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By Andie O'Neill
Summary: When Weir, Sheppard, and McKay are trapped on a planet that is pushed into another dimension, they are forced to live what could be the rest of their lives in a world cut off from everyone they knew.
A/N: Sorry it's taken so long, but with my involvement in "The Year of Spark" I haven't had much time for anything else! But I managed to finish this chapter, so yay!
Chapter Four "Year Two Part Two"
In all his career, one thing John Sheppard never thought he'd be doing is cutting wood. The Air Force didn't exactly have a need for that kind of thing, so when the ax went down and he saw that he was done, he couldn't help but be surprised… that was the fastest he'd ever finished. Kharis looked over at him and laughed. "You're getting better! That's good, come help me with these nails."
John nodded, holding the wood in place as Kharis nailed the piece of wood to another piece of wood.
"So John, how did you enjoy the wedding last night… you and Elizabeth seemed to be enjoying yourselves."
John was completely oblivious to Kharis' teasing. "We did, it was a great party."
Kharis grinned, shaking his head.
"What?"
"Nothing, John, nothing at all."
"Kharis, I've seen that look before, what?"
Kharis looked up at his friend. "She was quite beautiful wasn't she?"
"She was amazing… I'd never seen her look so beautiful. It was a great ceremony, but seeing her in a dress like that was just topping on the cake."
"Cake?" Kharis asked in confusion.
"It's an expression."
"Ah, well, whatever that means… I'm sure it indeed was topping on the… cake. Elizabeth is truly an amazing woman, is she not?"
"Yup, she sure is," John agreed, still oblivious.
"If you agree, why is it Rodney and Saren have given in, but you and Elizabeth have not?" Kharis finally asked, seeing that he would have to be straight forward about the matter. John simply would not get the point if he kept going as he was.
"What?! Me and Elizabeth? Oh no, we're just good friends… best friends I suppose, but that's all. She was my boss on Atlantis."
"I believe the key word is 'was your boss.' She no longer holds that position here. And even so, if you were back on Atlantis, is there anything or anyone to prevent you from following your heart?"
"Uh… no, but that's not the point. Technically there aren't any rules to prevent us from starting a relationship, but that doesn't mean we actually want one. Besides… Elizabeth's too good for me."
"Elizabeth is indeed a good woman, but wouldn't you just be proving you aren't worth enough to be with her by being a fool and ignoring the possibilities?"
"Kharis, listen, I know you're just trying to help here, but you have the wrong idea. Elizabeth wouldn't be interested in me in a million years. She reads Shakespeare and quotes from famous poets from other centuries; she even listens to classical music… I read comics, quote from a movie called The Princess Diaries, and listen to country songs. There's a difference."
Kharis frowned, having no idea what he was talking about. "If you speak of your differences, is it not true that opposites attract, as is the case with magnets."
"Sure, but Elizabeth and I aren't magnets."
"It was a metaphor, John… I believe you are blind to what is right in front of you. You may believe you are not good enough for her. You may even believe you both to be too different to come together, but that matters not. What matters is how she feels, as well as what the fates decide."
"What's that suppose to mean?" John asked, not exactly sure he wanted to know.
"It means, I have always believed in balance, John, as do the fates. And perhaps one day… so will you." Kharis smiled, putting down the wood before walking away. "I just wished to leave you with something to think about… now come, it is time for afternoon meal."
John sighed, putting down the nails in his hand. "Right…" he mumbled.
Elizabeth smiled, waving her hand to get John's attention as he and Kharis walked toward the giant table. Afternoon meals were usually eaten all together in the village to keep those in it close as a family unit. It wasn't a bad idea truly, the villagers seemed to enjoy their afternoon together, talking about whatever it is they wanted to discuss. It kept the village together, that was what was important.
John waved back, walking over to take a seat beside Elizabeth. "Hey," John greeted.
"Hello John," Elizabeth greeted back, smiling as they looked into each others eyes.
John smiled back at her before noticing the look Kharis was shooting him, and then broke contact with Elizabeth, choosing to instead look at the empty plate before him.
