A/N: Well. :D Mac finally got around betaing some of my stuff and what you're getting here now is another time I borrowed leah's characters (if anyone of you reads German and is starting to become really interested, just tell me and I'll give you the link to her profile :)). It's taking place maybe one or two hours before Possibly the Complications (the story that some of you may not have read because it's possible trigger material), so about three months after EATG and three before The Government Conspiracy Job.

BTW, it took me a while to find some appropriate means to respond to Matthew Kemp's actions being discussed in this story and ended up asking on two different research journals and in the end... I decided to keep it like it's now because several people confirmed that this could be a realistic way to resolve the issue. Seriously!

Shoulda Walked Away

"I shoulda walked away, walked away
The voice inside me shouts out loud
The silence feels more silent now."

Chris Clouse, "Walk Away"

Well, he thinks, that was bound to happen. You just don't jump at a General's throat without repercussions. But he'd been desperate and it had solved the issue. Or at least he hopes it did.

Anyway… better get this over with fast. Steeling himself, he knocks at the door of Major Lorne's office. Instead of Lorne calling him in, the door simply opens and again he finds himself wondering if Adam could tell him if the gene also allows you to know who's standing outside the door or if that's just Major Lorne's Mad XO Skillz. But then again… he did get a not so friendly invitation to the Major's office two hours ago.

Stepping in, he half expects Lorne to send him one of those looks that make you want to turn tail immediately and hide somewhere no one will ever find you and that always make him wonder if it's an Academy thing because Jenna and occasionally even Jason to a certain degree are very adept at those as well.

However Lorne only looks mildly irritated and since the situation is pretty grave, he takes care to perform a textbook report and picture perfect parade rest. For about a second he hopes that Lorne will offer for him to sit down since that would probably mean it's not as bad as he thought but apparently, it's even worse.

"You know why you're here, Captain?" he starts off the conversation and it doesn't really sound good.

"Yes, sir." For pissing off a General, most likely.

"So… tell me." Of course Lorne would say that.

He'd love to answer with the truth – that Major General Jonathan Wells is a superior asshole and a top candidate for the Worst Father Ever – but you don't say that kind of thing to your boss if you don't want to piss him off even more.

So he resists the temptation to take a deep breath and starts rattling off the charges, "Insubordination, insolence, disobedience. Sir."

"Correct," Lorne says and he thinks he also nodded but it's kind of hard to see that kind of thing when you're staring straight at the wall behind your boss. "Although the more important question is: why did you do it?"

What… "Sir?" Slightly confused he finally breaks his routine of fixing his gaze somewhere above Lorne's head.

Lorne still doesn't look happy and he can't really blame him but… he didn't expect Lorne wanting to know the reason for his trespassing. The charges definitely won't go away if he tells him why he went off on the General, that's for sure. "Captain… you're one of my most reliable officers. You never disobey orders, you're always where you're supposed to be, when you're supposed to be there, you've got a grip on your team… You do realize how this makes me wonder what the hell got into you?"

When you phrase it like that… Jenna was right. He really is some kind of eager beaver, always striving to please his superiors and be a good little soldier. Like hell he'll ever tell her that, though. "Yes, sir."

Mh. Still not looking happy. But it was enough that he made a fool out of himself in front of a goddamn General… Jenna's father, for Heaven's sake. "So why don't you tell me?"

Because it's his business and no one else's… well, maybe Jenna's as well, seeing as it was her daddy issues that got him in this mess after all. But then again… he can't even really blame her for them after seeing the General standing at her bed – she'd been on artificial respiration, goddammit – shaking his head and muttering something like "Stupid girl screwed up again." Something in him had just… snapped and then he'd suddenly been kind of yelling at the General in the hallway. "I'd prefer not to, sir."

