A/N: Stargate Atlantis, its names, locations, and terms, are the intellectual property of others.

A/N: This is another "between" chapter. Sorry to take so long. I will be trying to finish this in the next week.
Thanks for all the reviews. They make writing easier.

A/N: I have read a lot of fan fiction in the last six months. It is possible that something I saw in another story will make its way into my story in some way. This is not intentional. If I accidently use something of yours, and you want it removed, please let me know.

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Meetings

The sun and sand coupled with good food and relaxation made it easy for Elizabeth to drop off to sleep that night, but she awoke at 5AM, long before her alarm. Lying in bed, she contemplated the day before and wondered again what had happened to the happy mood between John and his father.

Finally accepting that she would get no more sleep, Elizabeth rose, put on some casual clothes, and slipped down the hall to a balcony to watch the sun rise. As the door slid open, she was startled to find John leaning against one side of the balcony, fast asleep. His forehead was wrinkled as if in concentration, and his position suggested that he would be sore when he woke up. Feeling concern, Elizabeth approached him and softly called his name.

"John, wake up."

John Sheppard started slightly, then opened his eyes to find himself on the balcony, still in his clothes from the night before, and with a confused Elizabeth Weir staring at him.

"Have you been out here all night?"

John stirred, pushing himself up. Elizabeth reached out to steady him as he got his legs under him, but he moved away from her to lean on the railing. He had still not said anything but just stretched and rubbed his hands over his face. As he got up, Elizabeth noticed the cane leaning on the wall next to where he had been sitting.

"Where did you get the cane?" she said, walking up to stand next to him. The sky was just beginning to gray with the coming dawn, so she couldn't really make out his features.

John sighed, still not really awake. "I dropped by the infirmary for some Tylenol for my leg and Carson ripped into me for overdoing the exercise thing. He told me to use the cane tomorrow to help it heal. I guess that's today." He stopped and looked at her. "What are you doing out here?"

"I've slept so much in the last few days that I think I'm caught up. Anyway, I was awake at 5 and thought I'd watch the sun rise for a change."

John smiled at that. "Yeah, you usually burn the midnight oil so you don't get a chance." Looking out at the ocean, he continued, "Well, it looks like you picked a great day for it. Not a cloud in the sky."

"That still doesn't explain what you're doing out here. You look like you haven't been to bed."

John looked down at his hands gripping the railing. "Well, I came out to get some air and must have sat still too long and dozed off." He hoped she would just drop it, but no such luck.

"So, can you tell me what yesterday was about? The tension between you and your father?"

John still hadn't looked at her. He knew he would end up telling her, he just wasn't sure he was ready. Looking up at the bare sliver of sun peeking above the horizon, he sighed and decided to get it over with.

"I'm adopted."

"What?"

He sighed again. "He told me I was adopted."

"Oh, you mean you didn't know?"

"No. He had never told me. I don't think he would have told me now except that he couldn't use the technology and he figured I would start asking questions." John still stared at the horizon, now squinting against the increasing light.

"Ok." Elizabeth paused. This information had obviously upset him, but she wasn't sure why. "I take it you weren't pleased by that news."

He let out a snort. "How diplomatically you put it. No, I didn't need to have my world turned upside down again."

"Why is it upside down? He's still your father, you are still who you are. Anyone can see he loves you. What's the problem?"

"I know all that. In fact, that's the problem." He turned to lean against the rail, arms crossed in front of him, almost defensively. "I know he -- cares for me. . ."

"He loves you, John."

"OK, he loves me. Then why couldn't he tell me this years ago. I'm 39 years old! You'd think he could have found an opportunity!"

"Have you asked him?"

"No, not yet. I'm still having trouble getting my head around him not being my father."

"John, he's your father in every way but one. I thought you knew that."

"Yeah, I know. It's just I don't know why I feel, well, betrayed in some way."

"Talk to him, John," she said, placing one hand on his still crossed arms. She could feel the tension in him as she gave his arm a slight squeeze. "He might have some reasonable explanation. If he hasn't told you in all this time, he probably had a reason. He's also probably worried about your reaction. Teyla and I were."

"Teyla? How does she know?" said John, his head jerking up at this new piece of information.

"She doesn't, but we could both feel the change in the atmosphere when we came back from the village. He's hurting, too."

Pushing himself off the rail, John sighed for the third time. "The worst part of this is I feel I'm behaving like a 5 year old who has just found out Santa Claus doesn't exist. I know it's not his fault, I just, . . . I don't know," he tapered off, turning back to the sunrise, now turning the towers of Atlantis a beautiful pink.

