A/N :

Hey, It's really good to finally be here again and to share with you all another story I worked on. It took me two years with all that's been happening in my life but I didn't want to start posting until I had the whole story finished. I don't like waiting for chapters long so I won't be doing this to you either. The whole story is done, there are 28 chapters and an epilogue to be posted and I intend to do it regularly at least once every several days, ideally daily, so that we would be done in a month or two.

I hope you like this one. It starts general and some pairing based more on the SG1 (not really hard to guess which pairing), then we'll see many old friends, some old foes and eventually rescue someone :) I will probably change some descriptions and categories in the meantime but the rating will stay as 'T'. There will be mentions of torture but I think it being non graphic it can stay as it is.

Have a nice read.

Chapter 1

It was another tiring day at the SGC. He hated the days here but since Atlantis has been flown to Antarctica there was only a skeleton crew there and the City itself, barely operational, was set to nearly sluber. It was not the City he has grown to call home. It was dark and empty and lifeless. IT reminded him too much of dead space.

And so, with all the best intentions, John Sheppard did just like the rest of his team did – he accepted the position on the SGC. The good part was that he managed to have his whole team to play with and he still got to go through the gate. And that was the end of his luck. Being in the SGC seemed like being buried alive after what the Atlantis team considered home. It just didn't have the view or the air or… anything they learnt to love in the last five years.

They were getting restless, Teyla and Ronon in particular. John understood that they were a long way from home and in a totally alien place. They were accustomed to much different dealing with the life strategies. They hated the way they had to ask for everything whereas in the Pegasus they were completely free to leave or to do something the way they thought it should be done. They were not bound by Earth rules that seemed ridiculous to them to say the least. Teyla used to spend all her time in the quarters assigned to her with Kanaan and young Torren telling her kid all she could remember about his home galaxy and their people. She was steadily stepping into melancholy and John started to seriously consider removing her from active duty if she didn't improve fast.

Rodney McKay was almost okay. He reactivated his relationship with his sister which was very good for him. At the same time he frequently grumbled about the primitive computer system or an inability to access the Ancient database from everywhere. He complained about the lack of Jumpers, doors activated by thoughts and things that he got really used to in Atlantis.

Mitchell tried to make them all feel comfortable and John had to give it to Landry, the General was a really good man and an excellent commanding officer, but it all seemed to be somehow much less than they were familiar with. The SGC, while a very close pack, was still just a workplace for the people. Atlantis has somehow become a home and family during the five years. Hell, John had to admit he even missed Woolsey from time to time, as absurd as it sounded even in his own thoughts.

That's why, when Teyla finally snapped during one of the missions and delayed their coming back in the process and he removed her from gate travel and Landry suggested they take w week's brake and relax, John welcomed the opportunity. They chose to visit Washington together, since Teyla was always curious about the cultural things, Ronon was okay with going just anywhere and Rodney saw his chance to take Jennifer to a fancy restaurant at last.

"Glad you call, Sheppard." Answered general O'Neill when John used the card with a number he got from him after the craziness of the attack and landing was over. "Hank must have finally let you out of the mountain, then?"

"Yeah…" John said cautiously. "Sir, I recall you said you knew some nice and cosy spot to stay during a visit in Washington?"

"That's right." O'Neill sounded like he smiled. "So, when're you coming and who precisely?"

"Me, Teyla with Torren and Kanaan, Keller and McKay, Ronon… Six of us. And in three days."

"Nice group."

"So, sir, mind giving me some kind of address?" Sheppard asked. "And some contact would be nice. We'll need to call and –"Jack didn't let him finish.

"I'm sending you an e-mail with an address now, just be there in three days. See you in Washington, Sheppard." John almost put down the phone but then O'Neill added something to his message. "Will there be place in your transport for some more people?"

"Yeah, we'll probably use some bus here and there."

"I'll talk with Landry on getting Daniel, Vala and Mitchell on that bus with you if you don't mind." Jack said.

"No problem, general."

"Great, see ya there." O'Neill concluded and put down the phone.