"This won't get you anywhere and you know it, Captain." Of course he does. But it won't get him anywhere either to admit that he read a General the riot act because he'd been kind of sick of Jenna refusing to accept affection and praise from anyone because her stupid father couldn't tell her he was proud of her just once. The General wouldn't even have to tell her the truth because he's probably the only one she'd actually believe when he said that and that's probably the saddest thing of all.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?" He's pretty sure Lorne was just this short of throwing up his arms and rolling his eyes.

"For fu… Heaven's sake, please do, Captain. In fact, knock yourself out. I'm sure you've got a lot to tell me." That's… not a good thing. Lorne is losing his patience, and fast. Whenever that happens… the results are never pretty.

This time he does swallow before speaking up again. "My reasons are of a rather private nature and I'd prefer to keep it that way." He could as well have said that he'd deck anyone who only so much as considers slanting Jenna or her abilities as a soldier. All in all, not a smart move.

"Goddammit, Captain! I'm trying to help you here but I don't think I will keep doing that for much longer. It's starting to look like you either don't want or don't need my help and quite frankly I think both are pretty stupid ideas." Fuck. Now Lorne did lose his patience and like he expect it really isn't pretty. Lorne isn't a loud man, or someone who frequently yells at his subordinates – and he didn't really yell now – but he doesn't have to. That scowl is just a little bit scary.

The question is, though, what the hell does he mean with trying to help? "Sir… quite honestly… I don't think I understand."

"Yeah, I don't think you understand, either," he nearly growls and it's not nice to have a feeling your superior currently thinks of you as only marginally more intelligent than your average amoeba. "Captain… just tell me why you went off on Major General Wells. That could have been the death sentence for your career and I need to know why you'd do such a thing like that."

Yeah. Well. Of course he does. He'd probably be exactly the same if Jenna or Jason or Adam behaved fully out of character – okay, he probably wouldn't be like that if Jenna were genuinely nice without any dramatics beforehand for a change… he'd just wonder if she were maybe possessed by an alien or had been brainwashed – so yeah… Lorne does have a point.

However, it doesn't come easily to him. His first thought is "Wells had it coming" but that probably wouldn't really help his cause – even if it's one hundred percent true – and there are a few others along that line until he finally settles with, "Someone had to do it, sir."

Lorne raises one of his eyebrows. "Someone had to go and have General Wells' guts for garters?" That's a rather… unappetizing comparison but yeah, it does sum it up nicely.

"Yes, sir." Come on, he thinks, you think that, too. I know you do. I have it on good authority that he nearly had your and Cadman's asses for getting into each others' pants.

Lorne takes a moment to think about that… and then he says, "Sit, Captain. Apparently, this conversation is going to take a few minutes."

Obedient, he does take a seat now and tries to look as dignified as possible, seeing as what he'll have to tell Lorne now will probably be anything but dignified. Another raised eyebrow, then. "I'm listening, Captain."

Resisting a sigh, he steels himself and tries to sound absolutely professional when he starts his little story, "I'm pretty sure you already know that, sir, but… since it's imperative for understanding what happened, I'll state it again. Part of Lieutenant Wells'… issues stem from her rather… complicated relationship with her father."

Lorne nods. "I'm following. Go on."

"I think… I think a major problem is that there's a certain lack of… acceptance and appreciation for Lieutenant Wells as a person and as a soldier from General Wells." What he'd meant to say had been that General Wells is an asshole who apparently takes pleasure in withholding simple things like pride and affection from his only daughter, probably for the sole fact that she's not male. He just bets it's that. It's always that with high-ranking fathers of military brat only daughters.

Again, Lorne nods and gestures for him to go on. "He thinks she's a screw-up, yes."

"But she's not!" Oops. That wasn't supposed to come out like that.

"I know that, don't worry." Ha! He'd told her neither he nor Lorne nor Sheppard think of her as a screw-up but would she listen to that? No. She'd just muttered something like "don't make me laugh" and gone on to refuse the hand he'd offered her. "So you thought someone needed to confront General Wells about that?"

"In a nutshell, yes, sir." It's more than that, of course but maybe Lorne will be satisfied with that and not dwell further on the matter.

