Miss Winchester

by MillieMaeB

The scientist sighed quietly. "I have another sister, her name is Olivia" He told the table before raising his gaze to them. "My Mom uh, met someone after her and Dad separated. The man was a widow, had two boys already" When a young woman is found alone and catatonic in a cemetry in Kansas by an idling Chevy Impala Dr McKay returns to Earth, just when the Ori decide to invade.

2. Chapter 2

Seven days later, MX5-920.

"Well this sucks"

Colonel Mitchell, who was beginning to regret his decision to get some time away from the city, snorted beside him, Ronan the other side growling quietly. They were on their knees along with Teyla, McKay, Vala and Teal'c, their captors scattered around them, guns pointed at their heads.

"You will be silent, your people are coming, pray that they have brought what we requested"

"Yeah, like that's gonna happen. Ow!" Colonel Sheppard blinked back stars from the blow to the back of the head.

"Idiot" Muttered the man beside him.

"Bite me"

"Silence!"

"Does he remind you of Landry?"

Mitchell snorted again.

A gun pushed against the back of his head. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Silence"

The pressure on the back of his head disappeared and he occupied himself with the fact he was probably getting too old to be kneeling for this long, and if they did survive his joints were certainly gonna be making their displeasure known. He looked up as someone stepped into the clearing and tried to keep his face blank, resisting the urge to gape at the familiar figure.

"Ah here you are" General O'Neill grinned. "You know if you're gonna hold people for ransom you should make your directions a little clearer. Could have been late, which would have sucked arse"

Mitchell made a little coughing noise.

"You have the technology we require?"

"Well, actually..no"

"Your people will die!"

"No messing about huh? Like that in a soldier, straight to the point" He turned as a young woman hurried into the clearing. "Ah Miss Dixon try to keep up"

"Bite me"

He smirked. "Now, what was the reason we weren't bowing to these people's demands?"

Miss Dixon pulled a notepad out of her pocket and flipped through it. John wondered if he was still passed out on his cell floor and this was all just a very surreal dream.

She studied her notes. "Um, because we don't negotiate with crazy arse space pirates with a fucking God complex, and quite frankly I'm not in the mood for this shit. How about we just save our people and shoot the sons of bitches"

"Excellent dictation Miss Dixon"

"Thank you Jack"

Sheppard could feel the confusion of their captors slowly evaporate into rage, you could only throw people with a long-standing obsession off for so long. He tensed.

"I really wouldn't recommend it gentlemen" O'Neill rocked back on his heels and pulled a cigar out of his jacket pocket.

"Oh God" Mitchell shifted beside him.

"You demanded cloaking tech but didn't think that maybe we would just use it against you" He sighed and started patting down his pants. "Hate it when they're stupid too"

Miss Dixon grinned at him. "So you said Jack"

John gave his own grin as three Jumpers shimmered into sight surrounding the crazy arse space pirates, several people stood on their roof's, guns pointing at their captors. The leader took in his situation and hesitated.

"They're all excellent marksmen, you wouldn't even have time to piss your pants" O'Neill finally located his lighter. "Ah hah! So I suggest you drop your weapons, surrender or something"

The seconds ticked by, a safety clicked off, the sound echoing around the clearing.

"Try to be patient Winchester, just because you haven't got to shoot anything for three weeks"

A couple of people up on the jumpers huffed a laugh. Finally the men on the ground dropped their guns and kicked them towards the surrounding trees.

"Ah good man, not so stupid huh?" O'Neill gave another manic grin. "You can get up people"

Wincing slightly John raised himself to his feet, turned around and punched the guy who had pushed a gun into his head, knocking him out. O'Neill snorted. "You're welcome Sheppard"

"It's good to see you Sir" John grinned at him.

"Don't call me Sir"

The woman beside him shook her head. "He really doesn't like it, or saluting"

"He doesn't?" Mitchell stepped up next to him.

"No, there is usually some yelling"

"Yes thank you Miss Dixon. Round up the weapons will you?"

"Always get the shit jobs" She headed off to the edge of the clearing muttering to herself.

A few people jumped off the ships as they landed, leaving some behind to cover their now very confused and pissed ex-guards.

"I can't believe the first thing I have to do when I get back is come save your sorry arse Colonel! I should be in my…holy shit, what are you doing?!"

"Its called a hug Rodney"

"Let me go! Whats happened to you?"

"We thought…" John let go of his friend.

Rodney rolled his eyes. "Yes well, thank you, I think" He cleared his throat. "Please can you go back to being all manly and stoic now?"

He snorted. "Sure McKay"

"Well isn't this heart warming and all that" Colonel Mitchell smirked at them.

Rodney rolled his eyes and then smirked back. "I bet you that you're gonna be hugging another man in ten seconds"

"Please, I don't think so"

"Cameron?"

John watched his friend whirl round and grinned, it wasn't often you saw Mitchell speechless.

"Tom?!"

"Missed me big brother?"

"Holy fucking shit!"

"Excuse me?" He turned to see a pretty blonde standing with her arms folded across her chest. "If no one's making out and I'm not getting to shoot anything can we leave? Rodney promised me pudding"

---

"I can't believe Sheppard hugged me! And then Ronan too! What the hell has been happening out here?"

Olivia grinned at him from the couch in his lab, Maddie curled next to her fast asleep despite the surrounding chaos, a blanket that Olivia had managed to grab from her newly assigned quarters thrown over them both. The military higher-ups were having a debrief, and then there'd be another one after that for the sciences, it was times like these she was glad she was a civilian. Jack had looked really pissed, and bored. So she'd bundled up her niece and gone in search of her half-brother while Dean and Sam were exploring, which generally meant they were hunting down some tail. "They missed you Rodney. And they thought you were dead"

"Yeah, well. It was weird"

"They're hot"

"And together" He raised a brow. "Not that you heard that from me"

"Oh, ok" She smiled. "Did you ever…" Olivia waggled her brows at him.

He pulled a face. "No. And they're very picky. Women only, and the Colonel's paranoid, even I'm not supposed to know"

"Oh"

"Is it worth me saying don't even think about it?"

"As I explained to Dean only the other day I am not stupid Rodney, and that does not sound free and easy which is how I like my sex"

"Whore"

"Prude" Olivia grinned. She knew for a fact just who her brother was involved with, she'd only had to take a look at their faces when they'd beamed down from the Daedalus the first time. She approved, hot and completely besotted by her brother.

He glared at her. "How do you still find time to drive me insane now your other brother's are back?"

"You're so much easier than they are"

He upped his glare. "Bite me"

Olivia smirked at him. "Now if you don't mind, I'm catching a much needed nap, feel free to wake me if we get invaded or something" Letting the familiar sounds of him working wash over her Liv curled around Maddie and closed her eyes. It had been a long time since she hadn't had to be on high alert, and she was gonna make the most of it.

---

Dean dropped down by his brother and looked over the water. "Kinda pretty here"

Sam snorted. "Yeah, apart from the sucky neighbours apparently"

"Hmm, Wraith, and not like we're used to hunting either" He ran a hand over his face. "At least these ones can be taken down by bullets anyway, didn't bring much of our stuff with us" He sighed quietly.

"You miss her don't you?"

"What? Who?"

Sam rolled his eyes. "The Impala"

"Don't even want to talk about it Sammy"

"You should have got Liv to ask the General to beam it up into one of the holds"

Dean snorted. "Yeah, don't think even her superpowers could have persuaded him into that one. You seen her anyway?"

"Said she didn't want to witness us embarrass ourselves and was going to take the kid to see McKay"

"Hmm, interesting relationship there" Dean kicked his heels against the pier.

"Yeah, but he seems to genuinely care for her and he's certainly got the death glare down to a fine art" Sam grinned. "And he took care of her whilst we were out for the count, and I think he would have carried on doing that. I mean he was going to bring her out here on faith alone, give her a new life, new job. Even went along with her crazy arse Death plan"

"Yeah, pretty awesome I guess. And the crazy arse Death plan worked, lucky for her"

"And us"

"Yeah" Dean ran a hand over his face. "Think we'll ever…?"

"Remember?"

"Yeah"

Sam shrugged. "Who knows. But I certainly won't be encouraging it. If we do, we'll deal with it then"

"That should become the Winchester family motto"

Sam snorted then looked serious. "I think she's sleeping with Mitchell"

Dean nodded. "Yeah, nothing serious apparently"

"Pretty sure we could take him"

"Pretty sure Liv would find a way to send us back to hell"

"We taught her too well" His brother looked out over the water.

"Yep"

Sam tilted his head. "So, thought you'd be on the hunt, its been a stressful few months"

Dean rolled his eyes at his brother. "Even I'm not stupid enough to cruise a military base Sam, would be nice to get laid though"

"Think it's a little different out here Dean, and I'm pretty sure there's some more unconventional relationships going on. I mean that was a hell of a lot of lube and condoms we packed up for O'Neill before we left"

Dean grinned then looked thoughtful. "Maybe, or maybe I'll find some when we start going through the gate?"

"Right, cause that's a really common mission objective, to get laid"

"You're not telling me none of the guys here don't get lucky off world. I mean I'm already starting to hear rumours of alien rituals, and harvests"

He grinned at Sam's gagging noise.

---

Rodney looked at the couch that had recently had his sister and niece curled up on it and sighed. He loved them dearly but he was nowhere near getting done what he wanted by the end of the day. He looked up as Atlantis told him the door to his lab had just locked. He raised a brow. "Um..hi"

The other man rolled his eyes and moved into the room. "That's it?"

"Um, yes?"

"All this time and all I get is 'um..hi'?"

Rodney cleared his throat. "Well uh, its been a long..time"

"Tell me about it" He stepped closer, fingers trailing over Rodney's back and up towards his neck.

He shivered at the contact even through his tee and jacket. A chuckle ghosted over his ear and all of the blood in Rodney's brain began the quick journey downwards.

"I was going to wait until later when you were back in your quarters but knowing you're here, back where you belong, is making me a little impatient"

Rodney closed his eyes as lips gently brushed across the side of his neck. "Right" He was slightly ashamed of the high-pitched squeak, he'd never been able to control his reactions to him, his touch.

"Hmm"

Keeping his eyes closed he felt himself being swiveled on his stool, a hand sliding into his hair, tilting his head back. He licked his lips in anticipation and heard the other man moan quietly. Then he was being kissed, gentle at first then the pressure increased, a tongue running along his closed mouth, prodding insistently. Opening up he let his lover explore, remap the inside of his mouth as the hand in his hair tightened and another slid inside his jacket, dragging cotton over his nipples. Rodney whimpered and felt a quick grin against his lips before he was tugged up and shoved against his workbench.

Hard muscle pressing against him, a strong thigh pushed between his giving him something to rub his steadily increasing hard-on against. He gripped the arm that was attached to the hand that was currently running up and down his back in firm smooth strokes and yanked his head away, pulling in air. He got a self-satisfied smirk thrown his way which he glared at then made a half-protesting noise as he was turned and bent over his table. "Oh shit, not here"

"Uh huh" A soft kiss was placed at the back of his neck. "Don't worry baby, no one is getting in"

Then his fly was popped open and a warm weapon-calloused hand was wrapping around him and tugging him free of his boxers. He was treated to a few firm smooth strokes and Rodney bit his lip in an effort not to make a noise before a little moan escaped as a cool, slick finger slid in. There was an answering groan from behind him. "Been so long, so tight" Then a second finger slipped inside.

