Possible tissue alert ahead :)

Title: Family and Home
Author: Cindy Ryan
Pairings: Sheppard/Keller
Summary and notes: see part one

Teyla instantly knew something was wrong the moment she opened the door. She had heard it in her friend's voices over the radio.
Now as soon as she saw Jennifer's red rimmed eyes Teyla heart broke.

"What is it?"Teyla asked quietly as the Sheppards stepped into her quarters. She saw their gazes look for Melanie. "She is asleep."

Silently Jennifer moved past Teyla into the smaller room where the children slept. She paused in the doorway content for the moment to watch Melanie and Torren.

"John?"Teyla prompted as she looked away from Jennifer and back to the man before her.

"IOA gave us an ultimatum."John replied quietly as he leaned back against the wall. He watched as Jennifer moved farther into the children's room and stopped by Melanie's crib

"I do not understand."

John sighed as he scrubbed a hand over his face before meeting Teyla's concerned gaze."They granted the adoption but only if Jennifer returns to Earth."

Teyla's eyes widened. "That does not make sense."

"Gets better."John stated bitterly. "If she doesn't go back to Earth, Melanie goes to the nearest suitable home."

"Why?"

"They're inhuman is why."Jennifer replied angrily her voice never rising. "We have seventy-two hours….no….I have seventy-two hours….."

John crossed over to his wife and pulled her into an embrace. "Not you, angel, us. We've got time to fight this."

Jennifer pulled away from John, hesitating a moment before turning to Teyla. "Teyla, do you mind keeping her for the night? I don't want her upset…..there's so much…."

Teyla pulled her friend into a hug. "As long as you need. If there's anything else…."

Jennifer stepped back fresh tears beginning as she squeezed Teyla's arm. "Thank you."

John placed an arm around his wife's waist and they quietly left.

Teyla watched them go worry in her dark eyes.

**********

Hours later John woke to find the space next to him empty. He glanced at the clock to find it was almost one in the morning. He hadn't intended to fall asleep but exhaustion must've finally caught up and won.

After leaving Teyla's they'd returned home and fallen almost instantly into bed. He'd held her while she cried, rocking Jen, kissing the tears away. They hadn't talked much, each lost in their own thoughts.

Now John rose quietly from the bed. He still had on the work out clothes from the day before. He padded barefoot through the main room, searching. After a moment John saw the balcony door was open and he stepped out onto it.

He found Jennifer sitting on the rocking chair they'd borrowed from Teyla. His wife had moved it outside once they'd realized how much Melanie had enjoyed the sound of the waves.
How much it had helped to get her to sleep.

"Angel?"John called softly as he moved to the front of the chair thinking she was asleep. Instead he found bright hazel eyes staring back at him, red rimmed and puffy.

Silently Jennifer scooted over allowing her husband enough room to sit. John sat down and pulled Jennifer into an embrace. It was only then that he noticed the tiny brown teddy bear she was holding.

"How long have you been up?"

Jennifer shook her head as she snuggled back against John. "Couldn't sleep….well I did briefly….kept having dreams….."

John's heart broke at the sadness in her voice as he tightened his hold resting his head on her left shoulder. "Angel…."

Jennifer looked down at the small bear. The toy had become one of Melanie's favorites. "In the dreams….I'd made the wrong choice…..and she suffered…."

John turned his wife gently so she was facing him. He tenderly cupped her face in his hands.

"Listen to me, angel…..we'll get through this…..I promise. I'm going to get in touch with O'Neill….they owe us….all of us….we've saved both universes at least a couple times…"

Jennifer sniffed as she looped her right hand through John's arms to touch his right cheek. She couldn't picture her life without him and didn't want to endure any time apart. But the more she thought of the infant sleeping in Teyla's quarters things began to become clear….no matter how painful.

She took a deep breathe before saying one of the hardest things she'd ever had to say.

"John…..I think I'm going to take Melanie home…..she'll have a chance….."

Jennifer searched her husband's face waiting for his reaction. She felt his hands drop away and his body go stiff. His brown eyes flashed briefly to green and the turmoil of emotions there almost made Jennifer change her mind.

"John?"Jennifer whispered it killed her to see him hurt. That was the last thing she wanted to do but the IOA had backed her into a corner.

Sheppard found he couldn't breathe. He disentangled himself from Jennifer and walked to the far end of the balcony and rested his arms against the railing. It felt like his whole world was crashing down around him.
Everything he loved was slipping away.

He didn't know if he could handle the separation. Not seeing Jen and Melanie every day even if he knew they were safe.
It was selfish John knew…..but he'd earned some happiness hadn't he?

Jennifer unfolded herself from the chair leaving the bear on the seat as she walked slowly towards her husband. Her heart broke seeing the anguish on his face, the hurt.
Before she could say anything John turned to face her.

"I thought you trusted me, angel?"

Jennifer reached for John's right hand but he backed up his hands gripping the railing hard.

"I do."Jennifer replied tearfully. "More than anyone."

"You're not giving me a chance to fight this….there's half a dozen favors I can pull in."

"What if somebody comes after her while we fight the IOA?"Jennifer asked as she folded her arms protectively across her chest.

"You don't think I can protect her?"John replied huskily his voice at the breaking point.

"You know that's not true."Jennifer whispered fresh tears starting again. "There are just too many unknowns, John…..what if you're off world and somebody comes?"

"There's no intel to believe anybody knows she's alive, angel."John countered his heart telling him he was losing this battle.

"I-I can't take that chance, John….I just can't….."

John reached for her. "Angel…."

"I'm sorry."Jennifer whispered as she turned and disappeared back into their quarters.