"And the feature-length version?" Right. Of course the nutshell wouldn't suffice for Lorne.

The thing is… he can't talk about that. He can't even think about that. Because if he does, he'll remember the blood again and helpless feeling when realizing that Jenna just sacrificed herself and the white-hot fury at seeing her father at her bed and deeming her a failure all over again, never even taking in consideration that she'd been lying there because she'd just saved three lives. "Captain?"

"I'm sorry, sir, I just…" Starting to lose composure, he rakes a hand through his hair.

"Take your time, Matt. One thing at a time." He's so caught up in trying to phrase what happened in professional terms that he nearly overhears the use of his first name. But he does catch it and a little absentmindedly he wonders how pathetic he must look that Lorne thinks he needs to take pity on him.

In the end, he says, "You read the report, sir. Did that sound like someone majorly screwing up to you?"

There. That will have to suffice. And from the look of it… surprisingly, it does. There's a tiny bit of understanding dawning on Lorne's face that's otherwise inscrutable again. "All I found in there were four capable soldiers who knew what they were doing and one of them who exceptionally lived up to the standards we set for our personnel here."

Yes, that's what he wrote in there. He and everyone else who had anything to do with the mission the SGC had ordered them to take, since they'd been temporarily on loan from Atlantis that's still sitting in the San Francisco Bay. "General Wells didn't."

"What did he read?" As if you don't know that, sir.

"Three soldiers who were capable and knew what they were doing and one who was exceptionally stupid, incompetent and a burden to the others." He'd still like to get back at Wells and try that speech all over again. Although now he'd probably also make sure that "insolence" would be "physically attacking a superior officer" instead.

"How do you figure?" Stupid question.

"He said as much at Lieutenant Wells' bedside." When she'd just returned from the OR. With a tube in her mouth. He really should have gone for "physically attacking" rather than "insolence". At least that he'd have had the satisfaction of thoroughly having ruined his career for a very good cause.

Lorne takes a moment and then simply says, "I see," and the weirdest thing is that he thinks Lorne actually means that. Lorne does see what was behind him telling General Wells that he's sick and tired of having to watch Jenna striving for her father's attention and appreciation every day, every minute – she'd never admit to that but he's neither blind nor stupid – and denying herself the chance to be happy and let others come close because the General just wouldn't give her at least a teeny tiny bit to make her see that he actually cares about her. In a way, he'd been not exactly happy about Atlantis having returned to Earth because since they landed it's so much easier for General Wells to drop by and be an asshole to practically everyone around; Lorne, Sheppard and Woolsey included.

"Sir? Permission to ask a question?" Lorne looks expectantly at him and he adds, "What's going to happen now?" Am I supposed to hand my resignation in now or will you take care of that?

At that, Lorne rubs a hand over his face and it occurs to him that this probably wasn't easy for the Major either. "You want to know when you're supposed to turn in your government issue items?" He nods. "Can't tell you that, actually." What? "For some reason, the only thing General Wells did was report you and tell us that you were our problem and that he expects us to handle the situation as we see fit."

That's… weird. Almost as if… could be that… "Yeah, my thoughts exactly, Captain. Seems like something in your speech left an impression with the General." Hopefully it was the right one.

"So you're not going to throw me out?" A smirk from Lorne now.

"Not for the time being, no." That's a little too much… and the relief must have shown pretty much since Lorne adds, "Just an advice, Captain: next time… you report the issue and let us handle the situation as we see fit." He can only nod mutely, realizing that Lorne is serious. Well, okay, of course he is. Sheppard and he… they never let their soldiers down and he should have though of that before. "So just to make you remember that… you're on KP duty for the next six weeks. Additionally, for the next six months, you'll be responsible for checking in every new arrival and checking out everyone leaving the Expedition. In your spare time."

KP duty. KP duty. Okay. And that checking in/checking out thing which will probably eat up his entire spare time if Atlantis ever manages to get back to Pegasus in the next six months. But that's okay. Everything is better than never getting past Captain. And… he realizes it wasn't even for being insolent to the General. Just for not letting Sheppard and Lorne handle him in the first place. That's… Well. "And my records, sir?"

