Name: One Last Goodbye.
Writer: Ann.
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis.
Rating: PG13 bordering R.
Pairing: John S. & Elizabeth W.
Summary: The Ancients give Elizabeth a chance to say goodbye to whichever one person she wants.
Timeline: Post Ghost In The Machine.
Genre: Romance/Angst.
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Stargate Atlantis. Rights reserved to MGM and the creators.
Others: They belong together. And in Atlantis. 3
Wrote it a while ago. Suddenly remembered it and decided to post it here.
One Last Goodbye.
She was there for exactly one hundred and sixty four days. Floating there in space, her inner, programmed clock counted every single minute. She could tell exactly what time it was in her city, too, as she remembered way too well that one last day she spent there. She remembered pain and loss. She remembered disappointment. But most of all, she remembered John pointing a weapon at her and telling her she's not Elizabeth Weir. And that hurt her more than anything.
She often wondered where they are now. She sent them to an isolated part of the galaxy, knowing this is the only way to keep the galaxy safe from them. But it cost her a lot. She had no idea where Atlantis was and how they are. She could tell what time it is in the city, but she couldn't tell what they were doing. She could only guess. And these guesses, the dreams and her memories killed her more efficiently than the Replicators ever managed to do.
And that minute was the one who concluded her one hundredth and sixty fourth day in space.
Another thing that killed her was the Ancients. She didn't know how, but she could feel them there, watching her. She could sense them around, but none of her prayers came true, and none of them ever spoke to her. She was completely alone, surrounded by beings but left to be tortured by countless images haunting her mind.
However, on that specific day it appeared the Ancients have made a decision. She could feel them leaving all of a sudden. Only one remained behind.
She blinked.
She was in Atlantis. She was in her quarters... Or at least, the room that used to be her quarters. To her surprise, when she looked around her, everything she saw belonged to her. Her clothes, her photos, her items. Her Father's clock and her photo of Sedgewick, which while in her city she always put in her office. Everything she saw belonged to her.
Only then it occurred to her that she could blink.
"Doctor Weir." She knew that voice. It was familiar, but she couldn't recognize where she's heard it before. She couldn't tell whose voice it was. All she knew was that it didn't belong to someone from the expedition.
"Doctor Weir," The quiet voice repeated, urging her to turn around towards its origin.
So she turned around. And was shocked to find Morgan La Fey standing by the door and looking at her.
"Why am I here?" She asked quietly, standing still in her place by the bed.
Morgan didn't waste time. "The Council decided they will help you ascend," She replied. "And after that, we will help you meet one person you want to meet. But beware," She warned, "If you will you will once again be human, and we will leave you on a planet in this galaxy without your memories."
She nodded. "I understand."
Morgan hesitated before she spoke. "Doctor Weir, from the first moment we saw you and your passion for our society, we thought we would love to welcome you amongst us. But if you do take our offer, I must warn you - you will be watched. You will not be able to return to Atlantis or Earth."
She nodded once again. "I see." was all she said, still in a quiet voice, as her mind ran forward and she tried to decide which person she wants to meet. Because she knew she has to at least meet one man, and hope that as he silently promised her in their last meeting, he will find her. And she knew him well enough to know that he will never stop looking for her, no matter how old he will be.
"Have you decided?"
Elizabeth nodded. "Yes. I want to meet John Sheppard."
As she thought, it was evening in Atlantis when she arrived to the city. She smiled as she saw the city lights sparkling on the slow, little waves of the ocean. Or rather, she would smile, if she had a sense of her body.
She found his quarters quickly. She slipped inside, remaining invisible as she waited for him.
She waited for about an hour before the door opened and the dark haired Colonel she knew stepped into the room. He turned the lights on and then turned to shower, undressing as he walked. She held back, doing her best not to reveal herself even though that was the one thing she wanted the most in that moment.
He was out of shower in a few minutes, but to her surprise, he wore his Atlantis uniform back on and left the room, leaving her surprised and alone for a few long minutes. Only after a long moment she hurried after him, wondering where he's going.
She was shocked to see him entering her old quarters.
Hurrying after him, she tried to realize why. In her brief visit in Atlantis she found out that her quarters are now empty, and even though no one lives there, no one visits the room either. It was abandoned, the memory of the woman who lived there haunting it.
Well, it was abandoned by all... Except for John Sheppard.
