AN: Ok so more people liked this than I thought! Woot! That makes me so happy! So, thank you all! Alright here we have Air part 2. Don't know what I'm going to do since I woke Everett up last chapter. Nevermind, reaming out Rush is always a good idea in my book! Bear with me! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own my internet and my resident SGU nut!
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"In this case are five Ancient communication stones. They work over vast distances in real time. I brought these with us in the event we ended up somewhere out of range of normal communication" Rush said standing in front of everyone. Everett looked at him and stood up. TJ stood next to him, arms crossed over her chest. She didn't like where this was heading.
"So let's use them" the Senator said. Everett sighed and dropped his head. He already knew that since it was Rush, he had already used them.
"I already have. I have spoken with General O'Neill and I explained our situation clearly. In light of my knowledge and experience, he has placed me in charge" Rush explained. Everett and TJ's head snapped towards him.
"He did what?" Everett yelled. He knew Jack, hell he was best friends with Jack and there was no way O'Neill (with two Ls) was going to leave Rush in charge when both he and Lieutenant Scott were both alive and able to perform their duties. TJ stood next to Everett and placed her hand on his arm. He was still weak, if he didn't calm down he was likely to pass out.
"I want to talk to O'Neill" the Senator said. Everett stepped forward.
"Yes Rush, why don't you let Senator Armstrong and I speak with O'Neill" Everett said. The senator stepped forward to take the stones, when he clutched his side and crumpled to the floor in agony. Chloe and Matt both rushed to his side.
"Dad! Dad?" Chloe said trying to help. TJ was already rushing through the crowd of onlookers as Matt called out for her. She dropped to the floor and listened for breathing.
"Ok, he's still breathing" TJ said. First things first. She then lifted his shirt and revealed a purple bruise. Chloe gasped in shock and Matt put his hand gently on her back as silent support. "I saw him taking pills earlier. What were they?" she asked.
"Warfarin for his heart" Chloe responded, pulling the pill bottle out of her hand and handing it to TJ. The medic sighed and Everett's heart broke as he watched her trying to wrack her brain for some useful information.
"Well, blood thinners are the last thing he needs if he's bleeding internally" TJ commented. She put her hands over her face and tried to think. What could she do? She didn't have the training for this.
"Please, do something" Chloe begged. TJ looked up and back down at the Senator. Everett saw the pain in her eyes.
"Look, I told you - I'm just a medic" she responded. Chloe nodded, the tears choking her. Matt rubbed soothing circles on her back and TJ tried to work.
"Miss Johansen, please find adequate accommodation for the injured" Rush said, obviously annoyed that someone was ruining his moment. Everett glared at the man. TJ nodded and stood. Everett motioned for two soldiers to carry the Senator to the medical bay.
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TJ sat alone in the quarters she and Everett had been assigned. Everett stood in the doorway and watched her. He had just gotten done yelling at Rush for being, well Rush and now he needed to comfort his wife.
"I can't be the doctor here Everett. I don't have the right training" TJ said rubbing her hands over her face. Everett moved farther in the room and sat down next to her, pulling her small body into his arms.
"I know, but you have to try. You have the most medical training out of all of us" he said soothingly. TJ nodded.
"I don't want to kill someone" she whispered, her face buried in his neck.
"You won't. I trust you. I know you can do this TJ. I love you" he said. TJ nodded.
"I love you too" she whispered.
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"I'm doing it" Everett said. TJ paled. "I am in charge and I can't expect nor ask someone else here to do it. Scott, you take over when…" Everett stopped midsentence. He couldn't finish it. TJ's eyes filled with tears. She was going to lose her husband. She didn't want to think about it. Thankfully Scott was the only one there so when she let loose a few tears, he didn't comment.
"I can't allow you to do this sir" Matt said nodding his head in TJ's direction. Everett nodded once. He knew this was killing her, but she also knew what his duty was. If he could change anything he would so she wouldn't lose him. He was scared of losing her.
"Dad's not in his room" Chloe said as she rushed into the room. Everett and Matt exchanged looks.
"Greer, this is Scott, come in? Greer? Greer, do you read? Senator Armstrong is missing - he may be headed your way" Matt radioed to Greer. Everett, TJ, Matt and Chloe all rushed towards Greer and the open airlock.
"He's here and he's got a gun" Greer radioed. Chloe and Matt took off at a dead sprint, leaving Everett and TJ trailing behind.
"We are too late to stop him" Everett said. TJ nodded and they continued on their way. When they rounded the final corner and saw Matt and Chloe trying to open the door. When it wouldn't budge, Matt looked through the window and nodded at the Senator, who nodded back. He wrapped his arms around Chloe's waist and pulled her away, holding her tightly to his chest. Chloe cried and beat against him, trying to get him to release her. When the Senator's hand dropped limply to his side, Chloe gave up the fight and curled herself into Matt's body. Matt sat them down and held her as she cried. As the tears stopped, rage overcame her.
"Where are you going?" Matt asked as Chloe pulled away and ran off. He jumped up and followed her, TJ and Everett slowly behind them. "A little help please?" he asked as TJ entered the room. TJ rushed to Chloe's side and tried to calm her down.
"Hey, hey, relax. Hey, Chloe" she said. Chloe glared at her.
