Homecoming Heroes by catescorner
Welcome to today's instalment. You can imagine the fun I had, writing that last chapter. I had a few chuckles writing this one as well. I hope you do too!
Homecoming Heroes
Chapter Three - Family Ties
Five minutes into their first meeting, and it was going just as enjoyably as Evan Lorne had hoped. Nicely profitably too, giving him enough blackmail credit to keep his CO in line for months to come.
Whether he'd wanted to be or not, John Sheppard had been adopted, and found a new mom –
"Don't you military boys eat, Colonel? I've seen more meat on a bone!"
– his reaction so priceless that Evan still couldn't look at him without dissolving into laughter.
She'd taken quite a shine to Carson, too. Melted, no doubt, by those dimples, and that killer accent. And with Torren lapping up all the attention, Tanni had connected, just as instinctively, with Teyla. Two kindred spirits together, Evan thought through a proudly approving smile.
Spared the joys of 'momness' and baby talk, Rodney and Jennifer had stayed in the background, enjoying the various exchanges around them, and enjoying each other's company even more.
Genuinely happy, for these friends who'd found love in the most crazy of places, Evan's smile widened. Yeah, he'd definitely be keeping an eye on these two, and from one unlikely alliance to another –
"…whoa, those tattoos are so cool!"
– oh, crap.
"…could I get one like that?"
– double crap.
To the amusement of everyone else around him, Evan's smile froze, turning into a mortified cringe, as the amusement on Tanni's face predictably disappeared. Oh, he knew that look! It spelled trouble, in all the world's languages.
Of all the questions that Kevin could have asked, in front of his mother, it just had to be that. Still, at least he hadn't called six foot six inches of rough, tough Satedan a big, real teddy bear.
Dropping onto his heels, to less intimidating height, Ronon grinned back at him, and nodded – not surprised, or offended, just gently amused by his first sight of 'Uncle Evan' in action. He was as proud of his family, as much of a role model, as the Satedan had expected him to be, the 'aw, hell…' wince of moments ago changing to a more familiar, but still suitably softened glare.
"Don't even think about it," he warned, leaving it to his sister to gently, but firmly, finish it off.
"…for at least the next twenty years."
"Yeah, you need to grow up first, get as big as me, before you get any kind of tattoo," Ronon agreed, standing again, to his full height, and trading a quick grin with Evan, as Kevin followed him up, his eyes as wide as saucers.
If he started growing now… yeah, he'd need every one of those twenty years to grow as big as that.
After a shaky start, Tanni found it easy to share the joke too, and even easier to smile back at him – as grateful as she was impressed that someone so big, and intimidating, could also be so insightful. He'd backed her up, steering Kevin away from the thrall of those tattoos, with surprising gentleness.
He towered over Evan, too, and she'd already guessed that he preferred actions over words. But the few words that he did say spoke volumes for the depth of trust, and respect, between them.
"And you should listen to your uncle. He's a great guy."
"Yeah, he's the coolest!" Kevin enthused, beaming up at Evan again, all sulkiness forgotten, earning a proud grin, and the kind of ruffling-hair approval that every eight year old boy just loved to get.
"Good save, Buckwheat."
Among the laughter around him, though, Kevin still had more obvious, and serious, concerns – a plaintive question reminding all of them that growing up in a military family could be painfully hard.
"And you're staying for longer this time, Uncle Evan? You don't have to go back?"
Feeling that all too familiar wrench through his heart, Evan hid its pain behind his trademark smile – trading glances with John, and the rest of his team, before he gently voiced all of their hopes.
"Yeah, I'll be home for a while, buddy. We'll only be called back if something bad happens."
That threat had thankfully passed now, and even if he'd never know his uncle's role within it, Kevin had still sensed that his world had become just a little bit safer. That alone made his face light up as he, and Andy, set off a crossfire of excited demands.
"So you can come to my ballgame this weekend?"
"…and take us to the zoo?"
"…yeah, and the Aquarium… they've got sharks!"
"…when mommy took us last time, Uncle Evan, we saw dolphins!"
"…grandma's given us our own paintsets!"
"…and when we go riding, we have our own ponies!"
Watching his friend try, through helpless laughter, to get a word in edgeways, John Sheppard grinned, sharing the same thought that occurred, wonderfully simultaneously, through five separate minds. If he'd ever wondered what Evan Lorne had been like, at this most exciting time in a little boy's life – yeah, in these bright blue eyes, and beaming grins that looked so familiar, he had his answer.