SUMMARY: Finally, we have some long anticipated reunions with the Lanteans' families. Also, John gets into trouble and meets someone unexpected.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Stargate: Atlantis.

Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions.

I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).


Chapter Seven

Family

Dr. Rodney McKay was nervously staring at the normal looking house in the quiet neighbourhood of the small Canadian town. He had never believed that this moment would ever come. In their first year, right after they had discovered that the Wraith were on their way to Atlantis, he had thought about her and lamented the fact that he had never reconciled with his sister Jeannie. They had parted ways many years ago, after he told her that he couldn't understand how she could give up her academic career for someone like this Kaleb guy.

Now, he mused, he understood his sister better than ever before. Before – and it was how he thought of it now always – he had never had a true family. Of course, there was Jeannie, but at that time the rift between them had already existed. He had had no friends, only colleagues, who found him too arrogant or too smart or too irritating. Until Atlantis.

Atlantis was where his family was now; John, Elizabeth, Ronon, Teyla, Radek and all the others. Perhaps they were also the reason why he wanted to see Jeannie again, why he wanted to try to regain what was lost.

The taxi had disappeared a long time ago and he still hesitated. What was he afraid of? Being rejected? It would mean nothing, he reassured himself. He still had Atlantis.

Nodding to himself, Rodney straightened, gripped the small blue bag with the letters `USAF` tighter and began walking determinedly towards the front door. With a deep breath he knocked forcefully and tried to keep the panic that had suddenly appeared from rising even further. Oh, how he wished to have his assault rifle with him or even a P-90!

When the door opened, he was unprepared for the sight that greeted him. He had expected Jeannie or even her husband Kaleb to open the door, not a little blonde girl of about ten. She looked up at him curiously and he realized that this was his niece. Her hair was exactly like his sister's.

They stared at each other for a while, before he heard a familiar voice call from the inside.

"Madison! Who is it? Is it your friend David from…" The voice trailed off, as his sister Jeannie stared at him, as if she had seen a ghost. She probably had.

"Madison, please go inside. You can watch TV, if you like." Jeannie's voice was shaky, her wide eyes looking at him in shock.

"Hello, Jeannie." Rodney finally stated quietly, shifting from one foot to the other, though his eyes didn't stray from his sibling for a moment.

She had not changed overly much these past few years; not like he had. Her blonde hair was shorter than he remembered, but still the same color. He could see the same little idiosyncrasies from her childhood in her movements. She was not as slim as years ago, but it suited her, filling her figure out a bit and making her glow. Apparently, being a mother agreed with her.

"Meredith?" She whispered in such an unbelieving, desperate tone that he didn't have the heart to reprimand her for the use of that hated name. "It's really you…" she trailed off, then suddenly rushed forward and captured him in a tight embrace.

Jeannie's body shook with silent sobs, as he put his arms around her and hugged her back. It was an interesting feeling. For so long he had wondered what this meeting would be like. He had imagined many things, ranging from anger to indifference and not once had he believed that his sister would be glad to see him, especially after what had happened between them.

A piece deep inside of his very being suddenly shifted back into place and he hugged her even tighter. Until this very moment, he had not been aware how much he had really missed his sister. Before, he and his sister had been close. To have this closeness within reach again was a heady feeling. Breathing her scent in deeply, he was suddenly transported back to their childhood. She smelled of sunshine, peaches and flowers. It was something he had always associated with her and it was comforting to have this again.

Pulling back slightly from Jeannie, his eyes traveled over her once again. While definitely looking like she had been crying, her face glowed with happiness.

"Mere." She whispered affectionately, his name barely loud enough for him to hear. It was as if she feared that he would disappear again, if she spoke louder.

"Hello, Jeannie." He repeated his earlier words warmly.

"I thought…" she began. "They said that you were dead years ago!"

He sighed, shook his head and then proceeded to go into the kitchen he could see from the hallway, Jeannie following him. Seating himself, he tiredly rubbed his forehead, a massive headache starting to appear.

"The Expedition I am on disappeared five years ago." He started, not clarifying further, as he still remembered that everything about the stargate was classified. A strange thing, truly, because for the past five years he had lived in a galaxy, where everyone knew about the stargate, the Wraith and had most probably heard about Atlantis. "We have only made contact some weeks ago. Everybody here believed that we were probably dead."

