would make you do that?” she asked.

Carson tossed one of his patients’ charts on his desk and closed his office door the rest of the way before sitting down in the chair opposite her.

“Not ‘what’, lass. Who.”

“Who?”

“Who.”

Laura counted to ten and took a deep breath.

“If you’re trying to say that you went on this mission because of me then you are in serious trouble. You were six and a half hours late, Carson! Do you know the thoughts that were running through my head?”

Laura winced as she let that little tidbit out. She didn’t want him to know she worried about him. She wasn’t ready for him to know she cared about him enough to worry that deeply about him.

Carson took both of her hands in his. “Ye’re not alone in ye’re worrying. If you must know I volunteered to go on the mission because Dr. Schwartz was ill and couldn’t leave. As for the rest … I’m sorry that you fretted over me.”

He grinned at her and she melted. She hoped she got over the infatuation phase of their relationship soon because it was practically turning her into a thirteen year old.

She shrugged and let out a long suffering sigh. “Just tell me next time you go on a mission, okay? McKay was practically frantic. He got a paper cut and you weren’t there to fix it.”

Carson laughed and kissed both her hands quickly before standing up.

“You have a deal, love.”

She headed for the door but turned around to see him watching her. “You really worry about me every time I gate out?” she asked.

Carson nodded seriously. “Every time, lass. Every time.”

She nodded her head and left the infirmary. Somehow those words made her feel better. Like she might mean as much to him as he meant to her.

As long as he made sure to tell her when he was gating out, they should be in the clear as far as their relationship was concerned.

Maybe I’ll keep the good doctor around a little longer, she thought with a grin.

Laura/Carson fic

2006-07-24T08:20:41Z

I don't really know what inspired this Laura/Carson fic but I think it's my favorite of the one's I've written now.

Title: Freckles
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett, Halling, OC
Fanfic100 Prompt: 017 - Brown
Word Count: 801
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: An ordinary trip to the mainland turns out to become quite memorable for Laura.
Authors Note: Not set in any particular time in SGA.

Sometimes Laura thought that it was just easier to jump into bed with someone than to actually be intimate with them. With Carson, she knew that that would most definitely be the case. She was no angel in the last few years, that was for sure but no guy had ever gotten to her like Carson did. He was the kind of man that wanted, no needed, to have a long standing relationship before things got physical. She was fine with that. There were absolutely no problems on her end as far as things were concerned there. In fact, she kinda thought he might end up being ready before her considering how much she had changed her views on relationships, romantic or otherwise, lately.

She had realized after inhabiting the body of one Rodney McKay that the way she was existing before wasn’t what she wanted, that she wanted something deeper, more real. Something that would last. The problem was she wasn’t fully prepared for what that meant, even if she thought she was. For Carson, their type of relationship was the norm. For her, not so much.

The first thing that caught her off guard happened after they had finally been classified as a couple by the people on Atlantis. It was such a small thing in the grand scheme of things but it blew her mind.

Carson had to go to the mainland that day to do his regularly scheduled rounds on the Athosians and her team had gone along with him. While Carson and another doctor nursed various injuries and an illness here and there, Laura and her team were out lending an extra hand to the people with bringing in the harvest.

All in all, a nice day off Atlantis. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Until her team finished and came back to the main part of the camp. The sun was still high in the sky and it was incredibly bright outside. It was one of those days that you have to squint to see and your eyes still water.

A couple people on her team got in the Puddlejumper and waited while she and Lt. Suarez went and helped Carson carry in the last of his equipment. There was only one bag left by the time they got there so Suarez took it and Laura waited for Carson to finish talking with Halling so she could walk back with him.

When he was finished he turned to her with a smile and brought a hand to her face. He smoothed his thumb across her cheek and chuckled lightly.

“Ye’re looking a bit like a tomato, lass,” he said.

Laura rolled her eyes. “I tried to get Rodney to give me some of his SPF100 sunscreen before we left but I couldn’t find him. Guess I’ll have to live with a couple extra freckles,” she sighed.

Freckles were the bane of every red head’s existence as far as she could tell. She didn’t have many but if she was burned, then it was more than likely that she’d have one or two more the next time she looked in the mirror. Her mom always told her that they were angel kisses but to her they were just ugly little brown spots marring her creamy complexion.

