Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate Atlantis.

Note: Sorry it's been a while but I had my GCSEs to revise for and do but now I'm all done which should mean more updates. Thanks to everyone who reviewed.

Atlantis

Elizabeth, John and Bree emerged in Atlantis only a few seconds after leaving Earth. It was impossible to prepare Bree for the trip and she did seem very shaken by the whole thing.

Elizabeth turned to her daughter and bent down, wrapping her arms around her.

"Are you okay honey?"

Bree nodded and quickly snuggled into her mother as two men approached them. Elizabeth looked up and smiled at the familiar faces of Aiden and Carson.

She turned back to Bree and spoke in a soft tone.

"Honey, these are my friends. This is Aiden…" she told her gesturing to Aiden "…and this is Carson"

Carson bent down in front of her and smiled.

"You don't remember me do you? Well that's okay but I need to make sure you're okay after your trip"

Bree looked nervously between her mother and Carson. Elizabeth nodded

"It's okay. Carson will look after you."

Carson held out his hand and Bree slowly took it. Carson lifted Bree into his arms and held her gently. He turned to Elizabeth and John.

"It's good to see you both again. We'll be in the infirmary"

Elizabeth smiled at him and watched as he carried Bree out of her sight.

She than turned her attention back towards Aiden and a man who was approaching them. He was obviously the Atlantis commander now. He smiled at her, though she suspected it was a fake smiled.

"Dr Elizabeth Weir, it's so good to finally meet you. I'm Colonel Steven Caldwell."

Elizabeth smiled politely but couldn't help but feel that he wanted her off his city as quickly as possible.

Caldwell than turned to John.

"Colonel Sheppard, it's good to see you again"

John put on his typical 'don't give me that shit' smile.

"Good to see you again too Sir"

Caldwell saw the smiled and glared at him before turning back to Elizabeth and smiling.

"We have done what was requested. The Genii have been contacted and they agreed to the terms we laid out. Our security team will meet Kolya and his security team on an unpopulated planet, we'll check them for weapons and once they are given the all clear we will bring them back to Atlantis. But there's one thing, to make sure we are not springing a trap they want you to go to the planet Dr Weir."

Elizabeth looked down. She was not all too happy about seeing Kolya again but she couldn't bare to see him any earlier than she had too, but there was no other option.

"Okay, if that's their only term, I'll go"

John was about to object when he stopped

"Tell yourself that now son, but when it comes to choosing, she will pick what is best for her daughter and you will not get a say"

Those words rang through his head again, words that were so harsh but so true.

Aiden saw the change in his friend's posture, he saw the look on his face and realised that John didn't support the course of action they were taking. Aiden sighed inwardly.

Caldwell led Elizabeth up to his office so he could go into details about the meet. Aiden and John stood awkwardly for a few moments before John spoke.

"So…how…how are McKay and Teyla?"

Aiden nodded and they began to walk away from the control room and down to the infirmary

"They're okay, Teyla's on the mainland at the minute, I think McKay is in his lab."

John stopped and turned to his friend

"What happened?"

Ford faced his CO and sighed

"We had a small disagreement concerning…well contacting Kolya. McKay…he was adamant he didn't want him anywhere near Atlantis, Bree or Dr Weir."

John nodded

"That's kinda where I stand"

Aiden nodded and carried on walking

"I could tell, I thought that if Kolya can help Bree, why not let him."

John sighed

"That's exactly what Elizabeth thought"

John ran to catch up with Aiden; he still hadn't mentioned Teyla's position on the disagreement

"What did Teyla say?"

Aiden kept on walking, sighing and shaking his head

"She didn't think it was her place to say whether we should decide or not… she got angry at us because we were more concerned with being right instead of what was right for Bree"

John nodded slightly

"She's right, we have all been thinking about ourselves. I didn't want to see him again but…that not necessarily what's right for Bree."