"What have you gotten yourself into, Meredith?" She asked with a shake of her head, emitting something that was part fear, part annoyance.

Dismay stirred in him, a remnant of Before, but he quickly squashed the feeling.

"Something interesting. Something challenging." He replied passionately; the feeling that he had to defend his current lifestyle surfacing again. This had always been one of their argument points. She had always worried about his life and the few social contacts he had had. But that was Before! "I am happy." He finally stated and it was clear that these three words were enough to stop her rant, before she even started.

He remembered then that he had never said something like that to her before. Rodney McKay had never truly been content with his life. It was ironic that it had taken moving to another galaxy for him to be happy. The fact that this galaxy was infected with alien vampires made it even more so. Before, Rodney McKay had been a coward. At least, he had always believed it of himself. There was no daredevil attitude in him; no little defying-the-odds-Sheppards running around in his head. Even as a child, he had always looked at the world as a cynical realist. Life was no fairytale. If someone held a gun to your head, then it was a surety that you would wind up dead. In the same way he had always seen people. They were and always had been selfish creatures. It was in their nature. If they had the choice to betray you in order to get something for themselves, then they would. It was that simple.

It had been that simple. At least until he had arrived in Atlantis. Before, he had nobody he truly trusted. In Atlantis it was different. First there was Sheppard and suddenly Rodney realized that self-sacrificing heroes really existed. Then there were the other scientists, all from different countries and every single one as passionate about their work as he was. It was then that he realized what true respect really meant. And then there were all the others: soldiers, Athosians, children, Satedans and many, many more. Only then had he learned what a family of the soul was and with that family he had changed.

Rodney McKay had changed into a man that nobody who had known him Before would recognize. He had found courage in himself and love for his mismatched family. Oh, he still was arrogant and socially-inept and sarcastic, but now he had people who understood his little quirks and accepted him for who he was. And this acceptance he had never found Before. So it was without doubts or regrets – for who could regret going on an expedition that had made his life so much better? – that he repeated his earlier statement.

"I am happy." The certainty and sheer belief in his words resonated clearly in the kitchen and it was obviously enough for his sister to sit back and look him over carefully.

Before, her penetrating gaze would have made him fidget or uncomfortable, but it was different now. Over the last five years he had learned patience. It had been a necessary skill to have and had saved his life and those of his people many times. Inside he was amused that he had approached the reunion with his sister like he would a battlefield or a particularly dangerous experiment. It was a clear sign of just how much this meeting meant to him.

Finally, she nodded slightly and put a cup of tea in front of him, which she had just made.

She believed him.

"So, tell me about your friends." The hesitant request was spoken softly, but it was the first true peace offering in over ten years. Perhaps the rift between them could be mended again.

As Rodney began to fill Jeannie in on various things about his soul-family – everything that was not classified, that is –, he finally began to relax. Jeannie was family. Family was important. It was a start.


Stepping out of the taxi, Elizabeth once again took a deep breath, staring at the old townhouse in Georgetown. It was a quiet, well-off neighborhood with many historical, beautiful houses. Not far from the Potomac and with a low crime rate, it had been the perfect place to grow up. Many countries had their embassies in Georgetown, something that had been convenient with her job. There was, of course, also the Georgetown University.

In this atmosphere of good higher education, history and politics, it was no wonder that Elizabeth Weir had, too, chosen the way of diplomacy and law.

Being here again was strange, though. Georgetown looked like it had not changed at all, just like her parents' house. To come here again, after so many years, was both uncomfortable and strangely comforting.

On the one hand, it brought back many good memories of her days in D.C and of her childhood. Her parents had loved her very much – still did, as far as she knew – and had influenced her strongly. It would be good to see them again, to hold them and hug them.

On the other hand, she was not the same person she had been before she stepped off Earth and traveled to the Pegasus galaxy. All that this place represented, the diplomacy, the peace, the law; it was still part of her, she couldn't deny that, but she was now not as innocent as she had been all those years ago. Elizabeth Weir had fundamentally changed. She had killed people, not only in defense but in cold blood, also. In order to become a leader, she had laid down her scruples and did, what was necessary so that Atlantis and her people could live.

