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Author's Chapter Notes: Thanks to all that offered to beta for me, but thanks to teyla_emmagan of Command Dynamics for beta-ing


Title: The Orphan (Part 1?/?)
Rating: PG (i guess - little more than a bit of swearing)
Pairing: Sparky
Summary: When Elizabeth's brother and his wife die in a car accident it is up to her deal with her emotions and to bring up her young nephew Alex. But it's not long before the news spreads to another member of the expeditions who has some similar past family issues and the only way they can move on is to work through them together.

A/N - thanks to teyla_emmagan for beta-ing

********************************************************

‘Incoming Wormhole,’ the words came through on her earpiece.

Elizabeth looked up from her paperwork and out into the gateroom where sure enough the gate was active. Glancing down at her watch she mentally noted that it was far too early for any of the teams to be returning from offworld. That could only mean one thing – her quiet and somewhat peaceful day was not staying that way!

Pushing herself up from her very comfortable chair she made her way across into the control room.

‘Sergeant who is it?’

‘It’s earth, ma’am, the SGC.’ Slightly puzzled looks were cast around the room, ‘we’re receiving a video transmission.’

With that the laptop screen in front of her lit up and flickered onto General Landry’s face.

‘General Landry,’ she greeted him with a rather sly smile, ‘what can I do for you this fine day?’

When he did not return her greeting she became apprehensive and her bad gut feeling from earlier in the day returned to her stomach.

‘I’m not very good at this sort of thing so……’ he paused for a moment, ‘Elizabeth, I’m afraid you’re brother Andrew and his wife died in a car crash at 10.00 hours on Tuesday morning.’

Images of Andy’s life kept flashing past her eyes and she couldn’t ignore them, it was almost as if he and his history were standing in front of her.

Elizabeth brought her hand up to cover her face and fell forward, her hand gripping the consol in front of her and preventing her from loosing her balance. In the room around her she felt the gaze of her people fall to the floor.

‘Dr. Weir…, Elizabeth, I’m so sorry for your loss.’ He paused for a moment, ‘Do you think it would be possible for us to continue this conversation in private? Would you rather…?

Elizabeth cut him short with murmurs just audible to those around her. ‘How?’

Landry was becoming unsure of what to say, he had been told it would hit her hard – that she was close to her brother, but emotional issues was not something he did well, ‘I just said it was a car crash.’

Again she cut him short as she cursed under her breath.

‘What about Alex?’

‘This is what I needed to speak to you about, it’s very complicated…..’

‘Look he’s either dead or he isn’t!’

Her outburst drew the attention of the control room staff back to her, she knew her reaction was out of character but Andy was one of the closest people and the most caring she had ever known.

‘Your nephew is alive; he wasn’t involved in the accident.’

Tears began to stream silently down her face; it would almost be better for Alex to have died with his parents than live with the knowledge that he had barely known them. As hard as she tried she couldn’t keep her composure, she needed to get out of there as soon as possible – preferably before she broke down in front of her staff.

‘Look Elizabeth I think it would be a good idea for you read these files I’m sending you – they concern your nephew and your family, I think you will understand the necessity of matter.’

Elizabeth was confused, but at least this gave her a chance to get away from this place and curl up and think in the dark somewhere private.

‘Ma’am we are receiving a data transmission from the SGC. Would you like me to transfer it to your laptop?' He didn’t get a response from Dr. Weir but he doubted that he needed one anyway.

Elizabeth looked around the room, desperately trying to avoid as much eye contact as possible. She searched inside her head fro something to say but her mouth just wasn’t forming any words.

‘Thank you General Landry.’ Turning away from the screen she faced the control room, ‘I…um, I need half an hour or so to myself. Could you make sure I get that time please?’

She knew full well that it was a question that she simply didn’t have to ask but she needed an excuse to stop her from falling apart there and then and talking seemed to cover it.

Turning she walked back into her office, picked up her laptop and left the control centre. She made her way to her quarters, only breaking into a run once she was round the corner and out of sight.

********************************************************

John walked off the corridor and into Elizabeth’s office, fully expecting her to be sitting there doing paperwork. Unaware that he had only missed her by a few minutes he was confused by the stiffened silence her absence left in the air. He crossed over the gangway to the control room to find out what was going on.

‘Where is Dr. Weir?’

The control room looked up from their work to see Sheppard standing there before even the slightest murmur from before fell to a deafening silence. Then a voice spoke from behind him.

‘She’s in her quarters.’

John turned around to see McKay standing behind him in the doorway to Elizabeth’s office. John’s protective instinct almost jumped at Rodney with a million questions, ‘Why? What Happened? Who Came Through The Gate? Has Something Happened To Her? IS SHE OK?'

McKay help up his hand in a shut up gesture, ‘Yeah, she’s fine.’

Rodney received very confused looks from the entire control room.

‘Rodney,’ he demanded, ‘What the hell is going on?’

‘Ok, no she isn’t alright, her brother has just died and Landry sent some important stuff about her nephew or something.’

‘And of course you failed to mention it!!!’

‘Sheppard, where are you going?’

‘To go check on her of course,’ as he turned to leave he shouted at Rodney, ‘Where else?’

