The Return Tag
Title: Home Sweet Home?
Rating: PG
Author: seramercury
Characters: John, Elizabeth
Notes: Could be considered AU
It had been nearly three weeks since the expedition team had returned to Earth and no one was feeling more lost than John Sheppard. On the outside he was his normal self, but he missed his connection with Atlantis deeply.
John couldn't explain what it first felt like to enter the city and feel the overwhelming warmth envelope you, welcoming you home.
Home.
It'd been long time since he had place to truly call home. The place where he grew up was home up until the day his Mother died and even though he lived there through the rest of high school, it never felt the same again.
With Atlantis it was as if he were whole and now that piece of him had been ripped away, by the Ancients, of all people.
His mind wondered as he walked out to his requisitioned car and sat in the driver's seat. John thought what his Father and brother would say if he appeared on their doorstep. He shook his head. Somehow facing a Wraith queen seemed less scary!
And that's what made the entire situation sad, wasn't it? The only blood family he had left wanted nothing to do with him. He was so jealous when everyone, despite leaving Atlantis, began talking about seeing their loved ones and being with their families for holidays.
Not only did he not have those things, but he also had to endure life without Ronon and Teyla. Two people who had come to trust with his life. Two people who were always there for him in one way or another. Would he ever see them again?
John had just pulled out of the parking lot when his cell phone rang. "Sheppard."
"Hello, Stranger."
"Elizabeth," he replied. "I was wondering if you were ever going to return my calls."
"I've been busy."
"Right and I've been going off world with the best team anyone could ever imagine. I've known you far too long to believe that."
Elizabeth sighed. "I suppose. Um, are you busy right now?"
"I was just going for a drive to clear my head. Maybe do a little skateboarding. Why, what's up?"
"Sounds dangerous," she said with a chuckle. "Remember the last time you went skateboarding?"
John grinned as he pulled up to a red light. "That was not my fault! I mean, how was I supposed to know Kavanagh was running simulations on that balcony. Besides, it's not like he was seriously injured!"
"No, you nearly broke his arm!"
"Ok, enough picking on John day. So are you going to join me or what?"
"I don't know about that. I've, um, got paperwork to finish on the..."
"It doesn't matter because I'm parked in front of your apartment right now so either you come down or I will have to forcibly remove you from the premises."
Five minutes later Elizabeth was heading towards him, shaking her head. "You are incorrigible, John Sheppard."
"That's what my Mom used to say," John replied as he opened the door for her.
"She and I would have gotten along great, I'm sure. I can only imagine hearing stories about you when you were little."
John walked around the driver's side and was seated before he answered. "Those are highly classified secrets, Dr. Weir."
*********
Elizabeth had to admit that she never understood the appeal of skateboarding until she watched John. He seemed to do it with ease. Although it seemed that everything came naturally to John except sharing his feelings.
She had no doubts that he was feeling as lost as she was. He said it himself, she'd peak. Hell, everyone on that expedition team did. How did one go from living in the most amazing city to ever be created back to one that, although she loved, would never compare?
Elizabeth was pulled from her thoughts by a loud 'oof' sound. She stood up, intending on helping John up off the ground and teasing him when someone grabbed her arm and squeezed it tightly. "What the hell are you doing?" she asked, trying to get free from the man's grasp.
He merely grinned at her and pulled her away from John, who was still lying still on the ground. Before Elizabeth could say anything else, two other men appeared and pulled John to his feet. She saw one pull something from his neck.
"Relax, Dr. Weir, he'll be fine. It's just a light sedative."
"Who are you?"
"No one for you to concern yourself with," he replied, tossing her in the back of an unmarked van. A few moments later, John was deposited next to her. "Don't try anything stupid or we'll kill Colonel Sheppard."
Elizabeth nodded nervously and cringed when they slammed the door shut. She immediately went to John's side, attempting to wake him. "John," she said.
John moaned, eyes opening half way. "Elizabeth, you ok?"
"You were just shot with a drugged dart and you're asking if I'm ok?"
"Old habits die hard, huh?"
"Well you need to stop the habit of getting kidnapped, John."
