“Please, come in Doctor Weir.”
Elizabeth smiled at General Landry as she entered his office. She took in the familiar surroundings. Same desk. Same chair. But there was a different air about it. There were pictures on the wall, while she’d just had certificates. Papers weren’t neatly stacked. It felt like an actual person was here, not just a leader. Elizabeth wondered if it was how her office an Atlantis felt. There were a few odds and ends in there, but everything was in perfect order.
She shook the thoughts from her head. She was on Earth; she should be concentrating on that.
She sat down and watched as Landry took a seat behind the desk. He smiled at her, but she could see something in his eyes. She’d seen it before too many times an Atlantis. It looked like regret, or perhaps guilt.
“Can I enquire what you want to speak to me about?”
“You get to the point quickly.”
“Force of habit.”
Elizabeth tried to sit back and relax a little, but she could see that something wasn’t right.
“Well Doctor Weir, after hearing about the situation on Atlantis, I contacted some of my superiors. We are concerned about the increase in attacks from the Genii, as well as the Wraith.”
“We are doing our best to deal with them.”
“I know, but you are not a military minded person Doctor.”
“What are you implying? That I am incompetent? That I am unable to run Atlantis effectively because I don’t want to blow everyone up?”
“Doctor that is not what I meant at all.”
Elizabeth sighed.
“I’m sorry. I’ve spent too long trying to defend my position as a diplomat.”
“I understand. We also know that you know Atlantis better than anyone, having been in charge there for 5 years. However, we feel that Atlantis is under too much of a military threat to continue it as a civilian operation.”
Elizabeth sat forward in her chair.
“What do you mean?”
“We have come to the decision that Atlantis should be militarised. All civilians will be able to remain for research purposes, but for all intensive purposes, it will be a military operation.”
Elizabeth felt like part of her world had just collapsed.
“I’m being removed from command?”
“I’m afraid so.”
Elizabeth sat back in the chair and breathed out heavily. This was her job they were taking her away from. She’d had a feeling something was going to happen as soon as she left the briefing room. General Landry had disappeared quickly from the room while she and Caldwell had packed up. She’d seen the expression on his face as he spoke on the phone. She hadn’t realised that the conversation was going to cost her the job she loved.
“What will happen to me?”
Landry had remained quiet while he’d let the announcement sink in. He’s just given her news she clearly didn’t want to hear.
“We feel that to make the transition to military leadership smooth and to clearly establish the new order you should leave Atlantis all together. There is already a job for you here at the SGC as our resident diplomatic expert. We could sure use with someone level headed around here sometimes.”
Landry instantly regretted the joke as he saw Elizabeth’s face. She looked sad and confused. Suddenly, she looked older and tired, no longer the strong leader he had seen earlier.
“And my possessions?”
“You can return to Atlantis upon the Daedalus. You will then have 48 hours to collect your possessions together, brief the new leadership team and say your goodbyes. Then, you can return through the Gate.”
“The Gate?”
“Yes. Apparently, one person on one trip won’t drain the power too much.”
“Of course. We can’t waste the Daedalus’s resources.”
Landry ignored the comment; he could understand the reasons for it.
“This new leadership team, I assume Colonel Caldwell will be part of it?”
“Yes. Through your reports, we have appointed Colonel Sheppard and Major Lorne to be part of this team as well. This will allow the teams to operate as normal, and the Daedalus to return to Earth regularly.”
It seemed almost laughable to Elizabeth that they were removing her from command in order to place John in command.
“I suppose I should give you some time to think about this.”
Landry stood up slowly and walked across to open the door. Elizabeth stood, dusted herself down and left without saying a word. Outside, she found Caldwell leaning on a wall.
“Eavesdropping?”
He jumped slightly at her sudden appearance.
“Of course not.”
“But you know what the conversation was about.”
“Yes. General Landry told me earlier.”
“I see. Well, it looks like you got what you wanted, you’re in charge of Atlantis.”
“No, I’m part of a leadership team. I’m still stuck with Sheppard.”
Elizabeth decided not to lower herself to an argument with him about the situation. She was angry, but she wasn’t going to let it get the better of her. She walked on past him in the direction of the exit.
“Just to let you know, the Daedalus is all clear. We leave in 10 hours.”
“I’ll remember.”
Elizabeth knew she’d be back in plenty of time; it wasn’t like she had anywhere to go. Except, she had to visit one place. She had a promise to keep.
----------
“Atlantis, this is the Daedalus. Come in Atlantis.”
There was a moment of silence, before a cheerful voice echoed around the bridge.
“Daedalus, this is Atlantis. Welcome back Colonel, do you miss us?”
“Sheppard, I can safely say I will never miss you.”
“Excellent, didn’t miss you either. Elizabeth there?”
“Doctor Weir is on the bridge, yes. Why?”
“Just checking.”
“Don’t panic John, they brought me back.”
“You can never be entirely sure. Glad you’re back mind.”
“Yeah, me too.”
Elizabeth looked down sadly. She felt like she lying, but she wasn’t sure that was what she was doing.
“When you’ve finished Sheppard, are we clear to land?”
“Sure are, just avoid the walls. We repainted while you were away. You should see your quarters Colonel, they look great.”
Caldwell growled into the headset before breaking the connection.
“I hope he grows up with the added responsibilities.”
Elizabeth breathed in sharply and quickly left the bridge. She almost ran to her small quarters and was glad to get there. She washed her face in the little sink to try and stop herself from crying. She felt the slight bump as they landed, and the feelings rose up again. This was the last time she would set foot on Atlantis. The last time for so many things. She had to say goodbye to so many people. Her friends. The people who were as close as family to her.
She heard a knock on the door. Checking her face in the mirror she pushed her hair back and opened the door.
“We’ve landed, ready to disembark?”
She picked up the rucksack she’d taken to Earth and faced Caldwell again.
“Ready.”
“Good. Remember, you have 48 hours.”
“I know, but it’s not like you’d let me forget either.”
The pair continued to walk along in silence. Elizabeth found it better that way, she could organise her thoughts and exactly what she was going to say to everyone when she got off the ship.
As soon as she came down the ramp and saw everyone smiling at her, she forget it all though.
John hurried over and half hugged Elizabeth.
“John, I’ve only been gone a couple of weeks.”
“I know, but I missed you.”
“Actually, we all did.”
She pulled back and smiled at Rodney as he walked over. She hugged him, as well as Carson. She bowed her head to Teyla and Ronon.
Caldwell walked behind the group, but made sure to look directly at Elizabeth before disappearing into the city. She tried not to let how she feeling show.
“So, did you go?”
“John, I’ve just got back, can’t you give me a chance to unpack or something?”
“Come on, just tell me.”
“Fine, yes I went.”
“And?”
“And, everything is the same. They still sell salads, and sandwiches. They’ve still got low fat, low carb and low GI meals.”
“And burgers?”
“Of course, it’s McDonalds.”
“Excellent.”
Elizabeth sighed. She had promised John she would visit McDonalds, just for him, while she was on Earth.
Better get used to it, muttered the voice in her head. She wished she could ignore it, but she knew it was right.
“John, I’m gonna go dump my bag, but I really need to talk to you. Well, all of you really. My office in half an hour okay?”
“Sure.”
Everyone else nodded his or her agreement. Elizabeth put on a fake smile she had used far too often.
“Great. I’ll see you all then.”
As she walked away, the team stood for a moment in silence.
“Something’s up.”
“What?”
Rodney glared at John and his seemingly random comment.
“I agree with John. I have sat in on treaty negotiations with Doctor Weir before, and she has used that smile with only the most loathsome of possible allies.”
“She definitely doesn’t seem her normal self.”
Rodney looked at them all in desperation.
“I don’t get it, the woman’s only been back five minutes, and already you’re acting like she’d going to die or something.”
The team suddenly tensed up.
“It couldn’t be?”
“Oh god.”
Rodney began to wish he’d stayed quiet.
“John lad, I’ve seen her medical records, I’m fairly sure if it was anything like that we would have picked it up. If we want to know what’s going on, we’ll just have to go to her office.”
“Right. Well, let’s go then.”
Sure enough, thirty minutes later they were all sat in her office. When she walked in, she was surprised to find them all there already. She shut the office door quietly behind her and walked across to her desk. She thought about sitting behind it, but settled for sitting on the edge of her desk. She didn’t want to seem like Doctor Weir, the diplomat and leader.
