a/n: Prepare yourselves; this is going to be the last chapter in "Left Behind". I hope that you have enjoyed it so far and have reviewed; hope you like!

Left Behind
Chapter 9: Partners

Kevin had found out what Michael had meant by 'we' when the Daedalus was only about two weeks away, and he was not happy about that, but at the same time he was glad for the fact—but because he was glad he was kind of guilty.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Kevin demanded quietly; kinda pissed that they were in the mess right now and there was people around.

"You had a lot on your plate." Michael tried to reason.

Kevin shook his head. "Did you ever consider the fact that maybe this would make me happy?" he blurted without meaning to.

Michael looked at him in surprise. "You are?"

"Yes," Kevin stole himself. "I was glad when you stayed after you stayed when the Daedalus left, and now I'm glad that you're leaving too when the Daedalus come back again."

"But what if I wanted to stay?" Michael asked.

Kevin sat back, his fingers clenching his utensil tightly for a moment. "And do you?"

"No." Michael answered honestly. "I was brung in to do this one op. and now that it's been blown, I'm going back to Earth."

"And then what?" Kevin asked, swallowing.

Michael just smiled at him, and to be completely honest, Kevin always found Michael's smiles a little unnerving because he found that they could mean just about anything.

Kevin couldn't believe that he had forgotten about the photo; but, Michael had been right on the fact that his plate was pretty full. Full enough to forget about the picture that he had based his life upon, his goals upon. He knew that to anyone it might have been stupid and ridicules, but to Kevin it was a belief. He had believed that the people in that picture were his family, the ones that had abandoned him—and the ones that had helped him choose his path. This picture was the one possession that he had kept throughout his life, but it seemed that now it meant nothing. It now only had sentimental value and that was all—but then again maybe it was just a depressing reminder of a lie—a frigin' mix-up. It was just a possible fact that they had the same eyes, and a coincidence that they had the same last name—same goes for the fact that their first names sounded similar also.

A coincidence.

From that moment, Kevin despised coincidences.

He had no real use for this picture now, it was just a sad reminded of the havoc that it had caused on him. First, there was the lie, and next was the reminder of what had gotten him discharged from the Air Force—the tint of blood was all he needed. So he shredded it, tore it asunder—and threw it away, burned it to ashes. It didn't really help as much as he had expected it would, but he had the weight of not-knowing off of his mind.

Since it had been a month and a half, the stitches from the wound on his chest had been taken out. And now that it had been sealed, leaving one fresh, 12 inch, pink scar—not to mention the rounded web-like scar from the bullet that was a through and through. That was on the outside, and that didn't really matter to Kevin—after all, it was what was on the inside that counted, right?

It was the damage on the inside that affected him; it was that on the inside that got him discharged from the Air Force. His heart was the most vital thing, and that had seemed to let him down greatly. Before he hadn't really known what the real effect his damaged heart would cause him, but now it was apparent.

Because now that his heart pumped blood throughout his body irregularly, he also seemed to be pale with dark bruises under his eyes. There was a reason why Beckett didn't want to exert himself, Kevin had figured out that when he had become restless and went for a jog. Bad idea on his part, but it was better that he find out now than later. His heart had felt like it was actually going to explode; he had nearly hyperventilated and passed out. Some days he was really tired and could seem to spur himself into moving, other times he felt as he had before he was shot.

It was confusing for Kevin and he was still finding what were his limits—he just hoped that in the long run he didn't end up getting fat or something.

The Daedalus had finally arrived at Atlantis and there were few officers arriving and a few were boarding along with Michael and Kevin.

Again it would be ten days upon the ship, but Kevin knew it would be much more easier because he knew what to expect and Michael would be there too. It did help, but the fact of what he was going to do with his life when he got back to Earth was still lingering.

"Why are you moping?" Michael asked. "Despite the obvious." he added belatedly at Kevin's look.

"What are you going to do when you get back to Earth?" Kevin asked with an under current.

Michael looked at him for a long moment, his eyes accessing. "I'm going to go back to Miami, that's where I was before they pulled me for this mission."

"Do you have family there?" Kevin asked quietly.

"Yes," Michael answered truthfully. "My mom lives there, and so do a couple of friends."

Kevin nodded, hating the jealousness that welled up inside of him and that guilt that he felt for wanting Michael to drop his family and stay with him.

"Have you figured out what you're going to do yet?" Michael asked him gently, knowing that it was a touchy subject at the moment and maybe even forever.

Kevin shook his head this time. "I've never really lived anywhere before; I was at the boy's home until I was eighteen and then I joined, always having a place to live already provided for me."

