Chapter 33: A future realised

Epilogue five years later.

John stood on his bedroom balcony watching the first rays of sunlight glinting of the ocean, ready to greet the coming day. Teyla and the children were still asleep, giving him some time alone to reflect on the past and look forward to the future.

It had been five years since he had taken over the leadership of Atlantis and a lot had happened in that time. Their second daughter had been born three years ago and they had decided to name her Jennifer Amelia after Teyla's two best friends. Of course as usual he'd decided that Jennifer was too long and called her Jenny for short. Jane and Dave's first son Patrick David had be born around the same time as well and he couldn't have been happier to finally be an uncle. Ronon and Amelia hadn't had any kids as yet, but they did seem to dote on everyone else's. Jennifer and Rodney still hadn't had any children either and he suspected that was more a decision on Rodney's part than anything else. He was thrilled when Carson and Rebekah had finally tied the knot a year ago and he was honoured to be able to officiate the wedding.

The war with the wraith had continued to rage across the galaxy and it was brutal and Atlantis had lost many good men and woman in the last few years. Todd and his hives had continued to fight alongside of them and he lost many good warriors in that time as well.

Eventually Atlantis along with the coalition of planets; which Todd and his hives had become part of three years ago, gained the upper hand and three weeks ago the last remaining wraith who they had been fighting against, had surrendered. They had all agreed to be injected with the retrovirus to stop them ever feeding on humans again. Todd had found a planet for them away from the rest of the wraith and left some of his warriors to help them to grow food to become a self-sustaining people. The plan was for Todd and the rest of the wraith to eventually bring them back into the fold.

The last five years had seen him spend less time out in the field and more time on Atlantis, but there was the odd occasion where he'd had to lead the troops into battle and on more than one occasion he had ended up in the infirmary. The worst injury was just after Carson and Rebekah's wedding about a year ago when he had almost blead out from a stab wound to his leg. He had spent weeks in the infirmary, but thanks to the Iratus healing compound he didn't have to endure the months of physical therapy.

He looked up to the ocean again and realised that the sky around him was becoming lighter, looking at his watch he realised that it was 0530 hours and soon Teyla and the children would be up to begin there day. Jennifer would have no idea of the significance of this day, neither would the twins, but Torren his eldest son had a fair idea what was going on. Torren was incredibly intelligent for a child of almost eight and for most of his life he had known about the war with the wraith.

Today was a historic day, one which would be studied in schools for generations to come and he was part of it. In around four hours' time John would be meeting with members of the Coalition of planets to sign a peace treaty with the wraith. When he had set foot on Atlantis twelve years ago he never would have guessed that the galaxy would be at peace. He wished that Elizabeth could be here with them to witness it now and that she had been with him over the last five years, as he sure could have used her help in leading Atlantis.

He was startled by Teyla, "John, are you alright."

"Yeah I'm just thinking about everything that has led to this point and to be honest, I'm feeling a little nervous about today."

He felt Teyla's love and warmth as she put her arms around his waist and whispered in his ear, "why are you feeling nervous Honey, this is the day we have been dreaming of for many years?"

"I know, but you know how much I hate to make speeches."

Before they had a chance to continue the conversation Torren entered the room, "Dad are we having pancakes for breakfast, or should I just get some cereal and toast."

John pulled away from Teyla's grasp and looked at his first born son, who was looking more like his mother every day; he had the same copper skin as Teyla and the same dark brown eyes. Unfortunately he had inherited his dark curly hair from his biological father Kanaan, but Torren always tried to keep it short, as Torren had told him once that he didn't want to be reminded of Kanaan and as far as he was concerned John Sheppard was his father.

"I'll get some pancakes soon T.J, just let me have a shower and get dressed first."

"Toby and Charlie are already getting dressed, so I will go and get Jenny up and then I'll keep an eye on them while you get ready."

"Thank you Torren." Teyla said to him with a smile.

John watched his eldest son leave the room, he was so proud of him and all that he had become in the last five years.

He turned to Teyla and kissed her on the cheek, "I'm going to have a shower and then I'm going to get some breakfast. Maybe you should head back to bed for half an hour or so, or would you like to join me in the shower," he said with a glint of mischief in his eye.

Teyla smiled and patted him on the backside, "I think I'll head back to bed for a while."

Twenty minutes later John entered the kitchen to find that Charlie was opening the door and trying to escape from the apartment; she had inherited his ancient gene and his love for mischief and adventure and at times was a real handful.

"Charin, what have I told you about opening the door and trying to leave the apartment!?" He asked her sternly.

