On Atlantis, Shaun, Dacey, Wen, Ahn, and Zola were all in a briefing with Abbie in the briefing room; they had gotten back a few minutes before. Abbie said, "So, I sent a team to Arhgohnn to help rebuilding their cities. My dad told me that the SGC sent a few teams to help too. A few teams of Marines were sent to arrest and bring back all the Zamora on Arhgohnn. Anyone have anything to add?"
Several grunts and no echoed around the room. Abbie spread her hands out on the Ancient table and said, "Alright, in that case, I suggest you all get some sleep and food in you. Dismissed."
Wen and Ahn exited together and headed to the mess hall. Shaun escorted Dacey to the medical bay. Mil went off to Zola's quarters to sort out everything; it had all happened really fast.
Once Dacey and Shaun reached the medical bay, Shaun guided Dacey to a bed and told her to sit. She sat down, with her legs dangling over the edge of the small bed. Shaun approached a small medicine cabinet and removed gauze, disinfectant, and a few other things. Returning to stand in front of Dacey, Shaun placed the medical stuff beside her on the bed.
He wetted down the gauze with the disinfectant. Giving her a nervous and sad smile, Shaun said softly, "This will hurt. Try to stay still."
Dacey nodded for him to continue. Shaun placed the damp gauze to her left shoulder's burn. Dacey immediately hissed and let out a quiet cry of pain. She breathed a few deep breaths and tried ignoring the stinging in her shoulder. Shaun used his free hand to twine his fingers with hers and give them a squeeze. Dacey let Shaun continue to spread the liquid disinfectant over her shoulder. She didn't make another sound but, Shaun could tell it hurt like hell. Dacey's mouth was a hard line and a single tear rolled down her cheek, making its path down her face.
Shaun tried to finish bandaging her shoulder quickly and gently. By the time he was done, her shoulder was entirely covered with a huge white bandage. Shaun released her hand and pulled away. He returned the medicines to their respective cabinets.
Dacey stretched out her left arm, testing her shoulder. She frowned deeply as Shaun came back, carrying a sling. Dacey eyed it suspiciously while Shaun held it out to her. He said, "You need to wear this until your burn is healed. Your shoulder is going to have to keep still while it heals too…"
Dacey started shaking her head and said, "No. I refuse to wear that."
Shaun shifted his feet uncomfortably, he said, "I need you to, Doctor's orders. I'm sorry. I know it makes you feel slightly…"
Dacey rolled her eyes and said, "Useless?"
"Yeah. But, you really should. It will prevent you from using or moving your shoulder. The burn didn't just burn your skin, it burned part of your muscle too."
Dacey shifted on the bed and said, "Fine, will you put it on?"
Shaun nodded and carefully grabbed her left elbow. He slid her elbow and arm into the sling. He put the strap over her other shoulder and clicked it into the clip at the front of the sling. He gently fastened all the straps that held in her arm. When he was done, Shaun looked into Dacey's eyes. She was studying the sling like it was going to bite her.
She hated slings. Dacey also felt helpless when she was hurt; she always had to have help doing normal, simple things and she hated that more than being hurt in the first place. Shaun saw how badly she hated it and felt terrible that she had to wear it.
Shaun pulled her into a half-hug, making sure to not touch her injured shoulder. Dacey hugged him back with her right arm, burying her head against her chest. She breathed in deeply, which made her realize he smelled like mint. It was distinct, making Dacey wonder how she hadn't ever notice before. It was possible he was wearing cologne now. She pushed the thought out of her mind.
Hesitatingly, Shaun let her go and took a step back. He held on to her free elbow as Dacey stood. Dacey headed out of the room and towards her quarters. Shaun followed closely behind her. As they walked the hallways, Dacey edged closer to the wall and ran her fingertips along the wall as she went. She had seen these same walls almost her whole life and never really realized how much she loved the city. Smiling, she dropped her hand and leaned left into Shaun. Instinctively, he wrapped his arm around her, putting his hand on her good shoulder.
Mil was in Zola's quarters, staring at her pictures scattered throughout the room. The main group of them was clustered on her nightstand. They showed Zola with all her friends and one showed her with her older brother, Drake, and younger sister, Leeva. Another one showed her with Ethan, Shaun's younger brother who was a medical doctor on Earth. In the picture, his hair was looked a lot blonder than it normally was but, he still looked good.
Mil had been staring at the pictures for God knows how long. Something inside her finally broke, Mil's knees buckled and she slid to the floor. Using her fist, she pounded the floor. Sobs wracked her thin frame while tears flooded out. She whispered, "I'm so sorry, Zola. You deserved to live, not me. I promise, I won't ever tell."