“Good to see you all here so promptly.”
“What’s going on Elizabeth?”
She looked across at John. He’d been learning from her, always jumping straight in.
“When I was on Earth I was told that things were going to change on Atlantis. In around 47 hours and 30 minutes, Atlantis will be militarised, I will have been removed from command and I will be about to be sent through the Gate.”
The team sat in silence trying to take it in. They were going to lose Elizabeth, in a way. She looked down at the floor not wanting to meet their eyes. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder.
She looked up to find Carson smiling down at her.
“I’m sorry Elizabeth.”
“It’s okay, really.”
“No it’s not.”
She watched as Rodney stood up and walked across to her. She’d never heard him speak so forcefully about something, unless it was to do with science. When he got to her he stood with his arms folded.
“It’s not right.”
“I don’t have a choice. I’m lucky to have even stayed this long.”
“You are a fine leader Elizabeth, it is a shame that it must end like this.”
Teyla voiced her own support and stood up also. Ronon stood too and nodded his head at Elizabeth. It was the closest she was going to get to a compliment.
“Caldwell will be in charge won’t he?”
“Yes, along with Lorne and yourself John. They respect you more than you realise.”
He looked up at her and tried to smile, but she could see he was sad. Taking a deep breath, he stood up and walked across.
Elizabeth slid off the desk and stood in the centre of the group.
“I wanted to tell all of you first because you are the people I am closest to, as well as being the flagship team. Now, I’ve just got to tell the rest of Atlantis.”
“We’ll stick with you.”
“Thanks guys.”
Carson squeezed her shoulder, while Rodney put a hand on her arm. John took a step forward and took her hand.
“We’ll be right next to you all the way.”
She smiled and they all stepped out of the office. They walked across to the technician.
“Ma’am?”
He looked at the slightly odd group.
“Can we go city wide?”
“Sure.”
He pressed a button and nodded to her. Taking a deep breath she began.
“Atlantis, this is Weir. I have just returned from Earth and have some news, which is going to affect you all. In 48 hours, Atlantis is going to be militarised. A team consisting of Colonel Caldwell, Colonel Sheppard and Major Lorne will be placed in control. At the same time, I will be returning to Earth so as to allow a smooth transition to the new leadership. I want to take this chance to thank you all for the contributions you have made and hope that you will continue with this good work after I have left. That is all. Weir out.”
She pressed the button to turn off her headset and took another deep breath. The team looked at her with growing concern.
“I’m fine. I’ve just got a lot of work to do.”
She pulled free of them and headed into her office. Once the door was shut, she let a few silent tears fall. She made sure no one else could see and set about completing all outstanding work.
Until late that night she worked at her computer. Occasionally people would come in to talk to her about what was going on, to try to comfort her, to try anything really. Someone brought her lunch, and dinner, but there’d been so many people she’d forgotten whom. When she finally finished, the control centre was practically empty.
She hurried to her quarters and shut the door. Everything was just how she’d left it. There were even clothes hung over the back of her chair. Earlier she’d just thrown her bag in and then gone to a balcony, in desperate need of fresh air. Now she took a good look around the room. She tried to memorise every aspect of it before she had to pack it up and leave it all behind.
Suddenly, weariness overtook Elizabeth’s limbs and she collapsed onto the bed. The day’s work, and events, was catching up with her. She ignored the tears that threatened to fall and instead fell into a deep, dreamless slumber the likes of which she hadn’t had for weeks. She wondered how long it would be before she could fall asleep without the sound of the ocean to comfort her.
----------
24 hours.
That was her first thought when she awoke the next morning. The next was that she was still wearing yesterday’s clothes, and then that she desperately needed a shower.
An hour later, she found herself in the commissary looking for breakfast. Once she’d got that, she was looking for a table. She was surprised to find John’s team and Carson sat deep in conversation at one side. She walked across to join them, but they fell silent the minute they saw her approaching.
“Not interrupting something, am I?”
“No, wanna join us?”
She noticed the glare everyone gave to Rodney at this suggestion.
“You know what, I think I’ll eat in my office. John, I’m having a briefing with you, Lorne and Caldwell in two hours, remember?”
“Of course.”
“Good,” she began to back away from the table. “Well, I’ll see you then.”
There was something going on and she didn’t like it.
As soon as she was gone, John kicked Rodney under the table.
“Ow!”
“What were you thinking?”
“I was trying to make sure it didn’t look suspicious. I don’t think you lot glaring at me helped.”
“Look, forget about it you two,” Carson’s voice stopped the argument before it got started. “We’ve gotta get organised before tonight. Does everyone know what they’re doing?”
“Of course.”
“Sure.”
“Yes.”
Ronon gave a nod, which was good enough for Carson.
“Good. Well, let’s get it all ready.”
The team dispersed quickly in various directions. They all had their part to play in the grand scheme of events.
Exactly two hours later, Elizabeth found herself sitting in the briefing room preparing to give a briefing she had never expected to give. Caldwell was sitting at the opposite end of the table to her, while John and Lorne were sat closer to her.
“Good morning gentlemen.”
The three nodded their response.
“I hope you are all well.”
“Doctor Weir, this is a serious briefing, I would prefer if we kept general conversation to a minimum.”
“As you wish.”
John glared angrily at Caldwell, but he didn’t seem to notice. He looked at Elizabeth. She was sorting through the papers in front of her. She didn’t seem to be letting Caldwell’s comments affect her.
What he couldn’t see was that Elizabeth wanted to run. She wanted to run away from the briefing, from Caldwell, from all of it. She didn’t want to leave Atlantis. She continued to force back her tears of anger and regret as she continued with the briefing. For nearly three hours she discussed every aspect of Atlantis with them, from security to cleaning rotas. At the end of it all, she didn’t think she’d ever felt so drained. She had given up every intimate secret about the city she called home to these men.
“Is that all Doctor?”
“Yes.”
“Well, thank you.”
Caldwell picked up his wad of papers and left the room. Elizabeth watched him go before sinking down in her chair and closing her eyes.
“Are you okay?”
“No.”
She opened one eye to find John sitting closer to her. Even Lorne looked concerned.
“John, I have to leave in around,” she glanced at her watch, “20 hours. For good. Of course I’m not okay.”
The two soldiers remained silent, so Elizabeth gathered up her papers and left. For a little longer, the pair left sat quietly.
“Lorne.”
“Yes sir?”
“Can you keep a secret?”
“Of course.”
“Good. Well, you see…”
----------
Time was ticking down slowly. She watched the clock all afternoon as the hours slipped away. By early evening, she couldn’t stand it any longer. She left her office and headed for her quarters. She hadn’t quite finished her packing, not that there was much to pack. She grabbed clothes and threw them into the few bags she had. Books and certificates were placed a little more carefully into the bags. After a while though, she ran out of things to pack. The only things left were in her office.
With a sigh, she walked across to the door. She was just about to open it when there was a knock on the door. She jumped back slightly, but quickly recovered. She hit the button to open the door and was quite surprised to find John grinning at her.
“Good evening John. How can I help you?”
“Yes you can. Come with me.”
“Where?”
“Just come with me. It’s a surprise.”
She watched him for a moment, but she couldn’t work out what kind of game he was playing.
“Fine.”
She stepped out of the room completely and let the door shut behind her. He walked off, and she followed. When they stopped at a transporter, he stepped back to let her in first.
“How gentlemanly of you.”
He smirked as she stepped into the transporter. He stepped in after her and hit the button. When the doors opened again, John stepped out first and held out a hand to her.
“Close your eyes.”
“John?”
She raised an eyebrow to him, but for some reason she couldn’t quite comprehend she shut her eyes and took his hand. He didn’t lead her very far when he suddenly stopped. She heard a door open, and voices suddenly go quiet.
“John?”
“Just keep your eyes closed a little longer.”
She heard footsteps and then something that sounded like bells.
“You can open your eyes now.”
She did, and what she saw made her smile.
The whole of John’s team was stood around what looked like a throne. John was stood right behind it, wearing a jester’s hat and holding a very odd looking stick. Next to him was Ronon, wearing what appeared to be a knight’s costume, complete with plastic sword and shield. Then there was Teyla dressed like a princess with a long dress and pointed hat with a veil attached. On the other side of John, Rodney was dressed in long robes, pointed hat and had a magic wand. Finally there was Carson, he was wearing a cape and carrying some sort of musical instrument.
