[fic] This Grave Procession (SG1/SGA) [PG-13]
Title: This Grave Procession
Author: havocthecat
Series: Stargate: SG-1, Stargate: Atlantis
Pairings: Cadman/Lorne/Sheppard, Heightmeyer/Weir, Jackson/Mal Doran
Rating: PG-13
Summary: They don't leave their people behind. Return I & II based fic.
Author's Notes: I primarily blame medie for aiding and abetting this story, which was supposed to be about 500 words long, and solely in Sam's POV. Except then it exploded. The title is from the poem Walking Wounded by Vernon Scannell.
***
The Atlantis expedition has been back for all of a week and a half. Sam's gotten used to seeing Major Lorne and Colonel Sheppard wandering around, heads together over personnel files. They've both been given their own SG teams, and sometimes Sam wonders why neither of them have the possessive glee that all the other new team commanders have.
Dr. Weir stayed for a week of debriefings, but she seems to have vanished. Sam vaguely remembers Daniel saying he wanted to consult with her on what they've learned from the Atlantis database. He doesn't seem to be having much luck getting in touch, though.
Dr. Beckett joins Dr. Lam in the infirmary, but Sam almost never sees him when she's there. She tries not to be there too often; she still expects to see Janet whenever she walks in.
Everyone else is subsumed back into daily life at the SGC, or farmed out to other projects, like Rodney, who won't shut up about not getting the puddlejumper project. A few people take jobs outside the program.
It doesn't bother Sam much. She learns the new names and faces, says hello to the familiar ones, and goes on trying to fight the war with the Ori. She's got her team, they all have theirs, and there's always another crisis just around the bend.
***
Evan sees Colonel Carter out of the corner of his eye, but doesn't look up from the paperwork he and Sheppard are going over. They've both been assigned their own SG teams, though Lorne's gone from SG-11 to SG-thirtysomething. He's tempted to make a crack about this being a sitcom, but Sheppard's sense of humor has been a bit absent lately.
Come to think of it, Evan's sense of humor has also been a bit absent lately. Lately can be defined as 'the instant they stepped through that fucking 'gate and got back in the fucking mountain.' Or maybe they could definite it as 'when word came down that those goddamn Ancients who couldn't even repair their own fucking engines were kicking them out of their home.' Either's good.
They end up splitting the best candidates between them, and then both go out and get drunk on cheap beer. He and Sheppard both ask for Cadman before they send in a final roster, but Landry turns them down flat. Then he tells them they're not getting any Atlantis personnel for their teams.
Evan starts wondering what dumbass bureaucrat thinks the Lanteans have gotten too close. The next morning, he's working through a hangover, and Woolsey comes through, ready for his first trip to Atlantis to negotiate with the Ancients. It hits him, when Woolsey doesn't meet his gaze, that the IOA probably can't stand Elizabeth.
He and Sheppard end up at the same bar again that night, and this time, Cadman joins them. The next morning, they swear off getting trashed. It's something about waking up in the same bed with hangovers, sore and bruised from knocking heads after Cadman shot her mouth off one too many times, that makes them do it.
"May as well sign up for appointments with Kate instead," says Cadman, almost cheerful as she downs a handful of ibuprofen and holds an ice pack on her eye. "It's less painful."
Sheppard nods sharply, and Evan grunts in agreement. He sure as hell doesn't think how Ronon and Teyla could clean that fight up in thirty seconds flat. Because he doesn't miss them. At all.
He also doesn't think too closely about everything he's done with Cadman and Sheppard since the bar fight ended. Or how they're going to end up doing it all again, minus the getting trashed part.
***
Two weeks after Colonel Sheppard chooses his team, and one week after he swaps out the first member, she and Daniel are walking down the corridors of the SGC. Colonel Sheppard is walking in the other direction, and he's carrying a large cardboard box with a handle and a pour spout.
"Is that coffee?" asks Daniel. His fingers twitch, and Sam starts wondering if she's going to have to smack his hands away from Colonel Sheppard's coffee. By the smell of it, this is the really good stuff.
Colonel Sheppard leans against the wall in a boneless, lazy slouch that not even Jack - General O'Neill - could have gotten away with. "Got an appointment," he says.
"Who do you have an appointment with that you need to bring coffee along?" asks Sam. Dr. Weir couldn't possibly be back for a consult, could she?
"Heightmeyer and I are gonna have a little chat," says Colonel Sheppard.
"Oh," says Daniel, and his voice is carefully understanding. Which, Sam could have said, is exactly the wrong way to deal with Colonel Sheppard. "I'm sorry to hear that."
"Heightmeyer's not so bad," says Colonel Sheppard, shrugging. Sam knows just enough about him to realize that this is probably what he thinks of as glowing praise.
"Still, being assigned to see a therapist on your third week back from Atlantis can't be fun," says Daniel, and even if Colonel Sheppard doesn't glare, Sam suppresses a wince. She wonders if she was ever that painfully oblivious an academic. She's also very glad that General O'Neill isn't here to answer that question.
"Who said I got ordered into her office?" asks Colonel Sheppard, and the hint of amusement in his voice prompts an answering grin from Sam. He straightens, keeping his box of coffee easily out of Daniel's reach, and starts strolling down the hallway.
"I think they actually like their shrink," murmurs Daniel, once Colonel Sheppard is out of earshot. "What's up with that?"
Sam just shrugs, perplexed. She's met Dr. Heightmeyer once, and the woman seemed nice enough. "Not everyone has a bad history with Dr. Mackenzie either," she says, even though SG-1 as a whole seemed to clash constantly with the man.
