A/N: First let me thank dwparsnip for his invaluable assistance with this chapter. His insight into the culture of the area helped to make this a fun segment to write, especially the Screeching In.
And as always, thanks go out to ladygris for her wonderful Beta services. Her comments sometimes spark ideas that change the course of events, and that's usually a good thing.
FYI - One more chapter to go plus an epilogue and this story is complete. If you want an OC or canon character to make an appearance, get your bid in soon.
Merci and Gracias,
~Sandy
Not a Hero
Chapter 35
A Daring Adventure
A nondescript sedan pulled up in front of the hardware store and a tall man got out. Like most of the residents of Newfoundland his face carried a pleasant expression and one could tell by the gentle lines on his face that he seldom frowned or glared. He walked with a lively, self-confident step. Pocketing his keys, he rounded the back of his car, whistling as he headed for the front door.
He stopped, noticing two men standing beside their car, one pacing as he used his cell phone to make a call. The man was speaking in angry tones, glaring at the person on the other end of the phone. He didn't mean to eavesdrop but couldn't help it. American. Both of them.
"No. I told you, we're in Taint. How do we get to Kizzmareas?"
The man listening couldn't help laughing at the American's pronunciation of the town he was looking for. He walked up to the strangers and waited to be noticed. The taller man excused himself to the other person and looked at him. "Yeah?"
"I'm sorry to intrude, but are you looking for Aileen's Dis'll DoYa Inn?"
He exchanged a look with the shorter man. "Yeah. How did you…"
"It's the only place to stay in Kiss-Me-Arse." He gestured and the phone was handed to him. "Aileen? Darnell. I'll help them on their way. Just make sure their rooms and dinner are ready. They look more than a bit knackered. Oh, and gather the gang for a double Screech In. Bye." He handed the phone back to the owner. "Aileen'll take good care of you. And I should introduce myself. Darnell Shipton."
~~O~~
John looked over their benefactor as they shook hands. He was bald as an egg, a little on the chubby side though not too much, and slightly taller than John. "John Sheppard." He pointed at his partner. "Evan Lorne. Thanks for your help. We've been lost on this rock all day."
"That happens a lot with tourists." Darnell didn't seem to take offense at the derisive tone and slur on his homeland. "Mind if I ask what brings the two of you to our little island?"
"Fishing." It was the first thing John thought of and it made Darnell laugh.
"Aileen's place is a little far from the coast for fishing." His eyes danced with amusement. "To get where you're going, take the Trans-Canada Highway to 405. That's about an hour past, and no, I'm not joking, Sheppardville. You'll be turning right. A short drive down is Kiss-Me-Arse. Aileen's will be on the left just inside the limits. Oh, and watch out for moose. There'll be signs, but even if you don't see signs, watch out for moose." Darnell nodded and turned away.
"Darnell, wait." Remembering what he'd heard and read about Canadians, McKay notwithstanding, John changed his approach to the islander. "Uh, please wait. What was that you said before, Screeching In?"
"It's a tradition for first-time visitors to the island. Before you bed down for the night, go to the bar. The locals will be happy to explain it to you." He nodded a good-bye and continued on his errand.
"Moose?" Evan and John said at the same time watching Darnell enter the hardware store.
~~O~~
Evan sat forward in his seat as much as the seatbelt would allow scanning the road in front of the car as John drove along at 10 kilometers under the posted speed limit which was about 30 kph slower than his partner usually drove. Darnell had advised them to look out for moose and afterward they'd argued over who would drive. Following a quick round of rock-paper-scissors, it had been decided that John would continue as the driver with Evan as a lookout.
"So how'd it go with Teyla?"
"What?"
John snorted. "You did talk to her while you were in Atlantis, right?"
"Yes, we talked." Evan didn't want to discuss this subject and not just because he didn't want to share his feelings with John. He needed to concentrate on the road ahead because four eyes were better than two. "Talked to her ex, too." He shot a quick look to the left when John made a sound of skepticism. "Okay so we didn't exactly talk."
"What did you do?"
"Uh…got into a fight." A pause, then, "He started it."
"Really?" Again the disbelief. "So you and he fought over a woman who'd already chosen you over him?"
"Look, Sheppard, this isn't a subject I want to knock around with you or anyone else."
"Fine." Evan could feel the shrug. "What should we talk about?"
Turnabout is fair play. "You and Jennifer."
