Fic: Coming Together, PG, Gen, 1/1

[world_of_blade]

Author: World_of_Blade
Title: Coming Together
Rating: PG
Pairing: Gen
Warnings: None
Timeline: Could be set anywhere before Miera_c's "The Seige".
Summary: The town of Atlantis always pulled together when things got tough.
A/N: Betaed by the ever wonderful ubiquitous_girl.
Feedback is always wonderful.


“I wasn’t as much of a church goer as I should have been.” Janet looked up from her sewing. Her Patient’s parched voice automatically sent her toward the water basin before what had been said registered.

“Come now, Edith, you’ve been a good person. God sees all of that.” Janet said, as she gently helped the woman to sit up and sip a bit of the water. The woman coughed, and then shook her head when Janet would have given her more. “Besides, there are some people who can be seen at church every Sunday, but haven’t a Christian bone in their body,” she went on, plumping some of the pillows behind the sick woman’s head.

Edith Watson was one of the older women of Atlantis. Trying to escape the horrors that the war had brought, she and her husband had come west. Eugene Watson was a barber by trade, and they had set up a little shop together. It was true that Edith was seen rarely at church. Janet guessed that it was because she was angry at God. She was angry that the war demolished her family, city, and home. The Watsons came from the south, but had held no slaves. A fact that some people in Atlantis had dismissed, wanting to blame “slavers” for their own misfortunes in the war.

“Eugene?” Edith tried to raise her head to see out the doorway.

“He should be back any second for his midday meal.” Janet gently, but firmly pressed the woman back onto the pillow. She knew that it bothered Edith to not be able to take care of Eugene like she had through out their marriage. Before she had become too ill to leave her bed, the stubborn woman had still puttered about the house getting just the right meal for her Eugene. Janet had threatened more than once to tie her to her bed. Something that Carson agreed with, even if he refused to say it out loud.

After a beat of silence, Edith spoke again. “I was never the wife I should have been.”

“You stop that, Edith Watson.” Janet moved to look the woman directly in the eyes. “Eugene is darn lucky to have caught a woman like you!” Wanting to take Edith’s mind off of what Janet had come to call the “what ifs” that everyone seemed to go through when they knew they were dying. It was something that also happened to the ones that got left behind when loved ones died. Winking, Janet let some playfulness into her voice. “So how did he manage to make you go against your better sense and get you to accept his proposal?”

“I told her that I would die without her.” Eugene Watson walked into the room. Giving Janet a brief nod, he smiled at his wife.

“I was fool enough to believe him.” Edith said, giving her husband a weak smile in return.

Janet moved quietly from the room, letting the two have their private time. Eugene didn’t need her help when he was home. That man took better care of his wife than even she could. It killed her to have to look a patient in the eyes and know that there was nothing she could do to save them. Edith Watson was wasting away, and there was nothing that she or Carson could do about it. Sometimes God just took back what was his. Suddenly, voices permeated Janet’s humbling thoughts.

“Careful Daniel, you wouldn’t want to spill anything.”

“Thank you Vala for your insight, especially since I seem to have all the heavy things.”

“How would little old me be able to manage all the heavy things?”

Janet held back the snort of laughter at that one. Vala Mal Doran was anything but helpless, a fact that she had shown the town many times. Coming around the corner, Janet again had to stop herself from laughing out loud. Daniel was struggling with many containers while Vala carried what looked like one loaf of bread.

“Hello Janet!” Vala waved her arm in the air and then hurried toward the mid-wife. Not giving Daniel and his many burdens a second glance. “Is Mrs. Watson any better?”

“I’m afraid not. Do you think Mr. Jackson needs any help?” Janet asked, glancing back toward the man.

“Oh, he is fine. He just wants to show off how manly his is.” Vala said, raising her voice so that Daniel was sure to hear it. Janet could almost make out his eye roll from where she was standing.

When Vala had first come to Atlantis, Janet had not been keen to know her. She brought back too many memories of how vulgar the women at the mining camp were when she was young. After getting to know the brash woman, Janet realized that it was all a cover for how Vala really felt. She knew that Vala had many secrets that she was choosing not to share with anyone. Janet also knew that Vala did have a heart. It was something that she rarely let anyone see, but it was there.

“What is all this?” Janet asked, gesturing toward Daniel and all his containers.

“Well, one can’t expect men to know how to look after themselves- poor helpless fools that they are. So I decided to bring over some meals for Mr. Watson.”

