STARGATE ATLANTIS AND ALL ASSOCIATED CHARACTERS AND CONCEPTS ARE THE PROPERTY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED, OR PROFIT MADE, THROUGH THIS WORK OF FICTION.

As he stepped through the Gate, he was greeted by a hot, acrid smell that reminded him of all the times he'd spent in aircraft hangers and made his nostrils itch. There was a faint haze hanging over the city and the rough buildings were stained black with smoke. The people that he saw walked quickly with their heads down, scarves wrapped across their faces, not meeting the gaze of anyone that they passed. His rough, worn clothes drew no attention, although anyone who looked closely would notice that his eyes were always watching his surroundings. His name was John Sheppard and he was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the US Air Force, although he was presently far from the United States, and Earth for that matter. He was the military leader of the expedition to find Atlantis, the legendary lost city of the Ancients that had left Earth centuries ago for another galaxy. They'd found it and a whole lot more besides. Over the last five years, he had been involved in the fight against the life-draining species known as the Wraith, a war which had come to Earth itself. Now, Atlantis had returned to the Pegasus galaxy to continue their mission of exploration. However, it wasn't exploration that he brought Sheppard to Kiocoria, a major city on the planet Preasorius. It was something more personal. Sheppard quickly made his way from the StarGate and headed deeper into the city until he found what he was looking for.
Somehow, bars look the same no matter which planet you're on.
As he watched, a man staggered out of the doors and made his way unsteadily down the street. After taking a moment to discretely check that his M9 pistol was still in its holster, Sheppard walked up the steps and pushed open the doors. Inside, the smell was different, but just as unappealing; a mix of sweat, stale beer and second-hand smoke. The people seated around the battered tables were either drinking alone or in small groups, not speaking much and then only in low tones. One or two people looked up as he entered, but Sheppard ignored them, taking a seat at the bar and ordering a shot of the local spirit. Teyla had warned him that it was strong and he had to fight from coughing as he knocked it back, placing the glass back on the bar. The bartender stared blankly at him until he pulled out some coins from his pocket and threw them next to his glass. As the bartender poured his drink, he took the photograph out of his pocket and laid it on the bar, turning it so that the bartender could see it. It showed a dark-skinned man with short hair and one solid black pupil.
'I'm looking for this man.' He said and the bartender shrugged.
'So what?'
Sheppard sighed and pulled several more coins from his pocket, dropping them onto the bar. The bartender hesitated for a second and then took the coins, leaning over to glance at the photo before looking up at Sheppard.
'Never seen him before.' He said, turning away with a faint smirk.

It was the same story everywhere that Sheppard went, or near enough. No matter who he asked; bartenders, factory workers, shopkeepers, street urchins, they almost all gave the same answer. Most claimed they'd never seen him, while a few said that he looked familiar, but they didn't know from where. More than once, he considered asking the guards that he saw patrolling the streets but with their armoured visors and truncheons on their belts, he got the feeling that they weren't exactly community police. He was tired, starting to get hungry and was ready to consider looking for lodgings when he saw him out of the corner of his eye. Casually, he turned to find himself staring into two mismatched eyes, one normal, and one solid black.
'Ford!' Sheppard yelled, breaking in a run towards him, pushing his way through the crowds, just as Ford turned the corner ahead and disappeared into an alley. Sheppard came to a stop as he reached the corner, despite his desperation to catch up to him. Ford was a former US Marine and a dangerous man when cornered, even before he was exposed to the Wraith enzyme. He was tempted to draw his pistol, but it would be next to useless in these close quarters, and he didn't want to provoke Ford. Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the alley, walking forward slowly, listening for any movement. Then, he heard a thump behind him and he swung round to see a man rising from a crouch, clearly having jumped off the low roof above. For a moment, he thought it was Ford until he stood up fully, revealing his straggly brown hair and thin face. More footsteps told him that there were at least two more people behind him and he knew that he was in trouble. The man in front drew a knife from inside his jacket and advanced with a cruel grin, the blade slashing towards him. Sheppard dodged the blow and his punch struck him across the jaw, knocking him down. Hearing the scrape of a boot, he turned to meet the other men, but he was too slow. Even so, he managed to duck the first blow and smash his elbow across the man's nose before a fist buried itself in his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. A hand closed around his throat and the third man pulled him upright, slamming him against the wall as the first man came back into view, having reclaimed his knife.
'I'm gonna gut you, you little...'
The rest of his sentence was cut off as an arm snaked around his neck and he was pulled backwards, his eyes widening as he struggled against the man that had seized him. Then there was a sharp crack and he went limp, his attacker dropping his body to the ground. Seizing the distraction, Sheppard broke his attacker's grip with a forearm strike and took him down with a throw that dislocated his shoulder with the force of the impact.
The last man took a look at his fallen fellows and decided that discretion was the better part of valour, fleeing down the alley as fast as he could. Carefully, Sheppard's turned to face the man who had saved him.
'Ford.'
'Sheppard.' Ford replied, watching him carefully. Then, his head snapped round as Sheppard heard booted footsteps approaching and the shouts of the guards.
'...come on.' Ford said. 'This way.'