***
Evan wanders in during John's therapy-cum-bitch-session with Kate. He snags himself a cup of coffee and collapses into a seat, and wonders if anyone's going to notice he can't stop staring at Sheppard.
By the speculative look Kate gives him, she's caught on that something's up.
Cadman comes in a little bit later, slams the door behind her, and pulls out a grease-stained paper bag that has the best damn doughnuts Evan's had in a while. They portion them out, and Evan pretends not to be affected by the moan Cadman lets out as she bites into a chocolate doughnut.
Evan tries not to pay attention when Kate notices that he and Sheppard realize that Cadman looks really hot, even if her hair is back up in a regulation hairstyle, like it only was for a few weeks on Atlantis, and she's only got on a bit of clear lip gloss.
All Kate does, though, is curve her lips into a tiny smile and lean back in her chair, and they all end up griping about how much Earth sucks compared to Lantea. They go out to dinner later, and no one gets drunk, at least. Evan tries not to notice that Kate is watching him pile into a car with Cadman and Sheppard. She's not going to rat them out to anyone, and the sex is really good.
He does wonder where she heads to after they leave, though. She doesn't strike him as completely alone.
***
Vala's having a grand time, moaning and whining about training, but she and Sam have lost track of who's winning this bout of sparring. Cameron's getting his ass kicked by Teal'c, and Daniel's lifting weights in a corner, pretending to be above it all, but Sam knows he's just trying not to stare.
"When did the SGC institute a potluck?" asks Cameron, and Teal'c knocks him down with a roundhouse blow to the had.
Sam bites back a laugh. "Potluck?" she asks, stepping back before Vala can throw her.
That signals the end of that gym session, because Daniel decides he's hungry, and it's meatloaf day.
***
Evan's sitting in his usual chair in Kate's office, and Sheppard's slouched in his usual chair. Beckett's there, taking a break from a surgical rotation on a quiet day, and McKay flew in from Area 51. He's griping about how Sheppard told him to bring food, and how he has important things to do, like making sure the morons assigned to work for him at Area 51 didn't blow themselves up.
None of them have seen Elizabeth, though Evan has his suspicions about what she's up to, especially when Kate won't admit where she got the hickey that her shirt was barely hiding.
When Cadman walks in, doughnuts in hand, Evan sees Colonel Carter out of the corner of his eye. But mostly he's looking at Cadman, who brandishes the bag. With any luck, Colonel Carter thinks Evan's just happy about the snacks.
***
Sam doesn't realize what's happening right away. SG-1 has just gotten back through the 'gate, under heavy fire from Ori forces, and all she cares about is getting to the shower and cleaning the grime out from under her fingernails. Major Lorne is walking down the hallway, looking almost angry, and quietly talking on a cell phone. Huh. He's by her in a heartbeat, and all she can hear is him telling someone to buy a ticket.
He looks tired, but Sam barely notices. They've all been tired lately.
***
She's out of the shower, hair toweled and tried, and is walking back down the hallway, talking with Vala, when she runs into Lieutenant Cadman. She's wearing civilian clothes, and is hauling an aquarium.
"Lieutenant," says Vala, as Lieutenant Cadman moves off to the side. "Are those turtles?"
Lieutenant Cadman's grin is shit-eating, pure Marine, and more than a little forced. "Yep," she says. "It's my new hobby."
"Raising turtles?" asks Vala, looking over at Sam with that 'you people from Earth are crazy' expression. Sam just shrugs and looks perplexed.
"Yes, ma'am," says Lieutenant Cadman. "They're the new team mascot."
Sam knows Lieutenant Cadman's applied for a position on Sheppard's SG team, not to mention Major Lorne's team, and if she's made it to one of their teams, then Sheppard, at least, is just off-kilter enough to indulge her. "Don't you have a mission in a couple of hours, Lieutenant?" asks Sam.
Some of the Lieutenant's spit and polish had worn off while she'd been on Atlantis, and she doesn't wilt under Sam's best stern look. "No, ma'am," says Lieutenant Cadman, and she looks like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. "It's been scrubbed."
"Come on, Sam," says Vala, tugging on Sam's arm. "I don't care about tiny little reptiles. I'm hungry."
They start walking again, because it's not worth making Vala wait for her food, and Lieutenant Cadman scurries off.
***
Once Vala has gotten enough make-up on to be happy, they head to the mess. Sam's getting some dessert when she notices Dr. Heightmeyer is sitting in a corner. She's got Dr. Biro sitting across from her, and they're talking intensely, but too quietly for anyone to overhear.
Vala gives Sam an arch look. "Looks like the newcomers are all busy today," she says.
"They're not newcomers," Sam says absently, because she's known Major Lorne since he was assigned to the program. In fact, she's the one who recommended him. It's rare to find scientists who are also military officers. Dr. Heightmeyer had with the SGC for a couple of years before Atlantis, and Sam's pretty sure Dr. Biro had been out at Area 51. "They've been here six weeks now."
"But they're all busy," says Vala. Her face brightens as she snatches a double helping of chocolate pudding from the dessert cooler, and Sam gets so busy teasing her that she forgets about Dr. Heightmeyer's little corner of the mess until they're on their way out.
***
They shouldn't even know what's happening, but Radek calls Kate as he's getting on the first flight to the U.S. that he can find. He's first on the list, after McKay, as a expert on the intergalactic 'gate bridge. General Landry didn't tell Radek everything, but he's been given enough information that he can piece it all together.
