Note: ***There's a brief mentioning of a death of an unborn child.***
The Briefing Room
Level 27
SGC
The day after the late-night briefing
1345 hrs
"Ah, there they are!" Kono exclaimed out loud with a sunny grin as she entered the briefing room first, followed by the rest of SG-11.
John and Steve were already there, hunched over their coffee mugs, still looking a bit bleary after the long and tiring day they'd had yesterday.
The questions from the rest of the team bombarded the duo as they found seats around the conference table, where they all had to assemble for a protocol discussion.
"When did you two get back?" Danny asked quite loudly, walking towards the coffee machine.
"What happened?" The question came from Cadman as she found a seat to their right.
"Where's Galen?" Lorne stared at Steve, sitting right in front of him from the other side of the table.
"What is this meeting about?" Adam wanted to know as he sat between Kono and Vega.
"Whoa, guys, guys," Steve winced, knuckle rubbing his left eye. "One at a time."
"Fine, fine." Danny acquiesced, lowering his voice. "Answer mine first." he returned to the table with a mug and sat next to Bates, to Sheppard's right.
"Yesterday, late at night," Steve replied. "And then had to brief the President, General Hammond, General O'Neill, Colonel Carter, and Dr. Jackson."
"When did that finish?"
"Around two in the morning?" Steve looked questioningly at John, who nodded into his coffee mug, still looking half asleep.
"And then?" Vega asked. "We haven't seen you two the whole morning."
"Yeah, we went to see my dad off around 1030 and had a late breakfast," Steve replied, sipping his coffee.
"And then he had a fun time interrogating the Rambling Rollins," Sheppard finally decided to join the discussion, bumping Steve on the shoulder. Steve winced again, grimacing at the memory of that.
"Damn," Danny cursed. "That nasty piece of work is still here. I've forgotten."
"Yeah, and she's definitely not right in the head," Sheppard added. He didn't like the woman's weird fixation on Steve one bit.
"Anyway," Steve continued. "Then we went with Colonel Mitchell to have a look at the stuff they had on the prisoners, spent some time with Miko's team, and then went for a snack before getting here for the meeting."
"That's rough," Cadman agreed. "So, what happened back at the Pentagon?" she asked.
"I think Colonel Emerson just sat through the worst debriefing in his life," Sheppard smirked.
"Oh, damn," Steve snickered, agreeing with John's assessment. "The look on his face the entire time!"
"I bet he wished he was fighting a Goa'uld armada instead."
The rest of the team watched in amusement as their two leaders exchanged matching grins like two naughty kids at the shared funny memory.
"Details, you guys, details," Cadman interrupted with a laugh. "We're dying here to know more."
Steve and John launched into the story of their less-than-stellar performance during the disaster of a debriefing at Homeworld Command.
"Then the Russian rep, what's his name?" John asked Steve as they reached the point where the IOA representative had joined the meeting with his horrid suggestion.
"Konstantin Nechayev," Adam supplied.
"How'd you know that?" Steve asked, confused.
"He's the listed IOA rep for Russia."
"Oh, okay."
"Anyway, he pipes and says that since we were being obstructive assholes, Steve should be sent to their infamous Russian labs," John continued.
"The asshole didn't!" Bates declared with a gasp, his eyes wide with disbelief.
The rest of the team radiated the same indignation on behalf of their teammates at the revelation.
"Oh, he really did," Steve said, taking over. "He wanted to send us there to try and extract Galen from me so that they could study him."
"That fucker!" Higgins voiced a curse through clenched teeth.
"Yeah, and he wanted to send Shep along to study what made him tick as well," he continued. "Because he was apparently compromised."
"That's fucking crazy," Kono shook her head.
"Yeah, Carter thought so too," Steve agreed with the sentiment.
John snorted again, remembering the reaction of the rest of them when the Colonel tipped over the edge. "Oh, the silence after she lost it on them," he grinned. "It was worth every second just to see the stupid looks on their faces."
"I can totally believe that," Vega said. "I mean, she really was happy to meet Galen, took him on a tour and everything."
"Then they tried to trap him," John started again. "The Army General, Maynard, puffed up saying that Galen could change hosts."
"Gave me two fantastic options," Steve said. "Either go to Russia to become a lab rat or to give up Galen to merge with that asshole."
Another wave of incredulous, disbelieving looks and voiced protests swept over them all.
"Yeah, he really did," John repeated.
