Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.
Part 18/24
-Chapter 18-
Freedom Flight
-Atlantis—Past-
"Okay, Colonel, where are you?" Rodney sounded edgy.
John gulped as the massive hull of a Hive filled the front windscreen of his Jumper. I'd forgotten how huge these things are. "I'm working my way towards the final position, Rodney. ETA forty-three seconds. And by the way," he swept a glance across the HUD, "aren't you supposed to be faking away from the Hives right about now, so you can make the jump to hyperspace?"
"Ah, well, there's been a slight change in plans. Rather than take the chance of having the Hives move too far apart by pursuing us, we're making the jump to hyperspace from here." McKay's voice had that studiously offhand quality that usually went straight through John.
It did this time, too. John gritted his back teeth together. "I thought we were trying to save the planet, McKay!"
"Radek agrees that the risk is minimal, well within acceptable limits." A background mutter reached John's ears through the headset. Rodney added nonchalantly, "Hermiod agrees, too."
John rolled his eyes briefly. He soon sobered as he moved past the looming Hive and came to a stop, surrounded on three sides by Hive ships: the perfect position.
He made sure that the Jumper was in the exact location required. "Okay, I'm here." He reached over the DHD console and picked up the Thing. Gingerly he set it down on the control panel in front of him. He knew jarring it wouldn't set it off, but felt an instinctive wariness all the same. "I've got the Thing. Now what do I do?"
Rodney was trying hard to keep his tone matter-of-fact, but John clearly heard the underlying strain. "I've already switched the two crystals that need to be put in each other's slots. All you have to do is press and hold down on them. The device should emit a hum, which will get increasingly louder as the power buildup increases and it starts to overload. The crystals should start flashing, too."
John pulled out the crystal drawer and then stared at all the identical pieces, two rows of seven crystals. What was he supposed to do here, read McKay's mind? "Which two, Rodney? There're fourteen!"
"Third crystal from the left on the top row and the one all the way to the right on the bottom. Just press and hold them down, and then all you'll have to do is wait."
Right, wait. John could do that; he'd been doing it for the past -- or would that be future? -- four months. What was another few minutes on top of that? His mind went to the beleaguered city on the planet below. "Uh, Rodney, about how long will it take?"
McKay cleared his throat. "Not all that long, really – we estimate detonation occurs after five minutes or so. I'll contact you again one minute before we jump to hyperspace. Detonation will occur about ten seconds after that." There was a moment of silence, and then a brisk: "Now just hold down those crystals and wait."
"Thanks. Jumper 2 out." John automatically checked the time on his watch and wiped his sweaty palms on his pants before he reached out his hands. He applied gentle pressure to the crystals; then pressed harder until he heard a definite click. That's when the Las Vegas light show started, accompanied by a bass hum that jarred up his arms all the way to his back teeth.
For a while he just watched the blinking lights and listened to the hum, not really thinking about this as the end for him. He wasn't afraid to die; it was like he told Elizabeth, he didn't want to just fade out of existence; he wanted to go out doing something positive. And he was -- this way he knew that she and Atlantis would be safe. He could have peace with that.
He felt his palms beginning to sweat again; only this time it wasn't from nerves. What in the--? The crystals were heating up, rapidly approaching the point of discomfort and passing it. He felt his palms begin to blister.
John clenched his teeth against the pain and forced himself to keep his hands on the crystals. I don't care if these things burn holes in my palms, I've got to do this. I have to be strong, I have to save Atlantis -- I have to save Elizabeth! He tried to stop thinking about how much it hurt. I can do this I can do this I can do this I can do this!
Without consciously willing it, he got to his feet and hunched over the Thing, using his body weight to keep adequate pressure on the crystals. The agony built and built; surely his hands were actually beginning to char. He squeezed his eyes shut, tears oozing out and trickling down his cheeks. Rodney, please hurry!
Almost as though he'd heard John's desperate plea, the comm activated: "Colonel, you still there?"
"Have you heard a big boom yet, McKay?" John snarled back, not even trying to keep the pain out of his voice.
"What's wrong? What's happening?" Alarm vibrated through Rodney's voice.
"The crystals have gotten really hot and are burning my hands. Please tell me it's almost ready to detonate."
"Yes. You've got about forty seconds left now. We're just getting ready to jump to hyperspace."
John grimaced and gasped for air, making himself open his eyes and look at his watch. Forty seconds – less now -- I can do this! "Glad to hear that. And Rodney: thanks."
McKay's voice, awkward with emotion, came to him one last time. "No, we thank you. And Colonel – it's been an honor serving with you."
Out the windscreen, John watched as the Daedalus suddenly leaped through a hyperspace window, leaving the Hives with nothing to fire on.
Please don't change positions, he inwardly pleaded as he ticked down the seconds on his watch. We're so close to victory, and I can't fly the ship as long as both hands are occupied with this.
John closed his eyes again, mentally starting the ten-second countdown as he escaped to his memories with Elizabeth. Ten.
Arriving in Atlantis, and the absolute wonder in her eyes when she looked up at him on the balcony. She'd been standing on the Gateroom floor, a magnum of champagne in her hands and an enraptured expression on her face.
Nine.
The flirty smile on her face when she'd teased him about football not long after they'd come to Atlantis. She'd perched on the back of the couch and reached out to snitch a few kernels of popcorn from his bowl. That was when John first saw her as the beautiful woman she was.
Eight.
Movie night, only six short months before she'd died. It had been "Princess Bride," and she'd sat next to him, so close their shoulders brushed. Every now and then she'd reached into the bowl of popcorn he quite willingly shared with her. By the end her head had come to rest on his shoulder, the dreamy smile on her lips telling him that she was a true romantic at heart—just like him.
Seven.
The peaceful look her face wore whenever they stood side-by-side on their balcony gazing over their city. The peace and tranquility of those moments had been one of the fonder memories that John escaped to after Elizabeth died. When he thought he could go on no longer, he went to their balcony, closed his eyes, and remembered.
Six.
Her laughter, dancing with the soft breeze across the flower-filled field to whisper in his ear; it made him smile even now. The teasing glint in her eyes as she threw her face upwards, shouting gleefully to the cloudless sky. That day off-world remained one of his favorite memories. Seeing her lighthearted and carefree was something he didn't witness often, but he treasured those few precious moments most in his heart every time he did.
Five.
The look of surprise and pleasure on her face when she unwrapped the Athosian pot he'd given her for her first birthday in Atlantis. It still sat on her desk in this timeline; he'd sneaked it out of her office to his quarters after she died in his.
Four.
The expression of simple pleasure on her face when he'd bring her coffee late at night, sitting down across the desk from her to share the warm brew and company. He teased and distracted her until she gave up and let him escort her to her room for some sleep. He figured she would sneak back out after he went to bed, but he let it go because it was what she wanted to do. So he'd said nothing about his suspicions and let her think she'd gotten away with her scheme.
Three.
The night of the Harvest Festival on the mainland, only two weeks before she'd died. The red-gold light of the large campfire made her skin and eyes glow, painting a halo around her hair and dancing on her face. She'd been so beautiful.
Two.
The bittersweet kiss he'd bestowed upon her the last time he'd seen his Elizabeth alive. It was his most cherished memory. Only then had he realized how much he loved her. Ultimately, his realization had come too late for him. But not for the other version of himself; for him, it had come just in time.
One.
The nerve endings in his hands had burned away, leaving him sweat-drenched, but blessedly free of pain. One final thought took shape: Elizabeth, I will forever love you.
Flash of intolerable brightness.
The light took him.
To Be Continued. . .