He was sitting on the edge of the bed, where he would seat if she was lying there. He was holding one of her necklaces, his head turning to the pillow with his eyes closed. And he spoke.
"I keep wondering where you are. If you're still floating in space or... If someone saved you. I wish I could come. If only we had a way to turn you into a human being, we could've brought you back."
He hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath and continuing. "I thought about you on P4H996 today. They had this argument they had for years, and I remembered how you treated this kind of things, like when Rodney and I found the game," he added, sounding wistful. "You were the best."
She took human form, standing right behind him as she did so. A moment later, when she was certain she's completely back, she gently put her hand on his shoulder, speaking quietly. "Hello, John."
He didn't move. "I was wondering how long it will take you to appear," He murmured. Then, while she stared at him in confusion, he turned his earpiece on. "McKay, shut down the hologram in Elizabeth's room."
Suddenly realizing what's happening, she lay down in front of him, causing him to look up. "John..." She swallowed, trying to hold back the tears. "It's me. I'm here."
He looked up at her, hope filling his eyes. He still seemed as if he didn't believe her, but she was happy to at least see he no longer thinks she's a hologram.
"Elizabeth?" He asked quietly, his hazel eyes meeting her green ones. "That's impossible."
Fighting the tears treating to take control of her, she spoke. "The Ancients helped me ascend," She said. "They... They gave me a choice. I could ascend, or I could meet someone." Seeing that he still didn't believe her, she continued, talking about her life and saying things John was the only one other than her who knew. She talked for an hour that seemed like forever, and was rewarded with a smile from John; a smile telling her he knows it's really her. A smile he would only show Elizabeth Weir.
And in an instance, she was in his arms, tears rolling down her cheeks and on to his shoulder. He hugged her tightly, both happy and relieved to see she's well.
They stayed that way for a long time, time that seemed like forever and at the same time so short they barely had the time to breathe. And as they sat there, on her bed, hugged, John talked. He told her about their life since she was gone, about the missions they embarked on and the civilizations they have met. And she sat there and listened, simply listened to his voice talking and enjoyed his presence and his arms around her.
"I missed you," He finished eventually, his voice hoarse. "It felt so empty here without you. Ever since you returned I visited your room," he added, causing her to look around. The room was exactly how she remembered it. "I would've come after you if we had the technology."
"I know," She whispered, looking at him again. "I thought about you," She added, one hand leaving his neck to play with his messy hair. "Every single moment. I... I would've given anything just to be back here. I still would."
"But you're here," He said, trying to make her smile. Then, when she didn't smile, he understood. "How long do you have?" He asked quietly, his voice steady. But she could hear the pain in it, and knew he was as close to a breaking point as she was.
"A few hours," She whispered wistfully. "I wish I could be here for longer. I wish-"
He put a finger on her lips, cutting her off. "I know," He said simply. Then, without hesitation, he leaned forward and kissed her. Not pretending, not fighting his feelings anymore, he simply kissed her, a hungry kiss that showed her both how much he needed her and how much he wanted her. Her response, long but fierce, was as desperate as his kiss was. She felt him gently separates her lips as she leaned back against the wall behind her, her hands around his neck.
They only broke the kiss to breathe. A moment later he was above her, kissing her as passionately as she kissed him. It didn't take more than a few minutes before most of their clothes were on the floor and they were lying down. His lips finally left hers and moved down her neck, kissing every single piece of skin he could find there. She moaned as he moved up and down, making her skin burn in every single place that he touched. And he couldn't help but let her do as she wills, as every one of her moves sent him to heaven. They were together, as close to one another as they could be, and they both felt more complete than they ever did.
And later on, when they snuggled together, they both smiled. Her smile was soft and happy, his happy and loving. And they looked at each other, hazel meeting pure green, and all they could do was to smile and breathe in each other's scent.
"I love you," She whispered suddenly, gently touching his face.
"I love you too," He murmured. "And I'll keep looking for you. I will find you. I promise."
"I know," was all she said before kissing him.
And then, slowly, she could feel his lips fading away as the Ancients took her away, and while she couldn't resist the pain of losing him flooding her, she also felt pure happiness all over her body. She knew he'll find her. She just knew.
And back in Atlantis, John tried not to mourn as he thought about the night they had spent together. And as he slowly drifted into sleep, still in her bed, he promised herself he'll find her.