Janet could hear Daniel’s muttered “you brought over?” and had to suppress yet another laugh. These two were really a pair. “How thoughtful of you, Vala. I am sure that Mrs. Watson will have some ease knowing that her husband is being taken care of.”

“Yes, well if Daniel would hurry it might even stay warm.” Vala said calling over her shoulder as she again took off toward the Watson’s house. “Chop, chop Daniel!”

Janet smiled at Daniel, who inclined his head to her as he tried to catch up to Vala. She still didn’t know how he was able to stay so calm with all the teasing and taunting Vala gave him. Although, she did think the teasing was what made Daniel pay attention to Vala. The woman kept him on his toes.

Starting back down the path toward her own home, Janet let her mind wander over all the many things that she had to be grateful for. It was something that always happened when Janet looked over someone as they died. Long ago, Janet swore to herself that she would never leave a patient to die on their own. The normal way medicine was performed had the doctors coming in, trying to save the patient, and then washing their hands of everything when they couldn’t. She gave Carson credit, he wasn’t like that, but she still could not let Edith be alone in that house during her last days. She also hoped that her being there gave Eugene Watson some peace of mind. He was already cutting back on hours in his shop to be with his wife as much as possible, and it seemed to do him good to know that his wife was not alone when he had to go to work. Suddenly, her tiredness almost overwhelmed her. Janet remembered that she had not eaten anything for a long while, and was getting light-headed from it. Taking some deep breaths, she massaged the back of her neck. Coming to Vala’s café, she decided to rest for a moment at one of the tables.

“You work too hard.”

Janet jerked up from a doze that she had not even known was happening. “Sam! You frightened me.”

“You look like you could use this.” Samantha Carter smiled as she slid a piping hot cup of coffee toward Janet. “When was the last time you ate?”

“Bless you!” Janet savored the rich brew as she sat with one of her oldest friends. Pretending to think over the matter, she finally smiled back. “Oh, I don’t know, I think I might have eaten about a week ago or so.”

“Oh, good. I thought you had gone too long without eating, but if it has only been a week.” Samantha rolled her eyes and then got up to go and ladle up some of the stew that Vala had cooking on her stove. Janet was so tired, that she didn’t even protest.

Samantha Carter was one of the many blessings she counted. From the beginning she had liked the strong-willed woman. They both were living in what some called a “man’s world”. She with her doctoring, and Sam with her gadgets. Some in Atlantis tried to say that Sam’s brains made her less a woman. Janet didn’t see that, she only saw the way Jack O’Neill and some other men looked at Samantha. Brains certainly weren’t causing her friend any harm, and if Jack didn’t do something soon someone else might try and take his place.

“So how is Edith?” Sam asked, when she returned with the stew.

Janet tried not to scream at this question. Everyone kept asking it, when it was well known that there was nothing that could be done for the woman. She got asked it so many times a day that she wanted to break something. Reminding herself that people were just worried, and it was there way of trying to show concern, Janet tried to not snip at her friend. “Edith is the same.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Sam fiddled with her own coffee cup, not really meeting Janet’s eyes. A lot of people did that - not meet her eyes. Janet figured that it was because no one was really ever sure what to say when someone was dying. The truth of the matter was that there was nothing to say. She saw it happen to Eugene Watson as well. People were more nervous around him, and somehow nicer. It was as if they were trying to treat him with kid-gloves while it was all happening. Janet had seen more than one man of Atlantis go into Eugene’s barber shop for a haircut and shave that was not needed. It was their way of contributing without really having to say anything about it. It was well known that Eugene didn’t have all that much money and he wanted to take his wife back to the south to be buried with her sons that died in the war. Most people in Atlantis thought that the idea was foolish! Go all that way? Spend all that money? But even though they thought it was crazy, it still didn’t stop the men from getting those haircuts and shaves.

“Do you think Eugene will come back here? I mean, after he buries Edith in the south?” Sam asked, as if reading Janet’s thoughts.

“I don’t know. He might not be able to bring himself to leave her grave so far away.” Janet replied, and then looked down at the timepiece she kept in her pocket. “Oh, I didn’t realize the time! I must get back to Edith.” Saying her goodbyes, Janet hurried back up the hill to the Watson home. Coming around the bend, she almost crashed into Marcus Lorne.