"Talk to him, John," said Elizabeth, again. "I think you'll both feel better."

He looked at her then, at her hair shining in the sunlight while stirring to the slight breeze off the water. He smiled at the picture she made, and his whole face relaxed.

"OK, I'll see if he's around for breakfast. Are you hungry?"

"Yes, but I think you need to work through this on your own. I'll grab something on the way to see Kate."

"So, Carson has you talking to Kate about things?"

"Yes, I have to get in at least one session before I get my laptop back, and I want it back tomorrow!"

John actually chuckled at that. "They know exactly what button to push to get your compliance." He turned to leave then remembered something.

"Oh, by the way, could we have a brief meeting on a possible mission for tomorrow?"

"Well, first of all, I'm not on duty. Second, your leg isn't healed. So what did you think you'd be able to pull over on Carson?"

"I just wanted to take Dad off world, and I thought of a place that should be OK. We haven't been back in awhile, and we should check on them. So, could we meet at lunch? That way you're not on duty, and I'll have a chance to begin working on Carson."

"OK, lunch it is. See you then."

John smiled at her and turned to the door. As it opened, however, he turned back to catch her once again looking out to the ocean, the sunlight shining in her hair.

After stopping in his quarters to clean up, John went hunting for his father, finally finding him in the mess hall, alone, against a far window. John grabbed some oatmeal and coffee and walked over.

"Mind if I join you?"

Edward Sheppard looked up, startled, then indicated the chair across from him. "Please," he said, with a slight smile.

John sat down and stirred his oatmeal, finally taking a bite. He noticed his father had coffee only. "Aren't you hungry?"

"Not particularly."

John took another bite, concentrating his gaze on his tray. Finally he gave up, putting the spoon in the bowl. "I've been thinking about what you told me," he said, looking up at his father for the first time since he sat down.

Edward nodded, deciding to let John take this where he needed to take it.

"What I don't understand is why you didn't tell me. I would think that somewhere in the last 39 years you could have mentioned 'and by the way, you're adopted.'"

His father knew it would come down to this. He looked down at his coffee cup and rubbed the back of his neck. Taking a deep breath, he looked up at John.

"We planned on telling you when you were around eight. Most folks we talked to suggested that by that age a child can understand these things, and we didn't want to hide those facts from you. We had even planned an outing that weekend. I had made sure I was home to support your mother. Then, that Friday, you came home from school and announced that one of your friends, I don't remember who, had found out he was adopted. The other boy was upset by the news, and you were sympathetic, saying things like 'I'm sure glad I'm not adopted' and 'Didn't his real parents love him?' We just couldn't bear to tell you that you were just like him. So, we had the outing but decided to put off telling you."

John was staring at his congealing oatmeal, unconsciously tapping his spoon on the bowl as he listened to his father.

"Then, suddenly you were thirteen. We didn't want to tell you just as you became a teenager because we didn't want you to be able to throw those facts in our face during the fights we knew we'd have. Being a teenager is hard enough. Things were heating up in the Middle East, and I wasn't sure I would be around. So, once again, we put things off. We decided that we would tell you when you graduated from high school."

John looked up at that. "But Mom died that year."

Edward nodded. "Yes, she did, and both of us had a rough time. I couldn't deal with your feelings since I was having so much trouble with my own. Then you went into the Academy, and there was no more time. I just hoped you'd never find out until I was gone. The papers are in the safe deposit box with my will."

The two men were quiet for a time, a small space of silence in the roar of the mess hall, John looking out the window, and his father stirring his cold coffee.

John sighed, then, and looked his father in the eye. "I'm sorry if you feel I reacted badly. I just wasn't sure of anything, and I needed to get away. I've thought about this situation, and I do understand that nothing has really changed. It's just that my view of my world has changed, and I'm having trouble catching up."

"I understand. Do you forgive me?"

John looked taken aback. "Forgive you? You mean for not telling me sooner? Sure, I guess."

There were a few more moments of silence as John stirred his now congealing oatmeal.

"So, uh, who are my parents, I mean, my biological parents?"

"I don't know, John," said his father, taking a sip of cooling coffee. "Again, it was the 1960s. The pill was around, but lots of teenage girls couldn't get them. Abortion wasn't legal. So we always thought it was a teenage girl that got into trouble, as they used to say." He lowered his coffee cup. "Why?"

"Well, with the genetic thing with Atlantis, the source of my genes may be important. I guess the SGC can investigate if they want."

"Then you don't care, particularly?"

