Reasons why I would write this: 1. These are two of my favorite shows and I just had to do it. 2. Why not? It would have happened eventually. :)
Thanks for reading my little plot bunny. I hope to add to it very soon.
And special thanks to Geeky BMWW Fan and Kippling Croft. They are awesome and they are the best helper buddies.
Disclaimer: I own nothing associated to Stargate: Atlantis or Psych. They belong to their rightful owners. As for colecovision... the jury's still out. lol j/k
Chapter One:
Family Visit; and By Family I Mean I Need Guidance Counseling
John Sheppard knew Rodney McKay was going to flood him with questions for two reasons. One, Rodney was shadowing him down the busy Atlantis corridor. And two, it was a rather slow Monday morning.
Was it Monday? Being in another galaxy kind of threw your schedule off if you weren't careful enough to keep an eye on it.
"I had no idea that you could get regular messages from Earth," Rodney said over the din of those wandering past them. "I mean, no one told me. I thought they disabled the program and we were ordered to cut all Earth civilian contact down to only acute emergencies."
"No. I'm sure they told you. Didn't you get the memo?" John knew asking Rodney was futile, as the Canadian never checked any memo postings or listened to any announcements when it didn't pertain to him directly. "SGC restarted the program awhile ago. You can basically get anything from Earth now as long as it's approved."
Not like Rodney would have received anything from anyone on Earth. John didn't exactly want to tell him that.
It came out of his mouth anyway.
"Not like you would have received anything. You aren't exactly a poster boy for greetings from home."
To the colonel's surprise, Rodney actually started to nod in agreement and then stopped abruptly. "Hey! I have a sister that could contact me."
"You're right, Meredith," John dead panned as he practically heard Rodney's eyes roll in annoyance. John loved getting any rise out of Rodney on slow days. And calling him by his real name was cheap and easy entertainment . "Why don't you send Jeanie a letter asking why she hasn't sent anything?"
Rodney pondered that for a moment and then shook his head. "Nah. Unless I'm dying I don't really need to contact anyone."
"See? She probably does the same thing when it comes to you."
Rodney now appeared seemingly upset that his sister would write him off as much as he would her. He was probably going to send her an angry letter after all. John made a mental note to tell Rodney to lighten up.
Instead of furthering the subject, McKay changed it.
"Speaking of which, you have a brother? I never knew."
Bingo. That was the question John had been waiting for.
"You never asked."
Rodney gave him a puh-leeze look. "Um, I've known you for how long? Almost 3 and a half years? I'm pretty sure I would have asked you if you had any siblings by now."
What's sad is that Rodney actually had asked him. And he wasn't the only one. Plenty of Atlantis personnel, including Teyla and Elizabeth had asked him about his family life. John always purposefully lied about it.
He winced at the thought of his perpetual fabrications to avoiding the 'family' subject, but it was his business and he could do as he pleased. Not to mention, John had become an expert of switching the subject on someone. Before the said person knew it, the subject was avoided and something else was brought up. Like pulling a rug out from underneath them.
John still hadn't answered Rodney until he reached his quarters. John desperately wanted to lose him so he could pack in peace.
"Uh, yeah. I have a brother. Half-brother. Sometimes I forget that minor detail."
"That bad, huh?" Rodney asked. His eyes now shone with a slight glimmer of sympathy.
John held up his hands defensively and started to back away. "Don't go all Oprah on me. Besides it's not a big deal. He's just my half brother."
John opened the door to his room in defeat; no feasible attempt could persuade Rodney to leave so soon. John knew his friend wouldn't stop bothering him until he had some substantial answers.
John furrowed his brow and feigned concentration, "Now where did I put my duffel bag..." He trailed off hoping that the man standing in his doorway would take a hint.
He didn't.
"And??" Rodney looked almost miffed.
Sheppard rolled his eyes and turned around. "Look, we just have the same mother. That's it. My parents got divorced, my mom moved on and had a son. She also had no idea that she was going to marry a complete ass. Again. But she eventually realized it sooner or later and she got divorced for a second time. To make the story sweeter, my step-dad hated my guts for some reason and more than likely still does."
John let out a small sigh and turned back to searching for his travel bag. "Anyway, they broke up when Shawn was in his early teens and I didn't really care too much since I was long gone."
Rodney, being the caring, sentimental person that he was, snorted a laugh. "Shawn? And John?"
"Yeah, Rodney. Our names rhyme. You're a genius. Now would you let me pack?"
"Ah, yes. Why is it that you are going again?"
