My Time of Dying
Author: J.L.
Title: My Time of Dying (5/5)
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: None to speak of. Would fit anywhere in S. 2 or S. 3.
Summary: John and Elizabeth are trapped in a cave after an earthquake. The rest of the team fights to rescue them before it's too late. Gratuitous Shep Whump.
A/N: A huge thank you to my beta, Rink Rat for all her work to make this story better. You rock!
Epilogue
John sat on the end of the pier, dangling his legs over the side. He lifted his face to the sky and breathed in the salty air. He thought he might never take fresh air and sunlight for granted again.
“I thought I might find you here.” Elizabeth’s voice held a smile. “Didn’t Carson release you from the infirmary on the condition that you rest in your quarters?”
“You going to give me up?” John flashed Elizabeth a grin.
“To Carson? No.” she admitted with a wry laugh. “Believe me, I understand the compulsion to feel the wind on your face.”
John nodded as Elizabeth carefully lowered herself to the pier, letting her legs fall over the side. The breeze kicked up small whitecaps on the water, which sparkled under the strong Lantian sun.
“It’s a beautiful day,” Elizabeth commented.
“Yup,” John winced, giving a slight cough.
“Are you okay?” Elizabeth asked anxiously. “Maybe we should get you back to your room…or the infirmary.”
“I’m fine.” John shook his head. He turned and caught her eyes. “Honestly, that’s the truth. Carson said it would take some time for all the aches and pains to go away.” He turned his gaze back to the water.
“Okay.” Elizabeth bit her lip, surreptitiously sneaking a glance at him. To her, he still looked slightly pale; the spark hadn’t yet fully returned to his eyes, and his movements remained slow and labored, a far cry from his usual graceful athleticism.
“You know, there’s a beach on the other side of the mainland with some real nice breakers. We should go sometime. I can teach you how to surf.” John cocked his head and grinned at Elizabeth.
“Me, on a surfboard?” Elizabeth shook her head, grinning back. “I don’t think so.”
“Oh come on, it’d be fun!” John cajoled.
“No way,” Elizabeth vigorously shook her head.
John suddenly laughed. “You’re scared of the water, aren’t you?”
“I’m scared of drowning,” Elizabeth corrected him.
“I’d never let you drown,” John said, his voice wounded. John stared at the water for a moment. “I’d never let anything happen to you, if I could do anything to stop it,” he said softly.
“I know,” Elizabeth’s hand itched to cover John’s, but she willed it to remain by her side. “I haven’t thanked you yet.”
“For what?” John said gruffly.
“For saving my life,” Elizabeth said quietly. “When the cave started to collapse you shielded me with your body, kept pushing me out of the way. I’d be dead right now if it wasn’t for you.”
“Then we’re even.” John took a long measured breath and then turned to glance at Elizabeth. “You kept me alive down there. I didn’t think I was going to make it.”
“I know,” Elizabeth’s voice was shaky.
“But you wouldn’t let go.” John’s fingers twitched against the hard surface of the pier. His hand inched slightly closer to Elizabeth’s, stopping just short of touching her.
“Do you remember much,” Elizabeth asked hesitantly, “about when we were down there?”
John gazed back out over the water. Sparkles of sunlight danced across the silvery surface of the water. John winced against the brightness. He could lie. No one would question that he couldn’t remember the details of his time trapped in that awful darkness; that he would remember that the sound of Elizabeth’s voice was the only thing that kept him from slipping away but not the substance of their conversation. He inhaled slowly and let the breath out.
“You know what? Never mind,” Elizabeth hurriedly retracted her question.
“I remember you pulled me out from under all that debris,” John said quietly. “I remember it was cold and dark and every breath was like a fire in my chest. I remember you held me to make it easier for me to breathe.” He paused. He closed his eyes and then he opened them again and looked at Elizabeth. “I remember telling you about my sister.”
“You loved her very much,” Elizabeth said sadly.
“I did,” John smiled. “I loved being her big brother. I always complained about it, but secretly I liked it that she came to me with her problems instead of David or Dad.” He sighed. “And when she needed me the most, I didn’t even know she was in trouble.”
“You couldn’t have known,” Elizabeth reminded him softly.
“I know,” John nodded. “Not long after Cora’s funeral, my father stripped Cora’s bedroom. He threw everything away. My mother didn’t come out of her room for three days after that. I was so angry, I didn’t talk to him for a month. But after that, we just stopped talking about her. And I’m just as guilty. It felt like forgetting about her was easier than missing her.”
“You didn’t forget her,” Elizabeth said firmly. “We carry the people we’ve lost in our hearts, forever, no matter what. She’s still a part of you. And you know what? The men you lead look up to you like she looked up to you. She taught you how to live up to that.”
“I guess I hadn’t thought of it that way,” John murmured.
“Can I say something John?” Elizabeth asked cautiously.
“Sure.” He glanced at her curiously.
“I think your father must have been so angry. Cora was your sister, but he was her father. Ultimately it was his job to protect his little girl. I would imagine he didn’t know what to do with that all that pain and anger, so he took it out on everything that reminded him of that failure: her things.” Elizabeth’s heart ached for John’s family, for the wreckage that had been left behind in the wake of Cora’s murder.
“Maybe,” John said grudgingly. “He hasn’t had much to say to me since I turned my back on his big plans for me and joined the Air Force instead.”
Elizabeth sighed, wondering if John’s father was more upset that John had chosen a career that would make every ring of his doorbell the possibility that someone was coming to tell him another child was dead. Looking at the stubborn look on John’s face, she knew it was too early to broach the subject. That was a conversation that would have to wait for another day.
“Colonel Sheppard.” Carson’s irritated voice sounded through the earpiece in John’s ear.
“Carson.” John answered, hoping the doctor was still at the infirmary and unaware that he had sneaked out of his room.
“Guess where I am, and guess where you’re not?”
John winced. Elizabeth couldn’t help a giggle. John had the distinct look of a boy who’d just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. She tapped her own earpiece. “Carson, why don’t you join me and Colonel Sheppard for dinner? Then we can walk John back to his quarters together.”
“Well…I suppose the Colonel’s check up can wait until after dinner. But Colonel, you really shouldn’t be out and about yet, lad. I thought I’d made that perfectly clear when I released you from the infirmary.”
“You did, you made yourself perfectly clear,” John grimaced. “And I promise to be a good little patient from now on.”
Carson’s hrmph of disbelief was clearly audible on the radio.
“Excellent!” Elizabeth smiled. She pulled herself up. “We’ll see you in a few, Carson.” She held her hand out to John. He slid his fingers through hers, allowing her to help him to his feet.
“Thanks Elizabeth,” he said, dropping her hand when he’d steadied himself on his feet.
“Anytime.” she smiled warmly.
The sun began to descend towards the horizon as John and Elizabeth set off at a slow walk back towards the looming towers of Atlantis.
Fin.