‘Hang on, wait I don’t think that’s such a good idea! She didn’t even let me in!’

Rodney’s words were lost on John as he ran out of the office running towards Elizabeth’s quarters.

********************************************************

Elizabeth sat on her bed, the tears on her cheeks constantly renewing themselves. She stared at the firs lines of the letter on her laptop. She needed to know what General Landry had been talking about, what had happened to Alex that made it so complicated.

But as much as she wanted to read it she couldn’t bring herself to do it she couldn’t get past the first few words; after all reading it meant accepting that Andy was actually gone. At the moment she was more scared of that than anything else – Andy was the closest person to her, he was her twin bother, he was ½ of her and she couldn’t imagine life without him.

She knew that Andy had asked her to be Alex’s guardian should anything happen to him but just before Alex was born he had gone to Simon and had been told exactly where she was. After that, they had a massive argument and had not spoken since and she had never been able to see Alex.

********************************************************

Flashback – Elizabeth (2years before)

Elizabeth was sitting in her Washington apartment staring at the blank TV screen in front of her. She had just finished moving all of her belongings out of the home she and Simon had shared until his sudden announcement that during her year in Atlantis he had left her for someone else.

John was in her kitchen making coffee; she didn’t know why he was there but right now she needed to have support from someone who wasn’t going to judge her. And John Sheppard had been the name that popped to mind.

She heard the click of the lock go on her front door a sit opened and she rose from her chair, her spirits lifted for a moment. The only person other than herself with a key to her apartment was her twin brother Andy, who had a knack for making her feel better.

‘Lizabeth is everything ok?’ John shouted through from the kitchen.

‘Yeh!’

She made her way towards the hall, but there wasn’t a need when Andy appeared in front of her. However his attitude and the look on his face disconcerted her.

‘Andy, what’s up?’

‘What’s up?’ his voice was slightly raised. ‘You have some explaining to do – you lied to me big time Lizzie!’

Elizabeth was hurt by his comment, ‘I did what?’

‘Oy - watch what you say to her! Get the hell out of her face! Who the hell do you think you are speaking to her like that?’

Elizabeth and Andy turned to see John who had entered through the kitchen door.

‘And who the hell might you be?’ Andy shouted turning on John.

‘Good question! But I believe I asked you first.’

Elizabeth gave him her ‘look’

‘Anyway where are my manners? Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard, friend and co-worker of Elizabeth. You?’

‘He’s my twin brother. And before you ask Andy, no he’s not my boyfriend.’ She turned and smiled reassuringly at him.

‘Ok, family feud! I think I’m gonna take Sedge for a walk.’ At which point the dog nudged up against his leg. ‘Coffee’s on the kitchen table Elizabeth.’

The door slammed behind him.

‘What the heck was that about? I would never lie to you! I don’t need this at the moment; I’ve still got to deal with everything that’s happened with Simon! You know me - you know how I feel yet you do a public display like that!’

Elizabeth stormed into the kitchen and poured her coffee down her throat before turning to look at him.

‘Look little miss diplomat, you think you can waltz off to another galaxy and not even tell me, well let me tell you you’re wrong! So shut up, listen to me and sit down!’

She dropped herself into the seat at the table, ‘Shit! How the…..?’

‘I went to see Simon today to give him one for hurting my little sister and he showed me this,’ he waved a videotape at her. ‘And then he told me all about his understanding of your year long disappearance off to the Pegasus Galaxy with Colonel Sheppard and to be honest I don’t blame him for leaving you!’

‘Crap! He gave that to you!?!’ She leaped out of her chair and dropped herself onto the sofa into the next room.

‘I’m sorry!’ She said as he walked into the room. ‘I’m sorry for everything but that is classified information!

‘Lizzie, I came here to ask you if you would be my kid’s Godmother. Hell, I was even gonna ask to put you in the will as the guardian, but you know what this……’

He threw the video tape to the floor.

‘This shows me we’ve grown up differently; if you can’t trust me then I can’t trust you anymore!’

He got up and went to the door, ‘Oh and Elizabeth, I reckon you’re gonna be running ‘home’ with your Colonel so it’s a boy and we’re going to call him Alex, in case you wondered.

End Flashback

********************************************************

A banging at the door snapped her back to reality and she realised she was staring intently at the laptop screen.

‘Elizabeth!’ The voice was soft and caring.

She recognised it as John’s voice but she wasn’t sure that she had the gut to face him or anyone without falling to pieces.

‘Look Elizabeth, I know you’re in there so either you come you come and unlock this door yourself or I’ll do it for you! And you know full well I can and will!’

Still she said nothing and didn’t move other than to wipe the tears from her eyes; if he was coming to talk to her she needed to look just a little respectable.

The door opened and closed; all Elizabeth was aware of was a figure in her room until John stepped into the light her laptop was emitting. She refused to look up because she didn’t want to have to face him in such a state.

Reaching out her pulled her head up to look in his direction, but still she tried to avert her eyes.

‘Elizabeth, look at me!’ From the tone of his voice it was not an order but neither was it a friendly request.

She looked up at him, fresh wet tears still glistening in her eyes and falling down her cheeks. He sat down and pulled her against him, rocking her like a child.

