Chapter 26: Intimate Inferno
After a long and now familiar walk through the forest Lorne and his team arrived at the Ancient site. It was large enough that for a moment it looked deserted, but then Lorne heard the sounds of talking off towards the edge of the ruins.
"Kennedy?" he called out, his team following behind him.
"Sir?" The Captain sounded surprised. "Is something wrong?" he asked, moving out into the open.
"At ease Captain," Lorne said reassuringly. "We're not here for you ... I do need to speak with Doctor Darnell though."
"Evan?" Prue walked from behind a column, frowning. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you in the infirmary?"
"Carson released me so I could follow up on what happened on P88-013," Lorne said matter-of-factly. "Since you're here already maybe you could help me out."
"Maybe," Prue moved forward, a small smile now playing over her face. "What are you looking for exactly?"
"Coughlin, Reed, set up camp," Evan ordered. His team occupied, he urged Prue to walk with him. "I'm not sure what I'm looking for," he admitted. "Have you translated enough of these to know what they represent?" he nodded towards the nearest columns.
"They talk of significant events, much like the ones on P88-013," Prue said. "We don't have evidence like we did from King Arkon to prove their authenticity but some of them tell of pretty key events that post date when the columns were carved."
"Like what?"
"Here," Prue took his hand and led him through the trees to a column at the very edge of the outer circle. "At the beginning of the eleventh millennia," she translated, "the great city will return from its hidden depths, and awaken will the scourge of the galaxy."
"Colonel Sheppard waking the Wraith is mentioned?" Evan narrowed his eyes at the stone.
"I believe so, yes," Prue agreed simply.
"Is there some kind of order to these, like a time line or something?" Lorne glanced around at what looked to him like a random arrangement of stones.
"No, and there are a lot of words carved on each stone, some in very early dialects I still don't have a reliable translation for," Prue sighed. "It's going to take us a long time to make sense of this, let alone work out how we can use the information to our advantage."
"What about self fulfilling prophesies?" Evan stopped, leaning against a tree and folding his arms over his chest.
"You mean knowledge of a coming event influencing how you behave, so much that you make that event happen?" Prue looked thoughtful. "You think that if we read of events that haven't happened yet we'll be so convinced they're going to come true that we'll change the way we react?"
"Something like that," Evan agreed.
"The statements I've translated so far are all big events, some of them acts of nature," Prue revealed. "I don't see how mere human behaviour could have ever influenced them. Knowledge that they were going to happen could have been used to evacuate people sooner - it would have saved lives." She watched him thinking it over for a moment and then moved closer, putting her hands over his folded forearms. "So, what did the column say?"
"What column?" Lorne asked innocently.
"The one that has you worried you're going to make something happen simply because you heard it," Prue said pointedly. "You might as well tell me because I won't let up until you do."
Evan met her eyes, his suddenly lacking that sparkle they usually had. "Look, I'm not sure I even believe all this, but from what Daniel translated, at some point my death is going to save the ascended Ancients."
"What?" Prue let go abruptly, stepping back, her expression stoney shock and fear in equal parts. "Tell me exactly what it said!"
"I can't remember it word for word Prue," Evan protested. "And getting thrown into next week kind of put what I might have been able to recall out of my head."
"Can you just try?" Prue asked, her voice low.
"Okay," Evan watched her as he thought. "Ah ... at the end of some cycle, can't remember the number, the one from a distant world will return ... ah ... signalling the end for the enlightened. Only with the ultimate sacrifice will the good guys win. Daniel said the enlightened are the ascended ancients, and the sacrifice means death."
"And he thinks you're the one from a distant world?" Prue concluded, her expression troubled.
"Ah, yeah, because of what happened the first time I was there," Lorne shrugged. "This was before I knew I had the ATA gene. I went with Daniel because Colonel Maybourne had something he wanted to show General O'Neill. Turned out to be some kind of pyramid thing which I accidentally turned on and then had to switch off again before it blew up the entire village. After Daniel grilled Maybourne, he admitted to setting things up because of something he read on one of those columns."
"Can you remember what that one said?"
