"Secrets and Challenges"

Ch. 7

(Major Sheppard's Quarter's)

Major Sheppard ran a finger on a picture. The picture had included Stacey and John in the delivery room. Stacey was holding a baby girl, named Allison, in her arms. John began to feel his throat start to choke up and he couldn't swallow properly anymore. He snapped the Album shut and tossed it back on the bed.

There was a beep from his door.

"It's Elizabeth. Can I come in?" Weir's voice rang.

"Sure," he said.

The door slid open silently and then closed when Elizabeth entered.

"I hope that I'm not interrupting anything," she said.

"No, not really," John looked up at her.

Weir glanced at his bed and noticed the big, white book. She went over and picked it up. John didn't bother to stop her.

"I thought that your personal item was the football games," she said.

"It is," he said simply. "Go ahead and look through it."

She nodded as she began to turn the pages.

"I see why you like Ferris Wheels so much now," she commented lightly.

Weir turned the pages, only skimming through the pictures. She stopped when she saw the picture of Stacey, John and baby Allison in the delivery room.

"Who's this?" she asked, pointing to the baby girl.

"That's the best daughter in the world," he said proudly.

Elizabeth smiled and turned the page.

"How old is she now?" she asked, looking at Allison's latest birthday picture.

"Allie is 8 years old now, I think," John paused. "She's growing up too fast." He looked at the picture.

"You left a daughter behind?" she asked, closing the book softly and putting it down.

"Well, since we both are gone for most of the time anyway, we left Allison with Stacey's parents," he defended himself.

"That's what I'm curious about," she said. "How come you and Stacey didn't see each other until we arrived?"

"We didn't know that either one of us was leaving the galaxy," he said. "I was stationed in Antarctica, remember. We hardly every saw each other."

"What about Stacey?" Weir asked.

"She was always at the SGC, I guess," he shrugged. "Stacey called me a few hours after that drone attacked General O' Neill and me. She told me that she had to leave to a place far, far away." he paused and sighed. "I asked where. But, she told me it was classified."

"I read in her file that she's worked for the SGC for 5 years now. It must have been difficult for her to keep that big of a secret from you for that long," she said.

John nodded in agreement. There was an uncomfortable pause.

"So," John began slowly. "Why did you come here? Was there anything you needed?"

"Oh, yes! I got a little sidetracked. Today has been an off day for me," she said apologetically. "Stacey is out of consciousness. But, she's resting now. I thought that you'd want to know, so that you can be there when she wakes up."

"Yeah, most definitely," Major Sheppard quickly got up from the bed and put his shoes on.

He then ran to the Medical lab, leaving Dr. Weir behind.

To be continued . . .