“Did I miss something? Did we go back in time again?”
“No.”
John walked forward with a smile. He had his hands behind his back, which worried Elizabeth even more.
“As far as we are concerned, you are the Queen of Atlantis, and we are your loyal servants.”
He bowed low and produced a crown and what she assumed was a red cloak.
“Come on, put them on for a photo.”
She wondered whether she should refuse, but they had put a lot of effort into this.
“I don’t have a choice do I?”
“If we have to look like idiots, so do you!”
Elizabeth looked past John at Rodney.
“Thanks for that.”
Reaching out, she took the crown and placed it on her head. John unfolded the cloak and tied it around her neck. He directed her across to the throne and sat her down. She pulled the cloak partly around her to hide her uniform a little. Looking across, she found Cadman stood smiling with a camera.
“Smile everyone!”
They all obliged, and once the flash had gone off, they all relaxed again.
“You know, this feels a little too formal. Let’s have some fun.”
As soon as he’d finished speaking, John moved around to the front of the throne and picked up Elizabeth. She let out a slight squeal as she balanced herself in John’s arms. The cloak trailed out below her. Next to them, Teyla pulled off Ronon’s helmet and put her hat on him instead. She made sure the veil covered his face. He, in turn, grabbed her around the waist. Teyla began to laugh loudly and tried to loosen off his hands. Rodney stared mutely at the scene, until Carson came up behind him and pulled his hat down over his eyes. As Rodney cast around blindly, Carson pulled him back into the picture and held the instrument he had over Rodney’s head.
With a grin, Cadman took the picture. Once that was done, the group fell apart laughing. John tripped on Elizabeth’s cloak and fell to the ground, still holding on to her. Teyla pushed backwards against Ronon, and he pushed forwards. They also fell over, landing just next to a laughing Elizabeth and John. Rodney stumbled forward and fell over the pile that was forming, leaving Carson to stand looking down at the group bemused.
When there was a flash of light, the whole group stared up at Cadman.
“I’ve, erm, gotta go.”
“Get her.”
The group jumped up and began to run after her. Eventually, they all managed to find her running towards the control centre. As they sprinted into it, Elizabeth stopped and stared. The area around the Gate was filled with people, quite possibly all of Atlantis.
“Ladies and gentlemen.”
She turned to find John stood on the balcony she normally stood on. He was holding a microphone, and still wearing his jester’s hat.
“As you know, Doctor Weir is leaving us tomorrow morning. Therefore, tonight, we are going to hold a huge party that we are never going to forget, just like we are never going to forget Doctor Weir!”
The crowd let out a huge cheer and clapped loudly. Elizabeth couldn’t quite believe what was happening.
“Well then, I would like to present to you all, Doctor Elizabeth Weir!”
She found herself being pushed forward by Carson and Rodney. As she appeared at the top of the steps, the crowd burst out into a larger cheer than before. She bit her lip and glanced around the room. She’d been subject to large groups of people before, but she’d never been the one at the front of something like this.
Suddenly, John appeared next to her and looped his arm through hers.
“Come on, your adoring public awaits.”
They walked down the stairs, and it was with that she realised she was still wearing her cloak, and holding her crown. She wondered how silly she looked, but she didn’t really care.
Just then, music began to blast out from the speakers in the control centre. She wasn’t even sure of the song as people began to crowd around her. She didn’t know how long she was talking to people, it only served to remind her of how many people there were on Atlantis. Towards the edge of the room Major Lorne greeted her.
“Good evening Doctor.”
“Good evening Major. I have to ask, did you know about this?”
“Yes. I’ve been helping to set it up while the others sorted out the picture with you.”
“You knew about that too?”
“Yep.”
She sighed.
“It’s good to know everyone’s conspiring against me.”
“It’s not that bad.”
Lorne smiled at her, and walked past her.
“I’m afraid I have to be somewhere.”
She turned to watch him go, slightly confused by his sudden decision to leave. When she turned back, she discovered why.
“Hello again John.”
“Hello again Elizabeth.”
He took a step forward, and leaned in to whisper in her ear.
“I have one more thing to show you.”
Grabbing her hand, he pulled her out of the room. He began to run down the corridor, pulling her with him. After a few minutes, they ran into the puddle jumper bay. He pulled her into an open puddle jumper and sat her down next to him. He pressed the button to shut everything up, and opened the hatch above. Before he took off though, he reached across and tied some material around her eyes.
“John, what are you doing?”
“You’ll see.”
She felt the jumper take off, and then travel smoothly. She waited for a while, but she still didn’t know what he was doing.
“John?”
“Nearly there.”
Suddenly, the jumper came to a stop. John leaned over and took off the blindfold. Elizabeth blinked for a few seconds before being able to see clearly.
“Wow.”
It was a view of Atlantis. The sun was setting behind the jumper, and the city was bathed in a warm glow. Right above, the first stars were beginning to appear.
“It’s beautiful.”
“It’s not the only thing.”
She turned to find John smiling softly at her. There seemed to be something different about him, and she could hazard a guess at what.
“John?”
“You look beautiful.”
“Thank you John.”
“You’ve always looked beautiful Elizabeth. Ever since the day I met you. You’re beautiful, and intelligent, and even funny…sometimes.”
She smiled at him, and turned her head away.
“Please, I really mean it. I think I love you.”
She looked up slightly shocked.
“What?”
“I said, I think I love you.”
“No. No John, you can’t love me.”
“Why not?”
“There are a lot of reasons. One being that I’m your boss.”
“Not anymore.”
“John, it’s not right.”
“Why not?”
She sighed, looking down at her feet.
“This is why I told Simon not to wait for me. You can’t make a relationship work over light-years.”
“We could try.”
John reached out and touched her arm.
“I’m sorry John.”
John pulled his arm back and set off in the jumper again. She watched, as Atlantis grew larger in her vision. She had only a few hours left on that city; she didn’t want them to be sad.
“I can’t believe I’m going to do this.”
John halted the jumper and turned to look at her.
“Do what?”
Elizabeth leaned over and began to kiss him. There was a sudden jolt, before John began to kiss her back more fiercely. When they pulled back, she looked out of the window with a smile.
“John?”
He looked out of the window to find that they were miles above the surface of the planet.
“Well, I guess it was that kiss.”
He turned back and smiled at her.
“Why’d you change your mind?”
“Because I love you, isn’t that a good enough reason?”
“What about making it work?”
“I don’t how, but I think we can. Besides, it’ll be fun trying.”
They smiled at each other again. John leaned in to kiss her again, but Elizabeth held up her hand.
“Not while we’re in the jumper.”
“Okay.”
John turned back to the controls and began to take them back to Atlantis.
----------
Soon they were walking back towards the party. Just before they arrived in the control centre, Elizabeth pulled John in to one side.
“John, we can’t let anyone else know. Especially not Caldwell. I want no fireworks tonight, and definitely none tomorrow.”
“As you wish.”
John leaned in again and kissed her softly.
“Just in case I don’t get another chance.”
With a smile they headed back into the party. They made their way across to the rest of the team at one side.
“Hey guys.”
The team turned and smiled at the returning pair.
“Been anywhere interesting?”
“Not really Rodney. Just for a walk.”
Elizabeth smiled softly.
“Night’s nearly over guys, time for the grand finale.”
John smiled cryptically at Elizabeth and ran up the stairs. At the top he ran across to Zelenka, who was working the music. He whispered into his ear before running back down to the team.
As the song ended, the new song began to play, even louder than before. For a moment, they all stood confused before they recognised the song.
“Oh my god! This is my favourite song!”
John turned to Elizabeth with a smile.
“We know.”
“How?”
“Well, we, and I mean Rodney, may have reversed the speakers in your bathroom.”
“You heard me singing in the shower?”
She glared at them all.
“Yeah. You’re very good, really. I’ve never heard ‘Livin’ on a prayer’ sung so…so…”
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at John, but in the end she had to smile. She loved the song too much to be angry when it was on.
It seemed that everyone in the crowd knew the song too as everyone appeared to be singing, and in most cases badly, to the song. Even she found herself singing along. Suddenly, she felt a hand grab hers. She looked down, and then along the arm, to find John stood grinning at her. As the chorus began, he leaned in and whispered softly in her ear.