John was silent a moment. "Well, I guess I'd like to know eventually, see if I have any other surprises in my genetics. But no, not particularly. You and mom raised me, you're all I've ever known, and I will always see you as my parents."

Edward Sheppard took a deep breath, not realizing he had stopped breathing earlier. "Maybe I will get some breakfast after all."

"OK," said John, standing up with his tray. "I've got to have a meeting with Beckett, but why don't we meet in Rodney's lab in a couple of hours? I can show you some of the stuff I have to do as his genetic lab rat. See you later, Dad." With a nod, and a half smile, John took his tray to the kitchen and left.

Edward Sheppard leaned back in his chair, relishing the sound of one word: dad.

Beckett, however, was not relishing what John had to say.

"Yer leg has na quite healed, and you put a lot of stress on it yesterday."

"Carson, I ran five miles and walked five miles back. Of course it was stressed. But if I can do that, I can take care of my team in an emergency. Besides, this mission should be a walk in the park."

"NONE of your missions are walks in the park, Colonel!"

"OK, maybe not that simple. But we've been there before, and the folks were willing to trade, so I think everything will be safe more or less."

Carson stood with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face, unconvinced.

"Look, I'll take an extra team of marines to be sure we get back in one piece. It's only for one day."

"Alright, but I will go, too, though why I let you talk me into these things…"

"Thanks, Carson!" said John, jumping up from the chair where he had been seated in the doctor's office. "I was going to brief Elizabeth at lunch. . .Ah, I know she's not on duty," he said in response to Carson's angry look. "I just thought I'd share this idea with all of the senior staff."

"OK, I'll be there, Colonel, but this really better be a cakewalk."

"Don't worry Carson," said John, walking out the door, "Everything will be fine."

"Ay, until the Genii or the wraith show up, or you fall down a hole, or catch a disease, or allow another entity to occupy your mind, or get a bug attached to your neck . . ." muttered Carson Beckett as he moved back to check the status of his latest experiments.

As John moved to Rodney's lab, Elizabeth was knocking on Kate Heightmeyer's door.

Kate opened the door from the inside, welcoming Elizabeth with a smile but noticing the other woman's cautious expression. "I took down the sign that said 'abandon hope all ye that enter here.'"

Elizabeth smiled at the reference. "Do I look that fearful?"

"No, just your usual reserved self," replied the psychiatrist, motioning Elizabeth over to two chairs by a window that looked out on the ocean.

"You know, your command of your emotions is necessary for your work in diplomacy, but it makes it difficult for your friends to help you."

"I hadn't thought of it that way. I've just always been reserved. My father never wanted big emotional displays, so those were kept private."

Kate nodded. "Well, this time it meant that physical changes had to occur before we were able to determine something was wrong. I think you need to learn to ask for help."

Elizabeth looked at her hands, clasped in her lap. "You know that's hard."

"Yes, but every human needs help at one time or another. In your position, you can become isolated from the rest of the personnel. In your role as leader, you have to be 100 percent, so you have to maintain awareness of your own well-being."

Elizabeth nodded. "OK, I can try to do that."

"Good," said Kate, smiling gently. "Both Carson and I would appreciate it, as would your other friends."

Elizabeth grinned crookedly at that.

"Now, let's talk about how this happened so it doesn't happen again."

"But it will. You know it will. We are always in danger of losing someone. Every time a team goes through the gate, we may never see them again," replied Elizabeth, looking out the window, worry written on her face.

"Yes, and I know it has already happened, starting the first week with Colonel Sumner. You know this time was different. You need to face that, Elizabeth."

"I know, Kate, but I don't think I can."

Kate studied the leader for a time, letting the silence lengthen.

Elizabeth continued, almost in a whisper. "When did he become so important to me? I've sent him out on mission after mission, but this one was different. I couldn't just let go and move on. Maybe it was the fact that Rodney and Ronon were gone, too. But all I could think about was John." She paused. "You know, we promised each other we wouldn't keep scaring each other with near death situations. We haven't exactly been able to keep it."

Kate paused at that. "Does he know how you feel?"

Elizabeth studied her hands again. "Sometimes I think so, other times I'm not so sure. But it doesn't really matter since we operate under military regulations and they are quite specific regarding relationships within a command structure."

"Elizabeth, policies and procedures can't dictate the human element of a situation. These feelings exist even if not acted on. It was these feelings that led you to depression even though they weren't expressed or specifically returned. They affect you regardless of whether they are appropriate or not."