"Shit" Rodney tried not to let his legs buckle as there was a gentle brush over his prostate. A dark chuckle then twisting, scissoring for a few moments before he was left empty. He shifted slightly.

"Just two today baby. Wanna feel how tight you are"

"Crap"

His fingers tried to dig their way into the hard surface of the desk as very slowly and deliberately he was filled, Rodney tried to relax, concentrated on his breathing, opening himself up as much as he could. There was a low hum as his lovers hips finally rested against him. And then his dick was left cooling in the air as both hands gripped his hips and the other man slid back until just his head was nestled inside. "Ready baby?"

"I hate you"

"No you don't"

And how the hell did he still sound goddamned relaxed and with it when Rodney was fighting to keep his control? He slid forward a little at the force of the first thrust, and then there was a punishing assault on his prostate and Rodney squeezed his eyes shut and ignored the slightly embarrassing sounds he was making, all the while concentrating on not cumming in the first two minutes. Finally the other man's movements became less smooth and his breaths got a little more ragged, his already bruising grip tightening even more.

"Get yourself off baby" His voice was deeper, huskier, and there was a definite strain to it.

Keeping one arm braced on the table to stop himself from face planting onto it Rodney reached down and took himself in hand. And that was pretty much all he needed. As he shuddered underneath his lover the other man cursed loudly and buried himself as deep as he could get. He lay his head on the cool surface and picked up his scattered brain cells. "Fucking hell Ev, my lab?! Really?!"

The Major slid himself free and turned him. He grinned and brushed his lips against Rodney's. "I missed you"

---

John took a pull of his beer and sprawled out contentedly on the couch. So Earth was lost, at least for now, and they'd lost a lot of people, but they'd also gained some too, and his team was complete again. He'd also seen enough happy reunions to warm him for a while. He'd spotted Mitchell and his brother sat up on a balcony earlier, voices low, the man loved his family and he'd been in serious mourning since they'd failed to contact Earth. Tom had tried to get to his parents but he was too late, however they had each other and John hoped it would be enough.

When he'd gone to Rodney's lab earlier the little jolt of happiness at the smell of coffee and the quite loud argument going on between him and Zalenka had taken him by surprise. But it shouldn't have, he'd stopped going in there after the first week, finding it empty and cold had been too much. He'd also raised a brow at the two people curled up on the couch fast asleep despite the comings and goings, and yelling. Rodney had just rolled his eyes at him. "Wake them and at least one of them will kick your arse"

"Penny for them Colonel?"

He looked over to where Rodney was sat at the other end of the couch, brow raised. John shrugged, "Not much, just thinking it's been a good day, at least better than for a long time"

The scientist nodded. "Yeah, it has"

"But aren't you missing a child?"

Rodney glared at him. "I didn't accidentally leave her in the mess or something Colonel…"

Ronan huffed a laugh from his place on the floor. Rodney flipped him off.

"..Maddie's with Liv. She likes to stay with her if her Aunt will let her get away with it"

"And how often is that?"

"Every time she asks" He sighed. "She's certainly perfected the sad puppy eyes already"

John grinned at him. "You're gonna have your work cut out for you Rodney"

"Hey, she has two other Uncle's and an Aunt, and she seems to have been adopted by O'Neill too. I have back-up"

"And we also look forward to getting to know her Rodney" Teyla smiled and leant across to squeeze his hand. "It is wonderful to have you back, and meet your family"

"Yeah well, they're not really my family, not Dean and Sam anyway.."

"But you are all linked yes? By Olivia and Madison" She smiled again. "They will become family"

"Great, just what I need, more crazy relatives"

"Hey, from what I heard at the debrief one of those crazy people saved your life on the Odyssey" John shot him a look. To take a bullet for someone else, family or not, was a big gesture, a potential ultimate sacrifice.

"Yeah" Rodney ran a hand through his hair. "And she took down a crazy worshipper in the mountain who tried to show me what my insides looked like"

"She sounds skilled"

John looked down at Ro who shrugged back at him. He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, always comes in handy.."

"No Colonel, absolutely not. She's already on DR-1, and I will tell you what I told Mitchell. I may not be military but I can still make your life hell if anything happens to her or if she's returned to me with anything missing, vital or not"

John flicked a look at Teyla who smiled back and raised a brow. "It is nice to hear you speak so protectively of her Rodney"

"Someone has to, she has no survival instinct whatsoever, just strolls into danger like it's a day at the fucking mall"

There was another rumble from Ronan.

"And her crazy arse brother's are no better"

---

Two weeks later.

Colonel Mitchell tightened his thigh holster, ignoring the chaos of the gateroom, he'd asked O'Neill to step in as Expedition Commander so he could head up SG-1. Carter had opted to stay in the labs and work on a way to eradicate the Ori before they discovered Pegasus, and maybe find a way to take Earth back, so it was in need of at least one military presence and O'Neill had stepped down for a reason. Mitchell had a sneaking suspicion he only knew part of it though.

AR-1, SG-1 and DR-1 were all heading out to MX8-265 to rescue one of Atlantis' sources. He sighed quietly, with his and Sheppard's track records, along with his crazy brother's, there was no way this was going to go smoothly. Also he may have only caught a quick glimpse of one of his brother's team when they'd come with O'Neill to rescue them but he was already hearing rumours about their adventures.

And Cam knew from the whisperings about AR-1 that did the rounds of the city's rumour mill that there was quite a bit of truth in rumours that were started on a top secret military base where all the personnel had the black ops of a God. They were all civilians, all as nuts as their CO, had a helluva lot of influence over O'Neill, and pretty much everyone was attempting to get into at least one of their pants.

"Cheer up Cameron! Sure you won't die this time too"

"Gee thanks Sir"

"Stop it!" Jack glared at him. "Now where the fuck is Olivia? Liv!"

"Right here Jack" He turned to reveal a petite blonde who appeared to have raided Vala's wardrobe.

"Ah, excellent. Good job with the sneaking up thing too"

"Thank you Jack" She smiled up at him. "You want me?"

Sheppard came to stand next to Cam and leant in slightly. "Doesn't everyone?"

Cameron rolled his eyes.

"Yes" Jack patted down his pockets. "Shit, where the hell…Dixon! Dixon! Really whats the point of a PA if you can't bloody…"

"You yelled Sir" Miss Dixon smiled at him.

"I will have you shot Dixon. Where's that bloody list?"

"In your top pocket Sir"

The two Colonel's grinned as he flipped her off then dug around, producing a piece of folded paper. "Ah hah!" He handed it to the blonde. "Everything on there if you can Miss Winchester"

"Of course Jack"

"Vitally important"

She nodded and opened the paper. "So I see" She tilted her head. "Any force necessary?"

"Always"

Nodding, Miss Winchester slipped the piece of paper into her cleavage.

"Olivia!"

She sighed. "Why does everyone yell my name like that?"

Someone joined their steadily growing group and Cam put a lot of effort into not gaping, or drooling.

"Will you stop wandering…" The man frowned at her. "Where the hell did you get that?"

"Get what?"

"That top and jacket"

"Oh, I met this very lovely woman named Vala and when I mentioned that I was down to my last tee she let me take a look at her wardrobe"

"You freaking kidding me right?"

"Nope"

He rolled his eyes. "What is it about you?"

"Um, I take after you?"

"Uh" Cam looked between them. "You're her uh…?"

The man glared at him. "Brother"

"Oh, right"

Olivia snorted. "If he's not to your taste I have two more"

"Hey!"

"Olivia!" McKay glared at her from his place beside Ronan, the Satedan grinning.

She smirked at the rest of them as her brother dragged her off to the gate.

"Fabulous isn't she, all of them actually" Jack grinned at them.

Cam sighed. "Yeah, they're great Sir"

---

John looked up as Major Mitchell slipped behind the rock he was using as cover and grinned at him. "Sheppard"

"Mitchell, going well?"

The other man huffed. "Oh yeah, nothing like getting run out of town by giant lizards with stun guns"

John snorted. "Where's our man?"

"With Ro and Jackson. He passed out about two minutes out of town"

"Great" John replaced his empty clip with his last spare. "How you doing for ammo?"

"One clip left. Then I'm resorting to throwing rocks at their heads"

"Hows your aim?"

"Perfect"

"Modest aren't you?"

There was a scuffling sound and they raised their weapons. She rolled her eyes. "No shooting your own men"

"Women"

Olivia glared at Tom who smirked back at her. "Don't be a smart arse or I won't give you my haul"

"I would love your haul" The Major waggled his brows at her.

John rolled his eyes. "How do you lot ever get any work done?"

"Tom's quick"

"Hey!"

Grinning she unwrapped the blanket in her arms and produced several Molotov's. "I'd recommend using them soon before the wind changes. Sammy says at the moment it's blowing directly towards the lizard dudes"

"Lizard dudes?"

She shrugged.

"Where'd you get the hooch?"

"Tavern silly"

Tom flipped her off. "How?"

"I traded"

"With what?!"

"My awesome skills"

"I really hope you're just winding me up" Her team leader glared at her.

"Maybe" Giving a lazy salute she disappeared round the other side of the rock.

John raised a brow. "Think she's joking?"

"Probably"

"Probably?!"

"Definitely"

He narrowed his gaze. "Your team are insane"

"Thank you"

"So are you"

"Thank you"

John glared at him. "You're getting as annoying as your brother"

"Hey, no one is as annoying as Cameron"

---

Colonel Mitchell swore as an energy beam hit the tree he was currently propped behind and checked his chamber. Great three rounds left, bollocks. Something rolled towards him and came to a gentle stop by his feet, he gaped a little then looked up to see Dean Winchester rolling two more Molotov's towards him. He made a little lighter motion with his hands.

Rolling his eyes Cam reached for the pocket he knew he carried some matches in and waved them at him. Giving him an ok sign the other man slipped back into the woods. Sighing he pulled the rag out of the bottle and took a sniff, feeling his eyes water up. "Jesus" He whispered. His tree shook again. Stuffing the rag back into the top of the bottle Cam lit a match and grinned.

---

Major Lorne stared at them. Streaks of soot and yellow blood were smeared across their faces and clothes, and a stink of smoke was steadily filling the gateroom. "Molotov's?"

General O'Neill snorted beside him. "Nothing wrong with a bit of improvisation Major"

He rolled his eyes. "Right, no, of course not Sir"

O'Neill grinned. "And apart from the pitched battle?"

Colonel Sheppard grinned. "All went to plan O'Neill. Got our man"

"Ok Sheppard, good work"

"Thanks Sir"

The General flipped him off. "Clean up and then full debrief"

"Oh yay"

Evan watched them messily file out of the room and towards the infirmary. The insanity level amongst the personnel was definitely rising, and he was sure it was O'Neill's fault. The General had pulled Miss Winchester to the side and was engaged in a quiet conversation. He turned the thought over in his mind for a few seconds then decided it was impossible, and a little disturbing, and maybe they were getting to him more than he'd realised. She had to be half his age at least.

---

"Really? Nothing nut-like at all?"

