11 Days Ago…

Atlantis Gate Room

Pegasus Galaxy

It had taken them almost forty-eight hours to make it back to Atlantis once the Daedalus' hyper-drive was back online. Knowing time was critical once they found out that the Apollo and Sun Tzu had failed to stop the Super-Hive, Sheppard knew that he was standing on their only chance to stop it—Atlantis. The city was a spaceship capable of hyper-drive, and with its formidable weapons chair, it was also deadly. However, they lacked the power needed to fly it to Earth.

Luckily, it just so happened that he knew just the Wraith to tell him where he could find enough ZPMs to power the city—Todd! He hated talking to the Wraith, especially this particular one. Yes, they had formed uneasy alliances in the past, but Todd always seemed to hold the upper hand, always holding that "one thing" that somehow managed to make the mission go sideways. As he had said to the Wraith before, dealing with him always made Sheppard feel like he was holding a live hand grenade in his pocket, never knowing when it would go off.

Walking into Todd's holding cell, Sheppard paused at the door and just took a moment to glare. He hated this—hated having to depend on a member of their worst enemy, the Wraith. After Todd had returned his life to him, following their mutual escape from the Genii prison and Kolya, Sheppard told him that next time they met "All bets were off." He meant it then, and he meant it now.

Some of the others in Atlantis believed erroneously that he had a soft spot for this particular Wraith. They couldn't be further from the truth. Sheppard respected him, but did not trust him. John was versed well-enough in subterfuge to know when someone was trying to play him. Well, he hoped that Todd realized the reverse was true, as well. Sheppard would continue to use him and ally with him until Todd's usefulness ran out. Then…he wouldn't hesitate to kill him.

Todd was more than aware of the truth in the matter. He probably realized that his life could now be counted in days, if not minutes, depending on Sheppard's mood…

"So…if I tell you where the Zero Point Modules are located—what? You'll let me live?"

"No…I'll probably kill you anyway," Sheppard responded without blinking. "But…remember—this Wraith betrayed you and got away with it. So…you should cooperate if for no other reason than out of pure spite."

Todd broke out in his amused—and creepy—laughter. Sheppard cringed slightly. And I thought an angry Wraith was scary, he thought.

"You know how to talk to me, Sheppard," Todd said, chuckling appreciatively. He held his feeding hand out. "Care to shake on it?"

The guards waiting on either side immediately raised their weapons and took two steps forward. Sheppard held his fist up, signaling his men to stand down. He knew this game.

Todd broke out in even in louder laughter and shook his head. "Sorry…a little bit of Wraith humor. I'm afraid it never gets old."

Sheppard glared at him. "Hysterical. So…gonna help or not? Should I kill you now or later?"

Luckily, Todd chose to die later, and to spite the Wraith who betrayed him…

oOo

10 Days Ago

Tactical Operations Center

The Pentagon

"The weapons chair has been moved to Area 51, and Doctor Lee assures me it will be fully operational by the end of the week." Carter was visiting the Pentagon TOC to coordinate the world-wide defense forces and to brief Homeland Security and the Joint Chiefs on SGC preparedness.

"By the end of the week?" General Landry repeated. "Isn't that cutting it a bit close, Colonel?"

Carter sighed. "I'm afraid that Dr. Lee and our other scientists ran into a bit of a snag…we don't have any ATA gene carriers—other than General O'Neill—who are strong enough to operate the weapons chair with any consistency."

"And what are we doing to rectify the problem, Colonel?" Landry asked, his quiet voice belying the tension in his shoulders. He leaned in on his elbows.

"General O'Neill has recalled Colonel Sheppard back to earth, sir. We're hoping that with Sheppard in the chair, reactivation will go faster."

Landry sat back slowly. Sheppard…Landry was never happy when Sheppard was anywhere near SGC. The man was an unknown quality—as likely to disobey a direct order and go his own way, as he was to come up with some outrageous plan with little or no chance of success but somehow managing to pull a save at the last minute.

He still felt heartburn every time he thought about Sheppard's unsanctioned and totally insane rescue mission to Pegasus to retake Atlantis from the Replicators—saving O'Neill and Woolsey in the process.

"Sheppard, huh?" He flashed a look at another Air Force general, a one-star named Ames, sitting in on the meeting.

