Saying goodbyes.
Chapter Seven
A/N: Thank you, Wonderwoman1970, dpdp, and Thunder18 for reviewing, I know it's a little late, but I really appreciate all your encouraging words about TBBA. It has kept me going, knowingly you guys are waiting for the next chapter. Disclaimer: I own only the second generation of SGC members. The first are the companies.
Harry and Rodney hobbled into the bunker's control room. Harry sighed, thinking 'Why must there always be an emergency these days?"
Rodney was tired of all the saving the world bit. It didn't feel the same as it did in his younger years. He was tired of everything and he knew no one wanted Dr. Rodney McKay around. The Rebels had Addilynn to save their bacon.
Rodney constantly catching himself remembering the times on Atlantis. Sheppards, the Dexes, and Rodney McKay, all part of the infamous A-1. He missed those times. The Sga team wasn't the same with out Sheppard and the two Dexes.
"Ah good you're here." Addie spoke from the center consol. "We're about to begin transferring everyone to the Cabin for one last time." Turning to the two old men, she continued. "Thought you guys would like to come and say good bye to the rest of the team."
Harry instantly knew who she was talking about. Whenever they lost a team member, they were buried next to the lake. Jack's Cabin had become sort of a sad place for the Rebels, but it also served to remind them why they did what they did. The team members she was talking about were Jack, Sam, Cyntha, John, & Susie Sheppard. Flanna, Ronon, and Amelia Dex. And the rest of the Rebels that didn't make it. The Atlantis members' didn't have their bodies buried at the lake, only a headstone and one piece of something that they always carried. In Ronon's case, his sword that he had made from Wraith.
"We'll like that. I don't like leaving the rest, behind." Rodney spoke softly. He had changed in ways that no one from his past would think was possible. Instead of the arrogant, ego happy McKay from his youth, this McKAy was sadder and had seen many battles.
"I know you don't Rodney, but it's for the best. Maybe out there, once we finish you can have the cabin to yourself and visit them whenever you get the need to." Addie understood what McKay was going through perfectly. Her parents were buried there, well the original set, not the ones that they had brought back from the past.
"Come on, we should start getting ourselves over there soon." Addie spoke to the older men, who had lost much and still found the strength to fight like the younger members.
Getting to the cabin was easier than usual, partially do to the fact that one of the Gou'ald's had recently been killed and their net had kinda broke. Remembering the old Jumpers in the hangar, The squad that flew from the bunkers' was a little small. But every one would get a ride out to the Cabin on the lake and then pilot the ships to Elizabeth's hangar, when the Asgard mothership arrived.
*()*
Bridget landed her 302 next to the other's on the lake, one of Addie's numerous improvements. Getting out, she stepped on the old wooden dock. Knowing instantly where she would go, the others didn't talk to her until after she had gone to a special glade. Inside the glade held only the headstones for Bridget's family. Everyone of those caskets were empty.
John Sheppard's headstone was one of the points of the triangle. The other points were made by Susan and Cyntha.
Bridget kneeled in-front of John's, just sitting there, tears streaming down her face. With her father's last breath, he had tried to save his girls. Only Bridget had walked out of that explosion alive. Susan, the oldest daughter of John, died trying to go back for their father, she knew dad the oldest and was technically only Bridget's half sister, but that didn't make their bond any less stronger. Cyntha was the middle and she had died trapped under debris, when Atlantis was under attack, It was her, that John was trying to rescue when the gou'ald had bombed that part of the city. Neither had made it out alive.
Susan had made it out, but had died from the exstant of her injuries. Three hours later, the rest of Atlantis buried another Sheppard.
Bridget whispered to the empty graves, knowing that she may never see the marble headstones again. She told them about the upcoming mission and why they were abandoning Earth. Once done, she started to pull the overgrown weeds from the headstones. She remembered the promise that she had made to John right before he was killed and smiled. "I promise to keep my wings and fly a true course, Dad, always."
*()*
Cora looked towards the glade, where the Atlantis members were buried. Bridget usually went there before she joined in the parties or whatnot. Cora knew the pain of loosing Atlantis, but in Bridget it was bigger, not only did she loose Atlantis, but she lost the only family that she ever had. Cora had lost her mother, Amelia two days after she was born, but her father had always been there for her. And when she needed some help, she could always go to Flanna. But both died in Pegasus. Looking around, Cora noticed that everyone was acting like this was a funeral. For many it just might be.
But the reason they had to say goodbye was so that they could save the galaxy once more. Fate it'self had been cruel to this generation of Stargate personnel, but they had grit and the Gou'ald could never take that away.
General O'Neill was grilling burgers and dogs, while Sam was putting a plate of already done meat on the table. Addie and Ayl were bickering, but when are they not? Dakota was sitting alone nursing a beer, looking a bit depressed. McKay and Maybourne were reminiscing about the good old years, and Izzy and Daniel had gotten together to compare notes on archaeology.
Vala and Mitchell didn't know what to do and were standing in a corner. Teal'c was talking with Ethan about fighting. And Adam was hovering over Jack, always the cook or doctor.
And Bridget was coming out of the glade, done saying her goodbyes. Cora noticed the tear stains on her face and the renewed set of her shoulders. Loosing her family, to Bridget was like getting a knife twisted in her heart, they were as close a family as ever. Linda, Bridget's wolf trotted out from her spot on the deck to meet her mistress. Smiling, Bridget got down on one knee to play with her.
Linda had been a Christmas present from John to his three girls and she had stayed with Bridget ever since Atlantis, no one could blame her really.
*()*
After meeting his kids, Jack was sorely impressed. Each one was unique, but they worked together like they had always done just that. Looking around he tried to spot Fran, but he didn't see the Black Ops agent. Thinking, Jack came to realize that even though he hadn't known about them for long, his kids looked up to him and Carter. Smiling, Jack spotted Addie and Sam pouring over notebooks of science stuff. Shaking his head, Jack grabbed the last plate of burgers and dogs and headed their way.
"Thought this was a party not work." He told the two scientists In the family. Looking up, Sam smiled.
"This isn't work, this is fun." She told Jack, knowing how he frequently tried to tell her to get a life.
"Uh-huh and it's time to eat, so put the notebooks away." Jack told the two sternly. He was just glad that the O'Neill family didn't end up with more scientists than just the two.
*()*
Once done saying their goodbyes and Dakota broke the news of Fran not coming back. It put their little get together in a dismal mood. Addie closed herself off to everyone, including Ayl, regretting that she ordered Fran to go on that misson. Not even Sam or Jack, who was starting to feel close to their kids, could draw her out of it.
Jack was a little sad that he didn't meet Fran, someone that the Twins had high praise for.
"Let's get this show on the road. We stay here too long and we won't be able to complete our mission." Bridget voiced what everyone else didn't want to say.