It was then that he did it. The thing that shouldn’t have given her all types of butterfly feelings in her tummy, that shouldn’t have caused her any alarm but did. He pulled her to him, put his arms around her shoulders, pecked her on the tip of her nose, and rested his forehead against hers.

“I think your freckles are sexy,” he whispered.

She knew that if she wasn’t red before she surely was then. One sentence was all it took. She was a goner for sure and Dr. Carson Beckett was the one she was falling for. He told her that he thought her freckles were sexy in front of her team, Halling, and the rest of the settlement. Sure, he whispered it, but still.

Before Carson she could have come up with a million different responses but things were different now. When he said things like that to her she knew it wasn’t just harmless flirtation, it was real.

He pulled out of their hug, said goodbye to Halling who had a knowing grin on his face, and put his arm around her waist.

As he walked her the short distance to the Puddlejumper she ticked an imaginary mark off in her mind. She had made it through their first truly intimate moment. It had been in a public place but that didn’t make it any less special to her, less extraordinary.

In the end, she had a feeling that their next intimate moment wouldn’t be as scary.

This one is the result of my Laura character developement and I wanted to write something about what Carson thinks/thought about her. I've kinda created my own backstory on her character and I needed to fiddle with another character's interpretation. Therefore, this little fic was written.

Title: Secret
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett
Fanfic100 Prompt: 085 - She
Word Count: 398
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG
Summary: Carson's thoughts on Laura.
Authors Note: Not set in any particular time in SGA.

When he first got to know her, she almost seemed wounded to him. She was a strong woman, there was no doubt about that, but there were signs. What she said, what she didn’t say, how she didn’t like to be touched. It hinted at wounds that he wasn’t sure he could heal as a medical doctor.

When they got over their careless flirting phase and went into their genuine affection phase she loosened up a bit. He wasn’t a man who was afraid to touch. In fact, given what he was, he was used to it. That was why it meant so much to him that she didn’t stiffen up every time he would casually hold her hand or put his arm around her as they walked.

He was downright thrilled when they went from their genuine affection phase to committed relationship. When they got to the point where there was no more fooling around. She was his and he was hers and there was no sharing. That was when she started holding his hand and putting her arm around him.

There were always signs when she was ready to take the next step. No matter how carefree she liked to act, she was very serious about their relationship and he would wait for her to come to a decision for days before she followed through. It took her exactly four days from the time the thought came to her head to peck him on the lips in public and when she actually did it. He could sense it in the way she would take quick glances at him when they were together and then look away. When she would hesitate just a moment before they said goodbye to each other and then let him be the one to lean down and kiss her forehead, her cheek, her lips.

She was an enigma. So strong, yet so surprisingly fragile and he was humbled that he was the only one who saw that side of her. He doubted she knew about his insight about her. If she did, she’d probably try to find a way to hide it from him. Get scared.

For now, she felt safe and comfortable with the way they were and he wasn’t going to do anything to change that. He would tell her someday but not yet. For now, she was his secret.

Laura Cadman Fanfic100 Table

Fangirl + SGA = Fic

2006-07-22T08:49:20Z

Tonight's episode gave me a little inspiration for some Beckett/Cadman-ness for Fanfic100.

Title: The Conscientiousness of Wilting Flowers
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett
Fanfic100 Prompt: 051 - Water
Word Count: 882
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Laura helps Carson cope with what Michael did to him.
Authors Note: Set after ‘Misbegotten’.

Laura knew he didn’t think she knew his way of coping. He told her once, before they got together, that there was no shame in seeing Dr. Heightmeyer but he didn’t like the idea of going to a psychiatrist either. Instead he buried himself in work. When they were together lately they weren’t really together. His mind was other places.

He had stopped trusting himself with her. He touched her now like she was made of delicate glass, like he could break her. Carson knew that she was anything but breakable but he had lost so much faith in himself that he thought anything was possible.

He just wasn’t acting like her Carson anymore.

Laura sidled up next to him on the balcony outside his quarters and drew him into her arms.

“It wasn’t your fault. There was no way you could have done anything but what you did,” she said, shivering slightly. It had been a warm day but nights in Atlantis were incredibly pitch and pretty cold.

Carson touched his forehead to hers.

