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For a brief few seconds time seemed to stop for John Sheppard. When he joined the Atlantis Expedition he was left his old live behind him, or so he thought. Now fate or karma or maybe even the ancients themselves were laughing at him. All he could do was stand there and stare as his former wife, (at least he thought so, he had not stuck around to make sure the divorce was finalized), introduce herself to everyone. His heart almost stopped when she headed in his direction; he panicked, for he had not told anyone that he had been married once.
"Colonel Sheppard, it is nice to meet you," Olivia said as she walked up to him.
"Nice to meet you too, Miss Barrington," John said as he shook her hand. He quietly thanked whatever part of her decided to play it coy.
"Well, it seems that we have a lot to get to today so let's get down to it. First of all I would love for General O'Neill to tell us why we were not informed of this expedition when you told us about the Stargate," Olivia asked, directing a pointed look at Jack.
Jack sat there looking dumbfounded, not having thought he would actually have to do anything but just sit there as Elizabeth talked.
"Well…the simple matter is that we didn't even know that they were still alive six months ago when we informed you," Jack said.
"I'm sorry. I don't think I heard you there; how did you not know that they were alive," Olivia asked.
"When they agreed to go to Atlantis they knew it was a possibility that it was a one way trip. Communication was not reestablished until four months ago," Jack answered.
"Wait a minute; people volunteered for a trip knowing that they might not make it back to Earth again?"
"There was always hope that we would be able to return to Earth, but yes we knew of the possibility," Elizabeth said from her seat next to John and Rodney.
"You realize that is insane, right?"
"Yes well, everything in the Pegasus galaxy is a bit insane," Rodney said, speaking up for the first time.
"General, I am going to ask you one more time and I want you to be honest with me," she said looking at Jack O'Neill. "Is this all some sort of practical joke that you have been put up to? I swear if Ashton Kutcher jumps out from behind the door telling me I've been punked, someone is going to be seriously hurt."
"No Olivia, you are not going to be punked. Like I told you the last time, everything we are telling you is real. Yes, for the past eight years we have been traveling to other planets meeting aliens; No, they are not all friendly like E.T., in fact many of them have tried to kill us. Atlantis is just another faction of the Stargate Program," Jack said with a smile.
"I still think that this is all crazy."
"Join the club kid. I've been with the program since the beginning and I still think it's crazy."
* * * * * * * *
John was bored out of his mind. The meeting had been going on for almost three hours now and he had long ago given up on paying attention to what was being said. It seemed as if somewhere along the line they had been able to convince Olivia that this was all real. Elizabeth and Jack spent the time going over the major aspects of the expedition—the city of the ancients, the Genii, and of course the Wraith; Rodney spent the time going over some of the more technical aspects of how they kept the city running. John supposed he should have been paying closer attention to what was going on because when he looked up he found everyone looking at him waiting for some kind of response.
"I'm sorry, what" he asked them.
"Miss Barrington asked you about some of the security aspects of Atlantis," Elizabeth said to him with an annoyed tone, upset to find that he had not been paying attention.
"Security on Atlantis is simple…see a Wraith, kill it," John said.
"Typical military response," Olivia said.
"You have a problem with the military Miss Barrington?"
"Of course not Colonel; I happen to spend a lot of time with members of the military. All I meant was that it seems to be a common occurrence amongst them that they respond to everything by shooting it."
"That is not true. Sometimes in the Pegasus Galaxy it is required to handle a situation with a little C4," John remarket with a smile.
"Now we're talking my kind of language," Olivia said with a smile of her own.
"Yes, Olivia is our gung ho type in this administration," Leo said from his chair. "Her response to foreign policy lately has been to just blow it up. Doesn't matter if it is a treaty or a military situation…her answer is to blow it the hell up."
"Not all of them," Olivia said defending herself. "Now, I think it is time that we take a break for a while, get some lunch or something. God knows that I have left Josh and Sam alone to their own devices long enough. I am surprised that they haven't managed to set fire to this place…again," she said, remembering the time that the guys had tried to start a fire in one of the west wing fireplaces. The only problem was that the flume had been wielded shut about a hundred years ago. Due to that little oversight, the room had filled with smoke setting off the alarms and causing the evacuation of the President during the middle of the night.
"Sounds like a great idea," O'Neill said getting up. "I could definitely go for a piece of cake."
"You are in luck then General. I think the chef was making German Chocolate cake in the cafeteria today," Leo said with a small smile at the mans antics.
* * * * * * *
Olivia left the room as quick as she could. She headed towards where all the offices were located and walked to Josh's office. She found he and Sam sitting at the small table in the room, elbows deep in briefs and other papers that needed to be looked over before the final bill was sent to the House.
"How is everything," she asked.
"Good. I think that we should be ready to go by late this afternoon," Sam replied.
"Good to hear. Get out," she said to Sam, who looked at her dumbfounded. Knowing that she was serious he looked over at Josh and then left the room mumbling something about getting some coffee.
"What's wrong Liv," Josh asked looking at his friend with concern.
"He acted like we've never met. He wouldn't even look at me Josh."
"Did you really expect anything else from him sweetie? We're talking about the bastard who left you the day after Sara died and never talked to you again other than having divorce papers delivered to you," Josh said.
"I know that Josh, but some part of me was hoping…"
"Was hoping what Liv," Josh asked.
"I don't know Josh. I guess part me was hoping that deep down he still cared about me."
"So," Josh said wanting desperately to change topics, "What have you found out about this expedition of theirs?"
"For one thing, they are all insane. Honestly Josh, they all signed up for it knowing that there was a possibility that they may never have had contact with Earth again. And these things that they are fighting, from what they describe they are like vampire catfish."