He nodded slowly as the sedative began to take a hold of him again. "Sorry," he said. "I can't protect you when I'm... I'm..."
"It's all right, John," Elizabeth replied, placing a hand on his. "Just relax. We'll both be fine."
About ten minutes later, the car came to a screeching halt and it was another five minutes before someone opened the back door. One of the men grabbed Elizabeth and pulled her. She watched in horror as the yanked John by the arm and practically dragged him out of the van.
"Be careful!" she cried.
"You are in no position to make demands, Dr. Weir," the leader said, but then turned to glare at the men who were getting John. "She's right, though, you idiots. He's no good to me unconscious or dead."
"Who are you?"
The leader smiled. "You'll learn in time, Doctor."
*******
John woke up an hour later, tied to a chair. He glanced to his right to see Elizabeth in the a similar position only her head was resting on her chest. Fighting the nausea from the drug he was given, he took a deep breath and called her name.
Elizabeth blinked as she lifted her head. "John, are you all right?"
"Yeah except for the fact that I'm tied to a chair. Do you have any idea what's going on around here?"
She shook her head. "Not yet. The leader of the group said I would learn in time but it's been nearly an hour. I was more worried about you because they said you wouldn't be out so long."
"Don't worry about me, Elizabeth," replied. "I'm good."
Elizabeth wasn't so certain because John's face had gone from green to ashen within a matter of minutes. She was about to call him on it when the door open and the Leader entered the room, grinning.
"John Sheppard," he said. "It's good to see you awake."
John glared at the man. "You'll have to forgive me for not getting up to greet you properly but I seemed to be tied to a chair. What the hell do you want, Grant?"
Elizabeth watched as a range of emotions passed over John's face as Cole moved closer to him. "I see you remember me, John. Of course you do, after all we did everything together, but that's not going to get you out of this."
"Out of what?" John asked, although he had a sinking feeling he knew.
"You're going to suffer just like she did, Sheppard," Cole growled as he swung his arm back and slammed his fist into John's stomach. Cole then left the two of them alone.
John doubled over, straining to catch his breath. "John!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "John!"
"Yeah," he gasped out. "I'm good."
"How can you be? That man just punched and threatened you." John finally looked up at her after he caught his breath and Elizabeth was surprised to see raw pain in his eyes. "John?"
"He blames me for his sister's death."
Elizabeth nodded. "What happened?"
"Grant and I were best friends in high school even though he was a year younger than me. His sister, Hannah, was a senior like me. I was kind of a loner so I didn't really date much. I secretly had a crush on Hannah so I invited her to prom."
John took a deep breath and continued. "I was bringing her back home afterwards and there was an accident. The light was green so I went but I didn't notice the car flying towards us until it was too late. The car slammed into the passenger side. Hannah didn't make it."
"Oh God," Elizabeth said. "John."
"It took me a long time to get over it," he told her. "But Grant was insisting I was drunk and my Dad used his influence to get me off. I didn't have a drop of alcohol that night and there was an eyewitness to the accident."
Elizabeth was a bit stunned at how John just completely poured out his feelings to her. He must be feeling extremely vulnerable right now, she thought to herself. John was looking at the floor now. "You can't blame yourself, John. What happened was not your fault!"
John didn't reply. If Elizabeth didn't know any better, it looked like he was giving up. She worked at the ropes binding her suddenly shouted at her friend. "JOHN!"
"Elizabeth?" he asked her in confusion. John looked around the room, realizing where he was. "I did it, didn't I?"
"What do you mean?"
"I let him get the best of me. I let him see me vulnerable. That is not going to happen again!"
John knew he was running on pure adrenalin. He knew the minute he was able to get Elizabeth to safety, he was going to fall over. After five minutes, he was able to loosen the ropes and grinned when they dropped to the floor.
John stood up, ignoring the dizziness he felt immediately, and ran to Elizabeth to help with her binds. "Looks like you didn't really need me," he said with a grin. "You almost had it."
"John," she said, eying him curiously and standing. "Are you all right?"
"Lets just get out of here and then you can worry about me," he replied.
Elizabeth knew John was right, they had to get away from these people before they could worry about their physical condition. She watched as he opend the door cautiously, surprised to find it unlocked. John reached out for her hand and she grabbed it.