"Same reference to a cycle, then one from a distant world will come and with some guys pyramid claim the power of the Ancestors," Lorne shrugged again. "As far as they've mapped out their timeline there, it was about right and the pyramid did kind of announce to everyone that I had the gene."
"I don't understand," Prue muttered, turning away and wrapping her arms around her middle. "Why would they have foreseen your death? It makes no sense!" She paced back and forth, her expression telling Evan that her brain was going a mile a minute.
"Who are they?" he demanded.
"What?" Prue looked startled, blinking repeatedly.
"You said why would they have foreseen my death," Lorne repeated. "Who are they?"
"The people who carved these columns," Prue said. "I've never seen the death of an individual referenced specifically. These are history shaping events Evan."
"Maybe Daniel has it wrong," Evan suggested. He grimaced suddenly, remembering some additional words from the first prophesy. Fate of galaxies ... that did have a history shaping sound to it. Shaking of that thought Evan continued. "Just in case he doesn't, have you seen any reference to 'one from a distant world' on the columns you have looked at?"
"Not so far, but we've barely scratched the surface," Prue admitted.
"Well, keep an eye out for it," Lorne requested. "Specifically anything about a test being able to confirm who it's referring to."
"Is that what happened?" Prue's gaze sharpened. "They tested you?"
"There's that 'they' again," Lorne protested. "Look, I'm guessing that yes, some kind of test was attached to that column. I want to know what, why and who. I'm hoping something you find here will tell me."
"I'll keep looking," Prue promised earnestly. "Can you tell me what happened ... when they tested you I mean?"
"Ah," Evan took her hand, urging her to walk with him again. "It was all a little 'out of this world' – out of any world," he began. "The column with the prophesy Daniel says is about me had a note at the bottom about proving who it was talking about. General O'Neill came, put his hand on it, nothing happened."
"But when you touched the column?" Prue asked.
"I got slammed into the dirt," Evan replied. "Felt like something was trying to rip me apart from the inside." He shook his head. "I have no idea what it wanted but it felt like something real to me. Doctor Lam thinks it was trying to rewrite my DNA – specifically the ATA gene. If it had succeeded there'd be no more Puddle Jumper flying for me."
Prue looked pale and troubled ... and angry, although not at him. "This is unacceptable," she muttered, turning to pace away from him.
"Something carved by a bunch of people long dead is apparently predicting my death and you label it 'unacceptable'?" Lorne queried incredulously, folding his arms over his chest. "Gee thanks ... honey." His sarcastic tone and disgruntled expression made it clear he didn't mean that title as an endearment.
Prue turned abruptly, her eyes shooting to his. "Oh God, I'm sorry," she rushed forward, grabbing one of his arms and tugging insistently. Evan resisted for a moment but then, with a sigh, relented, letting her shift him until she could retake his hand. When she tugged again he let her urge him into continuing their walk through the trees. "You're right," she said, walking close enough to hug his arm to her side. "I'm not being very girlfriendy, am I?"
"Girlfriendy?" Evan smirked. "You're a linguist and that's the best you can do?"
"Shut up," she slapped his shoulder impatiently. "You know what I mean. I'm just ... this scares me Evan. I can't ... I won't stand by and watch something happen to you. I want to understand, but I feel like half the puzzle has been erased and we're trying to solve it with what's left, with no big picture to guide us."
"I know how that is," Evan said pointedly, refusing to feel guilty when she shot him a pained look, her face paling. Just because he'd decided to give her time and space didn't mean he had to keep quiet about not liking the deal she'd forced him into. Although, really, she hadn't forced him into anything. He'd gone there willingly all by himself just for the chance to be with her ... because clearly he enjoyed frustrating himself with what he couldn't have and denying himself what he could. "You are one messed up soldier," he told himself ruefully.
"We need to translate everything here as soon as possible," Prue announced decisively, her mind still on the threat to Evan posed by the prophesies. "Once we have everything, maybe an alternative interpretation or a way to stop these events from happening will emerge."
"My team is here overnight," Lorne revealed. "Anything we can do to help?"
"You guys are good at directions, right?"
"If by guys you mean men in general then yes, we are good at directions," Evan smirked, amused when she shook her head at him. "Right, you mean my guys specifically. Okay, forget Reed - the directions gene passed him up big time. Nate is passable, Jimmy's pretty good. I, of course, always know exactly where I am."
