Author's Note: As in the last chapter, the dialogue in italics is thought vs. spoken.

Moments in Time, Chapter 4

::::: The Sphere :::::

"I mean you no harm," says the girl.

Well…I'd believe you if I didn't have a metal spear sticking out of my neck, says John with every word swathed in sarcasm. Why do they always say that after they do some-

John! Elizabeth interrupts. Shut up a sec, will you? I think it's some sort of recording.

"…memory device," continues the girl. "It has been sent to learn more about you…John and Elizabeth."

Elizabeth is taken aback at the pure sadness in the girl's voice as she said their names. But there isn't time to dwell on that thought as the fog rolls back in and the young girl disappears.

Um…you didn't catch any of that, did you? asks John sheepishly.

Only as much as you got, Elizabeth responds with disapproval.

Sorry. How as I supposed to know it was a –

Shh! Elizabeth quiets John again as the fog starts to thin.

The fog reveals the front porch of a house. It's a fairly nondescript structure and could be a house from anywhere in middle America…but there's something about it that seems familiar to Elizabeth. When an older man walks out the front door, her shock immediately registers with John.

Dad?

"Daddy! Daddy!"

A little girl, maybe seven or so, comes tearing around the side of the house. The man quickly comes down the porch steps and kneels just as the little girl launches herself into his arms. The man sits down on the steps and holds the girl close for a moment before pulling away so he can get a look at her.

The little girl is wearing a scruffy pair of cut-offs and a well-faded pink t-shirt that has more than a few splotches of dirt on it. Her dark hair is up in two curly pigtails, although one looks like it had been pulled down and re-tied by less than expert hands. She's valiantly trying to fight back tears, but her lower lip is trembling as she looks at her father with forlorn eyes.

John Sheppard thinks it's the most adorable thing he's ever seen. There's no doubt in his mind that he's looking at Elizabeth as a child being comforted by her father.

Little Elizabeth sniffs and Joseph Weir brushes a stray tear away with the pad of his thumb.

"What's wrong with my Lizzie?" her father asks.

Realizing that she hasn't successfully kept the tears from falling, Lizzie makes an exaggerated swipe at her eyes with the back of her arm. In it's wake, her arm leaves a smudge of dirt across her nose.

John is forced to rescind his earlier thought. Now that is the most adorable thing he's ever seen.

"Okay Lizzie," says Joe. "What have your brothers done now?"

If it's one thing that her father has learned over the years, the only ones capable of upsetting his brave and spirited little girl are her two older brothers. Everyone else usually gets either a sock in the gut or a kick to the shin. Regardless of the fact that Mike and Marc are, respectively, ten and eight years older than Lizzie, it's amazing how little they think about how their words and actions affect their little sister.

This time though, Joe has a feeling he knows what it's about. Mike is a few days away from leaving for the Naval Academy, with Marc ready to follow him in two years.

"Come on. Tell me what happened," Joe prods.

"Marc," says Lizzie before letting out abig sniff and a swiping at her nose with her hand. "Marc says that they don't let girls in the Navy Seals. That girls aren't as strong as boys. That we can't do the same stuff as boys. Is that true Daddy? I can't be a Seal because I'm a girl?"

Joe lets out a sigh as he thinks about how to answer. He knows that the majority of the military still thinks that women shouldn't and couldn't be equal to men. He even admits that he believed much the same thing until his own little girl showed him that she could be as tough as any boy. The kid down the street who's missing two front teeth, courtesy of Lizzie, can testify to that. She's going to face a lot of challenges proving herself in life and Joe has to decide between not lying to his daughter or possibly killing her dream.

"Marc is right," Joe starts, causing Lizzie's eyes to widen. He holds up a hand to keep her from getting upset right away. Lizzie frowns and bites her lip, but stays silent. "There are no women in the Navy Seals today, but that doesn't mean it can't happen someday. It's going to be a lot of hard work, but if it's really what you want, then I don't have any doubts you can be anything you want to be, Lizzie. You know why?"

"Because I'm a Weir and Weirs are tough!" she responds with a big smile.

"That's right," Joe says proudly before giving her a quick hug. "Now tell me. What did Mike say after Marc told you all this?" It worried him that his oldest son could have such a negative outlook right before leaving for the Academy.

"He said that Marc was right," says Lizzie.

"No I didn't."

Father and daughter look up to see that Mike has also come around the side of the house. He's tall and slim, but muscular, with brown hair and kind eyes the same color as Elizabeth's. He walks over to kneel in front of Lizzie. Her face scrunches up and she gives him the meanest glare she can muster.

"You didn't let me finish," says Mike with a little smile. He adores his little sister and it's hard to keep a straight face with that cute frown on her face. "I was only going to tell you that there aren't any women in the Seals, but Dad is right. You're the toughest kid I know, girl or boy. If anyone's going to make it in, it's you. I'm sorry if I upset you."

Lizzie turns and looks up at her father, as if asking permission not to be upset anymore. Joe nods and she turns back to her brother. Lizzie gives him one more scowl before smiling and wrapping her arms around Mike's neck.

"It's okay," she says seriously. "Just know better next time."

That's something their mother always says after they've been scolded and Mike can't help but laugh as he stands with Lizzie in his arms. He makes her giggle with a tickle on her tummy before hugging her close.

"I love you, kiddo. I'm going to miss you so much."

The fog rolls back in as Mike starts to tickle Lizzie mercilessly. Soon, it's gray again with the little girl's giggles fading in the stillness. John can feel Elizabeth's sense of loss and sadness.

You okay? he asks.

Not really, Elizabeth responds. It's been so long…I just didn't realize how much I missed them both.

They're silent for a moment, but after a while Elizabeth feels there's something John is dying to say and thinks he shouldn't.

I can tell you want to say something. It's okay, really, she reassures him.

You sure? John double checks.

Yes, Elizabeth responds and then regrets it as John's hesitation immediately switches to amusement.

Loved the pigtails.

Wow. So I bet you guys thought I'd never come back to this story, huh? It's been – oh my – over two months since I posted an update. I humbly apologize. Thanks for your patience. I promise that future chapters won't take as long.

Oh – and the movie I was referring to in the last chapter was Die Hard 2. Right after the wife gets off the plane, she whines "John, why does it keep happening to us?". Thought it was appropriate.