Title: More Than Friends

Category: Lorne/OC Friendship, UST, Romance, Angst, Hurt/Comfort. Anything else? Possibly.

Spoilers/Season: Starts during Stargate SG-1 Season 7 with some scenes directly linked to my mainline More Than: More Than You. It carries on through season 8, and then into Atlantis from season 2 onwards. Similar to the later instalments of More Than, this story follows the episodes either by description or by chapter title.

Rating: PG13

Content Warnings: Maybe some mild peril, canon character death, mild graphic mind torture. Mentions of near-attempted rape. Some minor bad language.

Summary: Major Evan Lorne has dedicated his life to his career, putting his personal life aside for the greater good even if it does mean missing out on the love of his family. Until he realises that the people he works with are all far more than friends.

Disclaimer: Stargate, SG-1 and Atlantis are the property of Showtime, MGM, Double Secret and Gekko and they do not belong to the author. This piece of fan-fiction was created solely for entertainment purposes and no money was exchanged. No copyright infringement was intended and the original characters, situations and plots are property of the author. This piece of fan-fiction must not be archived without the author's consent.

Comments: The More Than Universe spins off from canon after Entity and this story is similar to More Than Mini, More Than You, etc where I am taking it episode by episode through SG1 season seven to Atlantis season 5! This is now technically an alternate universe and this story follows the friendship of Major Evan Lorne and the original character Lieutenant Nicola Carpenter. If you don't like her, or OCs in general, please don't read. Also, due to the nature of the original More Than fics, there are elements of Sam/Jack in here. Certain canon events are altered due to Carpenter's presence, others stay the same (Heroes, not sure yet about Sunday).

Part One follows Stargate SG-1 through season 7 and the main More Than story, MT6: More Than You. I will indicate wherever necessary the order with the Stargate Story. The first part technically follows SG-1 episodes but because of Lorne's importance over on Atlantis, I'm counting it as a crossover.

Previously: Due to complications within SG-1, Lieutenant Nicola Carpenter became an alternate fifth member of the team with an archaeological background. During an unauthorised mission to rescue Sam from the clutches of Osiris, SG-1 were tortured by Osiris who had taken Sam as a host. It was during this torture that Sam/Osiris killed Nicola before reviving her in a sarcophagus. When they returned safely with Major Carter, the base was tested for a suspected Zatarc, but none was found.

More Than Friends

Episode Setting: After Entity

Nervously she remained sitting at the large briefing room table, Nicola's eyes darting between the other three sitting around her. She had heard about the Stargate Program only a few months before her new posting and as soon as she had realised there might be some truth in it, Nicola had set her mind on getting there. Lieutenant Nicola Carpenter had only ever joined the military because her father had practically forced it on her. After a harrowing mission left Nicola questioning everything she had done in life, she had strongly considered quitting the Air Force. Until Cheyenne Mountain had been mentioned. There had been rumours at the academy about elite officers getting a posting at the large underground base, including people with odd backgrounds. Much to her father's dismay, Nicola's love had never been for the Air Force, but had been for archaeology and languages, studying history. She had been on a downward spiral into severe depression when someone had whispered in her ear that there may be a job which would please both her father and herself.

As soon as she got the letter through, Nicola had packed her few meagre belongings and waited to see what the exact posting was. Never in a million years would she have imagined that the exact posting was to the unit's flagship team. Lieutenant Nicola Carpenter was sitting at a table with the other three members of SG-1. She was eager to learn and finally hoped that this could be the place that would make her happy.

The general of the base, General Hammond, had already introduced her to the rest of the team and left them all to it. Major Samantha Carter was well known at the academy from her guest lectures and near unbeatable record. Teal'c was an alien Jaffa that Nicola was yet to fully learn about and she had to try and stop her eyes from watching him for too long as she watched all three members of SG-1. Directly opposite her was Doctor Daniel Jackson, whose reputation also already preceded him, but only because of his archaeological background. She was kind of pleased that his being laughed out of Academia all those years ago was not the end of him and that he was actually more important than any other living archaeologist. It was a career that she could only ever hope to emulate.

Doctor Jackson was also the only person sitting along the other side of the briefing table that had a smile on his face. Major Carter looked pale and glum. Teal'c looked… Nicola had no idea how to describe the only alien she had ever met before.

"Well," the major finally said after the longest silence. "I'll see you all at briefing. Next mission briefing is tomorrow." As the major stood, so did Nicola as a mark of respect for the more senior officer. As Nicola watched Major Carter depart, she sat back down just as Teal'c stood and nodded his head before leaving. There must have been a look of confusion on her face.

"We're normally a lot friendlier than this," Daniel apologised and Nicola met his eyes.

"Oh, I don't really mind."

"We've been a team with Colonel O'Neill for almost four years. His departure was quite abrupt." Nicola nodded, not particularly concerned with the politics. She was on the team to do a job and that was all that mattered. She worried then that due to the civilian-military mixture on base that she would be expected to make friends. Nicola did not make friends. "But, we're a nice team other than that. Teal'c is usually that quiet though."

"He's an…"

"Alien? Yes. Looks imposing, but really a big giant teddy bear. He'll make you watch Star Wars over and over though."

Nicola smiled politely. Lieutenant Nicola Carpenter, of SG-1, did not need friends.