"Shawn sent me an urgent letter. He didn't explain exactly. But it could be an emergency since he took the time to actually get a hold of me. Maybe his dad died." John gazed off into the distance for a moment and looked almost pleased at the idea. Rodney's eyes widened in amazement that John was wishing someone dead.
John continued, "I should only be gone for a few days at most. I have enough time saved up that I can take off half a week with out messing anything up. I can visit my dear half brother, cross it off my list and never have to do it again." He added with a grin, "By the way, he lives in Santa Barbara. Don't think that I'm going to complain any time soon."
"You know, we didn't discover Zed-PMs just so you could use up the gates' energy traveling half-way to California. Besides you're going to leave your post as head of military for a few days of fun in the sun?"
John could tell Rodney was pretty jealous of the situation. So he decided to milk it. As all good friends do, of course.
"Yep that sounds about right. Weir ok'd it and besides, Major Lorne is perfectly capable of taking care of any needs that arise. But in the meantime I can picture myself on the beach momentarily forgetting there is something out there called...oh what is it again? Oh yeah... Wraith."
"I hate you."
Knew that was coming.
"I'll be back before you know it," Sheppard told him reassuringly.
"Famous last words," Rodney said. To his relief, Rodney finally turned around and walked out of John's room.
"You'll miss me!" Sheppard made sure to call out to him before he was out of ear-shot.
Not too soon after, John realized that he didn't have much to pack. After a few grueling minutes of deciding which socks to take, he grabbed his duffel bag and marched out of his quarters.
Before heading to the gate room, he made sure to sensory lock the door to his room. John could only imagine Rodney talking Ronon into messing something up in his room. If, of course, Teyla hadn't talked them out of it first. His Johnny Cash poster just wasn't safe otherwise
Before long, John sauntered up to Weir's office, bag in hand, and found her staring at the laptop in front of her with sheer concentration. As John walked up her trance was broken and she smiled up at him. "Are you ready?"
John grinned while ignoring the butterflies fluttering thru his stomach. He didn't exactly want to go, but he wasn't going to tell her either. "Ready. Are you busy?"
She shook her head and sheepishly turned her laptop around so John could see the intense game of solitaire staring back at him. Guilty.
Weir shrugged. "I'm caught up with reports. It's a slow day."
"You can say that again. I'm glad I'll have a few days to myself," John retorted with a reaffirming nod.
Weir stood up from her chair and put on her 'serious' face. She did it too well. John didn't know if he was in for a lecture or a well-thought out farewell.
"John, you deserve it. I was hesitant about letting you go, but since it's for such a short period of time there's no harm in letting you leave." She finally cracked a grin. "I hope you have a nice time."
John nodded emphatically. "I only wish Ronon and Teyla could come with me they're my new entourage," he said with a smile.
"As much fun as the two would have with you, I'd hold off from introducing them to Earth just yet. Perhaps another time." She leaned forward a bit and added quietly with a smirk, " Think about the culture shock alone."
John shuddered to think of what Ronon could do, or rather would do, to half of the people John was meeting up with. "You might be right about that."
"So, John, ready to leave?"
"Now you're making me nervous."
"You're walking through the Stargate. Not exactly frightening."
Time to 'fess up.
"I haven't seen my brother in 10 years. Let alone my step-dad." John forced a smile. "This should be interesting."
And that was putting it lightly.
An inquisitive look came across Weir's face, but John was too fast. He exited her office before she could question him.
Sheppard walked down the stairs while technician dialed up the gate. Within seconds it came to life, humming with energy. Cheyenne Mountain waited just on the other side.
John didn't think it was a big ordeal that he was leaving for a few days. Ronon and Teyla felt differently.
"You're sure you have everything?" Teyla inquired as she and Ronon walked over to meet him. John gave her a nod. And yet, he could only imagine what Ronon was going to ask him so he set the matter straight.
"Don't worry I'm fine. I'm going to California. Less is more. Besides, I'll get you guys souvenirs," he said before adding with a smile, "and I'll make sure they aren't tacky."
"Well, have fun," Ronon said with as much excitement as he could muster. He wasn't great at saying goodbyes.
Teyla nodded in agreement. "Our thoughts and prayers go with you."
John laughed. "I'm not going to the moon, you guys. I'll be back soon, before you even have a chance to miss me."
Ronon answered by pulling him into a bear hug, much to Sheppard's surprise. The glint in Teyla's eyes told him she wished to do the same. And up above from Weir's office, Elizabeth smiled and waved along with Rodney, who still looked a bit jealous he got to leave. haha
This is my real family, John thought with a smile on his face. He then picked up his bag and walked to the gate.
"One small step for man...," John said to himself as he walked thru.
After the gate closed, Ronon still stood there. Teyla gave him a funny look.