Evan is furious. Cadman is white-faced and shaking with anger, even though she's trying to hide it with a flippant facade. Kate's face is smoothed calm of emotion, but the mix of hope and fear in her eyes is easy for him to read.
They're sitting together in Kate's office, calling every Lantean they can think of. If Sheppard holds true to form, either everything will be in perfect shape by the time the Daedalus gets to Atlantis, or Evan's going to have to pull his ass out of the fire again.
When Biro's off trying to dig up Keller's phone number, Kate looks up at them. She's got her arms wrapped around herself. "I'm sleeping with her," she says. Cadman pauses, turns to Kate, not looking surprised at all. "With Elizabeth. I think I'm in love with her."
"Oh, sweetie," says Cadman, and Evan wonders how women are so comfortable talking about this sort of thing. Then Cadman hugs Kate, and Kate's hugging her back, taking a deep breath. "I'm sleeping with Evan." Cadman jerks her head at him.
Evan chokes on his coffee. "I thought we weren't talking about that," he says.
Kate smiles. "I know," she says to Cadman.
"I'm also sleeping with the other idiot that decided to go and retake Atlantis from superior forces with no backup," says Cadman, and Evan just groans.
"When did my personal life become everyone's business?" he asks Kate's ceiling.
"A long damn time before now," says Cadman, and Evan hates it that she's right.
"I don't know whether I'm afraid for their lives," says Kate, stepping away from Cadman, "or hopeful that we'll be able to go home"
"If I know anything about Sheppard, they'll stop on the way back to Atlantis to get Ronon and Teyla." Evan grins wryly. After all, he knows a fair amount about Sheppard.
"Radek did say that Rodney put a backdoor into the 'gate bridge's programming, and that he'd be able to change the location the 'gate exits to," says Cadman. "So they won't go straight to Atlantis. They'll have the element of surprise."
Kate nods, and Biro walks back in, announcing brightly that Keller wasn't in Vancouver, but Toronto, so she'd be driving across the border as soon as she could rent a car. The personal talk is put off until later, when they're not going insane trying not to worry.
***
With a couple more hours to go before SG-1 debriefs, Sam decides to wander to Dr. Heightmeyer's office. Dr. Heightmeyer had come up free at least once the last time General Landry had decided that Sam needed to discuss her latest mission.
She knocks on the door, and Dr. Heightmeyer opens it, rather than calling for Sam to come in. There's a suppressed light in her eyes that dims as soon as she sees Sam. "Colonel Carter," she says, and Sam wonders if that woman's perfect facade is ever cracked. "May I help you?"
"Is everything all right, Doctor?" asks Sam.
Dr. Heightmeyer smiles politely. "Of course," she says smoothly. "What makes you think it wouldn't be?"
Sam glances past Dr. Heightmeyer, and notices Lieutenant Cadman pacing her way back and forth in Dr. Heightmeyer's office. Major Lorne is leaning back in a chair, and Dr. Biro is staring at Sam, her eyes a little wide and panicked. That's not actually an unusual look for Dr. Biro.
As Sam opens her mouth to answer, a red-headed woman, one of the life sciences types, darts by her and into the office with a squeak that Sam presumes is an 'excuse me.' She goes right up to Lieutenant Cadman, and Sam can't read their gaze.
"I'm sorry, Colonel," says Dr. Heightmeyer, "but you'll have to excuse us."
"It seems to me," says Sam slowly. "That the former members of the Atlantis expedition have been very agitated today."
"We're having a group therapy session." Blankly polite curiosity is an interesting look on Dr. Heightmeyer. "I'm afraid that cultural adjustment does take longer than six weeks."
Major Lorne's cell rings, and he pulls it out, flipping it open and bringing it to his ear in a one compact movement. "Lorne here," he says quietly. He leans forward, and Sam just now realizes that he's forgotten to stand at attention. So has Lieutenant Cadman.
Sometimes Sam wonders just what kind of a military contingent a man like Sheppard would command.
***
Evan doesn't even notice Major Carter until she's leaving; he's too busy trying to track Chuck down. Chuck's still local, taking shifts that Harriman doesn't want, but he's on vacation this week. He's got the standard SGC cell phone, in case the world is in imminent danger of ending, but apparently he's not wearing it right now.
They've all had their moments of rebellion against the SGC in the past six weeks, and out of all of them, Chuck's seems to be the mildest. Still, it's making him a bitch to find.
***
It isn't until after SG-1's debriefing ends, when General Landry pulls her aside, that she realizes what's going on. She's hiding out in her lab, Daniel and Teal'c huddled close, and they're discussing in whispers how best to get to Atlantis right the hell now, because General O'Neill is trapped there.
Dr. Zelenka hurries by, gesticulating wildly, and Sam's head pulls up sharply. "Oh," she says, and the guys both look at her, Daniel with that little line between his forehead that he gets when he's confused, and Teal'c with his eyebrow raised curiously.
"Sam?" asks Daniel, his voice pulled out slowly. "What's going on with the crazy Czech man that's making you look like that?"
"Oh, with Dr. Zelenka?" asks Sam. "I'm not really sure, but everyone who was on the Atlantis expedition seems to be congregating in Dr. Heightmeyer's office."
"Yeah, but Dr. Zelenka was teaching in Prague last I heard," said Daniel. "Since, last I heard, the Daedalus was on its way to Atlantis with several very large nuclear weapons, I can't imagine why he'd be here."
"I believe the Atlantis expedition members believe that Colonel Sheppard, Dr. Weir, Dr. Beckett, and Dr. McKay will be successful in retaking the city from the Replicators," said Teal'c. "If Colonel Sheppard is a sensible enough tactician to reassemble his entire team before they make the attempt."
