Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the show so please don't sue.
A/N: yes I know this is late but I wrote it over Christmas and had no idea how to finish it! Suffice to say, inspiration came and gave me a few whacks over the head. I took the hammer away from it and hey presto this came spouting out! Hope you enjoy it,
Warning: Slash
The atmosphere was filled with excitement in the countdown to Christmas. People snuck in and out of their friends' rooms to leave gifts while the Christmas tree in the mess hall screamed the season of merriment had finally arrived.
Strolling into his room, John slung his jacket over the back of the chair and unclipped his gun from its holster before putting it on the bedside table.
Without a second thought, he slumped onto his bed and breathed a sigh of relief that another day had gone off without any emergencies.
Kicking off his boots, he then swung his legs onto the bed before closing his eyes, sleep ready to embrace him with open arms.
The arms were shoved rudely back as the hiss of his door opening snapped him back into reality.
A smile spread across his face as he lay there. Without opening his eyes, he softly welcomed the person.
'Hey! Had a good day?' He softly called out, letting them know he had heard them enter and they weren't asleep.
The person didn't answer but instead stripped off his radio, shoes and jacket before climbing onto the bed. It was a tight squeeze as it had only been made for one, but they had had many times of practicing the arrangement.
Still not opening his eyes, he shuffled to the edge of the bed while his partner slid up behind him, arms wrapped around his waist.
Twisting carefully around, he faced his lover, opening his eyes, his smile got bigger before leaning in to kiss the other person.
It was only when the requirements of oxygen made themselves known did they break it.
'You now I was thinking, it has been exactly 20 years since we started going out today.' Sheppard spoke with his voice at normal levels, fully awake now.
'Aye.' Carson agreed. 'I believe it was that very evening that you kissed me for the first time.'
A slight laugh came from the Colonel. 'I was so nervous you were going to hit me or something! It didn't help that my Dad walked in at that point.'
'You bit my tongue!'
'Not one of my better kisses'
'Aye, you've certainly improved since then. I thought he was going to have a heart attack!' Beckett added.
'So did I! I never saw him so mad before in my life! There was definitely a vein or two popping and I swear that shade of red isn't healthy for anyone! It did sort of ruin the holiday when he kicked us out. Christmas Eve too!'
'Nonsense, it was the best present ever, you, and the university campus was interesting when no one else was about. I'm sorry I caused such a big fall out between you two.'
'If it wasn't that we would have eventually come to blows over something. My black mark would probably have killed him if he ever found out.'
There was a slight pause in the conversation as they both digested what they had said.
'You were really scared of me?' Carson finally asked.
'You always seemed so straight but Mitch told me either to do something about my crush on you or get over it and stop bothering him with my moping!'
'You talked to Mitch about us? What about when you entered the force?'
'We agreed he would miraculously forget it all as I would forget his one night stand with Dex!'
'That I don't believe! Those two were the biggest womanisers around!'
'Okay it started off as a one night stand, they were pretty drunk at the time, but the other times I don't think they had that excuse!'
'Well I never in the world guessed that!' Carson took in a deep breath before releasing it and asking a different question. 'I always thought you were straight too. I would have probably thought you were kissing me for a joke.'
'Why didn't you think it was?' John asked, genuinely curious.'
You smelt of alcohol which told me you were terrified,' the Colonel winced that he had noticed this, but didn't interrupt.
'Then there was the kiss between you and your roommate.' Beckett told him with a grin, one which only got wider as he saw his lover's reactions to what he said.
'You saw that!' John sat up with a start; almost falling off the edge, and probably would have gone over if Carson hadn't caught him.
'The bed isn't that big! And aye, you left the door open with quite a large group outside; sorta hard to miss!'
'It was a dare.' John explained with a slight blush, something the doctor hadn't seen in a while. 'My friends, the ones outside, dared me to kiss my roommate. I just hadn't realised they had dared him the same thing. I kissed him on the cheek to spoil their fun a bit, but his dare for the lips and to look good. As I went to leave, he grabbed me in front of everyone and kissed me properly. I believe one of them still had the photo!'
'A set up?'
'Bad one, he had a crush on Tom and I liked you. They assumed that we might both be gay; I wouldn't admit anything, so we must like each other. The sharing a room bit didn't really help.'
'He left though didn't he?'
'Yeah, he blew out his shoulder and couldn't play Tennis anymore. He was on a scholarship, but Tom left with him. I believe they are now living somewhere quietly together, but I lost contact with them between Tours.'
'Those were the best three years of my life I think.'
'We saw each other everyday, shared a room, ate together and didn't spend months if not years apart.' John agreed.
'Aye, but it was worth it. My mum was overjoyed to see I had found someone.'
'She was nice, treated me like I was part of the family and I have to say, those baby stories and photos were well worth it!'
'She didn't did she! You never told me she showed you those!' Carson exclaimed, edging towards the other edge of the bed, but realised where he was headed and snuggled back in with his lover.
'You were working at the hospital and I couldn't move from the sofa with my broken leg and ribs, so she decided to entertain me until you came back!' John gently teased him, causing a fierce red to spread across the other mans cheeks.