"Maynard thought he was an awesome choice for Galen,"
"That man looked very unhappy and constipated," Galen decided to join the fun with his own opinion, bobbing up and down from behind Steve's head, giving them all a grin full of pointy teeth. "I wouldn't have enjoyed merging with him at all, I'm sure." His melody carried a definite note of disgust at the prospect.
"Constipated," Lorne shook his head, a small chuckle escaping him. "Sounds about right." He had met the General before and he agreed with Galen's description.
"And then what happened?" Adam asked.
"Asgard beamed up the thugs," Steve said.
"Still no clue where they ended up," John added.
"The President showed up with General O'Neill."
"Oh, yeah, Jackson went to fetch the General and the President," Cadman nodded. "They were on a fishing trip on another planet. Then the Asgard beamed them into a ship of theirs when they got back," she had seen the entire incident since she had been in the Gate room at the time.
"Hey, we got beamed there too," Sheppard replied with another mischievous grin. "Did the meet and greet with the naked aliens, listened to Thor tear a new one on to the President and the two Generals before finally getting back here."
"What a fucked-up day!" Danny shook his head, summing up the eventful day succinctly.
"It was." Both John and Steve agreed.
"So, Galen told his story, after?" Kono asked, smiling at the Furling stretched between the Major and the Commander, his head on Steve's shoulder and the tail on Sheppard's.
"Yes, I did." dulcet tones rang in their minds.
"When do we get to hear it?"
"How about tonight?" John asked Steve. "Your place or mine?"
"Aww, that's cute," Cadman batted her lashes at the both of them. "We'll come to your quarters, Commander." She made the decision for them.
"It's got more chairs and the same floor as the second mess hall," Danny explained, noting Sheppard's frown. "Easy distance for coffee and snacks,"
"Fine then."
Just as they all reached the agreement to meet up and talk a bit more freely with Galen, General O'Neill and Colonel Sumner entered the briefing room, five minutes late to start the meeting.
"Hello, SG-11," O'Neill greeted them as he took the chair at the head of the table, with the Colonel to his immediate right. "Hello, Galen."
"Hello, General Jack O'Neill," Galen returned the greeting, his entire length glowing in various shades between blue and silver. "Hello, Colonel Marshall Sumner."
"Hello to you too, Galen," Sumner greeted back with a look of delight.
"Alright," the General opened the meeting. "I'm going to make this a short and sweet session because, after this, I need to go and have a nap." he punctuated the claim with a yawn.
John silently agreed with the sentiment. He was still tired and wanted to do nothing but drag Steve to his room and go to sleep, wrapped around the man.
"So, the Security for the two of you," he pointed at John and Steve. "The President wants a unit on you 24/7."
"You have two options," Sumner said. "We can either arrange a trained team from the Secret Service, the President already approved that, or you can keep it within the team."
"Second option," the entire team replied at the same time with Galen adding ringing bells for emphasis.
"Yeah, we figured," O'Neill smirked, sharing a glance with the Colonel. "We prefer to keep this in-house too, but you people are going to have to go through some training together."
"An instructor for the Secret Service teams will be here in a few days to run you all through the basics," Sumner explained. "Then we'll send you all for an in-depth training session for a week in Maryland. They'll train you at the James J. Rowley."
"What the President suggested, and we agree," O'Neill went on. "That to have someone, at least two members from the team with the three of you at all times."
"We're okay with that, sir," John replied to the look he received from the General. The rest of the team nodded their agreement to the suggestion as well.
"Great," he continued. "So the two of you will be on the list from now on and the rest of you will be listed as their protection detail,"
"Uh, sir," John interrupted the General, somewhat reluctantly. He was very much curious about this list he kept hearing about. "What is this list, exactly?"
"It's called a 'Protected Assets List,' with fifty-three names on it at the moment, including yours," Sumner explained. "It'll give you an additional layer of protection, especially when it comes to dealing with any and all other military branches and law enforcement authorities."
"So that bullshit like yesterday won't happen again," O'Neill added. "Or so we hope."
"Additionally, your locators will be monitored at all times, by all our warships and the Asgard when they happen to be around," said Colonel Sumner. "And you'll keep your comms on you at all times with access to emergency beaming always on first priority,"
"And you'll be beamed away to any of the warships if they happen to detect a threat around you, without warning," O'Neill informed them with a snort. "Keep that in mind as well."
Great, John thought to himself sarcastically. Wouldn't it be nice to show up in one of the ships bare-assed naked if they detected a threat while we were busy with other things? He had mental imagery to go with the thought, making him shudder. He heard Steve echoing the same line of thought through their connection.