"They're not supposed to know about that," says Daniel, his brow furrowing even further. General Landry is keeping the news from anyone with a hint of ties to Atlantis, especially after talking to Bill Lee.
"Since when has that ever stopped us?" asks Sam. She's certain they're not the only ones with a grapevine, and the former Atlantis expedition members have always held themselves a little apart from the rest of Stargate Command. They already pass gossip among each other like it's going out of style.
Daniel murmurs something unintelligible, because he hates conceding a point.
"Yo, Sam," says Cameron, wending his way into her lab. "What's up with the party in the psych ward?"
"Party in the psych ward?" asks Sam.
Vala follows him in, hair in ponytails again, and Sam wonders why she keeps wearing such tight, not-quite-regulation t-shirts. Then she notices Daniel and Teal'c both trying not to stare as Vala subtly preens. Right. "Oh, yes, that lovely Lieutenant Cadman with the reptile habit--"
"Turtles are ambhibians," says Daniel, sounding a little irritated. Apparently he noticed Vala noticing his admiration.
"Whatever they are," continues Vala, glaring, "that lovely Lieutenant Cadman has been in Dr. Heightmeyer's office for several hours now, except for a trip to the mess for lettuce. For the turtles."
"I asked Major Lorne what he was doing there," says Cameron. "He said it was paperwork. His team's mission got canceled."
"That obnoxious blond plant man was blaring at him the whole time." Vala is leaning against the table, chewing on bubble gum. Sam's going to shoot whoever introduced her to that.
"Stackhouse didn't look like he minded putting up with it," says Cameron. "He was there too."
"Just don't ask too many questions about those two," says Sam. She doesn't want to deal with the headache that the paperwork from that would give General Landry.
"I would not dream of such a thing," says Teal'c, and Sam smiles gratefully at him. "Colonel Carter, I believe those who returned from Atlantis are planning to support Dr. Weir and the others who left in any way possible."
Cameron goes sharply alert, and gives her a hard look for holding out on him. "What's up?" he asks tightly.
"General O'Neill and Mr. Woolsey are trapped on Atlantis," says Teal'c. "That galaxy's Replicators attacked Atlantis. The SGC lost contact with the city while we were on our mission."
"And then Atlantis' former command staff stole the puddlejumper," says Daniel. He looks annoyed, like he wishes SG-1 had been around to think of it first. Sam can't quite argue the point. They had been General O'Neill's team; they should be riding to his rescue. "General Landry isn't happy."
"I imagine not," says Teal'c. "I do not think this is cause for alarm. There is no way for anyone to reach Atlantis, except for the Daedalus. Is it not already out of the galaxy?"
"I suppose they could try to hijack the Odyssey," says Daniel. "But I don't think they'll try to."
Sam shakes her head. "They won't, not unless Dr. Weir and Colonel Sheppard end up needing rescuing too." She sighs and resigns herself to waiting. "If they do, I'm half-tempted to hijack it with them."
"Let's wait and see what happens before we plan a joint hijacking," says Cameron dryly.
"Indeed," says Teal'c. "I have the utmost faith in General O'Neill."
"Well," says Vala, straightening. "Until we hear word that certain doom has been averted once again, I'm going to go join the party in Dr. Heightmeyer's office. They have doughnuts." Her glance around Sam's office makes it very clear she's taking it as a personal insult that Sam doesn't provide doughnuts at all times.
Sam suppresses both a smile, and a roll of her eyes. The woman's irrepressible. "You do that," she tells Vala. "I just want to tinker on this anti-Replicator weapon a bit more."
It's very easy to ignore Teal'c's amused chuckle and Daniel's knowing look. There's no harm in being prepared, is there?
"Good plan," says Cameron, his mouth twitching. Cameron always knew better than to be amused at Sam's foibles where she could see it. "Doughnuts?"
"Bavarian creme doughnuts," says Vala, moving for the door. "The mess never has those."
***
Evan controls a guilty start when Colonel Carter walks into Kate's office. He's pondering career-destroying actions like dragging Cadman into a storage closet and having sex, which, he has to say, is about the mildest of all of the career-ending actions they're planning today.
"We don't leave our people behind," says Colonel Carter firmly. There's a tight look around her eyes too, and it's right about then that Evan remembers that General O'Neill is trapped on Atlantis and in danger.
"Got that right," says Evan, smirking at her.
"We'll figure something out," says Colonel Carter. "Or they'll pull off a miracle save, and we won't need to figure anything out."
"We're not planning anything," Evan tells her.
"Neither are we," says Colonel Carter. "Right?"
Their eyes meet, and both of them know what's going on, and neither of them will admit to a damn thing. Then Colonel Carter is moving past him, focusing on Radek's documents and tablet, which are full of schematics on the 'gate bridge.
Teal'c, Vala, and Cadman are sitting together, discussing - arguing, really - the relative merits of blowing things up versus being sneakier than your opponents. The fact that said opponents are Replicators is completely coincidental.
Kate has Dr. Jackson walking up to her, because as the lone social scientists in the room, who else are they going to talk to? Within two minutes, they're discussing Replicator behavioral patterns, and Kate's pulling up the notes McKay had made from memory on their behavioral coding.
"So, Lorne," says Colonel Mitchell, ambling over. "Seeing as how you and I are surrounded by a bunch of people getting their geek on, why don't you tell me what the airspace around Atlantis is like. Just in case I ever need to pilot an F-302 around there one of these days.
Evan smiles. "Just in case, huh?" There's safety in numbers. And they really don't leave their people behind.
