Unexpected

by enigmaticblue

Summary:

John never sees it coming.

Notes:

• For Gaffsie.

Written for the 2011 sga_santa gift exchange.

“We’d like you to step in as a temporary replacement for Colonel Mitchell.”

 

That’s pretty much the last thing John had expected to come out of Landry’s mouth. He knows the SGC is having a hard time figuring out what to do with him. Atlantis is still sitting in the Bay, and the IOA hasn’t decided whether to send the city back to Pegasus. John’s promotion to full colonel means the SGC won’t put him in anything less than a command position. He’s nominally still the military leader of Atlantis, and hasn’t been reassigned yet.

 

John had figured that the worst-case scenario would be for Landry to announce that Atlantis isn’t going back, and to encourage John to retire, shiny new promotion notwithstanding. Best-case scenario is for Landry to tell him Atlantis is going back to Pegasus, and John should take the months of leave he’s accumulated over the years.

 

Being offered even temporary leadership of SG-1 comes out of left field.

 

John clears his throat. “What happened to Mitchell?”

 

“He broke his ankle,” Landry says, and John can’t quite read his expression. “It’s not a bad break, but it does mean that he’s going to be out of commission for about six weeks. It just so happens that you need something to do for that length of time, so it works out well for everybody.”

 

John perked up at that. “Does that mean we’re going back to Pegasus?”

 

“That’s what I hear,” Landry replies with a slight smile. “It’s causing more trouble sitting in the Bay than it’s worth. Still, these sorts of things take time, and you need something to keep you busy.”

 

John has a feeling that the last thing Landry wants is a repeat of the last time John was stuck on Earth, but Atlantis is here, and they haven’t left anybody behind in Pegasus, unless you count Torren and the Athosians, and some of their other allies.

 

And John does count them, but he doesn’t think the IOA feels the same way.

 

“I’m happy to help out, sir,” John says neutrally, fully aware that he doesn’t have a choice in the matter.

 

And really, he is happy to help, although he’d given some consideration to taking a long vacation on the beach if that had been Landry’s suggestion.

 

“Good,” Landry replies. “You have your first mission the day after tomorrow. Briefing at 0800. You’ll leave at 1000.”

 

John nods, and then frowns. “Wait, who’s on SG-1 now other than Mitchell?”

 

~~~~~

 

It turns out that the answer to that question is Vala Mal Doran and whatever candidates Mitchell is running through their paces. As John well knows, Carter is commanding the George Hammond, but Teal’c has gone back to Dakara, and Jackson is running around Atlantis, cataloging and exploring to his heart’s content.

 

That leaves Mitchell—who, it turns out, broke his ankle after one of the newbies had pulled a seriously stupid stunt—and Vala. John had met her when she came to Atlantis several years before, but she’d spent most of her time with Jackson, so he has no idea what she’ll be like to work with.

 

Which begs the question of why she’s not on Atlantis with Jackson right now, instead of keeping Cam company while he tries to fill the team roster.

 

Of course, that means John has to sort through personnel files and check out new potential members, and he’s not at all sanguine about that idea without checking in with Mitchell first.

 

John wangles Mitchell’s address out of the sergeant in charge of personnel and manages to commandeer a fleet vehicle to drive to Mitchell’s apartment complex. When Mitchell opens his front door, he doesn’t seem surprised to see John there.

 

“The general told me he was going to give you the new orders today,” Mitchell says as he leads John inside, his metal crutches thudding dully on the carpeted floor. “You want a beer?”

 

“Sure,” John says. He doesn’t know Mitchell, not really, although he’s heard plenty about him. They’d met for the first time when SG-1 had visited Atlantis, and had run into each other in the halls of the SGC after John had been ordered to Cheyenne Mountain for an extended debriefing. He has no idea how Mitchell might feel about John as a temporary replacement.

 

Mitchell hands him a cold bottle and settles on the couch, his bad ankle propped on a pillow. “What do you want to know?”

 

“How the hell I’m supposed to pick your team members,” John replies, his mouth twisting into a rueful grimace.

 

Mitchell shrugs and gestures at his cast with the bottle. “Better you than me.”

 

John sighs. “You haven’t answered my question.”

 

“You’re a smart guy. You’ll figure it out,” Mitchell replies. “And you can weed out the ones who are totally unsuitable.”

 

“I’m so happy I could help,” John says wryly. “So, why would Landry ask me to replace you instead of just putting SG-1 on stand down?”

 

“Truthfully? I’m pretty sure he wants to keep you both busy,” Mitchell said. “Nobody wants to see Vala bored, and I’m pretty sure Landry doesn’t want a repeat of the last time you were stuck on Earth.”

 

John grimaces, acknowledging the truth of that observation. “I don’t think Landry has to worry about that.”

 

Mitchell suddenly grins. “So, it’s just going to be you and Vala.”

 

“What’s so funny about that?”

 

Mitchell chuckles. “You’ll see. You definitely won’t be bored.”

 

~~~~~

 

John heads to the commissary for dinner after he returns to Cheyenne Mountain. He expects to eat alone, but he’s about halfway through the meatloaf and mashed potatoes—which aren’t nearly as good as they are on Atlantis—when Vala plops down in the seat across from him.

 

Vala looks much as he remembers—her long, dark hair in pigtails, a mischievous smile on her face, her blue eyes crinkled at the corners. She looks him up and down, her gaze frankly assessing. “So, you’re going to be the new leader.”

 

“Just until Mitchell recovers,” he assures her. “Is there something I can do for you?”

 

Her smile widens. “I just thought I’d get your measure, since we’re going to be working together. Is that all right with you, Colonel Sheppard?”

 

“It’s just John,” he replies. “It’s good to see you again.”

 

She beamed at him. “At least the scenery is going to be good even if Cameron is out of commission.”

 

John feels the tips of his ears turn warm at her frankly assessing gaze. “Uh, thanks. I think.”

 

Vala takes a large bite out of her sandwich. “What’s this mission we’re going on?”

 

“I have no idea,” John replies. “I expect we’ll find out at the briefing.”

 

Vala hums under her breath. “Did you go see Cam today?”

 

“I had to ask him about the new guys,” John replies.

 

“There are no ‘new guys,’” Vala responds, her voice a little bitter. “There are idiots who occasionally join us and almost get Cam killed.”

 

“Lucky us,” John murmurs.

 

“We need to stick together,” Vala says. “Cam and I split up, and he got hurt.”

 

John can see some of her joie de vivre dim, and he senses her guilt. “So, we stick together.”

 

He misses his team, and he imagines that Vala feels much the same way. He wishes he could get Ronon and Teyla to come along, but Landry had been clear on the matter. It’s John’s job to lead SG-1, and to find replacements for Sam, Jackson, and Teal’c. John’s team isn’t a part of that, no matter how much he wants them there.

 

Vala raises an eyebrow. “You know that all the people Cam has tried out so far have been completely useless.”

 

“Which is why we have to stick together,” John supplies. “Don’t worry about it. I’m used to having to sort through personnel.”

 

Vala smirks. “You know, that’s what Cam said.”

 

John shrugs and finishes the last of his dinner. “I’ll see you in a couple of days.”

 

“At the briefing,” Vala confirms. “Sleep well, John.”

 

That night, John dreams of Atlantis, and wishes he was home.

