Disclaimer: Don't own, don't make any money from my "borrowing" of these beloved characters.
Lorne trampled through heavy underbrush of the forest, the crimson treetops drudging up pleasant memories of Earth during the fall. The trees extended high above him and for the millionth time since he exited the Stargate, he wished he held his art supplies in his hands instead of his P90. Behind him, the medics grumbled, struggling to match his team's footsteps. If anything, he only increased his pace in response. He'd prefer his team had been assigned to infiltrate a Wraith hive ship to their current mission. He wasn't looking forward to facing Sheppard knowing he was escorting the medical team tasked with clearing the body of his fallen team mate for return to Atlantis.
Evan sucked in his breath as he reached the clearing, seeing the lifeless body of one of their own stretched out before him. Mentally he admonished himself for as much as it pained him to see a fallen comrade, it was a brutal reminder of his own mortality. It could be his turn any minute and he didn't think there was a single member of the expedition unaware of that fact. It was a heavy burden to shoulder, especially on a scheduled day off. Peace was an unknown luxury here in the Pegasus galaxy. Atlantis had become a part of the entire crew's heart and soul, he could see it in the eyes of all those around him. It had almost enchanted them all in that bad for you addictive kind of way.
The senior staff members had all grown so used to him standing on the sidelines that they rarely noticed how much he was privy to witness as Sheppard's second in command. He'd seen a lot, more than enough to notice the nuances in their behavior. They were slowly changing, all of them. The daily realities of life in this galaxy were taking a toll on them all. Some days he wondered how much more they could take. This day had become one of those.
Teyla stood nearby, guardedly watching Lorne's approach. He heard the footsteps of his team and the medics stall behind him as he moved through the clearing. Sheppard stood rigidly at the edge of the treeline, his back to them all. Everything about his body language screamed stay away, but Lorne was faced with that damned if you do, damned if you don't moment. Military directive required him to report to his CO upon arrival. If he dared err on the side of friendship, granting John the time he had earned to grieve his friend, he risked insulting his CO by acknowledging he recognized those emotions. Evan took a deep breath pressed forward.
He stopped behind Sheppard and cleared his throat. "Sir, the medics are standing by awaiting your orders."
Sheppard turned slowly around, but his eyes never met Evan's. Whatever he saw spurred his body into a dead run, brushing Evan aside like he was a mere gnat. Teyla darted to his side and grasped his arm firmly as he steadied himself.
His eyes rolled as he spotted Johnson crouched on his knees beside the body. He was making a racket and pulling an array of medical equipment from his bags. Evan knew bringing him was a bad idea, he was to the medical team what Kavanagh had become to the science team. Trouble. Evan had clearly heard Elizabeth instruct the medics not to touch the body until John granted that permission.
Teyla rushed forward and he followed, trusting her instincts. John's hand clamped around Johnson's neck, somehow yanking the man to a standing position with one hand before pushing him backwards and slamming him against a tree. John's knuckles whitened as he held him and Evan could see Johnson's toes straining closer to the ground trying to take some of his weight. Sheppard's grip was too tight and Johnson gasped for air.
"He is not a damn science project!" Sheppard's voice thundered.
Teyla had reached John's side. "Elizabeth will not permit anything to happen, she would not approve of those actions. She will not be happy to learn of yours either if you do not let him go."
Teyla's eyes locked on Evans, as if trying to tell him something. "Elizabeth…" One eyebrow raised as she spoke her name and he finally nodded in understanding. "Elizabeth, will make this right. John, step aside. Ronon will ensure no one else will try to touch Ford's body until you approve it. "
John released his hold and Johnson thudded to the ground. Evan turned away tapping his ear bud contacting the team he'd left at the gate. "I need to speak with Atlantis."
After a moment, he received the response. "Major, go ahead."
"Atlantis, this is Major Lorne. Have a medical team on standby, I'm bringing Johnson in. Have Dr. Weir ready to depart, we need her assistance with Col. Sheppard. Tell her I'll explain when I get there."
Evan made a vow to never complain about McKay's whining again. Johnson's raspy whines on the way back to the gate ensured him the man's windpipe had not been crushed as he'd feared. As his frustration grew, he was almost amazed he held back from finishing what John had started. When they finally arrived in the gate room, Evan shoved Johnson at the waiting medical team before darting up the stairs to the control room to find Elizabeth. As he reached the top of the stairs he spotted her running towards him.
"Major?" Elizabeth's eyes were wide with concern. "What's going on?"
Noticing the watchful eyes around them, he took her elbow and steered her down the stairs, grateful John had still not seemed to have gotten word of their friendship. After seeing him today, the last thing he needed was to have that man's wrath upon him and for all the wrong reasons. Elizabeth had become like a sister he had to look out for, which he did more often than Sheppard probably ever realized. Evan had somehow managed to become John's stand in, supporting her where he could and distracting her during the frequent bouts of trouble John landed in.