"I think that's it?" the General asked the Colonel who agreed. "Well, then, you're all on leave for the week," he continued. "Come see me personally if you plan to leave the mountain for any reason," he aimed that bit at John and Steve. "Have fun!" he said to the rest of the team.
With that, they finished the discussion, and the General and the Colonel left the room, leaving the team to make their own plans for the free time they had ahead of them.
Sparring Area
Level 21
SGC
Four days after finding Galen
"Oomph…"
Sheppard found himself on his back, blinking at the ceiling, trying to catch his breath and clear his vision. It was the third time in the last seventeen minutes he had ended up in this inelegant position. He knew Steve had pulled his punch in the last second, noticing John was distracted. Again . He knew he'd be waking up in the infirmary if the SEAL hadn't.
Then the boring, grey squares were replaced by the concerned face of his lover, well, his sparring partner at the moment. Steve hauled him up with one hand and ran his other hand on the back of John's head, feeling for injuries. He had bumped his head so hard against the floor padding it had bounced, making him see stars.
Satisfied that he hadn't maimed his boyfriend, Steve walked to the bench at the edge of the sparring ring and sat down with a bottle of water. John followed and took a seat beside him.
"Alright, spill," said Steve, handing him a towel and a bottle of water. John wrapped the towel around his neck and sipped his water slowly, trying to get his scattered thoughts together. "What's bothering you, babe?"
"It's just..." John rubbed the back of his head where he had banged it. It didn't hurt. But it gave him something to do as he tried to answer Steve's question. "It's what Galen said the other day and those memories that surfaced."
"Oh?"
A beautiful musical voice joined the conversation in John's mind as Galen piped up, hearing his name.
John knew the Furling didn't interfere or enhance Steve in any way during physical training, content to let them train on their own. They had spoken about doing some training with John 'online' and Steve teamed up with Galen, but they hadn't really put that into practice yet. John had ended up on his butt today, mainly due to the SEAL being a focused and unforgiving trainer, coupled with his own inattention to what he was doing. John knew he usually held his own much better when he had his head in the game.
Now that the Furling had joined the conversation, John decided to continue the whole thing in his mind, communicating with them both telepathically.
"When you said that I had the undiluted and unaltered genome of my Alteran ancestor, what did you mean?" He asked.
"Exactly what I said," Galen replied. "You are her direct genetic descendant."
"But how is that possible?"
"What do you mean?" melodious notes tinkled in confusion.
"For that to happen, she has to be my mom, right? I know for a fact that my mom wasn't an Alteran. She was my dad's best friend growing up and then they got married." John explained. "She died when I was three and dad remarried two years later. So how do I get direct Alteran genetics?"
Galen blinked at him. "I do not know!"
He had already gone into stasis in a river on an unknown planet when Ganos Lal had returned to Terra Atlantus to continue her work against the Wraith and their masters.
Steve understood where he was going with this. "You think you're adopted or something?"
"If that was the case, I'd know about it, wouldn't I?" After all, where would his family adopt him from? A stasis pod?
"So what are you thinking?"
"That it's about time I paid my grandpa a visit."
Growing up, he had been closest to his mom's dad after she had passed away. His dad had withdrawn into himself and John had been left to his caretakers most of the time. But whenever his grandfather visited, he made sure to spend almost all his visit with John, regaling him with his stories, teaching him to ride horses, hiking with him to the river, and doing all kinds of things.
"Grandpa?" Steve frowned. "Won't your dad be a better choice?"
"I haven't spoken to him in more than ten years," John said bitterly.
His dad had gradually come out of his shell after his second marriage and he had even seemed more approachable with the new addition to the family. David, his next son, had arrived during the first year, making him happier. He had been more involved in raising David, had spent more time with him, and had become much closer to his younger son than he ever was to John. All through those changes, Patrick Sheppard had never really bothered to repair the rift between himself and John, to let his older son in, causing them to drift away from each other even more. During the years that had passed, John had grown much closer to both his stepmother and stepbrother than he ever was to his father.
"Besides, Gramps would know, and I trust him more." Then he grinned remembering who his grandfather actually was. "Oh, Steve, you're gonna love him!"
"I'm sure he's a nice fellow." Steve agreed amiably, having no clue. John just knew he was going to enjoy the reaction when he finally got to meet him.
….
Sheppard went to see the General later that day to inform him of their planned visit.