I'm just sorry I couldn't always be with you. I know the time we spent apart was hard.'
'I had Rodney to help while you were gone and more work I could pile on.'
'Yeah, I'm glad he kept you company. All of us there were in the same boat with leaving loved ones behind. I suppose at least they could say who they were with; I always had to keep my mouth shut.'
'I'm glad we told Rodney, then when you were home we had someone else to talk about us to apart from my mother.'
'I wish we could have told more people but…' Sheppard trailed off leaving the sentence to hang.
'I understood what I was getting into when we first met. I wouldn't change anything.'
'Nothing?'
'Only that you hadn't left me.'
'I didn't want you missing out on meeting someone else because of me. I didn't want to hurt you by forcing you to be with me when it could have been years before you saw again. I couldn't hurt you in that way.'
'It did hurt though, but I understand why you did it now. You knew I wasn't going to move on. There has never been anyone else but you.'
'Same for me too. I suppose it was Rodney who got you on the Stargate programme.'
'Aye, he wanted me to do something challenging to take my mind off you. You said you weren't ever coming back.'
'I didn't want you to get your hopes up. I didn't think I was coming back.' John told him slightly quieter, reflecting on why he had done it, the hurt in his lover's eyes at the time as he had ended their relationship.
'And yet for some reason we met up again.'
'Who'd have thought it would be there of all places; the end of the world.'
'Haven't been separated since, at least, after you finally forgave me and found out I was going with you.'
Getting off the bed, John crouched down and pulled out a bottle of the Athosians version of champagne. Taking out the cork, he placed it on the bedside table before pulling out six glasses. Filling each of them up, he left four of them on the desk and gave the other to Carson.
'To twenty good years.'
'Twenty years. May they be a lot less eventful preferably with you not in the infirmary quite so much…'
'And here I was thinking you enjoyed it when I stayed near you!' John cut in.
'Near me yes, me having to save your scrawny ass again and put up with yours and Rodney's whining, it's a miracle I haven't gone grey!'
'I'll have you know I've put on tons of weight since Afghanistan!'
'It hardly says much about your weight then, and you're still not as heavy as you were before hand!'
'Well if it makes you feel any better, Mitch and Dex won't die again and I won't be put in another one of those prisons again!' Sheppard tried to lighten the mood.
'Yes I feel so much better, and you'd better not! I lost at least 10 years of my life worrying about you those two months you were missing!' Sheppard didn't say a word, conveying exactly how he felt through his kiss, Carson replying the same way.
'Where were we?' he murmered asthey broke off.
'You were giving the toast.' John reminded him.
Oh yes, les time in the infirmary no more leaving and no more cheating, that was it.' Beckett concluded.
'I never cheated!' John exclaimed after swallowing the sip he had taken.
'The guy in Boston…!'
'You practically forced me on him; he was completely smashed! He thought I was Nicola his wife! I believe your exact words were "Here have him instead" before pushing me into him!'
'Well I never expected you to kiss him!'
'He started it and he was pretty good kisser!'
'Oh you're in for it now!' grabbing the pillow off the bed, he threw it at the Colonels head, missing him by miles.
'You were saying?' John asked with a grin, 'Okay I'll admit he was terrible, he bit my lip and tongue!'
'You used tongues!'
'He bit my lip so I opened my mouth to say ow and he slipped his tongue in. It was only polite to do the same for him! Besides, what about you and that woman in San Francisco? I remember some pretty heavy kissing there!'
'From what I can recall we were both drunk and I didn't have time to react before she kissed me! There may also have been a bit of revenge for your kiss.'
'A bit! If I hadn't pulled you off her who knows what that may have led to!'
'You just wanted an excuse to push her off me!'
'She'd been looking at your backside all evening. She wasn't even slightly deterred when I kissed you!' John grumbled. Carson chuckled at the pout his lover had on, and instead gave him a quick kiss. It may have gone on longer had their radios not gone off. Picking up their radios, they listened to the incoming calls.
'I'm needed in the infirmary.'
'Caldwell wants to see me. Something about the big banged party poppers and Bates wants me to sort out some brawling Marines again; they've been separated but are still trying to get each other. Same two as last week.'
'Probably why I'm needed at the infirmary. I know you don't like the Colonel, but why are you deliberately trying to make yourself an enemy by giving them those bangers?'
'He demanded that Rodney and Radek stop production of them because several Marines had complained about the explosions. I told him I had already heard the complaints, especially when six of them had just about been ready to storm the room fully armed. The look on their faces when they saw me in there was priceless!' They both chuckled, remembering the shocked faces of the young marines at almost shooting their superior officer.
'See you at dinner?' Carson asked.
'Lets have it in our room; I'll get us something special.'
'Well there are two good reasons to celebrate; it's Christmas Eve and our 20th.' Beckett reminded the Colonel.
'I hadn't forgotten! Have you got your presents for Teyla, Rodney, Ronan and Elizabeth here?'
'Yes,' pulling out of his pocket of his jacket the four gifts he placed them by the champagne along with Sheppard's while placing on the item of clothing.
Following his lover's movements, Sheppard pulled on his shoes again, holstered his gun and pulled on his jacket.