Over the years, she had accepted this new part of herself. Although all of them had tried to hang on to the morals of Earth – and they had mostly succeeded –, it had not always been possible. Pegasus was a harder place and it had made harder people out of them all.

Atlantis had given her so much: true we-will-go-to-hell-with-you-and-back friends, a big, diverse family, an exciting but tiring calling, her son and the love of her life. She would never give up these things, but she always remembered the price she had to pay for them.

What would her mother say, if she knew that her only daughter was capable of shooting a man in the head with a sniper rifle? Or that she knew how to snap the neck of someone just with her bare hands? That she had done exactly that?

It was probably her greatest fear. Would her parents accept her like she was now?

She didn't know the answer, feared it, but there was no way back. They had been informed that she was alive by the Air Force. They knew that she was coming.

Squaring her shoulders and suddenly wishing that John were beside her – they had both decided that it was perhaps too soon to confront her parents with the knowledge that she was not only married but had a son, also –, she slowly began walking towards the front door.

She was only a few feet away from it, when it suddenly flew open and her mother ran out, tears in her eyes, and threw herself at Elizabeth. Tightening her arms around the smaller woman, Elizabeth closed her eyes and breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Maybe this meeting would not be as bad as she had feared.

Drawing a bit back, she scrutinized one Dr. Sophia Sarah Weir. Her hair color was still the same chocolate brown and the blue eyes were filled with concern and never-ending happiness. Of course, that was to be expected. Her mother had thought her dead for many years.

"Oh, Lizzy…" her mother whispered softly, her tears not abating. "Oh, how good it is to have you back, my little Lizzy."

Feeling the tears gathering in her eyes, Elizabeth quickly blinked them away and gave her mother a soft, watery smile.

"Mom."

Strong arms wrapped around her from behind and she recognized the familiar scent immediately. It was a soothing mixture of sandalwood, grass and some kind of cologne that she had ever only associated with him. Warmth and love covered her from all sides. Her father, William Juval Weir, had both her and her mother in the safety of his embrace. The stress and worry that had so consumed her from the time she had heard about the Earth team in Pegasus had simply fallen away. Like a little girl, she felt elation wash over her.

It took a long time before the hug was broken and the first emotional part of the reunion was over.

Relaxing with a cup of hot chocolate on the old leather couch – which had always been her couch, where she could sit and think –, she sighed heavily. The emotional release of their reunion had made her tired. She wanted nothing more but to sleep, though she knew that it was not possible. Her parents were waiting for an explanation.

"We are so happy to have you with us again, Liz." Her father said softly. He was a tall man with piercing green eyes and brown hair that was mostly grey. The intensity of his gaze and his determined demeanor were things she had inherited from him. William Weir had always been her hero, the one person she had tried to emulate. He had been first a lawyer, then a successful politician and diplomat, who had garnered a lot of respect in D.C..

Sitting now here in front of them, she knew that it would be difficult to not say anything about what had happened to her. Elizabeth knew her parents very well. Her mother, a very good psychologist, would be analyzing her behavior and she would recognize quickly that her daughter had changed drastically. Her father, on the other hand, would be asking questions and inquiring with other sources about her job. A lawyer was somebody who was crafty and intelligent. He would not believe her explanations easily.

"Where have you been?" And here was the question she had dreaded, but knew would come.

"You know that I can't tell you." She sighed, then held up her hand, when she saw that he was about to protest. "I signed a non-disclosure agreement, Dad, and you very well know that I can't break that, not even for you."

Seeing their disappointed faces, she tried to soften the blow. It was hard for them to accept it. Waiting several years for word about their daughter, but not getting anything out of the Air Force except that she had been declared M.I.A., presumed K.I.A., was not something they had taken well.

"What I'm doing is important and I love my job."

"Your job is dangerous." William said, then held up a finger warningly. "Don't try to deny it, Liz. You have been missing for years! Don't tell me it's worth it! A job, no matter how good or important, is nothing without family! When will you think about finally settling down? Maybe take a less dangerous job? I know you, Liz. You'll be going back there again, aren't you?"

His speech was getting more passionate with every single word. Trying to rub the headache threatening to emerge away, Elizabeth switched in what she called `diplomat-mode`. In this state of being, she could sit calmly for what could be hours, appearing to be polite, while not giving away that she was either ticked off or just plain annoyed.

