a/n: sorry it took a while to update when I said that I would soon because this chapter was already half way done; but here it is.

Left Behind
Chapter 2: Getting There

Getting up early, Kevin went on his morning run, had a shower and ate his favorite rubber-like bacon and eggs from the Academy cafeteria. Once he got back to his room, he started to pack what little possessions he had. He was to depart on the Daedalus to go to Atlantis that afternoon.

'Can you believe it? A real spaceship!' is what anyone who wasn't Kevin would be like. Instead he was just blank; he had gotten used to the fact his first year at the Academy. That was why he was a good soldier—taking orders and leaving emotions behind was what he was good at—he had his childhood to thank for that. Well, not totally behind, just bottled up—eventually they would explode outward. An excellent soldier, a pawn to the Government and soon to be Wraith killer.

When Kevin finished packing his bag, he left the room that had been his Home for five years. Home—he hated that word. Home insinuated family, and he didn't have that either. Sometimes he wondered if he would really find a Home, or a place where he really belonged.

The hall was empty, but when he got to the waiting room, the place was full and so were the seats. There were two offices, one on either side of the hall. Kevin got looks, but just thanked god that his appointment was now and the office to the left was empty and awaiting his presence. The office that Kevin went into was for all of the officers that were going to be assigned to Atlantis, the other one was for the SGC and Area 51. You go in and they give you the information that tells you where to go—like high school all over again.

Behind the desk there was an officer, and he looked bored out his mind. He was leaning back in his chair with his feet propped up on the corner of the desk. Kevin could see a brown folder in the middle—amid the clutter— and when the officer saw him; he sat up and leaned forward, opening the folder and looking in side. He glanced of up at Kevin before he shut the folder again. The officer opened a side drawer on the desk and took out what looked like a little box that fit into the palm of his hand. He set it in the desk and slid it across to Kevin.

"Take it." he said gruffly.

After a moment of hesitation, Kevin took the box in his hand. On the surface of it was a small red bulb, there was another box in the officer's hand, bigger this time, like a switch box. He pressed a button and the red bulb on the device in Kevin's hand lit up.

"You'll be beamed straight up to the Daedalus." he said and flipped the switch.

Kevin opened his mouth, but before he could say anything he was enveloped by blue light. The office blurred and when his vision focused again, he was aboard the Daedalus. Kevin looked around himself, finding that he had landed in the middle of a corridor—full of officers slipping past him at a quick pace. He inserted himself against the wall, trying to be out of the way as much as possible in his unknown surroundings.

"Sir?" a voice came from next to him and Kevin was sure that he let out a gasp of surprise.

Kevin turned and found a man that looked to be a few years older than him, giving him a friendly smile.

"Captain Lorne? I'm Captain Marks; I'll give you the tour and then show you to your quarters for the next week or so." Marks shook Kevin's hand and guided him through out the spacecraft Daedalus.

Kevin paid very close attention; he may have read up on the craft and had seen the schematics, but seeing the real thing was totally different. He kept his expression indifferent, slightly peeved with himself that he felt the urge to touch everything in his path. It was mostly due to the fact that he had been stuck in too few place for most of his life and now he was finally getting away—like a new start of sorts.

Afterwards Marks lead him to his temporary quarters where as and in he would spend the next 240 hours. Ten days of free time, and he was hopeless as to what he was going to do in that time period.

Kevin was motionless as he sat on his bunk, unable to actually believe it.

The Daedalus was an hour away from its destination; Atlantis, but at the moment that wasn't what was on the young Captain's mind.

Kevin had found something to do in those ten days, and the first time it had happened, he was his second day into his travels. He had to eat sometime, so after a few trials and errors, he found the ship's mess hall. He took a tray; and placed as simple sandwich and bottle of water on top. He didn't need much; he never seemed to really have an appetite.

The place was crowded much to Kevin's dismay, all the tables had two or more occupants. He searched, willing a table to be free—he spotted one; a free chair. He was halfway to the table, when he found that it wasn't empty, but was in fact owned by a single man.

Kevin froze to the spot, his hands gripping the tray tightly; he wasn't even hungry, really. He could just eat in his quarters any way, if wouldn't be the first time. Kevin Lorne didn't have friends; he knew that it was probably more because of him than the others—but he just wasn't able to trust, or have the energy or even the heart for it. He didn't need people any way, he never did, not since he was born.

As if sensing the fact that Kevin was staring at the back of his head, the man twisted in his seat and stared straight at Kevin. Kevin stared back, the man's gaze seemingly gluing his boots to the floor. The man stared a moment longer before he raised his hand and cocked to fingers at Kevin.

There was a beat before Kevin forced himself to move, his steps even and precise. Eventually, after what seemed like a really long time, Kevin made it to the table. He and the man stared at each other before Kevin spoke, glad that his voice sounded normal.

"Is the seat taken?" Kevin asked.

"Have a seat," the man told him.

Kevin did as he was told, setting his tray down silently on the table and slid into the chair.

Silence.

"What's your name, soldier?" the man asked.

He looked to be in his early thirties, short brown hair with dark grey eyes. On his left cheek he had a downward scar.

Kevin didn't even bother to try and correct him on the 'soldier' part, because at the end of the day that was all he was. "Captain Kevin Lorne," he said.

"Michael Westen,"

They both reached out and shook hands amid the table.

"Civilian?" Kevin asked, curious and hoping that he wasn't overstepping.

"You could say that," Michael said, a secret sort of lift to the corner of his lips.

Kevin didn't question it, though Michael did seem to have that kind of air about him—like maybe he did have some sort of high-grade military training under his belt.

And it could have only gone up-hill from there; over the next eight days they seemed to find themselves at the same table. They would eat and seemed to have unspecified staring contest. After a little while they had started to talk, even smile.

The lift of his lips had been unfamiliar, though the feeling that accompanied it hadn't been unwelcome.

Kevin was shocked, surprised that he was, well . . . surprised. Kevin hadn't had this feeling in a long while, and especially feeling enough of it that it showed on his face and in his body language. Kevin had a made a friend—well, maybe Michael and him weren't quite friends, maybe down the road they could be. So for now, he was going to consider Michael Westen, the mysterious man, an acquaintance. Kevin had never had an acquaintance before either.

Yes, Kevin Lorne was surprised about what was probably one of the most mundane things in the world, but wasn't even shocked that there were Aliens in outer-space.

note: Yeah, I went there—I brought in Michael Westen from "Burn Notice". Don't question it, it just sorta happened; I thought that Kevin may need a friend—sorry, acquaintance—so he got one. Not what you expected—same here!

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