Soon they were making their way through the building. Elizabeth saw the exit ten feet away, but she knew it was too good to be true, and she was right. Suddenly someone yanked Elizabeth away from John and the force propelled him to the floor.
"John!"
He lay panting and any adrenaline he had was quickly ebbing away. "It was a nice attempt, John," Grant said, motioning for the Big Man to bring Elizabeth closer.
John attempted to sit up, but Grant slammed his foot down on his chest. Stars danced in John's vision as his head hit the floor. Once he regained his senses, Grant was pointing a gun at Elizabeth. "Leave her out of this," he said. "She has nothing to do with this!"
"Oh no, John, she is every much a part of this as Hannah was."
Grant nodded to the Big Man, who pulled John to his feet. The room tilted for a moment but John was able to fight it.
"Now, say goodbye to your dear Elizabeth."
However, his dear Elizabeth was prepared and was disarming Grant, knocking the man out cold in the process. Big Man was just as shocked as John but also knew he wasn't a match for an angry woman with a weapon so he ran away.
"Nice job," he said with a grin.
The grin faltered, though, as his knees gave out. Elizabeth caught him in time. "Whoa, John. We'd better get out of here and call the police. And we need to get you to a doctor."
"Lets go then, Wonder Woman."
******
Two days later John was back at the SGC getting ready for another off-world mission. He thought back to the kidnapping. Everyday John felt responsible for what happened to Hannah despite everyone convincing him otherwise. He understood Grant's pain although not the way he dealt with it.
As he sat down and laced his boots, John thought back to that fateful night so many years ago. What if he had just stayed home? What if he had taken different road?
He sighed remember what Elizabeth said to him the minute they police had Grant in custody. "'You can't live your life by 'what if', John. You have to believe in yourself to make the right decision but if that decision doesn't turn out to be the right one, you can't blame yourself.'"
John nodded, standing up. Elizabeth was right life was too short for complaints or blames. Besides they were talking about writing up a petition to set up an off-world base in the Pegasus Galaxy. Hopefully the powers that be would allow it and John would truly be home again.
Rating: PG
Author: seramercury
Characters: John, Elizabeth
Notes: Could be considered AU
It had been nearly three weeks since the expedition team had returned to Earth and no one was feeling more lost than John Sheppard. On the outside he was his normal self, but he missed his connection with Atlantis deeply.
John couldn't explain what it first felt like to enter the city and feel the overwhelming warmth envelope you, welcoming you home.
Home.
It'd been long time since he had place to truly call home. The place where he grew up was home up until the day his Mother died and even though he lived there through the rest of high school, it never felt the same again.
With Atlantis it was as if he were whole and now that piece of him had been ripped away, by the Ancients, of all people.
His mind wondered as he walked out to his requisitioned car and sat in the driver's seat. John thought what his Father and brother would say if he appeared on their doorstep. He shook his head. Somehow facing a Wraith queen seemed less scary!
And that's what made the entire situation sad, wasn't it? The only blood family he had left wanted nothing to do with him. He was so jealous when everyone, despite leaving Atlantis, began talking about seeing their loved ones and being with their families for holidays.
Not only did he not have those things, but he also had to endure life without Ronon and Teyla. Two people who had come to trust with his life. Two people who were always there for him in one way or another. Would he ever see them again?
John had just pulled out of the parking lot when his cell phone rang. "Sheppard."
"Hello, Stranger."
"Elizabeth," he replied. "I was wondering if you were ever going to return my calls."
"I've been busy."
"Right and I've been going off world with the best team anyone could ever imagine. I've known you far too long to believe that."
Elizabeth sighed. "I suppose. Um, are you busy right now?"
"I was just going for a drive to clear my head. Maybe do a little skateboarding. Why, what's up?"
"Sounds dangerous," she said with a chuckle. "Remember the last time you went skateboarding?"
John grinned as he pulled up to a red light. "That was not my fault! I mean, how was I supposed to know Kavanagh was running simulations on that balcony. Besides, it's not like he was seriously injured!"
"No, you nearly broke his arm!"
"Ok, enough picking on John day. So are you going to join me or what?"
