Title: Coffee Break

Author: Gater101

Summary: Halling has a little chat with Sheppard...

"You're in love with her aren't you?"

John Sheppard almost choked. The coffee that had been happily gliding down his throat was now burning holes in his lungs.

He managed not to slam the mug down but - unsurprisingly - failed to keep the shocked expression from his face.

"I understand, I really do. She's an amazing woman," Halling spoke while still watching Teyla as she ordered coffee at the cafeteria area.

The two men were seated outside the cafeteria waiting on not only Teyla but Jinto too, to emerge from the crowded queue. The Sun was blazing down onto the city and subsequently onto John's face and he had conveniently forgotten to lift his Ray-ban sunglasses from his quarters.

Not that they would have done a great deal in keeping his jaw firmly closed. He was still staring at Halling who in turn was still staring at Teyla and his son.

Finally managing to regain enough control of his jaw, John squawked the only word he could:

"What?!"

Halling - didn't that man have *another* name, apart from 'Halling'?! - turned casually towards him and smiled.

"You have to agree that she - Teyla - I a beautiful, intelligent, caring woman who is a great leader of her people and that..." Halling listed and John's eyebrows pulled together, his eyes wide as the Stargate.

"Okay! That's it! I've heard enough pillow talk for one day!" John shouted and then head spun around, trying to locate Teyla, afraid she had heard his outburst.

She was standing holding a cup of coffee, her own eyes wide and questioning.

"I do not understand this 'pillow talk', Major Sheppard-"

Sheppard slid his chair back, more than a little annoyed that he had been unable to hide his feelings for the Athosian leader better. Instead o facing them, however, he he turned his frustration on Halling.

"Since *you* seem to be in love with Teyla, why don't you do something about it?"

He stormed off, feeling heavily guilty for the rash manner in which he had treated Halling but he knew that he could not turn back and apologise - he was being a petulant child, and petulant children did not apologise.

In his fuss, however, John missed the words that Halling directed at his parting form:

"It is not I that she loves."

END