"Let us share this meal, as we share our lives with each other! Let us bond in this moment that brings all of us together. May we stay strong… only together as a people can we truly live in peace. Enjoy!" Kharis said, as he did at every afternoon meal.
Once the words were spoken everyone began piling on food from the bowls before them. John frowned as Lady Werra, one of the elder widows in the village, (and John certainly understood why her husband died first) piled quite a bit of food on his plate. "You are way too skinny, Sheppard. Don't worry, it's good for you! I made it myself!"
Elizabeth snorted, earning herself a glare as the food was passed around.
"Yeah John, eat up… before you wither away to nothing," Elizabeth teased, giving John an innocent smile.
John rolled his eyes, looking down… or was it up… at his plate. "Thanks… so much… Lady Werra… I uh… really appreciate it," he replied, trying to sound convincing.
Of course, Lady Werra wouldn't care if he was convincing or not, as long as he ate, she was happy. "Go on! Eat up! You'll thank me later!"
John frowned, taking a scoop of the… whatever it was and putting it into his mouth. It didn't taste half bad. "Give her a fur coat and a little dog in her lap and she could be my grandmother," John whispered to Elizabeth, making her laugh. The sad part about it was… he wasn't completely kidding!
John sighed, walking over to his house, completely exhausted after a long afternoon in the fields cultivating the crops. Since John had no crops yet of his own, Kharis had volunteered to share his own, but that also meant John would have to work for the food. Women were not required to work, some did, but Elizabeth had chosen to focus on the ruins in order to find a way home. Still, John worried Elizabeth had lost faith in whether they'd ever make it home. "I'm home!" he shouted as he walked in the house and frowned when he didn't hear Elizabeth's voice. She'd told him she was taking a break from her search for a way home, but as he looked around the house he realized she really hadn't returned home as she'd said she would. "Crap." Where the heck could she be?
Atlantis
Ronan walked into the infirmary and smiled at their new doctor who'd replaced Carson Beckett. His arm was bleeding pretty bad… again. "Hey," he greeted.
Doctor Keller rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me! You and Teyla were sparring and you got hurt!"
"Actually I slipped in the shower," he told her.
"Really?" she asked in surprise, trying not to picture it.
"Nope."
Keller rolled her eyes. "Get over here and lie down."
Atlantis
Colonel Carter smiled as she saw Major Lorne walk the catwalk to her office. "Good evening Major."
"Good evening, Colonel. Catching up on paperwork?"
"Yup, anything I can do for you?"
Lorne nodded, taking a seat across from her. "It's Doctor Zelenka. As you know, he's been working hard over the last two years to understand what happened to our missing planet where Sheppard, Weir, and McKay went missing."
"And? Did he find something?" she asked suddenly curious.
Lorne smiled. "He thinks he knows what happens… he'd like a meeting with you to discuss the issue."
"He has a way to bring them back?" she asked, impressed.
Lorne frowned. "Not exactly. He only just recently realized what could have happen, and really he has no idea how we'd go about bringing the planet back, that's why he wanted me to talk to you. We need your help."
"What do you need?" Carter asked, having a bad feeling about what Lorne wanted.
"It's complicated… let's just say we might need Doctor Jackson's experience… and Zelenka said something about… giant aliens?"
Sam's smile faded as she realized what Radek was talking about. "Giant aliens you say?"
She'd been walking for hours. She wasn't sure where exactly she was, but she was close, closer than she'd even been. It had to be here. How she'd never thought of it before was beyond her! But now she knew. She knew where the underground tunnels were… or at least she kinda knew. Elizabeth walked closer to the cave, her hand skimming the rock as she followed it toward the mouth of the cave. Here… it had to be here! Sam walked toward the entrance when suddenly her surroundings changed as the ground gave under her and she was sent down beneath the cave. She fell hard, hearing her bone crack as she hit what seemed to be a metal bridge. Elizabeth screamed in pain, grabbing her leg. It was broken… bad… very bad. "Crap." Where the heck was she?
To Be Continued….