In Afghanistan, Sheppard had flown special ops insertion and recovery missions, as well as combat search and rescue under then Colonel Ames. Landry happened to know that it was Ames's direct order that Sheppard had disobeyed when he went back to recover a downed crew, getting himself shot down in the process.

The total cost to the U.S. Government for that utter FUBAR? 1 six-man crew, 2 HH-60 Pave Hawks, and an additional SERE team needed to recover a wounded Major Sheppard and Captain Holland, the only survivor of the crash, from behind enemy lines. Captain Holland died later of the wounds he sustained.

Afterward, Ames personally saw to it that Sheppard never flew another combat mission in theater. The young upstart had too many commendations—and too many powerful men in Washington who owed his father political favors—to be completely drummed out of the service. Ames had to settle for assigning Sheppard to McMurdo where—Ames hoped—the hotshot pilot's career would die of attrition.

Apparently in the eleventh hour, Sheppard managed to pull the proverbial rabbit out of a hat by saving the life of General O'Neill; testing positive for the rare and in-demand ATA gene; and hitching a one-way ticket to another galaxy. Since then he had further distinguished himself through numerous acts of harebrained (at times suicidal) courage; miraculously earning himself a promotion; and winning the most coveted military command in USAF history—that of the lost city of Atlantis.

"The SGC—always with the best and brightest," Ames said ironically.

Carter scowled. "Yes, General…he is. I worked with Colonel Sheppard for a year, and I can honestly say—" But before she could finish, she was interrupted by a civilian in the back row—a civilian whom she instantly recognized: Director Nancy Stephens of the local Homeland Security office.

"John? John's coming home—?" Nancy asked. "I-I mean, he's returning to Earth? I don't understand. I thought he was needed on Atlantis."

"Remember during the DEFCON 2 briefing, we covered the genetic trait we call the ATA gene?" At Nancy's nod, Carter continued. "Well…Colonel Sheppard has the strongest ATA gene yet discovered. Therefore, General O'Neill wants him back here to operate the ancient weapons platform—our last, best hope at stopping the Super-Hive."

"Sheppard is our last, best hope?" Ames asked sardonically. "Then may God help us all!"

"Now what's that supposed to mean?" Nancy demanded, taking a good look at John's detractor. "Ohhhh…wait! I know who you are. I recognize the name. You were John's boss in Afghanistan, weren't you? You're the guy who tried to ruin his career by sending him to Antarctica!"

"I'm sorry…who are you again?"

Nancy introduced herself. "It's guys like you that make so many of the younger officers quit the military. You train them until it's ingrained in their heads never to leave a man behind, and then when they do exactly that, you try to court martial them for it."

"He disobeyed a direct order—!" Ames began.

"I know…a direct order telling him to leave his best friend behind—a friend whose wife was going to give birth in just three short months." And didn't that explain so much, she added privately.

"He cost us a multi-million dollar aircraft on a foolhardy whim! And Captain Holland died anyway. It was a lost cause from the get-go."

"What, you think that rescuing a man so he wouldn't die alone in the desert, or worse, in the hands of the enemy is a 'lost cause'? Captain Holland's family was able to bury him in Arlington National Cemetery…They don't think it was a lost cause, General. Just ask his widow and ninety-year-old father!" She glared at him.

"Look, Ms. Stephens, you obviously don't get the big picture. We're fighting a war with limited funds and materiel—" Ames looked at Landry. "You tell her!"

Landry put his hands up and shook his head. "Oh, no…you're not getting me involved in this!"

Nancy looked accusingly at Ames. "I guess that's the difference between you and John. He believes in 'lost causes' like duty and honor and standing up for what's right and giving it your best no matter what the personal cost. Soldiers follow John because they want to. Men like you, General, who only believe in the bottom line...? They follow you because they have to. Men who've served under John Sheppard will go to hell and back for him…because they know he'll move mountains for them."

The other high-ranking officers in the room shifted uncomfortably.

Carter stepped in. "I think that just about sums up the John Sheppard I had the privilege to work with for a year…General Ames, sir? In my personal opinion, if Colonel Sheppard is the earth's last, best hope, then I think our chances of survival are pretty damn good." She turned to Landry. "Sir…do you have any further questions?"

"No, Colonel…I think you've covered just about everything for now."

"Thank you, sir…in that case, I have another briefing at the White House in an hour—General O'Neill and POTUS."