"Sorry Daddy I forgot." She said using her best puppy dog eyes. Although she looked a lot like her mother and had her mother's copper, she had his hazel eyes and her hair stuck up all over the place like his. She had obviously inherited the puppy dog look from him as well.

"Charlie you should listen to Daddy, he's only trying to protect you, because he loves you?" Toby her twin brother told her with a serious look in his eyes.

John almost laughed at him, as the look on his face was the same as the one he had given Charin a few minutes earlier. Toby was the splitting image of him only he had Teyla's brown eyes.

"Dada up," a small voice said from beside him.

John leant down and picked up his youngest daughter and gave his a kiss on the cheek, "Good morning Jenny. Would you like Daddy to cook some pancakes this morning?"

Jennifer looked at him with her enormous hazel eyes, "yay pancakes."

He put her down and ruffled her already messy dark hair, before turning to Torren, "Torren, I'm sorry to have to ask you this, but can you keep an eye of your brother and sisters for a while longer, so I can start getting breakfast?"

"Sure dad, I'll get some paper and coloured pencils and maybe they can draw for a while."

Before he had a chance to comment the door chimed. John thought open and he found that Todd was standing on the other side of the door.

"What can I do for you this morning Todd?" He asked heading across to the kitchen.

"I heard that you were making pancakes for breakfast, so I thought I would come and join you and your family on this historic day."

"Sure why not, the more the merrier," John said as he pulled the ingredients out of the fridge and cupboard.

"Todd," Charlie and Toby squealed, as the big wraith walked into the room. The twins had never been afraid of him, because for as long as they could remember Todd had been a friend.

John smiled as the big wraith picked up the twins and twirled them around the room.

"Todd I thought I heard your voice," Teyla greeted, as she walked into the room.

"Teyla it is good to see you?" Todd greeted her with a smile, which showed his crooked yellow teeth.

"I see you have decided to wear traditional wraith clothing for the signing of the peace treaty." Teyla commented.

"Yes I have, because I still am a wraith after all, although I must admit that these clothes are really uncomfortable though. I actually prefer to wear human clothes."

John stood in the kitchen watching the scene unfold in front of him; subconsciously he rubbed his chest, where the feeding scare was. It had faded over the years, but was still there. It was a reminder of how he and Todd had met and although he didn't think about it much these days, sometimes he wondered if he was doing the right thing by letting Todd interact with his children.

He was startled from his thoughts again, when Teyla came up beside him and spoke, "John would you like me to start setting the table?"

"Yes please, the food won't be much longer."

Ten minutes they were all sitting around the table enjoying breakfast. The day had barely begun and already he was feeling a little tired, he was a few years off of fifty now and he certainly wasn't as energetic as he had once been. His body was covered in scars from the long war with the wraith and the fact that he'd had so many broken bones was beginning to show in his many aching joints.

Teyla's voice pervaded his thoughts, "John would you like some more pancakes?"

"No thanks Teyla I think I'm full." He looked around the table to see if there were any pancakes left, before asking," do I have to make anymore?"

"I have had plenty thanks General," Todd replied with a smirk, before continuing," I must go now as I still have a few things to do before the meeting."

"I'll see you soon then," John replied, as Todd left the apartment.

"Does anyone else need any more pancakes?" John asked when Todd had left.

When they all shook their heads, he looked at his watch and he realised that it was 08:00 hours and the kids were due at school in an hours' time and they didn't want to be late.

He looked over at his eldest son and spoke, "Torren can you take Toby and Charlie to school today?"

Torren moaned, "Dad I was going to walk to school with Sally today, since we don't get to spend much time together these days."

"Torren I really need you to take them to school today please, you know how important today is. I will pick them up after school and you can walk home with Sally then and I'm sure you can spend plenty of time with her at the celebration party this afternoon."

He sat and watched Torren hoping the he wouldn't have to raise his voice to his first born son. Torren was usually a pretty compliant child, but every so often he could be defiant, especially now he was getting older.

Torren sighed, "Alright Dad, but can you please make sure you pick them up later?"

"If I can't do it, I'll ask your Mom to do it."

"Do you need me to help them get ready now?" Torren asked him, in a calm voice.

"Thanks Torren I would really appreciate that. I can tidy up and Mom can get Jenny ready for day care then. Uncle Dave is picking her up and dropping her off when he drops Patrick off."

John let out a sigh of relief when Torren nodded and went off the help the twins pack their bags and finish getting ready for the day.

John moved to the kitchen and started to load the dishes and clean up the breakfast mess, while Teyla took Jenny to clean her up and get her ready for the day.

Half an hour later, when Torren and the twins were ready for school the door chimed. "Come in," John yelled, as he thought the door open.

"How are you going little brother," Dave asked entering the room, with Patrick by his side.