 

~~~~~

 

The mission briefing involves John, Vala, Dr. Brent Corcoran, and Major Chandra Coolidge, in addition to General Landry and another scientist John doesn’t catch the name of. They’re visiting P9H-411, looking for additional sources of naquadah, as well as any other resources, including potential allies.

 

As far as John can tell, Coolidge is more scientist than soldier, and Corcoran is a physicist. “Like Colonel Carter,” he chirps enthusiastically when John asks.

 

John has seen Sam in action, and he figures she’s at least a couple of steps ahead of Corcoran. “Right,” he drawls, and exchanges a look with Vala, who rolls her eyes.

 

What little hope John has for this mission is dashed when Coolidge adds, “This is my first chance to go off-world, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

 

“Great,” John manages. He deliberately doesn’t look at Vala again, because he’s certain her expression will probably inspire some inappropriate laughter on John’s part.

 

When they go through the gate, John is grateful that Vala remains close by him. The surrounding area is undefended, and there’s no one immediately visible.

 

“All right, people,” John calls. “Stay close and stay sharp.”

 

He’s grateful that Corcoran and Coolidge know how to do that much at least, and they appear competent, but he’s pretty sure that the guy who had gotten Mitchell’s ankle broken had appeared to be competent at first, too.

 

They follow the path leading away from the gate; it’s little more than a dirt track, but it appears well worn. A village, consisting of a few dozen wood and plaster homes, appears after about a klick, and a delegation meets them while they’re still a hundred yards away. “Welcome, travelers!” the woman at the front of the group says. She’s wearing red-orange robes and a matching turban, and her skin is the color of burnished copper. “We are happy to do business with you.”

 

John breathes a sigh of relief. Maybe they’d be able to get out of this situation unscathed. “I’m Colonel John Sheppard. We are traders from Earth, hoping to find allies.”

 

“Please, come,” the leader says. “I am Dorala. You will break your fast with us while we talk.”

 

“Sounds great,” John agrees, with a sideways look at the rest of his team.

 

Vala wears a pleasant smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes, and John knows he can trust her to stay sharp. Coolidge and Corcoran are looking around in wide-eyed wonder, and John hides a sigh. They’re probably going to be worse than useless on this mission. John is going to have to have a serious talk with them about keeping a cool head and not gawking when they get back to Earth.

 

Damn Mitchell, anyway, he thinks.

 

They sit down around a long table under a pavilion in the middle of the village square, and within moments, platters of fresh, warm bread and fruit are set in front of them. John doesn’t have to warn Vala to eat sparingly, but Corcoran and Coolidge dig in with serious appetites.

 

John thinks about warning them off, and then decides it’s not worth it. John doesn’t want their hosts to know he’s on edge. If they’re harmless, his paranoia could be viewed as an insult; if they aren’t, it would be better if they underestimate John and his team.

 

At least Vala seems to be taking it all in with a sharp focus and a ready smile. She eats sparingly, and she meets John’s gaze at frequent intervals as though checking in. When Corcoran goes back for seconds on a kind of sweet pastry, Vala offers John a smirk.

 

Dorala finishes the meal by offering tiny cups of sweet, strong tea, which John sips slowly. “It is good to have new trading partners,” she says. “We are known for our precious metals.”

 

“We’re in the market for naquadah,” John replies.

 

Dorala shakes her head. “I don’t know what that is.”

 

“I can give you the atomic properties of naquadah,” Corcoran offers.

 

Dorala frowns. “Atomic properties?”

 

“Let’s try it this way,” Vala says, pulling a lump of naquadah out of a pouch at her waist. “This is what we seek.”

 

Dorala smiles. “Ah, yes. We have very little use for that.”

 

“We have a lot of uses for it,” John replies. “We can trade medicines, agricultural supplies, maybe some other things you might be interested in.”

 

Dorala inclines her head regally. “We can discuss this.”

 

“Great!” Corcoran gushes. “We’d love to get as much as we can.”

 

Dorala’s expression suddenly ices over, and John closes his eyes and stifles a groan. “As much as you can?” she queries.

 

Corcoran seems to have no idea that he’s committed a terrible breach of protocol. John doesn’t know exactly what offense Corcoran has caused, but he can at least read the signs. “Yes, ma’am,” he says. “We—” He yelps, and since Coolidge is the one sitting next to him, and she’s glaring at Corcoran, John has to conclude that she has more sense than the physicist.

 

John clears his throat to direct Dorala’s attention to him. “Forgive my friend for his enthusiasm,” John says. “He’s a scholar, and you know how they can get.”

 

Dorala smiles slightly. “Ah, yes. Our scholar often forgets social niceties in favor of his search for information.”

 

“Then you do understand,” John replies. “He’ll keep his mouth shut from here on out.” John fixes Corcoran with a hard stare, and the man yelps again.

 

John thinks there might be hope for Coolidge after all.

 

“Major, maybe you should take Corcoran back to the gate. I’ll bet General Hammond will appreciate an update.”

 

He waits as Coolidge ushers Corcoran away from the table, glancing over at Vala, who grimaces expressively.

 

“I’m sorry about that,” Vala says. “He’s untried, and he does not think before he speaks.”

 

“This is not a good trait,” Dorala observes, a note of censure in her voice.

 

“I’m afraid we figured that out about the same time you did,” John replies. “We’re still looking for permanent members of our team. You understand, I’m sure.”

 

Dorala seems to relax a bit at that. “I do see.”

 

A careful application of charm on both John’s part and Vala’s has Dorala eating out of their hands in another couple of hours. John soon realizes that Corcoran’s enthusiasm had been the insult; he had assumed that just because Dorala’s people had no use for naquadah, Earth could take possession of all of it.

 

John and Vala assure Dorala that they will offer a fair bargain for whatever naquadah her people decide they can part with, and then get to the business of negotiating.

 

They strike a tentative bargain by the time the sun starts a slow descent and head back for the gate. Dorala’s people escort them about half a klick outside the village, but leave them to walk the rest of the way themselves.

 

“That idiot!” Vala bursts out as soon as their escorts are out of hearing range. “The first rule of negotiating is never to appear overeager. I could kill him!”

 

John grins. “I couldn’t agree more. Coolidge shows some promise, though.”

 

Vala shrugs, only slightly mollified. “He’ll probably have bruises, given how hard we were both kicking him.”

 

“Is he worse than the guy that got Mitchell’s leg broken?”

 

Vala considers the question. “They’re probably equally stupid.”

 

“How many more do you think we’ll have to go through?” John asks.

 

Vala sighs, sounding very put upon. “Far too many.”

 

~~~~~

 

The debriefing goes about as well as John expects. Corcoran insists he did nothing wrong, and John doesn’t bother trying to explain how he’d offended Dorala by pushing too hard.

 

Landry seems willing to excuse Corcoran’s enthusiasm, since all’s well that ends well, and it’s not like John doesn’t understand. He’s worked with Rodney for years now, after all, and Rodney has a tendency to get carried away on occasion. But Rodney is part of John’s team, and John trusts him to get them out of other sorts of sticky situations.

 

Corcoran hasn’t earned John’s respect, and John can tell from Vala’s irritated expression, and Coolidge’s obvious embarrassment on Corcoran’s behalf, that the physicist won’t be around long enough to do so.

 

“You’re off the team,” John says after the meeting is over.

 

Corcoran flushes, and then goes white with anger. “That’s not fair!”

 

“Did you not just hear me?” John demands. “Did you not hear what I told Landry about dealing with Dorala’s people?”

 

Corcoran blinks. “Of course!”

 

“Okay,” John says stubbornly. “Then what would you do differently next time?”

 

“Uh…” Corcoran seems to finally sense how close John has been to losing his temper. “But we do want all the naquadah they can provide!”

 

Coolidge actually drops her head in her hands, Vala stalks out of the room, and John smirks his coldest smirk, the one he’d used to great effect on misbehaving Marines. “And that’s why I can’t trust you on my team. If you don’t like it, you can take it up with Colonel Mitchell when he comes back.”

 

Corcoran huffs out of the room, and John glances over at Coolidge. “He’s a bit of an idiot,” she offers apologetically. “He always has been.”

 

“How long have you known him?” John asks.

 

She shrugs. “We worked together a little at Area 51. If he doesn’t get a spot on a team here, he’ll go back, and he keeps saying how much he hates the desert.”

 

John studies her for a moment, watching as she flushes under his regard. “Is there someone else you’d recommend to take his spot?”

 

Coolidge brightens at that. “Actually, sir, I do have a recommendation. I think you’re going to love her.”

 

“Her?” John queries.

 

“You don’t have a problem with that, do you, sir?” she asks. “If you want a man—”

 

“No, let’s see how she does,” John says. “What’s her name?”

 

~~~~~

 

John doesn’t mind being the only guy on the team, but he’s not sure what Mitchell’s response is going to be when he comes back. As far as John is concerned, though, he’s doing Mitchell a favor. If Mitchell doesn’t like John’s choices, he can shuffle people around again.

 

And by that point, John will be back in Pegasus. Hopefully.

 

Coolidge’s choice had been someone she’d gone to the Academy with, who had a degree in mechanical engineering and had flown choppers for a while.

 

John likes her already.

 

Major Angela Rodriguez has been stationed at the Mountain for a couple of weeks, and she hasn’t been snapped up for a team yet. John isn’t sure why that is, but he figures that Coolidge, while green, has some sense. John’s willing to take a chance.

 

When he gets back to his office, John pulls up Rodriguez’s file and soon figures out why she hasn’t been chosen. It turns out the major has a couple of reprimands in her file for questioning orders, and John grins. If he likes her, and she doesn’t work out for SG-1, John might take her back to Atlantis with him.

 

He’s putting the finishing touches on his report when Vala appears in the doorway. “Here you are,” she says. “I’ve been looking for you.”

 

“What’s up?” John asks with a smile.

 

“I’m bored,” she announces. “I think you should take me out for a drink.”

 

John remembers what Mitchell said about Landry not wanting Vala getting bored. He’s still not quite sure what he’s getting into by agreeing, but he doesn’t have anything better to do. There’s no Rodney to bug, or Ronon to spar with, or Teyla to drop in on here. Hell, John even misses Woolsey just a little bit—at least Woolsey had good alcohol and better cigars.

 

“I assume you have a place in mind,” John says after a moment’s pause.

 

Vala grins at him. “As a matter of fact, I do.”

 

Somewhat incongruously, the place Vala directs John to is a honkytonk bar. John can’t complain; there’s Johnny Cash playing on the jukebox, and it smells of beer and grilled meat. “I’m told the burgers here are exceptional,” she informs him. “But I’m partial to the wings.”

 

John’s starving, and Vala cheerfully admits that she could eat her way through the contents of the kitchen. They order wings and a blooming onion, as well as a pitcher of beer and a couple of burgers, and John finds himself relaxing, listening to the familiar twang of Cash and Jennings, Twitty and Cline.

 

“How did you find this place?” John asks, digging into the plate of wings. The sweet-spicy flavor makes his tongue sing, and John stifles a groan of pleasure.

 

Vala shrugs. “Cam found it. Daniel and Sam liked the food, but the music wasn’t to their taste.” She grins at him. “I like it.”

 

A grin curves John’s lips. “A woman after my own heart.”

 

Vala sends him a smugly satisfied smile. “I thought you might enjoy it.”

 

John is a little surprised to realize that he’s going to miss this part of being back on Earth—the chance to go out with a pretty woman, to eat food he’d ordered, to drink beer that wasn’t just whatever they happened to have on hand.

 

Vala turns out to be an amusing conversationalist. She spins stories of her prior cons and adventures that have the ring of truth, even though they’re fantastic. John suspects she’s embellishing, but he doesn’t mind. It just makes things more interesting.

 

Somehow, between the two of them, they polish off the food they’ve ordered and a couple of pitchers, and by the time they walk out of the bar, John is loose and feeling happier than he’s been in a while.

 

Vala tucks her arm through his as they walk to the fleet vehicle John has been using while he’s in Colorado Springs. The warmth of her body easily penetrates John’s jacket and thin t-shirt, and he smiles.

 

It’s been a long time since he had a woman on his arm.

 

Vala leans her head against John’s shoulder. “I think we’re going to get along just fine,” she confides.

 

John has to agree.

 

