No Matter The Cost
Title: NO MATTER THE COST
Author: stella_pegasi
Genre(s): Gen
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Episode Tag: Letters From Pegasus
Warnings: None
Het/Slash/Gen: Gen
Word count: 943
Disclaimer: I do not own them, I would have treated them better.
Summary: The Wraith are coming, and John Sheppard wonders if he expected too much of himself.
Notes: Written for stargateland's Missing Scene Challenge.
NO MATTER THE COST
By stella_pegasi
"I'm not sure if Colonel Sumner's parents are still alive. Um, I'm not sure he even has a family back there -- not all of us do. But if he does have a family, they should know that he died with honor and courage in the performance of his duty. He carried the burden of a leader, and he carried it well. I didn't get the chance to know him well, but I know this: considering the type of man he was, and what we're up against, well, I wish he was still here. Goodbye."
Major John Sheppard nodded to Lieutenant Ford and quickly left the room where he had recorded the message for Colonel Sumner's family. He was exhausted and needed time to decompress after spending the night watching the Wraith cull the population of a planet. After stopping in his quarters for a hot shower, he changed into his running clothes, deciding a run would help him clear his mind. After running for an hour, he ended up at his favorite spot, a small plaza on the southwest pier.
Wearily, Sheppard sank down on a step, stretching his long legs out in front of him. He tried to clear his mind by staring at the darkened spires of Atlantis, but he kept seeing the beams of light from the Wraith Darts as they scooped up innocents on the ground. He had been aggravated with Teyla, who had pushed him to help her friends. It wasn't that he didn't want to save them; Teyla just didn't understand that not everyone could be saved. He had asked her what she expected of him, and her answer was disturbing. Teyla answered that she feared she expected too much of him.
The problem was he also feared he expected too much of himself. He had been in combat situations where his crew or teams on the ground relied on him, and he had faced death before. But this was different; he was responsible for nearly two hundred souls living on Atlantis, and he was facing an enemy he didn't fully understand. What he did understand was that the Wraith were formidable and the odds of a weak Atlantis surviving were very slim. He was responsible for these people, and he had to find a way to keep them safe. Sheppard rested his elbows on his knees, cradling his head in his hands. He'd seen those Hive ships and the armada with them; they were in trouble. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear the soft footsteps approaching.
"John?"
He jumped, "What…? Elizabeth, I didn't hear you…what are you doing out here?"
She sat down next to him, "I wanted to speak to you, but I couldn't locate you. Sergeant Stackhouse saw you heading out to run, so I had Chuck locate you on the citywide sensors. Somehow, I thought you might end up here; this is your favorite spot on Atlantis, isn't it?"
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"You mentioned once that this spot gave the best view of Atlantis, and Chaya told me you brought her here for a picnic."
Sheppard tensed hearing Chaya's name; he still wasn't certain if he was embarrassed at his loss of control during Chaya's visit, or if he missed her. He did know that Chaya was the last thing he wanted to discuss with Elizabeth, and he quickly changed the subject.
"So, what did you want to talk to me about?"
"I…I was concerned that you didn't choose to send a message to anyone on Earth. John, most people who joined this expedition did so because they were military and felt an obligation to their country. The others were scientists who…well…nothing would have kept them from coming. They all willingly left their loved ones behind. You, however, joined us so quickly; I never asked you about your family or anyone you might be leaving behind."
He sucked in a deep breath, "Nothing to tell."
Elizabeth didn't reply immediately, and John began to fidget nervously; she was going to force him to tell her simply by her silence.
"Okay, I have a father and brother, haven't spoken to either of them in several years, and an ex-wife who could not care less about my whereabouts. There was no one to leave behind that hadn't already left me." Sheppard stood up and walked over to the railing that surrounded the plaza.
"In Antarctica, I felt free; I might have been there as punishment but at McMurdo no one really cared why anyone was assigned there. It was a pretty sure bet, everyone there was being punished for something. There I got to fly helos and hide; for the first time in a long time, I felt content. Then O'Neill shows up; I fly him to your secret base and sit down in a chair, and my life completely turns upside down."
"You know that this expedition would have failed from the beginning without you."
Sheppard scoffed, "Might not matter…we may fail with me here."
"I prefer to think we won't." Elizabeth had joined him at the railing, both gazing at the beautiful city bathed in moonlight.
"We need a break, Elizabeth. We need something that will give us a fighting chance."
"Rodney, Peter, Radek, you, we are all working on a plan to fight the Wraith. However, I also prefer to think we already have the biggest break we could have, Major Sheppard; we have you."
Sheppard didn't respond; he continued to gaze at Atlantis. This beautiful city was their home, and he would protect her and those who lived within her, no matter the cost.
The end…
(Opening paragraph is quoted from the transcript of Letters From Pegasus on gateworld.com.)