Sorting out their detail was easy since only Adam and Kono had been left in the mountain with the two of them.
Danny Williams and Shane Higgins had gone on leave on the day after the meeting with the General, intent on continuing the leave that got canceled a month ago due to the events in Libya. Then Cadman had wanted to go home to see her family whom she hadn't seen in three months and she had flown to Michigan the next day on leave. Marine Corps had sent summons for sergeant Bates and Captain Vega for their refresher training sessions - Bates for demolitions and Vega for advanced field medical. They had both left the base to go to Fort Carson to finish their requals which would take three days as well. Lorne had been at the base with the rest of them until an emergency had required him to beam down to Antarctica only the day before as an ATA gene carrier stand-in. A minor accident that occurred in the early hours yesterday had caused two gene carriers to end up in the infirmary for a couple of days, requiring the next person on the roster to show up at the Outpost much earlier than scheduled.
Even without the rest of the team, General O'Neill approved their outing with evident relief, knowing that both Noshimuri and Kalakaua had prior Close Protection experience.
…..
The next day morning Sheppard and McGarrett both got into the SUV they signed out to drive to the airport along with the two CIA Agents. They all wore Kevlar vests under their casual clothes and carried only concealed handguns on themselves. But they had a veritable armory in their carry-ons in case of an emergency. Sheppard had called ahead with the details of their visit and ended up agreeing to stay for two days, at his grandfather's urging. They'd drive to Denver international airport and then fly to Virginia in the private jet Sheppard's grandfather had insisted on sending for them.
…..
They had no trouble navigating through the busy airport to their private and luxurious transport. The three little black dots that popped up in front of the names John Sheppard and Steven J. McGarrett on their system had the airport security falling over themselves to get them out of there the quickest way possible. Nobody even batted an eyelid at the beeping the four of them set off walking through security doors carrying duffels laden with weapons.
Inside the Private Jet
Sheppard returned from rummaging through the stocked mini-bar with three beers. He handed two of them over to Kono and Steve. Adam had declined.
"We should visit your family often, brah," Kono declared, sprawled comfortably on a big, soft, leather seat. "I could get used to this." she opened her beer.
"What I don't get is, why is it such a big secret?" Steve asked, again, probably for the hundredth time.
"Because it's a surprise, sweetheart." John puckered his lips at him, blowing a kiss.
"Is he some sort of a celebrity?" Adam asked with a smile.
"Of a sort."
"Isn't that helpful!" Steve shook his head in mock disgust. Not knowing things grated on his nerves most of the time and John knew it.
"I promise you're gonna love him, babe," John said to him with a smirk, as he had on all those hundred prior times.
"You know what I think?" Kono stated, after finishing half her bottle. "We should've had Cadman and Danny with us," she pointed it at Sheppard. "They'd get it out of you somehow."
"Probably," John agreed with a laugh, after gulping his own beer. "Because I'm pretty convinced Williams got a mind-reading thing going on and Cadman's Cadman," he shrugged. "She always knows somebody who knows something."
"Those two are like their own news stations." Adam agreed.
"How long is the flight?" Kono wanted to know.
"About three hours."
"Plenty of time for a nap then," she shuffled around to get more comfortable on her seat, stretching fully and closing her eyes, promptly settling to take the said nap.
John looked towards Steve who sat on the seat next to him and smiled. Kono had gone to sleep and Adam looked content to stare out of his window, enjoying the cloudy scenery. He realized that he was glad to have these quieter members of the group with them for this trip. He could imagine the cracks about sugar daddies and loaded families that would've gotten thrown at him and Steve if the others were with them, he shared his thoughts with the SEAL. Steve returned the smile with a faint echo of agreement sent back through their link.
The Lefayette Residence
Virginia
Sheppard heard Steve's soft whistle as the SUV took the left turn to the private driveway that led to his grandpa's mansion. He understood the feeling. He used to feel like entering a new world in a fairytale every time he visited. Then he had gone on ROTC and hadn't had the chance to visit as often as he would've liked. He had grown up in a rich family due to his dad being a utility mogul and was used to the extravagant lifestyle, but even he had to admit that his mother's side of the family was something else. She came from a very proud line of sailors and naval officers - an old family tree of traders who owned their own fleets of ships and a number of higher-ranking officers in the navies around the world, throughout the time.