~~~~~

 

The next mission, this time with Rodriguez as the fourth member of the time, goes off mostly without a hitch. Rodriguez is properly deferential for about fifteen minutes, and then she makes a rather snide comment about the weather under her breath.

 

The destination for their most recent mission, P8X-114, is apparently some kind of deciduous rainforest. John is reminded of a trip he took to Cannon Beach as a college student. The waves hadn’t been all that great, so John had wound up hiking instead, impressed by the verdant foliage and the misty air.

 

The weather on this planet is much the same—damp and cool—the kind of cold that seeps into a person’s bones.

 

Rodriguez curses the weather in Spanish, and John has picked up enough over the years to have a pretty good idea of what she’s saying.

 

“Is there a problem with the weather, Rodriguez?” John asks.

 

“No, sir,” Rodriguez replies promptly. “But I was raised in Phoenix, Arizona, sir.”

 

John smirks at Vala. “Too cold for you, then?”

 

“Sir, no, sir!”

 

Coolidge’s cough sounds suspiciously like a laugh to John.

 

Rodriguez shoots Coolidge a dirty look over her shoulder. “I was flying choppers in Iraq before I got shot down,” she adds. “I just haven’t had much of a chance to get used to something other than the desert.”

 

“Let me guess,” John says slyly. “You hated the Academy.”

 

“So fucking cold,” Rodriguez mutters. Then, immediately, adds, “Sorry, sir.”

 

John chuckles. “Just keep it PG for the natives, Major.”

 

“Yes, sir,” Rodriguez replies cheerfully.

 

This particular mission involves a checkup on some of the SGC’s old allies that haven’t made contact for a while. Truthfully, John is a little concerned that they haven’t been met at the gate, and as they trek towards the nearest village, there’s still no sign of life. John is forcibly reminded of planets he’s visited that were culled by the Wraith, and he’s not surprised when they emerge from the trees to find the village burnt to the ground.

 

There are a few charred chimneys left standing, but it’s mostly rubble and ashes, and John holds up a hand to stop them. “Stay sharp, people. There might be survivors, or we might still have trouble.”

 

John probably doesn’t need to give that warning, since all three women are on alert, their P-90s raised, sweeping the area like pros. Without Corcoran there, Coolidge seems to be acting like a little less of a scientist, and a little more like a soldier.

 

Not that John has a problem with scientists, but as many times as he’s been caught in a tough situation off-world, he’d prefer them to be adept with a gun, or at least be able to shoot with their eyes open.

 

As they poke through the ruins, they find a lot of burned bodies, limbs curled and skin blackened. John is grateful that this is the first time he’s been to this planet, because it means he doesn’t have to wonder whether he knows them.

 

John thinks about splitting up to look for survivors, but he doesn’t have a good enough feel for Coolidge and Rodriguez to feel comfortable doing that. And he’s going to feel like total shit if one of them gets hurt.

 

They spread out as they begin to search the woods surrounding the village, and John cautions them to stay within voice range.

 

John moves through the underbrush, wishing he could risk calling out, but that might alert any bad guys that might still be in the area. The ashes in the village had been cold, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t trouble around the corner.

 

He catches sight of movement, of tattered brown clothing and dark skin, and he risks calling out, “I’m Colonel Sheppard of the Tau’ri. We’re not here to hurt anyone.”

 

The other members of his team come to a standstill, and John figures they’re probably wishing as desperately as he is that they’ll find survivors.

 

After a moment, there’s more rustling, and a teenage girl approaches John. “You’re from the Tau’ri?” she asks, her dark eyes wide and scared.

 

“That’s right,” John replies, gentling his voice. “We’re here to help. We hadn’t heard from your people in a while. Are there others?”

 

“A few,” she admits. “We’re running out of food. I wouldn’t have risked it, but…” She trails off as Vala, Rodriguez, and Coolidge approach. “You will help?”

 

“We’ll do everything we can,” John promises. “Are the people who did this still around?”

 

She shakes her head. “They left after they burned the village.”

 

“Okay,” John says, using the same tone he’d used on skittish foals back when he’d been around the horses on the Sheppard estate. “Let’s see what we can do. My name is John, and this is Vala, Angela, and Chandra. What’s your name?”

 

“Kipa,” she replies, and leads them through the forest.

 

No one who escaped the destruction is over the age of sixteen. John keeps a tight rein on his emotions as he catalogues the faces of the orphans, the majority of them under the age of ten. Kipa is the oldest, and it’s clear that she’s reached the end of her endurance, because she doesn’t object when John suggests they take everyone back through the gate. In fact, she seems relieved to hand over control to an adult

 

There are less than two-dozen kids in all. The older ones carry the babies. John settles a small girl on his back, her thin legs wrapped around his waist. Her name, she whispers, is Ora, and she coughs wetly into John’s ear. Vala takes one of the toddlers, settling the boy on her hip for the long hike back to the gate, and Coolidge and Rodriguez take the hands of a couple of the little ones to lead them through the forest.

 

John feels a bit like the Pied Piper as he leads the procession, keeping his P-90 in one hand, and keeping his other hand under Ora’s bottom to hold her steady.

 

He can hear Vala behind him, telling cheerful, amusing stories of her visits to other planets. Rodriguez and Coolidge chime in on occasion, and he’s grateful when they make it back to the gate with no trouble. Coolidge dials the address for Earth’s gate and sends through her IDC—and then they’re in the gate room, and John is calling for a med team.

 

“What happened?” Landry demands as he comes down from the control room.

 

John shrugs. “I’m not sure, but we found the village burned, and the kids were on their own. Some of them need medical attention.”

 

Landry looks over the bedraggled lot of them and his expression softens. “Of course. Welcome to Earth,” he says to the kids. “We’ll take good care of you.”