"Of course," Prue smiled up at him. "If what you say is accurate and not just grandstanding meant to impress me, then yes you can help me. I need a complete map of this entire site to document where all the columns are located. We couldn't do anything GPS related because of the tree cover and it's been tough going with all these trunks interspersing the stones. Once I have that, constructing a time line will be that much easier."
"We can help you with that," Lorne promised. "I'll radio Atlantis, check in, and then we're all yours."
Prue smiled. "I like the sound of that."
Both teams worked well in tandem, getting lots of work done before the light fell too much and Lorne called it done for the day. The weather had shifted and it was cold under the trees, leading to the unanimous decision to make the hour walk to the village rather than stay at the site.
Teneo and his granddaughter welcomed them like family, insisting they all stay with them. Kara quickly added places to the table, urging them to sit down for the evening meal. After eating, Reed and Cheung took first watch, leaving the others off duty. Coughlin went one further, insisting that Evan wouldn't need to take a watch that night, especially since he'd just returned from weeks spent in the infirmary. Lorne had reluctantly agreed – with Kennedy's team there as well there were plenty of people to cover all watch periods.
He should have gone inside, tried to get some sleep, but his mind was too active for that. Pleading the need to stretch his legs he took a torch and walked through the village, continuing towards a small rise he'd noticed the first time they'd been there.
It was further away than he remembered but when he got there and looked up at the clear view of the sky above, well worth the trip. Lying down in the grass Evan looked up, letting his mind wonder where it willed as he looked for recognisable shapes amongst the stars. He was half drifting to the sound of blades of grass rustling in the wind, his mind on everything but the changing landscape of cloud rushing in to shut out the starlight, when the first drop hit him square in the forehead, followed quickly by several more.
Rain.
While he'd been daydreaming a storm had come in on that wind. Cursing, Evan jumped up and ran back down towards the village.
The rain was heavy, soaking him through before he'd gotten half way. It was getting dangerous too, the ground quickly turning to mud that he slipped and slid through. When he got back to the village he was panting, dripping water and looking like something the cat wouldn't bother to drag in.
Not wanting to cop flack from Reed or Cheung, Lorne skirted the outermost dwellings, heading for Teneo's back porch.
"Evan?" Prue's voice froze him in place.
"Hey," he said, turning and slicking his hair back from his face, water running down one cheek and dripping from his eyelashes. "Nice weather we're having huh?" he added nonchalantly.
"You went out in that?" Prue asked pointedly. She was sitting on a bench against the wall, watching the rain.
"Of course not," Evan shot back, moving closer. "I went out before it started raining."
"Well, you can't go inside like that," Prue said insistently, gesturing to where he was creating a muddy puddle on the floor, his boots caked in dirt.
"Is that an invitation for me to strip?" Lorne raised a brow suggestively.
"Not in the way you mean!" Prue glared up at him impatiently.
"That's a pity," Evan said in a low tone. She was right though - he couldn't go inside the way he was. Turning away he slowly unbuttoning his shirt to reveal the t-shirt he wore underneath, also mostly saturated. Pealing the shirt from his arms he dropped it to the porch with a wet splat and then pulled the bottom of his t-shirt from his pants. Looking for a relatively dry patch he bent low, wiping at his wet face.
Prue made a small sound, a kind of gasp that caught Evan's attention.
When he looked back to her he caught her with a look on her face that went straight to his groin ... desire. Her eyes were wide and she'd leaned forward from her seat, watching him silently. She was taking in his body, sculpted by wet fabric to reveal every muscle, her gaze fixed on the hints of stomach and abdomen he'd exposed. The invisible connection between them drew him closer until he was kneeling in front of her, raising a hand to stroke her hair.
"Do you have any idea how much I want to muss you up right now Prue?" he asked, threading a hand behind her head and cupping it gently.
The rain pounded outside, thick enough to veil them on the porch. The sound of it created an intimacy too, drowning out the noises that might have reminded them of others still awake inside. In the sudden cold their breath misted into the air, mingling as it rose and then faded.
