The last of the guests had left the funeral.
Many simply returned to Atlantis through the Stargate - they didn't plan on sticking around for any of the other funerals. Some were granted short LOAs and went home for the weekend to visit with their families and friends. Sitting around the empty casket was a small circle of those one might call 'kindred spirits'.
Drs Zelenka, Beckett, Heightmyer, Felger, and a few Russians, along with SG1, much of the SGC support staff and Major Davis sat around just talking about the man they'd known and, in some cases, loved.
"So," Jack leaned back in his chair, noting to himself that none of Atlantis' premier team had remained, "how did so many people end up coming to his funeral?"
The Russians, Atlanteans and Daniel all frowned at the General.
"What do ya mean by that, General?" Beckett grit his teeth to keep from taking of his shoe and throwing it at the former leader of SG1.
Jack winced a bit, but didn't back down. "Look, I'm not trying to trash talk the dead, here, but McKay was an ass. Did everyone just come to dance on his grave or did they figure it was an easy way to get and LOA on Earth?"
Jay Felger's hands clenched. No matter how much he looked up to O'Neill, there was no way anyone could deny that the man was as cruel as he was simple. Sure, the man was a hero, but sometimes he could just be a... a... well, an ass. A hypocritical, egocentric, narrow minded ass.
"General," Heightmyer said tersely, "The Dr. Rodney McKay of Atlantis was a much different man than the one you had known."
"Aye," Beckett cut in, "sure, he 'ad his quirks, but who doesn't now?"
Zelenka smiled and added softly, "and et vas his quirks zat set him apart."
"And it vas his separation zat made him... him," one of the Russians finished.
Carter felt tears brimming. She'd never have thought that anyone else could have had such feelings of companionship and love - not in a Mary Sue, hanky panky way - but true blue stuck like glue love, for the eccentric and brilliant physicist.
"Sir," she laid her hand on Jack's shoulder and jerked her head towards the exit. "I think we have to be getting back."
O'Neill, still in a bit of shock from the outpouring of emotion he'd just witnessed, and the anger and resentment aimed towards himself, nodded and they got up and left the old hockey rink together.
When they got into the dark SUV waiting to take them back to base, Jack turned to Sam with a perplexed look on his face.
"What was all of that about, Carter?"
"Just shut up, sir."
OOC: sorry, not feeling too creative tonight so this chapter is a shorty.
If you didn't know, I'm the only person in the world who doesn't like Jack O'Neill.
He isn't bad, but he pisses me off too often for me to wholly love him.