Title: Coming Home

Author: ChiaraHhue

Written for the swficathon 2006. Prompt was "The mission ends – where do they go now?

Rating: PG-13 for a bit of bad language
Spoilers: Seasons 1, 2 & 3 up to The Return Part I

Pairings: John/Elizabeth with passing reference to Radek/Miko, Evan/Lindsey

Characters: The usual suspects with a few OC Ancients. I also took the liberty of using the actor's name Chuck for the Canadian Gate Tech.
Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate: Atlantis or any of the characters. They belong to MGM. I'm just borrowing them for a little while
Summary: After the Atlantis Mission ended, John, Elizabeth, Carson, Rodney, Teyla and Ronon disobeyed orders and returned to Atlantis to help the Ancients overpower the Replicators. Now that the fight is over, will the Ancients allow them to stay?
Notes: Warning: No angst or whumpage…this is a total ship and fluff fic!
Much thanks to my sis Ivy for a fantastic beta job and also to Ness for her invaluable help and unfailing patience!

Chapter 1

"Rodney, for the love of God, would you quit pacing? You're driving me daft!"

Rodney stopped, mid-stride and turned to glare at the doctor. "And what am I supposed to do while we're stuck out here in the hallway and the Ancients are giving Elizabeth and Sheppard the third degree in there." He jerked his head in the direction of the conference room.

"They're not being interrogated," Carson said patiently. "They're just giving a report to the Council – like a mission debriefing. I'm sure they'll be out shortly."

"Whatever," he grumbled, jamming his hands into his pockets.

"I am sure the Ancients are grateful for our assistance," Telya added as she walked over. "After losing Captain Helia and her tactical team in the first attack, they would never have been able to overpower the Replicators if the Colonel had not taken charge."

"Right. Which means this time they'll give us a medal and then, kick our butts out" Rodney griped. "And then it's back to our stupid, boring jobs."

"Aye, except for the Colonel. I'm fair certain there will be a court martial waiting for him."

"That's gratitude for you!" Rodney snorted in disgust. "You'd think saving Atlantis and rescuing Woolsey and O'Neill would count for something!" He brightened hopefully. "General Landry has been on our side before…maybe he'll put in a good word for Sheppard."

Carson shrugged. "I doubt it. If you recall, he was the one who ordered the Colonel to stand down and turn the puddle jumper around."

Ronon pushed away from the wall he was leaning against. "Sheppard disobeyed a direct order from a general?" He looked darkly from Rodney to Carson.

The shorter man sighed. "Aye. After he hi-jacked the puddle jumper in the first place…"

"Uh, excuse me…" Rodney held up a finger. "He might have been at the controls, but it was my brilliant skills that hacked into the database and got us access to the 'jumper while, I might add, our esteemed leader distracted Dr. Lee with her feminine wiles."

"Och, I don't think I want to hear this…" Carson muttered, turning away.

"Oh please, this is Lee we're talking about! Mr. I'm-a-75th-level-Mage-but-you-can-call-me-Bill. All Elizabeth had to do was…"

"Rodney, stop!" He waved both hands. "Already I need a stiff drink to get the image of Elizabeth flirting with Dr. Lee out of my head."

"Dr. Weir was flirting with someone other than Sheppard?" Ronon scrunched up his face and looked at Teyla who in turn looked at Rodney with equal disbelief.

"Hello? Did the Universal Translator stop working here?" Rodney asked in exasperation. "I distinctly said distracted not flirted! Good Lord," he muttered under his breath. "If I'd been forced to see Elizabeth flirt with Lee I would've had to spork my eyes out!

"And as for flirting with Sheppard," he rounded on Ronon. "I would hardly call what they do flirting. Jeez, the way those two go at it, it's more like eye sex…" his voice trailed off as he suddenly noticed the three pair of eyes that had been focused on him had now shifted to a point directly over his shoulder. "Oh my god," he muttered. "Please, please, please don't let it be…"

"McKay."

"Rodney."

Oh shit. He closed his eyes. Maybe they hadn't heard…

"Eye…"

"…sex?" They repeated, their voices dangerously calm.

He winced. Sheppard and Elizabeth double-teaming was never a good sign. Turning around, he found the two staring at him, their arms crossed over their chests in a similar fashion. Behind him, Rodney could feel his teammates edging away. Cowards.

"Uh, it means…"

"I know what it means," Elizabeth snapped, cutting him off. "What I want to know is what you think it has to do with us?"

"Oh, I don't know…" he rolled his eyes sarcastically. "Let me take a wild guess here, but maybe because you two generate enough sexual tension to recharge a ZPM?" He paused as his brain suddenly switched gears. "Oh…speaking of which, did the Ancients say anything about being able to fix that depleted …"

He squealed as the Colonel's hand shot out and grabbed his ear. "Ow, ow! Elizabeth…make him let go!"