“The Wraith could know where we are now and they got that information from me. From my mind. How is that not my fault, love?” he asked and pulled away from her. He leaned against the railing and looked out into the inky blackness of the Atlantean sea.

Laura let herself enjoy the feel of the damp breeze on her skin as she tried to think of what to say to comfort him. This wasn’t her usual territory and she was off balance. Carson was the doctor, he was the one that gave out convincing reassurances with easy affection. It was one of the things that drew her to him and she’d be damned if she let him down when he needed something he could have so easily given.

She came up with a dozen ideas in the moment she watched him examine the ebbs and flows of the water. Unfortunately, each one sounded more ridiculous and clichéd than the last. In the end though, she realized, Carson was a scientist. He would respond best to hard truths.

She walked up next to him and mirrored his stance. She didn’t touch him this time, just let him have the comfort the familiar, everlasting, interminable sea offered him.

“You’re right,” she said firmly. If she was going to do this, she needed to sound absolutely sure of herself. There was no room for doubt.

Carson stiffened and she almost winced at the way he looked now, almost dejected.

“You’re right that the Wraith could know that we’re still on Atlantis now. You’re right that they got the information from your mind. Those are two thing that cannot be changed. Putting the blame on yourself for those facts doesn’t make sense though. It does make you seem big headed, stupid and self-important though,” she said the last in a hard voice.

Carson turned to look at her, obviously upset. He opened his mouth to speak but she laid her fingers on his lips to stop the words from escaping him. The gentleness of her hands and the angry glint in her eyes had to be confusing as hell for him but that worked to her advantage at the moment.

“To think that you could throw off Wraith mind tricks when even Teyla has had a hard go of it either means that you think very little of what Teyla is capable of or you think that you’re better than the rest of us. You didn’t have a choice, Carson. Anyone else in your position would have ended up doing the same thing whether they wanted to or not. Anyone. Sheppard, McKay, Lorne, me. We all would have cracked given enough time. Would you place all the blame and guilt on me if I had been the one to tell Michael about the failsafe?”

“Of course not, darlin’,” he said and put his hand over hers on the rail. She turned hers over and laced her fingers through his, stepping away from the banister. Carson brought his other hand up to her cheek and tenderly brushed a few stray strands of hair behind her ear.

He smiled at her, a sad smile, but at least it was a smile. “I just want you to know that I know exactly what you just did and I appreciate that you didn’t clobber me over the head,” he said, obviously trying to cheer up.

She grinned back at him. “Oh it was really hard but I somehow managed to pull myself back.”

He leaned down and kissed her lightly on her forehead before pulling her closer to him and looking out into the dark water surrounding them. She shivered again, partly from the chill in the air and partly from the feel of Carson’s strong arms around her.

He rubbed her arms up and down briskly and raised a questioning brow. “Why aren’t you wearing a sweater? You could catch something if you keep going out in the cold like this,” he said in ‘lecture mode’ as she like to call it, and dragged her back to the warmth of his quarters. He definitely wouldn’t have done that earlier in the day, wilting flower that he treated her as.

This was her Carson.

Laura Cadman Fanfic100 Table

Yet another Cadman fic ...

2006-07-18T02:36:14Z

Title: Operation Identify Kisser
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Dr. Wier, Dr. Zelenka, Dr. Heightmeyer, Carson Beckett, Colonel Sheppard, Katie Brown (mentioned)
Fanfic100 Prompt: 04 - Insides
Word Count: 1316
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG
Summary: Aftermath of 'Duet'.
Authors Notes: N/A

When Laura and Rodney were both safely back in their perspective bodies and not hearing any voices, they headed into the conference room to debrief the whole situation. Laura was unsurprised to see Dr. Wier, Dr. Beckett, Dr. Zelenka, Dr. Heightmeyer and Colonel Sheppard waiting there for her. Of course, Rodney was already there and munching down on a power bar.

Laura raised an eyebrow at him and sat down.

“Don’t you give me that look!” Rodney said and took a vicious bite out of the peanut flavored bar.

“What look?” she asked innocently.

“That look,” he said huffily. “That, ‘you shouldn’t be eating that unless you’re going to work out afterwards because it’s going to turn into fat if you don’t’ look.”

Laura grinned. Apparently she had affected Rodney more than she thought.

“Well, I’ll be sure not to look at you again,” she said.