Aiden sighed and thought it would be better to change the subject. He smiled smugly and turned to John.

"Sooo…did you make an honest woman out of her?"

John turned round to him, smiling and shaking his head

"No. Elizabeth and I are quite happy the way we are. A piece of paper isn't anything special. It's the feeling that matter"

Aiden smiled and laughed

"When did you get sappy?"

John smiled

"I've always been sappy Aiden; I've just never shown it"

The two men laughed lightly.

"I've missed this. Don't get me wrong, SG1 and Jack are great but…I've missed this, cut off from rules and regulations, able to have a laugh and not after to look over your shoulder to make sure there's no General you're going to offend"

Aiden sighed when he saw the look in his friend's eyes

"Do you regret going back to Earth?"

John shook his head

"No, I made that decision because that was what I wanted, what I still want. I just sometimes miss the city and everyone on it. Elizabeth is the same way, but we don't let it get us down"

Aiden nodded and the two friends stayed silent until they reached the infirmary where Bree was sat on one of the far beds playing with Carson's Stethoscope.

John walked over to the bed, picked her up in his arms, and tickled her causing her to laugh uncontrollably.

Aiden watched them with sadness. He knew how much John wished Bree were his, Aiden knew how much it killed him that she wasn't

Flashback (6 and a half years ago)

The team watched as Elizabeth stepped though the Stargate with Bree in her arms.

As the Stargate shutdown their eyes dropped to the ground and Rodney was the first to break the silence

"Well I…I guess that's it then"

He rushed out of the 'Gate room but not quick enough because they all heard the sobs cracking his voice. Teyla shook her head sadly and went after the scientist to check he was okay.

As the rest dispersed, Aiden kept watching John who was staring at the Stargate as if he was in a trance. Slowly Aiden walked over to him

"Sir"

John completely blanked him and walked out to the balcony, ignoring the concerned looks from the crew. Aiden thought for a minute. Maybe he should leave him alone to get it out of his system. Aiden shook his head. John needed his support and he'd be there to give it.

Aiden slowly made his way out onto the balcony. When he stepped outside, he could see John gripping so hard on the railing that his knuckles were turning white.

He didn't think John had noticed he was there, he was about to say something when John spoke.

"It's not fair; this damn fuck up situation is not fair. We didn't do anything wrong and we're being punished."

Aiden slowly walked to stand next to him; Aiden rested his hands on the railing and sighed

"I know Sir. None of you deserve this"

John pulled on of his hands of the railings to wipe his eyes but it did no good, the tears were simply replaced by more.

"I want Bree to be mine so much it hurts. I think that if we could just pretend that she was mine…it would be easier…but he would still be there wouldn't he? Haunting us, making our lives a living hell. I just want to kill the bastard and get it over with, but I can't because I would be killing a part of Bree and she as done nothing wrong."

Aiden nodded

"I know Sir"

John turned to face Aiden briefly before looking back out to the ocean.

"She must think I hate her…for going, like she thought I hated her for going through with the pregnancy and having Bree, she must think I'm a right bastard"

Aiden quickly shook his head and reassured him

"That is not true Sir and I know that for a fact"

John looked at Aiden sceptically

"How in the world could you know that Aiden?"

Aiden sighed and looked out across the ocean

"When she was pregnant she became increasingly paranoid"

Aiden laughed slightly at the memory before continuing

"There were rumours going around that you were seeing someone on the mainland. I told her it wasn't true, she said she wouldn't blame you if you were. But she never once said she hated you or that she thought any less of you. She said that she wanted you to be happy"

John closed his eyes

"I was happy with them. I love them both…so much. I should have told her but…it would have made things more difficult. All I want now is to hold them in my arms, but it's too late."

End of Flashback

It might have happened over six years ago but Aiden still remembered that day so clearly it hurt and watching them now just brought it home to him how difficult these next few days would be and he just hoped they'd all be able to handle it.

TBC…