The Space Between - Sheppard
The Space Between
Chapter 2/3
Season(s): Ten and Three
Gen, Crossover, Carter/Sheppard Friendship
Spoilers: Everything up to "Line in the Sand"
Summary: Sam and John talk about the Stargate Program, the IOA and the one definite thing they have in common.
This is Chapter 2 of 3 of my drabble(sque) series, "The Space Between."
Chapter 1 can be found here. :)
A/N: The Atlantis crew was Earthbound in “The Return, Part I” and “The Return, Part II” for roughly six weeks. Assuming both series run along a similar timeline, I figured that SG-1 probably came back from their mission in “The Quest, Part I and II” some time before that happened.
This tag takes place three weeks after the events from “Line in the Sand”, and a few days before Sam got transported to a parallel universe in "The Road Not Taken" and the crew from Atlantis hijacked a puddle jumper and headed for the Pegasus Galaxy to save Jack and Woolsey. In my world, the order of events was “The Road Not Taken/Return, Part II” and “The Shroud”. But I could be horribly wrong. It's also my way of explaining why SG-1 didn't go to save Jack: Sam and Daniel were missing. :P
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“Has there been any news from that contact on PZY-7804?” General Hank Landry asked the group of SG-team COs before him. The regular meeting had run long - approximately 30 minutes too long - and he was ready to call it an evening.
“No, sir,” Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell spoke from the back. He’d been standing the whole time with his hands in his pockets, and though he’d contributed a bit to the meeting, he’d been distant. As Hank looked around and locked eyes with a weary Colonel Carter, he realized that Mitchell wasn’t the only one who was burning the candle at both ends. He’d have to have a chat with the two of them ASAP.
“It appears Grorhem disappeared out of thin air, sir,” Colonel Reynolds explained. “SG-1 and my team searched the entire countryside with the help of the Lyomenians and we came up empty.”
Hank sighed. “Is it possible that he was located by the Ori?”
“No one can be sure, sir,” Colonel Carter answered. “He wasn’t exactly the most forthcoming contact. It’s possible that he simply got spooked and found residence with one of the Lyomenians’ allies.”
“I see.” Hank nodded. “Well, if that’s still a possibility, I want all teams to keep an eye out for him. Let him know that we haven’t forgotten about our deal, and that we intend to make him keep up his end of the bargain.” He looked around the group of 25 COs and nodded resolutely. A third colonel caught his eye and Hank inwardly groaned. “Alright, if no one else has anything else to add - and I trust you don’t… Dismissed.”
Everyone stood up alongside General Landry and moved to go, but Hank was fast and was able to make eye contact with the three colonels before they could leave, motioning for them to stay put in the process. “Before you go,” he said discreetly, “I need to speak with the three of you.”
Cameron shot a cautious look at Sam, but she already had an idea where this conversation would be going. When she glanced to her left however, she was surprised to see that Lt. Colonel John Sheppard had been ordered to stay as well. She hadn’t gotten a chance to talk to him more than a few times since he and the Atlantis crew had been decommissioned a few weeks prior, but it’d been fairly obvious that he wasn’t exactly happy here.
“What is it, sir?” Cameron asked as he sat down on Sam’s right.
Hank didn’t answer right away, opting to stand across the table so that he could face the junior colonels head-on.
They were all quite similar, he decided. Though they each approached a given situation differently, Hank could easily see why these three would be his problem children. “Your teams are being put on stand-down for the next week.”
Sam frowned, but said nothing. John simply shifted in his chair and folded his arms. Cameron sat forward and placed his hands on the table, ready to argue. “Sir, I understand we’ve been bugging you lately, but don’t you think we should be out there looking for Dr. Jackson? We’ve come close a couple of times to actually locating Adria’s men.”
