Author: Porthos
Spoilers: Seige Pt 1
Summary: Ep tag for Seige 1, involving Grodin's last scene.
Author's notes: I loved Grodin, and I hated the end of Seige 1, so this is a little rewrite, and a possible way to bring Grodin back. Also, my first non-McWeir fic, and it's just a short little bit, testing the waters, so to speak. Not beta'd so any mistakes are completely my own. (Also, the female Ancient isn't Oma, although I realize it may seem that way. I really meant for it to be post Threads, to show that some Ancients took Oma's sacrifice to heart.)
oOo
I yelled into the radio as sparks rained down on top of me. "There's no time! Just get the hell out of here!" I knew the Wraith ship was about to fire, and I didn't want McKay or Miller anywhere near the satellite when it happened. No sense in all three of us dying.
As I looked up into the showering sparks, I saw a blinding flash of white light, and I felt the world go still. A woman's face appeared before me, a woman I had never seen before. "Your fate is in your hands."
I raised my eyebrows in confusion. "Excuse me?"
"You may choose to walk the great path, but first you must make a choice. Your burden is yours to release."
I felt my eyes widen. "You're an Ancient!" She smiled. "You want me to be like you! To ascend!"
The Ancient woman nodded. "Enlightenment is yours, if you so desire."
"Well, of course!" I sputtered. She offered me her hand, but against all reason I hesitated. "Wait. If I ascend, I won't be able to help them fight the Wraith. I'll only be allowed to sit by and watch as my friends die."
The Ancient frowned. "The path to true Enlightenment is never an easy journey."
I felt my anger flare, and I pointed an accusing finger towards the woman. "Why haven't you done something! You have the power to end this!"
The Ancient looked down at her hands, and when she met my eyes again, her face showed resolve, and there were tears in her eyes. "Sacrifice entails both life and death."
I knew then what my choice would be. I would be of no use to anyone dead, but as an Ancient, one of the ascended, I could at least watch from the sidelines. It certainly beat being blinked out of existence by the Wraith. I swallowed the lump in my throat and held out my hand to her. "I understand," I whispered. "But there's something I have to do first."
She nodded, and I felt myself pulled back to the Ancient satellite. I felt the hot sparks singe my skin, and I realized that only a brief moment had passed in this time. I wanted to tell McKay, and the others, how sorry I was. I felt like I was giving up, and I knew I would feel helpless as I watched them defend Atlantis, being able to do nothing. But I didn't have time to explain, so I allowed myself only the briefest of apologies, hoping they would understand. "I'm sorry," I whispered into the nothingness, and then I became one with it.