The entire 500-yard-long driveway was flanked by two even and tall rows of willows. The big multi-leveled house could be seen halfway through the drive. The few acres of the garden were beautifully landscaped with loads of flower beds and fruit-bearing trees. The big swimming pool was stretched over the right side of the garden and the left side ended with the gently flowing river acting as the boundary.
They all got out on the porch and were escorted inside by the butler, Jerome, to a huge parlor where a cozy tea set up was waiting for them. Sheppard saw his grandfather entering the area from the side door of his study located next to the parlor.
"John!"
He was engulfed in a hug and John returned the embrace just as tightly. It never failed to feel like he had just come home. His gramps always made him feel like he was loved and welcome in his place - A stark contrast to his own family.
"How are you, boy?" He scanned his grandson from head to toe. "When I learned what happened to you, I was already on my way when I heard O'Neill's people snatched you up."
"What happened to me?" Sheppard stared in confusion for a second before it dawned on him. "You mean Afghanistan?"
"Yeah," Edward answered, squeezing his shoulder with affection. "I even visited the Outpost twice," he revealed.
"I didn't know."
"No, you didn't. You were still inside the healing pod, then," Edward went on. "O'Neill told me about your recovery, later on. Sent me details about your briefing and everything."
Sheppard remembered receiving a call from his grandfather during his first few days at the SGC. They had talked for a bit and said their goodbyes, promising to visit each other soon, but his grandfather had never mentioned anything about knowing what had happened to him.
"That's why you called me."
"Yeah, I knew you were fine," Edward agreed. "You always pester me about keeping tabs on you and all that, so I didn't tell you," he smirked.
Sheppard grinned and shook his head. He had to agree that the man had a point. Sheppard had always insisted that he hadn't wanted his grandfather's position influencing his career.
"Anyway, what about this very interesting thing that happened to you a few days ago?" he changed the subject, a look of scrutiny entering his eyes.
"I'm not saying a thing, gramps," Sheppard laughed.
The man had been retired from active duty for more than eight years. He had been serving as the Secretary of Defence for two years now, for Hayes' administration. John knew the man was aware of everything about him there was to know already as he had revealed to him just now. He wasn't going to make things easier for his already too powerful grandfather, not a chance, he promised to himself. "They'll arrest my ass for violating all those NDAs," he joked instead.
"Oh, pfft," Edward waved dismissively. "I'll ask Henry when I see him next. He said he had a very interesting meeting with ya."
Sheppard shook his head, still chuckling, and turned to make the introductions. His team had been waiting patiently around them to finish their small talk. "Gramps, these are agents Kono Kalakaua and Adam Noshimuri, we all work together in the same team." Then he introduced his grandfather to his teammates. "Guys, this is Admiral Edward Johannes Lefayette, my mom's dad." He didn't have to spell out the man's current position in the country's leadership. They already knew.
He watched them shake hands and turned to Steve. He had saved the best part for last. Steve had frozen a few feet away from them and looked a few shades paler in the afternoon sunlight that filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
"Grandpa, you must meet this guy," he moved closer to Steve and gently prodded him forward.
"Ah, John, him, I already know," Edward Lefayette smiled at the wide-eyed SEAL and spoke to Sheppard. "Lieutenant Commander Steven J. McGarrett, the youngest SEAL to have the fastest promotion rate in the past few decades." He recited Steve's personal file as if he had been reading the thing during breakfast. "O'Neill snatched him in the nick of time too. I had him recommended to lead one of the teams in the Southern region after his recent promotion," Then he turned to Steve and extended his hand. "A pleasure to meet you, Lieutenant Commander,"
"An honor, Sir," Steve stiffened and shook the hand of his idol gravely. Sheppard grinned.
Admiral Edward J. Lafayette was one of the youngest CNO's, the Chief of Naval Operations for years before retiring. Although he had overall command and control over all Combatant Commands in his current official capacity, he liked to keep a special eye on naval operations. He was a legend among legends in the navy during his time and each and every naval officer and sailor aspired to follow his path - their own worshipped god within the ranks. Having the man declare that he knew Steve existed was more than a little shock for the usually unflappable SEAL.
"Relax, kiddo, there's no need to stand in on ceremony," he patted Steve on the back genially. "You're all here as my guests and my boy's friends," he told them all with a laugh, directing them to sit down in the comfy stuffed sofas. "Please all of you, make yourselves comfortable and have some snacks." Marie, the lady in charge of the kitchen, started to pour them teas and coffees with her usual efficiency.