“Yes, you have,” Hank agreed. “But, at the moment, this isn’t about Dr. Jackson. I’ve got 10 teams whose sole purpose while off-world is to gain intel on his potential whereabouts. You are not the only team working to find him.” He paused. “But your team - and yours, Colonel Sheppard - could use a break from off-world travel. And I intend to give it to you.”
Sam maintained neutrality as she sat back in her chair and said, “Can I ask why, sir?”
“You’re working too hard, Colonel,” Hank answered quickly. “All three of you are.”
John took this moment to lean forward so that he was even with Cameron. “With all due respect, sir,” he began with mild trepidation, “my team hasn’t really been doing all that much around here.”
“And that hasn’t stopped you from getting all the information you can about the proceedings between the IOA and the Ancients on Atlantis,” Hank shot back. John swallowed, unsure how to respond to that. “I’m well aware of your dedication to the Stargate Program, Colonel Sheppard, but your heart isn’t here… Perhaps it never was. Nevertheless, I’m ordering your teams on stand-down for a week. It’ll give you all a chance to gain a bit of perspective.”
“Permission to speak freely, sir?” Sam requested as she leaned forward so that she was even with the guys on either side of her.
“Granted,” Hank obliged.
Sam quickly glanced from one side to the other, catching a hint of anger from Cameron and chagrined annoyance from John, before continuing, “It seems to me, sir, that the IOA has taken a greater stake in our most recent issues with the Ori and the Ancients. It’s out of control. It was a mistake to send Richard Woolsey to Atlantis instead of Elizabeth Weir. Dr. McKay is sitting in some lab at Area 51 with technology that has long since been forgotten, instead of focusing on the technology we were able to obtain from Atlantis. Daniel’s missing, and we have no idea where he is. And now you want to ground our teams for a week so we can gain perspective…”
Sam paused before forging on. “I’m sorry, sir, but it seems to me like the most experienced people for the jobs at hand are already being ignored. How is putting us on stand-down going to help the situation?”
Hank bristled at her connecting him to the IOA, as if they were working in concert. He knew that Carter was aware of his distaste for the IOA, so he also knew it wasn’t intentional. Still, the remark annoyed him just the same.
“You have a job, Colonel, beyond that of a commanding officer,” he reminded her. “Contrary to popular belief, your team is not the only one with specialized, experienced members. You also serve a purpose in the labs.” Sam leaned back ever so slightly as if to avoid the sting of his tone.
“So, whether you’re in the field or on this base,” he continued, “you will be doing something to aid in our fight against the Ori. Besides, you’ve been looking for the opportunity to test Merlin’s device again. Here’s your chance.”
John took this opportunity to speak: “Sir, I know Colonel Mitchell and I don’t exactly serve a dual purpose like Colonel Carter here, but I have to agree: Why now?”
“Exactly,” Cameron ground out. “Why now, when both Atlantis and Earth are at stake, not only from the Ancients and the Ori, but also from the IOA?”
“I’ve made my decision, Colonels,” Hank said succinctly. “You don’t have to understand the whys. You don’t have to like it. The three of you have mission reports to catch up on, and I don’t want to see any of you anywhere near the Gate Room until further notice. Understood?”
“Yes, sir,” John responded.
“Yes, sir.” Sam and Cameron nodded in unison.
“Good.” Hank’s frown deepened. “Dismissed.”
Sam waited for the guys to stand up and move before she gathered her files and headed for the door behind them. Having served with Cameron for almost two years, she could tell when he was at his breaking point, so decided to leave him be. Glancing back at General Landry, she could see that he was at his as well.
John Sheppard, on the other hand, was a bit of a mystery. She’d heard about him, of course, heard the stories… And of course she’d worked with him briefly when SG-1 went to the Pegasus Galaxy. But she’d never gotten an opportunity to simply talk to him, gain any insight into his character.
Sam split from the guys, heading instead for the elevator that would take her to the commissary. She was just about to hit the button when she heard footsteps approach. After a moment, the door opened and she stepped through. As she turned around, she could see that John was right behind her. Sam smiled, unconsciously hoping to ease the look of tension on both of their faces.