--end--
Author: havocthecat
Series: Stargate: SG-1, Stargate: Atlantis
Pairings: Cadman/Lorne/Sheppard, Heightmeyer/Weir, Jackson/Mal Doran
Rating: PG-13
Summary: They don't leave their people behind. Return I & II based fic.
Author's Notes: I primarily blame medie for aiding and abetting this story, which was supposed to be about 500 words long, and solely in Sam's POV. Except then it exploded. The title is from the poem Walking Wounded by Vernon Scannell.
***
The Atlantis expedition has been back for all of a week and a half. Sam's gotten used to seeing Major Lorne and Colonel Sheppard wandering around, heads together over personnel files. They've both been given their own SG teams, and sometimes Sam wonders why neither of them have the possessive glee that all the other new team commanders have.
Dr. Weir stayed for a week of debriefings, but she seems to have vanished. Sam vaguely remembers Daniel saying he wanted to consult with her on what they've learned from the Atlantis database. He doesn't seem to be having much luck getting in touch, though.
Dr. Beckett joins Dr. Lam in the infirmary, but Sam almost never sees him when she's there. She tries not to be there too often; she still expects to see Janet whenever she walks in.
Everyone else is subsumed back into daily life at the SGC, or farmed out to other projects, like Rodney, who won't shut up about not getting the puddlejumper project. A few people take jobs outside the program.
It doesn't bother Sam much. She learns the new names and faces, says hello to the familiar ones, and goes on trying to fight the war with the Ori. She's got her team, they all have theirs, and there's always another crisis just around the bend.
***
Evan sees Colonel Carter out of the corner of his eye, but doesn't look up from the paperwork he and Sheppard are going over. They've both been assigned their own SG teams, though Lorne's gone from SG-11 to SG-thirtysomething. He's tempted to make a crack about this being a sitcom, but Sheppard's sense of humor has been a bit absent lately.
Come to think of it, Evan's sense of humor has also been a bit absent lately. Lately can be defined as 'the instant they stepped through that fucking 'gate and got back in the fucking mountain.' Or maybe they could definite it as 'when word came down that those goddamn Ancients who couldn't even repair their own fucking engines were kicking them out of their home.' Either's good.
They end up splitting the best candidates between them, and then both go out and get drunk on cheap beer. He and Sheppard both ask for Cadman before they send in a final roster, but Landry turns them down flat. Then he tells them they're not getting any Atlantis personnel for their teams.
Evan starts wondering what dumbass bureaucrat thinks the Lanteans have gotten too close. The next morning, he's working through a hangover, and Woolsey comes through, ready for his first trip to Atlantis to negotiate with the Ancients. It hits him, when Woolsey doesn't meet his gaze, that the IOA probably can't stand Elizabeth.
He and Sheppard end up at the same bar again that night, and this time, Cadman joins them. The next morning, they swear off getting trashed. It's something about waking up in the same bed with hangovers, sore and bruised from knocking heads after Cadman shot her mouth off one too many times, that makes them do it.
"May as well sign up for appointments with Kate instead," says Cadman, almost cheerful as she downs a handful of ibuprofen and holds an ice pack on her eye. "It's less painful."
Sheppard nods sharply, and Evan grunts in agreement. He sure as hell doesn't think how Ronon and Teyla could clean that fight up in thirty seconds flat. Because he doesn't miss them. At all.
He also doesn't think too closely about everything he's done with Cadman and Sheppard since the bar fight ended. Or how they're going to end up doing it all again, minus the getting trashed part.
***
Two weeks after Colonel Sheppard chooses his team, and one week after he swaps out the first member, she and Daniel are walking down the corridors of the SGC. Colonel Sheppard is walking in the other direction, and he's carrying a large cardboard box with a handle and a pour spout.
"Is that coffee?" asks Daniel. His fingers twitch, and Sam starts wondering if she's going to have to smack his hands away from Colonel Sheppard's coffee. By the smell of it, this is the really good stuff.
Colonel Sheppard leans against the wall in a boneless, lazy slouch that not even Jack - General O'Neill - could have gotten away with. "Got an appointment," he says.
"Who do you have an appointment with that you need to bring coffee along?" asks Sam. Dr. Weir couldn't possibly be back for a consult, could she?
"Heightmeyer and I are gonna have a little chat," says Colonel Sheppard.
"Oh," says Daniel, and his voice is carefully understanding. Which, Sam could have said, is exactly the wrong way to deal with Colonel Sheppard. "I'm sorry to hear that."
"Heightmeyer's not so bad," says Colonel Sheppard, shrugging. Sam knows just enough about him to realize that this is probably what he thinks of as glowing praise.
"Still, being assigned to see a therapist on your third week back from Atlantis can't be fun," says Daniel, and even if Colonel Sheppard doesn't glare, Sam suppresses a wince. She wonders if she was ever that painfully oblivious an academic. She's also very glad that General O'Neill isn't here to answer that question.
"Who said I got ordered into her office?" asks Colonel Sheppard, and the hint of amusement in his voice prompts an answering grin from Sam. He straightens, keeping his box of coffee easily out of Daniel's reach, and starts strolling down the hallway.
"I think they actually like their shrink," murmurs Daniel, once Colonel Sheppard is out of earshot. "What's up with that?"
Sam just shrugs, perplexed. She's met Dr. Heightmeyer once, and the woman seemed nice enough. "Not everyone has a bad history with Dr. Mackenzie either," she says, even though SG-1 as a whole seemed to clash constantly with the man.