She shouldn't have been so surprised, she mused silently, listening to her father lay down more and more reasons, why she should settle down in peaceful, non-dangerous D.C. and have 2.5 kids, a house with a white fence and a dog – what had happened to Sedgewick anyway? –, not to mention the boring, absolutely mediocre husband.

Elizabeth knew, of course, the reason why her father did this. As a child, she had always been daddy's little girl. The strength of their bond had held fast throughout her teenage years into adulthood. She adored her father and he wanted her to be safe. When she had first made the decision to go into the field of diplomacy – and diplomacy in regions where the tensions were very, very high –, he had been understandably concerned. Elizabeth remembered that conversation to this day. She had just gotten back from Indonesia, where she had been kidnapped by some rebels in the North. It had taken three weeks until Special Forces were able to liberate her and the other prisoners. Naturally, this incident had only increased the over-protectiveness of her father. Apparently, the same thing was happening here.

Deciding that the best defense was an offense, Elizabeth quickly brought her father's rant to a stop.

"I am married and I do have a child." That tactic works every time, Elizabeth mused sardonically.

The silence that followed was both dumbfounded and strangely awed. She could understand the shock, but was mildly insulted by the awe. Did they really think she couldn't be wife and mother, while still doing her job?

"When?"

"How?"

"When? Several years ago. How? Gee, Dad, I would say that you know very well how," she answered dryly, "but Aras, my ten year old son, is adopted."

Her father's incredulous look, clearly a reaction to her uncommon response – since when was she so sarcastic? – had her cursing John and his influence on her. It was obviously his doing. Five years ago, she would never have answered in such a way, especially not her parents. Of course, five years ago, she had not been married to an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel nor had a son who was not from Earth.

Taking a sip from her now cold chocolate, she inwardly searched for the next course of action. The shock would wear off soon and she had to use her advantage, while she still could. With that decision firmly in place, she began to regale her parents with tales of her friends, John and Aras.

Perhaps if she could convince them that she was truly happy, they would become easier to deal with.

This was not how she expected her visit to go, but somehow it was oddly appropriate. She had always had to argue her point to get what she wanted from her parents and often, it had been quite a fight until a compromise was reached. No doubt, it had made her into a great diplomat, but sometimes she wished that her parents would be easier to deal with.


John smiled broadly, when he heard the clear, loud laughter of his son. After the visit with the president and taking Aras from Lieutenant Shawn, they had left everything at Elizabeth's house and while she went to confront her parents, they decided to go to the National Zoo.

Now seeing the happy green eyes of his son practically glowing as he went on about the various animals he had seen, John could only feel that they had made the right decision in taking Aras with them. Their son had always been curious and the birth planet of his parents had been a place he had wanted to see for a long time. The wide-eyed wonder in Aras' gaze as he saw the skyscrapers, the cars and so many people definitely made this trip worth it.

Though he had to admit that it felt strange for him to be back on Earth. He didn't kid himself. There would be some changes happening in Atlantis. It was inevitable after making contact with their birth planet again. The political maneuvering Elizabeth did this morning would give them a little breathing room, but nobody believed that this would be the end of it. Woolsey and the IOA would fight them tooth and nail over Atlantis and although they apparently had the president's support and that of General O'Neill, it would still be a tough fight.

Thinking about this upcoming battle, his thoughts wandered to Elizabeth. His wife was now meeting with her parents; parents she had not seen in over five years. They had talked about their families on Atlantis, especially in the first year. From her descriptions they were wonderful people, who loved her very much, but had the same curiosity that was such a big part of Elizabeth. He knew from experience that it would be hard for them to accept that they wouldn't be able to know about what their daughter was doing. It was obvious that it was a dangerous job and like any good parents, they wouldn't want her to continue doing it.

Of course, he had no concerns going in that direction. Elizabeth was as devoted to Atlantis as she was to him and to Aras, but it would still be hard for her.

He sighed once again and whished for the umpteenth time that he was with her and that he could help her. John knew, naturally, why she wanted to confront them herself, before introducing them to her husband and son, but knowing it was the right thing to do was not enough in some cases.

Glancing at his son running around some twenty meters down the road, dressed in typical Earth clothes and licking an ice cream, he wondered how Aras would react to his grandparents.