"McKay, I swear…"

"Gentlemen!" she cut in tersely, giving them both a quelling look. "And I use that term lightly," she added under her breath. "This is neither the time nor the place."

The two paused as they caught the steely look in her eyes. John let go but as she turned away, he followed it with a quick smack to the back of Rodney's head.

"Hey!" he groused, rubbing his head. "Unlike yourself, there's an important brain in here!"

Without looking back, Elizabeth closed her eyes with a long-suffering sigh. Despite the fact that she had successfully negotiated with terrorists and warring factions, there were times when those two men made her wish she could call Nanny 911.

"Elizabeth…heads up."

She looked up at John's whispered warning to see the conference doors slide open. Behind her everyone stilled, and in the silence she could practically feel the nervous tension crackle among them. Taking a steadying breath, she smiled calmly and moved toward the woman and two men who were approaching.

"Head Council Tasai…Councilmen Veer and Laya," she nodded in acknowledgement as the Ancients stopped in front of her.

The diminutive silver-haired woman leading the group stepped forward, her long robes moving gracefully around her. She bowed her head in greeting and then gazed curiously at the people standing behind John and Elizabeth.

"Before we make our decision, we wanted to meet the rest of the people we have heard so much about."

Elizabeth's smile brightened and her pride was obvious as she motioned everyone forward.

"This is Dr. Carson Beckett. He's a medical doctor – a healer."

"Pleased to meet you, Miss…ehm…madam," he said, shifting nervously as Tasai glided closer.

"You are not a soldier, yet you came to fight for a place that is not of your birth," she stated, studying his face intently. "Why?"

Carson sighed. "I've had to make hard choices here...whether I did the right thing or just did what was right, I may never know for certain." Taking a deep breath, he straightened and returned her gaze. "But one thing I do know is that my place is with my friends. Being with them…that will always be worth fighting for."

Tasai watched curiously as he spoke, noticing how the group shifted and edged closer together. That the Tau'ri would be supportive of each other, she understood, but what was the connection among them that would cause a fierce Satedan warrior and an Athosian fighter to also share that support?

"And this is Dr. Rodney McKay," Elizabeth continued, nudging a tall man forward. "He's one of our scientists."

"Excuse me…Head Scientist, if you don't mind." He extended his hand then pulled it back quickly as Elizabeth elbowed him discreetly. "Oh…sorry," he mumbled as he stuffed his hand into his pocket self-consciously.

Tasai dipped her head gracefully. "We have heard much of your exploits."

"Really?" Rodney puffed up smugly. "I guess my brilliant mind has saved the day on more than one occasion."

"And Dr. Weir has said you are highly regarded on Earth."

"I think I can safely say I have no equal in my field." His eyes darted to the side to glare as John snorted.

"If you are so highly regarded on your homeworld, why leave?"

Rodney froze, only his eyes flicking back and forth. "What do you mean?"

The Head Council tilted her head to look up into his face. "You are also not a solider…so why leave your home to fight for an alien city when you could be safely doing important work on Earth?"

Tasai watched as his eyes slid over his teammates standing beside him. "I can do important work here as well," he said firmly, turning back to face her. "And this isn't an alien city…it's a place we've come to think of as our home."

As the others nodded in agreement, Tasai exchanged an enigmatic look with her Councilmen.

"Of course we understand this is your home," Elizabeth interjected hurriedly, not missing the exchange among the Ancients. "And as I mentioned before, we're only asking …"

Tasai held up her hand. "It is obvious that all of you have come to appreciate our city and we are honored by that."

Elizabeth started to continue to press her point, but paused as she felt the back of John's hand brush hers. Glancing up at him, she caught the cautionary look in his eyes and acknowledged it silently. The Council had asked to meet the team – not hear her plead their case again.

Turning her attention to Teyla and Ronon, she smiled warmly at them. "And last but certainly not least, are two people without whom our team would not be complete. Teyla Emmagan of Athos and Ronon Dex of Sateda."

"I can understand your desire to be involved," Tasai said to Teyla as she approached the pair, "but what of you, Satedan," she asked, looking up at the tall warrior. "This is not your fight."

Ronon shrugged. "They are my friends…that makes it my fight," he said simply.

Tasai considered his words. The honesty of his declaration was clear in his eyes as well as his and Teyla's acceptance among these people.

"The Council and I thank you," she said, her eyes sweeping the entire group. "Your words have given us another perspective to discuss." She bowed to Elizabeth, and then surprised John with a nod in his direction before gesturing for the Councilmen to follow her back to the conference room.

-tbc-