Ford shut and locked the door to his lodgings, crossing to the window and peering out before turning towards Sheppard
'What are you doing here?' He asked and Sheppard frowned.
'It's good to see you, too, Ford. And I could ask you the same question.'
'I'm not under your command anymore.' Ford said. 'I don't have to explain myself to you.'
'You're still a serving Marine, Lieutenant, and I'm a Colonel.' Sheppard snapped. 'Furthermore, I thought we had more respect for each other than that. I thought we we're friends.'
'Friends? You betrayed me. You screwed up our mission and got my people killed. You shot me. Friends?' His hands bunched into fists and then he dropped into the chair, looking tired and empty.
'So much has happened, Sheppard. I'm not the same guy I was anymore.'
'Yeah. How'd you get away from the Wraith?' Sheppard asked and Ford's eyes defocused.
'I woke up in one of their cocoons, the enzyme bringing me round faster than they expected and I took them by surprise. They never expect their prisoners to fight back, so getting out of the vessel was easy. Wasn't hard, not with the enzyme and they never expect their prisoners to fight back. I got to the hanger deck, stole a dart and headed for the StarGate, but I took some fire and had to make a crash landing. I ditched the dart and made it to the Gate on foot, dialling up the first address that I could make work. I was pretty messed up at the time, with the adrenaline and the enzyme. I knew that I had to keep fighting the Wraith. For the enzyme, mostly. And I knew that I had to do it alone. For the next two years, I kept hopping from world to world, hurting the Wraith however I could. But, the war was going badly for them. It was getting harder and harder to keep myself supplied with the enzyme. Eventually, I just couldn't find enough, so...'
He shrugged and Sheppard understood.
'Withdrawal.'
'Cold turkey.' Ford nodded. 'It was pretty bad, for a long time and I thought I was going to die. But, I survived, somehow. And I started to realise what I'd done.'
'It wasn't your fault...' Sheppard began.
'Maybe not.' He said, standing up. 'But, it's done now. And I've got to live with it. Alone.'
'Yeah. You have to live with it.' Sheppard agreed. 'But, it doesn't have to be on your own. Come back to Atlantis, Ford. We need you. I need you.'
'That's in the past, Sheppard. Besides, Weir won't ever trust me...'
'Weir's dead.' Sheppard said and Ford's head snapped up.
'What?'
'She's died two years ago, Ford.'
'How...?'
'Replicators.' Sheppard said and Ford turned away, staring back out of the window.
'There's nothing there for me, Sheppard.' He said. 'Not anymore.'
'What about on Earth? Your Grandparents? They still think that you're dead.'
'You think they want to see me like this? I might as well be dead to them.'
'Ford...'
'I'm done talking about this, Sheppard.' He said, standing up. 'It'll be dawn in about three hours. You can wait here until then. There's a spare bunk in the other room.'
'Ford...' Sheppard repeated, but he ignored him, heading out of the room and closing the door firmly behind him.

Sheppard did not sleep much that night, his brain being too exhausted from the day's events. Instead, he lay staring at the ceiling until pale light came through the window and he swung his legs off the bunk, wincing at the stiffness in his neck. Stepping outside, he was met by Ford, who was watching him with his arms folded, his face neutrally blank.
'I've had a look around and we're clear. You should be able to get back to the Gate safely.'
'Ford...'
'There's nothing else to say, Sheppard. I'm not coming back with you.'
Sheppard regarded him for a second before heading to the door and turning back towards him.
'You might have given up on yourself, Ford, but I'm not giving in so easily. If you want to stay here and keep hiding, then go ahead. I'll be waiting by the Gate for an hour. If you can't make up your mind by then, I don't even want you.'
Without waiting for an answer, he left, closing the door behind him.

Sheppard waited for an hour by the Gate, but Ford didn't come. With a sigh, he turned to the DHD, starting to dial the address for the rendezvous.
'Sheppard.'
'Ford?' He said, turning to see him standing to attention with a leather pack over his shoulder.
'I'm in, sir.'

THANK YOU FOR READING. ANY COMMENTS, REVIEWS AND CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISMS VERY WELCOME.