"I don't know about that. I've, um, got paperwork to finish on the..."
"It doesn't matter because I'm parked in front of your apartment right now so either you come down or I will have to forcibly remove you from the premises."
Five minutes later Elizabeth was heading towards him, shaking her head. "You are incorrigible, John Sheppard."
"That's what my Mom used to say," John replied as he opened the door for her.
"She and I would have gotten along great, I'm sure. I can only imagine hearing stories about you when you were little."
John walked around the driver's side and was seated before he answered. "Those are highly classified secrets, Dr. Weir."
*********
Elizabeth had to admit that she never understood the appeal of skateboarding until she watched John. He seemed to do it with ease. Although it seemed that everything came naturally to John except sharing his feelings.
She had no doubts that he was feeling as lost as she was. He said it himself, she'd peak. Hell, everyone on that expedition team did. How did one go from living in the most amazing city to ever be created back to one that, although she loved, would never compare?
Elizabeth was pulled from her thoughts by a loud 'oof' sound. She stood up, intending on helping John up off the ground and teasing him when someone grabbed her arm and squeezed it tightly. "What the hell are you doing?" she asked, trying to get free from the man's grasp.
He merely grinned at her and pulled her away from John, who was still lying still on the ground. Before Elizabeth could say anything else, two other men appeared and pulled John to his feet. She saw one pull something from his neck.
"Relax, Dr. Weir, he'll be fine. It's just a light sedative."
"Who are you?"
"No one for you to concern yourself with," he replied, tossing her in the back of an unmarked van. A few moments later, John was deposited next to her. "Don't try anything stupid or we'll kill Colonel Sheppard."
Elizabeth nodded nervously and cringed when they slammed the door shut. She immediately went to John's side, attempting to wake him. "John," she said.
John moaned, eyes opening half way. "Elizabeth, you ok?"
"You were just shot with a drugged dart and you're asking if I'm ok?"
"Old habits die hard, huh?"
"Well you need to stop the habit of getting kidnapped, John."
He nodded slowly as the sedative began to take a hold of him again. "Sorry," he said. "I can't protect you when I'm... I'm..."
"It's all right, John," Elizabeth replied, placing a hand on his. "Just relax. We'll both be fine."
About ten minutes later, the car came to a screeching halt and it was another five minutes before someone opened the back door. One of the men grabbed Elizabeth and pulled her. She watched in horror as the yanked John by the arm and practically dragged him out of the van.
"Be careful!" she cried.
"You are in no position to make demands, Dr. Weir," the leader said, but then turned to glare at the men who were getting John. "She's right, though, you idiots. He's no good to me unconscious or dead."
"Who are you?"
The leader smiled. "You'll learn in time, Doctor."
*******
John woke up an hour later, tied to a chair. He glanced to his right to see Elizabeth in the a similar position only her head was resting on her chest. Fighting the nausea from the drug he was given, he took a deep breath and called her name.
Elizabeth blinked as she lifted her head. "John, are you all right?"
"Yeah except for the fact that I'm tied to a chair. Do you have any idea what's going on around here?"
She shook her head. "Not yet. The leader of the group said I would learn in time but it's been nearly an hour. I was more worried about you because they said you wouldn't be out so long."
"Don't worry about me, Elizabeth," replied. "I'm good."
Elizabeth wasn't so certain because John's face had gone from green to ashen within a matter of minutes. She was about to call him on it when the door open and the Leader entered the room, grinning.
"John Sheppard," he said. "It's good to see you awake."
John glared at the man. "You'll have to forgive me for not getting up to greet you properly but I seemed to be tied to a chair. What the hell do you want, Grant?"
Elizabeth watched as a range of emotions passed over John's face as Cole moved closer to him. "I see you remember me, John. Of course you do, after all we did everything together, but that's not going to get you out of this."
"Out of what?" John asked, although he had a sinking feeling he knew.
"You're going to suffer just like she did, Sheppard," Cole growled as he swung his arm back and slammed his fist into John's stomach. Cole then left the two of them alone.
John doubled over, straining to catch his breath. "John!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "John!"
"Yeah," he gasped out. "I'm good."