Rodney glared and opened his mouth to say something but before he could, Dr. Wier interrupted.

“I think it’s best that we get started,” she said.

The meeting started off with a Rodney, Dr. Beckett and her explaining what had happened on the planet. After that, Dr. Zelenka, Dr. Beckett and Colonel Sheppard took over with what happened after her and Rodney were scooped up.

Then it was their turn again. Dr. Heightmeyer started asking the kinds of questions that most Type A personalities hated: questions about feelings.

“It wasn’t the best experience I’ve ever had but now that I’m me again, it won’t take me any time at all to move on,” Laura answered.

“Are you sure about that Lieutenant? What you went through would be right up there with death by decapitation to me,” Colonel Sheppard asked as he grinned good-naturedly.

“Oh no, sir. It was a lot more painful than that,” she answered in a serious tone of voice.

It seemed that the others couldn’t hold in their laughter at that and Rodney sat back and glared at them all. “Well, thank you very much.”

“Come on, Rodney. I’m just teasing,” Laura said.

It was then that Dr. Heightmeyer started asking Rodney questions. He had plenty to say and started what was foremost in his mind.

“She says it was terrible for her but she’s not the one who had to kiss Carson!” he blurted out right away.

Dr. Beckett shifted in his seat and the rest of the people in the room, Dr. Heightmeyer excluded, couldn’t help but let the amusement they had at the memory show on their faces.

Dr. Wier turned to Rodney. “I’m sure you both did things while in control that the other didn’t like,” she said diplomatically.

“I never did anything like that to her. And besides, we weren’t stuck in her body so it wouldn’t affect her anyway what was done in mine,” he said smugly then added, “thank god we weren’t stuck in her body.”

“Oh come on Rodney, I kissed Katie Brown for you!” Laura said.

At that, many an ear perked up in the conference room and she blushed at her outburst. At least before only Dr. Beckett and Rodney knew about it.

Oh, well. In for a penny, in for a pound, she thought.

“I kissed Katie Brown?”

“I, kissed Katie Brown. Don’t you remember?”

“Yes, yes,” Rodney said quickly, “But that was different!”

“How is that different? I was in control for that so I was the one doing the kissing. Dr. Beckett was there, he can tell everyone that you were striking out big time with Katie. I was performing a public service. After all, I’d have to go to girls’ poker night afterwards and hear about what an idiot you were later on anyway and I was trying to save myself.”

“She’s got a point there, Rodney,” Dr. Beckett said and sent a wink in her direction.

“Shut up!” Rodney said and then turned to Laura, “She talks about me to you? What does she say?”

“Yes, I can see how he would flounder with Dr. Brown. She’s as smart as he is in her own studies,” Dr. Zelenka said to Dr. Beckett.

Rodney glared in the two doctor’s direction and opened his mouth to say something but was cut off again, this time by Colonel Sheppard.

“It does look like she might be right, Rodney.”

“I’ll have you all know that I have absolutely no problems with women!”

Laura couldn’t help but let an indelicate snort escape her. “I was in your head Rodney, remember? I’m sure you’d do much better if you’d loosen up a bit, not be so serious.”

“What I meant to say,” Colonel Sheppard said loudly, “was that there wouldn’t be any difference between the two kisses because you weren’t in control, Rodney. She kissed Carson and Dr. Brown, not you.”

“I agree with Colonel Sheppard, Rodney. It was your body but it wasn’t your mind in control of the actions. No matter how much it may disturb you that Lieutenant Cadman kissed Dr. Beckett while in control of your body it doesn’t change the fact that she was the one who kissed him and not you,” Dr. Wier added.

“Well, fine then,” Rodney pouted. Laura laughed, she couldn’t help herself.

“What do you find so amusing Lt. Cadman?” Dr. Heightmeyer asked.

“Oh, no reason. Just that he’s all huffy because he didn’t kiss Katie but he would probably be just as twitterpated if he had been the one to kiss Dr. Beckett,” she answered.

“I’m glad you find the situation so amusing, Cadman,” Rodney said.

“Oh, me too,” she said, not at all affected by his tone.

“If what you say is true then I don’t want to hear anything about the kiss from this point forward,” Rodney demanded and stared straight at Colonel Sheppard. “From anyone.”