"Sorry Jack"

"Damn it, they're just not the same without nuts"

She grinned at him. "I quite agree Sir"

Raising a brow he looked her over. "No injuries?"

Olivia shook her head, her arm only slightly ached from her old wound, and her arse hurt from where she'd been forced to throw herself to the ground in the face of a rather enthusiastically hurled grenade by Vala, but nothing to bother him with.

"Ok hon, excellent work. Catch up to them, and drop your stash off to the kitchens before the debrief"

"Yes Sir"

"Quit it"

---

The next day.

"Good morning Dr McKay"

He looked up from his screen, his black eye was purpling nicely today. "Miss Winchester, for what do I owe the pleasure?"

Colonel Sheppard rolled his eyes from his seat on the couch.

"Thought I'd make you feel better" She grinned at him.

"Uh.."

Plonking a plate down onto his work desk she pushed herself up and snagged a brownie.

"Brownies?"

"Yep"

Sheppard stood. "Really?"

"Uh huh"

"Awesome. Hey!"

She smacked his hand away from the plate. "Brought them for Rodney"

"He can't eat all three"

"Yes I can"

"Well, you shouldn't, gotta keep up off-world McKay"

"Hey!"

Olivia snorted. "Maybe you should up your training Rodney?"

"Training?" Sheppard eyed them curiously.

"Yep" She licked the crumbs from her fingers for his benefit. "Been teaching Rodney hand to hand. His shooting is pretty straight already"

"Hand to hand?"

"You repeat stuff a lot"

He glared at her. "You're teaching McKay hand to hand?"

"Uh huh. Want me to take you on too?" She twinkled up at him.

Sheppard upped his glare. "I'm perfectly skilled at hand to hand, thank you"

"Wanna bet?"

Rodney chuckled around his mouthful of brownie.

---

"Shit" The air was knocked out of him for a second as he landed on his back, again. He looked up as she stood over him.

"I thought you sparred with Ro and Teyla?"

"I do" He pushed himself into a sitting position.

"Do you spend just as much time on your back with them too?"

John rolled his eyes. "Probably. But Ro, well he's some kind of super soldier and Tey has her Wraith DNA that makes her stronger and faster, how are you doing this?"

Olivia grinned at him. "Learnt to fight like a girl"

"You do not fight like a girl"

This time she rolled her eyes. "My Dad may have been a little over the top but he knew how to train a girl to fight" She sat down in front of him. "I'm never gonna be the strongest, which means I have to be the smartest, and the quickest. Learnt to improvise, worked on my agility. Identified all the painful spots where a quick jab will be enough to take someone down"

"Huh" He eyed her. "Maybe we should set up some classes"

"Classes?"

"Yeah, for the women of the expedition. You're right, we teach everyone to fight the same, like marines. Perhaps you could take on the civilians, a lot more of them have to go off-world these days"

Olivia looked curiously at him. "Really?"

"If it wouldn't be too much alongside your other duties, yeah. I can ask Tey, and Vala too. They're both pretty skilled"

"Cool, wanna sign up?"

"Bite me"

"If you like"

"No"

"Spoilsport"

---

The door in front of her slid open and Vala raised a brow. "You are late"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Sorry, ran into Sheppard, had to negotiate with him letting me get away with sneaking the rest of the hooch back onto the city yesterday"

The other woman grinned and stepped aside. "What were you forced to uh..concede?"

A gagging noise came from behind her and Olivia smirked at Colonel Carter. She liked the older woman already, and she figured Sam enjoyed being able to let her hair down around them, shedding the pressures of being a woman high up in the AirForce rankings. "Unfortunately he turned down the offer of an awesome blow job and took two bottles for himself instead"

"Just wrong, and happening over my dead body" Rodney grinned and grabbed a bottle, wandering over to the random selection of glasses they'd gathered.

"But he's so pretty when he blushes, and I'm sure there was also some squirming"

"Shut up Liv"

Olivia nodded her thanks as Rodney handed her a drink and sank down onto a cushion between Teyla and Angie, smiling at Lyss who was sat opposite. "Managed to pry yourself off your Major Spencer?"

"Bite me" Lyss flipped her off. "Anyway I have no doubt he'll now be joining the Colonel for drinking and manly discussions about weaponry and shit"

Sam snorted. "Won't just be them too I bet. Not often alcohol's readily available unless you can sweet talk Parrish"

"Botany?"

She nodded at Olivia. "Yeah. Mitchell pretty much gave up banning the growing of slightly dubious substances, and Parrish has had so much training he's like a Rambo botanist"

"Awesome"

"Yeah, no one's getting in those greenhouses without a hell of a fight"

"Maybe we should plan some kind of coup?" Olivia raised a brow. "I'm sure we could take them down, dubious substances sounds fun"

"Hm, alien marijuana"

Angie swallowed her drink, coughing slightly. "Really?"

"Yep" Sam grinned at her.

"Oh, a coup is definitely on the cards"

---

John propped himself in their doorway. "Just ran into your sister"

Dean raised a brow. He grinned and waved the bottles at them.

"Sneaky bitch" Sam huffed a laugh behind his brother. "She told us there wasn't any left" Dean eyed him. "How did you get her to give it up?"

John raised his hands. "Hey, don't get any ideas. Just reminded her who was Military Commander of this city, and therefore should, in accordance to the regs, confiscate any substances that could have a detrimental effect on the personnel, and therefore the running, of this base"

"I'm surprised she didn't laugh in your face, or knock you out"

"I can do authoritative when I need to"

"Uh huh"

"I'm also very likeable"

"And modest too" Dean smirked at him. "So, who else is joining the party?"

John grinned back. "Who would you like to join the party?"

The younger man raised a brow.

The Colonel looked innocently back at him. "I'll try the Mitchell's first"

---

Two hours later.

John leant against the wall, legs stretched out in front of him, and ran his eyes over the people currently gathered in his quarters. The room that had provided him with sanctuary and that had become like home in the first months of his stay in Pegasus he had eventually found suffocating, not enough room to pace, to think, not enough air, sky. When they'd opened up the guest quarters, and a few months later the family sized apartments, he'd indulged himself and taken larger living accommodation. The transporters meant he could still be anywhere in the city in a matter of minutes, the gateroom a mere blink of an eye.

He took a sip of his drink to disguise the slight tugging of his lips, he'd chosen his seat on purpose, wanting to watch the newcomers interact with the Lantean's already established in the city. He also found it was a good idea to keep a careful watch on the relationships between his people, encourage those that he believed would work, try to prevent those that had disaster written all over them. Sometimes his plans worked, sometimes they didn't, and sometimes he knew when to keep the hell out of it but there was nothing here that worried him too much.

His eyes settled on Dr Jackson for a moment and his eyebrow twitched, an involuntary action he fought with for a second. The man was watching his new team leader with a strange expression on his face when it suddenly disappeared and a relaxed smile took its place. John lazily flicked his eyes to Cam Mitchell who was sprawled against the front of the couch talking to Sam Winchester, swirling his glass and nodding with apparent interest to whatever the guy was saying. He frowned, there didn't seem to be anything that could have caused that weird little look to flicker across Jackson's face.

John knew the older Mitchell brother was gay, or at least bi, but he wasn't showing any particular interest in Sam, and he'd heard that the younger Winchester boy had been very female focused on the Daedalus. He was also certain that Jackson was into guys too, and that he had a pretty big hang-up on O'Neill that was never gonna be realised because the General was as straight as he was batshit crazy. He took another sip of his drink, if Daniel was gonna start turning his attentions to Cam then John may have to step in, trying to live out your fantasy with a different person was never a good idea. And being leader of SG-1 was the only thing Mitchell had in common with O'Neill.

Taking in the rest of the room he was pleased to see his 2IC engaged in conversation with Dean, Aiden and Tom Mitchell, there were always those first few difficult days trying to blend several people who were all used to being in charge without fights breaking out, or deep-seated grudges forming. But for once it seemed that maybe everyone had been left satisfied with what they'd been given. Dean's gaze quickly flickered to Cam before resting back on Lorne. John chewed his lip briefly in thought.

A warmth appeared beside him and he watched Ronan slide down the wall next to him.

"Ok Chewie?"

The Satedan nodded. "Shame about the lizard dudes. They made good hooch"

John snorted. Yeah, they weren't going to be heading back to that planet anymore, at least not in the near future. And they had made damn good hooch. He blinked at his glass as it was refilled. Crap. He had a feeling Ronan saying 'lizard dudes' was only the beginning of a surreal night.

---

Olivia swung her legs over the side of the balcony and took a deep pull off her cigarette. Someone sank down beside her, only a slight sway in their graceful descent. She chuckled. "Feeling it Teyla?"

The Athosian smiled out over the water. "Perhaps a little, I thought I had encountered most of the intoxicating beverages in Pegasus"

"Always satisfying when you find something with enough of a kick"

Teyla hummed quietly. "From your remarks on your arrival I am to presume that you are attracted to Colonel Sheppard?"

"Isn't everyone?"

She laughed quietly. "I have found this, but maybe not everyone"

"Was he pissed? When he found out he wasn't your thing?"

Teyla raised a brow. "You are very good"

"Thank you" Olivia took another drag. "Years of practice"

The other woman nodded. "Sorry"

"Don't be. Most of its been good" Liv raised her own brow as her companion reached for the cigarettes questioningly.

"They remind me of keeto, it was used during our celebrations and rituals. They seem to have run low in the past few months on the city"

"Then please.." She gestured to the pack.

"Thank you" The Athosian raised the lighter, flames briefly illuminating her face. A smooth stream of smoke was exhaled. "He has been watching you"

"I know"

"John is very…particular, perhaps cautious? Despite the image he projects. He sees many he wants but he does not often act on it"

Olivia nodded. "Then you were lucky to have been approached. And Ronan too, I can imagine that's a big risk Sheppard's taking"

More smoke joined her's before disappearing into the night. "I was honoured to be invited to join them, and surprised that Ronan had not realised that I never could" A hand touched hers lightly. "You will be careful with them? You understand how difficult their relationship can be for John especially, if they do ask you..as I think they will..?

"Not looking for anything else" Olivia smiled at her. "But if you think it's a bad idea I'll respect your wishes. You know them better than anyone else"

"But I do not know you. This would be your decision. However, it seems you have a good understanding of these things so do what you feel is right"

"Right"

"I also wish to thank you for bringing Rodney back to us"

"Pretty sure he bought me back with him"

"You saved him, and you already have a strong bond. It may never be what it is with Dean and Sam but I hope that it will grow, that you will remain in his life"

"Of course" Olivia sighed and dropped her butt into her empty glass. "I'm not very good at this stuff but..um, he means a lot, and I know what he was prepared to give up to look after me. It won't go unrewarded"

"You happy and safe I am sure is reward enough"

"Perhaps"

Teyla raised a brow. "Then I look forward to seeing how else you intend to reward him"

---

Another two hours later.

John stood at his door and ordered it open, a bottle was waved in front of him. "Here Colonel, be grateful you radioed me before Rodney found this one"

He blinked at her, yeah really too much alcohol. "McKay was with the girl's night?"

"Yep" She grinned at him. And how was she still standing?! They must have drunk as much as he'd done.