“You know, this song suddenly seems very appropriate, if you listen to the words.”
He pulled back and squeezed her hand tightly.
Elizabeth felt like she was going to cry, but she wasn’t sure if her tears would be all from sadness. She was happier that night than she had ever been. She was in love, her friends surrounded her and they were playing her song.
At that moment, life seemed almost perfect.
----------
When she woke up the next morning, life felt far from perfect. She only had a few short hours left on the city she called home. With a sigh, she picked up her bags to take down to the control centre. One large rucksack and two holdalls, it didn’t seem like a lot to hold someone’s life. She managed to drag them down to the control centre with little help.
Getting there, she found it was still covered in streamers and banners from the night before. There were a few people milling around, though a few looked like they were nursing headaches. She was beginning to wonder how much alcohol there had been at this supposedly alcohol free party. With a sigh, she headed up to her office with her bags to collect the last of her belongings. She felt very sad as she looked around her office; it was hard knowing that it wasn’t going to be ‘her’ office for much longer. Pushing back her overwhelming feelings, and the tears, she dumped the lighter of the two holdalls on her desk. The other two she just dropped to the floor.
Elizabeth sighed as she picked up the last few items on her desk. They were just some strange artefacts she’d picked up here and there. Last of all was the jar John had given her for her birthday. It was hard to believe it was five years ago. It had been a very stressful and hectic five years, but they had also been the best five years of her life. She’d made friends who were as close as family. She’d made some enemies too, but not as many. She’d seen things she’d never imagined could exist. She’d seen things that still made her have nightmares. But in all, this was still the best experience of her life.
She knew she was crying now. She was finally letting the tears that she’d been holding back for too long fall. She placed the jar back on her desk and leaned on it. She let her body shake with sobs, though she tried to keep them near silent.
It wasn’t long before someone appeared at the door.
“Elizabeth?”
She suddenly stood up straight.
“John.”
She quickly pulled herself together and wiped her eyes. She spun around to face him with a fake smile.
“Didn’t know you were there?”
“Are you okay?”
“Not particularly. You?”
“Come on.”
He walked across to her and pulled her into his arms. It felt strange for him to be the one hugging her, but she didn’t mind. She buried her head in his chest and took deep breaths. She could smell his aftershave, and other smells that identified him as John Sheppard. She didn’t know why she didn’t cry now, but she didn’t. She felt so much safer and stronger in his arms.
Outside in the control centre, more and more people were gathering to say goodbye to their leader. Caldwell was heading in that direction too. When he arrived he was quite surprised to see the scene in Weir’s office. He walked across and knocked on the door. He watched, as they pulled apart sharply. Elizabeth turned away from the door and put the jar in her bag. John opened the door and stepped aside to let Caldwell enter.
“Thank you. Doctor Weir, its time for you to say goodbye.”
“Thank you Colonel, I’ll be right down.”
“Fine.”
He turned on his heel and headed back into the control centre.
Elizabeth took a deep breath and left the office too with John. She walked down towards the Gate, and found the area packed out with people. They were covering the steps and filling the corridors at the sides. They stepped aside to let the pair, and the bags, through until they finally reached the bottom of the stairs. Stood on the bottom steps were the rest of Sheppard’s team and Carson. She dropped her bags before turning to face them for the last time.
“Well, I guess it’s time to make my goodbyes.”
She walked across to the end where Rodney was stood.
“Rodney, you have been one of the most invaluable members of this expedition. You’ve saved everyone’s lives, even if they don’t realise it. You even stepped in front of a gun for me, and for that, I am eternally in your debt. Now, you have to keep working hard and try to get along with people. And please don’t blow anything up.”
Rodney pulled her into a tight hug and she gladly hugged him back. When she stepped back, she was sure he was going to cry. That would have been a first. Moving along, she came to Teyla.
“Teyla, the work that you and your people have done to help us is immeasurable. I hope that this remains even after I have gone. It has also been interesting to find another woman leader, and I truly think you have helped me a great deal. I know we probably never got to know each other very well, but I still count you as a good friend.”
Teyla stepped forward and touched her forehead to Elizabeth’s. Next in the line was Ronon.
“Well Ronon, I’m not sure what to say to you. I wish to thank you for remaining upon Atlantis and for working with the people here. I know you are an important part of John’s team and you have proved yourself to both him and myself. So, just thank you, I guess.”
Ronon nodded his head and looked back at her. His face broke into a smile, and Elizabeth smiled back.
“Carson, I really don’t know how you cope around here. You’ve saved so many lives it’s staggering. I wonder sometimes how you don’t end up putting half of Atlantis under sedation to shut them up. I don’t know how you put up with John and his team if they land in the infirmary especially. And for all those times you’ve turned up at my office with a tray of food whilst threatening to remove me from command unless I eat, well I should probably thank you for that. And if you ever get really annoyed, I’m sure no one would mind if you placed certain expedition members under sedation.”
Carson smiled, though he also looked like he was going to cry. She hugged him tightly and then moved to the last person on the line.
She looked at John for a second, but she couldn’t find the words.
“Thank you.”
John smiled at her, knowing exactly what she meant. They hugged each other tightly, neither really wanting to let go.
“Doctor Weir!”
Elizabeth spun around to find Cadman and Zelenka running towards her from one side. Cadman was holding a large book, and clearly beating Zelenka. They both ground to a halt just in front of her. Cadman held out the book to her with a smile.
“What’s this?”
“It’s something me and Zelenka here came up with.”
“We took pictures of everyone on the expedition and got them to write something.”
Elizabeth opened the book. There in the centre of the first page was the picture of them all assembled around the throne, with her at the centre. She closed the book and looked up at the pair of them.
“Thank you for this.”
Putting the book down on one of her bags, she hugged them both.
“Well thank goodness for this.”
Elizabeth had been hoping to leave happily, but the familiar voice behind her destroyed that hope. She turned slowly and she didn’t even bother with a smile.
“Kavaunagh.”
“It looks like they finally listened to what I had to say.”
“What?”
“Oh please, did you not realise? Every time we sent a message back to Earth, I made sure to include a record of every law, code and convention you had broken. Every incident was carefully documented and sent to the appropriate authorities on Earth. It looks like they finally listened. And unlike everyone else by the looks of it, I am happy you are going. You are an incompetent leader and do not deserve such a position.”
Elizabeth took a few steps forward as she glared at him.
“You know what Kavaunagh? I don’t like you.”
Pulling her arm back, she punched him hard across the face. She punched his so hard he fell to the floor in a heap. For a moment there was silence, and then the room erupted in cheers.
“I thought you said no fireworks?”
She turned to John with a smile.
“I guess I lied.”
“Good.”
John moved off the steps towards her. Putting one arm around her waist, he began to kiss her passionately. He dipped her low, and she stretched one of her legs out in the air. Clapping, foot stamping and wolf whistling now joined the cheers.
In the control centre, Caldwell watched as the chaos erupted around him. This wasn’t exactly what he had hoped would happen. With an angry sigh, he turned to the technician.
“Start up the Gate. The sooner she’s out of here, the better.”
John and Elizabeth didn’t pull apart until they heard the sound of the Gate opening. They looked across at the open Gate and sighed.
“Time to go John.”
“I know.”
She stood up and straightened out her uniform. She picked up her bags, and the book, before turning back to the now silent crowd. She took a very deep breath.
“Well, this is goodbye everyone. I was kind of hoping this would be nice and uneventful, but I guess not. If I don’t see any of you again, it was an honour working with you all. Till I see the rest of you, try not to get yourselves killed. Though I’m sure an exception could be made for certain people.”
The crowd again broke out into applause and cheers. She took one last look at everyone, her gaze ending on John. She smiled softly and then turned away.
She didn’t look back. She just carried on walking until she was at the event horizon. She took in her last breath of Atlantis air before stepping through.
On the other side General Landry met her.
“Welcome home Doctor Weir.”
Elizabeth turned and watched as the Gate shut down with a huge tug. She turned back to face him sadly.
“This isn’t home. I just left my home.”
Clutching the book tighter to her, she walked down the ramp past him. He watched her leave the room without another word.
And somewhere, deep inside, he wondered if he’d made the right decision.