"Well, I guess I'll have to learn to deal with them somehow, because I can't do anything about them. The policy is still there, and we can't do anything about it." She had begun to pick at a thread hanging off the bottom of her uniform.

"Elizabeth, I think we need to have a few more talks. I know you don't want to hear that, but I think it would be best. But I have an assignment for you."

Elizabeth looked up, dismayed at the additional visits, but curious about what kind of assignment a psychiatrist could give her.

"Sometimes, if a person is in a position where she can't talk about something, she can work it out of herr system by writing about it. Maybe use the form of a letter. Write down everything you would tell him if you could. This isn't for me, it's for you. In fact, you can burn it later if you wish. But if you get these thoughts out and organized, sometimes you can move on."

Elizabeth looked thoughtful for a moment. "And I don't have to share this with anyone?"

"No, not even me. This is just an exercise to help you stop dwelling on something you cannot change."

"OK, I'll try." She stood up, eagerly. "Are we done for today?"

Kate smiled. "Yes, that's enough for today. I'll see you next week though, OK?"

"OK, next week," said Elizabeth, already moving toward the door. She stopped, though, and turned around. "Thanks, Kate. I know you're trying to help and I do appreciate it."

"I know," she said, as the expedition leader left her office. She hoped the little exercise she had given would help Elizabeth organize her thoughts, both for and against any relationship.

Meanwhile, the "boys" were trying to blow up the lab.

"Keep your hands to yourself, Colonel."

"But Rodney, I'm not that kind of guy," smirked Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard, boldly grabbing a small sphere from Dr. McKay's workbench.

McKay snatched the ball back, pointing to a slightly glowing ancient character. "See this character? It means 'boom.'"

"It does not."

"It may as well, for all the care you take with these devices," said Rodney, putting the object back on the workbench with about six others. "Here, try this one. The writing suggests it might be some kind of instructional device."

John held an object the size of an Ipod and thought 'on.' The object began to glow, then a map of Atlantis appeared, or at least the part of Atlantis that was within 300 yards of the lab.

"Don't we have sensors that do this?"

"Yes, but they don't look like this. Hmmm. Walk around a bit."

John walked toward the hall and the map shifted, showing more area in front of him and less behind him.

"Wait a minute," said McKay. "It seems to always give you a 300 yard radius that moves as you do. This might come in handy when exploring the other parts of Atlantis."

"You still have parts of Atlantis to explore?" said Colonel Edward Sheppard, who had been watching John and Rodney with a mixture of wonder and amusement.

"Yeah," said John. "The city is huge. We estimate we've explored maybe 30 percent of it so far." John looked over at his father. "And some of the exploration has not been exactly risk free."

At his father's questioning look, John summarized the experience with the nanite virus.

"I think I read that report. You took up a nuclear device and detonated it over Atlantis. Was the jumper adequate protection?"

"Yes, it held up OK. I still had to ride out a shock wave, but the wave also knocked out the nanites." John put down the moving map and reached for something else.

"No, Colonel, we haven't checked those out, yet."

"Oh, come on, Rodney, what could something so little do?" said John, picking up a pen-shaped object. Suddenly a very fine light was emitted from one end and quickly burned a hole through the wall before John could turn it off.

"And there's your answer. We think that may have been part of their dentistry equipment, and I would be happy to share it with Dr. Dresden just before you go in for your next cleaning."

"That's ok, Rodney," said John, dropping the object on the workbench. "I think we're going to drop by the gym and see if Teyla is around. Don't forget to meet us at lunch," said John, over his shoulder, as he and his father left the lab.

"John, what do you do to make these things work?" asked his father, as they worked their way to the gym.

"That's just it, I don't know. I think about the device being on, and suddenly it is. If I don't have any idea of what it does, things can get dicey."

"Maybe it's OK that I don't have this gene."

"Don't let McKay hear you say that. He was tested three times and finally had gene therapy so he could work this stuff." John smirked. "I think he's still jealous."

The two arrived at the gym in time to watch Ronon and Teyla complete a round of stick fighting. The match was to a draw, and the two warriors stepped apart and noticed their audience.

"That's an interesting fighting method, Teyla. Is it traditional among your people?"

"Yes, Colonel Sheppard. I was taught by several teachers, and I, in turn, must pass it on to others. John and Ronon have been acceptable pupils," she finished, with a sly smile of her own.

"Oh, please. I'm getting closer to beating you every day."

"You notice 'closer' is not the same as victory, John."

"OK, OK. How about we show my father some of these moves," he said, moving to pick up a set of sticks.