"No wonder I couldn't get hold of him. Sly bastard" He wasn't sure if his sister knew about Rodney's preferences, or if he was supposed to know about them. In these situations he found it best to play dumb.

Olivia snorted. "Here, take it. Before I change my mind"

He gathered himself and took the bottle turning it over in his hands. "Thanks, but not really what I meant"

She raised a brow. "Is that so?"

"But it'll come in handy"

"If you do anything other than drink it I shall be very cross"

John grinned at her and wrapped his hand round her wrist, tugging her inside. "You're not even slurring, how much did you drink?"

She shrugged. "About three-quarters of a bottle"

"Jesus, what the hell do you usually drink?"

She didn't bother answering. He rolled his eyes and pulled her towards the bedroom, snagging three glasses on the way through.

"You're very direct once you make your mind up"

"And you're very direct full stop. Didn't anyone teach you any boundaries, or when to think about whats tumbling out your mouth?"

"Um, you have met my brother's right?"

"Right, good point"

They came to a stop in the bedroom where Ronan was sprawled out on the bed shirtless, back propped against the headboard. John poured three drinks trying to keep his hands from shaking. The man was still ridiculously hot, even after all the time they'd been together, and Ronan knew just how to drive John nuts. He'd spent the last hour of their guys night laid out on the floor listening to Dr Jackson, occasionally flexing his thighs. At least John would be getting everything that he had been putting on display earlier, he was pretty sure the archeologist would be heading straight for a cold shower.

He turned to see Ronan slip off Olivia's pumps and begin to rub slow strong circles over her feet. When he'd told his boyfriend about his little run in with the youngest Winchester earlier Ronan had shot him a look (no.4; you're an idiot but I love you anyway) and told him to get her here.

"You seem pretty comfortable with this" John handed her a drink and raised his brow.

Olivia shrugged. "Not much I haven't experienced"

"You're not even gonna ask why he's here?"

She tilted her head so Ronan had more room to run slick swirls over her neck. "You're together. I'd feel out of line if he wasn't"

Ronan snorted. "She understands better than you did"

"Hey, everyone is entitled to freak out the first time their boyfriend asks if he can bring a friend"

"But you've done it a few times now right?" Olivia eyed him. "I don't want any freak outs, or be caught in the middle of a domestic"

John drained his drink. "Yes we have. And there'll be no domestics"

"What is a domestic?" Ronan slid a hand across her stomach.

John rolled his eyes, which he probably shouldn't do with that much alcohol floating about his system, and shed his shirt before pulling off his socks. "I'll explain later baby" He stretched out next to Olivia and took her glass. Placing it on the side table he turned back and hooked his fingers under the cotton and gently pulled, giving her time to sit forward and raise her arms. As she settled back on the pillows he dipped his head for a kiss before running his mouth down her throat and over the swell of her breasts, tongue dipping under the satin of her bra.

God she smelt and tasted so good, and Olivia Winchester was beautiful, her colouring reminded him of Earth with the light Californian-esque glow and mass of pre-Raphaelite waves. He raised his head and for a moment her gaze flickered down at him, eyes that he couldn't call blue or green reflected back his lust and he shook the feeling that there was a lot more hidden away there. This wasn't what tonight was about. Lowering his mouth back to her breast he smiled at the view of his lovers hands running over her now bare legs. Their skin contrasted beautifully, and Ronan's hard muscle accentuated her soft curves, they looked stunning together, he knew they would.

---

Olivia looked up at the man currently buried deep inside her as his eyes slid shut and he let out a little moan as Ronan pushed inside the last inch. There was the brief weight of both of them and John's skin scraped against the bite mark on her inner thigh, the spark of pain heightening her arousal. Ronan's mouth had slid from her sex and latched onto her, teeth grazing at the sensitive skin, making her twitch. She'd noticed the little flicker of surprise cross the Colonel's face and was guessing it was something that Ro usually only did to John. And she was pretty sure that the Satedan hadn't even realised he was doing it to begin with. John opened his eyes to reveal beautifully blown pupils. "Don't move"

She fought the urge to roll her eyes, hadn't he heard her say she had experienced most things out there, she knew how this worked, knew what was expected of her. Nodding she tightened her muscles around him again and he let out a ragged breath, before Ronan pulled him back until just his head sat inside her. He licked his lips and gave her one last look before closing his eyes as the first strong thrust from Ronan caused him to slide back home.

Olivia was going to ache tomorrow but right now she couldn't seem to care as her second climax of the night built low in her belly before shooting between her legs and then radiating out, making her arch into John's kiss and pulse around his dick. He tore his mouth from hers and buried his face in her neck, muffled moans of pleasure moistening her skin, teeth scraping lightly. Then his hips were gripped in place, keeping him buried deep so he could feel every tremor of her muscles as Ronan's movements became faster and more erratic. John moaned long and low into her skin.

Ten minutes later she was rolling off the bed and reaching for her clothes.

"You could at least pretend to be tired"

She shot a grin at John who was still sprawled out on his back. "The benefits of youth"

"I feel like I should be insulted"

Ronan leant over him and grinned. "Don't worry, you're still pretty"

"Gee thanks"

They both looked up at her. "You can stay"

Olivia shook her head. "Nah, I'm good, this is your bed. And Dean picks me up for a run at 0600. If I'm not there he'll come looking"

"Ah, yeah, that probably wouldn't be good"

She sat down to slip her shoes on. "Actually he's pretty chilled as long as I'm not stupid and risk myself. Especially when I point out that he practically raised me, and he's a big man-whore"

John snorted, "Still, I'd rather not have that conversation with him, or any of your other brothers"

Olivia stood and smiled down at him. "Yeah, I do seem to be collecting them at an alarming rate. I'm gonna have to really step up my black ops"

He smirked at her and yawned. "How did you know we were together?"

She shrugged. "Gotten pretty good at picking up stuff. But don't worry, you're discreet enough"

He nodded and, along with his boyfriend, watched through half-lidded eyes as she turned and slipped out of his quarters after checking no one was around.

---

Olivia let the door slide shut behind her and turned to look over her new home. She'd been here two weeks and still was surprised at her new living accommodation. Although she officially belonged to the Daedalus lead team it was preferable to live on the city, the quarters were bigger and offered some daylight, which was apparently necessary to stop you from going batshit insane. She would be rota'd in, along with the other DR teams, to spend certain shifts on board but for the rest of the time they would all be based here. The living area was spacious and light with large glass doors leading out onto a balcony, a couple of two-seater couches, a desk and a small area set aside for making drinks and storing a little food completed the rather homely space.

To the right were two doors, one leading to a bathroom that contained a huge tub and large shower, which Olivia had already treated herself to several long soaks in, very glad that she had given in and swiped the sweet-smelling bath oil she'd found on a supply run. Next door was the bedroom she had chosen for herself, after spending a pleasantly mind-numbing half-hour wandering between the two available, which held a large bed, more glass doors and another desk. The second bedroom was identical to the other and Olivia once again wondered just what she was going to do with all this space.

Dragging her half-unpacked duffel into her bedroom Olivia knelt and unzipped it before rummaging around and pulling out the battered black and white photo she'd taken from Bobby's during her travels with Rodney and the frame she'd bought on vacation before everything went to hell. Moving into a cross-legged position she unclipped the back of the frame and slid the photo inside before securing it again. Turning it over she ran a finger over the faces, her brothers were back but there was still the sting of the loss of the other's. Especially the man who had become like a Father to her. Staring at his face she waited for the tears to come.

Olivia sighed, her body absolutely refused to cry, and she hated herself for the fact she couldn't even grieve properly. Even when she'd thought Dean and Sam were gone there were no tears. Sometimes it felt like she'd become almost as monster-like as the things she hunted, it seemed that it wasn't just her brothers who had learnt to lock away their emotions, or maybe they'd all become numb in the face of so much loss. And they'd lost a lot in those last few months. Piece by piece their world had been stripped away, every last friend, every place they'd called sanctuary had been taken. Clearing her mind she began to empty her belongings, once everything was put away she would take a nice bath and then figure out how to use the tablet that Rodney had shoved into her hands. She was predicting that there'd be no sleep achieved again tonight.

---

The next day.

Aiden tipped back in his chair and propped his feet up on the desk in his quarters, fingers drumming on the pile of files in front of him. Most he'd mentally shredded on sight but a Lieutenant Laura Cadman and Dr Lindsey Novak had stood out as good contenders, despite the fact someone had written 'been known to hiccough at inopportune moments' on Novak's file in red pen. O'Neill had told him that Mitchell and Sheppard had no problem in letting him look over the files of their personnel who were still waiting to join a gate team, whilst handing him over a stack of paper with, what Ford was sure, a smirk. He'd recruited Lieutenant Hawkes within two minutes of meeting the man on board the Daedalus but no one else had piqued his interest.

When he'd found out that whilst he'd been busy trying to keep the Ori off his arse Major Mitchell had snapped up all of the Winchester's he'd been a little pissed. If her brother's were anything like Olivia that would be one awesome gate team. He'd already been planning on maybe going to Atlantis with her and McKay before the shit hit the fan back on Earth. In the quiet times, when she'd finally been left alone on the infirmary, Ford had spoken with Olivia Winchester, and she'd openly talked about what she'd used to do.

She'd fought monster's, and not just blown them out of the sky or shot at them until they were almost certainly dead, but with swords and knives, hand to hand, thinking on her feet. Her family had raised a kick arse soldier who looked like a cheerleader fantasy. With her on his team they could have done great things. And someone like that you could trust with your life, rely on to not leave you behind, and that was a hell of a something if you could get it.

But Aiden was used to playing with the hand life dealt him and these other's looked good, could be outstanding with the right training and leadership style. He checked his watch and sighed. Better head to his meeting, he wouldn't want to be late for the Commander's of the city. Organising the Daedalus and Odyssey on arrival had been a logistical nightmare and, now two weeks later, he'd only just been transported down to Atlantis this afternoon. It was as beautiful as Dr McKay had said.

---

He eyed the marine sat in front of them, Major Ford had the gene and he'd been approached for the first wave but had decided to stay on at the mountain. For that John was thankful, he remembered him from before, all young enthusiasm and a relentless belief that he was invulnerable, he'd have lasted a month in that first year, tops. Now he still had the same boyish enthusiasm but it was tinged with experience, maybe a little look of world-weariness in the eyes, something that everyone who'd lost people through the gate wore subconsciously. John knew he had lost the rest of his team on a suicide run against a Prior back on Earth, and it always stung to walk away when your friends didn't. He was waiting politely for one of them to speak first.

John cleared his throat, it had been a long and boring day so far. "So, how was your first uh.." He checked his watch. "..afternoon?"

Cam snorted quietly beside him.

Major Ford made a good effort at keeping his face straight. "Interesting Sir"

John raised a brow.

"On arrival I was met by Dr McKay on the way to his lab and helped him to carry some things down there, once there I separated two scientists who got into a disagreement about scheduled use of a device, which Dr McKay promptly allocated to a third person who was then turned on with quite terrifying ferocity, managing to escape I got completely lost within about five minutes, narrowly missed being covered in some blue pollen after mistakenly turning into botany, which apparently would have made an embarrassing start to my stay on Atlantis and was finally kindly shown to my quarters by a Dr Kavannagh who proceeded to tell me how much you all suck…Sir"

"Oh" John tried not to smirk.