"I wonder why he never told us he had a brother."
She nodded in agreement, "I, too, wonder the same." Teyla then laughed. "Maybe his brother is someone like Dr. McKay."
Ronon laughed along with her. "Yeah. Maybe Sheppard's embarrassed by him."
"I heard that!" Rodney said from somewhere behind.
Little did they know, John's younger brother was different than from anyone they had encountered before.
But who said different was a bad thing?
-Santa Barbara (Milky Way Galaxy)-
---
Shawn Spencer covered his eyes with both hands and he mentally wished the tv to turn off. Of course it didn't.
"Uh! Not the preview for Starscape again, Gus... that show is so going to be lame. Cheesy aliens, bad lighting. It's doomed from the start." He slowly turned his head to look at his best friend sitting at his left. "You know, the exact point of having tivo is that you get to fast forward through these commercials."
"How many times do have I have to tell you? I like this commercial." Gus narrowed his eyes at Shawn while keeping a firm grip on the tivo remote.
"You better be careful or I'm going to bury that thing next to your ColecoVision."
"Cole-... Shawn, you said that 'it got stolen' before you went to summer camp," Gus exclaimed while exaggerating with hand quotes.
Shawn used his own hand quotes. "By 'it got stolen', I meant 'I buried it'." He stopped for a moment and thought it over. "Actually, no wait. My dad dug it up when planting some freesias one year."
"Really?"
"Yeah, freesias have a great smell when in bloom... you should really check them ou-"
"Not that. Your dad was in to planting flowers?"
Shawn shrugged. "It was a phase."
Gus was probably having a hard time envisioning Henry Spencer planting flowers in his front yard and before he had the chance to make that comment, the sound of his cell ringtone filled the air.
Shawn watched him walk to pick up his ringing cell as he bopped to the ringtone. "Is that 'Final Countdown' by Europe? Sweet."
After Gus picked up the phone, he immediately became rigid. "Uh, yes this is he." He cleared his throat and made his voice slightly more professional. "Yes, Shawn is here."
Shawn's eyes widened. "If it's Lassy, I'm in the shower," he whispered loudly.
Gus rolled his eyes and handed the phone over to him.
Shawn looked at the phone and back up to Gus. "What would you like me to do with it?"
"Shawn, it's... your brother. It's John. He's in town. Why does he have my cell phone number?"
Shawn looked half-elated and half-horrified. "If it's Lassiter, I'm throwing your posture-pedic pillow out the window."
Just when Gus was about to lose his patience, Shawn grabbed the phone from him. After he stared at it for a second as if it was a hairy spider, Shawn finally put the receiver to his ear.
"Hello?"
"Shawn? Hey, it's John. Where do you live?"
"Oh my God, it's my brother." Shawn said after he put his hand over the receiver. He finally spoke into the phone. "Hey John... hey buddy, how are you... Um, why are you here?"
"What do you mean, why am I here? You asked me to come."
"I did? Oh I did." Shawn slightly forgot that small window into his previous weeks of life. He wrote John a letter urging him to come visit. But Shawn also sent him another letter explaining that he actually didn't need to come at all. Didn't he? "John didn't you get my other letter? Boy the military sure is weird with what it sends you. You're not stationed in Area 51, are you?"
"Shawn, you sent me one letter."
And then he saw it. Still on the kitchen counter. Still in a plain white envelope. No stamp.
Gus walked over to the enclosed letter Shawn had been eyeballing; he promptly picked it up, walked back over and shoved it in Shawn's face.
Shoot.
Think fast.
"Maybe it didn't get to you in time. Uh... you know Orange Alert these days. They probably had to scan it a million times. But it'd be great to see you. Where are you right now?"
"I'm in Santa Barbara," John replied, now no longer sounding like a happy camper.
Shawn quickly gave the man on the other line fast directions to his home, hung up and stared at Gus.
"Shawn you do realize that you never sent the other letter."
"Yes, Gus. Thank you for pointing that out."
Gus smiled and took a seat back on his favorite chair in front of the tv. "You know, a visit from your half-brother should be fun."
"Yeah...but... I haven't seen him in 10 years," Shawn chimed in while reclaiming his own seat.
"I know. The last time you saw him was the last time I saw him."
Both Shawn and Gus sat in silence for a moment, and the tivo stayed paused. A sad looking stilled frame of Starscape filled the screen.
"I wonder what he's been up to all these years," Gus said finally.
"You know what this means," Shawn exclaimed as he stood up.
"What?"
"I once made a bet with Jules that I had a member of the Air Force in my family. Now I can win."
Thank you for reading. Hated it? Liked it? Questions? Concerns? Let me know!