A/N: Written for the GW Shep Whump Challenge. Prompt: "Write a story where Shep, with or without the gang, goes on vacation. Preferably some place warm, but it could be anything. Can be set before, during or after Atlantis. Bonus points if you include aviators. Doesn't have to include whump, but hey…accidents happen."
Many thanks to my encouraging beta pisces317.
Thanks for reading, pleas leave a review and let me know what you think. :)

Hang Ten by GraceW

Sparkling blue water stretched on as far as the eye could see. Somewhere, hundreds of miles out to sea floated a city, but Atlantis was the last thing on Lt Col John Sheppard's mind today. Huge turquoise water crashed on the soft white sands of the alien beach, beckoning John to the warm salty swell. The bright light from the alien sun reflected off the white sands and glinted off of the ocean, making John glad that he had his aviator sunglasses. A soft offshore wind blew in, ruffling his already messy hair, as well as the unique palm branches in the tropical forest behind him. This beach, this day, was just perfect for surfing.

It would just be him and the waves today. His team had taken the day off doing a variety of things. Rodney had disappeared to the lab, probably using the day to make some earth-shattering discovery. John had flown Teyla and Ronon to the Athosian settlement, where they would visit and help out. Now John was alone, just him and the waves; the only human being in a thousand mile radius. It was a good kind of alone, one that he didn't get very often with the stresses of the job.

He had shed his shirt, sandals and sunglasses and now stood, wiggling his toes in the warm sand close to the water. His yellow and blue shortboard was perfect for the quick maneuvers and turns that he had practiced in college. The waves today rivaled some of California's or Hawaii's finest. It was a challenge that he accepted with pleasure.

The shallow water tickled his bare feet as he strode towards open ocean, and John smiled, anticipation lighting his hazel eyes. "Time to get this party started. Surf's up, dude." he said aloud with a chuckle to no one in particular.

Once he reached deep enough water, he lay on his board and paddled out. Instinct born out of hours of practice guided him out to the growing waves. He held his breath and ducked under the first wave, biding his time and paddling out farther. He sat up, straddling the board and waiting for the best one. Every muscle was taut, ready to go. Surfing, just like flying, was a kind of freedom away from the stress of being on the ground. Life happened differently out there, and he craved that feeling with every fiber of his being.

There it was, he spotted the first signs of the perfect wave and he decided to go for it. He turned toward shore, stretching out on the board and paddled some more. He felt the energy and the power of the ocean as he stood on the board. He balanced perfectly, riding the wave toward the shore. Snapping the board, he rode back up to the crest and cut back down the white foaming curl. Caught up in the ecstasy and euphoria, he surfed as far as he could, until he was practically back to shore. It was surreal, just where he was supposed to be - like there was nothing else in the universe.

Catching a second wave allowed him to ride for quite a while inside the tube with the curl of the water overhead. He had only been able to successfully accomplish this feat twice before. Inside, the walls of water glistened in hundreds of shades of blue and green. It was if he was in complete harmony with the power of the water.

John lost track of time, completely engrossed in the thrill and exhilaration of the surf. It must have been two hours, because he began to crave the beer and snacks that he had stashed in the jumper. One more ride, then he'd take a break.

The water swelled again, and he stood up on the board. Unexpectedly, the wave grew and soon he glided on top of a huge wall. The surge of water caught him off-guard and he knelt down a bit on his board to keep his balance. Surfing was freedom, but you had to respect the waves and know your boundaries. His surfing experience did not include waves of this size. If he played it semi-safe, this wave could be one hell of a story.

However, the ocean had other ideas. The wave beneath him buckled and curled, causing his balance to waver. Suddenly he was falling. Just in time he remembered to take a big breath before he went under. Water covered him in a crashing thunder of salty darkness. It pushed, pulled and spun his helpless body in circles as the wave tumbled, threatening to tear him apart. He was caught underneath the huge wave, and it wasn't going to let him up easily. Remembering his safety training, he kept his arms up close to his head so that he would not get knocked unconscious. His tethered surfboard impacted his body a couple times and he could feel the jerking tug on his ankle as the water whipped it around and around.

Something scratched his back as the water pushed him forward and a sharp stinging pain accompanied the pressure. He had hit the sand and rocks on the bottom of the ocean as it tossed him about. He flung his arms around, trying to right himself and swim for the surface.

His lungs burned, he needed air! He had been under for too long; much longer and he wouldn't make it back up. His survival depended on not panicking, so he kept calm and tried to endure the beating from the water. Air would come soon.

The wave must have carried him all the way back to the shallower water. Forcing his tiring muscles to cooperate, John kicked and swam up. In a splash of white water, he made it to the surface. He breathed deeply and then immediately coughed out the bit of water he had inhaled during the ordeal. His muscles quivered in exhaustion as he reached for his surfboard, which thankfully was still tethered to his ankle. Panting, he draped his arms over the slick board and rested his head on his hands. He closed his eyes for a bit, listening to the thundering song of the nearby waves.

After catching his breath and regaining his strength, John finally stood up in the water, which came up to just below his chest. Taking slow steps, he finally made it back to shore and collapsed on the soft warm sand. The grains of sand stuck to his wet body, but he didn't notice the discomfort. A nap sounded amazing at the moment, but he knew that if he fell asleep he'd sunburn.

Pulling himself up, he looked out at the terrifyingly beautiful waves filled with untapped power. It was kind of a close call, and he would definitely be sore for a while, but the experience had been totally worth it. He would definitely be going back out today.

"Time to find that beer." He said to no one in particular, which was just fine with him.

You know what to do. ;)

~~Grace :)