***
Evan wanders in during John's therapy-cum-bitch-session with Kate. He snags himself a cup of coffee and collapses into a seat, and wonders if anyone's going to notice he can't stop staring at Sheppard.
By the speculative look Kate gives him, she's caught on that something's up.
Cadman comes in a little bit later, slams the door behind her, and pulls out a grease-stained paper bag that has the best damn doughnuts Evan's had in a while. They portion them out, and Evan pretends not to be affected by the moan Cadman lets out as she bites into a chocolate doughnut.
Evan tries not to pay attention when Kate notices that he and Sheppard realize that Cadman looks really hot, even if her hair is back up in a regulation hairstyle, like it only was for a few weeks on Atlantis, and she's only got on a bit of clear lip gloss.
All Kate does, though, is curve her lips into a tiny smile and lean back in her chair, and they all end up griping about how much Earth sucks compared to Lantea. They go out to dinner later, and no one gets drunk, at least. Evan tries not to notice that Kate is watching him pile into a car with Cadman and Sheppard. She's not going to rat them out to anyone, and the sex is really good.
He does wonder where she heads to after they leave, though. She doesn't strike him as completely alone.
***
Vala's having a grand time, moaning and whining about training, but she and Sam have lost track of who's winning this bout of sparring. Cameron's getting his ass kicked by Teal'c, and Daniel's lifting weights in a corner, pretending to be above it all, but Sam knows he's just trying not to stare.
"When did the SGC institute a potluck?" asks Cameron, and Teal'c knocks him down with a roundhouse blow to the had.
Sam bites back a laugh. "Potluck?" she asks, stepping back before Vala can throw her.
That signals the end of that gym session, because Daniel decides he's hungry, and it's meatloaf day.
***
Evan's sitting in his usual chair in Kate's office, and Sheppard's slouched in his usual chair. Beckett's there, taking a break from a surgical rotation on a quiet day, and McKay flew in from Area 51. He's griping about how Sheppard told him to bring food, and how he has important things to do, like making sure the morons assigned to work for him at Area 51 didn't blow themselves up.
None of them have seen Elizabeth, though Evan has his suspicions about what she's up to, especially when Kate won't admit where she got the hickey that her shirt was barely hiding.
When Cadman walks in, doughnuts in hand, Evan sees Colonel Carter out of the corner of his eye. But mostly he's looking at Cadman, who brandishes the bag. With any luck, Colonel Carter thinks Evan's just happy about the snacks.
***
Sam doesn't realize what's happening right away. SG-1 has just gotten back through the 'gate, under heavy fire from Ori forces, and all she cares about is getting to the shower and cleaning the grime out from under her fingernails. Major Lorne is walking down the hallway, looking almost angry, and quietly talking on a cell phone. Huh. He's by her in a heartbeat, and all she can hear is him telling someone to buy a ticket.
He looks tired, but Sam barely notices. They've all been tired lately.
***
She's out of the shower, hair toweled and tried, and is walking back down the hallway, talking with Vala, when she runs into Lieutenant Cadman. She's wearing civilian clothes, and is hauling an aquarium.
"Lieutenant," says Vala, as Lieutenant Cadman moves off to the side. "Are those turtles?"
Lieutenant Cadman's grin is shit-eating, pure Marine, and more than a little forced. "Yep," she says. "It's my new hobby."
"Raising turtles?" asks Vala, looking over at Sam with that 'you people from Earth are crazy' expression. Sam just shrugs and looks perplexed.
"Yes, ma'am," says Lieutenant Cadman. "They're the new team mascot."
Sam knows Lieutenant Cadman's applied for a position on Sheppard's SG team, not to mention Major Lorne's team, and if she's made it to one of their teams, then Sheppard, at least, is just off-kilter enough to indulge her. "Don't you have a mission in a couple of hours, Lieutenant?" asks Sam.
Some of the Lieutenant's spit and polish had worn off while she'd been on Atlantis, and she doesn't wilt under Sam's best stern look. "No, ma'am," says Lieutenant Cadman, and she looks like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. "It's been scrubbed."
"Come on, Sam," says Vala, tugging on Sam's arm. "I don't care about tiny little reptiles. I'm hungry."
They start walking again, because it's not worth making Vala wait for her food, and Lieutenant Cadman scurries off.
***
Once Vala has gotten enough make-up on to be happy, they head to the mess. Sam's getting some dessert when she notices Dr. Heightmeyer is sitting in a corner. She's got Dr. Biro sitting across from her, and they're talking intensely, but too quietly for anyone to overhear.
Vala gives Sam an arch look. "Looks like the newcomers are all busy today," she says.
"They're not newcomers," Sam says absently, because she's known Major Lorne since he was assigned to the program. In fact, she's the one who recommended him. It's rare to find scientists who are also military officers. Dr. Heightmeyer had with the SGC for a couple of years before Atlantis, and Sam's pretty sure Dr. Biro had been out at Area 51. "They've been here six weeks now."
"But they're all busy," says Vala. Her face brightens as she snatches a double helping of chocolate pudding from the dessert cooler, and Sam gets so busy teasing her that she forgets about Dr. Heightmeyer's little corner of the mess until they're on their way out.
***
They shouldn't even know what's happening, but Radek calls Kate as he's getting on the first flight to the U.S. that he can find. He's first on the list, after McKay, as a expert on the intergalactic 'gate bridge. General Landry didn't tell Radek everything, but he's been given enough information that he can piece it all together.
Evan is furious. Cadman is white-faced and shaking with anger, even though she's trying to hide it with a flippant facade. Kate's face is smoothed calm of emotion, but the mix of hope and fear in her eyes is easy for him to read.
