Disclaimer: Don't own, don't make any money off of my "borrowing" of these beloved characters.
She stood in the Gateroom and watched the Daedalus depart from the landing dock. She could hardly believe her reality now included a zip code that didn't exist in the US postal code range. Her eyes strained as she peered out the windows through the morning haze. It was breathtaking. Atlantis was an architectural gem that's beauty was unmatched in the realm of the reality she'd previously known. She couldn't wait to see more of the Pegasus Galaxy.
"Hey spike, cool hair. So, I heard we had our first official critter join the expedition and was wondering if you like to fly or like remote control cars?"
The familiar voice echoed in Susannah's ears, resonating painfully in her heart.
"How old are you anyway? Four? I'm sure we'll find something to keep you entertained. How do you like ghost stories?"
Susannah took deep, calculated breaths, praying she was wrong. She could smell him. Even now, four years later, that voice and his scent, the hint of sweat mixed with the subtle undertones of his aftershave, sent sensations of heat skimming across her skin.
"There should have been anger." She mumbled under her breath, creating a new mantra to shore her through the coming encounter. His voice...she should feel anger, yet she did not. She needed it now, needed the hot flush of indignant fire flooding through her veins. Otherwise, she would…spiraling dots of blackness sprung forth within her eyes.
Elizabeth eyed her strangely. "Are you all right?"
Her eyes blinked in bewilderment as she looked towards Elizabeth. "There must have been anger."
Westley released his clutch on her leg and finally shedded his shyness enough to come out from her skirts and greet the man speaking.
"Daddy?" Westley's soft youthful voice somehow pierced the air bringing down a hard wall of silence in the Gateroom. "It is you. Just like in Mama's pictures."
"Susannah? How?" John's voice dropped to an angry hiss." Why didn't you tell me? I deserved to know."
"And there it is." She welcomed the fiery crush of rage that suddenly flooded through her heart. Elizabeth's eyes slanted in surprise as Susannah finally spun around to face John, tangled curls of her long black hair whipping against her cheeks.
"What would you have had me do, John? You stood me up, disappeared from McMurdo. You went completely off the grid. It seemed pretty black and white at the time. How could I have known… this." She stretched her arms wide and spun in disbelief, her long skirt swirling wide about her ankles.
She stalled with her back to John while their son's voice filled the silence. "I love to fly. They have cool hewicopters at Murmurdo. I mean, Mc Murmurdo. I mean, do you like hewicopters?"
John's voice was carefully clipped. "As a matter of fact, I do. I can even fly them. Here on Atlantis, we have ships called Puddle Jumpers. They can fly through space and even underwater."
"Can I see them?"
Westley's eager voice broke her heart. He'd missed so much growing up without a father. Susannah wasn't quite ready to turn back to face John. Every second that passed her heart beat faster and the tears pressing at her eyes were diluting the anger she desperately needed to hold onto.
"John, why don't you take Westley to see a Puddle Jumper. Susannah, I am Teyla. If you approve, I will personally return Westley to your quarters when they are done. It will give you time to settle in to your rooms. Ronon will be glad to escort you there."
A tear slipped hot and angry from her eye as she nodded her approval to Teyla. The woman's eyes were warm and knowing. For some reason Susannah instantly trusted her.
"Westley?" John's voice had molted into that raspy sensual drawl and she felt her knees weaken. Traitors, she inwardly scowled.
"What else could I have chosen, without your consent anyway." She dared not to turn her eyes to him, to let him see the tears pooling there.
She listened to John's footsteps pound as he left the Gateroom and for the first time began to wonder what she'd gotten herself into.
TBC...