 

~~~~~~

 

According to Dr. Lam, most of the kids have nutritional deficiencies, and a few have serious infections of one sort or another. All of them have been cold and scared for the last couple of weeks, and they’re all traumatized. From the little they can gather from the reports of the older children, brigands showed up in the village two weeks before. The adults in charge had just enough time to send most of the kids out the back doors and into the woods before the bad guys killed anyone who moved and set fire to the village.

 

John has always liked kids. They’re honest and interesting and often funny, and they like to observe the world around them. Seeing these children in shock and hungry and hurting makes John’s heart ache. But they warm under the tender ministrations of the infirmary staff, who tease and cajole smiles out of all of them, in spite of their trauma.

 

He makes sure to stop by every bedside—some beds contain two or three kids—to offer a quiet promise that they will be taken care of, and John pats each of them on the shoulder or on the head, offering a quiet word of encouragement.

 

When John finishes, he finds his team waiting for him at the entrance. All three are wearing expressions of pride. “You’re good with children,” Vala observes.

 

John shrugs. “I like them. It’s not always the same thing.”

 

All three women smirk at him, and John finds himself blushing under their combined regard. “Let’s go get the debrief done.”

 

Landry doesn’t have much to tell them. The consensus at the SGC is that the Lucian Alliance is probably responsible for the destruction, and that ties in with what Kipa has said.

 

“What will happen to them?” Coolidge asks towards the end.

 

Landry smiles, although the expression doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “We’ll find them all good homes, Major.”

 

No one moves after Landry leaves the conference room. Three pairs of eyes focus on John, clearly waiting for him to confirm the general’s assurances. “They’ve done this sort of thing before,” John finally offers. “The kids will be fine.”

 

“For a certain value of fine,” Rodriguez mutters.

 

John sighs heavily. “Yeah, well, we got them out of there. There aren’t a lot of things worse than starvation, and whatever placement the SGC finds for them, they’ll be well taken care of.”

 

Coolidge sighs. “Well, that’s good. I mean, they’re not dying, right?”

 

“No, they’re not,” Vala says, her tone deliberately cheerful. “They’re better off here. And we can always keep an eye on them.”

 

“Good,” Rodriguez says. “I’d hate to see them get shuffled into the system.”

 

No one seems to be inclined to leave, and John clears his throat. “You guys want to go to a movie?”

 

Coolidge brightens at that. “Like a team outing?”

 

John glances at Vala, who appears torn between amusement and irritation. “Why not?” she asks.

 

“I could go for a movie,” Rodriguez says hopefully. “And a pizza.”

 

“And beer?” Coolidge chimes in hopefully.

 

John doesn’t have a problem with that plan. “Sounds good. We’ll meet topside in fifteen.”

 

He changes into khakis, a white button-down, and a leather jacket. Vala turns up first in jeans, a t-shirt, and a leather jacket, and she hooks her arm through John’s. “You know,” Vala says in a low voice, “I thought it would be just the two of us tonight.”

 

“I don’t think any of us wants to be alone,” John offers in apology.

 

Vala grimaces. “No, I would agree. It was good of you to invite the others. But John? I’d like to end the evening with just the two of us.”

 

John feels the tips of his ears heat. “Uh…”

 

He’s spared from having to offer any concrete answer when Rodriguez and Coolidge show up, Rodriguez in clothes that look like they came from the military surplus store, and Coolidge dressed very similarly to Vala.

 

Coolidge directs John to a pizza place she swears has the best pies in Colorado Springs, and they order a couple of large pizzas and a round of drinks.

 

The truth is, John likes women, and more than just to fuck. Rodriguez is funny as hell, it turns out, and once she gets a couple of beers in her, she’s pretty affectionate towards Coolidge. It doesn’t take John long to figure out that the two of them have probably been together, on and off, since their Academy days.

 

Not that they’re indiscreet. John likely wouldn’t have noticed if he hadn’t done the “flying under the radar” thing himself at one time or another. Granted, John likes women as much as he likes men, so he’s avoided scrutiny, but he understands.

 

Holland had been an exception in John’s history—John would have broken every rule for him. He had broken every rule, although it hadn’t done any good in the long term. John looks out for the people under him, though, the same way certain superiors had looked after John and Holland when they’d been fucking on the sly.

 

In the end, John ends up walking to the theater from the pizza place with Vala’s hand tucked through his arm. If he turns, John knows he’ll see Rodriguez and Coolidge walking too close, their hands just brushing, so he doesn’t turn around.

 

It’s easier not to ask when John doesn’t know, so he focuses on Vala’s body heat where she leans into him, her arm linked with his, and he asks, “What kind of movie are you in the mood for?”

 

“Something with explosions,” Coolidge calls from behind them.

 

“I agree,” Vala says. “I’ll never understand why your people have so many hang-ups about sex. Your romantic movies make me want to throw things.”

 

“We can’t have that,” John agrees with a grin. “We’ll find something with explosions.”

 

Their best bet turns out to be Zombieland, which everyone seems to enjoy. John ends up sitting next to Vala, and while he isn’t sure how it happens, Vala’s hand winds up in John’s halfway through the film. It’s been too long since John’s held hands like this. Vala ends up with her head on John’s shoulder, her fingers interlaced with his, her dark hair tickling the skin above John’s collar.

 

When they walk out of the theater, John doesn’t think anything of slinging his arm around Vala’s shoulders, pulling her in tight, and she doesn’t seem to mind. In fact, she tucks a hand into John’s back pocket, and the strength of John’s response probably has as much to do how long it’s been since he’s been this close to someone—to being this close to having sex—as it does with how much he wants Vala.

 

They split up in the parking lot. John doesn’t ask if Rodriguez is going home with Coolidge, and he doesn’t want to know.

 

He’s not surprised when Vala follows him to his room, although when they arrive at his door she says, “I think my bed is bigger.”

 

“After you,” John replies, waving her on.

 

Vala leads the way to her room, sailing inside and trusting John to follow. He closes the door behind him gently and hovers nearby, uncertain about what the next step is going to be.

 

John has never been very good at reading these situations, and he’s even worse at knowing what comes next. Vala smirks at him. “I think we’re both overdressed.”

 

“If you’re sure,” John hedges. There are rules against this sort of thing for a reason, and John probably wouldn’t consider sleeping with her if this had been a more permanent assignment. As it is, though, he’s just a stand-in.

 

Of course, if this doesn’t go well, the next month and a half could be really awkward.

 

Vala gives him a sharp look. “Do you have a problem with this plan?”

 

John clears his throat. “I guess not. I just thought—” Vala drops her jacket to the floor and skims her t-shirt up over her head, and then she slides her jeans down over her hips, leaving her naked. Her body isn’t perfect—her breasts sag slightly, and John can see the stretch marks on her belly, but none of it matters.

 

To John, she’s beautiful. Dusky nipples, a thatch of dark hair at the joining of her thighs, long, lean limbs—John can’t keep his hands off of her.

 

His callused thumbs brush over Vala’s nipples, but she’s not easily distracted. “I’m not going to be the only one who’s naked,” she insists.

 

Vala slides John’s jacket off his shoulders and it drops to the floor. His shirt follows, and then his boots and pants, and Vala pushes John onto the bed.

 

It’s a little awkward at first—John has no problem with Vala driving, but he’s used to taking the lead, and for a moment, they’re both wrestling for control. And then Vala starts to laugh, and John chuckles, and everything falls into place.

 

She rides him with a sort of reckless abandon that John finds incredibly erotic, and he moves with her, his hands on her hips.

 

It’s good to feel connected to someone like this again; it’s been too long.

 

Vala comes with a cry, and John flips them over, thrusting quickly until he comes with a low groan. He collapses next to her, and when he tries to pull away, she clings to him. “Stay,” she urges, and there’s a hint of vulnerability in her eyes and the set of her mouth that he hasn’t seen before.

 

John brushes her hair back from her face. “Sure, I’ll stay.”

 

~~~~~

 

John spends some time in the infirmary over the next couple of days since they don’t have any scheduled missions. The staff doesn’t seem to mind when John drops by, since he keeps the kids entertained with stories and simple games.

 

At one point, John looks up to see Vala standing in the doorway, looking at him with a strange expression on her face. He offers a smile and jerks his chin in invitation, but she stays where she’s at, and when he looks up again, she’s gone.

 

But when he goes back to his quarters later, he finds Vala waiting for him outside the door.

 

“Do you like kids?” Vala asks.

 

John shrugs. “Love ‘em.”

 

“But you don’t have any of your own.”

 

“Who has the time?” John asks, although it’s not entirely a rhetorical question. The truth is that since his divorce from Nancy, he hasn’t had the urge to settle down with anybody.

 

And now he has Atlantis, which fulfills most of those longings.

 

Vala doesn’t respond immediately. She just follows him inside his room. “Is this okay?” she asks, putting her hands on his chest.

 

“Yeah,” John says, his voice rough with need. “We’ve got a mission early tomorrow.”

 

“Then I won’t wear you out too much.”

 

John is the one who urges her to stay that night. The bed is too narrow, but Vala drapes herself across his body, and he finds he likes her weight, the warmth of her, the way her fingers trace circles on his skin. He sets the alarm early enough to allow her to get back to her quarters and get cleaned up before they have to meet for the briefing.

 

John sleeps better than he expects, and he wakes up reluctantly with the alarm.

 

“I have to go,” Vala murmurs apologetically. “See you soon?”

 

“You know it.”

 

If John had been concerned that this new dynamic to his relationship with Vala would have repercussions, they’re laid to rest during the briefing. Vala is her usual self, treating him no differently. Coolidge and Rodriguez ask sharp, intelligent questions, and John thinks he might have actually found the right replacements.

 

Once they’re through the gate, Vala walks next to John, bumping his shoulder with her own, while Rodriguez and Coolidge exchange knowing looks.

 

John tells himself that it doesn’t matter. The rules against fraternizing don’t apply to them, because John’s here only a stand-in. At most, this thing between them could be considered a fling.

 

The mission turns out to be a cakewalk. The planet is uninhabited—at least the area around the gate is—and they wander around, taking photos and video of the ruins near the gate. Coolidge is in raptures over some of the carvings, but they don’t interest John. Vala and Rodriguez appear to be similarly bored, so John pulls a pack of cards out of his pack.

 

John learned that lesson about a hundred missions ago. Sometimes, a pack of cards is the only thing standing between a team and death by boredom.

 

Rodriguez turns out to be a card shark, and she collects points like they’re going out of style as they play rummy.

 

“If we have an overnight mission, I’m not cooking,” she cackles after her third winning hand.

 

“That’s all right,” John agrees. “We’ll make Coolidge to it.”

 

Coolidge laughs; John didn’t know she’d been paying attention. “I hate to admit it, sir, but we’d all starve. I burn water.”

 

John glances at Vala, who shrugs. “I can cook, as long as I don’t have to set up tents.”

 

“I think that can be arranged,” John replies, wondering if he should really be making plans like this with a temporary team.

 

“As long as that agreement holds when Colonel Mitchell comes back,” Rodriguez says cheerfully. “I can cook, but I hate it.”

 

“Maybe you should make Mitchell do it,” John replies with a grin.

 

Rodriguez chuckles. “It’s hard to believe he’ll be as cool as you are, sir.”

 

John feels a surge of pleasure. “Cool only gets you so far, Rodriguez. Just as long you listen to orders.”

 

“Always, sir,” Rodriguez says cheerfully.

 

John doesn’t believe her. “We’ll see about that.”

 

“I think I’m done here, Colonel,” Coolidge announces. “Thanks for your indulgence.”

 

John shrugs. “I’ve spent worse afternoons, Major.”