He smiled in return and shrugged wistfully. “I get so turned around here. Commissary floor?”
“That’s exactly where I’m headed,” Sam said as she indicated the corresponding button.
“Great. I’m starving,” John stated needlessly by way of explanation.
“That’s a good reason to go to the commissary,” Sam replied with a smirk.
John nodded once and glanced up at the top of the elevator lights, his thoughts elsewhere. Then, as if the idea suddenly struck him, he turned to Sam. “You mentioned McKay back there. You talked to him lately?”
The door opened on their floor with a ding and Sam stepped through. Smiling lightly at the memory, she nodded and paused a moment, allowing John to catch up. “I have. He was here just a week or so ago, actually.”
“Really?” John frowned. “I didn’t know that. I’m surprised he didn’t come see me.”
“Oh, he tried,” Sam explained. “You were on PZY-8309 with SG-7.”
“Ah, that’s right.” John shook his head regretfully. “Not a good planet.”
Sam chuckled. “I heard it’s a bit chilly.”
“That,” John paused for emphasis, “would be an understatement. I don’t know how the people survive.”
“Well, Rodney was very disappointed.”
John rolled his eyes. “Oh, no.”
“Oh, yes,” Sam confirmed as they entered the commissary. “He all but accused you of being absent on purpose.”
John groaned. “Rodney… I tell you, that guy is a lot needier than he looks.”
Sam nodded, reflecting on that piece of information. “Yeah, he does seem to be a bit clingier than I remember him.”
Hopping in line, John tried to think of the many reasons why Rodney would come to the Springs, despite the fact that General Landry had pretty much ordered him to stay away from Cheyenne Mountain unless his services were required. No good reason came to mind, so he settled for simply asking the question instead: “So, why was he here in the first place?”
“It turns out he’s been stonewalled on a couple of projects lately,” Sam responded as she passed him a tray and some utensils. “He came here to see if I knew anything about it.”
“Oh.” John winced. “Sorry.”
“It’s OK.” Sam waved it off as she grabbed a salad and a diet cola. “I don’t blame him for being frustrated.”
“Does he have any chance of gaining access to the Ancient technology?” John inquired.
“Short of an intergalactic incident that could suddenly incapacitate the Ancients again…” Sam began with a shrug, “… that would, of course, bring Atlantis back under our control, I can’t really think of anything.”
“Yeah, like that’ll happen,” John grumbled.
“Exactly,” Sam agreed with a sympathetic nod. “Sorry. It looks like you’re stuck here.”
John glanced back to gauge her response and sighed. “I don’t want you to think that I’m not happy here - ”
“You aren’t,” Sam stated flatly. Then, “And I’m not sure I blame you.”
“Yeah, well thanks.” John sighed again. “General Landry, on the other hand…”
“General Landry’s under a lot of pressure,” Sam rejoined with a sigh of her own as they took their food to a nearby table. “It hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing since you guys came back. He is fighting for you guys, even if it doesn’t look like it.”
John nodded in understanding, but remained silent as they sat across from each other. Once again Sam could see that his thoughts were elsewhere. She remembered McKay mentioning members of their team who they’d left behind, and noted their names from past reports - Ronon and Teyla. She hadn’t met them personally, but McKay seemed pretty fond of them, despite his claims to the contrary.
If he had his way, the whole world would believe that he didn’t care for a soul.
Sam grimaced down at her salad. She supposed it might be easier to live with relative - even fake - detachment. At least then maybe the disappointment wouldn’t feel so intense.
Maybe.
“I do miss him,” John muttered into his juice. “McKay, I mean.”
Sam smiled appreciatively. “I know.”
“And I miss Teyla and Ronon, too,” John added contemplatively. “They’re members of my team - my old team.”
“I know,” Sam whispered. “From what McKay said, they sound like good people.”
