John didn't get much more information out of Beckett while he was being examined, so once his identity really had been medically confirmed he eagerly left the infirmary to find Colonel Garrett. It was slightly unnerving to see the man seated so comfortably in the office that John knew to be Elizabeth's.

"Ah, Colonel Sheppard," the officer said. "Please, have a seat. I'd imagine this has all been a bit much to take in." John gave a nod.

"That's kind of an understatement. I've definitely got a lot more questions than answers."

"I've received a preliminary briefing from the science team as to how all this is possible. As far as anyone in this city knew, eighteen years ago, you were killed in an accident when the Stargate shut down before you could rematerialize in the city. It seems clear now that you never emerged from the gate then because you were sent to your future, or our present."

"Let's not start playing with tenses," John interrupted. The Colonel smiled.

"The Stargate isn't designed to be a time travel device, but it has acted as one in the past under special circumstances. Right now, the main theory is that the energy from the weapons that were being fired at you somehow tore a conduit through space-time that allowed you to wind up here."

"Well, that's…not really all that comforting. Anybody got any ideas for how to fix it?"

"We're working on that; another briefing will be held this afternoon. In the meantime, I think there's someone waiting in the conference room that can explain the things you've missed a bit better than I can."

As the conference room doors opened, John saw that there were three 'someone's waiting for him. The pair of kids that had been in the gate room before was standing together, talking with another person who had their back to him, sitting in a chair at the far side of them room. He hadn't really taken the time to get a look at them before, but did now. The boy was tall with hazel eyes and brown hair that fell a good three inches longer than military regulation. The girl had hair of the same color flowing halfway down her back with a hint of curl at the bottom. Her eyes were green, like John's own, and shone as she talked animatedly. The conversation stopped, however, at the sound of the door opening and everyone just stared at each other for a long moment.

"Hi, Dad," the girl finally said, stepping towards him with her brother.

John cracked a smile. "Wow. Dad. That's going to take some getting used to."

"For us, too," the boy said.

"I'm sorry; I don't even know your names."

"I'm Abbie."

"Jon."

John raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Usually only Mom calls him that," Abbie explained. "His name's actually Jonathan."

"I see. Um, speaking of," John said, "Where is your mom?"

The chair at the end of the table turned around, and John was pretty sure his heart stopped at the sight of the woman sitting in it. "Hello, John," Elizabeth said with a small smile. He had trouble making himself breathe, let alone talk. Much thinner than he remembered and somewhat pale, she seemed much older than she really was. But the smile on her face…He'd always been a sucker for that smile.

"Elizabeth," he finally whispered. She attempted to get up, and Jonathan hurried to her side.

"Stop, Mom. You're too weak." John joined them, kneeling beside Elizabeth's chair, taking her hands, and trying his best to smile.

"I can't believe you're here," she said.

"I kind of feel the same way. I see you've been busy."

Elizabeth smiled up at her children. "I've been kept on my toes," she agreed. "I found out about them a couple weeks after…the accident. Well, only one at first. For a couple months, Abbie always had to be the star of the show when I had a checkup."

"I just wanted to surprise you," Jonathan cut in.

"And you did," she replied with a small laugh.

They all looked up as a figure entered the doorway. There was something vaguely familiar about the boy, who looked no older to John than his own children were, but he couldn't figure out exactly what it was. "Hey," he called to Jonathan and Abigail. "Mac said there's something in the lab that you have to see."

"Can it wait?" Jonathan asked him.

"Not according to her." He rolled his eyes.

"We'll be back in ten minutes," Abbie promised John as the twins left with their friend.

"Who was that, and who's Mac?" John asked Elizabeth.

"That was Tagan Dex."

His jaw dropped. "You're kidding. As in…"

"Yep. And Mac is a nickname for Mackenzie Beckett."

John frowned. " Carson definitely did not mention that when I saw him. Who's her mother?"

"You'd know instantly if you saw her. Mac inherited her flaming red hair."

"Lieutenant Cadman?"

"Major Cadman, now."

"Wow. I guess I've missed a lot in the past two decades. Where's the rest of AG-1?"

Elizabeth looked down for a moment. "Rodney is back on Earth. The last I heard, he was doing quite well."

John nodded. "That's good. How about Ronon and Teyla? Are they in the city or on the mainland?"

"Neither…There was a Wraith attack during a mission a few years ago…they were both taken. Tagan was eleven." He sighed.

"They couldn't be rescued?"

"No. We lost four others trying."

"Just when I was thinking our lives turned out pretty good…"

"There's been good with the bad," Elizabeth commented, before coughing into her hand.

John eyed her skeptically. "Why do I get the feeling that the bad is in the majority? Should you be down in the infirmary?"

"No. There's nothing they can do." She began coughing again, and he put an arm around her slight shoulders to help her stay upright. "I hate how easily I get tired these days."

"Do I still know where your quarters are?" John asked as he helped her up. Elizabeth smiled.

"No. But I'll show you if you give me a hand getting here."

TBC...

Don't kill me! I had to do it. The future has to be different, or the present wouldn't be missed so much.