They're sitting together in Kate's office, calling every Lantean they can think of. If Sheppard holds true to form, either everything will be in perfect shape by the time the Daedalus gets to Atlantis, or Evan's going to have to pull his ass out of the fire again.
When Biro's off trying to dig up Keller's phone number, Kate looks up at them. She's got her arms wrapped around herself. "I'm sleeping with her," she says. Cadman pauses, turns to Kate, not looking surprised at all. "With Elizabeth. I think I'm in love with her."
"Oh, sweetie," says Cadman, and Evan wonders how women are so comfortable talking about this sort of thing. Then Cadman hugs Kate, and Kate's hugging her back, taking a deep breath. "I'm sleeping with Evan." Cadman jerks her head at him.
Evan chokes on his coffee. "I thought we weren't talking about that," he says.
Kate smiles. "I know," she says to Cadman.
"I'm also sleeping with the other idiot that decided to go and retake Atlantis from superior forces with no backup," says Cadman, and Evan just groans.
"When did my personal life become everyone's business?" he asks Kate's ceiling.
"A long damn time before now," says Cadman, and Evan hates it that she's right.
"I don't know whether I'm afraid for their lives," says Kate, stepping away from Cadman, "or hopeful that we'll be able to go home"
"If I know anything about Sheppard, they'll stop on the way back to Atlantis to get Ronon and Teyla." Evan grins wryly. After all, he knows a fair amount about Sheppard.
"Radek did say that Rodney put a backdoor into the 'gate bridge's programming, and that he'd be able to change the location the 'gate exits to," says Cadman. "So they won't go straight to Atlantis. They'll have the element of surprise."
Kate nods, and Biro walks back in, announcing brightly that Keller wasn't in Vancouver, but Toronto, so she'd be driving across the border as soon as she could rent a car. The personal talk is put off until later, when they're not going insane trying not to worry.
***
With a couple more hours to go before SG-1 debriefs, Sam decides to wander to Dr. Heightmeyer's office. Dr. Heightmeyer had come up free at least once the last time General Landry had decided that Sam needed to discuss her latest mission.
She knocks on the door, and Dr. Heightmeyer opens it, rather than calling for Sam to come in. There's a suppressed light in her eyes that dims as soon as she sees Sam. "Colonel Carter," she says, and Sam wonders if that woman's perfect facade is ever cracked. "May I help you?"
"Is everything all right, Doctor?" asks Sam.
Dr. Heightmeyer smiles politely. "Of course," she says smoothly. "What makes you think it wouldn't be?"
Sam glances past Dr. Heightmeyer, and notices Lieutenant Cadman pacing her way back and forth in Dr. Heightmeyer's office. Major Lorne is leaning back in a chair, and Dr. Biro is staring at Sam, her eyes a little wide and panicked. That's not actually an unusual look for Dr. Biro.
As Sam opens her mouth to answer, a red-headed woman, one of the life sciences types, darts by her and into the office with a squeak that Sam presumes is an 'excuse me.' She goes right up to Lieutenant Cadman, and Sam can't read their gaze.
"I'm sorry, Colonel," says Dr. Heightmeyer, "but you'll have to excuse us."
"It seems to me," says Sam slowly. "That the former members of the Atlantis expedition have been very agitated today."
"We're having a group therapy session." Blankly polite curiosity is an interesting look on Dr. Heightmeyer. "I'm afraid that cultural adjustment does take longer than six weeks."
Major Lorne's cell rings, and he pulls it out, flipping it open and bringing it to his ear in a one compact movement. "Lorne here," he says quietly. He leans forward, and Sam just now realizes that he's forgotten to stand at attention. So has Lieutenant Cadman.
Sometimes Sam wonders just what kind of a military contingent a man like Sheppard would command.
***
Evan doesn't even notice Major Carter until she's leaving; he's too busy trying to track Chuck down. Chuck's still local, taking shifts that Harriman doesn't want, but he's on vacation this week. He's got the standard SGC cell phone, in case the world is in imminent danger of ending, but apparently he's not wearing it right now.
They've all had their moments of rebellion against the SGC in the past six weeks, and out of all of them, Chuck's seems to be the mildest. Still, it's making him a bitch to find.
***
It isn't until after SG-1's debriefing ends, when General Landry pulls her aside, that she realizes what's going on. She's hiding out in her lab, Daniel and Teal'c huddled close, and they're discussing in whispers how best to get to Atlantis right the hell now, because General O'Neill is trapped there.
Dr. Zelenka hurries by, gesticulating wildly, and Sam's head pulls up sharply. "Oh," she says, and the guys both look at her, Daniel with that little line between his forehead that he gets when he's confused, and Teal'c with his eyebrow raised curiously.
"Sam?" asks Daniel, his voice pulled out slowly. "What's going on with the crazy Czech man that's making you look like that?"
"Oh, with Dr. Zelenka?" asks Sam. "I'm not really sure, but everyone who was on the Atlantis expedition seems to be congregating in Dr. Heightmeyer's office."
"Yeah, but Dr. Zelenka was teaching in Prague last I heard," said Daniel. "Since, last I heard, the Daedalus was on its way to Atlantis with several very large nuclear weapons, I can't imagine why he'd be here."
"I believe the Atlantis expedition members believe that Colonel Sheppard, Dr. Weir, Dr. Beckett, and Dr. McKay will be successful in retaking the city from the Replicators," said Teal'c. "If Colonel Sheppard is a sensible enough tactician to reassemble his entire team before they make the attempt."