Elizabeth stalled on the stairway down to the gate room, her eyes locked on Johnson. There was no missing the angry red palm prints around his neck. A flare of recognition flashed through her eyes. Her hand rose to her own throat as they carted Johnson away.
He tugged her further down the stairs, further away from the straining ears in the Control Room. He stopped when they reached the gate room floor, satisfied that no one could hear them. "You told me what happened when John had been infected with the retrovirus, what happened when you visited him in his quarters."
Elizabeth visibly winced. "You're the only one who knows."
The pained look in her eyes forced him to look away. He wondered where John and Elizabeth found the strength to stay apart. They were killing themselves with their denial. He released his hand from her arm and reached back, scrubbing the back of his neck.
"Elizabeth, he could have killed Johnson and that was without the extra strength from the retrovirus and the mutations. I don't know how you two can keep pretending. I've no doubt you'd be dead if he didn't love-"
"Don't." She grabbed his chin, forcing his eyes back to hers.
Evan sighed. "Liz, Woolsey was still here when John's team reported Ford's death. He ordered the medical team to submit tissue samples immediately and then send the body back to Stargate Command for the autopsy. When Sheppard saw Johnson settling in to work on Ford's body, he had to have known what was coming."
Evan watched Elizabeth's eyes press together, her teeth clamping down on her bottom lip. He could only imagine the stream of obscenities running through her mind over the IOA's actions, but she would never let anyone see her lose her composure.
"Take me to him." Her voice was curt.
Evan had been in the field on many occasions with Elizabeth. Several of those times, they'd come in hot, heading in to the event horizon with gunfire flaming through above them. He'd never seen her move as fast as she did today. She stalled when they reached the clearing, watching John carefully as he stood much like when Lorne first arrived earlier in the day. Teyla and Ronon nodded with relief in her direction. Evan placed his hand on the small of her back, gently nudging her forward but she shook him off.
"Wait." She whispered as her eyes locked upon his body.
He watched as John's shoulders slumped, losing the rigidity they'd held so long. Evan wondered if he'd somehow sensed Elizabeth's presence. John turned back towards Ford's body and he slowly began to approach his fallen teammate. His head tucked downward almost in shame as he neared him. Elizabeth held her breath as she watched. Evan could see her body almost imperceptibly leaning forward as if fighting to hold herself still and give him the time he needed.
As the moments passed, Evan found himself almost holding his own breath as he watched Elizabeth fight to still her body.
"That should have been John." Her voice a whisper. "If Ford hadn't of pushed him out of the way, it would have been John. Ford died a hero and all I can think about is how close…"
His heart went out to her. Every day, she sent the man she loved out in the field, knowing the risks, yet not knowing if he'd return. He cusped her chin and nodded his head from side to side, warning her. She couldn't approach John like that, he needed her strength now. She took a deep breath and nodded, understanding somehow.
John squatted before Ford, dropping his head into his hands. Elizabeth strode forward now without hesitation. She moved before John and her hands threaded into his hair. Evan strained to make out her words, but he couldn't hear anything. John's hands moved to the sides of her hips, ghosting against them as if trying to talk himself out of the comfort she was offering. Finally John's hands clamped around her hips and pulled her forward. Her arms reached around his neck as she tucked her body downward, his cheek pressing into her stomach. After a long moment, her knees bent and she knelt down before him. John's face tucked into her neck and they clung to each other.
"We need to go." Ronon appeared at his side. "The Wraith will be back."
"There is a clearing just to the north, much closer than the Stargate." Teyla said.
Evan nodded, understanding and agreeing. He tapped his earbud, "Sergeant, patch me through to Atlantis."
A moment later he received the response. "Major, go ahead."
"Atlantis, this is Lorne. Let's get a jumper over here. There's a clearing just to the north of our position. The sooner the better."
"This is Atlantis. We have one standing by we'll clear for immediate departure." Chuck's voice crackled over the radio.
Evan moved over a few steps, trying to discreetly capture Elizabeth's attention. Her eyes fluttered open spotting his movement. He pointed at his watch. She gave him a slow nod in return before directing her eyes back at John.
"Major Lorne, this is McKay. Scans indicate there are no hive ships in the area. Sit tight, I'm coming with the jumper. I want to talk to John and Elizabeth."
"All right. You might want to send another team through to help guard the Gate, just in case."
"Consider it done. I'll be there in five minutes. No one is to move or touch Ford. Major, can you handle that?" McKay's voice warbled through across the radio.
Evan glanced over at Sheppard and knew he didn't have to worry. Only a fool would touch that body with Sheppard standing guard over him.