 

The walk back to the gate is made under sunny skies, the cool breeze making it just about perfect.

 

Vala stays close to John, her hand occasionally brushing his, and John allows himself to enjoy a mission gone well, with a gorgeous woman at his side, and the hope of sex again tonight.

 

John has learned to enjoy the little things, especially when he knows they’re not permanent.

 

~~~~~

 

Really, whatever worries John may have had about sleeping with Vala turn out to be unfounded. She flirts with him outrageously, but then, she flirts with everyone—although John’s the one who winds up in her bed nearly every night.

 

John still misses Atlantis, and he misses his team, but he’s a lot happier at the SGC than he’d expected.

 

And in some ways, it’s easier to be away from the city right now. Ronon and Rodney are caught up in their respective relationships, and Teyla is missing Torren and Kanaan so much, she’s not the best company.

 

It feels good to have this break, to be in charge of three people instead of an entire city, to have a warm and willing partner in his bed.

 

John wants to go back to Atlantis, but he’s not ready to let go of Vala, either.

 

He runs into Mitchell in the hall outside of the infirmary three weeks later. Mitchell is off the crutches and is wearing a walking cast, and he greets John with typical ebullience. “Sheppard! I hear you’ve found a couple of folks for my team.”

 

John smirks. “That’s assuming I don’t take them back to Atlantis with me.”

 

“Aw, come on, you wouldn’t do that to me, would you?”

 

“All’s fair in love and war,” he replies. “So, when are you coming back, anyway?”

 

“Two weeks,” Mitchell says. “I hear that Atlantis is going to be heading back to Pegasus soon.”

 

“You know more than I do.” John runs a hand through his hair. “How soon?”

 

“A few weeks,” Mitchell replies. “Landry knows more. We’re supposed to be heading for his office now.”

 

John feels a little trepidation as he walks next to Mitchell, keeping his pace slow for the other man’s benefit. “How’s the ankle?”

 

“Better,” Mitchell says. “I probably don’t have to tell you how happy I’m going to be to get back on active duty.” He clears his throat. “And what’s this I hear about an all-woman team?”

 

“It’s not an all-woman team,” John points out. “I’m on it.”

 

“I’m going to let that comment pass by unremarked,” Mitchell says with a wicked grin.

 

“Coolidge turned out to be a pretty decent addition once we got rid of Corcoran, and she recommended Rodriguez. Rodriguez has a mouth on her, but she’s a good officer.” John smiles. “If you don’t want her, we could use her on Atlantis.”

 

Mitchell grins. “Have you ever worked with Jackson?”

 

“I’ve met him,” John says. “But I wouldn’t say I worked with him.”

 

“Trust me, I can work with someone with a mouth,” Mitchell replies. “I suppose you’re used to it with McKay.”

 

“He’s not so bad,” John replies, used to defending Rodney by now.

 

Mitchell smirks. “He just needs the right motivation, huh?”

 

“Saving our lives is usually motivation enough,” John says mildly.

 

When they step inside Landry’s office, the general waves them both to the chairs across from his desk. “You’ve been doing excellent work with SG-1, Colonel Sheppard,” Landry begins. “I’m sorry I can’t keep you here.”

 

“Thank you, sir,” John replies, a little embarrassed at the unexpected praise.

 

“That said, Colonel Mitchell will be back in two weeks, and Atlantis will begin its return journey to Pegasus in three.”

 

John grins in relief. “That’s good news.”

 

“I’m also told that the amount of leave you have accumulated is obscene,” Landry says, fixing John with a stern look. “So, SG-1 is on stand down until Mitchell is back on duty, and you’re on leave.”

 

John feels a bit like the rug has just been pulled out from under him. Although he had known he’d be heading back to Atlantis soon, he hadn’t expected it to happen quite so soon. He thanks Landry as graciously as he can, shakes Mitchell’s hand and wishes him luck, and then he goes in search of the rest of his team.

 

No, not his team.

 

He finds Rodriguez and Coolidge in the gym, spotting each other on the bench press.

 

“Colonel!” Coolidge says. “You want to join us?”

 

“I’m afraid I can’t,” John says. “I need to start packing.”

 

“You’re not leaving already, are you, sir?” Rodriguez asks, looking alarmed.

 

John shrugs. “Landry has ordered me to take some time off. SG-1 is on stand down until Mitchell comes back in a couple of weeks.”

 

“And just when we’d broken you in,” Rodriguez replies with a grin, but John can read real regret in her eyes. “Thanks for giving me this chance, sir.”

 

“You earned your spot,” John insists. “And you know, if this doesn’t work out for you, put in a transfer to Atlantis. We’d be glad to have both of you.”

 

To his surprise, both women blush. “Thank you, sir,” they chorus. “You’d probably better let Vala know,” Coolidge adds.

 

And then they both straighten and offer perfect salutes.

 

John is touched, and he returns their salutes with suitable gravity.

 

He has to talk to Vala next, though, and he has no idea how she’s going to take the news that he’s leaving sooner than expected.

 

Maybe this has all been a diversion for her, and she’ll wave him off with a smile on her face, and without regrets. Or maybe she’s become as attached to John as he has to her—because the truth is that John doesn’t want to leave her behind.

 

Vala answers the knock on her door with alacrity, greeting him with a smile. “John! Walter said you were in a meeting with General Landry.”

 

“And Colonel Mitchell,” John adds.

 

Vala’s a smart woman, and she catches on immediately, the disappointment in her expression clear. “When do you leave?”

 

John takes a breath and goes with his first impulse. “Actually, I’m on leave for the next two weeks, and SG-1 is on stand down. You should come with me.”

 

Vala blinks, clearly surprised. “Go with you?”

 

“Yeah, why not?” John says, the possibilities opening up before him. He thinks about taking Vala to meet his brother and grins. “I should probably visit my brother. If you came, it might be bearable. And I could teach you how to surf. We could go to the beach.”

 

Vala seems stunned. “You want me to come with you?”

 

“Yeah, I do,” John replies immediately. “Unless you don’t want to go. You probably have things to do around here, and—”

 

Vala throws her arms around him and plants a noisy kiss on John’s mouth. “I think we should go. I haven’t had a vacation in years.” She grins mischievously. “Not since I went to Cam’s high school reunion with him.”

 

“Then you’re due,” John replies. “So, you’ll come?”

 

“I’ll come,” she promises. “When do we leave?”

 

“I’ve got to make some calls,” John replies. “I have no idea if Dave has any free time right now, but we’ll figure it out.”

 

Vala smiles and touches John’s cheek. “It will be an adventure.”

 

John runs his hand through her hair. “It usually is with you.”

 

“Is that a good thing?”

 

“The best kind of thing.”

 

~~~~~

 

John makes a few calls, suddenly impatient to be off of the base. He doesn’t have much to pack, and he throws what little he does have in a duffel bag and calls it good. Dave makes encouraging noises when John proposes a short visit.

 

“You can meet Karen,” Dave says, referring to his new wife. “I have a meeting I can’t get out of, but she can meet you at the house. You’ll stay with us, right?”

 

“I’m bringing a guest,” John warns.

 

Dave clears his throat. “Is it that Ronon guy? The one who came to Dad’s funeral?”

 

John chuckles. “No. Her name is Vala.”

 

“Oh!” Dave sounds surprised. “Great. You should bring her.” Then, after a moment’s hesitation, Dave asks, “Is it serious?”

 

John sighs. “Maybe. It’s complicated.”

 

“Serious things usually are,” Dave agrees. “It will be good to see you, John.”

 

“Thanks,” John says, a little surprised at Dave’s sincerity. “You, too.”

 

He’s just finished making the arrangements with Dave when Vala turns up. “I told Landry I was taking a vacation,” she says. “I think he’s relieved to get rid of me.”

 

“Good thing you’re coming along, then,” John says. “I still have to call for reservations.”

 

Vala throws herself down on John’s bed. “So call.”

 

John gets them a couple of seats on a flight to Virginia the next day, and calls to commandeer a ride to the airport from an airman.

 

It turns out that being a full-bird colonel has its advantages.

 

“You really want me to come with you,” Vala says, draping herself over John.

 

John grins again, thinking of Vala and Dave in the same room. “Definitely. I probably wouldn’t even bother seeing Dave if I had to go alone.”

 

“You don’t like your family?” she asks innocently.

 

John sighs. He’s never been good at talking about this kind of thing, but he’s feeling pretty mellow right now. “My brother and I don’t have a lot in common,” he finally says.

 

“Why?”

 

“Because when my dad wanted me to follow in the family footsteps, I joined the Air Force, and Dave toed the line,” John says.

 

“So, he’s rich?”

 

“You could say that,” John replies. “Dad cut me out of his will.”

 

Vala props herself up on her elbow. “So, you’re not rich?”

 

“I’ve got a trust fund from my mom that I’ve never touched,” he admits. “Maybe when I retire I might use it, although I’ve got enough socked away from my time in Atlantis to keep me in good shape.” He pauses. “Does that bother you?”

 

“Should it?” Vala counters. “I like money, but I have ways of getting it, and there are more important things in life.”

 

“I’ve always thought so,” John agrees and pulls her close. “I’ll apologize for my brother ahead of time.”

 

“Why?”

 

“He’s a little stiff.”

 

Vala grins. “Maybe I can loosen him up.”