Sharing one last lingering kiss, they left the room.
'Colonel, you do realise where they were don't you?' Carson asked, seeing the corridor was empty.
'Yes, you said you wanted to come out; I just made it happen the only way it could. Happy anniversary!' he told his lover quietly, looking intently at the floor.
'It's the best present you've ever given me.' Carson told him gently, raising Johns head until their eyes met.
'It's ironic really that they were in the closet when we finally came out.' Sheppard tried to lighten the mood, a smile hinting at the corner of his mouth.
'Aye, that it is, that it is.' Their eyes lay on each other for a few seconds more, drinking in each other's presence before hurrying off to where they were needed.
0101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101010101
'I do not understand why we could not reveal we were in here Dr Weir.' Teyla asked, thoroughly confused by their actions.
'I too am confused.' Ronan added as they gingerly exited the closet stretching out their cramped limbs.
'Sheppard and Carson could never officially tell us about their relationship because of the military regulations Sheppard's supposed to follow. I suppose this was the only way they could really come out.' McKay answered, taking a glass of the champagne.
'Relationships between people of the same gender are forbidden?' Teyla asked, not quite sure if she had understood correctly, before taking a sip, the others following suit.
'They are acceptable as long as no one knows or else you can be kicked out.' Rodney told her and Ronan.
'But we now know.' Teyla protested, worried that their presence was going to cost the Colonel his career.
'But he can deny ever knowing we were there. He never actually saw us.' Elizabeth replied.
'Then how find you find out?' Ronan questioned the scientist.
'They had lost track of time when I came in to give them some papers.' Rodney answered with a blush.
'I don't understand.' Teyla looked puzzled while Weir simply smiled.
'I caught them kissing in one of the labs. I was already friends with both of them so I made them tell me everything they had been hiding.' Finishing his drink, he placed on the table an extra gift apart from the two Christmas presents he had left there earlier.
'How do you think they knew we were in there?' Rodney asked as he stood at the door.
Elizabeth smiled again; 'I think it may have been when I coughed as he came in. I had hoped the doors would cover it.' She explained.
Shrugging his shoulders, he simply relied, 'See you later. I actually have some important work to do as well as trying to stop some idiot from blowing us all up.'
'Maybe they will only blow themselves apart, especially that long haired whiney one.' Ronan asked hopefully.
'Kavanaugh, if wishes were horses! At least I now know what to give you for Christmas!' Giving a slight wave, he left for the labs. He was hoping by the next day he would have enough crackers and party poppers ready for everyone. He and Zelenka had been working flat out on them for the previous week trying to give them an extra boost with the bang without being too dangerous! With the few he had supplied to Sheppard for the ships crew, they were a number short. The thought of Caldwell's face when they went off though was certainly worth the extra work though!
'I do hope he was joking. I'm not sure I'll have the heart to stop him from whatever revenge he has planned for Kavanaugh!' Elizabeth mused out loud to the others, before nodding in good bye and exciting the room.
The two other members of the team smiled, their friends were certainly interesting, even if they didn't always understand why the people from Earth did these things.
This Christmas everyone was so excited about would certainly be interesting the next day they thought as they too left the room after depositing their gifts to their friends and gathering up their own.
As it happened, Christmas was interesting as someone had somehow managed to 'accidentally' cut the irritating scientist's ponytail off and hung it on the tree in triumph. The crackers went off with a bang as did Caldwell's temper when he found out how many people on board had them resulting in Sheppard, McKay and Zelenka spending at least 20 minutes being lectured on how to be mature adults.
By the end of the day though, everyone, including the grumpy Colonel had gotten in the mood of Christmas although this may have been due to the amount of alcohol everyone had consumed.
Rumours suggested that a certain Czech scientist and Scottish doctor had spent a large amount of time obscuring the view to the non alcoholic punch just before the effects of alcohol began to surface, but no one was ever going to mention that to Caldwell!
Falling into Sheppard's room, Ronan, Teyla, John, Elizabeth, Carson and Rodney sprawled themselves across the room, some in chairs while John and Carson on the bed, the effects of the alcohol evident on all their faces.
Forgetting who else was there, John kissed Carson as he normally did when they returned from work, only vaguely remembering that they weren't supposed to.
A small cheer erupted from their audience causing the men to blush and jump apart realising why they were not supposed to have kissed.
'Errr, we weren't supposed to do that I'm sure!' John choked out, but seeing the huge grins on the others faces, he relaxed a bit more.
'Well it took you long enough.' Rodney told them with a laugh before moving the conversation on.
Waking up as the light streamed into his room, John carefully sat up, avoiding waking up his lover and his friends, a smile spread across his face. For the second time in 20 years, he felt a weight lifted as his second life was revealed to his friends.
'It's wonderful isn't it?' Carson murmured, his accent even thicker than usual due to the hangover and hour.
'Aye, that it is.' Sheppard replied in a perfect replica of Carson's accent before giving him an early morning kiss.
'Do you have to do that so early?' Rodney moaned, remembering to keep his voice low so as not to wake the others.
Oh yes, life was good, Sheppard though as he fought to smother his laughter.