A/N: So, this is basically in response to a challenge over at the GW Sheppard Whump thread. The prompt was to pick a music video and write a fic based on it. I think I may have gone a little overboard with it but I couldn't help it, the muse ran away with it. So, I had to break it into chapters, five to be exact. So anyway here is the beginning...
The Sun Will Set For You
Chapter 1
The smoke burned his eyes and throat, he didn't know how much longer he could hold out for. Through watery eyes, he saw the fiery, orange flames swallow everything in their path, crackling as it went. He tried to call out but every time he did, he just seemed to inhale more smoke and would end up coughing uncontrollably. He stumbled and fell but his attempts to stand were hindered by some unknown force. He looked up to see if he could catch a glimpse of his teammates through the fire but saw nothing but the raging flames picking up speed. He cursed internally.
How did they end up in this mess?
He made a final attempt to stand, ultimately succeeding but felt pain and exhaustion setting in as he did. He turned to see the flames closing in, as he pushed his body ahead. He caught sight of a slight movement out of the corner of his eye and jerked his head in that direction, but saw nothing. He felt his body cursing at him, begging him to stop and rest but he kept on. Behind him, he could hear the crackling of the flames, as they seemed to come closer the further away he thought he got. In the distance he caught sight of his team and with renewed strength ran out to them. As he got closer he noticed the unconscious, limp bodies.
What the hell happened?
He reached their bodies, shaking each one, hoping to wake them up. They needed to get out but he needed their help. Their eyes remained closed as he felt the heat of the flames intensify behind him, the roar louder than before. He looked down and felt his blood run cold.
No! They can't...they're not...
With shaking fingers, he reached down to Rodney's exposed neck but never found out as the orange flames closed in.
His eyes shot open, the orange flames replaced by the dull gray ceiling of his quarters. He felt his heart racing, his mouth dry as he ran a hand over his sweat soaked face. With a sigh, he sat up, kicking the sheets aside and reached out for his watch on the nightstand. Time didn't seem to matter anymore but it was a habit that he found hard to break after all this time but it was more of his anchor, his anchor to Atlantis. It kept him sane, he laughed at the thought, something materialistic and small kept him from losing it completely. He sighed again as he rose from the bed and walked over to the window, pushing the curtains aside.
He watched as the sun hid behind a few clouds, leaving behind a dull gray shadow on the world. The sun never seemed to set in this planet and it had messed with his internal clock in the beginning, it still did but not as much as before. His body refused to conform, continuing to run in Atlantis' time. That and his watch were the only way he was able to keep track of time, other than that, the days just seem to flow into one another.
He walked over to his washroom, turning on the water and looked at himself in the mirror. He saw a familiar face look back at him, a slight stubble on his cheeks and chin, the familiar unruly, out of control hair that Rodney always seemed to make fun of and hazel, tired eyes, the result of his lack of sleep. The nightmares had become more frequent and intense, creating more sleepless nights than ever before. He felt the exhaustion breaking his body, but he didn't give in, he knew he couldn't.
He splashed water on his face and continued with his morning routine, automatically going through the motions. He walked out to his living area, completely bare except for the usual couches, tables and chairs that every other resident in this place seemed to have. He had been given living quarters in the main building of the city, those which were only reserved for members of the High Council or other people important to the city.
There were a few paintings decorating the wall, he hadn't been aware that people here were even interested in art in the beginning, but one in particular had caught his eye. He hadn't really thought anything of it before but the other day after a long and grueling day, his frustration had exploded and he had thrown the first thing he could get his hands on against the wall, where it had hit the painting and it had fallen to the floor. Later that night he had picked it up, intending to put it back up but ended up staring at it for what seemed like hours.
