A/N – Thanks to everyone who reviewed and alerted my story, it means a lot. To those who reviewed, I know I said I would get this chapter up on the weekend, but I got bored, and wrote instead of playing computer games. Anyway here's the first chapter of Homecoming.

Sometimes I have to wonder why I decided to join the Air Force. I love most parts of my job, but there are some things that just don't seem right. Like a superior officer having the power to tell you that if he had been ordered to attend a torture session then he was going to drag you along with him, just so that he doesn't suffer through it alone. So that's why I'm currently standing in a large function hall at the Pentagon, alongside Colonel Sheppard, wearing my blues, and being expected to play nice with the dignitaries. Out of all the different cultures that I have had to entertain, both here in the Milky Way and back home in Pegasus, the Tau'ri have to be the worst. At least on other planets, I'm generally allowed to have my P-90, 9 mil and C4 with me. I am much more comfortable when I've got those, as it means that my team and I have a chance to escape if anything goes wrong. Here, not so much. I'd actually have to stick around and explain my actions to a bunch of people who think they know more about my job than I do, and therefore think they are qualified to judge my every action.

"Lorne"

I lose my train of thought as Colonel Sheppard just hissed at me under his breath and nudged me in the ribs with his elbow.

"Sir?" I whisper back to him.

"The President is about to speak. Now pay attention."

The President speaks for about fifteen or so minutes, going on about the great achievements that some section of the military has made. He concludes his speech with, "Due to the classified nature of one of these projects I am not able to give great detail about some occurrences that a select few personnel from around the world have been involved in, however, I would still like to recognise the effort and dedication of two people. These two have taken it upon themselves, with the assistance of their teams, to ensure the security of our people. At times their dedication has almost caused them to pay the highest possible price, yet they continue to do their duty, often with a smile and a sly joke to increase morale on base. With this in mind I would like to ask Major General Jack O'Neill to step forward."

General O'Neill? The President must have been talking about two from the SGC, probably Colonels Carter and Mitchell, if anyone deserves recognition for what they've done for this planet it's those two.

I switch my attention from my thoughts to General O'Neill, as he starts to speak.

"When I first accepted the promotion to Brigadier General, one of my reasons was because I had been told I could do anything I wanted to, within reason. As such I promoted my former second in command to Lieutenant Colonel, a promotion she deserved. Those two that to president spoke of also deserve promotions, for many of the same reasons that the then Major Samantha Carter deserved hers. Now since we all know how much I love speeches, Colonel Sheppard, Major Lorne could you get up here before I make an idiot of myself."

My mind reeled. Sheppard's smirk told me he had known that this was going to happen, and that this had been the reason he had blackmailed me into coming tonight. Well, two can play at this game. I lifted my head, and marched over to the podium, Sheppard matching me stride for stride. I ran on automatic for most of the ceremony, repeating General O'Neill's words back to him. If I'd known about this, I would have invited my family to celebrate alongside me. It would have gone a long way to healing the rift that I caused when I walked out on my family the Christmas before I entered the Air Force Academy.

It isn't until I was supposed to receive my new insignia that I realise that this ceremony was going to be a little different to what I expected. A small child climbed the steps of the podium. Dressed in a dark turquoise dress, one that brings out the blue in her eyes was my little Abigail, and, from the way she has something clutched in her hand, I guessed that she was going to pin the insignia to my shoulders. I was right. Once she had walked over to us, Sheppard put his hand on my shoulder, and pushed me to my knees.

Abbi kept a straight face as she carefully pinned the new insignia to my shoulders, but her eyes were twinkling with laughter. She was finding the entire situation as funny as the Colonel was, and unlike him, I'm not able to get my revenge my making her do her own paperwork. Once she finished, she took a step back, looked me up and down, before stating, "You look funny like that Daddy. You look really small now."

I just smile at her, lost for words, and feeling slightly sick. I hadn't told anyone on Atlantis about Abbi, as I couldn't find the words to explain that I hadn't known I had a daughter until after I joined the expedition, until I went home for Christmas three years ago. There was no way now that I would be allowed to keep Abbi a secret any longer. Sheppard doesn't like secrets being kept from other team members; he says it weakens the team, as it shows that we don't trust each other entirely. The fact that I've not only kept this from my gate team but also the command team, of which he is a part of, is going to get me in so much shit once we get back to the city.

However, that is later, and now I am going to take my daughter, and mingle with those that make up the dull, dark sea of suits that currently occupy the floor space. After Sheppard dismisses me, of course. I turn my head, open my mouth to ask if I'm dismissed, but he cuts me off.

"Go and have fun Colonel, we'll talk about this later."

I pick Abbi up and walk down the stairs. Sheppard didn't look angry, more disappointed, and that is worse than if I knew I was in for a verbal lashing about trust and communication. He's disappointed that didn't tell him, at least, that I had a daughter. He's disappointed that in the four years I've been in Atlantis, I've never been able to trust anyone else completely. I don't know how I can convince him that it isn't his fault, he's definitely the most approachable commanding officer I've ever had, but that's the problem. He's my commanding officer. Most of the ones I've had in the past have just been waiting for you to make the smallest slip up, and you're gone, and don't let the door hit you on the way out.

A soft touch on my shoulder brings me back to the present. Laura Cadman. Resplendent as always in the Marines dress uniform. She holds out her arms, and Abbi twists from my grasp, and into Laura's arms. Laura looks at her with a soft smile on her face.

"What's your name?" she asks.

"Airman Abigail 'Terror' Grace Lorne," was my daughter's reply, "that's my rank, name, and call sign."

Laura laughed, "You're going to follow in your Dad's footsteps then, Terror?"

"Yup. I'm going to learn to fly the Falcon and the Hornet, and shoot down the bad guys with them."

That gets a grin from all the people around us. Abbi isn't done with her curve balls that evening though, and her next comment, and subsequent question come so far from left field that it started in the right field, travelled around the world a few times, before coming to light.

"You're very pretty," she said to Laura.

"Thank you, you don't look to bad yourself," was Laura's amused reply.

"Uncle James says that Daddy needs a pretty girl to marry him and keep him out of trouble. Would you be able to do that, and become my Mommy?"

I froze. I was vaguely aware of my elder sister, Erin, coming and taking Abbi from Laura, hugging and congratulating me, before instructing Abbi to do the same, but it was in the background. I hadn't even contemplated dating again, let alone getting married, since Abbi's mom left me ten and a half years ago. I broke out of my daze to find a very concern Laura looking at me, and Colonel Sheppard standing behind me with a hand on my shoulder, asking if I was ok. I nod, not yet trusting my voice, before making a tactical retreat for the nearest door outside.

Somehow I end up in a grassy area not far from the Pentagon. Sliding down to the ground, I take a few deep breaths, trying to get my sense of equilibrium back. A moment later Sheppard sits down beside me and Laura sits in front of me.

Laura puts a hand on my knee, "I know what kids are like Evan, and I know they often just say the first thing that occurs to them. I didn't take her seriously."

"I know," comes my soft reply, "but..."

I trail off and shrug, not knowing how to finish that sentence. I've never told anyone the truth about what happened between Meaghan Callaghan and me. It's too painful for me to even think about. The look on Laura's face also confused me. I could see sympathy, confusion, and something I didn't recognise, yet made me feel uncomfortable.

We sit there for another few minutes, before Colonel Sheppard broke the silence.

"You ready to head back to base Lorne?" he asked, as he stood up.

I nodded, and griped the hand he offered to me, which he used to pull me back to my feet. We walked back to the Pentagon, where a very worried General, and our transport home, was waiting.