Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis

Note: Thanks for the reviews and I have finally decided what I'm going to do with Liz and Jack.

Cheyenne Mountain Complex (June 5th 2010)

Lt Colonel John Sheppard sat patiently in the briefing room with all the surviving members of his team who were well enough to attend. While Elizabeths' condition was the worse, several scientist and Marines were still unable to leave the infirmary meaning only John, Rodney, Teyla, St Bates and Dr Zelenka were present at the briefing.

Rodney was fidgeting next to John,

"McKay pack it in"

There was no real force behind his words but it still caused Rodney looked up at him; he could clearly see that John was agitated. He hadn't wanted to leave Elizabeth to attended this briefing but while Elizabeth was incapacitated he was the most senior member of the team, meaning he was the one with his head on a platter if the Joint Chiefs didn't like what he had to say.

Rodney quickly stopped his fidgeting and sat still.

The door to the briefing room opened and Jack walked in followed by the Joint Chiefs, John, ignoring how his side was protesting, and Bates stood up immediately followed somewhat sluggishly by the non-military members of the room. John and Bates saluted simultaneously and it was returned by Jack and the Joint Chiefs.

"Colonel Sheppard, St Bates. At ease"

John, Bates and the team sat down, a moment later Jack and the Joint Chiefs followed suit. Jack cleared his throat.

"I think firstly we should give you are condolences for the members of the expedition that were lost. Their sacrifice shall not go unforgotten."

John nodded.

"Thank you Sir"

Jack nodded and began again

"And I think I speak for everyone when I say that I hope Dr Weir will pull through without any serious complications"

John saw the look in Jack's eyes and was shocked. His eyes were dark, as if he was trying to block out any emotions he was feeling. John shook his head; he was being irrational.

Jack turned to John.

"Colonel, I think the first thing we should concern ourselves with is what happened before you stepped through that 'Gate and how.

John nodded and cleared his throat; he received a look of support from Rodney, and closed his eyes before beginning.

"We were caught up in midst a war, the likes of which nobody from Earth has ever seen. Twenty Wraith Hive Ships were coming, we'd never had to deal with that kind of opposition before, we didn't stand a chance so we decided to destroy the city. Drs McKay, Zelenka, Simpson and Kavanagh were working on how to increase the explosive power of our self destruct system while myself, St Bates, Lt Ford, St Stackhouse, Teyla, Colonel Caldwell and Dr Weir set C-4 charges all around this city…"

:Flashback:

Atlantis (June 3rd 2010)

The early morning sunshine shone onto the many balcony's of Atlantis but there was no time to enjoy it.

Elizabeth stood in front of the final members of her city, only 50 of them were left, 50 people that may not survive.

"I know we have expected this coming for a long time and I know we have done everything in our power to stop it, we can't give up. I know you are all tired and I know we're all scared but we have to believe that we will survive."

She looked to John and he gave her a supportive smile, she returned it and looked back at her team.

"Rodney, Radek, Simpson and Kavanagh I need your team to keep working on increasing explosive power of the self destruct as much as you can even a small percentage will greatly help."

She turned to John, Ford and the team.

"Colonel Sheppard, Colonel Caldwell, I want your team to continue placing C-4 around the more sensitive areas of Atlantis. If the Wraith want this place in one piece I intend to disappoint them"

John and Caldwell nodded.

"Yes Ma'am"

John looked straight into her eyes and she looked into his. They were both determined to make sure their people survived this.

While Rodney and the scientists disappeared in one direction, John, Elizabeth and the military team headed off in another.

"We'll set the charges to go off by remote control, keep your radios on, two clicks and you're clear to talk"

Caldwell laid down the rules while the rest of the team listened attentively.

"Groups of two and cover as much of the city as possible"

Elizabeth and John instantly teamed up, as did Teyla and Ford. The rest of the team got into pairs and went their separate ways.

As John and Elizabeth got further away from the group he glanced at her, she'd changed. She now carried a weapon but after all the attacks on Atlantis in recent months he couldn't blame her. She'd given the order two days before when a ZPM had been found that they were going back to Earth. No arguments. They couldn't stay.

John was broke out of his musing when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He grabbed Elizabeths' arm and stopped her. She turned back to him and he gestured next to him. They curiously sneaked around the corner and John took out a life signs detector, there was something in their immediate position and they shouldn't have been.

He picked up his radio and quietly whispered.

"We have unidentified targets in the city, be on your guard, all of you"

Two taps came over the radio followed by Fords' voice.