Nancy stood back and watched the others file out of the conference room not really seeing them. She was thinking of John and that whole Afghanistan debacle. How could she have been so blind before? How could she not have seen it? Of course, John went back for Holland because he couldn't leave his best friend behind, but more importantly, because John knew that Amy Holland was six months pregnant with their first child.

After what happened to us, Nancy realized, John couldn't bear the thought of Holland's baby growing up without a father. John tried to do the right thing and look what it got him—disgraced at the time.

And what about us? He tried to do the right thing about us. He tried to tell me—in that inarticulate way he has whenever he "talks" about his feelings—that he loved me and didn't want to lose me.

And look what that got him—a wife who told him she hated him and never wanted to see him again, ever! And a father who disowned him for "abandoning" me so soon after the miscarriage—as if the divorce were John's fault.

Hearing Colonel Carter's quiet praise and respect for John, and remembering NID Agent Bates's comments, Nancy realized that John had finally arrived at a place where his personal values—his moral compass if you will—were shared by others. It seemed that John had finally found a home.

She didn't know how she felt about that.

oOo

8 Days Ago…

Atlantis

Pegasus Galaxy

The Stargate dialed, signaling an incoming wormhole.

"It's Major Lorne's IDC!" Chuck called.

"It's about time…they've been gone close to three days," Woolsey muttered. "Let them through."

Major Lorne's team trudged through the gate, looking somewhat worse for wear. Ice planets had that effect on you, Lorne thought sardonically. Lt. Rivers had a supporting arm around Dr. Lindsey, who was obviously limping.

"Major, tell me you have good news for us," Sheppard said by way of greeting.

"You have good news for us," Lorne deadpanned, and then broke into a wide grin. "Two ZPMs—exactly where Todd said they were."

"Did you have any problems?" Sheppard asked, nodding toward Lindsey's retreating back.

"Just the usual, sir. You know…sub-zero temperatures, sudden blizzard conditions, zero-visibility…oh, and a Yeti-like creature that tried to eat Dr. Lindsey."

Sheppard grimaced. "She okay?"

"Yeah…but the Yeti will be roaring in the soprano range for some time to come."

Sheppard's eyebrows went up at Lorne's words.

"Lindsey kicked him—and it was apparently a 'him' if you get my drift—in the nuts." The twinkle in Lorne's eyes belied his usual dry delivery, earning him an amused smirk from his CO.

Woolsey cleared his throat. The two senior officers turned to him expectantly, their amusement just barely contained under carefully neutral expressions.

"That's excellent work, Major," Woolsey congratulated him. "Dr. Zelenka is waiting in the ZPM chamber for you." Lorne nodded, turning to head in that direction.

"Uh—" Sheppard interrupted. "Not so fast, Major…Why don't you have McKay check them first—for possible booby-traps."

Woolsey and Lorne both froze in place. Lorne nodded again, and once more turned to go, but this time headed in the opposite direction—toward McKay's lab.

"Colonel, Todd came through for us…You don't think—" Woolsey began.

Sheppard shrugged. "Better not take any chances." At Woolsey's look of doubt, he added, "He's a Wraith, Mr. Woolsey…there's only so much faith you can put in his actions." Besides, he knows I'm gonna kill him sooner rather than later. Of course, Sheppard didn't say this aloud. "Look…I'm heading to the chair room—"

"I…I'm afraid not, Colonel. In fact, you won't be going with us."

It was Sheppard's turn to express his doubt. "What?"

"In about an hour, you're going to dial out to Earth. General O'Neill's orders…he wants you manning the Ancient weapons platform on Earth. Even with the ZPMs, we may not make it home on time…so, you're gating back to Earth…just in case."

Sheppard stood momentarily stunned. Someone else was going to fly his city? He was going into battle without his team beside him, guarding his six? And what of Atlantis? She would be flying into danger without him in the chair to help defend her. There was no one more qualified than he to protect her.

He wanted to protest, but knew that in all honesty, Woolsey was right. Earth had to be defended at all costs. Everyone he knew and loved was on Earth—Dave and Paul, Rosemary…Nancy. If they lost Earth, they lost everything of value.

Straightening his shoulders, Sheppard let his natural military professionalism take over. Nodding briskly, he shook Woolsey's hand.

"Good luck, Colonel," Woolsey said.

"Thank you, sir…good luck to you, too."

oOo