Evan grinned. "Sounds like you're fitting in already Major. You have chance to look over the files?"

Ford nodded. "Yes, thank you Sir. There are two I want to meet with. Lieutenant Laura Cadman and Dr Lindsey Novak"

"Um Novak? You sure?" He looked at him suspiciously. "You did get my note right?"

"Sheppard!" Cam glared at him.

"What?" He shrugged. "People need to know Cameron. The last time it happened she totally…"

"That's enough"

John fought the urge to stick his tongue out at his CO but only because Ford was new. The Major grinned at him. "Yes Sir, I did. But there's quite often a simple explanation for these things, and she's as smart as McKay, she'll be a valuable asset once we sort the hiccuping"

"And how do you intend to do that Major?"

"By getting rid of whatever is causing it Sir"

John blinked. He had the sudden feeling that perhaps the younger man knew something very important that he didn't, and that was…unsettling. "Um, ok. Well, we'll leave that to you. As for Cadman she's bloody good, only reason she's currently teamless is because she took time out for her degree"

Ford nodded. "So I read, very impressive"

Cam eyed him. "Its rare for teams of three to go through the gate Major, are you sure you don't want to meet the others?"

The marines eyes flickered for a moment. "No, thank you Sir. I have already recruited a Lieutenant James Hawkes from the Daedalus, he was a member of SG-9 back at the mountain and seems…sharp"

"Sharp?" John shot him a suspicious look.

"Yes Sir"

He got that funny feeling again. "As in pointy and could do some damage, or smart?"

"Um, both Sir"

"Oh" John eyed him. There was something about this young Major that reminded him of…him. Which couldn't be good.

Ford's lips twitched. "O'Neill has high hopes for him too Sir"

"Ah" Yeah, definitely not good.

Cam snorted. "Well, I look forward to seeing..well, whatever it is you gonna do next Major"

"Thank you Sir" Ford smiled. "And thank you for giving me the opportunity to steal some of your staff. Unfortunately your brother snapped up the only others I was interested in on the Daedalus. He's very annoying"

John snorted and Evan grinned behind his mug.

Cam flipped him off. "Bugger off Ford"

"Yes Sir" He stood. "Thank you Sir"

"Go away you grovelling bastard"

"My pleasure Sir" Ripping off a salute he slipped out of the briefing room.

Cam looked at his Military Commander. "Whats so funny Sheppard?"

"Must run in the family"

"Bite me"

"No thank you Sir"

---

One week later.

Olivia watched Angie laugh with Colonel Mitchell about something and subtly readjust her top. She rolled her eyes. Her friend was steadfastly refusing to acknowledge their team's leader in any other capacity than as her boss and Tom was apparently as blind as a bat when it came to shit like this despite being able to hit a bullseye at fifty-five feet. And having no problem hitting Olivia up whenever he was in need of a little release. It was time to do something about this. Watching a woman flirt with a gay man was just depressing. Especially when he had a very hot straight brother.

Drumming her fingers on the table in the mess she chewed her lip thoughtfully then smiled. First thing was to cut Major Mitchell off from his supply of easily available sex and start making him work for someone else again. That was the problem with fuck buddies, after a while you stopped bothering trying to get any anywhere else. Then maybe Angie should learn about Cameron's preferences, which would also fit nicely with her other plan.

"You know that look always makes me nervous"

Speak of the devil. Olivia smiled at him. "Good morning Major"

"Miss Winchester" He turned his head to follow her gaze. "I hope it's not my brother that's got you looking all happy"

"One Mitchell is enough for anyone"

"Gee, thanks"

"Welcome" She softened her smirk as she caught Angie excusing herself as John and Evan joined Cameron. "Actually Tom.."

"Ah.." He sighed. "Ok, knew it couldn't last forever"

"Sorry"

"Don't be sweetheart" The Major eyed her. "Who is it?"

Olivia furrowed her brow. "Uh, what?"

He rolled his eyes. "Who is it? That you need to stop.." He waved a hand between them.

"Oh, no one"

"Bullshit"

She stuck her tongue out.

"Oh yes, very mature Miss Winchester"

---

John looked up as someone joined their table. He smiled. "Good morning Miss Winchester"

"Colonel" Olivia smiled back.

Cam rolled his eyes at Evan who grinned back.

"Are you busy today?"

"He's never busy"

"Bite me Mitch. I'll have you know I'm frequently busy. Paperwork, giving orders, running for my life.." He ticked his points off on his fingers. "..doing other commandery stuff"

Evan snorted.

"Yes, we all know you're the Military Commander, and you're very important" Olivia smirked at him. "But are you busy today?"

John raised a brow. "Why?"

"I'm taking Maddie to the beach, James very kindly offered to fly us out there but now the rest of my team have decided to come, plus Rodney and Teyla so we may need another Jumper"

John tried to get his brain to catch up and failed. "James?"

Evan cleared his throat. "That'll be Lieutenant Hawkes Sir"

"Um.."

"Yeah he's been really great these past few weeks, helping out with Maddie and stuff. But don't worry if you can't, I'm sure we can sit on laps and stuff. And if I wear my bikini I won't have to take a bag.."

"Fine" He glared at her. "What time?"

"As long as you're sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure"

"Cool, in an hour, thanks" She stood and wandered off through the other tables in the mess.

John turned back to the other two men. "What?"

Cam grinned. "You totally got played"

"Shut up Mitchell"

"Wrapped around her little finger"

"Bite me Major. Am not" He tried to glare his 2IC to death but the man annoyingly continued to breathe, and smirk at him from across the table.

"All she had to do was pull out the 'bikini with another man' card.."

"Fuck off"

"…think I might join you. It'll be fun. You should ask Ro too, your two teams are practically related anyway" Evan smirked at him.

John pulled a face and flipped him off.

Two hours later he stepped out of Jumper One and resisted the urge to go to his knees and kiss sand.

"Are you ok?"

He turned to the smiling woman. "You are never flying again"

"Why not? We didn't crash, or fly into anything, or go upside down, more than once"

He rolled his eyes. "You're insane, and that's coming from someone who was once forced to be flown by Mitchell"

She grinned. "But I was awesome"

He tried to shake the ringing from his ears. "And how did you get my Jumper to play music?! And that loud?!"

"You're shouting John"

"Really?! I can't tell because I'm still deaf from Led Zeplin being blasted out into my Jumper!"

Dean snorted from behind them. "Dude, told you I never let her drive"

"Hey!" Olivia glared at her brother before being dragged down to the water by her niece.

---

Evan propped himself up on his elbows, enjoying the heat of the sun, and watching the rest of the people out on the beach. He smiled slightly as his gaze settled on his CO lifting Maddie McKay onto his surfboard, the Colonel had certainly shown a surprising side of him as the little girl had become more ingrained in their lives. He looked up as a shadow briefly blocked the warmth before sinking down beside him. "Enjoying yourself Tey?"

The Athosian nodded. "Very much Major, thank you. This was certainly a good idea. It is nice to spend time with loved ones away from the city"

"Yeah" Everyone had been wound so tight lately that he was beginning to wonder about making this a mandatory thing for all the Lantean's.

"It is also interesting to see people relax"

He shot her a sideways glance. He knew full well that if you wanted to know anything about anyone you went to Teyla, or Ronan if you were feeling brave. People forgot to hide around them. "What do you think Tey?"

"I think we are building a wonderful family Evan" She smiled at him and he smiled back. They had a long way to go but there was subtle progress. With the loss of so much the human race were steadily learning that maybe some things were not so important as they first thought, and under the skilled leadership of General O'Neill they were also beginning to understand that they didn't always have to hide who they were, or what they wanted. He watched his boyfriend make his way up the beach, quietly speaking with Dr Spencer. For Evan the change couldn't happen quick enough, Rodney was still cautious because of Evan's position, and if truth be told he wasn't quite sure what would happen either.

"It will come Evan" Teyla squeezed his arm briefly. "There is much you do not know also, there are many good friends here who still keep their secrets"

His brows raised over his shades as she nodded and turned her gaze back to the water. Following her lead he swept his eyes over the other's there again. Rodney and Dr Spencer were still talking, having come to a stop a few feet away, but behind them was Tom Mitchell, expression hidden by his Rayban's but definitely focused on them despite supposedly talking to Hawkes. Evan couldn't blame the man, even he'd taken a subtle double-take as the scientist had shed her t-shirt revealing quite a small pink string bikini but could he actually be jealous, of Rodney? He fought the urge to laugh, if only he knew. Dean and Sam were seemingly attempting to teach Vala, who'd been a last minute addition, the rules of poker whilst laid out on the sand on their stomachs, beers half buried beside them.

He tilted his head a little, they all seemed to be focused on one another but if you really studied for longer than a few seconds you could catch the little touches on her arm that Sam was giving her, whereas Dean seemed totally unaware of her state of undress, or the way her breasts were practically falling out of her top. Returning his attention to Colonel Sheppard the smile was back in place. Maddie was now stood on the surfboard, John straddling it behind her in case she fell, Olivia lazily swimming alongside. She stopped and tipped her head up as John said something to her, his own head lowered, and for a moment they looked like..a family.

Evan sat up a little more. Maddie looked so similar to Olivia that from this distance they could be Mother and daughter, with John playing the part of the Dad, teaching his child to surf, hands constantly at the ready to catch her. He felt his arms goose bump. "Jesus" He muttered quietly. Then the spell was broken as Ronan appeared from under the water dunking Olivia, both of them disappearing in a tangle of limbs. They surfaced a few feet away with the young woman jokingly berating the Satedan as he grinned at her. Flicking his gaze back to the Colonel, expecting to see him with his 'I'm pissed' face on his brows rose at the easy smile and relaxed posture of his CO.

"Secrets huh?"

"For now"

---

"Thank you Ro"

He turned and smiled at her after placing a sleeping Maddie on her bed and pulling up the comforter. "S'ok"

She grinned. "Still a man of few words"

He grinned back and moved towards the door, pausing next to her. "Thank you, it was good" Brushing his lips over hers briefly he slipped out, the door shutting behind him.

Olivia stared at the door but it was stubbornly unhelpful. "Huh" Shrugging she padded over to the bathroom, a quick shower to remove the salt from her hair then bed. Hopefully she was tired enough to pass out into a dreamless sleep tonight. Starting the water she began to peel off her clothes, smiling slightly. It had been a good day, and she was definitely counting the way Mitchell had slid into the seat next to Ange before anyone else could get there for the journey home as a good thing. The fight to get the other woman to wear that bikini had been worth it.

And Sam had managed to spend several hours in Vala's company without tripping over his own giant feet or stammering like a school girl. Olivia had also managed to swing them a Jumper ride home alone, except for Hawkes piloting, by getting Maddie to cling onto both Dean and Ronan like her life depended on it whilst asking John if she could sit up front. Honestly the girl was going to rival both her and Vala when it came to getting her own way, and grabbing as much attention as she wanted. She was pretty sure no one thought anything of it, but sometimes Ronan looked at her with this strange smirk on his face, like she was see through or something.

