In the Naked Light I Saw3

Moira had just entered her quarters when her sons ran to her.

"Mommy! Mommy!"

"Boys? What's wrong? What...oh no!" She swore as the doors were closing. She took a hand of each, led them into the nursery where Maggie Williams stood with Emily Sheppard. The dog followed on their heels. Moira turned, seeing the flash of blue indicating a force field was activated, sealing off the hallways. Sealing off the windows and walls. In effect enclosing them in a secure, protected wall of electricity. "Johnny?"

"Code red, mommy! Daddy said!"

"Daddy said!" Seamus confirmed. Frowned. "What code red?"

The dog barked, as if adding his own confirmation.

"Code..." She exchanged a puzzled glance with the older woman. Tapped her earpiece. "John, John, copy? John?" She sighed, considered. Felt a chill. "It...it can't be..." She eyed her sons. "It's all right, loves. Whatever it is daddy will deal with it." Nevertheless she hugged herself. She knew that John would only take extreme measures for only a few reasons. An attack on the city. The Wraith. Or the return of his darker, alternate reality self from a parallel universe.

"Someone was coming through 'Gate," Johnny explained. He suddenly hugged his mother. "Mommy! Is it bad man again?"

"Who bad man?" asked Seamus.

"Mama, mama, mama," Emily gurgled, reaching out chubby arms for her mother.

"I don't know, darling. Don't you worry now. Daddy will take care of us." She tapped the earpiece again. "John? John, copy? John!"

John ignored his wife's voice in his ear. With a gesture the marines lowered their weapons. John lowered his. For a split second he caught a motion, a streaking blur to either side of the Stargate, but then it was gone. Dismissing it he blinked. All were staring at the little boy as the event horizon winked out of existence. The little boy with dark hair. The little boy who resembled Johnny Sheppard, but not exactly. Not a mirror image, not even a reflection. More like a patchwork of similarities, of degrees. John took a step towards the child. Stopped. Momentarily thrown by this unexpected visitor. A child from that alternate reality. A son of that John Sheppard. "Hi," he finally said.

The boy was staring at him, as surprised as he was. Thrown by the uncanny resemblance to his own father. "Hi," he replied. "I...I'm Johnny Sheppard. I...I...my daddy sent me to see...to see...to see Moira Sheppard." He pulled something from his pocket. Guns were raised.

"Stand down!" John ordered. "What's that?"

"A, a flash drive. For Moira Sheppard."

John scowled. Stepped to the boy. Took it. "Okay. Delta, stand down. You, kid, come with me now."

John turned. Rodney and Richard were watching, worried expressions on their faces. As surprised as John was to see this child. Curious too.

Moira was gently bouncing the baby in her arms when the lights flashed. The force field receded. Doors opened again. She relaxed, breathing a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness! John?"

"Moira," came his voice at last in her ear, "I need you in medical ASAP. Tell Johnny to abort code red."

"I...huh? Are you okay? John? John?" She sighed. "It's all right, boys. Daddy said to abort code red. Guess that means it's all clear."

Johnny relaxed. "It weren't bad man then."

"Wasn't. And no, obviously."

"Who bad man?" Seamus asked.

"Then who, mommy? Who came in 'Gate?"

"Through, and I don't know, darling. Here." She handed the baby to Maggie. "Can you look after them a bit longer?"

"Of course, Moira. What's going on?"

"I don't know..but I'll find out. Boys, stay here with Maggie. Daddy wants to see me." She kissed each boy, patted the dog. Headed for the infirmary.

John was standing, arms crossed in front of his chest. The little boy was sitting on a bed, staring round with wide blue eyes. His clothing was ordinary, a blue t-shirt and jeans. His hands were folded together on his lap, fingers twisting nervously together. It was unnerving, seeing a boy so like his own son but one that wasn't his son. John scowled, feeling the flash drive in his hand. Wondering what was on it. Wondering a hundred different things.

"Here we go, young man," Carson Beckett smiled. "I've got all I need for now." He turned to John. "He's fine. A wee bit undernourished. Carrying no pathogens, no viruses. I'll have a complete work-up in no time. I must say, the resemblance to our Johnny is remarkable, but you would never mistake one for the other."

"Different mothers," John replied. Eyed the little boy again. "Why did he send you here? And how did you get through the anomaly in the first place? Are you alone? What's on the flash drive? What is his agenda this time? Why Moira, of all people?"

"John? John, are you okay?" Moira rushed to his side, concerned. "What is the oh my God!" She froze, taking hold of her husband's arm. Staring at the little boy who was on the verge of tears. She looked at John who nodded. Back to the boy. She moved to him, touched his arm. "Hi. You must be the, the colonel's son. I'm Moira. What's your name?"

"Moira?" The little boy seemed to sag with relief. "Hi. I'm Johnny. Johnny Sheppard. I...I was sent to see you. I had, had a flash drive for you but, he...he daddy...I mean he took it." He pointed at John.

"How did you get through the–" John began but stopped as Moira raised a hand.

"It's all right. He will give it to me. You were very brave to travel all this way by yourself. Are you hungry? There's one thing I know about little boys and it's that they are always hungry!"

Johnny smiled. "Yes, I am hungry!"