Suddenly, he was ripped out of his musings by the loud call of his son.

"Darius! Darius!" The voice of Aras was calm, but he knew him well enough to realize that something was wrong. Gripped by the fear only a father could experience, he rushed forward and finally stopped dead in his steps, when he saw what had made Aras so agitated.

Lying some meters away from the road, hidden by bushes and trees, was a young man with blood covered clothes. Was he dead? John kneeled beside him to check the pulse and found it beating faintly.

Groaning, John reached for the new, shiny cell phone that the people at the SGC had given him and dialed 911, calling for help.

Pressing a hand to the deep wound over the young man's chest, he noticed the `Semper Fi` tattooed onto the young man's arm.

"Come on, Marine. Don't you dare give up on me!" John whispered forcefully, his thoughts thrown back to his own people. Over the last five years he had seen too many of them die, had been too many times in situations such as this.

Then, suddenly, the young man's eyes opened just a bit, green eyes – eyes just like his son's – peaking out.

"Hold on, Marine. Help is on its way."

Something must have given away that he was military, because the marine brokenly whispered a weak `sir`. John knew the look in his eyes. These were the eyes of someone, who knew that he was going to die.

"Sir…restore…honor…my men…" Each word was accompanied with blood, as the marine slowly but surely walked into the arms of death.

In the end, these were the last words the young marine would ever say. Shortly afterwards, he faded away into eternal slumber. Closing his eyes with regret, John sighed heavily. It was not fair that someone who had most of his life before him would die in such a way. Unfortunately, John had learned early on that life wasn't fair and, that for the most part, he could not change this sad fact.

Laying a hand on Aras' shoulder – the boy still looked too calm for a ten year old, who had seen a dead man – John prepared to dial the number he dreaded. He had wanted to make this time easier for Elizabeth, respecting her whishes to deal with her parents alone, and had taken Aras on a nice, little stroll through Rock Creek Park. It figured that he would stumble on a dying man. He was John Sheppard, after all.

"Let's hope your mother doesn't kill me." He stated resignedly to his son, who grinned weakly, though the grin was more of a grimace. Aras had seen many people die in his young life and John and Elizabeth, both, had tried to shield him from it as best as they could. Regretfully, that was not always possible. Not even on Earth, it seemed.

Punching in her number, he waited until he heard her beloved voice again.

"Elizabeth…we might be coming in a little later than we thought…you see…"


Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, John decided, was not somebody you crossed. The older man reminded him somewhat of the late Colonel Sumner. Both were intelligent and obviously good at their jobs, not to mention Marines to the core.

After the police had arrived, taken his statement and looked over the now dead young man, it was decided that the case fell into the jurisdiction of something called the NCIS. It had taken him some time until he remembered what that was. Before Atlantis he had not worked with too many people, who were not Air Force, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service was an agency he had never come into contact with.

Now, he remembered it again. The NCIS was the Navy's primary security, counter-intelligence, counter-terrorism, and law enforcement agency. Seeing as how the dead marine was a Corporal David Flannert, the police officers had quickly called the NCIS team. This was also why he and Aras were now sitting in a sunny conference room talking to the three agents working the case.

"Is that everything he said, Colonel?" The tone was polite, though John detected a hint of suspicion behind it. Not that he really expected anything else from the silver-haired man. Having fought too long in a hostile galaxy, John had adopted some peculiar habits, when faced with an interrogation. And this was an interrogation, no matter how nice everything looked.

"Yes, Agent Gibbs." The answer came out cool but also polite. John knew that his utterly relaxed posture and the way he handled the interrogation was putting Agent Gibbs on edge; and not only him from the looks of things. The black haired woman introduced as Officer Ziva David was eyeing him like a dangerous animal that would bite her. He had worked with Israeli agents before and the good Officer was definitely Mossad. John bet that she had been in such situations before and of all of them here, she would be the only one capable of the things he had done.

Oh, he didn't doubt Agents Dinozzo or Gibbs. They were competent, that was a certainty, but none of them had the sheer efficiency to kill in cold blood like he had during The Storm. John had always been able to recognize the people who could and he was absolutely convinced that Ziva David was one such person. Perhaps it was the reason why she reacted that way to him. She, at least, suspected what he was capable of.