“Excuse me, Mr. Lorne.” Janet laughed as the blacksmith steadied her. “I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

Laughing himself, Marcus assured Janet that no harm was done, and then with a tip of his hat was on his way. Janet wondered what Lorne had been doing at the Watson’s, but it didn’t take her long to figure it out. Right by the door was a pile of wood. It almost made Janet cry to see such a small, but very helpful thing. Turning to look down the hill, the town of Atlantis almost glistened in the sun. It made Janet’s heart happy to see the hustle and bustle in the streets. Atlantis had its problems, what town didn’t? But what was so amazing is that in any calamity, they pulled together. One day it was the Wraith Gang, the next an epidemic. Now it was Eugene Watson losing the woman he loved. Letting the beauty of it all wash over her a moment longer, Janet again turned toward the Watson’s door. Just then it opened, showing Vala ushering Eugene out the door.

“Don’t you worry, Mr. Watson. I’ll be with your wife until Janet comes. We girls always want to be alone to gossip about our men.”

Eugene Watson was looking like he didn’t quite know what to say to that. Smiling, Janet decided to put the poor man out of his misery and announce herself. “I’m here too, Mr. Watson. Vala and I can look after Edith while you finish up your customers for the day.” Coming to stand beside Vala, she received a warm smile from him. She was sure that Eugene was grateful to Vala for all that she was doing, but he seemed more willing to leave his wife now that she was here.

“Thank you for the food, Miss Mal Doran.” Eugene finally said to the beaming Vala and then again looked toward Janet. “I want to especially thank you. I don’t know what I would do if you weren’t here to look after… after Edith.” Tears were welling up in the man’s eyes. Clearing his throat and looking away, he was able to get control of his voice long enough to say. “Thank you.” Turning he hurried down the hill.

“Did Eugene leave?” Daniel asked, coming to the door beside Vala.

“Yes.” Vala said her voice sounding suspiciously high. Glancing up, Janet could see that she too had some tears in her eyes. Seeming to get control of herself, Vala whipped around to face the school teacher. “You really are in shambles, Daniel. What would your students think about their teacher having such unruly hair?”

Daniel, completely bewildered, gazed at Vala. Reaching up a hand to his well maintained hair, he seemed at a loss for words. Vala stared back at him, trying to communicate something with her eyes. Sighing, she finally gave up and instead began pushing him down the steps.

“You need to go see Mr. Watson and get your hair cut. You could also do with a shave. Be sure to tip him. Mr. Watson does a good job.” Glancing back up at Janet as she wrangled Daniel down the hill, Vala called back. “I’ll be back to have that gossip session.”

Smiling, Janet waved them off, chuckling at Vala’s manipulating and how Daniel let her get away with it. Going inside, she checked on Edith. The woman was sleeping peacefully, no doubt due to the help of the medicine Carson gave her. Sighing, Janet wished that she could do more, but now it was only a waiting game. Things were going to get far worse. It was something she was not looking forward to. Going to the chair by the bedside, Janet was picking up her sewing when there was a knock at the door.

“We’ve come to clean.” Janet stood with her mouth open, as the ladies of the “quilting circle” came into the house, brooms and cloths in hand. Behind them came Elizabeth Weir.

“Clean?” Janet just stared at the women. Meeting Elizabeth’s eyes, the store keeper just shrugged. She was just as surprised as Janet.

“Edith will be worrying about the state of her home. Dirty floor boards are not what she should be worrying about right now. We can help with that.” Catherine Langford stated matter-of-factly as she began to direct the others on what to do. Janet was shocked to see that even Mrs. Kinsey had come along. Kinsey had been the one to bring up the Watson’s and slavery every chance she got. Maybe Mrs. Kinsey was worried about some “what ifs” of her own? Only meeting Janet’s eyes briefly, Mrs. Kinsey moved toward the wash pile.

“I’ll start with the wash. I’ll be able to get these disgraceful shirts white again.” Mrs. Kinsey said to no one in particular and then moved to get the wash tub.

Eyebrows raised, Elizabeth moved toward Janet. “I was coming to see if I needed to switch places with you for a time, and I came across them.” Both the women turned to watch the older women at work. Ms. Langford was ordering the women about like a general, and they all moved about their tasks. Janet moved toward the bedroom to see if Edith had been disturbed, but her patient was still resting peacefully. Closing the door, she took in what was going on about the house. Vala’s food was stacked neatly on the kitchen shelves, ready for a quick heat up. The “quilting circle” was busy making everything as spic and span as could be. Wood was neatly stacked outside the door, and even now she could bet that Eugene had a line of men waiting to get their hair cut.

Turning to Elizabeth, Janet smiled through her tears. “I love this town.”