John cleared his throat. "Maybe we should just watch the road."
"Thought you'd say…oh crap!" Evan braced himself on the dashboard when John slammed on the brakes just as a moose strolled onto the roadway and stopped. It stood there looking around as if it were lost, the horns identifying it as a male.
~~O~~
"Darnell wasn't kidding." Quiet descended until John became impatient to be on his way. "Should I honk the horn?" Without waiting for an answer, he tooted at the enormous creature, but it didn't even flinch. "Now what?"
"I have no idea." Evan huffed. "Moose were pretty scarce in San Francisco while I was growing up. A guy named Moose was in my high school graduating class, but that was it."
"Didn't see any in Huntington Beach either."
What neither of them noticed right away was that the moose had gotten bored with the game and had left for greener pastures. When someone drove around them, they shared a sheepish look, John put the car in gear and they were off again. Luckily they were closer to their destination than they thought and within just a few minutes they were climbing the steps to the front entrance of Aileen's Dis'll DoYa Inn. It was adjoined by a pub, the entrance facing away from them. That was obviously where the Screeching, whatever it was, would be done.
~~O~~
Aileen was a smiling sweet-faced woman in her forties with white blonde hair and green eyes. She checked them in then showed them to their rooms.
"If you need anything, day or night, just dial 199." As she talked she opened first one door then another. "Now you boys put your things away, freshen up, take a nap if you need to. When you feel up to it, come down to the pub. We'll get you fed before the Screech In gets going." She handed them each what looked like the card police carried around with the Miranda warning written on it, but the words didn't make any sense to either agent.
"Ma'am, what's this about?" Evan asked from the doorway of his room across from John's.
"It's a longtime custom here in Newfoundland." She never stopped smiling. "First time visitors to the island go into a bar, drink a shot of Screech Rum, kiss a codfish on the mouth, and answer the question 'Is ye an honorary Newfoundlander?' with the phrase 'Indeed I is me ol' cock, and long may your big jib draw.' Once you've done that, you'll receive an official 'Screecher' certificate. Screeching In isn't not required, but if you decide against it, there'll be a lot of disappointed people in the pub tonight." With a smile and a nod, she left the two men standing there watching her walk to the end of the hall and descend the stairs thinking that hunting Replicators seemed normal in comparison.
The Next Morning
John stood in the bathroom brushing his teeth for the fourth time since the previous night. He still tasted the codfish but wasn't certain if it was his imagination or not. Swishing mouthwash, he spit it out, rinsed out the sink and stepped into the hall.
Despite the after effects, he'd had a good time at the ceremony, though being the center of attention didn't help their investigation in the way keeping a low profile would. Darnell and Aileen, whom they discovered were husband and wife, were friendly, charismatic and very entertaining hosts. They lead sing-alongs, as well as providing champagne to celebrate the engagement of a young couple who'd both grown up in the area. They'd even initiated a drinking game that both men had declined to be involved in and, for the evening at least, didn't worry about doing their jobs.
Downstairs, Evan already had a cup of coffee in front of him and was talking with Darnell. John joined his partner, they ate breakfast then set about methodically questioning the locals in order to locate the Replicators hiding in the area.
They did not have a lot of success. Not that people weren't helpful. It's just that they didn't seem to know anything or weren't willing to tell tales about their neighbors. Living in America definitely had its advantages.
~~O~~
*The Americans have been asking questions.*
**About the others?**
*Yes.*
**We need not concern ourselves. They will leave once they do not find what they're looking for.**
*What if they discover that we have formed a collective of our own that is…off the radar of Stargate Command?*
**Humans have a saying. We will cross that bridge when we come to it.**
*Of course. Be safe.*
**And you.**
Early Evening
Darnell's Dive
As far as John could tell there were no strangers in the bar, just the locals. Everyone seemed to know everyone else, though he wasn't completely convinced.
They had finally located the Replicator and chased it, losing him for a while on a small back road. Eventually they'd found the vehicle abandoned where it had skidded into a ditch and had followed his footprints to the pub. Either they were hiding him or he'd shape-changed into another form. No matter which it was, they had to catch him before he got away and brought more of his kind to the island and to Earth. They knew he was the leader of the group hiding in the area, but didn't have descriptions of the others. Wouldn't have helped anyway for things that could change shape.