"Where can we reach you, if we need to speak to you again?" Gibbs asked.

Reciting Elizabeth's address to him, John stood up, holding out his hand to Aras, who had been quietly watching the rest of the proceedings after his own testimony.

"I believe that is all, Agent Gibbs?"

"For now."

Walking out of the conference room, John mentally sighed. For the first time on Earth after five years and the first thing he did was getting caught up in a murder investigation. This was definitely not the way he had imagined showing Aras his birth planet.

"John?!" They were only a few feet away from the elevator, when he heard the vaguely familiar voice calling out to him. Turning around, he immediately recognized her.

Short red hair and blue eyes were what greeted him. She was a few years older than him, but had always been the only one of his family, who could understand his desire to serve in the military – aside from her father, that is. Jenny Sheppard had always been his favorite cousin and she was probably the only one he had truly missed, while being in Pegasus.

"Hello, Jenny." A tentative smile stole over his face and he relaxed for the first time, since entering NCIS headquarters.

With determined strides she made her way down the stairs to him and enveloped him in a bear-hug. Carefully, he squeezed her back. Perhaps this day wasn't so bad, after all.

She stepped back again, beaming at him, before noticing Aras.

"And who is this?" She asked curiously. John knew that she had always been a sucker for children. Some things never changed, it seemed.

"My son, Aras." He smiled down at the child and ruffled his hair.

"Son?" The surprise was evident in her voice. "Seems like I missed a lot of things in your life. Hello, Aras." She kneeled in front of him and gave him a warm grin. "I'm your Aunt Jenny."

"Hello, Aunt Jenny."

"Well, this is certainly a surprise. I'd love to catch up with you, especially because I have not been able to get into contact with you over the last few years. I made some enquiries and they told me that you were M.I.A.." John saw her concern and was saddened by it. Of course, he would never change the path he now walked on, but sometimes he still lamented the fact that he would never be able to tell people not involved with the program of the things he did.

"Ah, you know how it is…" He trailed off.

"What are you doing here, by the way? I know that you had no idea that I'm director here."

"Director? Congratulations. As for being here…"

"The Colonel is a witness in our newest case, Jenny." The gruff voice of Agent Gibbs interrupted them. Obviously, he and what seemed like all of his team had been following the conversation between the cousins very closely. Berating himself for forgetting them, John elaborated on the short statement made by the agent.

"Aras and I were in Rock Creek Park, when we found a dying marine."

"Only you, John." She shook her head in wry amusement. It appeared that she had not forgotten his penchant for getting into trouble. "Colonel?"

"Lieutenant Colonel to be exact. And it's a recent development." John looked at his watch. "It's getting late and we need to get home. I would love to meet you, while I'm here in Washington. Your Agent Gibbs has my number, so call me, if you have time for dinner."

Giving her a last smile, the two Lanteans got into the elevator and escaped the NCIS building.

It had been an adventurous day.


"He is your cousin?" Asked Gibbs with a growling undertone. Jenny knew him well enough to recognize, when he didn't like someone. Stifling a smile, she nodded.

It had certainly been a surprise to see him again after so many years. After the announcement of his desire to enter the Air Force, most of the family had turned away from him. Only her father and she had kept in contact with him. Her father, a Marine General, had complemented him on his decision. Not being on good terms with his elder brother, who had decided to continue the family business as CEO of Sheppard Enterprises, her father had been very pleased to see a Sheppard enter into the military and even disregarded the fact that John was now Air Force and not a Marine.

Like her father, Jenny had always felt a kind of kinship with John. Though she still had contact with John's father and brother, they had never been as close to her as John had been. Until he disappeared from the face of the Earth.

She had made enquiries and contacted various sources to figure out what he was up to, but no one had been able to tell her, where her favorite cousin was. Whatever John was doing, it was obviously so important that even she, the director of the NCIS, had no access to the information concerning him.

"Yes, he is my cousin." She answered the question of Gibbs. "My favorite cousin, to tell the truth. He's a good man, Gibbs." Her voice contained an unspoken warning, though she was sure that her former lover picked up on it and would still disregard whatever she said. "No matter what you found, Jethro. I can guarantee you that John has nothing to do with it."

"You haven't seen him in years. People change."

"I know him well enough."