Colonel Sheppard gave Rodney a decidedly fake innocent face and said, “Of course not, Rodney. Wouldn’t dream of it.”

“No one is going to take this information further than the people in this room, Dr. McKay. Don’t worry about that,” Dr. Wier said.

“Fine. As long as everyone agrees,” Rodney sat up and glared at Dr. Zelenka who just smiled in response.

“I think we have everything settled for now,” Elizabeth said, grinning as she excused herself.

It was clear that no one was going to leave the room unamused except for Rodney.

Dr. Zelenka and Colonel Sheppard rushed out the door mainly because they were both following after Rodney to rag on him some more and Dr. Heightmeyer left as well.

Dr. Beckett grabbed her shoulder as she was about to leave and she turned around.

“Something I can do for you, doc?” she asked, trying to play it cool.

“I think you can call me Carson now, love. After all, didn’t we just finish establishing that we’ve kissed? Seems to me it’s a bit too formal for you to be calling me ‘doctor’,” his blue eyes twinkled merrily as he spoke.

Laura blushed. It had been the act of a desperate woman. After all, she wasn’t sure at the time that she was going to survive Rodney’s little experiment.

“Yeah, about that. I wanted to apologize, it couldn’t have been all that pleasant for you to have me come over in Rodney’s body and lay one on you.”

“Think nothing of it, lass,” he chuckled and headed for the door. “Just make sure the next time we kiss that you’re you on the outside as well as the inside.”

Did he just say what she thought he said?

“I will,” she smiled. “And call me Laura. If we’re planning on trying out this kissing thing again, I think you’re right. It just seems like we should be on a first name basis.”

Carson grinned crookedly at her and squeezed her hand before leaving her alone in the room, a big smile beginning to spread across her own face.

Another Drabble

2006-07-17T21:21:51Z

Title: Evolution
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman
Fanfic100 Prompt: 024 - Family
Word Count: 100
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG
Summary: Musings over what family has turned into.
Authors Notes: Because I am now addicted to writing drabbles ...

It was amazing how her definition of family had changed in the last couple years. Before Atlantis, it was a desperate situation with a malignant father and a hopeless mother.

Family had changed. Family was the people on Atlantis. The people she defended and joked with and occasionally pranked.

Family was good and warm and healthy, not painful and cold and stifling.

As Laura watched her friends eat their breakfast she knew they would never understand the part of her that was so grateful to Atlantis for bringing them together. The part of her they would never expect to find.

Fanfic100 Entries

2006-07-17T07:04:27Z

Title: Three Little Pigs
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman
Fanfic100 Prompt: 083 - And
Word Count: 100
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG
Summary: Storytelling to Athosian children.
Authors Notes: My very first drabble!

“ … ‘and’ what?” the little girl asked enthralled by Laura’s animated storytelling.

“Leesha, be quiet!” her brother whispered and poked the small girl in the arm.

Laura smiled at the Athosian children who were so wrapped up in the old Earth fairytale.

The boy, who had to be only eight years old, blushed and smiled shyly up at Laura.

“… ‘and’ what?” he asked bashfully.

Laura cleared her throat and looked down at the two seriously. “ ‘And’,” she paused as she watched their excited faces light up, “he huffed and he puffed and he blew the house down!”

Title: Begging for Oblivion
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters: Laura Cadman, Carson Beckett, John Sheppard and Rodney McKay (mentioned)
Fanfic100 Prompt: 069 - Thunder
Word Count: 405
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters. I only write fanfic.
Rating: PG
Summary: Laura is going to have to hide her fear better from Dr. Beckett
Authors Notes: N/A

Laura had been afraid of thunder for exactly three years, five months and sixteen days. The event that made this phobia occur for her happened on a training field that herself and other explosive technicians had set up to be used in Afghanistan should the need arise.

She would never forget that night. Never.

There was a storm brewing for days and it finally unleashed itself on their base in one hell of a fury. Lightening lit up the sky and the thunder was deafening. So loud, so piercing, that no one could tell that not all the thunder was actually thunder at all. It was their bombs going off.

She still had nightmares about it every once in awhile. Something would trigger them, she’d hear a sharp, loud noise off planet or something would fall and make a crash on Atlantis. It wasn’t every time, it was probably more like fifty percent of the time but it still gnawed on her nerves.