"Don't screw up our food and there won't be anything in them. This time." He nods. He's insanely relieved but yes, he did hear the warning. They let him off the hook extremely easy this time but they won't be so forthcoming next time it happens.

Yes, it does scare him a little at how little he questions the probability of there being a next time.

"Thank you, sir," he can't help breathing and adding, "I just hope… it was worth it."

Lorne nods, looking a little grimly, "Yeah, me too." But then there's a little grin when he adds, "I think I saw Lieutenant Wells and her father talking to each other in the infirmary an hour ago."

The most ridiculous thing is how relieved he still feels about the fact that Jenna woke up a couple of hours ago. He'd paid her a visit shortly after they'd told her she'd woken up and he'd been pretty good at omitting the fact that the reason daddy had been at her bedside when she'd opened her eyes the first time had been because he'd pretty much kicked daddy's ass. To cover up the turmoil inside of him, he attempts a smirk himself. "Beg pardon, sir, but… talking to each other or insulting each other?"

Lorne shrugs. "Not sure. Actually, I think it was just the General talking and the Lieutenant trying to insult him without speaking." He can just barely hide a grin. Yeah, she'd definitely try that. "But I think I also saw something that looked like the attempt of a smile on Lieutenant Wells' face at some point."

Mh, mh, right. A smile. On Jenna's face. When talking to her father. That totally sounds like her. Well, not. "That certainly would be something new, sir."

"Certainly." Lorne doesn't believe it any more than he does. Doesn't surprise him very much but what does is that he adds, "By the way, I'd recommend you try to make Lieutenant Wells talk to Captain Reece when she and Major Moore are back on duty. The Captain knows a few things about thinking of yourself as a complete failure."

He has no idea what that's supposed to mean, seeing as the only reason Reece hasn't been promoted yet is probably because she's at the wrong end of the SGC bottleneck. Or maybe because she went and slept with her team leader and probably made an enemy of General Wells as well. Whatever it is, it's definitely not because she's incompetent or stupid. Definitely not a failure, that one. However… Lorne usually knows what he's talking about so he nods and says, "I'll… consider it, sir."

Lorne opens his mouth to say something but suddenly his attention is diverted by the screen of his computer. He can't see what exactly is going on but from where he's sitting he can see messenger windows in several colors popping up in a frenzy, red being the first and foremost. For a very short moment, there's something like genuine panic and shock on Lorne's face but then he seems to have gotten back his usual grip on himself. He clears his throat and gets up. "If you'll excuse me, Captain… I need to take care of an urgent matter at the SGC."

Scrambling to his feet, he can't help asking, "Everything okay, sir?" because that look on Lorne's face looked like whatever happened was personal rather than a threat to the galaxy.

There's something like a pained look for a moment and then Lorne says in a kind of tight voice, "Don't worry, Captain. It's not an incident of Galactic importance."

Well, yes, he'd presumed that already. Incidents of Galactic importance usually don't manage to make Lorne's façade fall like that. However, he has a feeling that he probably shouldn't intrude so he simply nods and says, "Good to know, sir."

Striding towards the door, Lorne throws at him "Remember, you start with KP duty, Captain. Now," and then he's in the hallway, probably just seconds away from breaking out in a run and throws back over his shoulder, "The Marine Sergeant on duty has the details," before he does break into a run, after all.

For a moment, all he can do is stand there and stare at the rapidly vanishing figure of his boss. Then his last sentence registers and he realizes that his Sergeant is currently the Marine Sergeant on duty and that's all kinds of bad. Maybe… he'll delay go looking for him just long enough to pay Jenna another visit. He knows it's probably futile but he still has to try and prevent the news of his little outburst and the subsequent visit to Major Lorne's office from reaching Jenna. It definitely is worth a try, seeing as he'll be screwed if they do reach her after all.