Title: Lexy
Genres: Alternate Universe, Hurt/Comfort
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Summary: John has a past (duh) and now, she's on Atlantis. No spoilers i guess



Prologue

Johns scream pierced the night as he sat bolt up right in his bed. He just sat there for a little while shaking and shivering, and then he decided to take a cold shower and go for a walk. During the shower he had time to dwell on his nightmare. He had this one often but it always shook him to the core, no matter how prepared he was. He could still feel the heat of the sun and the vibrations of the car as it sped along the street.

Sighing, he turned of the shower and got ready for the walk. He walked aimlessly for almost ten minutes before he realized where he was. He was on a small balcony overlooking some of the city and much of the ocean. It was late and the stars were shining brightly in the sky. The double moons were reflecting off the water and casting a soft glow over the city, making it look as though It was a dream. It was late and the stars were shining brightly in the sky. The double moons were reflecting off the water and casting a soft glow over the city, making it look as though it was a dream. He thought about all the times he spent star gazing back on Earth before- NO! He couldn't think of that at the moment.

"Mind if I join you?"

Startled, John turned to see Elizabeth walking onto the balcony behind him. She looked as though she too had trouble sleeping. Her hair was unusually messy and her eyes looked tired. He smiled at her and motioned for her to join him. They stood watching the ocean for a while. They were in a comfortable silence, until Elizabeth spoke.

"What are you doing up so late?" She asked him. He turned to smile at her.

"Nightmare. You?"

"Reports. You wanna talk about it?" She asked him.

"The reports?"

"The nightmare."

He grimaced. "Not really, but I guess it'll help. At least if I tell you, I'll have someone who I can talk with. But you can't tell anyone. Except Rodney." She nodded and he took a deep breath. "My nightmare wasn't really a nightmare, more like… a memory. It was as though I was reliving my worst memory." He took another big breath. "Three years ago, I took my family to the beach we had a great time. Lida, my wife, and I would just sit and watch our daughter play in the sand." He smiled a faint, sad smile at the memory and closed his eyes to hide the pain he was sure Elizabeth could see. "She made a sand caste and everything. The day began perfectly, and it stayed that way until we went home. To get home, we had to pass through a pretty rough neighborhood. There was shooting going on, but luckily, my daughter was asleep and my wife had lost most of her hearing so they didn't know what was happening. I got a little worried when the shooting came closer, so I went a lot faster. Lida was leaning forward to get something, but I didn't notice, I was to busy trying to get us out of there. A bullet flying right in front of my eyes distracted me from my driving and I lost control of the car. I remember my daughter calling out for her mom. I looked at my wife for a second and can never forget what I saw. Lida was sitting with her head on the window, her eyes open, but not seeing. She was covered in blood. The bullet.. the bullet went straight through her head. She, She died… instantly." He let out a shaky breath. "Understandably, I wasn't watching the road and I didn't see the sharp bend until we went over the cliff. I got out lucky, my legs were both broken and I had a couple of broken ribs, but other than that, I was fine. Physically anyway. My daughter was in a coma. She had no brain activity at all. They couldn't turn the life support off without my permission so they had to keep her alive for over a year. Then one day, I got a call. The hospital wanted me to let her go. They said that even if she were to wake up, she'd never be normal again because she couldn't go through puberty. So I told them to wait six months, and then pull the plug. Two days after that, you asked me to come to Atlantis."

John opened his tear filled eyes. Sometime during his story he had sat with his back against the wall, and Elizabeth had sat next to him. She now pulled him close and hugged him for all he was worth, tears flowing down her cheeks. "The plug was pulled on her thirteenth birthday, a year and six months after the accident."

Elizabeth did some quick calculations. And realised why this had affected him today. "Today would be her birthday." John nodded into her shoulder. "What was her name?"

"Lexy Sheppard."

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Two weeks after Johns nightmare, he was finally able to sleep. Even if it was only for one night.

John entered the infirmary at Carson's request.

"Hey Doc, what's up?" He asked as he strode in. He was met by a very concerned Beckett.