Michael nodded at this. "It'll be hard to get used to in the start, but you'll get it." he promised.

A small smile graced Kevin's lips; he was thankful for Michael reassurance, but he wasn't as sure about this as he was.

"You are going to be fine, Kevin."

Kevin didn't say anything, but his eyes were glued to Michael—the other man's grey eyes looking thoughtful as he stared back into Kevin's blue.

"What?" Kevin asked, becoming nervous under Michael's intense gaze.

Michael didn't say anything, but he didn't look away either.

"Michael . . ."

"Come to Miami." he said suddenly.

"What?" Kevin said in surprise, his heart skipping a beat painfully at the suggestion. "I can't do that." he scoffed.

"Why not?" Michael asked him in confusion.

"Well . . . You know." he made a flippant gesture.

"Actually, I don't." Michael admitted.

The expression Kevin was giving him said that it was obvious, despite the fact that Kevin himself couldn't see the reason why he couldn't go to Miami too. It was what he wanted in the first place, wasn't it? To be able to be with Michael, to keep his friend. He didn't know why, but it kind of felt ridicules to him, that in such a sort period of time so many things could have happened—most of them really disastrous and bad, but there had been one that seemed to out shadow them all. It was the one thing that he never really thought would happen to him, that he would never really have someone like Michael in his life.

"Really?" Kevin asked hesitantly, if not completely fearful; this was not something you kid about, especially not in the condition that he was currently in.

"Yes," Michael voice was quiet, though in rang-out loud and clear in Kevin's ear. "Why not? If you have nowhere else to go, and any way, you need somewhere relaxing—and what's more relaxing than Miami? My mom would love you, and I'd love to have you there too."

A smile graces Michael's lips—and this time it wasn't one of his I-know-something-you-don't or I-know-something-that-you-don't-want-me-to-know smiles or just a secretive one, this one probably the most general and truthful smiles that Michael had ever given, and Kevin felt his heart swell because it was aimed at him.

Kevin smiled back at him, one of the biggest to ever had crossed his face in his whole life; this was along in the category of what he felt back when he had first realized that he and Michael were friends. Something good had come from this trip after all, something that didn't cause him pain, but instead gave him happiness and hope for what may come in the future. Michael had turned something as devastating and career ending as getting shot in the heart into something good. Because now that he thought about it, if the operation had been a success and they had gotten the information that they needed without a hitch, then Kevin would still be assigned to Atlantis and Michael would be alone on the Daedalus right now. Kevin would have lost a friend—probably never seeing him again—would be stuck alone, and more than likely never would have found out whether or not Major Lorne was his brother or not. But Kevin had, being shot had given him answers and the opportunity that he never would have gotten—a friend that he never would have gotten and been able to keep.

Kevin Lorne was glad that that Stupid Genii had shot him, because his damaged heart had given him the hope that he needed and Michael Westen, the friend that he deserved.

TE - The End

note: okay, so you might be angry right now because I didn't do a brotherly-thing that you might have expected, and had actually thrown Major Lorne out the door with the whole "coincidence and file mix-up"; the truth of the matter was that when I started to write this fic, I was going to make Kevin and Evan meet and confront the fact that the Lorne family had essentially abandoned Kevin—and I know that may have been what most of you were expecting—but the truth of the fact is that I kind of got writer's-block going down that road. Now, while I was writing chapter 2 I was going to do it that way, but things changed when I put Michael Westen in. Now about that, he was actually going to be just a minor character that Kevin got to know and was able to talk about the fact that his family had abandoned him and Michael would have been able to consul him. But, I like "Burn Notice" and am in LOVE with Michael Westen, so I may have made him a major character by accident, but I think that this fic turned out quiet well. I do like Major Lorne, and that was actually how this fic had came to life at first, but I had written the first chapter when I was in like grade ten, and things can change and whatnot when a few years pass.

So despite that fact that you may not have expected this type of twist, I hoped you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it and have reviewed lots—because I love and appreciate it when you review and will love you forever.

Please review!

P.S : I will be doing a sorta SEQUEL for "Left Behind" so stay tuned and whatnot. :D!

Also, I know that is marked for who this fic is focused on, but that's only because of what the fic is based on as well as the fact that Kevin has that same last name and stuff. This is for the future, because in the sequel I think that I'm going to do the BN/SGA - EvanLorne + Michael.W crossover again, despite the fact that it will take place on Earth and Lorne will not be mention (I don't think) as well as I don't think that the SGC will be mentioned at all.