They all started talking about all kinds of mundane things and not-so-mundane things over the refreshments. Steve managed to unwind gradually and join the conversations after a while. John suspected Galen was helping him along, providing strength and making sure Steve wouldn't fall in a swoon over his hero.
….
After some time, Sheppard excused himself and followed his grandfather to his study. As much as he enjoyed the time spent chatting and joking around, he needed to get this talk out of the way - the main reason for his sudden visit as he had already explained over the phone to Edward earlier. Then he could relax and enjoy the time with his favorite member of the family.
"I've been dreading this for a long time, son," Edward let out a heavy sigh and lowered himself to the big chair behind the mahogany table in his study. Sheppard was instantly concerned at the way his grandad's cheerful demeanor disappeared, replaced by something akin to great sadness.
"Gramps, if it's not something you want to talk about…"
"No, John," He shook his head and gestured to him to sit on the chair in front of him. "I need to tell you this. You have every right to know. I just didn't know when or how to do it."
"So, are you saying I'm adopted? You guys are not my real family?" There was a very uncomfortable lump in his throat and Sheppard swallowed hard, trying to dislodge it.
"We are your family and nothing in this goddamn world will ever change that," Edward stated firmly, locking gaze with his grandson. There was absolutely no doubt about that. He loved this kid more than his life and he'd do anything to protect him. "But how you came to be a part of us, now, that's a little complicated,"
"Yeah," Sheppard agreed, rubbing the back of his neck. "That's what I gathered too."
Then Edward opened a drawer of his table and produced a thick leather-bound book. He placed it in front of him and lowered both his hands onto the hardcover slowly, almost reverently. "It's all in here. I have even placed markers so you'll know what to skip and where to start reading," He pushed the book towards Sheppard. "It's the recorded history of our family. Contributed by most of us. The Lefayette Family Log. Read it carefully and then come back to me if you have any questions."
Sheppard took the diary in both hands and stood up from the chair, intending to go to his room and do just that.
But his grandfather stopped him, standing up as well. "John?"
"Yes, gramps?"
"Whatever you find in there..." his grandfather started, haltingly, only to cut himself off.
Sheppard thought he saw the man's gaze going watery as if he was fighting back tears. He blinked and looked down at the journal he now held - heavy with secrets and untold histories - things that had the power to unsettle even somebody like his grandfather. He felt a chill run down his spine at the thought, suddenly not sure about wanting to go digging in the family history anymore.
After a few deep breaths, Edward spoke again, his voice laden with meaning. "Please know that your mother loved you with all her heart and I love you, so very much, son. You are my everything."
"Um," Sheppard said hesitantly. He was quite uneasy about the entire thing now. But this was why he was here and he had to get through this, he reminded himself. He took a deep breath and firmed his resolve. "I love you too, gramps."
Exiting his grandfather's study, he sent a mental message to Steve, letting him know that he was going to need some time alone to read the family diary. He promised to call out if he needed anything and went upstairs to find his bedroom, intent on getting to the bottom of his mysterious past.
Sheppard's Bedroom
The log had entries that dated back to thirteen hundreds. John skimmed through the pages his grandfather had painstakingly marked for him. They all had one thing in common. All his ancestors from his mother's side complained about headaches and nightmares. It didn't miss a single person in the family. It started when they were eight and continued until the day they died. It was the Lefayette family curse.
The chill that ran down his spine earlier was back and it was more intense this time, goosebumps following close behind. He thought back to his own childhood and couldn't remember having anything of the sort. Hah, well, the curse must've lifted before him then...
Sheppard didn't remember his mother ever complaining about a headache either. But then again, he was only three when she passed away. It was possible he hadn't noticed. Then he came to the entry of Edward's great-grandfather's grandfather (how many 'greats' was that again?) and noticed the side note telling him to start reading from here.
So he sat back on the bed against a fluffy pillow and started doing just that.
1698
Entries from Irina Morgan Lefayette
Dear Lord - Please, I pray to thee, give me and my family reprieve from this ailment.
1783
Entries from Edwin Kolter Lefayette
My little brother committed suicide yesterday. He was a sick child and couldn't deal with these headaches anymore. Will I lose my will to live as well?
….
"Crap," John muttered a soft curse.
He hadn't known it would be that bad. Must have been a pretty awful headache to drive somebody to kill himself over it, probably because they didn't have any good pain killers? Weren't there any doctors who could diagnose them properly? he mused as he kept reading.
….
1840
Entries from Johan Avery Lefayette
Second Officer of the Ship - HMS Erebus - serving under Captain James Clark Ross (Antarctic Expedition)
21st October -1840
It is so goddamn cold. It will get worse before it gets better.