"Unca John, Aunt Teyla!" Patrick squealed, as he ran in the room.

Torren, Toby and Charlie all ran up to their Uncle and threw their arms around him, while Jenny just sat on the floor and stared at him.

"Are you ready to go Jenny?" Dave asked kneeling down beside of her.

John watched as his usually outgoing daughter stared at her Uncle and wondered what was wrong with her.

"Are you okay Jenny?" John asked kneeling down beside Dave.

"Want to stay home with you Dada." She told him with tears brimming in her eyes.

John took a deep breath before answering her, the last thing he needed today was for his daughter to be difficult, "I'm sorry Sweetheart, but Momma and Dada have a very important meeting that we must attend this morning, but we can all have lunch together later."

She nodded and held her arms out, "up Unca Dabe?"

John was happy when Dave picked her up and she stopped crying, "Okay sweetheart I'll see you later have a good day."

"Bye Dada, bye Momma." Jenny said, as she cuddled up to her Uncle Dave.

Dave took Patrick's hand and somehow he managed to carry Jennifer's bag as well. He smiled and waved, before leaving the apartment.

Once Dave had left with Jenny and Patrick, John turned to his other three children who were sitting quietly on the couch.

"Remember to go easy on Aunt Jane today, as she is having another baby in three months' time." Jane had taken a position as a school teacher at the Atlantis school two years ago.

"How baby get in her tummy?" Charlie asked inquisitively.

John didn't really want to have that conversation with a five year old right now, so he was relieved when Torren answered for him, "I'm sure that Dad will tell you later, but right now we have to go to school."

"Do you know Torren?" Toby asked, looking at his brother with big brown eyes.

John saw relief in Torren's eyes when Teyla answered, "Tobias, Daddy and I will have a conversation with you later about this, right now you have to go to school."

"Okay Momma," he answered.

John was glad that conversation was over, so he looked at Charin in particular and spoke, "Remember no activating ancient technology unless you're asked to."

"Yes daddy," she said rolling her eyes.

Just then the door activated and when John opened the door, Sally smith walked into the room, "Good morning General Sheppard, good morning Mrs Sheppard," Sally greeted them with a smile.

Sally was almost ten years old and she had been Torren's best friend since Torren was two and Sally was four.

John smiled at his children and leant in to give the younger two a kiss, he decided against kissing Torren, since Sally was there. "Okay everyone off to school now we'll see you all later."

"Have a good day and I will see you later." Teyla said kissing the younger two.

Once the children had said their goodbye's and left, John turned to Teyla and smiled, "Well there's about forty five minutes until the meeting is meant to start, so I think I will have a cup of coffee. Would you like a cup of tea?"

"That sound wonderful Honey."

Five minutes later he settled down in his lazy boy chair and Teyla sat on the couch. This was exactly what he needed before he headed to the conference room to make history.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Forty five minutes later John sat in the conference room looking at the faces around the table. He sat at the end of the table and sitting down one side was Dave, Teyla, Halling, Ladon Radim and other members of the coalition of planets, on the other side of the conference table sat Todd and a handful of Wraith.

He took a deep breath before standing up to speak. "I want to welcome all of you to Atlantis on this historic day. There has been a war raging in this galaxy for over ten thousand years, but not any longer, as today is the day when humans and Wraith will begin to live in peace. These humans here represent the humans of this galaxy and we agree to live in peace with the wraith, we agree to explore the galaxy together and we agree to collaborate in scientific discovery. What happens here today, will not only affect the people alive today, but will affect future generations."

He sat down and started to sign a stack of papers that were in front of him, he then passed them off to Dave, who was sitting next to him. Once all the humans sitting at the table were finished Todd stood up.

"Today I represent the Wraith in this galaxy. For those of you who do not know, my name is not Todd, my Wraith name translates into your language as Guide." Looking around the table he smiled, "The wraith and humans in this galaxy have been at war for over ten thousand years and I have been alive for much of that time. I never believed that humans and Wraith could live in peace until I met John Sheppard nine years ago. He is a man of his word and has a sense of honour; he is a mighty warrior who I am proud to call my friend and brother. Today we come together in peace and agree to work with humans, to explore this galaxy and collaborate in scientific discovery, not just for the wraith and humans alive today, but for future generations.

Todd signed the papers and handed them to the other Wraith to sign the papers. Once the papers had been signed everyone in the room stood up and applauded, they started hugging each other in jubilation. The war between humans and wraith was over and the galaxy was at peace and they had recorded the proceedings, so that future generations could witness what had happened on this historic day.