Elizabeth smiled at General Landry as she entered his office. She took in the familiar surroundings. Same desk. Same chair. But there was a different air about it. There were pictures on the wall, while she’d just had certificates. Papers weren’t neatly stacked. It felt like an actual person was here, not just a leader. Elizabeth wondered if it was how her office an Atlantis felt. There were a few odds and ends in there, but everything was in perfect order.
She shook the thoughts from her head. She was on Earth; she should be concentrating on that.
She sat down and watched as Landry took a seat behind the desk. He smiled at her, but she could see something in his eyes. She’d seen it before too many times an Atlantis. It looked like regret, or perhaps guilt.
“Can I enquire what you want to speak to me about?”
“You get to the point quickly.”
“Force of habit.”
Elizabeth tried to sit back and relax a little, but she could see that something wasn’t right.
“Well Doctor Weir, after hearing about the situation on Atlantis, I contacted some of my superiors. We are concerned about the increase in attacks from the Genii, as well as the Wraith.”
“We are doing our best to deal with them.”
“I know, but you are not a military minded person Doctor.”
“What are you implying? That I am incompetent? That I am unable to run Atlantis effectively because I don’t want to blow everyone up?”
“Doctor that is not what I meant at all.”
Elizabeth sighed.
“I’m sorry. I’ve spent too long trying to defend my position as a diplomat.”
“I understand. We also know that you know Atlantis better than anyone, having been in charge there for 5 years. However, we feel that Atlantis is under too much of a military threat to continue it as a civilian operation.”
Elizabeth sat forward in her chair.
“What do you mean?”
“We have come to the decision that Atlantis should be militarised. All civilians will be able to remain for research purposes, but for all intensive purposes, it will be a military operation.”
Elizabeth felt like part of her world had just collapsed.
“I’m being removed from command?”
“I’m afraid so.”
Elizabeth sat back in the chair and breathed out heavily. This was her job they were taking her away from. She’d had a feeling something was going to happen as soon as she left the briefing room. General Landry had disappeared quickly from the room while she and Caldwell had packed up. She’d seen the expression on his face as he spoke on the phone. She hadn’t realised that the conversation was going to cost her the job she loved.
“What will happen to me?”
Landry had remained quiet while he’d let the announcement sink in. He’s just given her news she clearly didn’t want to hear.
“We feel that to make the transition to military leadership smooth and to clearly establish the new order you should leave Atlantis all together. There is already a job for you here at the SGC as our resident diplomatic expert. We could sure use with someone level headed around here sometimes.”
Landry instantly regretted the joke as he saw Elizabeth’s face. She looked sad and confused. Suddenly, she looked older and tired, no longer the strong leader he had seen earlier.
“And my possessions?”
“You can return to Atlantis upon the Daedalus. You will then have 48 hours to collect your possessions together, brief the new leadership team and say your goodbyes. Then, you can return through the Gate.”
“The Gate?”
“Yes. Apparently, one person on one trip won’t drain the power too much.”
“Of course. We can’t waste the Daedalus’s resources.”
Landry ignored the comment; he could understand the reasons for it.
“This new leadership team, I assume Colonel Caldwell will be part of it?”
“Yes. Through your reports, we have appointed Colonel Sheppard and Major Lorne to be part of this team as well. This will allow the teams to operate as normal, and the Daedalus to return to Earth regularly.”
It seemed almost laughable to Elizabeth that they were removing her from command in order to place John in command.
“I suppose I should give you some time to think about this.”
Landry stood up slowly and walked across to open the door. Elizabeth stood, dusted herself down and left without saying a word. Outside, she found Caldwell leaning on a wall.
“Eavesdropping?”
He jumped slightly at her sudden appearance.
“Of course not.”
“But you know what the conversation was about.”
“Yes. General Landry told me earlier.”
“I see. Well, it looks like you got what you wanted, you’re in charge of Atlantis.”
“No, I’m part of a leadership team. I’m still stuck with Sheppard.”
Elizabeth decided not to lower herself to an argument with him about the situation. She was angry, but she wasn’t going to let it get the better of her. She walked on past him in the direction of the exit.
“Just to let you know, the Daedalus is all clear. We leave in 10 hours.”
“I’ll remember.”
Elizabeth knew she’d be back in plenty of time; it wasn’t like she had anywhere to go. Except, she had to visit one place. She had a promise to keep.
----------
“Atlantis, this is the Daedalus. Come in Atlantis.”
There was a moment of silence, before a cheerful voice echoed around the bridge.
“Daedalus, this is Atlantis. Welcome back Colonel, do you miss us?”
“Sheppard, I can safely say I will never miss you.”
“Excellent, didn’t miss you either. Elizabeth there?”
“Doctor Weir is on the bridge, yes. Why?”
“Just checking.”
“Don’t panic John, they brought me back.”
“You can never be entirely sure. Glad you’re back mind.”
“Yeah, me too.”
Elizabeth looked down sadly. She felt like she lying, but she wasn’t sure that was what she was doing.
“When you’ve finished Sheppard, are we clear to land?”
“Sure are, just avoid the walls. We repainted while you were away. You should see your quarters Colonel, they look great.”
Caldwell growled into the headset before breaking the connection.
“I hope he grows up with the added responsibilities.”
Elizabeth breathed in sharply and quickly left the bridge. She almost ran to her small quarters and was glad to get there. She washed her face in the little sink to try and stop herself from crying. She felt the slight bump as they landed, and the feelings rose up again. This was the last time she would set foot on Atlantis. The last time for so many things. She had to say goodbye to so many people. Her friends. The people who were as close as family to her.
She heard a knock on the door. Checking her face in the mirror she pushed her hair back and opened the door.
“We’ve landed, ready to disembark?”
She picked up the rucksack she’d taken to Earth and faced Caldwell again.
“Ready.”
“Good. Remember, you have 48 hours.”
“I know, but it’s not like you’d let me forget either.”
The pair continued to walk along in silence. Elizabeth found it better that way, she could organise her thoughts and exactly what she was going to say to everyone when she got off the ship.
As soon as she came down the ramp and saw everyone smiling at her, she forget it all though.
John hurried over and half hugged Elizabeth.
“John, I’ve only been gone a couple of weeks.”
“I know, but I missed you.”
“Actually, we all did.”
She pulled back and smiled at Rodney as he walked over. She hugged him, as well as Carson. She bowed her head to Teyla and Ronon.
Caldwell walked behind the group, but made sure to look directly at Elizabeth before disappearing into the city. She tried not to let how she feeling show.
“So, did you go?”
“John, I’ve just got back, can’t you give me a chance to unpack or something?”
“Come on, just tell me.”
“Fine, yes I went.”
“And?”
“And, everything is the same. They still sell salads, and sandwiches. They’ve still got low fat, low carb and low GI meals.”
“And burgers?”
“Of course, it’s McDonalds.”
“Excellent.”
Elizabeth sighed. She had promised John she would visit McDonalds, just for him, while she was on Earth.
Better get used to it, muttered the voice in her head. She wished she could ignore it, but she knew it was right.
“John, I’m gonna go dump my bag, but I really need to talk to you. Well, all of you really. My office in half an hour okay?”
“Sure.”
Everyone else nodded his or her agreement. Elizabeth put on a fake smile she had used far too often.
“Great. I’ll see you all then.”
As she walked away, the team stood for a moment in silence.
“Something’s up.”
“What?”
Rodney glared at John and his seemingly random comment.
“I agree with John. I have sat in on treaty negotiations with Doctor Weir before, and she has used that smile with only the most loathsome of possible allies.”
“She definitely doesn’t seem her normal self.”
Rodney looked at them all in desperation.
“I don’t get it, the woman’s only been back five minutes, and already you’re acting like she’d going to die or something.”
The team suddenly tensed up.
“It couldn’t be?”
“Oh god.”
Rodney began to wish he’d stayed quiet.
“John lad, I’ve seen her medical records, I’m fairly sure if it was anything like that we would have picked it up. If we want to know what’s going on, we’ll just have to go to her office.”
“Right. Well, let’s go then.”
Sure enough, thirty minutes later they were all sat in her office. When she walked in, she was surprised to find them all there already. She shut the office door quietly behind her and walked across to her desk. She thought about sitting behind it, but settled for sitting on the edge of her desk. She didn’t want to seem like Doctor Weir, the diplomat and leader.