Pretending to take a sip of beer, he whispered to Evan, "How the hell are we supposed to know which are the humans and which are the Replicators? We can't just walk up and say, 'mind letting me cut you with this knife to see if you bleed?'"
Evan turned his head to the side, his hand coming up to scratch his nose. "ARG. Anti-Replicator Gun."
"At the SGC." John looked inward remembering and letting his mind work on a solution at the same time. "We're not sure how many of them there are, right?"
"Right." Evan saw the light in John's eyes and refused to let a grin take over. "You have an idea."
"Yeah." He finished off his beer with a grimace and grabbed the last crab cake from the basket. "Meet me outside in thirty minutes."
"But…"
John didn't hear the rest. He finished off the crab cake as he stepped outside and activated his GDO. Seconds later, he was onboard the Daedalus, but only for a moment. He made a quick request and was immediately transported to the SGC where he found Rodney in his lab. He laid out his plan and apparently it was intriguing enough that it got the physicist's attention.
However, one element had Rodney concerned. Well, more than one. "As much as I'd like to help you, Sam's at Woolsey's wedding and I'm on baby duty." The double stroller sat in the corner, the babies asleep.
"But you can do it, right?" John hadn't felt this excited about something in a long time. "Or was all that bragging just blowing smoke out your…"
"Yes, of course I can do it. Getting the ARG's will be easy. But we can't just waltz into Area 52 and take what we need." He watched John's face and knew he was considering it. "Can we?"
All John did was grin, one eyebrow raised, and Rodney was hooked. He handed John the equipment he would need and carefully rolled the stroller down the hall to the elevator. They got out on the Operations level and went straight to the private elevator at the back of the Gate Room. Walter was, of course, on duty, Siler working in the back room.
"Walter, Sly, I need the two of you to watch the kids."
"But, Dr. McKay…"
"You're the Godfathers. Get used to it." He grabbed one of the computers from John and sent Walter a list of instructions including his final destination and possible course of action upon arrival. "If I'm not back in three hours, not a minute more, contact General Carter. Tell her where I've gone and why."
Before either man could respond, Rodney had activated his own GDO and moments later both men were in the lobby of Area 52, John leading the way toward a specific hangar.
~~O~~
Nursing his beer and watching the clock, Evan gave the appearance of being relaxed and comfortable in his chair, ready to stay in that spot until closing time. Then at exactly thirty minutes, he went to the bar to pay the tab, thanking Darnell and Aileen before leaving by the front door.
Outside, the rental car was still in the same place they'd parked it when they returned from the chase and John was nowhere to be found. Turning in a circle, he scanned the area. Still no John. Then a low humming that barely registered on his hearing started almost as if he were imagining it, getting louder until there was no doubt that it was coming from above him.
Scanning the sky, the air rippled and hovering against the darkening sky appeared one of the small cylindrical shuttles he'd heard about on Atlantis and had seen in the videos, a Jumper. His eyes went wide as it banked around and landed in a small clearing between the trees. The back hatch opened and he cautiously entered. "Sheppard? Where the hell did you learn to fly one of these?" Evan nodded to Rodney but didn't speak as he was working on a series of ARG's linked together, fiber optic cables trailing up into a dropped down maintenance hatch in the ceiling, tools and equipment strewn around him.
John shrugged casually. "Had a few lessons on Atlantis though it just seems to come naturally. But that's beside the point. The point is McKay is working on a way to have the ARG's work with the Jumper's scanning capabilities. If this works…"
"If?" The interjection and a snort of irritation came from Rodney. "Don't you mean when?"
He was ignored by John. "When this works, we'll be able to take out all the Replicators at once, even the ones we couldn't identify. One blast and our job is done. We get to take a few days of well-earned downtime in warmer weather with the companions of our choice and all's right with the universe. Or at least our little corner of it."
"Sounds like a plan. When do we go live?"
"Now." Rodney got to his feet, a computer tablet cradled in his left arm as the right continued to tap at the keys. "By using two ARG's in tandem, we'll have a radius of about twenty kilometers."
Evan squinted at the physicist. "So what's that in miles?"
"That would be 12.42742. Approximately the size of this quaint little hamlet." Rodney came forward, glaring at Evan who'd taken the shotgun seat, and dropped into the one behind John.
"Time to see it in action. How curious are Canadians? What can we do to get them all outside?" John meant it as a mild insult and Rodney took it as such.