 

“That would be good.” John presses a kiss to the top of her head. “Thanks for coming with me.”

 

“I think it’s going to be my pleasure,” Vala replies. “What about after?”

 

John smiles. “I can teach you how to surf, and maybe I’ll show you my city.”

 

Vala stiffens in his arms. “John—”

 

He isn’t stupid; John’s heard the rumors, and he knows that Vala had spent most of her time on Atlantis with Daniel Jackson when she’d been there last. “By the time we make it to Atlantis, he’s going to be off the city,” John says.

 

“How did you know?”

 

John pulls her a little closer. “I just did. Is that going to be okay?”

 

“I’d like to avoid him a little longer,” Vala admits.

 

John presses his face into her hair. “I’ll see what I can do.”

 

~~~~~

 

Dave sends a car to meet them at the airport; John isn’t sure whether he ought to be grateful or annoyed. He’d had every intention on renting a vehicle, and it pains him to be dependent on Dave for anything, but he keeps telling himself that he can leave anytime he wants.

 

“Well, this is interesting,” Vala says when she climbs into the backseat after John. “I thought you said you were going to rent one.”

 

“I was,” John replies. “I wanted to be able to make a fast getaway if necessary.”

 

“You don’t trust your brother,” Vala observes.

 

John shrugs. “I don’t know him.”

 

Vala pats his hand. “You just leave him to me.”

 

The funny thing is, John believes her, and it’s been a long time since he’s had anyone to watch his back around his family. Maybe Ronon, but that had been a different situation.

 

John smiles, thinking that Dave has probably met his match in Vala.

 

Dave’s house is sprawling and quietly opulent. John can’t imagine owning a house like it. If he lives that long, he thinks he’d prefer a small beachside cottage with a view of the ocean.

 

The door swings open to reveal a pretty, petite woman with dark hair and brown eyes. She greets them with a smile, saying, “You must be John.”

 

“Ah, yes,” John replies, knowing that this has to be Dave’s wife, Karen. “This is Vala.”

 

“It’s so nice to meet you both,” Karen says. “Dave will be thrilled to see you.”

 

John has his doubts about that, but he knows how to paste on a polite smile. “It will be good to see him, too. It’s been too long.”

 

Karen leads them through the house, which is tastefully—and impeccably—decorated. John feels more uncomfortable by the moment. “I put you both in the guest room,” Karen is saying. “I hope that’s okay.”

 

“That will be perfect,” Vala replies, speaking for both of them. “You have a lovely home.”

 

John has no idea who this Vala is. He’d figured that she’d say something inappropriate early on, or that things would be so uncomfortable, John would have no choice but to leave early. Instead, she’s cordial and proper, and a complete stranger.

 

“Thank you!” Karen says brightly. “It’s really too big for the two of us, but we’re working on that.”

 

When she touches her stomach, John manages a smile. “Congratulations.”

 

“It’s early yet, but—well.” She beams. “I’m sure you’d like to get cleaned up and relax. Dave won’t be back until tomorrow, I’m afraid, but I can throw some sandwiches together.”

 

“You don’t need to go to any trouble,” John protests.

 

“It’s no trouble,” Karen says brightly. “They’ll be ready in about fifteen minutes.”

 

“That would be wonderful,” Vala replies for both of them.

 

When the door closes behind Karen, John jokes, “I think Dave married up.”

 

“She seems like a very nice woman,” Vala agrees. “Is this the first time you’ve met?”

 

“Before my dad’s funeral a year or so ago, I hadn’t talked to anyone in my family in fifteen years,” John replies. “Give or take a year or two.”

 

Vala grimaces. “Family is complicated, isn’t it?”

 

“Most of the time,” John agrees. “What about for you?”

 

She glances away. “Let’s just say that as much as I love my father, I wouldn’t trust him for a moment.”

 

“I’ve known a few people like that.” He wonders how to broach the subject of how comfortable she seems in these surroundings, but can’t think of a way to ask without being insulting. “I guess we should go see if we can help.”

 

Karen is a gracious hostess who chats amiably with both of them, sticking to innocuous topics.

He thinks it might be easier to get through this visit if he treats it like a trip to another planet, full of people with strange customs who might turn on him at any moment.

 

Karen’s roast beef sandwiches are superlative, and John finds himself warming to her. “This is fantastic.”

 

“It’s the horseradish,” Karen responds with a blush and a dimpled smile. “It’s my own recipe.”

 

Of course it is, John thinks, but he says only, “I’d ask you for the recipe, but I’m not sure we get horseradish where I’m stationed.”

 

Karen looks between John and Vala with a frown. “Aren’t you stationed at the same place?”

 

“Oh, I’m not a member of the military,” Vala replies breezily. “I’m a consultant.”

 

“What do you consult on?” Karen asks.

 

John raises an eyebrow, waiting to hear Vala’s response.

 

Vala laughs. “Security. When you’ve picked as many locks as I have, you have a pretty good idea how to keep others from breaking in.”

 

Karen blinks and laughs a little uncertainly. “I suppose you would.”

 

Patting Karen on the hand, Vala says, “I assure you, I’m entirely reformed.”

 

“That’s good,” Karen manages faintly.

 

John hides his grin behind a mouthful of sandwich.

 

Karen brings the conversation back to what she probably hopes is a safer topic by asking John, “Dave said you were stationed out of the country?”

 

John swallows the last bite of sandwich. “Yeah, you could say that. I’m sorry I can’t tell you where. It’s classified.”

 

“Oh, I understand,” Karen replies with a smile. “Dave works on classified contracts all the time, and he can’t talk about them.”

 

It’s not the same thing at all, but John offers a smile. “I’d tell you if I could.”

 

“Is there a place I could send a care package?” Karen asks, sounding so sweetly earnest that John can’t help but feel bad.

 

John glances at Vala, who is looking at Karen with a strange expression on her face, one John can’t begin to interpret. “As long as it’s non-perishable,” John finally says, wanting to offer her something. “Mail doesn’t reach us very often.”

 

“You’ll have to tell me where I can send it, and what would be best,” Karen replies.

 

They make a little more small talk, and then John pleads exhaustion and heads upstairs, Vala close on his heels.

 

Vala throws herself down on the bed. “You’re related to these people?”

 

John toes off his boots and crawls onto the bed next to her. “Well, not to Karen. This is the first time I’ve met her.”

 

“Yes, but I’ve always said you can tell a lot about a person if you meet their spouse.”

 

John props himself up on an elbow. “So, what’s your take on my brother, having met Karen?”

 

“He’s probably a perfectly nice, perfectly boring person,” Vala replies. “Who is very invested in appearances.”

 

John has to hand it to her. “That describes Dave.”

 

“I’m surprised you didn’t go mad,” Vala observes quietly.

 

“Why do you think I joined the military?” John asks. “I wanted to fly, but I wanted to get away from my family a lot more.”

 

She reaches for him. “I think it will be easier if you can treat them as strangers to you, as though you’re visiting a planet for the first time.”

 

John is a little surprised at how her thoughts echo his own. “Is that what you’re doing?”.

 

Vala runs a hand through his hair. “Of course, but then again, I am on a strange planet.”

 

John pulls her in for a kiss, and her mouth is warm and hungry against his, full of promises that he’s not sure he wants her to make.

 

This thing between them no longer feels quite so temporary, and he wonders if he’ll be able to let her go when he’s called back to Atlantis.

 

~~~~~

 

When they wander downstairs the next morning, it’s to find Dave and Karen in the kitchen. John’s brother is sleep-rumpled and casual in flannel pants and a t-shirt, and he smiles when he sees John. “Sorry I couldn’t be here last night,” Dave says apologetically. “There were some tricky negotiations I couldn’t cut short.”

 

John is momentarily thrown by the sight of his brother, who suddenly looks a lot more like the boy John remembers from his childhood. “Hey, it’s no problem,” he manages. “Dave, this is Vala.”

 

“Nice to meet you,” Dave says, taking Vala’s hand with the kind of charm their father had displayed at the best of times. “It’s nice to meet another one of John’s friends.”

 

Vala offers a mischievous smile and glances at John. “Is that what I am?”

 

“A little more than a friend,” John says. “I’m just glad you could accommodate us on short notice. I didn’t know I’d have the leave until I called you.”

 

“I know you don’t get time off very often,” Dave replies. “I’m glad you decided to spend some of it with us.”

 

“Hey, I needed to meet my new sister-in-law,” John replies with what he hopes is convincing sincerity.

 

Dave hesitates. “I thought we could go golfing this afternoon, maybe give Vala and Karen a chance to go shopping.”

 

“I love shopping!” Vala enthuses. “And it’s been far too long since I’ve had a chance to spend money.”

 

Karen smiles. “Wonderful. It will be good to get a chance to talk with just us girls.”

 

John reminds himself that an afternoon of golf isn’t worse than any of the alien rituals he’s been subjected to over the years. And this is why he’s come—to spend time with the only family he has left.

 

“Sounds great. It’s been a long time since I’ve been golfing,” John says.

 

Breakfast, at least, is a relatively pleasant affair. Karen’s waffles are just as good as her sandwiches, and John volunteers to help with the cleanup, which earns him a grateful smile.

 

“I should go change,” Dave says. “And I’m afraid I need to make a few phone calls. I thought we could all get lunch at the club before tee time.”

