A/N: Most of the chapters here originated in my other work, "Conversations & Observations," though they have been heavily edited, revised, and expanded since then. They have also now been placed in handy and convenient chronological order, for your reading pleasure! Huzzah!
First off, the disclaimer: I do not own the Stargate franchise or any of its characters, obviously. I make no money from this series of stories, and they are written solely for the entertainment of myself and my readers.
This series includes missing scenes, episode tags, and original adventures starring Major Lorne. Most of the named characters throughout appeared on Atlantis and/or SG-1, even the minor roles. Several characters and a lot of back story (especially for Lorne) are original, but I do my best not contradict canon. So anyone looking for non-canon romantic relationships between major characters will likely be disappointed. (I'm terrible at writing romance, anyway, so you're probably being saved from a lot of bleeding eyeballs and brain bleach!)
Finally, I would like to dedicate this work to the amazing ladygris, who is a big fan of Lorne and has written numerous excellent works starring him. I would never have written so much if it hadn't been for her support and consistent feedback on "Conversations & Observations." Thank you very, very much, and I wish you all the best.
I hope you enjoy "All in a Day's Work." And if you're feeling nostalgic, don't hesitate to go back and rewatch your Atlantis DVDs!
And, dare I say it, what better place to start than at The Beginning in the End?
It was a beautiful day in San Francisco.
Across the Bay, eight hundred thousand people were going about their daily lives, and none of them knew...
Their lives had quietly but irrevocably changed over the last decade, and not one of them were really conscious of it. If they knew the truth, there would be panic and rioting and Heaven only knows what.
They also didn't know about the invisible city that floated on the waves within a stone's throw of the Golden Gate: Atlantis, the Lost City of the Ancients, returned to Earth after millions of years, like the end of a fairy tale.
Yet there was a definite undercurrent of tension and uncertainty in this seeming-happy ending. Everyone in the city knew that the future of the Atlantis Expedition was up in the air at the moment. The city was stuck on Earth at least for the time being. The minor structural damage the city had suffered during its less-than-smooth landing following the battle with the Wraith super-hive was nothing compared to the inevitable political entanglement that mired them here.
Major Evan Lorne of the United States Air Force understood, intellectually speaking, why the IOA didn't want to let them go back to Pegasus - as far as they were concerned, why let the most advanced (and totally irreplaceable) technology the human race possessed go back to another (extremely dangerous) galaxy when they could keep it safely within arm's reach?
Were they to ask his opinion (something that would never actually happen), he'd point out that they had a responsibility to the people of Pegasus, one Richard Woolsey himself had made quite clear when he thrust the Expedition into the middle of galactic politics. Plus there was the minor little detail that they were indirectly responsible for significant devastation and loss of life throughout Pegasus, no matter how unintentional.
Michael and the Hoffan plague, the Replicator's genocidal campaign against the human populations, even waking up the Wraith in the first place five years ago - each could be traced back to the Expedition in one form or another. Meanwhile, here they were, twiddling their thumbs and enjoying all the comforts of home (and more). The frustration was overwhelming.
Whatever was going to happen, of course, was well above his pay grade.
With a deep, heartfelt sigh, Evan released the tension from his body and leaned against the balcony railing. He gazed past the city's spires, across the rippling waters, to one of the most familiar sights from his childhood. Though, to be sure, he normally saw the Golden Gate Bridge from land, as opposed to an invisible city floating on the water just outside San Francisco Bay. It was a little bit eerie, he admitted to himself, to have his past and present come together in such a way. He could almost imagine that his mom and dad were somewhere over there, staring right through him.
Six-plus years with the Stargate Program totally skewed a guy's perception of 'normal.' His life, Evan thought wryly, could very easily have been story from the pen of a science fiction writer at 2 a.m. after consuming copious amounts of cola, ten cups of coffee, and possibly a couple joints.
He worked in a city that could fly through space, and wrangled scientists who thought that accidentally blowing up a solar system was a slight miscalculation (cough-Rodney-cough). Here, they talked about fighting life-sucking alien vampires with deadly seriousness, traveled to other planets on a regular basis, encountered versions of themselves from alternate realities/timelines, and discussed the practical problems of time travel. It was, to put in plainly, a pretty ridiculous life.
If he'd told himself ten years ago that this was what his life would be like, his younger self would probably have called the nice men in white coats to take him some place he couldn't do himself an injury.
On the other hand...
Evan contemplated the Bridge, the sun glinting off the windshields of mid-afternoon traffic crossing the Bay. The people here on Atlantis, despite the craziness that existed all around them, lived, and loved, and lost, much the same as anyone else. There were rough days at the office, and personal triumphs, friendships made and broken, pranks pulled and missions accomplished.
The only difference was that everything in the Stargate Program was just a bit... bigger.
With a chuckle, Evan headed back to his room to grab his easel and paints. The view was practically begging to be captured, after all. Might as well oblige.