Authors Note - So here's my new fic the link to the trailer is now on my profile page, hope you all like it. Reviews are loved.

Disclaimer - I do not own stargate or any of it's characters.

Binding Ties

Chapter 1

Elizabeth stood staring through the glass window at the briefing room where she knew her fate and the fate of her entire expedition was being decided. She was sure both Jack and Mr Woolsey were doing their best but it was clear the Ancients had made up their mind. She wished she could change it, she wished anyone could change it, it was selfish but Atlantis was her home and she wasn't sure how she'd readjust to life on earth. What could she possibly do after almost three years on Atlantis?

"You should be in there," Rodney stated as he moved to stand by her side and then walked away again. He was nervous, they all were, Rodney just wasn't hiding it very well.

"I don't know what I could say at this point that would make any difference," she replied as she tore her eyes away from the briefing room.

"You're right," John replied and she could hear his reluctance to admit defeat. She walked over to the table he was currently resting his feat on. To any outsider he looked calm and unbothered by the situation, she knew better. "They want us out of here."

"But why?" Rodney questioned his voice a mixture of exasperation and sadness at the thought they were going to have to leave Atlantis. "There are maybe a hundred or so of them, I mean they could use us, they might even need us."

"What if you were forced from your home by war only to return to find someone on your couch, eating your cheetos, watching your TV?" John questioned in his usual 'humour is my defence' way but Elizabeth had to admit it was a good point. This had been the Ancient's home long before her expedition had arrived.

"I'd be fine with that," Rodney replied stubbornly and Elizabeth almost had to smile.

"No you wouldn't," John stated pointedly and any further conversation was cut off by Jack and Woolsey entering the room. John immediately swung his feet off the table and back to the floor as he stood and took on the same nervous look that Rodney and no doubt she had. "How go the talk's sir?" he asked and Elizabeth held her breath as she waited for the answer.

"No talks," Jack replied clearly exasperated and annoyed "Listening is what we did."

Woolsey nodded his head as Jack spoke before taking over himself "It was essentially a transitional meeting. They needed to know how much time we needed to vacate the city."

"I said 48 hours," Jack stated as he adjusted the collar on his shirt "Unless you need more."

"No," Elizabeth managed to say, some part of her had been secretly and silently hoping that they would be able to stay in Atlantis. She felt as though the world was crashing down around her and there was nothing she could do about it. "Should be enough," she finished and turned away from everyone in the room. She knew her disappointment would be showing on her face. It didn't help at all that she could feel John's concerned gaze on her.

"That's it; we're just going to take this lying down?" Rodney questioned, his voice was slightly higher than usual and he was very obviously upset. "We rescued them," he continued to protest clearly angry that after the effort he'd put in to find a way to save them they were kicking him out of the city.

"And they're immensely grateful," Woolsey cut in but it was no use.

"Well they're not showing it!" Rodney protested.

"From their point of view Dr McKay, they're being extremely generous," Woolsey informed him patiently. "Keep in mind that when they left Atlantis we were basically a hunter-gatherer species."

"Yeah well did you remind them that if we hadn't hunted and gathered them out of the void between galaxies they would still be stuck there?" Rodney questioned clearly gearing up for a rant.

"We should have left them out there," John stated, it was the first time he'd spoken since Jack and Woolsey had entered the room and it was obvious to Elizabeth just how much their decision affected him.

"I know you feel as though you're losing the city," Woolsey began but Elizabeth cut him off.

"This isn't just about losing the city Richard, this is about losing an opportunity to talk with and learn from living, breathing ancients," she stated, it was a good point, not really her entire motivation for staying in the city but a good argument.

"They are willing, over time, to let us back in the city just not right now," Woolsey informed them as though trying to offer them a beacon of hope, it didn't really do much to lift their spirits though. In fact it had the exact opposite effect, it made them all realise just how futile trying to argue would be. "That way we get all the benefits of Atlantis with very little of the risks or expenditures."

"Yeah, it's not like we don't have our own galaxy to worry about," Jack finished "Colonel, I'd like you to supervise the withdrawal." Jack ordered.

"Yes sir," John replied after a moment and a quick glance at Elizabeth.

"Go ahead," Jack stated and gestured for him to leave. Elizabeth watched as John and Rodney followed Woolsey out of the room and Jack approached her. "Can I talk to you for a moment?" he asked before turning to ensure the others were all out of earshot. "I didn't want to say this in front of McKay because I know he'd want the job."

"What job?" she asked.

"The Ancients are willing to leave someone behind as a liaison, kind of an ambassador if you will," he began and Elizabeth felt her whole body tense in response to the hope that was suddenly rushing through her.

"You know I would be more than happy to..." she began and Jack cut her off.

"I've already given your name, just thought I'd check with you before it's all confirmed," he told her and she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face and she had to suppress the urge to hug him.

"So I'm staying on Atlantis?" she asked wanting to make absolutely sure.

"You're staying," Jack stated and Elizabeth could only nod her head in response.

- - -

"Have you heard?" Rodney questioned in a rather high pitched voice as he entered John's room. Most of his stuff had been packed and Ronon and Teyla had already helped him move it.

"Heard what Rodney?" John asked.