It didn’t matter what happened though, she could never tell anyone on Atlantis that she had such a girlie fear. She’d go to Dr. Beckett about not being able to sleep and he’d always given her something that helped her. She tried not to think about the last couple times she went. He’d hinted that the reason she had such insomnia was because she needed a visit with Dr. Heightmeyer.

“There’s no doubt that being in McKay’s mind was quite terrifying, lass. No one would think anything of it,” he’d said with a crooked grin.

She’d joked with him about it for another couple minutes and left, sedatives safely in hand. She’d have to stop going to him so much for help. He was going to get more insistent and eventually he might even talk to Colonel Sheppard about her dependence on the pills to get her a good nights rest. She could ignore the good doctor’s advice about her mental state pretty well but if Sheppard told her to go to Heightmeyer, she was going or she was grounded.

No, she was just going to have to get through it. When the nightmares came she was going to have to go back to the way things were before there was a doctor within walking distance.

It looked like she was going to double her nightly workout. There was nothing like working yourself into exhaustion to give a girl a dreamless night.

Fanfic 100

2006-07-17T04:55:13Z

As of September 7th I have over 30% of this finished. Yay!

001.	Beginnings	002.	Middles.	003.	Ends	004.	Insides	005.	Outsides.
006.	Hours	007.	Days.	008.	Weeks.	009.	Months.	010.	Years.
011.	Red.	012.	Orange	013.	Yellow.	014.	Green	015.	Blue
016.	Purple.	017.	Brown	018.	Black.	019.	White	020.	Colourless.
021.	Friends.	022.	Enemies.	023.	Lovers.	024.	Family	025.	Strangers.
026.	Teammates	027.	Parents	028.	Children	029.	Birth.	030.	Death.
031.	Sunrise	032.	Sunset	033.	Too Much.	034.	Not Enough.	035.	Sixth Sense.
036.	Smell	037.	Sound.	038.	Touch.	039.	Taste.	040.	Sight.
041.	Shapes.	042.	Triangle.	043.	Square	044.	Circle	045.	Moon.
046.	Star.	047.	Heart	048.	Diamond	049.	Club	050.	Spade
051.	Water	052.	Fire.	053.	Earth.	054.	Air.	055.	Spirit.
056.	Breakfast.	057.	Lunch	058.	Dinner.	059.	Food.	060.	Drink
061.	Winter.	062.	Spring.	063.	Summer	064.	Fall.	065.	Passing.
066.	Rain.	067.	Snow	068.	Lightening.	069.	Thunder	070.	Storm.
071.	Broken.	072.	Fixed.	073.	Light.	074.	Dark.	075.	Shade.
076.	Who?	077.	What?	078.	Where?	079.	When?	080.	Why?
081.	How?	082.	If.	083.	And	084.	He	085.	She
086.	Choices.	087.	Life.	088.	School.	089.	Work.	090.	Home
091.	Birthday	092.	Christmas.	093.	Thanksgiving.	094.	Independence	095.	New Year.
096.	Writer‘s Choice.	097.	Writer‘s Choice.	098.	Writer‘s Choice.	099.	Writer‘s Choice.	100.	Writer‘s Choice.

Independence Day

2006-07-05T06:50:03Z

Well, it's 23:48 here in good ol' AZ, only 12 minutes left in the day. Hope all the American's on my flist enjoyed their traditional fireworks, barbeque's, and beers this Independence Day.

That is all.

Just Some Fun

2006-07-01T06:04:48Z

Saw this on dhark charlotte's LJ and thought it would be fun ...

a) pick up a book which is the closest to you at the moment
b) open page 123
c) find the third sentence
d) post it in your Live Journal (plus the instructions)
e) don't choose the book, just pick up the one closest to you

"The night would be long."

The book was Dark Prince by Christine Feehan. Pretty boring sentence, I thought it would be more ... exciting? Ah well.

That is all

Quotathon Ficathon!

2006-06-30T06:24:58Z

Hey there! My quote was "The killing was the best part. It was the dying I could not stand." - Craig Volk

The part about Lt. Cadman's past is true for a friend of mine and I thought it might give a little depth to Cadman's character. Hope you like.

Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate Atlantis and I am not making any profit off this fic.