Author: stella_pegasi
Genre(s): Gen
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Episode Tag: Letters From Pegasus
Warnings: None
Het/Slash/Gen: Gen
Word count: 943
Disclaimer: I do not own them, I would have treated them better.
Summary: The Wraith are coming, and John Sheppard wonders if he expected too much of himself.
Notes: Written for stargateland's Missing Scene Challenge.
NO MATTER THE COST
By stella_pegasi
"I'm not sure if Colonel Sumner's parents are still alive. Um, I'm not sure he even has a family back there -- not all of us do. But if he does have a family, they should know that he died with honor and courage in the performance of his duty. He carried the burden of a leader, and he carried it well. I didn't get the chance to know him well, but I know this: considering the type of man he was, and what we're up against, well, I wish he was still here. Goodbye."
Major John Sheppard nodded to Lieutenant Ford and quickly left the room where he had recorded the message for Colonel Sumner's family. He was exhausted and needed time to decompress after spending the night watching the Wraith cull the population of a planet. After stopping in his quarters for a hot shower, he changed into his running clothes, deciding a run would help him clear his mind. After running for an hour, he ended up at his favorite spot, a small plaza on the southwest pier.
Wearily, Sheppard sank down on a step, stretching his long legs out in front of him. He tried to clear his mind by staring at the darkened spires of Atlantis, but he kept seeing the beams of light from the Wraith Darts as they scooped up innocents on the ground. He had been aggravated with Teyla, who had pushed him to help her friends. It wasn't that he didn't want to save them; Teyla just didn't understand that not everyone could be saved. He had asked her what she expected of him, and her answer was disturbing. Teyla answered that she feared she expected too much of him.
The problem was he also feared he expected too much of himself. He had been in combat situations where his crew or teams on the ground relied on him, and he had faced death before. But this was different; he was responsible for nearly two hundred souls living on Atlantis, and he was facing an enemy he didn't fully understand. What he did understand was that the Wraith were formidable and the odds of a weak Atlantis surviving were very slim. He was responsible for these people, and he had to find a way to keep them safe. Sheppard rested his elbows on his knees, cradling his head in his hands. He'd seen those Hive ships and the armada with them; they were in trouble. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear the soft footsteps approaching.
"John?"
He jumped, "What…? Elizabeth, I didn't hear you…what are you doing out here?"
She sat down next to him, "I wanted to speak to you, but I couldn't locate you. Sergeant Stackhouse saw you heading out to run, so I had Chuck locate you on the citywide sensors. Somehow, I thought you might end up here; this is your favorite spot on Atlantis, isn't it?"
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"You mentioned once that this spot gave the best view of Atlantis, and Chaya told me you brought her here for a picnic."
Sheppard tensed hearing Chaya's name; he still wasn't certain if he was embarrassed at his loss of control during Chaya's visit, or if he missed her. He did know that Chaya was the last thing he wanted to discuss with Elizabeth, and he quickly changed the subject.
"So, what did you want to talk to me about?"
"I…I was concerned that you didn't choose to send a message to anyone on Earth. John, most people who joined this expedition did so because they were military and felt an obligation to their country. The others were scientists who…well…nothing would have kept them from coming. They all willingly left their loved ones behind. You, however, joined us so quickly; I never asked you about your family or anyone you might be leaving behind."
He sucked in a deep breath, "Nothing to tell."
Elizabeth didn't reply immediately, and John began to fidget nervously; she was going to force him to tell her simply by her silence.
"Okay, I have a father and brother, haven't spoken to either of them in several years, and an ex-wife who could not care less about my whereabouts. There was no one to leave behind that hadn't already left me." Sheppard stood up and walked over to the railing that surrounded the plaza.
"In Antarctica, I felt free; I might have been there as punishment but at McMurdo no one really cared why anyone was assigned there. It was a pretty sure bet, everyone there was being punished for something. There I got to fly helos and hide; for the first time in a long time, I felt content. Then O'Neill shows up; I fly him to your secret base and sit down in a chair, and my life completely turns upside down."
"You know that this expedition would have failed from the beginning without you."
Sheppard scoffed, "Might not matter…we may fail with me here."
"I prefer to think we won't." Elizabeth had joined him at the railing, both gazing at the beautiful city bathed in moonlight.
"We need a break, Elizabeth. We need something that will give us a fighting chance."
"Rodney, Peter, Radek, you, we are all working on a plan to fight the Wraith. However, I also prefer to think we already have the biggest break we could have, Major Sheppard; we have you."
Sheppard didn't respond; he continued to gaze at Atlantis. This beautiful city was their home, and he would protect her and those who lived within her, no matter the cost.
The end…
(Opening paragraph is quoted from the transcript of Letters From Pegasus on gateworld.com.)