"Elizabeth's staying here," he stated and John looked at him with a mixture of confusion and disbelief, surely he didn't mean what he thought he meant. When John didn't respond Rodney sighed in exasperation and elaborated. "Elizabeth's staying on Atlantis."

"How is that possible?" John asked as his brain struggled to keep up with what he was hearing.

"The Ancients agreed to let someone stay in the city as a sort of liaison," Rodney explained "General O'Neill gave Elizabeth the job. She's not coming back to earth with us."

John still didn't know what to make of Rodney's words, Elizabeth was staying in Atlantis... she wasn't coming back to earth. For some reason that particular scenario bothered him, more than when they were being sent back to earth together. Why? He wasn't entirely sure but that didn't make it any less true.

"Are you even listening to me?" Rodney asked when John still gave him no answer.

"Yes Rodney, I'm listening to you," he replied and grimaced inwardly when he realised he'd snapped at the scientist.

"I can't believe she's not coming with us," he stated.

"You're just mad because you want the job," John half joked and Rodney looked only slightly insulted.

"That's... only part of it," he conceded and John smiled slightly, Rodney had changed a lot over the past few years and yet in most ways he hadn't changed at all.

"Look Rodney, I have a lot to do before we leave so I'll see you at the gate okay?" he questioned and Rodney looked at him for a moment.

"Fine," he said and then walked out of the room leaving John alone with his thoughts. He did still have a lot to do before they left but he could spare some time to go and talk to Elizabeth.

- - -

Elizabeth was staring out of the window in her room; the lights of Atlantis made it stand out in the dark of night. It was her home and she was staying here. It wouldn't be long before her entire expedition team departed for earth, all of the people that she had brought here with her over two years ago and the people that had arrived since then. They would go through the gate and disappear from her life, probably for many years, possibly forever.

The door chime interrupted her thoughts and she quickly walked across the room to answer it. The doors opened to reveal her military commander... former military commander.

"Colonel," she greeted, it felt strange to call him by rank when they'd been on a first name basis for years. Emotional distance, that's what she needed right now, he'd be walking out of her life along with everyone else.

"Doctor," he returned in the same all business voice she had used and she had a feeling this wasn't going to be a quick conversation so she stepped back to allow him into the room.

"How goes the withdrawal?" she asked conversationally.

"We're way ahead of schedule, ready to head out at 0800, Deadalus is going to take most of the gear, people and their odds and ends will make their way through the stargate thanks to the Ancients and their ZPM," he informed her almost as though he was giving her a status report and she nodded her head.

"You're taking this rather well," she stated and immediately regretted the words.

"Actually," he began "I'm pissed, for one thing, I'm only a quarter of the way through War and Peace... so you're staying," he finished and Elizabeth took a deep breath, she'd known this was coming.

"The Ancients agreed to allow a liaison to stay here in Atlantis so..." she trailed off not really sure what to say. She didn't want to make a big deal out of it, she was getting what she wanted, she was staying in Atlantis. The rest of her expedition weren't so lucky; they were being forced to leave and as much as Atlantis was her home, she knew it was his too.

"You going to be seeing us off at the gate?" John questioned after a short but uncomfortable silence. "Cos you know Rodney would be really upset if you didn't," he added almost as an afterthought and Elizabeth smiled slightly as she looked at the floor.

"I'll be there," she promised, it was the least she could do.

"I'll see you at the gate," John informed her, his voice cracking slightly and Elizabeth pretended not to notice as he turned and walked out of the room. She watched him go and took another deep breath as she turned back to her window. The view seemed slightly tainted now, she had been so happy about being allowed to stay in Atlantis she hadn't really thought much about what she'd be losing and what the rest of her expedition were losing.

- - -

John could vaguely hear Rodney's voice as he spoke to Helia, it sounded like he was talking about the grounding station that got shot up in their first year here. Carson was standing to his left as the final members of the expedition headed through the gate. Ronon and Teyla were present as well; they were both standing with Elizabeth as they waited for Rodney to come down the stairs.

"Rodney," John called, this whole experience was being drawn out far too much already. Rodney looked down at them and Carson gestured for him to get down here.

"You have been good friends," Teyla told them "To all the people of this galaxy."

John stepped forward and pressed his forehead against hers in the usual Athosian custom. It was surprisingly hard to say goodbye to these people. "Farewell," she said as they pulled apart and John gave her a small smile.

"Take care," he replied and then gave Ronon a quick nod before turning his attention to Elizabeth. Rodney had finally made it down the stairs and Elizabeth was saying her goodbyes to him and Carson before she turned to John. His emotions threatened to overwhelm him like they had in her quarters but he pushed them back, now was not the time. "Guess this is it," John said, feeling somewhat awkward but as much as he had wanted to get this over with before, he now wanted to draw it out as long as he could.

"Goodbye John, be safe," she instructed him and John nodded slightly.

"You too," he told her and then turned to Carson and Rodney who were waiting for him at the gate. The three of them walked towards it and at the last second John turned back to look at Elizabeth. She was the last thing he saw before he stepped through the gate and emerged in the SGC.

"Welcome home," Landry greeted them and John forced a smile and a 'thank you sir' but he knew he wasn't home, he'd just left his home and he doubted earth would ever compare. He headed out of the gate room, Rodney and Carson were just slightly ahead of him and he could hear Rodney grumbling.

They really should have just left the Ancients out there.

TBC