He only hmmed and walked away. Sighing she shook her head. She liked Gibbs, perhaps even loved him, but sometimes he just went too far for the sake of curiosity. It didn't matter in the end. Jenny was certain that whatever she said, Gibbs wouldn't let the matter of her cousin go. Especially now, when it concerned her, he would do everything to know if John was safe to be around.

Turning around and walking back to her office, she pondered if it was possible to bring John back together with the rest of his blood family. Many things had changed in the last few years. John's father had been devastated to hear that his son was missing and perhaps even not coming back from wherever he had ended up.

It would be hard, but she believed that it was worth it.

Gibbs was right. People did change, but they could do that for the better. John had a son, whom he loved very much from the look of things.

Deciding to call him that evening, she settled behind her desk and picked up another piece of paperwork. She would not miss the chance to reconnect with the one person, who had been like a brother to her.


She sighed with pleasure, when he lightly kissed her exposed neck. Leaning back against him, she snuggled a little bit closer, the worries of the day falling away from her in the wake of his kiss.

"How was your meeting with your parents?"

"Well, other than first trying to get me to quit my job and then to get me married, it went fine." She said dryly. "I think I shocked them a little, when I told them that I had a son and was already married." Punching him softly in the shoulder, she continued. "I blame your influence for that. I have never seen my father so shocked."

Chuckling in response, he nibbled at her neck.

"Oh no, my dear, that is entirely your doing. I remember that one time with the Cardisian delegates on M63-543…" He ducked the flying fist and laughed heartily. Catching her hands and forcing them to her back, he caught her lips in a passionate kiss, smirking slightly, when he perceived her moan of pleasure.

"Yeah, well, I still blame you." She suddenly turned serious. "What was this about today with the dead marine?"

Defending himself, he put his hands up in the air.

"I swear it is not my fault! Aries and I were simply taking a walk in the park, nothing else. Then we found him and were with the NCIS for the rest of the afternoon."

"NCIS?"

"Naval Criminal Investigative Service. It's Navy." He answered dismissively. "No reason to be concerned." Then he brightened. "You'll never guess who I met today. Director Jenny Sheppard."

"Your cousin?" She remembered the various stories he told her over the past few years. Jenny Sheppard had been the only one of his family, who he talked about with true affection.

"Yes. She's the director of NCIS. I told her to call here. I want to introduce her to you."

Her heart skipped a beat. They were married, true, but they had never been in the position to meet each other's family before. It made her nervous.

"That reminds me. My parents want to meet you and Aras, too." She stifled her amusement, when she saw that he, too, seemed nervous at the prospect of meeting her parents.

"Don't worry, they'll love you."

Together, they exited the kitchen, walked past the living room, where Aras was watching TV with fascination – he had only ever seen some movies that the Expedition had taken with them – and into the master bedroom.

Lying down on the bed, she sighed tiredly.

"What do you think?"

"About our meeting with the President, you mean?" He asked, not needing an answer. They understood each other without words; had been able to for years. "It's not going to be easy. Despite General O'Neill's reassurances, I'm still concerned. They might be able to pull it off, between the both of them. I read through some of the recent history of the Milky Way. They are in a very good position now. After removing the System Lords, there were only some other minor Goa'uld that kept them occupied. Nowadays, it's the big intergalactic crime syndicates that keep them on their toes, but none of them have the power to threaten Earth with apocalypse like the System Lords had been able to. The IOA does not have the power to stand up against both SG-1 and the SGC, not with the backing of the President. Still, we will have to make some concessions."

She nodded.

"With our sovereignty and independence, they'll want someone in Atlantis, who will keep an eye on their interests." She groaned, rubbing her head. "God! This was one thing I didn't miss about Earth: the endless political ploys! They give me headaches!"

"But luckily for us, you're good at them." He grinned, when she glared at him. "We'll have to be prepared."

She nodded.

"The IOA will want to meet with us in a few days. Until then, we have some breathing room."

"We'll get through this, Elizabeth. And through meeting our families. You'll love Jenny. She is fun to be around. Perhaps we can have dinner tomorrow? I'll call her."

Reassured by his presence, she cuddled closer to him and inhaled deeply. This week would not be easy, but she believed him, when he said that everything would be alright. They would do this and then they would return home to their beautiful city with its silver towers and blue ocean.