28th October -1840
It is only the shades of white and blue everywhere I look. And it's still very cold. We are all slowly going insane. Captain will not turn back until he finds what he came looking for.
2nd November -1840
Crewman Gans had spotted something to the far east. But the clouds and fog that came from nowhere are doing us no favors. We have anchored for now. Waiting for the fog to pass so we can continue.
….
Something about the time period - The Era - nagged at John. He thought back about it and realized with a shock that this was the Antarctic Expedition. The one where they found it for the very first time. He took a moment to be amazed at the fact that his ancestors had been present and involved at that historical moment before going back to reading.
….
15th December - 1840
The headaches are getting worse. The doctor says it is the cold. I say it is the nightmares. But then again, I have had them since I was eight, have I not? Why are they accompanied by headaches now? Wonder if my father suffered the same ailment...
29th December -1840
Crewman Gans fell asleep on the lookout. He never woke up. Cook Trenton lost a leg beneath the knee. Helmsman Harris lost three fingers and two toes. Frostbite is a silent killer.
5th January - 1841
Finally! We are here. Captain Clark has done it!
10th January -1841
I had the most bizarre dream yesterday night. I saw a woman. A very pretty, dark-haired lady. She was telling me something. I do not know what. The headaches are gone. I keep hearing a buzzing sound.
12th January - 1841
We are the first to set foot on this piece of cold, barren land. Captain insists on calling it the 'Victoria Land.' The buzzing is getting worse. I am almost wishing for the headaches to come back.
18th January - 1841
I woke up in a bed in the sick room today. My leg is in a cast. The doc says I saved the first officer from falling off a cliff. The land separates without warning here. I have a steel box beside me. Doc says I found it in a cave and wasn't willing to let go. He does not know the details and I do not remember. Captain has gifted it to me as a reward for saving the first officer.
19th January - 1841
The box is beautiful. Reminds me of the lady from my dream. It is only about a foot wide and a foot and a quarter long. About half a foot thick. It warms up whenever I touch it. I shall sleep with it under my blanket. I shall sleep warm tonight.
24th January - 1841
It is as if it's calling to me. It makes me feel better, happy, and hopeful. The beautiful carvings and the strange letters sometimes glow when I touch them. The headaches have not come back. The nightmares are gone. No more buzzing.
30th January - 1841
The cast is off. I'm walking again. Well, limping mostly and on light duty. But much better. I have this strange notion that my box has been helping me. Anton is dead. He crept into my bunk and tried to steal my box. I reacted and killed him by bashing my box on his skull.
IT IS MY BOX. I SHALL DIE BEFORE LOSING IT.
….
Sheppard tore his eyes away from the entries and swallowed hard. He had an uneasy feeling about this box of Johan's. It sounded disturbingly like Ancient tech that had gone wrong, he thought. He'd know because he'd seen a lot of malfunctioning gadgets with positively homicidal tendencies - Dr. Bill Lee hoarded them in his lab and roped both John and Lorne into switching them on for him.
He opened a bottle of water he had on the bedside table and gulped down half of it before continuing through the bizarre writings.
….
Entries from Augustine Ian Lefayette
Admiral - The Merchant's Alliance - Great Britain & Americas
7th February 1882
I received the family curse when I was eight. The headaches had been growing steadily just like my father told me they would. All my siblings are suffering from it. I have learned to live with it. I can never remember what the nightmares are about.
I turned thirty yesterday, and giving birth to a family tradition, as the oldest male child of the family, I have received the responsibility of the Lefayette family heirloom today. I've been reading this log and hope to hell that my curse will go away since I have the box now. At least, that is my father's theory. I have had to take an oath to guard it with my life. If this thing can cure my headaches, that is exactly what I shall do.
Entries from Richard Logan Lefayette
15th May 1909
My precious son has arrived. I shall call him Samuel Terrence.
3rd July 1914
I am thirty today and I am waiting with bated breath to receive the cure for my debilitating sickness - The Great Box of Lefayette! Hah!
15th December 1924
Praise the Lord! It works!
Samuel Terrence Lefayette
Rear-Admiral - United States Navy
15 May 1939
Thank you very much for the box father. I hope it works.
December -1940
It works! Hooyah!
12th March 1959
My oldest son turned thirty today. It's time for him to trade one headache for another. The box had done its job for the past twenty years. Hopefully, the headaches won't return when I give the box away. I might be tempted to take it back. But I won't dare.