"There's someone who wants to meet you, came in on the Daedalus this mornin'"

John smiled. "Lead the way." When he saw who was sitting on the bed, he froze and paled considerably. It was as though he had seen a ghost, which was not far form the truth. Then, he fainted.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

When he finally came to, John was convinced that it had been a dream. That notion was quickly terminated, when he found himself to be lying in a heap, on the infirmary floor. When he opened his eyes, he saw the people who he hadn't saw before. Assembled around a bed were his team (minus Rodney who was off world with a science team), Elizabeth and Carson. They, plus the person who wanted to meet him, were looking worried about him. He picked himself off the ground with Carson's help.

As he stood, he studded the girl on the bed. Her slightly slanted eyes were a deep blue that matched the colour of the surrounding ocean. Her hair long was a dark, almost black brown that reached her hip she had it tied back in a ponytail. Other than that, she was almost identical to him.

He was staring at her for a good two minutes before he found his voice.

"Lexy?"

The girl nodded confirming her identity. Elizabeth gasped, Lexy had introduced herself as Alex before and Elizabeth had no idea who she was. Until now.

Lexy looked as though she as holding back tears. "I… I came looking for you. It… took me a while… but I found you… I knew I would…" She couldn't hold it back anymore; tears began spilling from her eyes. John was by her bed in record time.

"Lexy, how? How are you here?" John was crying his own tears. Teyla, Ronon and Carson looked shocked. They'd never seen him cry before. John continued. "Last time I saw you, you were… You were brain dead." Carson and the remainder of the team gasped in shock. His hands were now on the child's shaking shoulders. "I was told, you'd never wake up."

"But I did. I... I had help. I'm okay now." John pulled her into a tight hug, as though he was afraid that if he were to let go, she'd disappear.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Later after they had calmed down, Elizabeth scheduled a briefing so the girl could tell her story.

TBC…

Title: Lexy
Chapter Title: Lexy's story
Genres: General
Rating: G
Summary: This is her story



Seated around the briefing table were five curious adults and one anxious fifteen-year-old. Looking at the pepole around her, Lexy decided that she should begin. Sitting down, she got ready to start her tale.

"Well, my name is Lexy-" The sirens chose that time to wail, signaling an incoming wormhole. The team stood. With the exception of Lexy and Carson, they rushed onto the balcony overlooking the now-active Stargate. The technician saw their approach and told them that it was McKay. Sure enough, a few seconds later, Rodney walked into the gate room. Sheppard ran down the stairs and grabbed his elbow. "Come with me." He whispered into the other man's ear before dragging him towards the briefing room.

"What? What's so important that you have to take a genius from his work and delay any ground braking discoveries he might -" He caught sight of Lexy. "Oh." Was all his brain could supply his mouth with before he fainted.

Lexy frowned. "Does my breath stink or something?"

---

Rodney came to before they could call for a med team. The first thing he saw was Carson bending over him looking worried.

“What happened?” he asked groggily.

“Ya fainted.” Came Carson’s accented voice.

“Don’t be silly Carson,” He laughed, picking himself up “why would I-“ he caught sight of Lexy. “Oh. I was told you were dead.” He told the girl. “So are you dead? Or a figment of my imagination? Or are you just ascended? Or maybe you’re a ghost? Or an alien in disguise?” Lexy laughed.

“I’m alive, and human” she frowned “for the most part.” She smiled at the scientist who just stared at her disbelievingly. She put her hands on her hips and pouted. In Elizabeth’s opinion she looked just like her father. “Well it’s nice to see you too.” Rodney smiled at her.

“How?” He asked.

“That is what we are here to discuss.” Elizabeth spoke from the other side of the room. Rodney sat at the table and looked at Lexy.

“Okay.” John said, re-taking his seat. “Lexy” he motioned for hr to continue.

“Right.” She laughed nervously. “Um, my name’s Alexys Suteki Sheppard. And until recently, I was in a hospital in Canada. When my mom died, the car crashed and I was put into a coma. I was brain dead.” She chuckled. “I bet not many people gat to say that. Or what I’m going to say next either I guess. I was pulled out of the coma three months before my thirteenth birthday. “She looked directly at John. “The hospital staff tried to contact you, but you’d moved and they couldn’t get an address. They put my photo and name in the paper and everything. You were nowhere in the country so they ran my photo and name in the American newspaper. By that time it’d been six months so I was at a foster home. One night when I came home from school Minako, my foster mother, told me she’d got a phone call during the day. It was a man named General O’Neill…

+++Flash Back+++

Minako was waiting for her as she walked up the path. “Asokunatsudesamimasen” (Sorry I’m late) She said to her Japanese foster mother. “Sensei gave us extra homework and we had to copy it off the board.” She removed her shoes and stepped into the house. Lexy then noticed the look on Minako’s face and the unshed tears in her eyes. “Satohaha ,dai joobu desu ka” (Foster mother ,are you alright?)

