Author's Note: I had to write something, I love Stargate Atlantis, but since I'm still getting a feel for the characters and the whole Atlantis world, I figured a short character piece would be a good start. I thought of this last night and wanted to write it down.
REFLECTIONS
Major John Shepard was staring at the stars. It had been almost a week since they had arrived in the Pegasus galaxy. He wasn't sure he'd ever get used to seeing a different night sky hanging above. The rocking swells of the ocean lulled him into a false sense of security, a sense that everything would be all right, but he knew it wouldn't.
He had woken the Wraith. He had been the cause of Sumner's death, no matter what anyone said. He had pulled the trigger. The Athosians weren't holding any grudges, but that's okay, he was doing it for them.
"Major Shepard?" A timid voice called behind him.
He plastered a half-hearted smile, "Jinto." He greeted the Athosian child who was working on a hard case of adoration towards him.
"Why are you out here alone?" He asked, approaching the grown man, curious.
John paused, how do you explain complexities to young children? "I like the view." He said instead.
Jinto was young, but having grown up under the constant threat of the Wraith, he was astute, "Sometimes when my Dad gets upset...when he misses my Mother, he'll go outside and sit under the night sky. He doesn't think I'm awake."
John turned back to the ocean view, leaning against the Ancient-built balcony, hoping that it's millions-of-years old structure would continue to hold, and didn't say anything.
Jinto walked nearer, coming beside him, "Did you leave family...on your world?"
John closed his eyes, letting the emotions run through, before steeling himself for a reply. "Yeah." He imagined Thanksgiving dinner's, with everyone gathered around the table. He wouldn't be there this year. The first time he had missed a holiday with his family, despite the military schedule of deployments he had experienced on Earth.
"You must miss them. I miss my Mother." Jinto had copied Shepard's stance, down to the crooked knee against the rail, "Sometimes it hurts. Sometimes."
John looked sideways at the kid, "How did she die?"
A fierce look of anger washed over the boys face, "The Wraith."
The Wraith. He should've known. The scourge of the Pegasus galaxy, and now he had pissed them off. Soon everyone would be cursing the Wraith. He just hoped they wouldn't be cursing him as well. He hoped they could make a difference, and beat them back, where the Ancients had failed.
Jinto smiled at a thought, "Do you think you'll be able to beat them Major Shepard?"
"I hope so Jinto. I hope so."
THE END