It was always hard for John to get over O'Neill's style of command and his whole style of being. This wasn't the usual tight general. He was extremely easy going, with a specific sense of humor and easy on almost all the regulations. He obviously abhorred the paperwork which was quite strange since he worked in the capital. His love was flying, just after going through the gate. John could easily indentify with the man so it was just a matter of moments before they spoke the same language, even the first time they saw each other they seemed to understand each other much better than typical strangers. And because of all that it was obvious to John that there was something going on with the general. He was planning something. Something he was quite determined to keep secret.

It turned out Landry must have been let in on the secret because he was smiling suspiciously when he signed the vacation for John, his team as well as Daniel, Vala and Mitchell. He also managed to get them a transport to an air base, flight in military aircraft and quite a nice ride to a place O'Neill provided. This was going to be a very nice vacation indeed.

The place turned out to be quite nice house reasonably near the official area of the town, with a good connection lanes. When they knocked on the door it was O'Neill himself who answered the door.

"Nice to see you all, kids." He smiled

"General O'Neill?" Teyla asked. "I was under the impression that we were to stay at some hotel." She looked questioningly at John.

"Me too…"

"Don't stay like that, come in, guys!" Jack ushered them inside. "Come on, the dinner is almost ready."

"Jack?" The last member of the group asked.

"Daniel."

"What is this place?"

"It's my place." Jack said closing the door behind his friend.

"I like it!" Vala declared peeking into some of the closets on her way already. "Cosy, spacey, clean… You sure it's your place, general? Seems much more like – "

"Sam!" John exclaimed peeking into the kitchen. "You here too? And … cooking…."

"Actually it's more like OUR house." Jack admitted under Daniel's scrutinizing gaze.

"Okay, what is it all about?" Asked Mitchell at last.

"You didn't tell them?" Sam asked. Then looked at him and saw the answer. "You actually didn't tell them, did you?" She growled at Jack and then turned to their guests. "We're getting married this week and we wanted you here with us."

"Getting married you say, Sam?" Daniel looked at Jack angrily. "Nope, he didn't tell us."

"Not a word." Agreed Mitchell when Vala threw her arms around Sam and hugged her fiercely. "Would have been easier, I might have taken something proper to wear if I knew."

"Not a problem, Cam" Vala declared leaving Samantha to be warmly embraced by Teyla. "In this case…tomorrow we go shopping!"

"Wait, guys…" Sam held her arms up. "It's not a big deal, it's just a small, friends only ceremony in the garden so no fancy clothes needed."

"By the way" said Sheppard "why now of all times? What got you to propose now?"

"Actually, I asked Sam like a year ago, or was it more?" Sam shrugged her arms. "Anyway, after the last Baal clone was finally dead I decided that it was time to get over with it."

"You make it sound like it was a punishment or something…" Commented Mitchell looking at Sam.

"Hey!" Jack warned. "It needed a lot to get an agreement from our superiors. Those pencil-pushing.."

"Jack…!"

"Okay, those beurocrats, they have a form for like everything and it took an insane amount of time to simply get with the idea to the president. After that – a piece of cake."

"And the president agreed, I take it." Kanaan said so that the story would continue.

"Yeah, you know, he likes us."

"And now he has a sweet spot for you since you were Hammond's favorite." Sam added. "I wish Hammond was here to see this."

"Yeah" said Daniel. "I kind of think he knew what was between you two and he allowed it to happen on purpose."

"And he wasn't the only one to know." John said quietly.

"What?"Sam asked looking at him. "Who else knew?"

"Elizabeth knew you had strong feelings for each other" John said. "And I'm not talking about some mutual respect."

"If you knew…" Sam started to wonder. "Then how many other people knew?"

"She didn't talk about it, don't be alarmed."

"She told you." Jack pointed.

"She wanted to get another perspective. I mean she needed to confirm that it didn't pose any threat like compromising anything. And your comment about bringing Carter the next time we rescue you… well, said a lot."

"Jack?" Sam asked with a curious smile.

"I might have suggested, after they got Atlantis back from the replicators, that the next time they might consider bringing you along." Sam lifted her eyebrows. "Don't get me wrong, McKay is okay but I feel safer knowing you're on the job, Sam."He smiled when he got a quick kiss for that remark.