“Great people,” John emphasized. “And I haven’t seen Elizabeth in weeks.” He looked up at Sam then and frowned. “I think this might’ve hit her the hardest.”
“I heard her tell General Landry that Atlantis is her home,” Sam acknowledged. “I’d imagine it’d be very difficult to give it up that easily. She made the Atlantis Expedition her whole life. You all did.”
“Yeah, it is home,” John murmured. When he looked up again, however, his eyes were steely with determination. “But we can get through this. It’ll just take some… adjusting.”
Sam admired his resolve. “I think you guys are doing the best you can.”
John opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by the blaring klaxons and Walter’s usual, “Unscheduled Off-World Activation,” which was followed by a semi-usual, “Colonel Carter to the Control Room.” Instinctively, Sam stood, forgetting General Landry’s earlier decree. She was just about to say goodbye when Walter seemed to interrupt his own thoughts, “Colonel Carter to the - Cancel that. Dr. Lee to the Control Room. Dr. Lee to the Control Room.”
“Damn,” Sam muttered with a rueful grin.
John chuckled. “It looks like General Landry got to him first.”
Plopping back down at the table, Sam rolled her eyes with a huff. “Yep.”
She supposed she could start working on Merlin’s device again, though the memories of the last time were still quite vivid. She’d somewhat been avoiding the task for a couple of weeks now.
Suddenly, something - or someone - at the doorway caught John’s eye, and Sam watched in mild amusement as he frantically waved the person over. Sam peeked back at the newcomer and grinned. “Well, at least you have Dr. Beckett.”
John nodded, his eyes wide and his whole demeanor reminding Sam of a little kid. “I know, huh? Carson!”
Dr. Carson Beckett approached the table, a peaceful and disarming smile that Sam had grown to appreciate graced his features. “Well, hello John. Colonel Carter.”
“Dr. Beckett,” Sam greeted with a welcoming smile. “How are you?”
“Fine, thank you. And you?”
“I’m doing well, thanks.”
“Carson!” John exclaimed. “Nice of you to join us.”
Carson’s eyebrows furrowed as he took in John’s exuberant attitude. He looked back at Sam. “Did I miss something?”
“No,” Sam replied. “I think he’s just happy to see you.”
Carson sat down. “Oh, that’ll be a first, then.”
“Nonsense, Carson,” John countered. “It’s always great to see you. Honest.”
Carson smirked. “I seem to remember just the opposite sentiment last time you were in my office.”
“Oh, that’s different,” John shot back. “I meant in an unofficial capacity. You know, without the needles and the tests and stuff.”
Sam watched the two friends banter back and forth a little more. It reminded her of the days when Jack was still on the team, and when Daniel still seemed so blissfully unaware of the ways of the military world. Their petty arguments could either irritate or lull her to sleep, depending on the occasion, and she hadn’t realized how much she appreciated it until it was gone.
Atlantis’ crew really was unique, she decided. They were truly a tight-knit group, one that had been forged through two and a half years of hardship. The SGC was close, but there was something to be said about living on a base light-years from home, in another galaxy, and depending on every single person on that base to carry his or her weight. It was a bit different..
There was no denying how happy John was to see Carson, and indeed how happy Carson was to join John at the table. There was a real friendship there - and it was clear that they were all missing Atlantis terribly. Considering what Atlantis symbolized for all of them, it was really no surprise.
Sam had found over the past decade that home really is where your heart is, ignoring the cliché. And if your heart is with your family, then home will be there, too. She’d seen that the week before in McKay, and she saw it in John and Carson. They were a family deeply missing its members, desperately needing their home.
As she watched John tease Carson, causing him to blush and get flustered in his earnest way, Sam couldn’t imagine anything breaking that bond or separating that group of people for any extended length of time. Somehow she knew they would all be reunited again. And they would return to Atlantis one day, hopefully to stay.
She just hoped that day would come before McKay made another surprise visit to Colorado Springs.