 

John tries not to bristle at the vocabulary, which reminds him of his childhood. He’s not a part of this world, and he’s never felt like he belonged here. It’s hard to remember that it’s not Dave’s fault. All Dave had done was go along with their father’s wishes.

 

Dave had always been good at that, and John had always resented it.

 

He and Vala take their time getting cleaned up; the shower in the en suite bathroom is huge, with multiple showerheads.

 

“You know, you’re probably going to be the death of me,” John groans as they get out, grateful for the large breakfast he’d just eaten. He’d probably be weak in the knees otherwise.

 

Vala gives him a saucy grin. “But what a way to go.”

 

“Beats a lot of other deaths,” John agrees. “You okay with spending the afternoon with Karen?”

 

Vala shrugs. “It’s shopping, John. I’d rather do that than hit a little white ball around a large green space.”

 

John grins. “I don’t blame you. I think I’d prefer to go shopping as well.”

 

“Unlucky for you,” Vala replies cheerfully. “Go. Enjoy your time with your brother.”

 

~~~~~

 

To John’s great surprise, he does enjoy his time with Dave. John isn’t sure whether it’s because they’re both on their best behavior, or if it’s because Dave isn’t worrying about John coming back to take his inheritance.

 

Their love of golf is one of the few things they have in common, and they talk handicaps and drives and clubs on the front nine, and transition into more personal topics for the back.

 

Dave is endearingly excited about becoming a father, and John feels a pang of regret for something he’ll likely never have. It’s unlikely he’ll ever know Dave’s kids, or have a role in their lives. Chances are, John will die in Pegasus, leaving only an empty, flag-draped coffin behind.

 

A few years ago, John wouldn’t have bet on Dave attending his funeral; now, he figures someone will probably be there to accept the flag.

 

Sometimes, that’s as much as a guy can hope for.

 

They manage to make it through the entire 18 holes with the détente firmly in place and head back to Dave’s house to find Karen and Vala in the midst of dinner preparations. John exchanges a brief kiss with Vala, who whispers, “I’m fine.”

 

John nods. “I’m going to get cleaned up.”

 

He changes his clothes and washes his face and hands, and then he sits down on the bed, unable to believe that this is his life.

 

He’s just spent the afternoon with his brother, without snide remarks or coming to blows, and John has no idea what that means.

 

It’s unexpected—coming here to find that he has something in common with Dave. Finding someone like Vala. It goes against every bit of John’s carefully constructed self-image as a lone wolf; he’s always thought of himself as someone who doesn’t need family, someone who can’t manage to have a long-term relationship.

 

But in the last five years, he’s had his team, and now it seems he’s reconnecting with his family, too, and even if he doesn’t know what it means yet, he’s got Vala.

 

Well, he has Vala for another two weeks. All bets are off after that.

 

~~~~~

 

The last night they’re in Virginia, Dave and Karen host a dinner party. It’s not something John wants to do, but he can’t find a graceful way to back out, particularly when he’s been getting along so well with them.

 

John has his dress uniform with him, expecting something like this, and Vala found a dress while shopping with Karen.

 

John flushes the first time Dave introduces him as “my brother, Colonel John Sheppard,” with a note of pride in his voice. The shiny new insignia on his shoulders feel heavier than they ought to, and John isn’t sure that he’s ever going to get used to the insinuation that he’s some kind of war hero.

 

Especially when it’s his brother doing the insinuating.

 

By the third or fourth time Dave gives that introduction, John is ready to crawl under a rock and hide. John can’t take the handshakes and the murmurs of “thank you for your service,” because he’s thinking of all the folks he couldn’t bring home from Pegasus.

 

Maybe John’s sacrifice would have meant something, but he figures he’s just doing his duty by going back to Atlantis, and protecting Earth from the Wraith. A lot of these folks don’t truly understand what it means to serve, but they know how to say the right things.

 

By the sixth such statement, John is ready to run. He tosses back a drink and looks for the nearest escape route.

 

Vala slips her hand through John’s arm. “Hey.”

 

“Hey yourself,” he replies, his temper coming out.

 

Vala leans in close, giving him a tantalizing glimpse of her cleavage. “Do you want me to rob these people blind? I could, you know.”

 

John coughs. “What?”

 

She nods at one of the men who had just solemnly shaken John’s hand, looking as though he hoped what he thought of as John’s heroism would rub off on him. “He’s a cheap bastard. All of his wife’s jewels are fake, but I don’t think she knows it.”

 

John laughs incredulously. “How do you know that?”

 

“Please,” Vala replies, shooting John a look. “I know my merchandise, John. Any thief worth her salt does.”

 

John grins. “I stand corrected. Are you planning on robbing everyone here?”

 

Vala laughs. “I’m not planning to rob anyone. I do have detailed scenarios worked out as to how I could fleece any or all of them, however. Would you like to hear?”

 

“Yes,” John replies fervently.

 

The rest of the evening passes much more pleasantly, with Vala offering detailed plans on how she would take each person there for every penny. And most of those plans involve willing participation from the victims, with them happily handing over everything.

 

John has to admire Vala’s creativity. It’s enough to keep him entertained and keep him from running for the nearest exit. He’s grateful as hell when most of the guests leave, allowing John to escape upstairs with Vala in tow.

 

Vala throws herself on the bed with a sigh of relief, kicking off her high heels. “Have I thanked you for not being anything like your family members?” she asks.

 

“I thought you liked them,” John replies, hanging up his uniform jacket.

Vala waits until he looks at her to roll her eyes. “As I told you, they’re very nice, very boring people. What do you think they’d do if I told them that I spent the evening imagining conning all of those very nice, very boring people out of every last penny?”

 

“They aren’t all nice,” John points out, pulling off his tie. “And I swear, if I had to shake one more hand, I was going to kill someone.”

 

“They all want a piece of you,” Vala points out reasonably. “If they shake your hand and thank you, they can reassure themselves that they’re doing something important.”

 

John grimaces, although he can’t disagree with Vala’s assessment. “Yeah, well.”

 

“Are you ready to leave tomorrow?” she asks.

 

“More than,” John replies fervently. “This way, we don’t wear out our welcome, and I don’t have to deal with another one of these stupid dinners.”

 

“Karen said it was an open house,” Vala points out.

 

John shrugs irritably. “I don’t care what you call it. I don’t want to do it again.”

 

“So, what are we going to do?” she asks. “And where are we going?”

 

He thinks of the beaches in California where he learned to surf, and he smiles. “San Onofre. It should be decent this time of year. I’ll teach you how to surf.”

 

Vala smiles at him and stretches her arms above her head. “That sounds exciting. But for right now, come to bed.”

 

He went gladly.

 

~~~~~

 

John’s goodbyes with Dave and Karen are harder than he expects, but he gives Karen an address to send a care package via Cheyenne Mountain, and he shakes hands with Dave, who tells John not to be a stranger.

 

Dave and Karen give Vala the same treatment, and John tries not to think about the fact that the next time he’s here—if ever—Vala will likely not be with him.

 

Their flight goes about as well as John expects, and they arrive early the following afternoon. John has a car rental waiting, and he drives them to the hotel. John has years of combat pay socked away, so he’s sprung for a really nice place.

 

Vala immediately heads over to the windows overlooking the ocean. “I could get used to this,” she announces.

 

John smiles. “So could I. Combat pay only goes so far, though.”

 

“Spend it while you’ve got it?” Vala asks with a grin.

 

“Something like that,” John agrees. “Plus, I figure you don’t get the chance to splurge all that often with the SGC.”

 

Vala raises an eyebrow. “How do you figure?”

 

“Because I don’t,” John replies with an unapologetic grin. “You want to go down to the beach?”

 

“Not even a little bit.” Vala tackles John, sending them both sprawling onto the bed. “I want to take advantage of this very large bed.”

 

“Just what I was thinking,” John says.

 

~~~~~

 

They make it down to the beach the next day. John rents boards for both of them, since he doesn’t have his with him. At least Vala can swim, so John can move right to teaching her how to catch a wave.

 

He’s taught a few people how to surf, so he knows what works and what doesn’t—and he knows that every student is different.

 

Vala is graceful, though, and good at making her body do what she wants. She seems to translate John’s instructions into action with little trouble, and John has her paddling out to catch the smaller waves that afternoon.

 

Sure, she tumbles off the board, but she pops up grinning every time, and when she’s ready to quit, she says, “Go. I’ll watch and learn from the beach.”

 

The surf is good, although not as good as other beaches John’s been on. The waves don’t test his skill level, but it’s been long enough that John doesn’t mind.

 

Besides, he’s showing off a little for Vala, and the smaller waves make it easier for him to look good. John isn’t above capitalizing on that.

 

By the time his legs are shaking from the exertion, he’s ready to call it quits. The surfing has been decent, but the forecast for the next day suggests that tomorrow will be even better.

 

They wash off the salt water together, and then head down to the hotel’s restaurant to eat ridiculously overpriced seafood, before going back to their room for exercise of another sort.

 

After that, the days and nights blend together. John surfs, and teaches Vala what he can, although she generally knocks off in the early afternoon to watch John and work on her tan. There are a couple of days when the waves are terrible, and then they explore the area. Vala seems to buy something in nearly every shop they enter, delighting in the strange and tacky.