---

"You ok baby?" Evan looked up as his boyfriend stepped out of the bathroom. He'd been able to hear him muttering to himself as he got ready for bed.

"Uh huh" Rodney began rifling through his draw for something, cursing as knocked his elbow.

"Rodney?"

"What?" he turned and scowled at him.

"What's up? Didn't you enjoy today?" Evan raised a brow.

"Of course" Rodney pulled on his sweatpants and poured himself a coffee.

"No lying baby" He smiled at him.

The other man sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. "Do you think I should have offered Maddie to stay here? Is it weird that she mostly stays with Olivia?"

Evan frowned. "Do you want her to live with you?"

"I.." Rodney's shoulders slumped. "No, and I'm her Uncle, I mean..I'm a terrible Uncle"

"Baby you are not a terrible Uncle, and Maddie loves you a lot. And I know Olivia's only her half-Aunt but Maddie has known her for the exact same amount of time as she has you"

"And she practically lives with her"

"But you don't want her to live with you Rodney. And kids are smart, she knows you love her but she also sees you work twenty hour days, is there when you have to cancel yet again for movie night or dinner" Evan smiled. "I'm glad neither of us is a woman Rodney because that means we'll never have to have the big 'kids or no kids' talk. Neither of us are suited to that, we've both spent a long time doing our own thing, and we're so busy that we're pretty selfish with the time we do get together. And the secrecy doesn't help. I feel bad too sometimes that we didn't just take Maddie in, set her up in your spare room and become an instant family but life doesn't always work like that, real life at least"

"We're selfish bastards"

"Pretty much" He slid forward and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend. "But we'll do everything else we can for her ok? And as life eases up hopefully we'll be able to have her here more, or take her on trips off-world"

"I guess"

Evan sighed. "And how about we both promise now that we'll make the effort from now on to spend at least a day or night with her once a week? Even if she just crashes here and we pig out and catch a movie, or play games?"

"Sounds terrible"

"Baby.."

"I know, selfish bastard, terrible Uncle"

"No, just someone who's not used to having to give up their time for another. Even biological parents struggle with that, and they have nine months to get used to the idea"

"But Liv.."

"Needs Maddie as much as her niece needs her. And she's not there every night. You know Maddie stays with Dean and Sam too, even Teyla or O'Neill on occasion"

"Which is a little weird"

"He lost his son"

"I know" Rodney twisted slightly. "She's not staying with Sheppard too is she?"

Evan snorted. "No baby. At least not yet"

His boyfriend glared at him. "Whatever that means I'm gonna pissed aren't I?"

"Maybe"

"Great"

"Now we're done with that would you mind if we had sex now? I have to get back to my own quarter's before sunrise"

"Sucks"

"Um hmm" Evan pressed his lips against the other mans and hummed quietly as he was invited in to explore.

---

"Everything ok?"

Ronan nodded. "Yeah, kid's crashed"

"Cool" John watched him sprawl out on the opposite couch. "Hopefully Miss Winchester will too"

His boyfriend raised a brow.

He shrugged. "She look's tired"

"Yeah"

John rolled his eyes. "Careful not to use up your daily word allowance there big guy"

Ro grinned.

"And they call me uncommunicative"

"Big word"

John flipped him off. "Think her duties are too much?"

The Satedan shook his head. "She used to hunt monsters"

"Nightmares?"

"Probably"

"Right" John drained his drink. "Is it weird I feel weird about that?"

"No"

"Right, great"

---

Two weeks later.

Dean stretched out his legs muscles and kept one eye on his sister as the Satedan faced her, Bantos swinging in his hands. Olivia pointed at Ronan. "No face hits, or any other important parts" She grinned. "I have a date tonight"

"What?!"

"Who with?!"

Dean rolled his eyes at Colonel Sheppard who'd also paused mid-stretch.

She glared at them both. "God, it's like I suddenly have an extra older brother"

"Please don't refer to me as your brother" Sheppard pulled a face.

Ronan snorted. She flipped him off.

"Who with baby girl?"

She upped her glare. "None of your business" Grace pointed at Sheppard. "Or yours"

"Hey we just need to know who we've gotta go and threaten"

"Threatening is unacceptable, and won't work" She smirked. "My feminine wiles far outweigh your fear factor"

"Just wrong Livvie"

"You started it, and you weren't complaining when I talked that guard into letting you go last week"

Dean scowled at her. "I thought you knocked him out?"

"Yep, after he'd freed you and proceeded to grope my arse"

"He what?!"

"Olivia?" Ronan shifted. "Can we begin?"

"Sure Ro" She grinned at Dean. "Haven't needed your protection for a long time big brother, you are officially impotent"

"Hey!"

Sheppard smirked at him.

"Bite me Colonel" He propped himself against the wall and followed the sparring partners progress.

The other man slid down beside him. "You lot are naturals with those things"

"Previous training I guess" Dean shrugged. "Didn't always have the option to use guns in our last line of work. You should see her with a sword"

"What did you do, slay dragons for a living?"

He snorted quietly. "Something like that" There was a gentle prod to his side and he looked questioningly at the man beside him.

"Yeah, I heard, think I've only gotten half the story though"

"Believe me Shep, you wouldn't believe me if told you"

"Right" He shifted beside him. "So all your family uh, hunted?"

"Yep, goes back decades on my Mom's side, she passed her knowledge onto Dad when they married, and then he trained us after she died"

"Liv too?"

"Hmm, he used to say that she was his secret weapon, that nothing expected her to be able to kill it until it was too late, it also meant he could use her for bait"

"Bait?"

"Draw them out, get them moving. She's also very good at extracting information. A little widening of the eyes, right outfit…" Dean trailed off, he had hated himself a little every time he'd used her like that. Something he'd promised himself he'd never do after watching their Dad do exactly the same.

"Jesus Dean"

"Our world man, gotta survive the best you can. Just like he taught me and Sammy to hustle and con, and steal. The cause was bigger than anything else" He ran a hand through his hair. "Sucked at the time but none of us would have made it here without it"

Sheppard nodded. "Olivia mentioned someone called Bobby?"

"An old friend of Dad's, more of a Dad than he was really. We were always welcome at his, he always had our backs. Used to argue with Dad too, telling him it was too much, turning his kids into soldiers. They had some hell of some fights"

"Kids? How old were you?"

"We all started our training at six"

"Six, as in years?"

"Yeah" He watched his sister duck a blow and crack a stick over the Satedan's knee, taking him down. "Looks like it worked too"

---

Sam Winchester was screwed, completely and utterly screwed, from the moment she'd appeared in that clearing off-world a few weeks ago and effortlessly taken out the two giant lizards who had been attempting to make him dead. He ran a hand over his face and tried to focus back on whatever the hell it was O'Neill had asked him to do. He blinked at his screen.

Right, they were looking for nuts. He snorted. He should probably attempt to locate his own first, then reattach them, and maybe find the courage to say more than two words to her without stammering. At the beach it'd been good, with other's around he was fine but whenever he ran into her alone he turned into some kind of stammering moron. When he'd accidentally run into her earlier she'd grinned at him, patted his hand and swayed off down the corridor. She probably thought he was some kind of nutter they'd taken pity on and rescued from Earth.

Thankfully neither of his siblings had appeared to notice his latest crush yet, he'd probably shoot them at the first witty remark that fell out their mouths.

---

Vala sank down on one of the cushions on the floor and looked around at the three people in her quarters. They had become good friends. "So, whats the agenda this evening?"

Olivia grinned at her and took a sip of tea. "I have the beginnings of an idea.."

"Oh dear"

She stuck her tongue out a Lyss. "My ideas are awesome. But I'll need you guys to help"

"I repeat Lyss's oh dear"

"You're a coward Spencer"

She flipped her off. "So?"

She raised a brow at Vala. "Cameron's gay right?"

Angie spat out her tea. "What?!"

Vala huffed a laugh. "Yes, but he is very good at hiding it"

"Really!" Angie scowled. "Well, at least this explains my futile attempts to get into his pants"

"Whore"

"More of a whore"

Olivia stuck her tongue out. "I'll have you know I've been on my best behaviour these past few weeks"

"Yeah, and your brothers are getting suspicious"

"So I'd noticed, hence why I told Dean I was on a date tonight"

"Was there yelling?"

"A little" Olivia shrugged. "From Sheppard too"

"He has kinda adopted you"

"Yes, its very..weird" Olivia shrugged. She'd already been back in their bed a number of times but there was never any talk of anything else. If it wasn't for the fact she kept catching them eyeing her every time she engaged in a little flirting in their vicinity she wouldn't have even considered it…but that was something that was up to them. Olivia Winchester may be a lot of things but she did not wade into other people's relationships. Especially those who were as happy as John and Ro.

"Weird?"

"Um, yeah"

"Why weird?"

Olivia sighed. "I don't know um…"

Vala rolled her eyes and cleared her throat, saving Liv from an explanation. She'd have to bake her cookies or something. "And about Cameron?"

"I'm fed up with him and Dean eyeing each other up when they think no one is looking, and going out of their way to avoid each other. They're both being stupid, and blind, and my brother gets grouchy when he's not getting what he wants"

"You want to set them up?!"

"Yep"

Vala grinned. She loved these people. "We would have to be quite uh, sneaky? Cameron may be blind about this but he is annoyingly good at spotting when something is going on, especially involving me"

"You have kinda asked for it"

"I do not know what you mean"

"Maybe you should stop stealing stuff?"

"You steal stuff too"

"But I'm better at it"

"No way"

"Uh huh"

"Mitchell so bollocked you for bringing that piece of jewellery back from MX8-274 a couple of weeks ago"

"It was so shiny" Olivia smirked at them. And she'd apologised after, in the privacy of his quarters. That was before she'd cut him off of course.

Lyss snorted. "So what have we got to do with Cameron and Dean?..And that's so hot"

"Oh yeah" Olivia smiled. "Val is our inside to Cameron, Ange I need as back-up off world, I can nudge Dean, he's a sucker for sad face, and you Lyss.."

"Uh oh"

"You need to 'find' some paperwork on DADT"

"What?!"

"And have a little word with your Major"

"What?!"

"We need a few missions together. Preferably easy milk runs. Maybe some old temples where they can accidentally be stranded together. And he currently helps out Lorne with the team scheduling. As for the paperwork, we'll type it up, you find it, wave it around in front of O'Neill's face, see what the reaction is. And it'd be really handy if he ended up officially repealing it. I know things are pretty informal out here but a lot of them still feel like they have to hide, especially the military"

"And you think I can talk him into this?"

"I don't think much talking will be needed"

"Hey! I am not putting out so your brother can get laid"

"You put out all the time anyway…"

"Hey!"

"…and its not just about them getting laid. People need other people, even more so these days"

Vala nodded. "Cameron's sadness has eased with the arrival of his brother but he is still a little…lost"

"Right, and Dean's looked after me and Sammy for all our lives. It's time he had something for himself"

"And you think they'd work outside of sex?"