There were a lot of things that people didn’t know about her. They didn’t know that when she told her mom that she wanted to join the military that it was the scariest, hardest, most painful thing that she had done in her life. They didn’t know that she had been helping her mom to save money to leave her dad for two years while she was in school, that she and her mom had a plan to get away from him. Together. That she felt like she was abandoning her mother when all she wanted was to be able to make a good career and life for herself.

They didn’t know about any of that.

Her mother told her that she was not responsible for her, that she had been the one who had done the raising, not the other way around. That she had made sure that her daughter was independent, could take care of herself. That she didn’t want to hold her back. That she didn’t want to keep her from being happy. She told Laura all this even as tears streamed down her face.

It was typical of her mother though. She had been through the ringer. Mrs. Cadman’s side of the family had disowned her because she didn’t leave her husband ten years ago, although back then there wasn’t any reason to. He had his moments of temper but her mother always seemed to have the upper hand. Her family had disowned her and she had become isolated and then she became abused. Never physically, but mentally, verbally, emotionally, spiritually.

And, to a degree, so had Laura. Her mother did all she could to protect her but some things came through, it couldn’t be helped. Hearing the argument in the next room about how she, a twelve year old, needed to take responsibility for her actions and that it was not acceptable that she had lost her military ID. Hearing her mother defend her, saying that she was just a child and that those things happen.

Her mother didn’t even have any friends to lean on, they were so isolated. She had acquaintances, sure, but no one close. Her father was a regular old bastard and anyone Laura’s mother met and brought over would be made to feel so uncomfortable that they’d never want to come back. Most people only came over once or twice and then got too busy to socialize.

They were all the other had and Laura abandoned her mother to be alone. At the time she felt like she was dying inside even as she celebrated that her life would finally be going in a direction she wanted it to. Hours, even days passed by and she found that she would start sobbing when she thought about joining up because her mother had always been there for her and now she was leaving her when she needed her most. The thought crossed her mind that she shouldn’t do it. That she shouldn’t leave but there was more of her that wanted to leave than wanted to stay.

The decision was made. Her heart felt like it was dying but she had made her decision and had the support of the one person in her life that mattered.

So she left.

She said that she’d keep sending money into their ‘fund’ and that nothing in the plan would change except they wouldn’t be together. It made her feel a little better.

Laura remembered the one thing her mother said to her after the first wave of tears subsided. That she was afraid her baby would be deployed. That yeah, maybe she was sexist but Laura was still her little girl wearing the purple dress and the Mary Jane’s in her mind and not combat boots.

It was funny what life ended up throwing at people.

Not long after she entered the military she was brought into a special project. She was asked to become part of a team that would be top secret, she couldn’t tell anyone about it. That meant one thing to Laura - opportunity. She took it. By this time she had stopped dying inside and just became numb. She never wanted to feel like this again. She had never felt such pain as she had gone through with her mother and she did her best to kill off anything else that was left. Anything that could make her that vulnerable as to go through such agony again. And in a way, the killing was wonderful. It protected her, kept her cool, kept her safe.

The special project ended up bringing her aboard the Daedalus, a freaking space ship of all things, and to another galaxy. The Pegasus galaxy. To Atlantis.

She had fooled around with a few guys but never got serious with any of them. It was too dangerous. It threatened everything that she had gone through to protect herself. She was an incorrigible flirt and she knew it but a girl had to have fun when she could get it and that’s what she did.

The next big decision she made in her life was when she decided to stay on Atlantis. She did it and she did it for all the reasons that she had put in the ‘wrong’ column years ago, but things had changed. Things had changed because of one Dr. Rodney McKay.

He was an awkward, nerdy, obsessive workaholic, annoying, hopelessly hopless with women, know it all scientist and she had shared his mind. Completely. Utterly. Rodney was cut from the same cloth she was. Abusive father, loving mother, and a depressing situation. They even went about protecting themselves the same way. They got attention in different ways, Rodney did it by letting everyone know how brilliant he was and she did it by being everyone’s pal. The only difference was that Rodney had a level of happiness that she didn’t. He had let himself care for other people, his ‘team’. There was a dark, bleak, raw, empty hole in her and he was healed. It was while she spent time in Rodney’s head that she decided that she didn’t have to do this to herself anymore.