The vibrant colors depicted what he thought was a setting sun behind the mountain landscape, which he considered odd since the sun never set here. The green landscape filled with jubilant people, celebrating something. There was no sign of any buildings or anything, just people and nature. On the far left of the canvas, stood a lone man, surrounded by darkness and shadows, looking over at the jubilant group. The sheer contrast gave the small area the main focus of his attention. No detail was drawn in; he looked more like a shadow except for his foot. It looked like he was stepping out of the shadows and into the colorful world; the foot was the only part of him that depicted any sort of detail. He had been both intrigued and creeped out by it but hung it back up anyway.
He sighed as he made his way over to the window, pulling back the curtains to let some light in but all that filled the room was darkness. He looked out to see that now the sun had been completely covered by dark, ominous clouds. With a shudder, he closed the curtains once again. The room was enveloped in darkness as he plopped down on the couch, leaning his head against the back, closing his eyes. He thought back to the day that had left him stranded here.
It had been a normal meet and greet, like it ever turned out that way, where it had looked like they had just made an alliance that both sides would benefit greatly from. Their technology was far superior to some other civilizations they had come in contact with, of course with a few exceptions. Much of their buildings, at least on the inside reminded him of Earth and they had wondered how the Wraith had not destroyed their planet yet, but hadn't voiced their wonder yet. Spirits had been high, as Rodney had dialed Atlantis, even he was joking around. Everyone was glad that for once no one had tried to kidnap or kill them.
He chuckled, they had really jinxed themselves. He only remembered that they had been making plans of a celebratory team movie night when out of nowhere a slight explosion filled the air, after that he hadn't been able to piece together very much, no matter how hard he had tried.
When he came to, he was back in Therophienos. He had been out for a few days and they weren't sure if he was going to make it through. They had informed him of his injuries but he hadn't paid much attention as he had looked around the infirmary, his team had been nowhere in sight. Stricken with panic, he had asked, no demanded for their whereabouts. He must have looked borderline crazy because he remembered the fear stricken faces of the staff, as they tried to calm him down and told him that the Governor would explain everything.
When the Governor finally came to see him, he demanded once again and this time was met with a sorrowful look, as the Governor explained that they had only found him, no one else in the wreckage. He was sorry to say that the others had most likely perished in the explosion. He had refused to accept it, demanding to be taken to the site. The Governor had told him that when he fully recovered, he would personally take him. That was not enough for him; he still needed to know what had happened. The only response he received was that everything would be explained when he recovered. The next few days in the infirmary had been hell for him and not to mention to the poor staff.
When he had arrived at the wreckage or what was left of it, his hope dwindled. If his team had made it through there was no way in hell that they had made it out alive. The DHD was gone, not a trace of it left and the gate was spread out in pieces as far as the eye could see. The singed trees and shrubbery depicting just how big the explosion had been.
But he knew, he needed to believe that they had made it and that the explosion hadn't affected Atlantis, that they were looking for a way to get him back.
He finally received answers, or so he thought, he was sure the Governor only told him part of it. He had explained that they had been at war with a nearby city for years, even before he had taken his position as governor. They had once been living peacefully, great festivals would take place to celebrate their friendship and trade but a falling out had caused tensions to mount and a war to begin. He believed that they had probably seen them come through the gate and thought that the people of Therophienos had obtained outside reinforcements for their war and they needed to stop them before more came, even if it meant destroying the one way out of this planet.
He had been angry at the fact that they had neglected to provide this information before, that it would have probably saved his team. The Governor had apologized, saying it had been a mistake not to, that he should had said something from the beginning. The Governor must have been waiting for chance to jump in because the next thing he knew he was asking him to join their fight. He had been taken aback and refused right away; he needed to find a way back home. The Governor had accepted his decision, far too easily, he had thought. He figured that he probably thought that he would come around, he just had to let his revengeful desire boil over until he would feel the urge to act upon it, after all he was a soldier and would come to see that it would be necessary for him to fight but he had seen far too much destruction to know that this wouldn't end well, it never did.
He sighed as he ran a hand through his hair and felt his stomach grumble.
tbc
Oh, forgot to mention the video that inspired it was "Shadow of the Day" by Linkin Park.