….
The entries were blurring and Sheppard noticed that his hands were shaking, his palms cold and sweaty. He realized he was breathing hard and somewhat uneven as well. He put the book aside and got off the bed to go stand by the open window for a moment. The late afternoon breeze on his skin and the hypnotic effect of the gentle ripples on the river helped him to calm down a little.
Before long, he felt the damned thing calling to him, begging him to come and start reading again, telling him that it was important. He finished the rest of the water bottle on his bedside table and sat on the bed with a groan. He had to find out what happened, no matter how scared he was. So he gritted his teeth and turned back to where he left off.
….
Entries from Edward Johannes Lefayette
Captain - USS Nimitz
United States Navy
16th April - 1959
Ah! Miracle of miracles!
I'm free of curse and brand new owner of an old, dented box that is more than a few generations old. Wonder how much this will go on an antique auction? My father just might kill me. I've had this feeling since I was a kid that he's a bit more attached to this thing than any of us in his family.
28th April - 1962
My headaches are gone. No nightmares either. I'm only a bit creeped out.
14th September - 1963
My sweet little daughter, Kristina, complained about headaches today. She turned eight yesterday. Goddamn, this fucking family curse! I'm tempted to hand this damnable box to one of the labs in a black site and have it analyzed. So then maybe a cure can be found for these unexplainable headaches.
9th June - 1977
Oh, dear Lord! Why is this happening?
My daughter and my son-in-law were in a car crash today. They are both in the ICU. Patrick is undergoing surgery later today. Kristina is in a coma. They are saying she might lose the baby. My world is falling apart. Please, God! Let them pull through…
Please!
11th June - 1977
It happened.
My worst nightmare had come true. The family curse was nothing compared to this. The pain I'm feeling in my heart and soul is a thousand - no - a million times worse. She lost her child today. She still sleeps. She doesn't know her baby is gone. Patrick hasn't woken up from his surgery yet either.
….
Sheppard noticed the ink smudges at the end of the shaky entry just before a fresh teardrop fell closer to the one that dried decades ago. He wiped his eyes and continued to read.
...
14th June 1977
I don't know how I got home. Maybe Jerome drove me here or I caught a taxi. I don't think I drove. I don't know. I don't care.
The President called for something or other and I may have snapped at him. I might be out of a job. I DON'T CARE!
My grandchild is dead and my baby girl is dying. I'm losing my will to live as well. Maybe I'll get to visit my beloved Victoria soon after all...
Why the hell can't the mother take care of that wailing baby? I've been hearing a baby crying for more than half an hour now! What the hell is wrong with this world? Don't they realize how precious what they have, alive in their hands?
15th June 1977
Oh dear Lord!
What have you dropped on my lap?
I stopped writing on this stupid diary yesterday and went out of my bedroom to find where the wailing was coming from. To my utter horror and surprise, I found the source of it in the attic.
The thrice-damned box was open and glowing silver and blue. It had the whole attic lit up like a miniature sun. The room had a heavy feel to it and was filled with static and buzzing. The wailing was coming from inside. The lid was open in such a way, I couldn't see anything unless I moved right next to it.
(My hand still trembles as I try to gather my thoughts and write this down. This is important!)
A tiny baby boy is crying his little heart out. I don't fucking know how he got here. We had this box in the family for centuries and I refuse to contemplate the fact that there was a baby in it.
Oh, Lord, forgive us! We hadn't known!
Once I collected my wits about me and took the child to my arms, he stopped crying. God bless him, he smiled. I think I laughed. And cried. Then laughed again. The little guy looked at me as if I were mad. Then he too laughed. The sound reminded me of a wild, bubbling stream - a sound of pure and innocent joy - The sound of a new life!
I was astonished to realize that I felt alive again!
Then I realized it could bring life back to my little girl as well! He can bring back joy and happiness to my family!
Just like that, I knew what to do!
Dear Lord…
I'm on my knees, deeply humbled by your benevolence and I'm filled with gratitude. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the second chance you have granted me and my family…
….
Sheppard threw the journal and stumbled blindly towards the bathroom attached to his bedroom. He barely managed to get the lid open on the toilet before he got violently sick. He hadn't had anything except for a light meal and the water he'd been drinking while reading, but that didn't stop his stomach from expelling everything with extreme prejudice. He heard a door bang open and close faintly through the buzzing in his ears, just before he had to hug the bowl again.