The End, Part 2
Chapter 2/3
Season(s): Ten and Three
Gen, Crossover, Carter/Sheppard Friendship
Spoilers: Everything up to "Line in the Sand"
Summary: Sam and John talk about the Stargate Program, the IOA and the one definite thing they have in common.
This is Chapter 2 of 3 of my drabble(sque) series, "The Space Between."
Chapter 1 can be found here. :)
A/N: The Atlantis crew was Earthbound in “The Return, Part I” and “The Return, Part II” for roughly six weeks. Assuming both series run along a similar timeline, I figured that SG-1 probably came back from their mission in “The Quest, Part I and II” some time before that happened.
This tag takes place three weeks after the events from “Line in the Sand”, and a few days before Sam got transported to a parallel universe in "The Road Not Taken" and the crew from Atlantis hijacked a puddle jumper and headed for the Pegasus Galaxy to save Jack and Woolsey. In my world, the order of events was “The Road Not Taken/Return, Part II” and “The Shroud”. But I could be horribly wrong. It's also my way of explaining why SG-1 didn't go to save Jack: Sam and Daniel were missing. :P
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“Has there been any news from that contact on PZY-7804?” General Hank Landry asked the group of SG-team COs before him. The regular meeting had run long - approximately 30 minutes too long - and he was ready to call it an evening.
“No, sir,” Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell spoke from the back. He’d been standing the whole time with his hands in his pockets, and though he’d contributed a bit to the meeting, he’d been distant. As Hank looked around and locked eyes with a weary Colonel Carter, he realized that Mitchell wasn’t the only one who was burning the candle at both ends. He’d have to have a chat with the two of them ASAP.
“It appears Grorhem disappeared out of thin air, sir,” Colonel Reynolds explained. “SG-1 and my team searched the entire countryside with the help of the Lyomenians and we came up empty.”
Hank sighed. “Is it possible that he was located by the Ori?”
“No one can be sure, sir,” Colonel Carter answered. “He wasn’t exactly the most forthcoming contact. It’s possible that he simply got spooked and found residence with one of the Lyomenians’ allies.”
“I see.” Hank nodded. “Well, if that’s still a possibility, I want all teams to keep an eye out for him. Let him know that we haven’t forgotten about our deal, and that we intend to make him keep up his end of the bargain.” He looked around the group of 25 COs and nodded resolutely. A third colonel caught his eye and Hank inwardly groaned. “Alright, if no one else has anything else to add - and I trust you don’t… Dismissed.”
Everyone stood up alongside General Landry and moved to go, but Hank was fast and was able to make eye contact with the three colonels before they could leave, motioning for them to stay put in the process. “Before you go,” he said discreetly, “I need to speak with the three of you.”
Cameron shot a cautious look at Sam, but she already had an idea where this conversation would be going. When she glanced to her left however, she was surprised to see that Lt. Colonel John Sheppard had been ordered to stay as well. She hadn’t gotten a chance to talk to him more than a few times since he and the Atlantis crew had been decommissioned a few weeks prior, but it’d been fairly obvious that he wasn’t exactly happy here.
“What is it, sir?” Cameron asked as he sat down on Sam’s right.
Hank didn’t answer right away, opting to stand across the table so that he could face the junior colonels head-on.
They were all quite similar, he decided. Though they each approached a given situation differently, Hank could easily see why these three would be his problem children. “Your teams are being put on stand-down for the next week.”
Sam frowned, but said nothing. John simply shifted in his chair and folded his arms. Cameron sat forward and placed his hands on the table, ready to argue. “Sir, I understand we’ve been bugging you lately, but don’t you think we should be out there looking for Dr. Jackson? We’ve come close a couple of times to actually locating Adria’s men.”
“Yes, you have,” Hank agreed. “But, at the moment, this isn’t about Dr. Jackson. I’ve got 10 teams whose sole purpose while off-world is to gain intel on his potential whereabouts. You are not the only team working to find him.” He paused. “But your team - and yours, Colonel Sheppard - could use a break from off-world travel. And I intend to give it to you.”
