We, the Sparky Army, decree 2008 to be the Year of the Spark. We pledge to post a new sparky story or chapter of a sparky story every day from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008. Though the Powers that Be have removed Elizabeth Weir from the regular cast of Stargate Atlantis, we feel that she remains an integral part of the show, and that the relationship between her and John Sheppard is too obvious to be ignored. We hope that you, and anyone might happen to read these works, agree.

And if that isn't official enough for you, we don't know what is. Seriously, guys, we're just trying to have some fun--and show TPTB that Sparky is the way to go. So sit back and enjoy the 366 stories coming your way!

Fate

By Hannah554

Chapter 4

She could do this, she could do this, she could do this. She'd been chanting those words to herself for the better part of an hour and she still hadn't quite convinced herself of them. Now she was standing in front of the stargate as she waited for their guests to arrive. John appeared first, her breath caught and she had to remind herself that part replicator or not, she did need oxygen. There eyes met, for once he was unreadable to her and that stung just a little bit. Rodney, Ronon and Teyla stepped through the gate behind him a few moments later.

"Elizabeth," Rodney exclaimed happily, surprise in his voice as though he hadn't actually believed she was here until he'd seen her for himself. "Wait, how do we know you're not another clone?"

"I guess you'll just have to take my word for it... or you can send a sample of my DNA back to Atlantis so they can confirm it," she replied with a small smile trying to relieve some of the tension in the room. John, Ronon and Teyla were all watching the replicators that passed by warily. "They won't hurt you, they follow my orders."

That didn't stop them from gripping their weapons tightly. "Why don't we go to the briefing room, we can talk there?" she suggested.

"Lead the way," John replied, his voice still wary.

She got straight to the point; she wanted to get her reasons for contacting them out of the way before the inevitable round of questioning could start. An alliance with Atlantis and vicariously earth, she needed people with the Ancient gene on the base and in return they would share the knowledge she and the Asurans posses, everything they knew about the replicators and the Wraith. John's team would take it to Atlantis, Atlantis would take it to earth, hopefully a deal could be made.

"How did you escape from the replicators?" John asked starting the questions.

"With help," she answered "A group of replicators broke off from the others and took me with them. We got a few more followers and got away, wasn't as easy as that but it's another long story."

"And you are sure they can be trusted?" Teyla questioned, it was a fair question and Elizabeth just nodded her head. "How long ago did you escape?" Rodney asked. "A while ago, probably 8 months ago".

"And you never tried to contact us" John asked, it was a statement not a question, "you let us think you were dead."

"I'm sorry John I had to, it wasn't safe, not for us and not for you" she told him, he didn't seem particularly convinced.

"I'll let Atlantis know what's going on here, hopefully Carter can get the ball rolling," he said as he stood up. She'd known this wouldn't be easy but she hadn't realised it would be this hard.

There had been mixed reactions to her revealing she was still alive. Teyla was mostly just pleased to see her but Elizabeth could tell she was a little hurt. That hurt was more obvious in Rodney; he'd questioned Elizabeth's decision several times. Ronon was sceptical and very wary; he looked ready to pull his gun at a moments notice but he to seemed glad she was alive. She hadn't spoken to John since he'd left the briefing room. Her own feelings weren't exactly straight forward either; she hadn't expected to see him again, any of them but she needed their help. The rebel Asurans had done a great job of setting the base up. In less than 48 hours they had activated most systems except for the ones that required the gene. They had set up quarters for everyone not that those quarters would get much use but Elizabeth needed them and they seemed to be trying to emulate that. She had an office near the control room where she could see what was going on around her. It wasn't Atlantis and it lacked the personal touch she'd given to the office there but it was better than nothing and defiantly better than her cell had been.

"Elizabeth" Teyla's hauntingly familiar voice said from the door way of her office. Looking up from her desk Elizabeth offered a smile, forced as it was.

"Teyla, come in," She gestured to the other chair. Teyla walked into the office and took the offered seat. She had that look on her face, the one Elizabeth would recognise no matter how long she was gone. It was that 'too wise for her age' face that she always had when she was about to tell you something important.

"John never truly got over what happened," She stated bluntly. "He never came to terms with leaving you behind and even with all the mounting evidence that you were dead he never stopped trying to find you."

She'd known that deep down; John had never given up on looking for Aden either. "It had to be this way," Elizabeth said and Teyla nodded.

"I understand that, I accept that but I cannot pretend that it does not hurt anyway. John was affected by your disappearance, your death more than anyone else. I can only imagine the hurt he must feel," Teyla told her which only served to make Elizabeth feel that little bit worse than she already had been. She knew she wouldn't change what she did but that really wasn't stopping her from feeling bad about it. "He will come around, he just needs time."

Teyla left then but in typical Teyla style she had left her mark. She'd have to talk to John but not right now, for now she had a lot of work to do.