For the next hour, Teyla and John demonstrated the moves to his father. After awhile, Edward took up the sticks and ran through a few drills with John.

"This is more difficult than I thought. You make it look easy, and graceful."

"Thank you, Colonel Sheppard. I would be happy to give you additional training while you are here, if you are interested."

"Thank you, Teyla, but I'm not sure I'll have time. I leave in two days."

"Which brings us to lunch."

At the non sequitur, Teyla, Ronon, and Edward looked at John as if he had grown another head.

"It does?" said Ronon.

"Yeah. I have an idea for an easy mission that we can take dad on. That is, if you want to go, sir."

Edward's eyes lit up, but then he looked concerned. "What about your leg?"

"Carson is coming with us along with extra marines. I was going to discuss it at lunch, so can you guys join us?" said John, looking to Ronon and Teyla.

Teyla glanced at Ronon and said, "Of course, John. We will meet you in the mess hall shortly."

"So, what's this mission you have in mind?" asked his father, as they made their way back to the mess hall.

"Well, there was this planet we visited that had an ancient outpost complete with a weapons chair and puddle jumpers. The people, however, had been split into a kind of royalty, those with the gene, and everyone else. As you might expect, those without the gene provided food, etc. in return for protection from the wraith. The problem was that some of the royalty were abusing their power, and the gene was becoming weak. We, uh, kind of straightened them out, and they have been trading with us since. In fact, they provided some drones for the Atlantis weapons chair as well as a few puddle jumpers."

By this time, the two were standing in line for lunch. After grabbing some turkey sandwiches and coffee, they found a large table where Rodney was already seated and enjoying an MRE. John sat down a certain distance away from McKay to protect his brownie.

"So what is this mission idea you have?" said Rodney, around a mouthful of tuna surprise.

John rolled his eyes at his dad who was trying not to laugh. "Let's wait for the others, OK?"

"OK," said the scientist, looking longingly at John's brownie.

John was just thinking he would have to defend his dessert with a fork when Teyla, Ronon, Elizabeth, and Carson showed up. As they settled down, Elizabeth looked over at John with one arched eyebrow.

"Carson tells me this mission you're suggesting is a walk in the park. Are you trying to jinx it from the beginning?"

"No, nothing like that. I just think we should visit the folks with the other weapons chair."

"You just want to check out that hot babe and see if she still wants to get into your genes."

"You're just jealous she goes for my natural assets, McKay."

"Oh, please, you're beginning to sound like a gigolo."

At that comment, Beckett snorted, Elizabeth choked and started coughing, and Teyla and Ronon just stared at each other, not understanding the reference. Edward Sheppard's eyebrows rose, and Rodney noticed.

"Didn't he tell you about his Captain Kirk tendency to go after every hot alien female?"

"Enough, McKay," said John, glaring at the scientist. "As I was saying, you may remember we used up their ZPM when McKay kicked in the star drive so we could stop them using the drones on the village. I got to thinking: we never took them a naquada generator, and they have no way to power the chair, now. So, we can go visit, take a generator, and come back, all in one day. How 'bout it?"

Rodney looked thoughtful. "Oh, yeah, I forgot about that. It shouldn't take too long to hook a generator into the chair."

"Do you think they would trade the generator for another puddle jumper?" asked Elizabeth, looking more interested now that she knew what John had in mind.

"It's always possible," said John. "They can't use them, and they seemed to be OK with us taking three last time. I'd like to get some more drones, but they might want to hang on to those."

Teyla looked at Sheppard. "I think it would be wise to check on Eldred and his people." Ronon nodded in agreement.

"So it's settled, right?" said John, putting his hands on the table preparatory to getting up.

"Not so fast, Colonel," said Beckett. "How far is the gate from the settlement? Given your leg, we might want to take a jumper."

"Come on, doc. It isn't that far away. Besides, we might get a jumper to return in. And I'm fine."

"Right. Where have I heard that before?" said McKay, getting half of John's brownie before he noticed.

Beckett sighed and looked disgusted. "All right, but at the first sign of fatigue, you're coming back here."

"No problem, doc, since I don't plan to get tired." He turned to his father. "Let's get you some gear, and then you can read the mission report on our first visit."

"You have a target range, right?"

"Yeah, do you want to get in some practice?"

"Well, it has been a little while," said his father.

As the two men stood and picked up their trays, they nodded to the rest and headed out together, the eagerness obvious in both of them.

"I believe this is a case of 'like father, like son," said Teyla, watching as the two men walked away, almost in step with each other.

Carson rolled his eyes. "Let's hope not."

TBC

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