"Come on, all of you." Directed Sam. "Get your things further into the hall and go to the dining room. Dinner is almost ready. Jack, will you please set the table?"

Teyla, Jennifer and Vala left their bags in the care of men and joined Sam in the kitchen to help while Jack and the men moved all the bags and prepared the table. After the meal, which seemed too short to talk about all they wanted to they retired to the rooms. Most of them have fallen asleep almost immediately after lying down on the beds but John couldn't sleep. He left the room he shared with Mitchell and Ronon and walked silently to the garden which he noticed during the meal. It looked like a perfect home for the O'Neill family with its guest bedrooms, lots of space and place to welcome a lot of friends. It was bought with a future in mind. Since Carter spent most of her last year in space John was sure it wasn't her choice, rather Jack's.

"Something on your mind, Sheppard?" Asked O'Neill sitting beside him and handing him a beer. "Can't sleep?"

"No." Answered John. There was no point in covering that he was not okay. "I can't."

"That's actually good, you know. I wanted to talk to you in private before tomorrow."

"What about?"

"I got a decision yesterday, from the Pentagon." Jack sipped his beer before continuing. "It's about Weir. They had decided to change her status to KIA. I couldn't even disagree with them on that that much."

"I understand."Growled Sheppard. "It's just…"

"I know, John, I know. We'd all like to see her again but we all know that it is next to impossible."

"IF it was…"

"If it was I would be the first to help but I think she deserves some closure. Or rather her family deserves closure."

"Seems sensible."

"I was wandering… Susan Weir, her mother, lives in Washington, nearby in fact. I thought you might want to pass the news yourself."

"I don't know…"

"Okay." O'Neill stood. "If you know tell me tomorrow. I would like to have that done then. If you don't then I will go."

He left John with some sense of being torn apart. John was her military commander so it suited him to be the bearer of bad news but it was still the thing that he believed something could be done. He wouldn't be able to blatantly lie and tell there is no hope whatsoever if Mrs. Weir asked. And he was the one that should have protected her from any harm yet she was critically injured, then left then walked out to her 'death' on his watch, under his watchful eye. Life was hard.

The morning had gone really well considering McKay was his usual kid-self and it took Jennifer half an hour to get him to get up, Mitchell and Ronon went for a run in the morning scaring all the joggers around and Torren got his hands on the neighbors' cat that came to visit and left almost without his tail. Daniel and Vala helped Sam in the kitchen which turned invaluable since the number of the guests really overcame Sam's ability to tend to alone. Thanks to help, the breakfast was being eaten only about half an hour later than it was planned and everyone was ready to leave by ten.

"Sam, will you be okay if I joined you later?" Jack started asking, but John interrupted him.

"There's no need, general." He said. "I'll take care of it."

"Good. I had a feeling you'd do that."

"What are you two talking about?" Vala asked curious. "Some sinister plot to overthrow the government, huh?"

"Vala…!"

"Yes, Daniel?"

"Go out already, will you?"

Vala grumbled something but she saw Jennifer already outside planning which shops to visit so she left quickly. Jack handed John a thick envelope and a military bag, not really full.

"What is it?" John asked when Sam left.

"It's Elizabeth's belongings, those that weren't classified, of course. Her civilian clothes, the pocket watch she took with her, some photographs… There are a lot of her photos with you and other members of the expedition that do not really reveal anything, so I decided that it's safe to get them out. The box with a name 'Weir classified' is still on a shelf in a storage area in the SGC but since I got to deciding I took some liberties as to what was okay to give to her family."

"Thank you. And the envelope?"

"The official statement about the change in the status. As well as several letters of condolence to her mother. I know mine is there, as well as Landry's, Hammond's – from the time she was first lost, hell, there is also one from the president himself. She was, after all, his favorite diplomat since she took over the SGC. And a lot of letters from more minor officials, I might add."

"Wow."

"Well, as I see it, she deserved all the honors from my point of view. Now you get to deliver who she was to her mother." Jack said. He threw keys to Sheppard on his way out. "And that's if you'd like some time alone after instead of shopping with us."

"Thanks."

"Good luck." Jack finished the conversation leaving through the door. "You have the address and the envelope. It's three streets down."