"Vampire catfish?"
"Well, that's Dr. McKay's description of them anyway. Expect for the fact that they don't drink your blood, but rather literally suck the life out of you."
"Sounds like they are politicians," Josh joked.
"Yeah, they would fit in well here in DC."
* * * * * * *
When they split for lunch John had made his excuses and headed out of the White House deciding that he needed some air. Everything was too much for him. He never expected to see Olivia, let alone find her working for the President of the untied States. Although he can't say he was too surprised, Olivia always was intelligent.
He thought back to when he met her; it had both been during his sophomore year at Princeton. He was the cocky jock who had joined a fraternity right off the bat (thanks to his dad's legacy at the school) while she had been the quiet girl with her nose always stuck in a book. Although he had seen her around campus several times and was even in a class with her their freshman year, he would never have met her if it hadn't been for his frat brother Josh Lyman. From what he understood when Josh made the introduction one night in a coffee shop, Josh and Olivia had been long time family friends. Their fathers had gone to college together and became close friends. Josh and Olivia were raised together and eventually both accepted to Princeton at the same time. Olivia's dad had been worried due to the fact that she was younger than most when she started college—she had graduated high school at sixteen, but decided to hold off on college for a year traveling instead. Josh had promised both their fathers that he would keep an eye on her. Even though she was eighteen now and perfectly capable of taking care of herself (her words to Josh) he still looked after her like a little sister. The age difference didn't really bother John, he was twenty, she eighteen; and they soon found themselves spending a lot of time together and eventually becoming quite serious with one another.
They got married, much to the dismay of their parents, during the summer between their junior and senior years. While their parents had been a little disappointed that they were marrying so young (he twenty-one and she barely nineteen) they had thrown a marvelous wedding. When they graduated John had made a startling revelation. Rather than attend grad school like his father demanded, he had enlisted in the Air Force admitting that he had always wanted to be a pilot. Olivia had supported his decision, and while he headed off the basic training she headed off to law school with Josh.
They lasted a few years, but eventually time and circumstances came between them. By the time she was twenty-four he decided to end it and filed for divorce. Olivia had been quite upset as had Josh and their parents. Josh, a well established lawyer who was working for a Senator down in Texas, handled the divorce for Olivia; John left everything on his end to his dad's team of lawyers and went about his job flying helicopters for Uncle Sam. He never had contact with Olivia again, and from the one conversation he had with Josh he found out that Olivia had moved up to New York to work for a big law firm with another one of Josh's friends Sam Seaborn.
He thought that part of his life was over, but now he had to sit in a room with his ex-wife and go over things related to Atlantis. He just hoped that these meetings would finish quickly and he could back home and kill some wraith. However he knew that wasn't going to happen as soon as the meeting reconvened and Leo McGarry walked back into the room.
"So, I was talking to the President and he has decided that he would like an inside look at this Atlantis of yours. We all know that he can't go so he has decided that Olivia should go and spend some time there."
"What!" Everyone in the room exclaimed at the same time, everyone including Olivia who had been sitting on the couch.
"President Bartlett feels that it would be best if someone was sent to evaluate and observe the Atlantis expedition. He has already been in contact with the rest of the international community involved with the program and they all agree. They have also decided that Olivia would be the best candidate for the job," Leo said.
"Why me," Olivia asked.
"Yeah, why her," Rodney asked.
"Because she is someone all of the ambassadors are familiar with. The British, French and Russians all love her…and the Chinese are scared to death of her," Leo said with a small smile. "To be honest with you they all have said that they are unsure of their continued involvement with the program and are thrilled at the idea of an evaluation."
"Are you saying that the IOA might put an end to the Atlantis Expedition," Elizabeth asked.
"They are talking about it, yes. However they plan on holding off their decision until Olivia's evaluation is completed."
"What does all this mean, exactly," she asked.
"If Olivia's findings are in favor of continuing the expedition than funding will continue; if it is found that it is in the best interest to end the program, all committee members have decided that funding and support will stop and everyone will be brought home. Now, if you will all excuse us the President would like to spend a few minutes with Olivia going over the assignment."
With that Leo ushered Olivia out the door, leaving the rest in the room to discuss things.
"This is ridiculous," Rodney said.
"I don't believe this. General surely there is something that you can do," Elizabeth said.
"I'm afraid not Elizabeth. But don't worry about anything. Olivia will be very logical in her evaluation. She came down and spent a couple of weeks at the SGC and had a blast. We got nothing but glowing reviews when she was done, and in fact she didn't want to leave. She may act like she doesn't believe that any of this is real, but she has been our biggest supporter since she found out," Jack said, trying to reassure them.
"There may be a problem with all this," John said speaking up.
"What?"
"Olivia Barrington may not be unbiased in her decision making," John said trying to find an easy way to put this. "She's uh, my ex-wife."
"I'm sorry but did you just say that she was your ex-wife," Rodney asked.
"Yes," John said.
"You were married?"
"Yes Rodney."
"To her?"
"YES, Rodney."
"Please tell me that she ended it, because if you left her and it ended badly then we're screwed," Rodney said.
"We're fine," Jack said.
"Huh," Rodney said.
"She is not going to let personal relationships or feelings get in the way of her job. She may not like you Sheppard, but I don't think your past relationship is going to cause you any problems."
"Question," Rodney said. "Why isn't her last name Sheppard?"
"I guess she didn't want a permanent reminder of our marriage."
"Why does that name sound familiar?" Elizabeth asked.
"Barrington is Abby Bartlett's maiden name. Liv's her niece." John said.
"We are so screwed," Rodney said.
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