"Just because we're not as ill-mannered as Americans doesn't mean…never mind." The last was said when he realized that the other two were giving him "oh really" stares. "Cloak the ship, call the bar, and ask them to step outside."
It seemed almost too simple, but John did as Rodney suggested while Evan made the call. And sure enough, all of the occupants of the bar streamed out the front door, Darnell and Aileen at the forefront. They stood around waiting for whatever it was that Evan wanted to show them.
The two agents exchanged a look that said they didn't want to do this but didn't have a choice. With an edge to his voice, John told Rodney, "Do it!"
Without acknowledging John's order, Rodney tapped the keypad in a specific sequence, the ARG's began to glow and hum. A ripple passed through the air radiating out from the Jumper in all directions.
~~O~~
Evan watched the crowd as several of the gathered literally fell apart, turning into small piles of inert metal. He was so mesmerized that he turned sharply when John slapped him on the arm and pointed, his own face taking on a similar expression of shock and dismay when Aileen and Darnell, holding hands, also dissolved, the link between their nanites completely disrupted. Those around them expressed their own shock at having people they'd known for years suddenly shown not to be who they thought they were.
"Oh, crap! What did we just do?" Evan whispered stunned to find out that the couple they'd befriended were human form Replicators.
With the same sense of shock, Rodney explained. "There's a faction of Replicators that came to our attention very recently. They are to the Replicators as the Tok'ra are to the Goa'uld, holding differing philosophies and values regarding humans. There's a collective living in a small town outside of Alamogordo, New Mexico where its easy to keep an eye on them. Apparently there are, or were, more living on Earth than we'd originally estimated."
"And we just killed the good Replicators along with the bad ones. Son of a bitch!" This was the first time John had ever used that particular curse though his companions felt he was justified. "So how do we explain it to Darnell's and Aileen's friends?"
Rodney didn't have an answer for him.
Area 52
Employee Overnight Area
Room 2B
A Few Days Later
John sat at his desk staring into space. He still felt bad about the death of Darnell and Aileen though he hadn't known them that long. They'd been kind and caring…people. Even now, knowing what they really were, he felt sorrow for their loss, unable to think of them as Replicators.
The village had held a memorial service for the couple who'd been great friends to the small community for the last ten years. He and Evan had attended, expressed their sympathy, but not their guilt. They muttered platitudes, shook hands, hugged a few, and returned to Area 52 to write up their reports.
What John was doing now was trying to compose a very overdue email. Powering up his laptop, he accessed the base's email client. Wanting Angel to know that what he had to say was of great importance to both of them, he chose to use a more formal mode of address than was his habit with her and sent it before he could rethink his decision.
Atlantis
Sitting heavily in the chair behind her desk, Jennifer took just a few moments to rest her eyes, elbows on the desk, face in her hands.
Her time of indulgence over with, she reached for her workstation stopping just short of activating it. On her desk was a fruit cup, spoon and a bottle of water, still cold. A note in Carson's nearly illegible handwriting ordered her to eat, drink, shower and sleep. With a smile of thanks to her mentor and friend, she peeled the top off the treat and scooped a spoonful into her mouth. As she chewed she hit the power button on her workstation. While it came up, she finished off her snack and drank most of the water.
The first thing she saw was the flashing icon telling her she had unread emails. On average, more than a hundred a day. With a sigh of resignation, she opened the application then clicked on the priority tab to sort them from highest to lowest. Many of them were labeled super high priority when they were actually low priority, and most of those came from Rodney. With another click she reversed the order. Fourth from the top was one that stood out from the rest.
To: kellerje SGC-Atlantis (dot) gov
From: sheppardjt SGC-GGHMRF (dot) gov
Jennifer,
We have to talk. Please come see me at your earliest convenience.
Yours,
John
She opened it and scanned the contents, her eyes widening in shock. He'd only sent her a few emails in the time they'd known each other, all addressed to "Angel" and signed simply "John." But not this one. That he'd used her given name told her more than the contents ever could. And then there was the closing. "Yours." What did he mean by that? Was he trying to tell her something without saying it?
Quickly logging off, she hunted down Amanda, gave her a few terse instructions then ran to her room to shower and pack. Within thirty minutes, most of that time trying to convince Caldwell to let her go, she was standing in front of the Stargate while Chuck dialed Earth. As soon as the whoosh settled, she stepped into the wormhole and was whisked back to the planet of her birth.