Moira smiled. "Let's get something to eat and then you can tell me how you got here, okay? And then I will see that flash drive your daddy gave you to give to me. Carson?"

"He's fine, love. Harmless. Go. He needs a good meal."

Moira took the boy's hand. Led him past John who was staring at her. "What? He's a little boy, John, not a threat to be interrogated. Let's go, Johnny. Do you like cheeseburgers?"

"I love cheeseburgers!" the little boy enthused, walking beside her.

John shook his head. Sighed. "Do that work-up ASAP, doc. There has to be a reason that kid is here, and I need to know it now," he grumbled. Following after his wife.

Johnny stood suddenly. Tensing. He frowned. Moved to the wall. Touched a panel.

"What is, Johnny? What wrong?" Seamus asked, staring at his older brother.

"Something not right. I feel...I feel...it's...like..." Johnny concentrated. The city hummed, purring under his touch. Giving him access to every system. "Wraith! There's a Wraith in the city!" he announced.

"What? What Wraith? Johnny, what?" Seamus asked, baffled. He had heard the word but had never encountered one of the creatures.

"Johnny? There's not a Wraith in the city," Maggie reasoned, but the little boy ran past her, opening the door. "Johnny! Johnny, wait!" she called.

Johnny ran from their rooms, Seamus on his heels. The dog chased after them, barking. Johnny headed unerringly for his parents. "Mommy! Daddy! Daddy, there's a Wraith in city! There's a Wraith in city!" he shouted. Suddenly the city was blaring alarms.

"What the...Rodney?" John stopped, halting his wife by touching her shoulder.

"I'm not doing that!" Rodney replied, hands flying over the controls. "The city's detected a–"

"Mommy! Daddy! Daddy, there's a Wraith in city! There's a Wraith in city!" Johnny froze, seeing them. Seeing a kid with them that was similar to himself. Seamus bumped into him. The dog skidded to a halt, barking.

"Junior! Stand down! Crap." John moved to the wall. Touched it. "Rodney, I'm deactivating the system. It should be ready to reboot in five."

"Johnny, it's all right," Moira soothed. "Seamus. Meredith, hush! There's no Wraith in the city. This is, um...um...this is a friend. He came through the 'Gate to visit us. His name is Johnny."

"He...he...daddy?" Johnny asked, confused. He knew what his feelings were telling him. He stared at the little boy.

"Daddy, who?" Seamus asked, confused as well.

"It's all right, boys. Meredith, hush!" The dog became silent. "That's better. This kid came from the other reality. Like the bad man did, but the bad man isn't here now. He'll never come back here," John explained.

"We're going to have some lunch with him," Moira stated. "Let's all have lunch together. Johnny, it's all right." She resumed leading the little boy.

John took a hand of each son. Followed them. "This is too weird," he muttered.

Moira watched as the children ate. After their initial awkwardness they devoured their burgers, drank their milk. Sneaking bits of food to the dog under the table when they thought she wasn't looking. Moira smiled, pretended not to notice. She looked at John who was sitting next to her, opposite the three boys. His gaze locked on the kid. Hostility on his handsome face. Suspicion.

"John," she remonstrated.

"Sorry. I need answers, Moy," he muttered. "We're not running an orphanage here."

"John! In time." She elbowed him. Looked at the little boys as they finished their meal. Wiped their mouths with napkins. Drank the last of their milk. Looked at her expectantly. "Is that better?"

"Yes, thank you."

"Yes, mommy," Johnny replied.

"Yes, mommy!" Seamus enthused. "Can I have chocate?"

"Not now, honey. I remember the food wasn't that great in your city, was it?"

"No, it not as good as this," Johnny agreed. Fidgeting under John's stern gaze. He glanced at the two other boys. They were watching their mother and their father.

"All right. Why are you here? Did something happen to the city? Is the city in danger? Was it the Wraith or those weird aliens or did the colonel have some damn agenda to–"

"John!" She frowned. Shook her head. "It's all right, Johnny. Did you fly a ship to get here all by yourself?"

"And are you all by yourself?" John asked.

"I by myself. It...the ship on autopilot, but daddy showed me controls," the little boy answered, gaze locked on Moira. He wasn't afraid of her. His daddy had said that he should trust only her. Only her. She would be kind to him, care for him.

"Is the ship still on P1R729?" John asked. Already a mission forming in his mind.

"Yes. Hidden. Daddy told me to, to cloak it so I get home safe."

"Good. We'll need to take a look at that ship."

"John," Moira warned. "You were very brave to fly a ship all by yourself. And to dial the 'Gate and come here. It must be very important, the reason your daddy sent you here."

The little boy nodded. "Daddy...daddy said to see you. Give you the flash drive."

"So why are you here?" John repeated, irritated.

"John, you're not helping!" Moira smiled at the boy. "Let's take a look at that flash drive and then we can talk. Is your father okay?" She ignored John's snort.

"Yes, daddy's okay. The city's okay too."

"And your mother?"

"Mommy okay too. I...I don't see her much."

"Who mommy?" Seamus whispered.

"Not our mommy," Johnny stated firmly.

"Boys," Moira remonstrated. "Let's go. I'll need my data pad and it's in our room. Then I can see the flash drive. John." She held out her hand.

John scowled. Reluctantly handed her the flash drive. Stood. "Let's go, boys."