“Good to see you all here so promptly.”
“What’s going on Elizabeth?”
She looked across at John. He’d been learning from her, always jumping straight in.
“When I was on Earth I was told that things were going to change on Atlantis. In around 47 hours and 30 minutes, Atlantis will be militarised, I will have been removed from command and I will be about to be sent through the Gate.”
The team sat in silence trying to take it in. They were going to lose Elizabeth, in a way. She looked down at the floor not wanting to meet their eyes. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder.
She looked up to find Carson smiling down at her.
“I’m sorry Elizabeth.”
“It’s okay, really.”
“No it’s not.”
She watched as Rodney stood up and walked across to her. She’d never heard him speak so forcefully about something, unless it was to do with science. When he got to her he stood with his arms folded.
“It’s not right.”
“I don’t have a choice. I’m lucky to have even stayed this long.”
“You are a fine leader Elizabeth, it is a shame that it must end like this.”
Teyla voiced her own support and stood up also. Ronon stood too and nodded his head at Elizabeth. It was the closest she was going to get to a compliment.
“Caldwell will be in charge won’t he?”
“Yes, along with Lorne and yourself John. They respect you more than you realise.”
He looked up at her and tried to smile, but she could see he was sad. Taking a deep breath, he stood up and walked across.
Elizabeth slid off the desk and stood in the centre of the group.
“I wanted to tell all of you first because you are the people I am closest to, as well as being the flagship team. Now, I’ve just got to tell the rest of Atlantis.”
“We’ll stick with you.”
“Thanks guys.”
Carson squeezed her shoulder, while Rodney put a hand on her arm. John took a step forward and took her hand.
“We’ll be right next to you all the way.”
She smiled and they all stepped out of the office. They walked across to the technician.
“Ma’am?”
He looked at the slightly odd group.
“Can we go city wide?”
“Sure.”
He pressed a button and nodded to her. Taking a deep breath she began.
“Atlantis, this is Weir. I have just returned from Earth and have some news, which is going to affect you all. In 48 hours, Atlantis is going to be militarised. A team consisting of Colonel Caldwell, Colonel Sheppard and Major Lorne will be placed in control. At the same time, I will be returning to Earth so as to allow a smooth transition to the new leadership. I want to take this chance to thank you all for the contributions you have made and hope that you will continue with this good work after I have left. That is all. Weir out.”
She pressed the button to turn off her headset and took another deep breath. The team looked at her with growing concern.
“I’m fine. I’ve just got a lot of work to do.”
She pulled free of them and headed into her office. Once the door was shut, she let a few silent tears fall. She made sure no one else could see and set about completing all outstanding work.
Until late that night she worked at her computer. Occasionally people would come in to talk to her about what was going on, to try to comfort her, to try anything really. Someone brought her lunch, and dinner, but there’d been so many people she’d forgotten whom. When she finally finished, the control centre was practically empty.
She hurried to her quarters and shut the door. Everything was just how she’d left it. There were even clothes hung over the back of her chair. Earlier she’d just thrown her bag in and then gone to a balcony, in desperate need of fresh air. Now she took a good look around the room. She tried to memorise every aspect of it before she had to pack it up and leave it all behind.
Suddenly, weariness overtook Elizabeth’s limbs and she collapsed onto the bed. The day’s work, and events, was catching up with her. She ignored the tears that threatened to fall and instead fell into a deep, dreamless slumber the likes of which she hadn’t had for weeks. She wondered how long it would be before she could fall asleep without the sound of the ocean to comfort her.
----------
24 hours.
That was her first thought when she awoke the next morning. The next was that she was still wearing yesterday’s clothes, and then that she desperately needed a shower.
An hour later, she found herself in the commissary looking for breakfast. Once she’d got that, she was looking for a table. She was surprised to find John’s team and Carson sat deep in conversation at one side. She walked across to join them, but they fell silent the minute they saw her approaching.
“Not interrupting something, am I?”
“No, wanna join us?”
She noticed the glare everyone gave to Rodney at this suggestion.
“You know what, I think I’ll eat in my office. John, I’m having a briefing with you, Lorne and Caldwell in two hours, remember?”
“Of course.”
“Good,” she began to back away from the table. “Well, I’ll see you then.”
There was something going on and she didn’t like it.
As soon as she was gone, John kicked Rodney under the table.
“Ow!”
“What were you thinking?”
“I was trying to make sure it didn’t look suspicious. I don’t think you lot glaring at me helped.”
“Look, forget about it you two,” Carson’s voice stopped the argument before it got started. “We’ve gotta get organised before tonight. Does everyone know what they’re doing?”
“Of course.”
“Sure.”
“Yes.”
Ronon gave a nod, which was good enough for Carson.
“Good. Well, let’s get it all ready.”
The team dispersed quickly in various directions. They all had their part to play in the grand scheme of events.
Exactly two hours later, Elizabeth found herself sitting in the briefing room preparing to give a briefing she had never expected to give. Caldwell was sitting at the opposite end of the table to her, while John and Lorne were sat closer to her.
“Good morning gentlemen.”
The three nodded their response.
“I hope you are all well.”
“Doctor Weir, this is a serious briefing, I would prefer if we kept general conversation to a minimum.”
“As you wish.”
John glared angrily at Caldwell, but he didn’t seem to notice. He looked at Elizabeth. She was sorting through the papers in front of her. She didn’t seem to be letting Caldwell’s comments affect her.
What he couldn’t see was that Elizabeth wanted to run. She wanted to run away from the briefing, from Caldwell, from all of it. She didn’t want to leave Atlantis. She continued to force back her tears of anger and regret as she continued with the briefing. For nearly three hours she discussed every aspect of Atlantis with them, from security to cleaning rotas. At the end of it all, she didn’t think she’d ever felt so drained. She had given up every intimate secret about the city she called home to these men.
“Is that all Doctor?”
“Yes.”
“Well, thank you.”
Caldwell picked up his wad of papers and left the room. Elizabeth watched him go before sinking down in her chair and closing her eyes.
“Are you okay?”
“No.”
She opened one eye to find John sitting closer to her. Even Lorne looked concerned.
“John, I have to leave in around,” she glanced at her watch, “20 hours. For good. Of course I’m not okay.”
The two soldiers remained silent, so Elizabeth gathered up her papers and left. For a little longer, the pair left sat quietly.
“Lorne.”
“Yes sir?”
“Can you keep a secret?”
“Of course.”
“Good. Well, you see…”
----------
Time was ticking down slowly. She watched the clock all afternoon as the hours slipped away. By early evening, she couldn’t stand it any longer. She left her office and headed for her quarters. She hadn’t quite finished her packing, not that there was much to pack. She grabbed clothes and threw them into the few bags she had. Books and certificates were placed a little more carefully into the bags. After a while though, she ran out of things to pack. The only things left were in her office.
With a sigh, she walked across to the door. She was just about to open it when there was a knock on the door. She jumped back slightly, but quickly recovered. She hit the button to open the door and was quite surprised to find John grinning at her.
“Good evening John. How can I help you?”
“Yes you can. Come with me.”
“Where?”
“Just come with me. It’s a surprise.”
She watched him for a moment, but she couldn’t work out what kind of game he was playing.
“Fine.”
She stepped out of the room completely and let the door shut behind her. He walked off, and she followed. When they stopped at a transporter, he stepped back to let her in first.
“How gentlemanly of you.”
He smirked as she stepped into the transporter. He stepped in after her and hit the button. When the doors opened again, John stepped out first and held out a hand to her.
“Close your eyes.”
“John?”
She raised an eyebrow to him, but for some reason she couldn’t quite comprehend she shut her eyes and took his hand. He didn’t lead her very far when he suddenly stopped. She heard a door open, and voices suddenly go quiet.
“John?”
“Just keep your eyes closed a little longer.”
She heard footsteps and then something that sounded like bells.
“You can open your eyes now.”
She did, and what she saw made her smile.
The whole of John’s team was stood around what looked like a throne. John was stood right behind it, wearing a jester’s hat and holding a very odd looking stick. Next to him was Ronon, wearing what appeared to be a knight’s costume, complete with plastic sword and shield. Then there was Teyla dressed like a princess with a long dress and pointed hat with a veil attached. On the other side of John, Rodney was dressed in long robes, pointed hat and had a magic wand. Finally there was Carson, he was wearing a cape and carrying some sort of musical instrument.