"They're not supposed to know about that," says Daniel, his brow furrowing even further. General Landry is keeping the news from anyone with a hint of ties to Atlantis, especially after talking to Bill Lee.
"Since when has that ever stopped us?" asks Sam. She's certain they're not the only ones with a grapevine, and the former Atlantis expedition members have always held themselves a little apart from the rest of Stargate Command. They already pass gossip among each other like it's going out of style.
Daniel murmurs something unintelligible, because he hates conceding a point.
"Yo, Sam," says Cameron, wending his way into her lab. "What's up with the party in the psych ward?"
"Party in the psych ward?" asks Sam.
Vala follows him in, hair in ponytails again, and Sam wonders why she keeps wearing such tight, not-quite-regulation t-shirts. Then she notices Daniel and Teal'c both trying not to stare as Vala subtly preens. Right. "Oh, yes, that lovely Lieutenant Cadman with the reptile habit--"
"Turtles are ambhibians," says Daniel, sounding a little irritated. Apparently he noticed Vala noticing his admiration.
"Whatever they are," continues Vala, glaring, "that lovely Lieutenant Cadman has been in Dr. Heightmeyer's office for several hours now, except for a trip to the mess for lettuce. For the turtles."
"I asked Major Lorne what he was doing there," says Cameron. "He said it was paperwork. His team's mission got canceled."
"That obnoxious blond plant man was blaring at him the whole time." Vala is leaning against the table, chewing on bubble gum. Sam's going to shoot whoever introduced her to that.
"Stackhouse didn't look like he minded putting up with it," says Cameron. "He was there too."
"Just don't ask too many questions about those two," says Sam. She doesn't want to deal with the headache that the paperwork from that would give General Landry.
"I would not dream of such a thing," says Teal'c, and Sam smiles gratefully at him. "Colonel Carter, I believe those who returned from Atlantis are planning to support Dr. Weir and the others who left in any way possible."
Cameron goes sharply alert, and gives her a hard look for holding out on him. "What's up?" he asks tightly.
"General O'Neill and Mr. Woolsey are trapped on Atlantis," says Teal'c. "That galaxy's Replicators attacked Atlantis. The SGC lost contact with the city while we were on our mission."
"And then Atlantis' former command staff stole the puddlejumper," says Daniel. He looks annoyed, like he wishes SG-1 had been around to think of it first. Sam can't quite argue the point. They had been General O'Neill's team; they should be riding to his rescue. "General Landry isn't happy."
"I imagine not," says Teal'c. "I do not think this is cause for alarm. There is no way for anyone to reach Atlantis, except for the Daedalus. Is it not already out of the galaxy?"
"I suppose they could try to hijack the Odyssey," says Daniel. "But I don't think they'll try to."
Sam shakes her head. "They won't, not unless Dr. Weir and Colonel Sheppard end up needing rescuing too." She sighs and resigns herself to waiting. "If they do, I'm half-tempted to hijack it with them."
"Let's wait and see what happens before we plan a joint hijacking," says Cameron dryly.
"Indeed," says Teal'c. "I have the utmost faith in General O'Neill."
"Well," says Vala, straightening. "Until we hear word that certain doom has been averted once again, I'm going to go join the party in Dr. Heightmeyer's office. They have doughnuts." Her glance around Sam's office makes it very clear she's taking it as a personal insult that Sam doesn't provide doughnuts at all times.
Sam suppresses both a smile, and a roll of her eyes. The woman's irrepressible. "You do that," she tells Vala. "I just want to tinker on this anti-Replicator weapon a bit more."
It's very easy to ignore Teal'c's amused chuckle and Daniel's knowing look. There's no harm in being prepared, is there?
"Good plan," says Cameron, his mouth twitching. Cameron always knew better than to be amused at Sam's foibles where she could see it. "Doughnuts?"
"Bavarian creme doughnuts," says Vala, moving for the door. "The mess never has those."
***
Evan controls a guilty start when Colonel Carter walks into Kate's office. He's pondering career-destroying actions like dragging Cadman into a storage closet and having sex, which, he has to say, is about the mildest of all of the career-ending actions they're planning today.
"We don't leave our people behind," says Colonel Carter firmly. There's a tight look around her eyes too, and it's right about then that Evan remembers that General O'Neill is trapped on Atlantis and in danger.
"Got that right," says Evan, smirking at her.
"We'll figure something out," says Colonel Carter. "Or they'll pull off a miracle save, and we won't need to figure anything out."
"We're not planning anything," Evan tells her.
"Neither are we," says Colonel Carter. "Right?"
Their eyes meet, and both of them know what's going on, and neither of them will admit to a damn thing. Then Colonel Carter is moving past him, focusing on Radek's documents and tablet, which are full of schematics on the 'gate bridge.
Teal'c, Vala, and Cadman are sitting together, discussing - arguing, really - the relative merits of blowing things up versus being sneakier than your opponents. The fact that said opponents are Replicators is completely coincidental.
Kate has Dr. Jackson walking up to her, because as the lone social scientists in the room, who else are they going to talk to? Within two minutes, they're discussing Replicator behavioral patterns, and Kate's pulling up the notes McKay had made from memory on their behavioral coding.
"So, Lorne," says Colonel Mitchell, ambling over. "Seeing as how you and I are surrounded by a bunch of people getting their geek on, why don't you tell me what the airspace around Atlantis is like. Just in case I ever need to pilot an F-302 around there one of these days.
Evan smiles. "Just in case, huh?" There's safety in numbers. And they really don't leave their people behind.
--end--