Without a word Prue reached behind her, quickly pulling hair pins and dropping them carelessly to the floor. She watched as Evan responded to the gesture, his eyes on her hair as he drew it between his fingers, caressing away the curls left over from her usual style until it fell low on her back.
"It's a start," Evan murmured, using his clasp on her head to draw her to him.
When he kissed her something inside both of them snapped. She leapt into his arms as he caught her, staggering to his feet, both of them already spinning until they slammed into the wall. Prue wrapped her legs around him, her hands in his hair, oblivious to the chill from his wet clothes or the fact that he was making her clothes damp too. Evan devoured her mouth as he wanted to possess her body, branding her as his with teeth and tongue and the fire of his passion. She was with him all the way, equally intent on wiping every rational thought from his head.
When she tugged at his t-shirt he made room for her to peel it off him, raising his arms when she ran her hands over him. The shirt hit the deck with another wet splat, forgotten when Evan pulled Prue back to him, shivering as her hands clutched at his bare back. They should have been cold but Lorne was flushed with the internal heat of desire for Prue.
"Your pants," she muttered between kisses. "Wet," she gave the one word explanation distractedly, surging up against him enough that there was no way he could hide how much he wanted her.
"Right," Evan set her to her feet, dropped to untie his boots, ripping them off and tossing them aside. When he moved his hands to the fastening on his pants hers were already there, unbuttoning and then sliding her hands under the waistband to cup his ass. The heat from her hands seared him and shot his pulse sky high. "You're killing me here," he ground out, trying to keep enough control to make it memorable for both of them.
"Don't care," she muttered, jerking him closer in a gesture that screamed of need.
It got a little blurry after that - his pants falling to the ground beneath him, cool breezes gusting over his bare legs coupled with her fingers ghosting over his skin, his decision that he needed to equal his lack of clothing by stripping her down to her underwear too. He had just enough presence of mind to utter in one word the need to protect her, everything in him relieved beyond measure when she reassured him that she had it covered already.
"Prue," he whispered her name, lifting her and supporting her weight against the wall wth his own strength, gentle this time.
"Evan," she whispered, pulling back to smile at him. "Are you finally going to give in and do the deed?" she teased, her eyes shining up at him.
"We're going to make love until we can't see straight," Evan promised in return.
"Love?" she asked wistfully.
"Oh, hell yes," Evan grinned, raining kisses across her lips and down her neck.
It wasn't how he'd imagined it because never would he have envisaged them off world getting intimate together on a rain shrouded porch ... his fantasies had all run to a more conventional setting that included a comfortable bed and a long slow seduction. Far from that, the two of them, up against a wall, fast and furious, was about as perfect as it got.
They spent the night on the porch, listening to the storm rage itself across the landscape until finally all was quiet again. His clothes dry enough that he could ignore any discomfort, Lorne sat on the bench with his back to the wall, Prue resting against his chest. He had his arms around her, both of them needed a physical connection to go along with the continuation of intimacy created by just talking. The focus was on the simple things, what they liked about Atlantis, the easy staff and the ones who were a challenge to work with. Movies, music ... his passion for art and hers for books ... the sun was close to rising before the conversation turned to family.
Evan started out slow, telling Prue about his visit to his sister.
"I don't know how Elaine does it," he said after describing his first day there. "Seriously, I don't remember being that tired even after the most gruelling mission. Jon could give Ronon a run for his money on energy levels and talk McKay into the ground at the same time."
"You love them," Prue said softly, turning so her cheek rested over his heart.
"Yeah," Evan smiled. "From a kid's point of view life is just so straight forward, you know? No pretence - if they love you there's no way you won't know it, but they let you know pretty quick if you mess it up too. You know where you stand. I like that."
"You would," Prue leaned up and kissed him firmly.
"What was that for?" Evan asked, bemused.
"You're just so ... nice ... so honourable," she replied.
"Oh," Evan hoped he wasn't a red as he felt. Silly to be embarrassed by her compliment but he was. He let the silence build for a few minutes and then took things where he'd wanted them to go from the moment he first mentioned his family. "What about you Prue? Do you have family back home?"
"This is home to me Evan," she said.