“Did I miss something? Did we go back in time again?”
“No.”
John walked forward with a smile. He had his hands behind his back, which worried Elizabeth even more.
“As far as we are concerned, you are the Queen of Atlantis, and we are your loyal servants.”
He bowed low and produced a crown and what she assumed was a red cloak.
“Come on, put them on for a photo.”
She wondered whether she should refuse, but they had put a lot of effort into this.
“I don’t have a choice do I?”
“If we have to look like idiots, so do you!”
Elizabeth looked past John at Rodney.
“Thanks for that.”
Reaching out, she took the crown and placed it on her head. John unfolded the cloak and tied it around her neck. He directed her across to the throne and sat her down. She pulled the cloak partly around her to hide her uniform a little. Looking across, she found Cadman stood smiling with a camera.
“Smile everyone!”
They all obliged, and once the flash had gone off, they all relaxed again.
“You know, this feels a little too formal. Let’s have some fun.”
As soon as he’d finished speaking, John moved around to the front of the throne and picked up Elizabeth. She let out a slight squeal as she balanced herself in John’s arms. The cloak trailed out below her. Next to them, Teyla pulled off Ronon’s helmet and put her hat on him instead. She made sure the veil covered his face. He, in turn, grabbed her around the waist. Teyla began to laugh loudly and tried to loosen off his hands. Rodney stared mutely at the scene, until Carson came up behind him and pulled his hat down over his eyes. As Rodney cast around blindly, Carson pulled him back into the picture and held the instrument he had over Rodney’s head.
With a grin, Cadman took the picture. Once that was done, the group fell apart laughing. John tripped on Elizabeth’s cloak and fell to the ground, still holding on to her. Teyla pushed backwards against Ronon, and he pushed forwards. They also fell over, landing just next to a laughing Elizabeth and John. Rodney stumbled forward and fell over the pile that was forming, leaving Carson to stand looking down at the group bemused.
When there was a flash of light, the whole group stared up at Cadman.
“I’ve, erm, gotta go.”
“Get her.”
The group jumped up and began to run after her. Eventually, they all managed to find her running towards the control centre. As they sprinted into it, Elizabeth stopped and stared. The area around the Gate was filled with people, quite possibly all of Atlantis.
“Ladies and gentlemen.”
She turned to find John stood on the balcony she normally stood on. He was holding a microphone, and still wearing his jester’s hat.
“As you know, Doctor Weir is leaving us tomorrow morning. Therefore, tonight, we are going to hold a huge party that we are never going to forget, just like we are never going to forget Doctor Weir!”
The crowd let out a huge cheer and clapped loudly. Elizabeth couldn’t quite believe what was happening.
“Well then, I would like to present to you all, Doctor Elizabeth Weir!”
She found herself being pushed forward by Carson and Rodney. As she appeared at the top of the steps, the crowd burst out into a larger cheer than before. She bit her lip and glanced around the room. She’d been subject to large groups of people before, but she’d never been the one at the front of something like this.
Suddenly, John appeared next to her and looped his arm through hers.
“Come on, your adoring public awaits.”
They walked down the stairs, and it was with that she realised she was still wearing her cloak, and holding her crown. She wondered how silly she looked, but she didn’t really care.
Just then, music began to blast out from the speakers in the control centre. She wasn’t even sure of the song as people began to crowd around her. She didn’t know how long she was talking to people, it only served to remind her of how many people there were on Atlantis. Towards the edge of the room Major Lorne greeted her.
“Good evening Doctor.”
“Good evening Major. I have to ask, did you know about this?”
“Yes. I’ve been helping to set it up while the others sorted out the picture with you.”
“You knew about that too?”
“Yep.”
She sighed.
“It’s good to know everyone’s conspiring against me.”
“It’s not that bad.”
Lorne smiled at her, and walked past her.
“I’m afraid I have to be somewhere.”
She turned to watch him go, slightly confused by his sudden decision to leave. When she turned back, she discovered why.
“Hello again John.”
“Hello again Elizabeth.”
He took a step forward, and leaned in to whisper in her ear.
“I have one more thing to show you.”
Grabbing her hand, he pulled her out of the room. He began to run down the corridor, pulling her with him. After a few minutes, they ran into the puddle jumper bay. He pulled her into an open puddle jumper and sat her down next to him. He pressed the button to shut everything up, and opened the hatch above. Before he took off though, he reached across and tied some material around her eyes.
“John, what are you doing?”
“You’ll see.”
She felt the jumper take off, and then travel smoothly. She waited for a while, but she still didn’t know what he was doing.
“John?”
“Nearly there.”
Suddenly, the jumper came to a stop. John leaned over and took off the blindfold. Elizabeth blinked for a few seconds before being able to see clearly.
“Wow.”
It was a view of Atlantis. The sun was setting behind the jumper, and the city was bathed in a warm glow. Right above, the first stars were beginning to appear.
“It’s beautiful.”
“It’s not the only thing.”
She turned to find John smiling softly at her. There seemed to be something different about him, and she could hazard a guess at what.
“John?”
“You look beautiful.”
“Thank you John.”
“You’ve always looked beautiful Elizabeth. Ever since the day I met you. You’re beautiful, and intelligent, and even funny…sometimes.”
She smiled at him, and turned her head away.
“Please, I really mean it. I think I love you.”
She looked up slightly shocked.
“What?”
“I said, I think I love you.”
“No. No John, you can’t love me.”
“Why not?”
“There are a lot of reasons. One being that I’m your boss.”
“Not anymore.”
“John, it’s not right.”
“Why not?”
She sighed, looking down at her feet.
“This is why I told Simon not to wait for me. You can’t make a relationship work over light-years.”
“We could try.”
John reached out and touched her arm.
“I’m sorry John.”
John pulled his arm back and set off in the jumper again. She watched, as Atlantis grew larger in her vision. She had only a few hours left on that city; she didn’t want them to be sad.
“I can’t believe I’m going to do this.”
John halted the jumper and turned to look at her.
“Do what?”
Elizabeth leaned over and began to kiss him. There was a sudden jolt, before John began to kiss her back more fiercely. When they pulled back, she looked out of the window with a smile.
“John?”
He looked out of the window to find that they were miles above the surface of the planet.
“Well, I guess it was that kiss.”
He turned back and smiled at her.
“Why’d you change your mind?”
“Because I love you, isn’t that a good enough reason?”
“What about making it work?”
“I don’t how, but I think we can. Besides, it’ll be fun trying.”
They smiled at each other again. John leaned in to kiss her again, but Elizabeth held up her hand.
“Not while we’re in the jumper.”
“Okay.”
John turned back to the controls and began to take them back to Atlantis.
----------
Soon they were walking back towards the party. Just before they arrived in the control centre, Elizabeth pulled John in to one side.
“John, we can’t let anyone else know. Especially not Caldwell. I want no fireworks tonight, and definitely none tomorrow.”
“As you wish.”
John leaned in again and kissed her softly.
“Just in case I don’t get another chance.”
With a smile they headed back into the party. They made their way across to the rest of the team at one side.
“Hey guys.”
The team turned and smiled at the returning pair.
“Been anywhere interesting?”
“Not really Rodney. Just for a walk.”
Elizabeth smiled softly.
“Night’s nearly over guys, time for the grand finale.”
John smiled cryptically at Elizabeth and ran up the stairs. At the top he ran across to Zelenka, who was working the music. He whispered into his ear before running back down to the team.
As the song ended, the new song began to play, even louder than before. For a moment, they all stood confused before they recognised the song.
“Oh my god! This is my favourite song!”
John turned to Elizabeth with a smile.
“We know.”
“How?”
“Well, we, and I mean Rodney, may have reversed the speakers in your bathroom.”
“You heard me singing in the shower?”
She glared at them all.
“Yeah. You’re very good, really. I’ve never heard ‘Livin’ on a prayer’ sung so…so…”
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at John, but in the end she had to smile. She loved the song too much to be angry when it was on.
It seemed that everyone in the crowd knew the song too as everyone appeared to be singing, and in most cases badly, to the song. Even she found herself singing along. Suddenly, she felt a hand grab hers. She looked down, and then along the arm, to find John stood grinning at her. As the chorus began, he leaned in and whispered softly in her ear.
