Chapter 26: "I'd say this is well within the job description."

I didn't mean to take Evan's advice to sleep but the walk had been tiring and I found myself getting tired more often as my pregnancy progressed. I only realised I'd dropped off when Evan called my name, bringing me back to wakefulness.

"Colonel Sheppard is on the line," Evan informed me. "I'll wait for you out in the hall."

"Right - thanks," I grimaced, taking a breath and rubbing my eyes to clear away the vagueness induced by sleeping during the day. Touching a hand to my ear mike I spoke. "John, are you there?"

"Yeah, and I'm waiting for an explanation," John returned, sounding both worried and impatient. "Why did Brown and Parker return to the gate without you and Lorne, and why is the Major insisting that you have to explain?"

I ran quickly through the circumstances that had led to our current situation and then waited anxiously for his reaction.

"Let me get this straight," he said in a too patient voice. "You agreed to stay there for a month because there was a chance that if you didn't, they'd somehow seal the village so that you couldn't leave, is that right?"

"We've both seen stranger things," I pointed out. "I couldn't risk it John. What if it really would have stopped me from leaving until the baby was born, and then it let me out but not our baby?"

"You really think I would have let anyone take our child away from you?" John's voice was grim and annoyed.

"Of course not, but what if it wasn't as simple as breaking in here and taking him?" I shot back. "They take a child away from what they called unfit parents John. How do they enforce that, because surely those parents are no more keen to lose their child than we would be?"

"I don't know," John ground out. "What I do know is that we have resources available to us that those people wouldn't. Believe me when I say I would utilise those resources if need be to ensure you and the baby are safe."

"I think we are safe here," I insisted. "Don't get me wrong, I don't want to be away from Atlantis for so long, and I don't want to be separated from you either. But think about what I came here for - to find out about pregnancies where the gene is a factor. From what I can tell these people don't have the gene – none of the one's we've met so far anyway – but there's enough evidence here to suggest they're following customs of long standing, customs of their ancestors. Once I'm settled here and they accept me, I can ask to see their records. They also have an Elder for family and history – she might be able to help me too."

"You're that worried about that incident with the gene?" John asked.

"That and just the whole childbirth deal," I admitted. "Look at that picture Rod gave us again John. That Sabina looks like she went through hell to have that baby. I just don't want to leave anything to chance."

"Despite the reassurances I can give you because of what I learned in the future?"

"For a timeline that no longer exists," I reminded him. "The Sabina you knew would be different from me because she didn't end up on Michael's ship. Besides, I don't think I'd tell you about the bad stuff if I were meeting up with you after being apart for 48,000 years."

He was silent for a moment and then I heard him sigh. "No, I don't suppose you would."

"So, what do we do now?" I asked a bit timidly.

"I guess we go along with it, at least while you think you're getting something useful from the experience," John allowed.

"I know you can't come and live here for a month with me," I said before he'd be forced to state the obvious. "As long as we communicate regularly it's not a deal breaker for the blessing. Will you be able to take a week at the end, assuming I'm still here then?"

"I'll talk to Woolsey," he promised. "I'm agreeing – reluctantly – that you can stay there Sabina, but I can't let you stay alone."

"I know, and I don't want to be here by myself," I replied. I went on to explain the concept of a Secondary. "Are we ready to decide on godparents or do you just want to assign someone to guard duty?" I asked. "I can bluff through that part of it, as long as you send someone who's happy to play along."

John was silent as he thought about the options. "We've pretty much decided on one of the godparents, right?"

"You'd have to argue pretty hard to convince me not to insist on Evan for one of them," I admitted. He was a good man and when Honora had spoken of what a Secondary was for, my mind had been on Evan because that was the role I saw for him, regardless of what label we put on it.

"I thought so, and honestly, I don't have any reason to argue," John replied. "Go and get him and we'll ask him what he thinks."

"Even if he wants to be a godparent he might not want to be stuck here for a month," I had to say. "I can't see this as the kind of place he'd choose for a vacation. It strikes me as a pretty quiet sort of place, kind of reflective … like a village full of students, the really serious kind all focused on maximising their GPAs."

"I don't know- reflective, quiet – that sounds like Lorne to me," John countered.

I got up, opening the door to see Lorne standing guard outside. "John would like to speak to you," I said.

"I thought he would," Evan followed me back inside, tapping his own ear radio to join the conversation. "I'm sorry this happened Sir," he said immediately. "If there were any clues they had any kind of rules around pregnant women I wouldn't have brought Sabina into the village."

"You mean there was no helpful signage at the village gates?" John quipped.

"No, but there never is, is there?" Evan joked back. "If we ever get the chance to go back and talk to the Ancients we should really add that to the list of topics to talk about."

"Consider it added," John replied.