"Yeah, okay, I get that," Evan replied. "Doesn't mean you don't have things - people - back on Earth to miss."
Prue remained silent for long enough that he was about to press her for some kind of response. "Tell me about your Mom," she requested softly.
"My Mom?" Evan's brow rose in surprise. "Ah, okay, sure," he thought for a moment. What could he say about his Mom? "She's strong ... had to be, raising two children by herself." He sighed. "My Dad was killed in an accident when I was ten."
"Oh Evan," Prue's arms tightened over his, her tone an expression of sadness on his behalf.
"It was tough, for all of us," Evan continued. "She kept us together as a family, taught art at a local college ... taught Elaine and me the values I still live by."
"She sounds amazing," Prue said, her voice low, sad.
"She is," Evan agreed. "She has that Mom way of making everything seem a little easier to bear ... still has the power to make me feel like a naughty kid too."
"It's been a long time since I had that. Where I came from is nothing like your family," Prue turned her head so Evan couldn't see her expression. "There's expectation I guess you'd call it, that you'll do what you're told, be what they want you to be, nothing more, nothing less."
"And if you're not?" Evan asked gently.
Prue stiffened and pulled away. He let her go because he had to, watching as she got up, folding her arms over her chest. "There is no choice," she said roughly.
"There's always a choice Prue," Evan countered, getting to his feet and taking her arms. He felt close to finally understanding a key element of her and it drove him to persist despite his earlier resolve to give her space. "Aren't you here in the Pegasus galaxy right now because you made a choice?"
"You make it sound simple Evan, but it isn't," Prue looked at him, her expression pained.
"Then tell me how it is," he demanded abruptly.
"I can't," Prue cried, pulling her arms free and turning away.
"No, Prue," Evan said forcefully. "That isn't the way it works anymore, not after last night. I'm not just some guy anymore."
"I knew this would happen!" Prue glared up at him. "We had sex Evan, end of story."
"It was more than that and you know it," he shot back, echoes from the past driving his anger up rapidly. "I love you Prue. Those aren't just words to me."
"You don't even know me Evan!" That was pain, not unfeeling carelessness, and it had his anger dropping away abruptly.
"I do," Evan insisted, leaning down to let her see the certainty in his eyes. "I do know you Prue. You're opinionated and stubborn and mysterious to the point it's driving me crazy not being able to understand all of you. And you're smart ... more than I want to think about most of the time." He lifted a hand and trailed the back of his fingers down her cheek, smiling. "You're strong and dedicated and willing to work every hour of the day to do what you say you'll do. You're a beautiful person Prue, inside and out, even with that prickly, stubborn shell you've built around yourself." He took a composing breath and then finished it. "Every thought I have about the future has you in it now ... and I want nothing more than to take away the pain I can see inside you right now." He cupped her face in his hands. "I can help you Prue, if you'll let me."
"Oh God, why did you have to be so damned ... perfect?" Prue almost spat the word out, making it clear it wasn't a compliment. Stepping off the porch she looked up at the sky, stretching out her arms imploringly. "I can't do this anymore," she shouted. "I can't!" Looking straight at Evan she shuddered. "I love you Evan Lorne, enough to know that I'm no good for you. Run now, before I hurt you."
With that she spun away, breaking into a run.
"Prue, wait!" Evan shot after her, rounding the house and almost crashing into Teneo. Grabbing the old man's arms he just barely managed to stop both of them from tumbling into the dirt. "Teneo! Sorry. I was just ...,"
"Giving your friend some space?" Teneo suggested quietly.
"I ah ...," Evan's shoulders dropped as he mentally acknowledged the other man's message. There was no point in pushing Prue. "You're right," he said on a sigh.
"Sometimes the course of love isn't as smooth as we would like it to be," Teneo offered that piece of wisdom with a hand to Lorne's shoulder.
"In this case I have to agree," Lorne frowned. "Prue's not ... she's not what I expected at all." "And wasn't that the understatement of the year," he thought ruefully.
"But she's what you want," Teneo finished with a fond smile.
"Yeah," Evan laughed. "Most days I feel like its one step forward and about a hundred steps back."
"An apt description," Teneo agreed. "Perhaps you would care to join me for breakfast Evan?"