Minako smiled sadly. “I am afraid not, my child.” She gestured to the living room door. “there is someone in there who would like to speak with you. He knows about otoosan” (Your father).

Lexy cautiously walked into the living room. There was an oldish man with graying hair sat on her sofa.

“Hello Lexy. I’m general O’Neill but you can call me Jack.” Lexy bowed to the General.

“Konnichi wa O’Neill san.” (Hello Mr O’Neill.) “I trust you know who I am sir. You are here about my father, right?”

General O’Neill smiled and assured the child. “Yes. I know where he is, and I can take you to him…”

“Demo?” O’Neill looked confused so Lexy translated. “But?” he passed her some paper.

“It’s a non-disclosure agreement. It means that you can’t tell anyone what you see. You have to sign it before I can take you to your dad.”

“Why?” Lexy frowned. “Is he working on some top secret mission, or something like that?”

O’Neill looked uncomfortable. “Something like that, yes. Will you please sign? Your ride leaves tomorrow and it wont be back for another 40 days.”

Lexy signed the document, not quite sure what she was getting into. “Okay.” The general said. “I’ll explain everything late. Go and pack anything you’ll need for two months. Keep in mind that you might not be returning.” Lexy nodded and ran to do as she was told.

Twenty minutes later O’Neill, Minako and Lexy were stood on the garden path. Minako and Lexy bowed to each other.

“Sayonara, Minako san.” (Good-bye Ms. Minako) Lexy said tearfully. “I might not come back.”

“I know. Be safe” Lexy nodded and walked to the waiting car.

+++End Flashback+++

“On the journey to the SGC, O’Neill told me about the Stargate and about Atlantis. He told me some of the things you have done here. The trip on the Daedalus was amazing.” Lexy told them.

“But how did you wake up? You were brain dead!” Rodney asked.

Nodding John agreed, "Before you mentioned that you had help…”

The smile on Lexy’s face was a sad one. “I had help from an ascended being. My mother. She told me that I had to wake up, that I couldn’t sleep any longer. But I was so tired. It took me two hours to fully regain consciousness. The doctors were amazed when I asked them for turkey sandwiches and blue jell-o.” There were a few chuckles at that.

“What is it with Sheppards and their turkey sandwiches?” Asked Elizabeth.

Lexy’s smile became real. “I don’t know, but Uncle Rodney never liked them.”

The look on Rodney’s face was comical. “I never liked them ‘coz someone” he looked at Sheppard “decided that he should put lemons on my turkey.” Sheppard chuckled.

“I was four! How was I to know that lemons were dangerous? I thought you just didn’t like them.”

Elizabeth held up her hand. “Wait a minute. You two knew each other in childhood?” John and Rodney grinned.

“I met this guy just two days after he was born. He was more annoying then than I’ll ever be!” Rodney pointed to John.

“Na-ah!” was the only protest. John turned to Elizabeth. “Rodney and I have something in common. We have the same mom.”

“You two are brothers? Why did no-one bother to tell me?” there was a look of disbelief on Carson’s face. “the amount of times one of you have needed a blood donor…”

“We’re incompatible.” The Canadian supplied. “We were tested. The amount of times John fell of his skateboard was unbelievable. I’ve never known anyone to get as banged up as him.”

“And yet it was you who always pushed me!”

“That was once!”

“Still-“

“Stop it!” Both men turned to the owner of the voice. Lexy was grinning from ear to ear. “You two haven’t changed one bit!” She shook her head. “If grandma could see you now…”

---***---

The man in the dark cloak squinted when his vision wavered for a few seconds as the small observational device zoomed in on the young girl. He smiled, an evil grin. “So Sheppard, you have a daughter…”

To Be Continued