So what had she done? Before they faced their very dangerous last chance to be separated she had taken over his body and kissed Dr. Carson Beckett. A man that she had flirted casually a bit with here and there while she’d been in the lost city but had shied away from after she found out his character. That he was intuitive, warm, funny, sexy, bright, compassionate. Everything that made alarm signals blare for her. She kissed him because she wanted to embrace the kind of man who she would want to love someday at least once before she died.

But she hadn’t died. She had gotten another chance. She asked to stay on Atlantis instead of going home on the Daedalus. That meant she’d be staying for another tour and her mother would still be alone.

It hurt, but she knew it would hurt a lot more if she didn’t try things out for herself.

She went on a couple dates with Carson and they got to know each other better. Laura found that she liked him more every time they were together. After a couple weeks she started to fantasize about the way he would say her name when they finally made love. Would his brogue get deeper? Would he shout out her name in ecstasy or would he be a silent lover?

She still kept a piece of herself away from him and he knew it. She knew he knew it. But if Carson was anything, he was patient and he eventually broke her resolve. He gleefully, delightedly, victoriously killed any chance that she would ever have of not loving him with all her soul the day he came back from a trip back to Earth on the Daedalus.

They went to the balcony outside his bedroom and greeted each other properly. They were getting more comfortable with each other and the kiss they shared after he had been gone so long left her trembling from its intensity. He had gotten her a couple of gifts while he was gone. Some of her favorite chocolate, a picture frame for a picture that they had taken together during Atlantis’ version of Christmas, and a sweater his mother had knitted for her. He had told her how easily his girlfriend got cold where they were and was always stealing a sweater from his drawer, apparently. Laura had brought the item to her face and felt the softness of it on her cheek before noticing that it smelled like him. He had worn it a few times himself, he said. It was only fair considering she filched his own so often.

He also brought her back a letter from her mother. She said she was doing well, that she had finally gotten that degree she had been working on and not to worry about her. She said that Laura had found a wonderful man for herself and that she thought he was absolutely charming.

It ended up being the first night that she and Carson made love. She had waited a long time with him because he was dangerous. He was good for her; he was worth the risk of dying inside again.

In the end though, she knew that it would never come to that with him. That she had found someone who was a healer. That that someone had killed the cancer she had built within herself and had alleviated her heart.

He was all she ever wanted and more.

Danse Macabre - No Spoilers

2006-06-28T07:40:33Z

As much as I hate to be spoiled on something that I'm looking forward to, it isn't my intention to do it here. All I have to say is that I LOVE the Anita Blake series. Honestly, I do. However ...

With this book, I got about half way through it and I wasn't exactly engrossed. My mind was wandering as I read, I kept thinking about other things I could be doing. It picked up for awhile and the end was better than the first half but all in all I was disappointed. That really hasn't happened to me with this series before.

*sigh*

Last Day ...

2006-05-09T16:28:18Z

... As an undergraduate!!! My last final is at 5:30 and after that I am FREE!!! All I have to do is wait around for my family to come to the commencement ceremonies and laugh at my friend who have finals all the way to Thursday.

*sigh* It's a beautiful thing.

Three Updates in 1 Day ...

2006-04-16T15:19:14Z

... Makes it hard to write anything the next day, I guess. I sat down to write more for Monster Investigating today and it's freaking torture today. I keep thinking about 'Supernatural' of all things which makes me want to write a 'Supernatural' fic but I can't. I won't let it happen, I have more than too much going on right now as it is.

*sigh*

I guess I'll try to write for a different fic now.

Anita Blake ... a comic?

2006-03-04T17:50:20Z

I just went on Laurell K Hamiliton's website and saw that there will be a comic starting from Guilty pleasures thats supposed to be out in a couple months. I'm not quite sure how I feel about this. I saw the artwork promo for it and it's pretty cool but ... a comic?

What say the people?

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!

2006-02-14T02:46:22Z

Holy cow! I went the career fair last Wednesday and had an interview with an investment company the next day. I thought I sucked. Everyday I've been thinking I should have said something else for every question they asked me. They said they would call back this week and let me know if I got a second interview and they emailed me TODAY. This is a job that pays $30-$32 an hour starting off right out of college. And it's not even specific to my major (I'm International Affairs and Criminal Justice) and this is a financial institution. Wow.

I'm still in shock ...

Plus I got another call from another financial institution today ...

I can't believe these people want to pay me so much money!