‘Sssshh,’ he silenced her as he laid a kiss on her forehead.

‘John,’ she said pulling back in his hold, ‘I need to know……I need to understand what General Landry meant when he was talking about Alex, but I can’t……… I just can’t read………With me, could you?

Again he cut her off, this time stroking his hand through her hair.

‘Of course, ‘lizabeth,’ he murmured.

Shuffling themselves so that they were leaning against the wall, in a more comfortable position they began to read the letter onscreen.

Dr. Weir

I must give you my condolences for the loss of your brother and his wife, they were dear friends of mine – but I hope you will understand the importance of this letter. I am not sure if you are aware but on their will Andrew and Fiona Weir have named you as guardian to Alexander. I have enclosed a copy of this transcript as proof. But I am aware that you are currently away on a diplomatic mission and the military ensures me that this will reach you but precisely when I do not know – the date for the funeral is 16th May ,a week from now. I hope that you will be able to attend so that we can sort out the arrangements of your guardianship of Alexander. I must stress that although guardianship through adoption is the favoured method, you are not in anyway obliged to take on this responsibility but I must tell you that you will shortly see overleaf you are the only family member who in Andy’s words is granted guardianship in anyway. I hope that from this you take onboard that your brother has no wish for any member of your family but yourself to adopt your nephew.

My deepest condolences
R.J. Lloyd (close family friend and executor of the will)


‘Oh…..shit…oh….God, John….’ Elizabeth whimpered, burying her face into his shoulder. John’s instincts pulled her closer and held her more tightly.

‘John, what the hell am I meant to do with a two year old? Atlantis is no place to bring up a child! And anyway what do I know about being a parent?’

John didn’t answer. Elizabeth felt a tear drop onto her brow and looking up she found John had tears creeping out of his eyes.

‘John?’ she questioned. Sitting up she pulled his face round to look at her.

‘It’s nothing. I’m fine,’ wiping the few tears from his eyes he stood up. ‘I should go.’

Elizabeth’s hand shot out to grab him by the arm before he could get away.

‘Look Elizabeth, it, it reminds me of something.’

‘What’s that meant to mean?’

‘Look I’m not going to get deep about my past right now – you don’t need it!’ He pulled away from her.

‘John! Wait! What are you on about, and don’t tell me I don’t need this. Believe me I need something to fix, something to take my mind of my situation right now.’

********************************************************

Flashback – John (30 years before)

John looked at his brother’s lifeless body lying on the hospital bed as all the machines were turned off around him. He felt the tears come streaming down his face a she stared at the pale ghostly colour of Tommy’s skin.
His brother had died trying to save him from a beating from their father and now all his hope was over. Tommy had promised when he was old enough to work they would run away from their abusive parents and support themselves and have a new life somewhere – but no Tommy meant no escape.

Looking around the room John noticed that his parents were long gone. His body felt weak and sickened by the thought of his parents, his father had killed his brother by smashing his skull into a brick wall and John could not get rid of the image.

Two nurses entered the room to wheel his brother’s body down to the morgue; somehow one of them noticed him.

‘Sweetie what are you doing here?’

John looked up into her eyes and she ruffled his hair.

‘Didn’t his parents leave an hour ago?’ she asked the other nurse.

‘Yeah, they did,’ John pulled himself into the woman’s arms, ‘but at least now I’m not near them I’m safe, I won’t end up like my brother and they don’t want me any more anyway.’

She turned again to the other nurse, ‘Go and get the social services lady from the children’s ward. She’ll want to have a look at this one.’

End Flashback

********************************************************

‘Put it this way – I almost know your’s and Alex’s situation like the back of my hand.’

‘What? How? How can you compare yourself to Alex he’s just lost his parents and I’ve just lost my brother!’ She wanted to deny it but she was becoming defensive and angry with him.

‘My parents stopped caring about me long before my brother died and I was taken into care – they may as well have been dead my entire life!!!!’

By now he was shouting at her and she felt a chill run through her body, she had never seen him like this before. She dropped her hold of his arm and looked away.

John stormed off towards the door, but when he turned he saw her curled up – her knees under her chin with silent tears once again adorning her face, staring after him.

His anger plummeted like a stone; it wasn’t her he was angry at.

‘I’m sorry Liz; I didn’t mean to blow up on you like that. It was uncalled for.’

He held out his arms and beckoned her towards him. Dragging herself up from the bed she fell into his warm embrace, crying onto his shoulder.

This time he didn’t try to stop her but encouraged her to cry.

‘It’s not gonna be easy for you – especially when Atlantis still needs you but you don’t really have a choice when it comes to Alex. I’m your best friend Liz, always, so I promise you I’m gonna be here for you. No matter what!’

‘What about you?’ she whispered.

‘What about me?’

Liz looked up to him, ‘you know what I mean; it’s obvious you have unresolved issues that you need to work through.’

‘I know and we will but for now Alex comes first.’

END????
A/N Fini????? I guess it can stand alone - anybody for it to continue????

Comments welcome and gratefully accepted. It doesn't flow as well as my previous one so constructive critcism welcome.


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