"Sure, thanks," Lorne agreed. He knew Teneo would claim old age as an excuse and then ask too many questions about Prue but for once Evan didn't think he'd even mind. As far as distractions went, the old man had a way of keeping you on your toes!
Leaving Teneo straight after breakfast Lorne had the guys guarding the gate dial Atlantis for the morning check-in, expecting things on Atlantis to be as he'd left them the day before.
"Major Lorne, I need you to return to Atlantis as soon as possible," Doctor Weir told him the instance the signal was established.
"Yes Ma'am. Is there a problem I need to be aware of before I get there?"
"There are no current threats to the city Major," Weir replied. "We received a distress call from Taranis just after you left yesterday. The details aren't important save for the fact that their settlement is under threat from an active volcano."
Warning bells went off in Evan's head and he stiffened, waiting for what he knew was coming next.
"The volcano is in the process of erupting – I only just made it back with some of the Taranans," Elizabeth continued. "The wormhole shut down unexpectedly and we've been unable to re-establish a connection."
"Let me guess Ma'am," Lorne spoke up. "Colonel Sheppard and his team are still on the planet."
"Yes," Weir confirmed. "And Doctor Beckett. The Daedalus has already been diverted to Taranis to continue the evacuation. I have Chancellor Lycus of Taranis here ... we haven't received word from Colonel Caldwell as yet. In any case, in Colonel Sheppard's absence you're in command of the military."
"Yes Ma'am. I'm on my way but it'll take me at least a couple of hours to get to the gate."
"Understood Major," Elizabeth replied. "We'll see you when you get here."
Closing the channel, Evan quickly radioed his team to meet him at Teneo's, before trying to contact Prue.
"I'm busy Major," she said quickly.
"Don't do that Prue," Evan protested. "Look, I'm not trying to start up our conversation from before, okay. Doctor Weir has requested my team return immediately."
"What happened?" Prue's voice shifted into concern.
"Colonel Sheppard's team and half a population of locals are on the wrong side of a volcano with no Stargate," Evan summarised grimly. "Where are you anyway?"
"I decided to get an early start at the site," Prue admitted. "Captain Kennedy's with me and Kara too."
"Right," Evan sighed. "Listen, there's no reason for you to cut short your time here. Just do what the Captain tells you, okay?"
"Of course." Lorne was sure she was rolling her eyes at his caution.
"Of course," he repeated, drawing it out. "We'll talk when you get back."
There was silence and he shook his head ... how had something that had been going pretty damn fantastic nose dived into the silent treatment? "Prue?" he queried insistently.
"Fine," she said ungraciously.
"Be careful," he ordered, all set to end the transmission.
"Evan! Wait!" Prue said, her voice shifting from all business to filled with remorse. "I'm sorry I ran off like that. Just ... be careful too."
Before he could reply she'd ended the call herself, leaving him standing there, frown firmly in place.
"Major?" Coughlin called him back to himself with a start.
"Sergeant, sorry," he ran a hand through his hair, agitated. "Doctor Weir needs us back in Atlantis."
"We're all set to go," Nate confirmed.
Nodding, Evan led the way through the village, stopping to ask someone to let Teneo know they'd been called back but that Doctor Darnell and her team were staying.
"Trouble in paradise Sir?" Coughlin asked, something in the way Lorne said Prue's name suggesting there was.
Lorne shot him a narrow eyed gaze and remained silent, neither confirming nor denying his 2ICs conclusion. He was tired after a night of no sleep, something he was noticing now that the rush of energy he'd felt in finally being with Prue had faded.
"It'll be worth it in the end Sir," Nate offered that positive perspective, having rightly made up his own mind on the most likely answer to his question.
"It had better be," Evan murmured grimly. With the threat to Colonel Sheppard, Evan was no longer in the mood to be contemplating the various ways he'd screwed up with Prue since arriving on the planet. There'd be time enough for those thoughts once the current crisis was over.
Authors Note:
Big chapter here ... with lots of progress in some respects. You have no idea how much I'm now curbing the desire to justify the various actions of our favourite major! I'm sticking with this being my vision and trusting that you'll just enjoy my take on Lorne.