Startling Walter with her abrupt orders for transport, she disappeared from the SGC and moments later knocked on John's door.
Area 52
Employee Overnight Quarters
Room 2B
Checking the time, John estimated that it had been about six hours since he'd sent the email to Angel, guessing that she should be reading it at this very moment. Sparky jumped into his lap and onto the desk waiting patiently for him to perform his duties. With an impatient sigh, he obediently rubbed her ears then ran his hand repeatedly down her back making it arch.
A knock on the door startled them both and when John opened it, there stood the woman he'd been waiting all his life for. Without so much as a hello, he pulled her inside, swept her into his arms and just held her. After a second, her hands tightened around his shoulders, her face pressed against his neck.
A plaintive meow finally parted them, John drawing Angel over to the desk. "She doesn't like being ignored."
"No woman does," she said with a grin.
Scooping the cat into his arms, he introduced the two women in his life. "Sparky, this is Angel. Angel, Sparky." They seemed to like each other. At least Sparky didn't hiss or growl.
"So, John, you wanted to talk?"
"Yes. Please, sit down." John took the desk chair while Angel perched on the side of the bed. She crossed her ankles and gripped the edges. Still holding the cat, scratching her neck to make her purr, he kept his eyes on hers. "I have a lot to tell you. If you have questions along the way, just ask. I'll make it as short and succinct at possible."
"Okay."
"Afghanistan. I'd been there about six months when I met Field Medic Caitlin O'Connor…"
~~O~~
Jennifer sat on the side of John's bed listening as he told her about his relationship with Caitlin, the chopper crash, Hartley's betrayal, the trial, how his life changed from that one incident then changed again when he got involved in the investigation of the Wraith, the night they chased Magee, the car accident that caused him to have a flashback to the crash, meeting Molly at the dam, and the regret over his and Evan's part in the "deaths" of Darnell and Aileen.
He got up to pace, holding Sparky and rubbing her neck as if that action calmed him somehow.
Next he spoke about his family circumstances. How he'd grown up in the lap of luxury and because of one incident, of which he was ultimately cleared, he'd been disowned by his father. A few stray tears escaped and she swiped them away impatiently, her heart swelling with happiness that he'd finally contacted his brother and they'd made plans to get together.
"…and I'll be heading out to California as soon as we're done here."
Standing, she went to him, stopping just inches away, close enough to hear Sparky purr and close enough to feel the warmth from his body. She gave the cat a few firm strokes then eased her from his arms and set her on the floor. With a twitch of her tail, Sparky jumped up on the desk and went into the window. "You're not leaving just yet."
"Why?"
She put her hands on his arms just above the elbows, sliding them up over his firm biceps to his shoulders, stopping when she reached his neck. Her palms cupped his cheeks, her thumbs brushing lightly over the skin along the edges of his mouth. Leaning in, she kissed him, her lips rubbing over his as his hands came to rest on her waist to bring her up against him. Easing back, she let him see the depth of her feelings. "Because I'm going to make certain you greet your brother with a big smile on your face."
"I, uh, hadn't actually planned on leaving until tomorrow." He said it with his characteristic crooked smirk.
Taking his hands in hers, Jennifer tugged him toward the bed. When her legs touched the side of the mattress, she began pulling his shirt from his pants.
~~O~~
John stilled Angel's movements by taking her hands in his. "Angel…Jennifer. Are you absolutely certain you want to do this? I don't want either of us to have regrets."
Her smile was bright and filled with delight. "John, the one thing I am sure of is that this is the right thing to do and the right time to do it."
He smiled then. A spontaneous and heartfelt expression of delight. Releasing her hands and again bringing her against his chest, he leaned down to capture her lips just before he tumbled them onto the bed. His last coherent thought was that spending this special time with someone you cared deeply for, that was the most daring adventure of all.
~~O~~
Once her charge and his mate went to sleep, Sparky came out of the window, jumped to the floor and sauntered over to the bed winding her way around the scattered pieces of fake fur they wore for protection. She leapt up onto the corner and walked up to where the one called Angel was on her side with him behind her, an arm across her stomach.
Sniffing the air, she realized that his scent was different now. When she'd first found him he'd smelled troubled, the reason she'd been drawn to him. Now he smelled happy and content. Nosing her way under his hand, Sparky lay against Angel's stomach and went to sleep.
TBC
A/N: For more information on Screeching In, Google it.