Author's Note: Why is it so hard sometimes to stay in present tense? I caught myself going to past at least twice (not counting references to the past).
"Today is the dawn of a new era in Atlantis. Today, we rise up from the sea of despair that has surrounded us to face our fears and our foes. We will not let them conquer us. We will stand and fight until the Replicators have been vanquished once and for all."
There is applause and cheering. Elizabeth steps down from the podium as the people of the city file out of the 'Gate room.
"Nice speech," says John from behind her, and she turns to face him. "Very inspirational."
"Somebody has to do it," she replies smoothly. "And you know I have a vested interest in the destruction of the Replicators."
John grins. "Don't worry. We'd all like to see them gone, and for real this time."
They walk up the stairs together to the control room and then head for Elizabeth's office, with which she has been newly reunited. "I'm just glad I was allowed to stay. I was afraid the IOA would send me back to Earth to be studied."
"Yeah, never thought you'd be grateful for Woolsey's backing, would you?"
Elizabeth gives him a look. "Mr. Woolsey has been a help to us since long before he was put in charge here, John. He's the reason I didn't get fired before getting captured by the Replicators."
John shrugs. "I still don't think they'd really have gotten rid of you."
"That argument is years old and you're bringing it up again?"
John raises his hands and grins once more. "Sorry. Old habit, you know. It's nice having you back to argue with."
He leans against her doorway as Elizabeth sits down at her desk. She places her hands flat on the surface and sighs softly before opening her laptop. She's surprised the computer still works after years of disuse. The SGC offered to buy her a new one, but she's a little bit sentimental and therefore declined.
"Are you really just going to sit in here and work?" John asks after a few minutes of typing.
"What else do you expect me to do? I have a lot to catch up on," Elizabeth reminds him.
"It's almost morning. We've all been up all night and everyone's going to be out watching the sunrise." John walks over to her desk and taps it impatiently. "You're not really going to give a big speech about the dawn of a new era and miss the regular dawn, are you?"
Elizabeth leans back in her chair and raises both eyebrows. "No one's going to sleep?"
"Well, Rodney might."
Rodney's doing it would be a terrible reason to miss the sunrise, Elizabeth thinks. She rises from her chair. "All right. Show me the way," she says to John.
They walk out into the control room again, and then, to Elizabeth's surprise, they head to the balcony where she always used to watch it before all this happened with the Replicators. There are already a bunch of people standing there, including Ronon and Teyla. The Athosian woman smiles briefly at Elizabeth as she and John come to stand by the railing.
Elizabeth leans against the railing and stares out at the ocean. It's not exactly the way she remembers it, because Atlantis is on a different planet now, but the beginning of this sunrise looks just as beautiful as the old one.
When she lets out a soft breath, John puts a hand on her shoulder, as if to say, Welcome home.
They'll defeat the Replicators, for good this time, and then she'll never have to leave the city again. Woolsey told her the IOA was getting a little nostalgic for when she was still in charge. Perhaps she can stay longer this time.
It's almost as if she's risen from the dead and come back from hell. She doesn't want to miss anything. The dawn is coming, and she will be ready for it.