"Pretty sure"

"You'd better hope so Winchester"

---

Olivia looked over at the small figure in bed beside her, unlike hers at least Maddie's nightmares seemed to have almost stopped now. Although her niece spent quite a bit of time in her quarter's she had also taken to spending different nights with different members of her family, depending on how her fancy took her, even spending some time in Jack's quarter's where they would make den's and watch movies, eating brownies and drinking far too much soda. Which was steadily running out, God knows what they would do when it actually did. She kept meaning to talk to Jack about maybe thinking about taking another run at Earth, gathering more supplies, she knew they'd been discussing returning there, looking for more survivors so it shouldn't be too much of a challenge.

She chewed on her lip in the semi-darkness. Olivia wasn't exactly experienced in the whole parental thing but she was pretty sure Maddie should have at least one place she could permanently refer to as home, even if she didn't always stay there. Somewhere to keep her things, maybe start building collections of whatever she fancied, expanding her wardrobe. Even something as simple as your own bedding could provide comfort, security, this Olivia did understand. Those first few months on the road after her mother's death had been the hardest. Everything had smelt strange, wrong, and there were no reminders of home, no more little familiar hiding places to curl up into. And just when you got used to somewhere you were packed up and back in the car.

By the time Olivia had hit high school age she'd given up trying to make friends, or asking her Dad if she could join the local school. They were never there long enough anyway, and she'd watched Sammy become more and more disillusioned as his dreams of a law career slipped further away. But he had done it, or at least intended to until he'd lost Jessica. Olivia had hated him for a long time for leaving, ignored Dean when he'd tried to explain, in fact she'd become a real bitch. Forcing her oldest brother to step between her and Dad over and over again, just like he'd had to with Sam.

As she'd gotten older, become more wise to the world they lived in, and to the life other's got to live she had begun to understand and then she'd felt bad. So Olivia had gotten drunk one night, not her usual drunk but so drunk she couldn't even stand, and Dean had yelled at her, and she'd cried. And then she'd apologised for every shitty thing she'd done, and then she'd cried some more because it was too late to tell their Dad she was sorry.

The next day she'd slipped out and gone to Bobby's, staying there for a month until her brother's had eventually hunted her down and come and got her. It was a long time before she'd taken a drink again, and an even longer time before they stopped looking at her like she was about to explode or go on some kind of killing spree. That month with Bobby had been the closest she'd gotten to a normal life for a long time and Olivia had been oh so tempted to stay but the hurt in her brother's eyes nearly made her throw her breakfast back up.

So she'd left with them and, unknown to her brother's, made sure she always called Bobby everyday just like she'd promised. And she told him everything that she was scared about, or angry over and he would keep the nightmares away, and tell her she could always come home. And that knowledge meant she never had to, because knowing you had a home out there made being on the road so much easier.

The pain in her chest intensified a little and she took a quiet calming breath. It was time to offer Maddie a new home, and deep down inside, maybe a little selfishly, Olivia hoped that her niece might make her own nightmares leave her again.

---

The next morning.

Rodney looked up at the figure strolling into his lab. He sighed at the sight of tight pink and grey jersey, and long pink sleep socks. "What have I told you about wandering around bases in your nightwear?"

Olivia smiled sleepily at him. "That it's perfectly acceptable?"

"Absolutely it is. Don't listen to him"

He glared at his friend. Olivia blinked at the other man. "Good morning Colonel Sheppard"

"Good morning Miss Winchester" The Colonel grinned at her. "Coffee?"

"Umhmm. Thanks" She curled into the corner of the couch.

Rodney sighed quietly again. His sister's growing friendship with the Colonel was worrying, although probably inevitable. He just had to hope that at least Ronan was thinking with his upstairs brain. She smiled her thanks as John passed her a steaming mug before dropping back down into his usual sprawl next to her. Rodney looked her over carefully, she'd been looking a little worn thin again lately and he was getting nearly worried enough to talk to Sam and Dean about it. "You like you haven't slept at all"

"Got a couple of hours" Olivia took a sip of coffee.

"That's not enough" The Colonel frowned at her.

"Don't you start"

"Bad dreams Livvie?" John ran a finger through her hair. Rodney frowned.

"No, and don't call me Livvie, that's what my brother's call me. Unless you'd like to step in? I'm sure Rodney would like to not be the oldest anymore"

Rodney snorted, momentarily forgetting the familiar way his friend had touched Olivia.

"Fuck off McKay. I am so younger than you are"

"Not by much Colonel" He grinned at him and got the finger in return.

Sheppard rolled his eyes. "Anyway it's besides the point cause I'm not interested in the position" He turned to Olivia. "How about you put some clothes on that don't cause your brother to hyperventilate and I'll buy you breakfast?"

Olivia raised a brow. "Buy me breakfast?"

"Hey, I work bloody hard to ensure there's enough food for you lot"

"Sorry I didn't bring my violin" She grinned at him.

"Bite me"

"Here?"

"Olivia!" Rodney scowled at her. "If you insist on encouraging the Colonel please don't do it in front of me"

"Do you think that means we have his blessing?" John raised a brow at her.

"Like that has ever made a difference"

"Quit it, the both of you" Rodney glared at them. "Colonel, please return her in the same condition she left. Olivia please don't break the Colonel, or lose him, he still has some uses"

"Hey!"

"Um, actually Rodney before I go I was coming to tell you that Maddie is going to take my second bedroom"

He eyed his sister. "Uh, she is?"

Olivia nodded. "Umhmm, I know she likes to move about but it'll be nice for her to have somewhere permanent to dump her stuff, come back to if she needs it"

"Oh" Rodney battled with his feelings for a minute. "Um, I am her…I mean she can stay with me if she wants"

She smiled. "You work all hours Rodney, and I'm pretty sure all of your rooms are filled with potentially life-threatening experiments. As long as it's not too weird for you I'll be happy to have her there, there's no way I'm ever going to use that much space. It'll be nice for me too"

"Oh" He snuck a glance at the Colonel who was looking at her with an indecipherable look on his face then turned back to her. "Um, sure. Ok, thanks"

"Not exactly a chore brother" She grinned and stood. "I'm also going to take her with me and Tey next time she heads to the market on Athos, let her pick out a few things. Perhaps you'd like to come? I know you have some things that could be traded" Olivia raised a brow.

He scowled at her as Sheppard snorted. "I have no idea what you're talking about"

"It's for your niece Rodney"

"I.."

"And you really don't need that much chocolate" Her gaze flicked over him.

"Hey!"

The Colonel stood. "Come on Liv, before he vaporizes you or something"

Rodney flipped him off. "Fine" They made their way to the door. "And Sheppard does not need to help you in your outfit making decisions"

His sister rolled her eyes and headed out the lab behind a suspiciously straight-faced Sheppard, turning her head and grinning before disappearing.

"Why do I get the feeling it's too late?" He muttered to himself.

---

He was lurking in her living area when she called out that she was decent and could he grab her another coffee from the side, she just had to tame her hair into something half-way respectable. Pouring her a coffee he took another look round the room, they'd never come back here for their get-together's, it was pretty bare and he was in total agreement that having Maddie here would be good for both of them, even if it did make him feel a little…weird, again. He mentally flicked through the contents of his and Ro's stash and nodded. They could probably afford to contribute to the shopping trip too. Unfortunately with Earth out of action his shiny credit cards were now completely useless. John ignored the swirling in his stomach that he got when he thought about his brother.

Stepping into her bedroom though was a completely different story, there were piles of books, a couple of photos, scented candles, comfy cushions and warm heavy blankets. Her tablet was propped up next to an iPod docking station which in turn was nearly hidden by a myriad of whatever the hell it was women seemed to collect a ton of. He raised a brow. "You know you have more than one room right?"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Yes, thank you" She looked around. "Guess I'm used to living in one space"

"I believe it's called nesting" He grinned at her and placed her coffee on the desk.

"I believe it's called 'living in a variety of different motel rooms with your smelly older brothers and then living on a spaceship for several weeks' actually" She took a sip before sitting cross-legged on the end of the bed. "Thank you"

"Welcome" He sat in the chair and watched as she somehow turned her bed hair, which he was refusing to call cute, into soft silky waves using only a comb and her fingers. "Did you always stay in motels? No permanent home?"

She shook her head and grabbed her coffee again. "Mom tried to keep it as normal as possible but when she died we ended up permanently on the road. There was Bobby's house which was kinda like home I guess, we could always just turn up, stay for as long as we needed. More so when Dad died, they used to argue a lot" She twisted a strand of hair round her finger.

"I'm sorry"

Olivia shrugged. "Don't be, not your fault" She pointed to a couple of black and white photo's on her desk. "That's them, keep meaning to ask Rodney if he has a more up to date one of Mom"

John stood and padded over. "Not many can talk about people they've lost quite so easily" He picked up the photo.

"I watched my brothers struggle to be all manly and stoic, it screwed them up you know? I may not be great at emotions but I know not to try to hide stuff" She leant closer as he sat next to her with one of the frames in his hands. A finger ran across the faces. "That's Sam and Dean, obviously, then Bobby, Ellen and Jo"

He looked them over. "And this Ellen and Jo, they hunted too?"

Olivia took a sip of coffee. "Not really, but Jo wanted to. They were Mom and daughter, Jo's Dad was the hunter, got killed on a hunt with my Dad. Think Ellen always kinda blamed him. We didn't meet them until after Dad had died. They ran a bar called the Roadhouse, all the Hunter's could go there for rest, and get information from others. Joined the fight when their bar got destroyed, killing everyone inside. Both of them died the day after that photo was taken"

John pushed down the urge to offer some awkward pity. He moved to replace the photograph."How?"

"Nosy today" She drained her coffee and stood. "Jo got hurt really bad, knew she was dying. She offered us a chance to escape and Ellen refused to leave her"

"You really were at war weren't you?"

"So I keep telling everyone"

John gave her a sad smile then shook the feelings he wasn't supposed to be having, taking in the view. "I think that's only a vague improvement on the shorts and tee, and you'll need shoes"

She rolled her eyes. "I already have three big brother's thank you" She bent to pick up her boots and John studied the ceiling.

"I told you not to refer to me as your brother"

"Why are you staring at the ceiling?"

"Because it's not bending over in ridiculously tight jeans" He lowered his eyes and folded his arms across his chest.

Grinning she zipped up the flat black leather knee-length boots, before slinging a baggy varsity football cardigan on over said jeans and another very small tee. "After you've seen someone naked you're not supposed to care about them bending over in tight jeans"

He glared at her.

Olivia gestured to the door. "After you"

John huffed. "Fine, but no staring at my arse"

"Why would I do that?"

Ten minutes later they were sat at a table in the mess, with a half-decent attempt at a fry-up in front of them. "So, how was your date?"

She looked up from her breakfast. "Very satisfying"

He narrowed his gaze. "Who was it with?"

"None of your business Colonel"

"Cause I can't find out who, and neither can your brothers. Which means either it was a cover story…"

Damn.

"…or it was with someone it shouldn't have been"

"I'm a civilian Colonel, there are no limitations on my dating habits"

"You're also on a team, under my command. No inter-team relations"

She snorted. "Please, if you followed that one you probably wouldn't be able to form one single team of four no matter how much you joggled them around. And, euw, two of my team mates are my brothers" She looked thoughtful. "Which is probably against some rule too"

John glared at her. "No turning it around. What are you up to?"

"Up to?"

