Chapter 2

As the Ancients left, the team gathered closer to their leaders.

"What was that about?" Rodney demanded. "Why did they want to meet us?"

"Aye," Carson added worriedly. "Do you think what we said mucked up our chances or no?"

Elizabeth pursed her lips thoughtfully, and then slanted a glance at John. Their gaze held for a moment until he shrugged imperceptivity.

"I'm not sure," she answered, turning her attention back to the group. "Perhaps they're just curious about…" she paused as the scientist sighed loudly. "What is it now, Rodney?"

"You two are doing it again…"

"Doing what?"

He held up two fingers. "Two words…"

"They better not be what I think," John growled.

Rodney grinned smugly. "Mind meld."

"Mind m… what the hell are you talking about?"

He pointed at John's forehead and then squiggled his finger in the air to Elizabeth's as he made a buzzing noise. "Significant Look followed by data transfer without speech. Mind meld."

"McKay, you're such a dork…."

Rodney looked at Ronon, Teyla and Carson. "Well? Am I right or am I right? Don't they seem to read each other's mind?"

The three exchanged knowing looks and then turned back to Rodney without a word.

"I rest my case," he said, crossing his arms triumphantly over his chest.

Elizabeth blinked in surprise and then looked up at John, arching an eyebrow in question. In return, he shrugged one shoulder but gave her a small smile.

"See!" Rodney crowed. "I'm right!" He poked John. " Admit it, Sheppard!" He poked him in the chest again. "I am so right!"

"Shut up, McKay." He swatted the hand away. "And if you ever poke me again, make sure it's with a finger you don't need!"

Rodney opened his mouth to protest but paused as he caught an odd look flit over the other man's face. "Sheppard…what's wrong?"

"Huh." He shook his head as if to clear it. "I had this weird buzzing feeling in my head." At Carson's concerned look, he held up his hand. "Not a bad feeling…actually, it was sort of a happy feeling."

"Buzzing? You're happy?" Rodney repeated, his eyebrows drawn together in confusion.

"No, that's not what I meant," he said impatiently. "Don't you sense something different now?" He gestured vaguely around. "Like a subtle humming in the air…" His eyes widened, as the lighting in the hallway appeared to waver for a split second and then grow brighter.

It was quickly followed by murmurs of surprise as everyone looked around them. It wasn't just the hallway illumination…everything from the walls to the stained-glass windows suddenly seemed to glow luminously.

"What the…?"

"It is Atlantis. She is pleased."

Everyone whirled around to find Tasai and the two Councilmen standing in the hallway with an amused expression on their faces.

"Excuse me," Elizabeth began. "What do you mean?"

"Atlantis has a…presence…a sentience, of sorts," Tasai explained. "You all claim to feel as if this city is your home, when in fact what you are experiencing is a bond of friendship with Atlantis herself."

She glided forward and stood directly in front of Elizabeth. "You in particular have become close with her."

"But I don't even have the gene…"

She waved off Elizabeth's protest. "That ability only affects the use of technology here on Atlantis. What you have is much stronger than that…you have a connection of the soul with her." She watched as a variety of emotions flickered in the other woman's green eyes.

"The separation from Atlantis was especially hard for you, was it not? Almost as if you had lost a loved one?" she asked gently, sensing the pain her question brought. "For that, we apologize. But when Captain Helia told us it would be difficult if you stayed because you would not want to let go, we assumed it was a security issue."

"What do you mean by security issue?" John asked, stepping closer. "And why would Captain Helia have the power to make decisions like that?"

"Long ago, when we had to evacuate our city because of the Wraith, the Governor of Atlantis agreed to relinquish control to the Head of Security. We have lived under military rule ever since."

"I see," Elizabeth said. "So at the time we were asked to leave, it was Captain Helia's decision, not the Council's?"

Tasai nodded regretfully. "She wrongfully assumed your desire to stay was motivated solely by your government's interest in Atlantis."

"But that's not why I wanted to stay! I wanted to help protect Atlantis!" As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Elizabeth suddenly realized how her priorities had shifted.

"Are you saying you no longer see yourself as Tau'ri?" Tasai asked.

Elizabeth shook her head. "I will always be Tau'ri and Earth will always be my homeworld. But Atlantis…" she smiled, her eyes bright with emotion. "Atlantis is my home. My allegiance is to her and I would protect her with my life."

Tasai nodded in satisfaction. "Then I believe we have a resolution that will benefit us all." She gestured forward the two men who flanked her. "Councilman Veer, Councilman Laya, if you please."

"In the past." Veer began, "the Council ruled the city but under the direction of a Governor and a Guardian. It is the wish of this Council that for the good of Atlantis and her people we return to the old ways."

At his nod, Laya moved forward to stand in front of Elizabeth.

"On behalf of the Council, the Lantean people and the city of Atlantis herself," he intoned. "We respectfully petition Dr. Elizabeth Weir, born of the Tau'ri homeworld Earth, former leader of their expeditionary force, now a true and rightful citizen of Atlantis, to accept the position of Governor."