"So what's the plan of attack Sir?" Evan asked. "Are we going along with all this?"

"I don't see any other option that doesn't carry its own risks," John replied.

"True," Evan agreed. "And from my own take on these people, they seem honourable. I think we can trust them Sir. Is there anything in particular you'd like me to do next?"

"For a start, drop the Sir," John requested. "This is way beyond the chain of command and what Sabina and I are going to ask you is personal. You're free to say no, okay?"

"Ah, sure, okay, of course," Evan frowned at me, his eyes silently asking me what was up.

I shrugged innocently, waiting for John to continue.

"Sabina and I have already talked about godparents so this isn't out of the blue for us," John began. "The timing is the only thing that's been driven by the current situation. Sabina," his tone invited me to continue.

"Right, so we were talking about who we should choose and there was one person that seemed the obvious choice," I began.

Evan didn't ask the obvious 'Who' that anyone else would have struggled to resist, but that was him all over. Instead he remained silent, letting me go at my own pace.

"We'd be honoured if you would agree to be our child's godparent," I said intently, suddenly deeply serious. It was an important decision and a meaningful change in our relationship with Evan and I knew he would see all of that and take it just as seriously. "I could tell you all the reasons why – because you're reliable and honourable and we trust you implicitly. Those are all valid reasons but at the end of the day you're an all-round good person Evan, the kind of person I want to be important to my child, to be a positive influence and role model. I can't think of anyone who could be all those things like you could."

Again he didn't react as others might have, with a gasp of surprise, or exclamations of how unexpected it all was, or exuberant joy at being chosen. He just nodded, a small smile gracing his face.

"Okay," he said simply.

"Really?" I grinned, this feeling of positivity and surety – like recognising that the right path had been chosen - sweeping over me.

"Really," he confirmed.

"That's great," John said. "And it's one thing like I said, we would have gotten around to asking you before too long. Just because it's decided though doesn't mean you have to be the one to hang around there with Sabina for the next month. It's a long time to be away from your team and all your other responsibilities. We can assign someone else to look after Sabina while she's there if you'd prefer."

Evan eyed me curiously as he thought and I admit that I did put an obvious pleading expression on my face as I watched him in return. Sure, I'd told John he could assign anyone who'd be happy to play along but I really wanted it to be Evan. I was going to be dealing with a lot of issues to do with the baby and family and in all likelihood my past and my origins in the Pegasus galaxy. If I couldn't have John for the full time then I wanted Evan – my self-appointed big brother and now the future godparent of my child.

"I can do it Sir," Evan finally decided. "You can act Alex in my role while I'm gone – he's ready to be tested there, and we can put Warner into the team ahead of schedule to take his place. It'll work for a few weeks until I get back."

"Consider it done, and thank you Evan," John said. "I would have assigned someone else but I'm happier that you're willing to stay there and watch out for Sabina. You'll contact Atlantis at the first sign that things aren't going according to plan."

"Yes Sir," Evan agreed.

"Sabina, do you need us to send anything to get you through the next four weeks?"

"I hadn't even thought of that," I admitted. "I'll wait and see what the Mentaris provides and then send through a list, okay?"

"That sounds fine," John agreed. "Is there anything else I need to know?"

"Aside from the fact that I really, really love you and I'm really sorry I got myself into this," I said meekly, "no, there's nothing else."

"Yeah, well, ditto from me," John replied, "but like you said, maybe something positive will come of it."

"Maybe," I agreed, knowing our conversation was coming to an end and reluctant to let him go now that I was faced with the reality of weeks of not seeing him, not being able to talk to him whenever I wanted.

"Don't do anything crazy while I'm gone," I joked.

"Back at you," he shot back. "Stay in touch."

"I will," I promised, waiting until he'd signed off and the channel was closed to glance over at Evan. "This sucks," I muttered miserably.

"Yeah it does," Evan agreed, moving to my side and putting a consoling arm around my shoulders. "We'll keep busy okay – the time will go before you know it."

"I suppose," I wasn't so sure that any amount of activity was going to make me miss John any less. "In case I forget to thank you for staying later, thank you. I know it'll be boring for you – I know this is way above and beyond the call of duty."

"Are you kidding?" Evan grinned. "I'm the godfather, remember. I'd say this is well within the job description."

I smiled, feeling a small measure of optimism. "I hope walking to the jumper is part of that role too, because you're probably going to be doing that a lot too."

"Gotta keep fit somehow," Evan dismissed my concerns like a true friend. It wasn't in his nature to complain – I think only Rodney had ever gotten on his nerves enough for him to make a few sarcastic comments that could be considered complaints. He made the best of things and that was exactly what I needed right then. "Shall we go and fill Elenia and Honora in on what's happening?"

"Let's," I agreed, threading an arm through his as he led us to the door.