"How can you be? That man just punched and threatened you." John finally looked up at her after he caught his breath and Elizabeth was surprised to see raw pain in his eyes. "John?"
"He blames me for his sister's death."
Elizabeth nodded. "What happened?"
"Grant and I were best friends in high school even though he was a year younger than me. His sister, Hannah, was a senior like me. I was kind of a loner so I didn't really date much. I secretly had a crush on Hannah so I invited her to prom."
John took a deep breath and continued. "I was bringing her back home afterwards and there was an accident. The light was green so I went but I didn't notice the car flying towards us until it was too late. The car slammed into the passenger side. Hannah didn't make it."
"Oh God," Elizabeth said. "John."
"It took me a long time to get over it," he told her. "But Grant was insisting I was drunk and my Dad used his influence to get me off. I didn't have a drop of alcohol that night and there was an eyewitness to the accident."
Elizabeth was a bit stunned at how John just completely poured out his feelings to her. He must be feeling extremely vulnerable right now, she thought to herself. John was looking at the floor now. "You can't blame yourself, John. What happened was not your fault!"
John didn't reply. If Elizabeth didn't know any better, it looked like he was giving up. She worked at the ropes binding her suddenly shouted at her friend. "JOHN!"
"Elizabeth?" he asked her in confusion. John looked around the room, realizing where he was. "I did it, didn't I?"
"What do you mean?"
"I let him get the best of me. I let him see me vulnerable. That is not going to happen again!"
John knew he was running on pure adrenalin. He knew the minute he was able to get Elizabeth to safety, he was going to fall over. After five minutes, he was able to loosen the ropes and grinned when they dropped to the floor.
John stood up, ignoring the dizziness he felt immediately, and ran to Elizabeth to help with her binds. "Looks like you didn't really need me," he said with a grin. "You almost had it."
"John," she said, eying him curiously and standing. "Are you all right?"
"Lets just get out of here and then you can worry about me," he replied.
Elizabeth knew John was right, they had to get away from these people before they could worry about their physical condition. She watched as he opend the door cautiously, surprised to find it unlocked. John reached out for her hand and she grabbed it.
Soon they were making their way through the building. Elizabeth saw the exit ten feet away, but she knew it was too good to be true, and she was right. Suddenly someone yanked Elizabeth away from John and the force propelled him to the floor.
"John!"
He lay panting and any adrenaline he had was quickly ebbing away. "It was a nice attempt, John," Grant said, motioning for the Big Man to bring Elizabeth closer.
John attempted to sit up, but Grant slammed his foot down on his chest. Stars danced in John's vision as his head hit the floor. Once he regained his senses, Grant was pointing a gun at Elizabeth. "Leave her out of this," he said. "She has nothing to do with this!"
"Oh no, John, she is every much a part of this as Hannah was."
Grant nodded to the Big Man, who pulled John to his feet. The room tilted for a moment but John was able to fight it.
"Now, say goodbye to your dear Elizabeth."
However, his dear Elizabeth was prepared and was disarming Grant, knocking the man out cold in the process. Big Man was just as shocked as John but also knew he wasn't a match for an angry woman with a weapon so he ran away.
"Nice job," he said with a grin.
The grin faltered, though, as his knees gave out. Elizabeth caught him in time. "Whoa, John. We'd better get out of here and call the police. And we need to get you to a doctor."
"Lets go then, Wonder Woman."
******
Two days later John was back at the SGC getting ready for another off-world mission. He thought back to the kidnapping. Everyday John felt responsible for what happened to Hannah despite everyone convincing him otherwise. He understood Grant's pain although not the way he dealt with it.
As he sat down and laced his boots, John thought back to that fateful night so many years ago. What if he had just stayed home? What if he had taken different road?
He sighed remember what Elizabeth said to him the minute they police had Grant in custody. "'You can't live your life by 'what if', John. You have to believe in yourself to make the right decision but if that decision doesn't turn out to be the right one, you can't blame yourself.'"
John nodded, standing up. Elizabeth was right life was too short for complaints or blames. Besides they were talking about writing up a petition to set up an off-world base in the Pegasus Galaxy. Hopefully the powers that be would allow it and John would truly be home again.