John looked over to the side of the room and he was surprised to see his past self standing watching proceedings, he heard his past self whisper, "I know what I need to do and I need to fight for the future, the one that my ancestor Tobias Sheppard was fighting for ten thousand years ago, for peace for future generations."

He wished that he could tell his past self that everything would work out and one day he would be standing here, but they hadn't discovered the time travel device as yet. As he watched a white light enveloped his past self, he stood and reflected on everything that had happened since then and he felt relieved that he had arrived at the present moment in time, because the last five years had been difficult and if it wasn't for his friends and family he may have given up by now.

The meeting had lasted for over two hours as they had discussed the details of the peace treaty and he was relieved that it was over and he could now relax. A lunch had been planned in the mess hall for 1200 hours and everyone in the room was invited. The school was also closed for the afternoon and Dave would pick up Jennifer and Patrick from childcare so that they could attend as well.

He was brought back to his surroundings by Todd slapping him on the back, "I hear we're having pizza and beer for lunch. Do you remember the first time we shared a meal together?"

John smirked at him, "how could I forget, you ate twelve pizzas and drank a six pack of beers."

"Well I think that I will go and get into some more comfortable clothes and then I will meet you in the mess hall." Todd explained with a smile.

"Okay I'll catch you later then."

John turned to look around the conference room and he soon realised that apart from Teyla he was the only one left in the room.

"Are you ready to pick up the children and go and have some lunch?" Teyla asked taking his hand.

"Yeah," he replied, before asking. "Do you remember how I told you that Atlantis brought me to different time periods when I was in a coma after being shot by Kanaan?"

"Yes I remember."

"Well this was one of those moments and believe it or not I just saw may past self watching this meeting and I really wanted to tell him that everything was going to be alright, but he disappeared before I had a chance to say anything."

Teyla brought her hand up to his face and stroked his cheek. "Perhaps one day you will be able to travel to the past and reassure him that things will work out fine, but for now we must celebrate this moment in time."

He nodded and grabbed her hand and took one last look at the place where he had seen his past self, before he left the room.

Half an hour later he was sitting in the mess hall eating pizza surrounded by his family and friends. At his table sat Teyla, his four children and Dave, Jane and Patrick. At the table next to him sat Jennifer and Rodney, Carson and Rebekah and Amelia and Ronon.

He knew that he should stand up and say something, but for now he would relax and enjoy his meal.

Looking around the room he saw a group of people from many diverse cultures and traditions, including the wraith and they were all here together sharing a meal and for the first time in ten thousand years the galaxy was at peace. He knew that lasting peace would be a constant battle and there would always be another species or person who would want to take over the galaxy, but for now there was peace.

His thoughts were interrupted by Teyla again, "John are you going to get up and say something before dessert is served?"

He nodded took a gulp of his champagne and stood up, "Ladies and gentlemen." He started and waited for the room to be quiet, "today we share this meal together in peace and all of us must remember that it has been is hard won peace. All of us have lost friends and loved ones along the way, but today we have achieved something that this galaxy hasn't known in ten thousand years. Our children will grow up in a galaxy of peace some of them will never know a galaxy at war and some of them will remember this day and they will tell their own children of the importance of it. The last thing I want to say to everyone here today is that we must never forget the horrors of the war and we must always remember the lives that have been lost, if we remember this day their sacrifices will not be in vain. So today I will raise a glass to celebrate a hard fought peace."

Everyone in the room raised their glasses and said in unison, "to peace."

John sat down relieved that the formal part of the celebration was over, now all he had to do was relax for the rest of the afternoon and he had never felt happier or more a peace himself. Jenny climbed on to his lap and cuddled up to him and Teyla put her arm around him. Who ever thought twelve years ago when he first came to Atlantis he would have a wife and four children, his brother on Atlantis with him and all of his team would be happily married themselves, he sat and made a silent toast to Elizabeth, Aiden and all of the friends that he had lost along the way and he made up his mind to honour them every day, so that their sacrifices would not be in vain.

Later that night when he was lying in bed and Teyla and the kids were fast asleep, he heard Atlantis whisper in his ear. "Well done John Sheppard, your work is done for the moment and you can sleep now."

"Thank you Atlantis," he whispered, knowing that she would watch over him and his family while he slept and five minutes later he fell into a deep contented sleep.

Fin…

This story has been a difficult one to write and it has taken almost eight months.

I want to thank everyone who had stayed with this story until the end. I would also like to thank everyone who has reviewed and commented, I really appreciate your support.

This is also the final story in the "Pegasus" series, which I started to right in July 2019. It has been an enjoyable journey writing this series and I have learnt a lot along the way.

I would like to thank everyone who have read and commented on these stories and I hope you have enjoyed reading them as much as I have enjoyed writing them.