She had kept it all bottled up inside her and she couldn't take it. Zola had been their friend and had died and Mil couldn't even tell them. She could but, it would be going against Zola's last wish she had said with her dying breath. Mil put her forehead against the cool floor and just cried. She rolled over and into a fetal position. She cried herself to sleep in Atlantis, for the first time.
Wen and Ahn walked into the mess hall together. They both wore fresh outfits, Wen, in her usual leather garb, and Ahn in a white muscle shirt with jeans; he still had no shoes. Inside, they both grabbed trays of food and found a table in the back of the room. Wen shoved her tray onto the table and plopped into the chair nonchalantly. Ahn calmly put his down and quietly sat.
On Ahn's tray, he had three glasses of Jell-O and mashed potatoes plus a turkey breast. Wen had chicken legs on hers, along with mashed potatoes, and green beans. Wen stabbed her food with her fork while Ahn tried to cut his stuff neatly and non-violently. Wen eyed Ahn as he ate one of his glasses of blue Jell-O. It was turning his lips and tongue blue.
Wen noticed how uncomfortable he looked. She said, "What's wrong?"
Ahn scooted closer to the table and said, "I guess I'm just very torn. And I don't know what to do."
Wen stared at him intently and said, "Torn between what?"
"I'm torn between going back and living on Arhgohnn and staying here…"
Wen got a confused look on her face and set down her fork. She asked, "Why would you stay?"
Ahn began studying his food, as if it had become very interesting. He sheepishly said, "Because of you."
Wen asked quietly, "Me?"
Ahn nodded and pushed back his chair. He got up and left his tray as he walked away. Wen's eyes widened and she jumped up and followed him. Ahn found a balcony and walked out onto it. Outside, the stars glowed and Earth could be seen. The planet looked like a beautiful blue marble against a black sheet.
Wen approached from behind him and put her hands on the railing of the balcony. Ahn crossed his arms over his thin chest and stared at Earth. Wen hung her head and said, "Why would you stay for me? Please, just tell me."
Ahn frowned and whispered, "Because, from the first moment I met you, I loved you. You are the perfect warrior and are more than just a fighter. All my life, I wanted to find a female that was different and could do more than fight and have children. My whole life, I was waiting for you."
Wen turned to face him and gently, using her hands, turned his face to her. Ahn put his hands over hers as she pulled him in to kiss her. Sparks flew the moment their lips met and his lips parted with her mouth as they kept kissing. Ahn circled her waist with his arms and pulled her body against his. Wen kept kissing him, barely noticing.
At Wen's quarters, Ahn kissed Wen, while shutting the door as the two came in. Wen wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into her and towards the bed. Ahn didn't protest and reached around and began slipping his hands up her shirt. Wen giggled as he did but, stopped when her lips met his again. Wen started unbuttoning Ahn's jeans and working them off. Ahn grabbed the bottom edges of Wen's shirt and pulled it off, over her head. She pulled his shirt off in turn. Ahn got to work getting her pants off as the couple fell onto the bed backwards.
Now in only their underwear, the couple began kissing each other and exploring each other's bodies with their hands. Ahn kissed Wen, starting with her mouth and continued kissing her, making his way lower and lower on her body. She arched her back into him and groaned. Ahn showed her a mischievous grin as he started making out with her again.
Dacey stopped in front of her quarters, Shaun stopping beside her. She gave him a look and said, "I'm going to get changed and I'll meet you at your quarters in an hour."
Shaun nodded and walked off to go to his rooms. Dacey watched him go and then entered her rooms. She immediately went into the bathroom and turned on the shower and hopped in, after stripping. She needed a bath and wanted one badly. After she got out, Dacey dried off quickly and put on a Garrison uniform, plus the new sling.
Exiting her room, she headed down the hall in the opposite direction from Shaun's quarters. She was headed to the brig. Arriving outside the Ancient brig, Dacey spotted John inside the square prison. It was white with slats and a force field. He stood and pointed at her and yelled, "Get me the hell out of here."
"No."
John said, "I told you about the Zamora, now let me go."
Dacey snorted and said, "Yeah. No. Abbie decided we should keep you locked up until further notice. I came to tell you something, not to listen to you complain. And I have a question. Why did you warn us about the Zamora?"
"It doesn't matter. This isn't over. What did you come to tell me?"
"What isn't over?"
John sat back down on his small bench, in the middle of the cage. He said, "Now that the Zamora and Wraith know that your reality is better than theirs, they will come for you."
Dacey got a disgusted look on her face. She spit back, "I came to tell you: Rot in hell."
At that, she left, heading to Shaun's quarters.