"Get away from me!" she yelled, pushing TJ away. Everett hurried to TJ's side as she stumbled from the blow. "This is his fault" she yelled pointing at Rush. Everett almost wanted to agree with Chloe, but since he was in charge, he had to be the voice of reason.
"I'm sorry about your father Chloe" Everett started. Her eyes sought out his. He had been like a father figure while they were on the Icarus base and she had a feeling it would only increase now that her father was dead. "I truly am. He was a good man, and he certainly wouldn't have been my choice. I was getting ready to do it Chloe. I would never ask anyone else to give up their lives unless I had first. But you must realize that as much as we all want to blame Rush- none of this was his fault. Your father did it to save your life, to save TJ's and Matt's and mine and I will forever be grateful for that. Now you can blame Rush from far away, fine. I will for being stupid and not dialing back earth, but don't kill him. At least not yet. As much as I hate to say this, he and Eli maybe our only hope at getting back home" Everett coaxed. Chloe nodded, her tears of anger slowing. TJ noticed she was about ready to pass out, so she gently eased Chloe into a sitting position and held her as the tears of sadness fell once again. Rush stepped forward and squatted in front of her.
"Miss Armstrong. I know you don't wanna hear this just now, but ... but this ship ... this ship could be the most important discovery mankind has made since the Stargate itself" Rush said consolingly. Everett set his hand on Matt's chest to stop the younger man from beating Rush to a pulp. TJ glared at him. Everett sighed. He was going to have to have another talk with Rush. Fun.
"Scott, why don't you take Chloe to her quarters and make sure she's ok. Johansen why don't you go check on the others? I believe Rush and I need to have a… "chat"" Everett said. TJ and Matt smirked, but did as they were told to. "So Rush…"
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Matt held Chloe as she talked about her father and about how she was going to miss him. He held her as she sobbed and as she sat there staring blankly. He needed to get back to Everett and his assignment, but he couldn't just leave Chloe alone right now. He loved her too much to do that. Once he got Chloe to sleep then he would go back to his post, but for now she was more important.
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"What the hell was that?" Greer asked. Everett and Matt shrugged, Rush seemed to be contemplating something big as usual and Eli looked scared.
"Is anyone near the observation deck?" Everett asked into the radio. TJ stood next to Chloe watching the stars and the galaxy. It was like nothing she had ever seen before.
"Colonel, it looks like we've dropped out of F.T.L." TJ answered. Everett gazed at Rush waiting for the explanation he knew was coming.
"No, no. If I'm right, the Gate should begin to dial any moment. The ship has detected a Stargate on a planet within range that may have what we need" Rush said. The Stargate started spinning and Matt turned to Eli.
"Did you know that was what was going to happen?" he asked. Eli shook his head venomously. "Huh" Matt said turning his attention back to the gate.
"What? Why the hell are there even Stargates out here?" Everett asked as TJ came up to his side. He held one of her hands in his as Chloe made her way to Matt's side. He tucked her small body under one of his arms. TJ smiled at the sight.
"The Ancients sent out a number of unmanned ships ahead of this one. They're programmed to gather data, resources, then manufacture Stargates and deposit them on habitable worlds. Any relevant information is relayed back here to help plot the course." Everett looked at him blankly.
"You're telling me that the ship knows we're in trouble?" he asked. Rush nodded. Everett looked at the now open gate. "So, what we need to survive is on the other side of that wormhole?"
"I believe so, yes" Rush said. Everett sighed. He didn't want to send a team somewhere only to have them possibly die. They didn't know what was out there. Hell, they didn't know where there was!
"I guess there is only one way to find out" he says as he starts toward the gate. Matt, TJ, Greer, and Eli all stood in shock. Eli quickly regained his senses.
"Send the Kino!" he said, practically begging. Everett turned back and looked at him. He nodded once and watched Eli fly the camera like device into the wormhole.
"I'm getting readings over here" Park called out. TJ noticed something above one of the doors and stared at it, paying minimal attention to the conversation at hand. What was that? It looked like a clock or timer of some sort, but it was in Ancient numbers and she couldn't make out what it said.
"Everett, Rush" she yelled out gaining their attention. When the men looked at her, she pointed to the clock.
"Looks like our time might be limited" Rush said deciphering the numbers. Everett watched it for a few seconds.
"What is it?" he finally asked.
"It's a countdown. Just over twelve hours left" Rush explained. Everett turned to face him.
"What happens then?" he asked. Rush turned his attention back to Everett.
"I suspect we jump back into F.T.L." he explained.
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"Good luck" Everett said as he watched the team go through the gate. TJ came up to his side and rested her head on his shoulder. "I hope sending Eli wasn't a mistake" he said softly. TJ nodded. It wasn't that he thought Eli couldn't do it, no he was more worried that something would happen to the kid. Although Matt would watch out for him, they seemed to be pretty close.
"He wanted to go and he can help" TJ said. Right now Everett needed to know he had made the right decision. TJ just needed to encourage him and he would gain his confidence back. "Now only if we could leave Rush behind" TJ joked slightly. A smile tugged at the corner of Everett's lips.
"That is a plan I could live with" he said smirking. TJ laughed.
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Wow. Ok so I had to throw the Chloe/Matt moment in there. It just came to me! Now, thanks for all of the support I've gotten! Let me know what you thought! Please review!
PS- my resident SGU nut was asleep when I wrote this, so if it seems a little AU or OOC, then blame her! :D