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John and Rodney and the others spend less and less time returning to Solaris to visit as Ascension becomes common knowledge now and they are surrounded by many of their kind wherever they go.

A handful of their descendants join an expedition to explore Andromeda and John and Rodney follow to see how things develop. By then, Rodney's wormhole drive has become the standard mode of travel.

One of their descendants, Dex Sheppard-McKay, a pilot on an Andromeda expedition, ends up becoming instrumental in the Sekkari interference wars. John and Rodney can't help but see of a little of themselves in him. There is another pilot that Dex has fallen in love with, Wyatt. A man named after John and Rodney's famous son but of no relation. Wanting to see them succeed, they help out a little in some of the worst battles in the Andromeda wars to make sure the two of them survive and the Sekkari are defeated once and for all.

Once Andromeda becomes safe, Dex and Wyatt marry and settle there, having children of their own with the Ancient fertility machines that have, by now, become the most common way for humans to reproduce.

The descendants of the Sheppard-McKay line follow in many paths, all of them accomplishing great things in their own way. But those who came from Dex and Wyatt are among the most adventurers pioneers in the Andromeda galaxy. Some of them even establish a settlement on a planet that they name Solaris, after the birthplace of Earth Aeronautics. And with time, it becomes one of the most thriving and vital worlds in the galaxy.

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A long time has passed since John and Rodney were on Earth and when they return to their own Solaris in human form, they find it much changed; a museum now. The structure of the Columbarium is still intact.

A brightly colored 3 dimensional photograph has been emblazoned into the side to the stone. It makes John's heart ache a little. He remembers the day the photo was taken. All of them had posed, standing in three rows to fit everyone in. It had been a feat to get the kids to stop laughing and goofing around, but eventually they had managed it.

Rodney squeezes his hand, "That was a great day."

The two of them look at the dated image. From the picture but it isn't obvious, but John fondly remembers that he and Rodney were holding hands. Dave, Jeanie, and Kaleb stand next to them. Next to Toren are his proud parents, Teyla and Kanan.

Toren is standing above Wyatt with his elbows on his shoulders. Little Ara playfully smiling at her buddy Wyatt. Carson is on his tiptoes, trying to seem taller next to Halling. While Jinto has his arm draped over Madison's shoulder. The two of them always had a special bond. It was no surprise when years late, Madison and Jinto developed a romance and got married.

In the front row, Jennifer sits on her knees, next to Ronon is who playfully hunched over to conceal his height. He holds his son Tyre on a knee. Vala and Daniel sit next to them, holding their children in their laps.

Even though all of them are still alive and well, John is so grateful to Wyatt for making this monument, this little time capsule and window into the past. The place where their extended family began.

Somehow beginnings are even sweeter than eternity. Beginnings are fragile and precious things. Only in hindsight do they become so indelible, so pivotal to the course of one's life.

The two of them leave Earth again to traverse the through space, to return to their extended and ever growing family of loved ones. They play, laughter spilling out everywhere, light quivering around and as they entertain each other. It's amazing how it is still possible to be tickled when you are a ball of energy.

'Who ever said Ascended couldn't have sense of humor.' John laughs.

Time becomes immaterial. It flows around them like a quickly moving river. Based on Earth's solar revolution, thousands and thousands of years go by. The next time they visit Earth it has become nothing more than a backwater hamlet itself. Humans have seeded many galaxies and developed the ability to Ascend on their own.

John and Rodney's original home world is now just one of many, a drop in the ocean. As for the ranch itself, the structures, the beloved tree house, and even the tree have crumbled to dust. Only some stone ruins remain where the old monument once stood.

"Come my love." Rodney turns and kisses John, "There is nothing here for us anymore, but a whole universe awaits us."

Happy to be in human from for the moment, John kisses Rodney's delectable lips, "Let's go to back to New Solaris" he suggests, "Let's spend a lifetime making love to each other, the way we used to."

And Rodney doesn't need to say anything for John to know his answer. They join in spirit and make the wish a reality. They do it over and over again; and as years drift by in the thousands, they move back and forth between Ascended form and human, living many lives enjoying the sheer pleasure of everyday life and the passion they find in each other.

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Somehow this cluster of the Andromeda galaxy has become a main settlement ground for humans in both basic and Ascended form. The planet of New Solaris has become a meaningful place for all of them in their extended family to create new cherished memories together.

It's ecology is a unique mix of advanced technologies and rural life. Most of the city dwellings exist above the surface; the residential 'clouds' are unfixed, drifting at will unless set to attach by umbilical cord to a desired location.

In a way, their house reminds Rodney of a spaceship from an old Earth movie called Barbarella. It is so open and airy; the entire surface of the structure can become a window or just radiate with glow of the Solarian sun.

Lying back on the soft pallet, Rodney uses the neural points in his fingertips to scroll the air; the screen on the ceiling changes. Ah, these stories never get old, and they just keep writing new ones. Reading the words, Rodney laughs out loud.

"What's so funny?" John asks reclining back with him. He looks up at the screen, then groans. "Not more of this."

Giggling, Rodney rolls onto John's chest, "Always. You know I can't get enough of this stuff. Listen to this one,

'McKay's sinewy muscles lifted Sheppard from the mud where he had fallen. The confidence of his natural masculinity more than compensated for the other man's weakness. Holding Sheppard's quivering frame', he told him 'You don't have to be afraid anymore'."

"God. Where do you find this?" John winces.

"Are you kidding? This stuff is all over Pegasus. I think it started with a single myth, but now everyone pens new stories about the heroes. I mean, it's kind of interesting anthropologically. You gotta figure the stories of the once evil Wraith would trickle down somehow; it's just random luck that they remembered us at all."