 

Mostly, though, they spend their time on the beach.

 

John figures they have several days left—at least by his reckoning—when Landry calls late in the evening, well after the sun has gone down. “Atlantis has been cleared to return to Pegasus,” he’s informed.

 

“When do you want me there, sir?” John asks.

 

“Three days,” Landry responds. “And Colonel Mitchell tells me to inform you that Vala is wanted back at the SGC at the same time.”

 

“I’ll talk to her,” John replies, because that’s as much as he’s willing to promise.

 

Vala is stretched out on the bed, completely naked. “I’m guessing that was General Landry, given your reaction.”

 

“He wants me back in Atlantis,” John replies. “He gave me three days to report, but—”

 

“But?” Vala asks.

 

“Maybe you should come with me, see the city,” John says, not wanting to lose Vala just yet. He doesn’t want their time together to be over.

 

Vala hesitates, her expression closing down, and John adds, “I can make sure he’s off the city before that.”

 

She grimaces. “I don’t want him to know.”

 

“He doesn’t have to.” John traces her jawline with his thumb. “One call, and I find out if he’s still there, but if we’re that close to leaving, he’s probably headed back to the SGC by now.”

 

Vala pulls in a deep breath. “You haven’t asked why.”

 

“I figure you tried something, and it didn’t work,” John responds. “Nothing wrong with that.” He adds, “I want you to see Atlantis.”

 

Vala nods. “Then I’d like to go.”

 

~~~~~

 

John suspects that at least part of the decision to send Atlantis back to Pegasus has to do with the IOA’s reluctance to declassify the Stargate program. Even with the cloak, they can’t hide Atlantis in the Bay forever.

 

The SGC has been ferrying people and supplies over by jumper, or beaming it directly via the George Hammond, and John arranges to meet one of the cloaked jumpers at a designated pick-up area the next morning.

 

Newly-minted Lieutenant Colonel Lorne greets John with a smile and a salute. “Good to see you again, sir,” he says from the pilot’s seat.

 

“Congratulations on your promotion,” John replies. “I didn’t expect to see you driving.”

 

“How could I resist?” Lorne asks. “I haven’t had a chance to fly for weeks now.”

 

John knows just how he feels. “I don’t suppose you’ll let me take her back.”

 

“You’re the boss,” Lorne replies cheerfully enough, and moves over to the co-pilot’s seat.

 

“You remember Vala Mal Doran?”

 

Lorne nods at her. “It’s good to see you again, ma’am.”

 

“Vala,” she insists. “Or you’ll make me feel old.”

 

The flight is quick, and John lands in the jumper bay with a feeling of regret that the trip hadn’t been longer. Of course, as soon as they’re ready to go, John will be flying Atlantis, and that’s going to mean a lot of time in the control chair if they don’t want to use up their ZPMs.

 

John can feel the hum in the back of his mind that says home, and he grins as the lights get just a little brighter.

 

“I think the city missed you, sir,” Lorne says.

 

John shrugs. “It’s good to be home. Who else is back?”

 

“Teyla and Ronon are here,” Lorne replies, knowing John is asking about his team. “McKay and Keller are at Cheyenne Mountain going over last minute personnel changes.”

 

John nods. “Great. I’m going to give Vala the tour. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow morning.”

 

Vala has been quiet since their arrival, and John looks at her, concerned. “You okay?”

 

She forces a smile. “Of course. You said you’d show me the city.”

 

John doesn’t push. One of the things he likes about Vala is that she’s not necessarily inclined to talk about her feelings, or ask him to talk about his.

 

He gives her the tour, showing her his favorite spots. Vala seems quietly appreciative, even though John catches the edge of melancholy in her expression. She rallies at lunch, however, which they eat with Teyla and Ronon.

 

Teyla draws Vala out, asking questions about her time with the SGC and the vacation they’d just had. “John has spoken of surfing in the past,” Teyla says. “Did you enjoy it?”

 

Vala smiles. “I’m not very good at it, but I did enjoy it.”

 

“You’re not very good yet,” John inserts. “And you still did really well for a beginner. Did you get off the city at all, Teyla?”

 

“I did,” Teyla responds, taking a sip of her tea. “Evan kindly offered to introduce me to his family. He thought meeting his nephews might help me since I’ve been missing Torren a great deal.”

 

“That’s your son, isn’t it?” Vala asks.

 

Teyla nods. “I will be glad to get back to him.”

 

“I can imagine,” Vala replies with real feeling in her voice.

 

“Did you see the new guns we got?” Ronon asks.

 

John is grateful for the change in subject because he feels as though they’re encroaching on emotional territory. He takes Vala with him to inspect the new artillery, which is truly awesome. Ronon tags along and helpfully points out all the changes that have occurred over the last few weeks while John’s been gone.

 

The city hums around him, welcoming him back, and if it weren’t for the fact that being back here means this thing with Vala is coming to an end, he’d be enjoying it a hell of a lot. As it is, he feels as though there’s a ticking clock hanging over his head, counting down to the moment she leaves.

 

They spend the afternoon with Ronon, touring the city and checking out the changes made on the city while John’s been gone. Vala stays pretty quiet, and John is beginning to get seriously concerned. It’s not like her to be so withdrawn.

 

“Oh, hey, there’s Woolsey,” John says when they enter the mess for dinner.

 

Vala makes a face. “I’d rather not see him right now.”

 

John glances at her and can see that she’s serious. “Yeah, sure. We’ll grab something portable and head back to my quarters.”

 

He waves at Woolsey, and they pick up sandwiches, fruit, and a couple of bags of chips—which is the sort of thing they don’t get much of in Pegasus.

 

John’s quarters are as sparse as ever, but John is more aware of the lack of decoration than he’s ever been before. “Sorry. I know it’s not much.”

 

“It’s clean,” Vala offers. “There’s nothing wrong with your quarters, John. It doesn’t look any different than the ones at the SGC.” She glances at the bed. “Although that’s a little small.”

 

“Yeah, well, I can probably requisition something bigger,” John replies. “Or we can spend the night in another bed. Maybe we’d better.”

 

“I’m not going to be here that long,” Vala replies with a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes.

 

John says the first thing that comes to mind. “Maybe you should stay.”

 

She stares at him. “You don’t mean that.”

 

“Why wouldn’t I?” John asks, warming to the idea as he speaks. “We spent the last two months together. We know we’re good together. We know we get along. Why shouldn’t you stay?”

 

Vala throws up her hands. “Maybe because Woolsey hates me, and you don’t want me around.”

 

“You don’t know that,” John objects. “And I never said I don’t want you around.”

 

“I know Woolsey is never going to agree to me coming to Atlantis,” Vala replies, not responding to the second assertion.

 

“Fuck Woolsey,” John shoots back. “You’d be an asset. You don’t really want to stay at Cheyenne Mountain, do you?”

 

Vala shakes her head. “John—”

 

“I’m saying stay,” John insists. He had no idea he felt this strongly until the words left his mouth, and right now, he wants her there. He wants Vala on Atlantis. He can’t imagine letting her go.

 

“John—”

 

He’s not good with emotions, and he’s not good at fighting for what he wants, but in this case, John can see that he doesn’t want to be on Atlantis without Vala, even if he would leave her behind if he had to. “I don’t want you to leave,” he says simply.

 

“What would I do?” Vala finally demands after a long, tense silence.

 

“You could have your own team,” he offers. “The rules say we can’t be on the same team, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be here. We could use someone like you.”

 

“We?” Vala asks.

 

“I want you here,” John says. “And I think we could use you.”

 

“You want me here,” Vala says flatly.

 

John scratches the back of his head. “Yeah, well. Yeah. I do.”

 

Vala studies him for a moment. “What if I ask and the request is denied?”

 

“You could stow away?” John suggests.

 

Vala smiles. “They’d just ask me to come back.”

 

“But if we can’t find you when the gate is open, there’s nothing they can do to get you back,” John replies hopefully.

 

Vala laughs. “You’d hide me.”

 

“Yeah, but I wouldn’t have to,” John replies. “Atlantis would hide you if I asked.”

 

“You really mean it,” Vala says quietly.

 

John shrugs. “I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.”

 

“No, I guess you wouldn’t,” Vala replies. “I just—I’m not used to that. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to ask.”

 

“I’m going to be spending a lot of time in the control chair,” John informs her. “I won’t be around much until we get back to Pegasus.”

 

“But after?” Vala asks.

 

“I’ll be around as much as I can,” he promises.

 

“Okay,” Vala says. “I’ll ask on one condition: you get a bigger bed.”

 

John shrugs. “I haven’t needed a bigger bed until now.”

 

Vala stares at him, and then shakes her head. “You undo me,” she says softly. “You just undo me, John.”

 

His name on her lips is musical, and John reaches out for her. “Yeah, well, same here. Tell me you’ll stay, Vala.”

 

She grabs his face in her hands. “I’ll stay,” she replies, kissing him deeply. “I’ll stay.”

 

“Good.” John holds her close.

 

He doesn’t care what he has to do; John will find a way to keep Vala on Atlantis. He figures that, for once, he’ll go after exactly what he wants, and the hell with anyone who stands in his way.

 

And maybe it’s unexpected, but it’s all good.