Sam maintained neutrality as she sat back in her chair and said, “Can I ask why, sir?”
“You’re working too hard, Colonel,” Hank answered quickly. “All three of you are.”
John took this moment to lean forward so that he was even with Cameron. “With all due respect, sir,” he began with mild trepidation, “my team hasn’t really been doing all that much around here.”
“And that hasn’t stopped you from getting all the information you can about the proceedings between the IOA and the Ancients on Atlantis,” Hank shot back. John swallowed, unsure how to respond to that. “I’m well aware of your dedication to the Stargate Program, Colonel Sheppard, but your heart isn’t here… Perhaps it never was. Nevertheless, I’m ordering your teams on stand-down for a week. It’ll give you all a chance to gain a bit of perspective.”
“Permission to speak freely, sir?” Sam requested as she leaned forward so that she was even with the guys on either side of her.
“Granted,” Hank obliged.
Sam quickly glanced from one side to the other, catching a hint of anger from Cameron and chagrined annoyance from John, before continuing, “It seems to me, sir, that the IOA has taken a greater stake in our most recent issues with the Ori and the Ancients. It’s out of control. It was a mistake to send Richard Woolsey to Atlantis instead of Elizabeth Weir. Dr. McKay is sitting in some lab at Area 51 with technology that has long since been forgotten, instead of focusing on the technology we were able to obtain from Atlantis. Daniel’s missing, and we have no idea where he is. And now you want to ground our teams for a week so we can gain perspective…”
Sam paused before forging on. “I’m sorry, sir, but it seems to me like the most experienced people for the jobs at hand are already being ignored. How is putting us on stand-down going to help the situation?”
Hank bristled at her connecting him to the IOA, as if they were working in concert. He knew that Carter was aware of his distaste for the IOA, so he also knew it wasn’t intentional. Still, the remark annoyed him just the same.
“You have a job, Colonel, beyond that of a commanding officer,” he reminded her. “Contrary to popular belief, your team is not the only one with specialized, experienced members. You also serve a purpose in the labs.” Sam leaned back ever so slightly as if to avoid the sting of his tone.
“So, whether you’re in the field or on this base,” he continued, “you will be doing something to aid in our fight against the Ori. Besides, you’ve been looking for the opportunity to test Merlin’s device again. Here’s your chance.”
John took this opportunity to speak: “Sir, I know Colonel Mitchell and I don’t exactly serve a dual purpose like Colonel Carter here, but I have to agree: Why now?”
“Exactly,” Cameron ground out. “Why now, when both Atlantis and Earth are at stake, not only from the Ancients and the Ori, but also from the IOA?”
“I’ve made my decision, Colonels,” Hank said succinctly. “You don’t have to understand the whys. You don’t have to like it. The three of you have mission reports to catch up on, and I don’t want to see any of you anywhere near the Gate Room until further notice. Understood?”
“Yes, sir,” John responded.
“Yes, sir.” Sam and Cameron nodded in unison.
“Good.” Hank’s frown deepened. “Dismissed.”
Sam waited for the guys to stand up and move before she gathered her files and headed for the door behind them. Having served with Cameron for almost two years, she could tell when he was at his breaking point, so decided to leave him be. Glancing back at General Landry, she could see that he was at his as well.
John Sheppard, on the other hand, was a bit of a mystery. She’d heard about him, of course, heard the stories… And of course she’d worked with him briefly when SG-1 went to the Pegasus Galaxy. But she’d never gotten an opportunity to simply talk to him, gain any insight into his character.
Sam split from the guys, heading instead for the elevator that would take her to the commissary. She was just about to hit the button when she heard footsteps approach. After a moment, the door opened and she stepped through. As she turned around, she could see that John was right behind her. Sam smiled, unconsciously hoping to ease the look of tension on both of their faces.