"Understood sir, you two be careful"

John and Elizabeth walked into the direction of the target. As they slipped around the corner, they saw the target. John aimed his P-90 and Elizabeth picked up her radio.

"We have Wraith in the city; I repeat there are Wraith in the city"

Suddenly uncountable amounts of shots were heard from next to Elizabeth, she turned round and saw John lowering his P-90, he turned to her. It had to be done, she knew that, but even though she carried and used a gun, there was still something about them which made her uneasy.

"Let's go"


John and Elizabeth slipped around the city setting charges in pre-determined places. As they were nearing their final position, they heard gunfire that quickly silenced. Ford and Teyla were the nearest to their position.

"Ford, Teyla what was that? Ford, Teyla please respond"

The only response they received was static. John and Elizabeth shared a look, John quickly set the last charge and he and Elizabeth headed off to direction the gunfire had come from moments before.

They ran, faster and faster. John took out his life signs detector again and saw that there were five targets a few corridors away from them. The five targets were stationary and John concluded that it had to be either Ford and Teyla or Wraith.

They quickly made their way to the targets and stopped when they saw what was happening. There were three Wraiths plus Ford and Teyla. Two of the Wraiths were holding Teyla while the third was sucking the life out of Ford. John froze, no it couldn't be happening again, not another one. John lifted his P-90 but his finger froze on the trigger. He was flooded with the memory of Colonel Sumner. Of his finger pressing against the trigger ending his life.

John couldn't bare to take another life, he couldn't. Ford was dead he knew it, Elizabeth knew it, Teyla and Ford knew it, but he couldn't bare to do it. Ford was going to suffer and there was nothing he could do about it. John closed his eyes, a shot rang out and John quickly opened his eyes. He saw Elizabeth stood next to him, tears falling from her eyes and freshly fired gun in her hands. He looked over and saw both Ford and the Wraith laying on the floor, both dead.

John gazed back over to Elizabeth, she didn't, she couldn't have. Quickly John snapped out of his thoughts and shot the two guards standing either side of Teyla. The Wraith fell down and stayed down. John rushed to Teyla and helped her to stand up. Teyla got to her feet and steadied herself. Then she saw him, laying on the floor dead. She rushed to Fords side.

"Aiden, Aiden wake up…please…wake up"

She knew he was dead. Tears formed in her eyes and John dragged her away from Ford. She tried to fight against him but she was too upset to fight for long. John held Teyla tightly in his arms and he gazed over to Elizabeth who simply closed her eyes, causing her more tears to fall from her eyes, and walked away from them.


John and Teyla walked into the lab where Rodney and the scientists were working on the self-destruct. John hadn't been able to find Elizabeth since the incident with Ford. He figured if she was anywhere she'd be there. He sat Teyla down near and gazed around the room. He couldn't see Elizabeth or Rodney.

He went over to Zelenka.

"Radek, as Elizabeth come in here?"

Redek nodded.

"Yes, she's with Rodney in his office. She looked upset."

John nodded and went over to Rodney's office; he opened the door slightly and saw Elizabeth, her head in her hands and Rodney gently rubbing her back.

"You did the right thing Elizabeth. I know Ford wouldn't have wanted to die at the hands of a Wraith."

Elizabeth lifted her head and looked at Rodney.

"That doesn't make it right. I've never killed anybody before Rodney. The look in Teylas' eyes when she saw him. She was devastated."

Elizabeths' sobs became harder and Rodney pulled her into a hug.

"It's okay Elizabeth, it's okay."

John shut the door and fought back his own tears. He knew Elizabeth would feel guilty about it but he didn't understand just how guilty she'd feel. She took a life, she took the life of her friend, someone she cared about. He had a feeling she wouldn't bounce back from that very easily.

John gazed over the lab, Kate was sat with Teyla trying desperately to comfort her, the scientists were putting the finishing touches to the self-destruct and the rest of the military personal were beginning to assemble. It was going to be the fight of their life.

:End of Flashback:

John pushed back the tears which were forming in his eyes again, he wasn't even half-way through what happened that day, there was so much loss, so much sadness that day. He didn't know if he could talk about it anymore, he knew they wouldn't understand, how could they?

Jack saw John fall, heard how his voice cracked when he talked about Elizabeth firing that deadly shot. He had no idea what they'd been through, only they did. He knew Elizabeth wouldn't have fired that shot without thinking of the consequences first. He knew in the same position, he'd have fired that shot as well.

TBC…

I'll conclude with the flashbacks next chapter.