For a breathless moment Elizabeth wondered if she'd heard right.

"Governor?" she repeated incredulously. "I…I…"

"Take it," John urged, a small smile quirking up the corners of his mouth. "It sounds a damn sight better than that consulting gig with the IOA."

Trying to stifle the smile that came to her lips, she turned her attention back to the Council. For a brief second, a hundred well-rehearsed diplomatic phrases passed through her mind, but in the end, she decided to speak from her heart.

"To say this is an honor is vastly inadequate. It's much bigger than that…you've given me back my life…my family." She glanced back at her team who were all grinning and watching her proudly.

"There is so much I could say but as I've often been told to 'keep it simple'…" She paused to share an amused glance with John then turned back to the Council.

"I accept the position of Governor," she replied, her joy and gratitude evident in her eyes. "Thank you." She bowed her head to each of the Council.

Suddenly the lights in the hallways flickered causing Elizabeth to look curiously at Tasai.

The High Council smiled. "As I said, Atlantis was pleased with our decision to reinstate a Governor and a Guardian for her. I think she is now anxious that we appoint her Guardian."

"Oh, I see." Elizabeth looked expectantly at the two Councilmen. "Which one of you…?"

"No, not us," Veer protested with a shake of his head. "The Guardian is always the head of the military."

"So with Captain Helia gone, will you choose a Guardian from the military personnel among you?"

"It is not quite that easy," Tasai interjected. "As Commander of the military force, the Guardian is essentially Atlantis' protector. And just as the Governor has a connection to her soul, the Guardian must have a connection to her heart. Someone who can not only access all her systems but who can connect with her on an emotional level…"

She turned her head and pinned John with her gaze. "Someone like you, Colonel Sheppard."

John startled and involuntarily took a step backward. "Me?" He swallowed nervously. "Ah, with all due respect, High Council, I don't think…" his voice faltered under Tasai's direct stare.

"It was difficult for you to be away from Atlantis as well, was it not?"

"Yes, but I thought it was just being back on Earth…in a new job…away from my friends."

"In a sense that was true," Tasai replied. "But it was also the loss of your connection with Atlantis that you were mourning…and Atlantis mourned your loss as well."

Seeing the puzzled look on his face, she explained. "After you left with the rest of the Tau'ri, she shut down and refused to work at full capacity. And despite Captain Helia's more than formidable ability, and the combined efforts of all our scientists and engineers, they could never get all of her systems online." She gestured around at the heightened illumination. "Only now, with the prospect of you as Guardian, has she allowed all her systems to return to full power."

"Really?" John bounced slightly on the balls of his feet and grinned. "She missed me?"

Tasai laughed softly. "Indeed, she did."

Moving forward she stood directly in front of him and looked searchingly into his eyes. "But are we asking you to give up too much for her? Your career…your life as you've known it… must all be left behind. As Guardian and Commander in Chief of the military, your loyalty must be to Atlantis only. That means you could not retain ties to your government or to Earth."

John let out a sigh of relief as he ran a hand through his hair. "That is so not a problem." Seeing the confusion in the Head Council's eyes, he explained. "I broke some very important rules in order to return here and despite what I've done for Atlantis, I doubt that my government would be able to see past what I did wrong to see what I did right. In other words, if they want me back at all, it would only be to punish me."

Tasai's eyebrows rose in disbelief. "Then you must stay here," she said adamantly. "We insist…Atlantis insists!"

He chewed his lower lip uncertainly. It was a huge step from Second in Command of the Atlantis Expedition to Commander in Chief of the city's military. Turning to Elizabeth, he found her gaze already on him, and the warmth and unwavering trust he saw there was all he needed to make up his mind.

Elizabeth's smile deepened as she saw the hesitancy leave John's eyes. As much as she wanted him to stay, she knew the choice had to be his own.

"Oh for chrissakes!" A voice suddenly hissed behind them. "Enough with the mind melding already…ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE THE JOB?"

There was a moment of silence as all eyes turned to the source of the outburst.

"What?" Rodney looked around in annoyance. "I was just trying to move things along," he muttered as his teammates glared at him.

"Um, Councilman Laya?" Elizabeth gave the older man a meaningful look and jerked her head slightly toward John.

With a startled "Oh!" of understanding, the Ancient scurried over to stand in front of the other man. Clearing his throat, he waited until he had everyone's attention.

"On behalf of the Council, the Lantean people and the city of Atlantis herself," he began formally. "We respectfully petition Lt. Colonel John Sheppard, born of the Tau'ri homeworld Earth, former head of their expedition's military force, now a true and rightful citizen of Atlantis, to accept the position of Guardian and Commander."

Straightening his shoulders John returned the Councilman's gaze with straightforward honesty.

"I understand and wholeheartedly accept this city's role as her Guardian and Commander in Chief of her military."

The words were barely out of his mouth before the team rushed forward to surround them, and he and Elizabeth were swept into an exuberant group hug.

-tbc-