He smiled in return and shrugged wistfully. “I get so turned around here. Commissary floor?”
“That’s exactly where I’m headed,” Sam said as she indicated the corresponding button.
“Great. I’m starving,” John stated needlessly by way of explanation.
“That’s a good reason to go to the commissary,” Sam replied with a smirk.
John nodded once and glanced up at the top of the elevator lights, his thoughts elsewhere. Then, as if the idea suddenly struck him, he turned to Sam. “You mentioned McKay back there. You talked to him lately?”
The door opened on their floor with a ding and Sam stepped through. Smiling lightly at the memory, she nodded and paused a moment, allowing John to catch up. “I have. He was here just a week or so ago, actually.”
“Really?” John frowned. “I didn’t know that. I’m surprised he didn’t come see me.”
“Oh, he tried,” Sam explained. “You were on PZY-8309 with SG-7.”
“Ah, that’s right.” John shook his head regretfully. “Not a good planet.”
Sam chuckled. “I heard it’s a bit chilly.”
“That,” John paused for emphasis, “would be an understatement. I don’t know how the people survive.”
“Well, Rodney was very disappointed.”
John rolled his eyes. “Oh, no.”
“Oh, yes,” Sam confirmed as they entered the commissary. “He all but accused you of being absent on purpose.”
John groaned. “Rodney… I tell you, that guy is a lot needier than he looks.”
Sam nodded, reflecting on that piece of information. “Yeah, he does seem to be a bit clingier than I remember him.”
Hopping in line, John tried to think of the many reasons why Rodney would come to the Springs, despite the fact that General Landry had pretty much ordered him to stay away from Cheyenne Mountain unless his services were required. No good reason came to mind, so he settled for simply asking the question instead: “So, why was he here in the first place?”
“It turns out he’s been stonewalled on a couple of projects lately,” Sam responded as she passed him a tray and some utensils. “He came here to see if I knew anything about it.”
“Oh.” John winced. “Sorry.”
“It’s OK.” Sam waved it off as she grabbed a salad and a diet cola. “I don’t blame him for being frustrated.”
“Does he have any chance of gaining access to the Ancient technology?” John inquired.
“Short of an intergalactic incident that could suddenly incapacitate the Ancients again…” Sam began with a shrug, “… that would, of course, bring Atlantis back under our control, I can’t really think of anything.”
“Yeah, like that’ll happen,” John grumbled.
“Exactly,” Sam agreed with a sympathetic nod. “Sorry. It looks like you’re stuck here.”
John glanced back to gauge her response and sighed. “I don’t want you to think that I’m not happy here - ”
“You aren’t,” Sam stated flatly. Then, “And I’m not sure I blame you.”
“Yeah, well thanks.” John sighed again. “General Landry, on the other hand…”
“General Landry’s under a lot of pressure,” Sam rejoined with a sigh of her own as they took their food to a nearby table. “It hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing since you guys came back. He is fighting for you guys, even if it doesn’t look like it.”
John nodded in understanding, but remained silent as they sat across from each other. Once again Sam could see that his thoughts were elsewhere. She remembered McKay mentioning members of their team who they’d left behind, and noted their names from past reports - Ronon and Teyla. She hadn’t met them personally, but McKay seemed pretty fond of them, despite his claims to the contrary.
If he had his way, the whole world would believe that he didn’t care for a soul.
Sam grimaced down at her salad. She supposed it might be easier to live with relative - even fake - detachment. At least then maybe the disappointment wouldn’t feel so intense.
Maybe.
“I do miss him,” John muttered into his juice. “McKay, I mean.”
Sam smiled appreciatively. “I know.”
“And I miss Teyla and Ronon, too,” John added contemplatively. “They’re members of my team - my old team.”
“I know,” Sam whispered. “From what McKay said, they sound like good people.”