"Yeah." John rolls his eyes, Well, Ronon is still annoyed that he was forgotten in the sagas."

"But he wasn't in Harmony's portrait. So, the historical monuments only contained 3 figures. In the foreground, our champion Dr. Rodney McKay, of course. Behind him, Teyla the Princess warrior with her magical pendant. And finally, providing comic and sexual release for our hero, the character, 'Sheppard the Coward'."

"Fortunately," John sighs, "my reputation in this galaxy has fared much better."

Waving his hand to another page, Rodney cajoles, "One more, one more. This one's really good.

'Though Sheppard's cowardly ways had once again put the mission in jeopardy, McKay gave him the refuge he needed.' Taking him in his strong arms, he told him, 'I will use my Ancient knowledge to build you a shield, one that shall always protect you. It will glow over your body with a pink sheen and nothing will ever penetrate it, except me."'

"Rodney."

"Mmm?"

"You wrote this?" John growls into his neck.

"Uh-huh. Oh. Oh." Suddenly Rodney is being attacked and flipped onto his back, he can't stop laughing, "-Could only read so much before... I had to write one of my own. It's pink... Ha ha... like the shield that I... Oh. Ha ha. Oh. You remember?"

"Oh, I remember, McKay." John pins him tightly against the soft foam of the pallet, "Yeah. I think tonight I will be the one doing the penetrating."

"Oh, Sheppard, please." Rodney moans as John takes his mouth in his. Gasping in between kisses, he taunts, "Show me how far you can penetrate."

John wraps his body around Rodney's and kisses his teasing smile away, drowning him in passion instead. Lost in the embrace of his beloved, Rodney clenches into his hair.

As punishment for his fictional tale, John makes Rodney wait and beg for it. Then John gives him everything he wants, slowly making love to him, penetrating his very soul and holding his spirit as they climax together.

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Many peaceful centuries pass in the 4 galaxies and Rodney has never been more content. But one day he has a strange sensation, as if there is something he is urgent he is supposed to remember. Something teasing at the edges of his memory.

He urges John to follow, 'There's something important I have to do.'

'Where are we going?' John wonders as they flash though space.

Rodney doesn't know yet; he only feels a pull.

John reads his thoughts and sends a pulse of love, 'I've learned to trust you with these things.'

They are somewhere in the Pegasus now... Rodney starts to slow down and sees a strange desert planet under giant red sun. Something is down there. A ghostly image flickering in and out of this reality.

The realization hits him. This is Eidolon... and on the surface... Atlantis.

As they draw near, the station is immersed in a sandstorm. Rodney sees a figure fighting to walk through the gale.

'One last thing I have to do.' He tells John.

He feels John's contrasting emotions until he understands, 'I died here.'

Pushing past the Quantum barrier, Rodney makes contact. He rushes in to meld with the failing figure as he collapses in the sand, breathing life back into his limp body. He feels the man in his arms restored to life.

Speaking out loud to the John from so long ago, the one that he so nearly lost, Rodney holds the figure upright and propels him toward safety, urging, "Not that much further now."

John's ethereal form is by his side now, speaking to his self from the past, "Don't give up. You're going to make to the other side."

Rodney warms knowing that John is speaking about more than the distance to the other side of the courtyard. He is talking about something Ronon told him long ago about letting go of his fears, letting himself admit his feelings for Rodney. It must have gotten through, because John did make it to the other side.

They both keep the weary figure moving until he reaches the door and collapses into it.

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"I'm sorry," Rodney sounds disheartened by the end of the tale, "I… I wish some of these stories had happier endings... Sheppard?"

"Sheppard! Are you still with me?... Sheppard!"

Beaten down into the fury and fire of sand around him, John collapses. He can't breathe anymore; all his strength is gone now.

As he fades away, the mournful thought that he's failed Rodney is the last thread of awareness that John's mind clings to... it lingers, like a wisp in the storm, before he is gone and disappears completely into oblivion.

Something kicks air back into his lungs.

Coughing out sand, John wonders how he is alive.

Is he being lifted? He feels his body pulling up, away from the sand that has drifted over his half buried body.

Barely aware of his surroundings, John only feels protected and cool, he can breathe again. Blinking through the haze, he sees something... a glowing light.

"Not that much further now." Rodney's voice urges him.

But the voice isn't coming from the com. It isn't the hologram, is it? It sounds like Rodney is here, outside with him.

"Where?..." John is on his feet moving forward with a strength that is not his own.

Is he hallucinating? He feels himself about to fall and again the cool light lifts him, propelling him forward.

"Don't give up. You're going to make it to the other side." This time the voice sounds like his own. He's definitely hearing things that aren't there.

Somehow John glides forward easily the next few yards. In the distance, he finally makes out the shape of a door. As he gets within reach, the vision of light around him begins to dim.

Just short of his destination, John's sinks to his knees.

He's too tired, but he's almost there. If he can lift himself up one more time, just make it a little longer...

The door opens and John stumbles in. Battered and sandblasted, he falls forward to the ground.

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Rodney stares as the ghost of the quantum Atlantis flickers out of existence.

'See,' He tells John, 'I did follow you through time, through 48,000 years of I've never left you behind.'

'You came back for me.' John swells with emotion.

Twisting his spirit through John's ethereal form, Rodney infuses him with the boundless, endless love that he feels.

He holds John in a sweet embrace and makes him feel the eternity of his devotion, waiting until he is saturated with a complete knowing of Rodney's heart before he tells him.

'I'll always come back for you.'

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