“You know, this song suddenly seems very appropriate, if you listen to the words.”
He pulled back and squeezed her hand tightly.
Elizabeth felt like she was going to cry, but she wasn’t sure if her tears would be all from sadness. She was happier that night than she had ever been. She was in love, her friends surrounded her and they were playing her song.
At that moment, life seemed almost perfect.
----------
When she woke up the next morning, life felt far from perfect. She only had a few short hours left on the city she called home. With a sigh, she picked up her bags to take down to the control centre. One large rucksack and two holdalls, it didn’t seem like a lot to hold someone’s life. She managed to drag them down to the control centre with little help.
Getting there, she found it was still covered in streamers and banners from the night before. There were a few people milling around, though a few looked like they were nursing headaches. She was beginning to wonder how much alcohol there had been at this supposedly alcohol free party. With a sigh, she headed up to her office with her bags to collect the last of her belongings. She felt very sad as she looked around her office; it was hard knowing that it wasn’t going to be ‘her’ office for much longer. Pushing back her overwhelming feelings, and the tears, she dumped the lighter of the two holdalls on her desk. The other two she just dropped to the floor.
Elizabeth sighed as she picked up the last few items on her desk. They were just some strange artefacts she’d picked up here and there. Last of all was the jar John had given her for her birthday. It was hard to believe it was five years ago. It had been a very stressful and hectic five years, but they had also been the best five years of her life. She’d made friends who were as close as family. She’d made some enemies too, but not as many. She’d seen things she’d never imagined could exist. She’d seen things that still made her have nightmares. But in all, this was still the best experience of her life.
She knew she was crying now. She was finally letting the tears that she’d been holding back for too long fall. She placed the jar back on her desk and leaned on it. She let her body shake with sobs, though she tried to keep them near silent.
It wasn’t long before someone appeared at the door.
“Elizabeth?”
She suddenly stood up straight.
“John.”
She quickly pulled herself together and wiped her eyes. She spun around to face him with a fake smile.
“Didn’t know you were there?”
“Are you okay?”
“Not particularly. You?”
“Come on.”
He walked across to her and pulled her into his arms. It felt strange for him to be the one hugging her, but she didn’t mind. She buried her head in his chest and took deep breaths. She could smell his aftershave, and other smells that identified him as John Sheppard. She didn’t know why she didn’t cry now, but she didn’t. She felt so much safer and stronger in his arms.
Outside in the control centre, more and more people were gathering to say goodbye to their leader. Caldwell was heading in that direction too. When he arrived he was quite surprised to see the scene in Weir’s office. He walked across and knocked on the door. He watched, as they pulled apart sharply. Elizabeth turned away from the door and put the jar in her bag. John opened the door and stepped aside to let Caldwell enter.
“Thank you. Doctor Weir, its time for you to say goodbye.”
“Thank you Colonel, I’ll be right down.”
“Fine.”
He turned on his heel and headed back into the control centre.
Elizabeth took a deep breath and left the office too with John. She walked down towards the Gate, and found the area packed out with people. They were covering the steps and filling the corridors at the sides. They stepped aside to let the pair, and the bags, through until they finally reached the bottom of the stairs. Stood on the bottom steps were the rest of Sheppard’s team and Carson. She dropped her bags before turning to face them for the last time.
“Well, I guess it’s time to make my goodbyes.”
She walked across to the end where Rodney was stood.
“Rodney, you have been one of the most invaluable members of this expedition. You’ve saved everyone’s lives, even if they don’t realise it. You even stepped in front of a gun for me, and for that, I am eternally in your debt. Now, you have to keep working hard and try to get along with people. And please don’t blow anything up.”
Rodney pulled her into a tight hug and she gladly hugged him back. When she stepped back, she was sure he was going to cry. That would have been a first. Moving along, she came to Teyla.
“Teyla, the work that you and your people have done to help us is immeasurable. I hope that this remains even after I have gone. It has also been interesting to find another woman leader, and I truly think you have helped me a great deal. I know we probably never got to know each other very well, but I still count you as a good friend.”
Teyla stepped forward and touched her forehead to Elizabeth’s. Next in the line was Ronon.
“Well Ronon, I’m not sure what to say to you. I wish to thank you for remaining upon Atlantis and for working with the people here. I know you are an important part of John’s team and you have proved yourself to both him and myself. So, just thank you, I guess.”
Ronon nodded his head and looked back at her. His face broke into a smile, and Elizabeth smiled back.
“Carson, I really don’t know how you cope around here. You’ve saved so many lives it’s staggering. I wonder sometimes how you don’t end up putting half of Atlantis under sedation to shut them up. I don’t know how you put up with John and his team if they land in the infirmary especially. And for all those times you’ve turned up at my office with a tray of food whilst threatening to remove me from command unless I eat, well I should probably thank you for that. And if you ever get really annoyed, I’m sure no one would mind if you placed certain expedition members under sedation.”
Carson smiled, though he also looked like he was going to cry. She hugged him tightly and then moved to the last person on the line.
She looked at John for a second, but she couldn’t find the words.
“Thank you.”
John smiled at her, knowing exactly what she meant. They hugged each other tightly, neither really wanting to let go.
“Doctor Weir!”
Elizabeth spun around to find Cadman and Zelenka running towards her from one side. Cadman was holding a large book, and clearly beating Zelenka. They both ground to a halt just in front of her. Cadman held out the book to her with a smile.
“What’s this?”
“It’s something me and Zelenka here came up with.”
“We took pictures of everyone on the expedition and got them to write something.”
Elizabeth opened the book. There in the centre of the first page was the picture of them all assembled around the throne, with her at the centre. She closed the book and looked up at the pair of them.
“Thank you for this.”
Putting the book down on one of her bags, she hugged them both.
“Well thank goodness for this.”
Elizabeth had been hoping to leave happily, but the familiar voice behind her destroyed that hope. She turned slowly and she didn’t even bother with a smile.
“Kavaunagh.”
“It looks like they finally listened to what I had to say.”
“What?”
“Oh please, did you not realise? Every time we sent a message back to Earth, I made sure to include a record of every law, code and convention you had broken. Every incident was carefully documented and sent to the appropriate authorities on Earth. It looks like they finally listened. And unlike everyone else by the looks of it, I am happy you are going. You are an incompetent leader and do not deserve such a position.”
Elizabeth took a few steps forward as she glared at him.
“You know what Kavaunagh? I don’t like you.”
Pulling her arm back, she punched him hard across the face. She punched his so hard he fell to the floor in a heap. For a moment there was silence, and then the room erupted in cheers.
“I thought you said no fireworks?”
She turned to John with a smile.
“I guess I lied.”
“Good.”
John moved off the steps towards her. Putting one arm around her waist, he began to kiss her passionately. He dipped her low, and she stretched one of her legs out in the air. Clapping, foot stamping and wolf whistling now joined the cheers.
In the control centre, Caldwell watched as the chaos erupted around him. This wasn’t exactly what he had hoped would happen. With an angry sigh, he turned to the technician.
“Start up the Gate. The sooner she’s out of here, the better.”
John and Elizabeth didn’t pull apart until they heard the sound of the Gate opening. They looked across at the open Gate and sighed.
“Time to go John.”
“I know.”
She stood up and straightened out her uniform. She picked up her bags, and the book, before turning back to the now silent crowd. She took a very deep breath.
“Well, this is goodbye everyone. I was kind of hoping this would be nice and uneventful, but I guess not. If I don’t see any of you again, it was an honour working with you all. Till I see the rest of you, try not to get yourselves killed. Though I’m sure an exception could be made for certain people.”
The crowd again broke out into applause and cheers. She took one last look at everyone, her gaze ending on John. She smiled softly and then turned away.
She didn’t look back. She just carried on walking until she was at the event horizon. She took in her last breath of Atlantis air before stepping through.
On the other side General Landry met her.
“Welcome home Doctor Weir.”
Elizabeth turned and watched as the Gate shut down with a huge tug. She turned back to face him sadly.
“This isn’t home. I just left my home.”
Clutching the book tighter to her, she walked down the ramp past him. He watched her leave the room without another word.
And somewhere, deep inside, he wondered if he’d made the right decision.