“Great people,” John emphasized. “And I haven’t seen Elizabeth in weeks.” He looked up at Sam then and frowned. “I think this might’ve hit her the hardest.”
“I heard her tell General Landry that Atlantis is her home,” Sam acknowledged. “I’d imagine it’d be very difficult to give it up that easily. She made the Atlantis Expedition her whole life. You all did.”
“Yeah, it is home,” John murmured. When he looked up again, however, his eyes were steely with determination. “But we can get through this. It’ll just take some… adjusting.”
Sam admired his resolve. “I think you guys are doing the best you can.”
John opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by the blaring klaxons and Walter’s usual, “Unscheduled Off-World Activation,” which was followed by a semi-usual, “Colonel Carter to the Control Room.” Instinctively, Sam stood, forgetting General Landry’s earlier decree. She was just about to say goodbye when Walter seemed to interrupt his own thoughts, “Colonel Carter to the - Cancel that. Dr. Lee to the Control Room. Dr. Lee to the Control Room.”
“Damn,” Sam muttered with a rueful grin.
John chuckled. “It looks like General Landry got to him first.”
Plopping back down at the table, Sam rolled her eyes with a huff. “Yep.”
She supposed she could start working on Merlin’s device again, though the memories of the last time were still quite vivid. She’d somewhat been avoiding the task for a couple of weeks now.
Suddenly, something - or someone - at the doorway caught John’s eye, and Sam watched in mild amusement as he frantically waved the person over. Sam peeked back at the newcomer and grinned. “Well, at least you have Dr. Beckett.”
John nodded, his eyes wide and his whole demeanor reminding Sam of a little kid. “I know, huh? Carson!”
Dr. Carson Beckett approached the table, a peaceful and disarming smile that Sam had grown to appreciate graced his features. “Well, hello John. Colonel Carter.”
“Dr. Beckett,” Sam greeted with a welcoming smile. “How are you?”
“Fine, thank you. And you?”
“I’m doing well, thanks.”
“Carson!” John exclaimed. “Nice of you to join us.”
Carson’s eyebrows furrowed as he took in John’s exuberant attitude. He looked back at Sam. “Did I miss something?”
“No,” Sam replied. “I think he’s just happy to see you.”
Carson sat down. “Oh, that’ll be a first, then.”
“Nonsense, Carson,” John countered. “It’s always great to see you. Honest.”
Carson smirked. “I seem to remember just the opposite sentiment last time you were in my office.”
“Oh, that’s different,” John shot back. “I meant in an unofficial capacity. You know, without the needles and the tests and stuff.”
Sam watched the two friends banter back and forth a little more. It reminded her of the days when Jack was still on the team, and when Daniel still seemed so blissfully unaware of the ways of the military world. Their petty arguments could either irritate or lull her to sleep, depending on the occasion, and she hadn’t realized how much she appreciated it until it was gone.
Atlantis’ crew really was unique, she decided. They were truly a tight-knit group, one that had been forged through two and a half years of hardship. The SGC was close, but there was something to be said about living on a base light-years from home, in another galaxy, and depending on every single person on that base to carry his or her weight. It was a bit different..
There was no denying how happy John was to see Carson, and indeed how happy Carson was to join John at the table. There was a real friendship there - and it was clear that they were all missing Atlantis terribly. Considering what Atlantis symbolized for all of them, it was really no surprise.
Sam had found over the past decade that home really is where your heart is, ignoring the cliché. And if your heart is with your family, then home will be there, too. She’d seen that the week before in McKay, and she saw it in John and Carson. They were a family deeply missing its members, desperately needing their home.
As she watched John tease Carson, causing him to blush and get flustered in his earnest way, Sam couldn’t imagine anything breaking that bond or separating that group of people for any extended length of time. Somehow she knew they would all be reunited again. And they would return to Atlantis one day, hopefully to stay.
She just hoped that day would come before McKay made another surprise visit to Colorado Springs.
The End, Part 2