"And no using that look either, it won't work on me"

"I'm pretty sure it already has"

"Has not"

"Has too"

"Has not" He held out a finger. "Shut up"

Olivia smiled at him from under her lashes, and it definitely didn't work on him, absolutely not. "You're cute when you're mad"

"I am never cute. Quit it"

"Uh huh" She tilted her head. "Think its the way your eyes go all dark"

"Liv, cut it out"

"You alright Shep?"

"Actually you're right, it's not cute, more..hot"

"Stop sexually harassing Sheppard" Major Mitchell sat down and grinned at his CO.

John grinned back and flipped him off. "Your girl is up to something"

"Is she now?"

"Will you not talk about me like I'm not here, and a child" She pouted. "And I'm not his"

"Damn shame" Tom winked at her and she smiled back.

John rolled his eyes. Their time spent on the Daedalus had appeared to have upped their insanity to a whole new level. He'd found out about Olivia's secret mission for O'Neill to find ingredients for brownies the other week. Although John had to admit they'd tasted pretty good, and had seemed to cheer his people up for a bit, maybe the General wasn't that nuts after all. He was also pretty sure that Major Mitchell was getting some perks from his team member. Most people didn't flirt if they were secretly fucking but both Olivia and Tom were smart enough to know that actually it was less obvious if you did imply stuff, people just couldn't believe that you would be so open about it if you were really doing it. He swallowed down the little burn of jealousy, she was entitled to do whatever, and whoever, the hell she liked.

"Miss Winchester?"

He looked up to see Vala stood by their table.

"Yes Val?"

"We must talk"

"Cool" She popped the last of her tomato-like thing in her mouth, catching a stray drip of juice from the corner of her mouth with her tongue, which John steadfastly ignored, and offered a lazy salute. "See you at the gate"

"Don't be late Liv or we're going without you"

"Promise?"

Tom rolled his eyes. "Forgotten where we're going?"

Olivia furrowed her brow then smiled. "Oh yeah, awesome. Can I take my bikini?"

"No!"

Vala smirked at Sheppard. He glared at her.

"Come on Val, my work here is done"

John watched them leave the mess and shot a look at a table of marines who'd paused in their conversation to appreciate the view. They grinned at him and waggled their brows. He narrowed his gaze.

---

"So?" Olivia raised a brow once they were safely tucked away in her quarters.

Vala sighed. "I believe that several other people have designs on Cameron"

"Of course they do, he's hot"

"One of them seems to be planning on some uh 'alone time' with him very soon"

"Shit, who, and when?"

She shifted uncomfortably and licked her lips.

"Val, you ok hon?"

"Um, it is uh, Daniel" Her friends voice was barely a whisper.

"Uh, what?"

"I do not understand it either but I made sure I had not misunderstood" She ran a hand through her hair. "I have been very stupid, I thought I knew all"

"Oh sweetie, you uh, like him?"

"He was what I came back for, stayed for, I guess, I always thought that one day he would..you know"

"He's kinda rude to you Val"

"I know, but he cares for me too"

Olivia nodded. "Shit. You think they could work? Him and Cam? I know it sucks for you but I wouldn't want to interfere if you think it could be something special, they've both been through a lot"

Vala smiled sadly. "I have lost Daniel, whether he is with Cameron or not it is now out in the open as they say. But I think that it would be a uh monumental fuck up"

Olivia snorted. "You're not just saying that?"

She shook her head. "They are good friends but Daniel can never understand the side of Cameron that is military, and Cameron could never comprehend the decisions Daniel makes. In some cases science and military are a good mix but not with these two. And I think in a way Daniel is chasing the dream of O'Neill in the form of Cameron, this can only lead to hurt"

"Are you sure hon?"

"Yes. Daniel is planning on a movie night tonight, but without us"

"Shit, we're off-world!"

Vala raised a brow. "Perhaps you should leave this with me?"

"Uh why?"

"Because it would be too noticeable if you interfered now, so quickly before you head out. I am very good at this, let me handle it" She grinned. "They are also used to me fucking up their plans"

---

Waiting until Olivia's team had been off-world for a good hour or so Vala casually wandered down to her friends lab and spent a good half hour chatting with Dr Zalenka until she knew Daniel, Sam, Cameron, McKay, Major Lorne and Colonel Sheppard were in their weekly' how to kill the Ori and take back Earth' meeting with O'Neill. Slipping out she padded down the corridor, smiling a greeting at a few of the personnel she passed, until she reached Daniel's lab.

Strolling in like she owned the place, which had always worked well wherever she was in the galaxy and she'd honed the posture to perfection, Vala opened her palm and looked at the object in her hand. Placing it on top of the other items that he was due to test before finishing today she sighed quietly. She hoped if he ever found out he would thank her, she couldn't have Daniel, but Daniel couldn't have Cameron, they would destroy each other.

Cameron was not Jack O'Neill, and Jack O'Neill was not gay, so nothing good could come of the intended plans for tonight. Knowing in her heart she was right Vala couldn't help the little pang of guilt, she hoped Daniel found someone soon. He may have dismissed her as nothing but a flirt, and a continuing pain in his arse, but she had spent many hours with him and had come to the conclusion he was sad, very sad indeed.

Realising she'd probably been in here nearly too long to explain away that she was merely looking for him Vala grabbed a book and sauntered back out, relaxed expression back in place. As she drew further away from the scene of the soon to be crime she wondered who it would be that would finally make Daniel smile again. She chewed her lip thoughtfully and stepped into the transporter, perhaps this could be something she could do whilst also helping with Olivia's plan.

Vala had no doubt that this Dean Winchester would be a good match for her friend. She only hoped that one of them wasn't quite as thick-headed as she thought they both were.

---

"Daniel you appear to be pink"

"Yes thank you Jack, I had noticed" He glared at the other two men in the infirmary as they fought back their grins. "It isn't funny!"

"No ones laughing Daniel"

"You're smirking Jack"

"Am not"

"Are too"

Dr Keller cleared her throat. "Um, there's no other change in Dr Jackson physically, except for skin colour. Very healthy"

"He does have a glow about him"

"Fuck off Jack"

Colonel Mitchell choked back a laugh, Sheppard turning slightly away.

"Will you all please go?"

"Aw come on Daniel, weirder stuff has happened to you" Jack looked thoughtful. "Like when you turned into a.."

"Jack! Enough" Daniel tried to up his glare but he felt the pink was slightly affecting his threatening tone.

"You know, you made a helluva…"

"Jack!"

Sheppard coughed. "I'm sorry Sir, I should probably.." He gestured to the door of the infirmary.

"Yes go, for Gods sake Sheppard, before you give yourself an aneurism"

"Thank you Sir" He made a run for it.

Jack raised a brow at Cam.

"Hey, I'm not laughing"

"Bugger off Mitchell"

"Yes Sir"

"And stop calling me Sir!" Jack sighed. "What happened Daniel?"

"Stupid Ancients, and their random devices"

"You seen it before?"

"No. It was in a collection of artefacts I was looking over. It must be pretty sensitive, I hadn't even thought on"

His old friend nodded. "Well, I guess that's the risk of testing unknown tech"

Daniel sighed. "Yeah, like you say, it could have been worse" His gaze flickered to the doorway. After his initial concern, once Cam had discovered that he was fine, and pink, his team leader had failed miserably at hiding his amusement. He thought about tonight, what he would have been doing if it hadn't been for that little pink stone in the box, and the little wave of nausea that had been haunting him all day returned in full force. Maybe, just maybe, he'd made a mistake, or had come very close to making one at least.

"Daniel?"

"I'm fine Jack" He waved the other man away. "Go do whatever the fuck it is you do"

"You sure?" A curious gaze swept over him.

The bloody man was so intuitive that Daniel wondered if he was still all human after years of being infected, and stunned, and taken off by the Asgard. He nodded firmly. "Yes Jack, I'm sure"

"As you wish Daniel"

---

John looked up as his door slid open. "Hey baby, whats up?"

Ronan wandered in and sprawled out on the couch. "Heard Jackson's pink"

He snorted. "Yeah, it's…awesome"

Ronan rolled his eyes. "How?"

John shrugged. "Testing an Ancient device apparently, glad I've cut back on my light switch duty"

The Satedan grinned. "You'd look pretty"

"I have no desire to be pretty, and that's inappropriate"

Ronan rolled his eyes. John knew full well what he thought of Earth's DADT reg. "Think it was an accident?"

John raised a brow. The thought had flickered across his mind earlier but he wasn't sure why. Just that he had the strangest feeling that things were being done in his city that he wasn't aware of, or knew the reason for.

Ronan tilted his head. "So?"

"Why would anyone turn Jackson pink on purpose?"

"Heard he had plans tonight"

"Baby, how do you hear stuff that I don't?"

"Because I listen"

John huffed. He was pretty sure no one insulted O'Neill to his face like this, and if they did they were no longer capable of doing it again. "Who with?"

"Don't know. He's only been looking one way though"

"Yeah" John ran a hand through his hair. "Shit. If Miss Winchester is not behind this I'll eat my dress hat"

Ronan chuckled. "I like her" He looked at him with that expression that made John feel like he was naked or something (no.3 as yet unnamed). "So do you"

"She's hot, but she's a little insane, and she's fucking Major Mitchell"

His boyfriend shook his head. "Not anymore. Haven't smelt him on her for weeks"

"Huh"

---

Ronan stayed laid out on the couch after John had left for his second meeting of the day rubbing his thumb thoughtfully on the piece of exposed skin where the bottom of his tunic had ridden up. The city was changing, again. The usual cheerful chaos that had been present even under the threat of the Wraith had given way to deep mourning when they could no longer dial their home planet and with the arrival of the Daedalus and the Odyssey it was altering again. There was still the sense of loss swirling under the surface but now there was also cautious optimism, a few reunited friends and family renewing hope, and the slowly dawning realisation that something new was in their grasp and the apprehension of reaching out and grabbing it with both hands.

Some thought he was stupid, that his short sentences and his ability to smash someones face in without bruising his fists encouraging those beliefs but Ronan had learnt to watch, to listen, and it was made even easier because most didn't worry about his presence when discussing things that perhaps they'd think twice about around others, like Sheppard. He had tried to understand their stupid rules and regs, John patiently explaining them to him one night off world when he'd found Ronan and a very pretty attendant half-dressed in their tent, right after he'd done throwing out the other man and giving Ronan a very impressive blow job, but it didn't mean he had to agree with it. And Ronan's ability to track also meant he could supply a list of everyone engaging in not so legal activities to Sheppard if the other man was ever inclined to ask.

He smiled to himself, like John he was pretty sure Olivia was up to something and he had a vague notion what. She was a very clever woman, not McKay clever, but she reminded Ronan of himself, she had learnt to listen, to watch, disguised by the flirting and the innocent smiles, and she knew what to do with what she learnt with the added bonus that she had full understanding of Earth's outdated laws. Of course he had the added knowledge that her close friend Vala had snuck into Dr Jackson's lab earlier today whilst all the higher up's were in meetings, and DR-1 were off-world.

Ronan approved, Colonel Mitchell and Dr Jackson were not suited, and he had seen Cameron furtively return Dean Winchester's perusal of his body, albeit when the other man wasn't looking. It would be a good match if Olivia could find a way to get them to both stop being so, he searched for the word, thick-headed.

His gaze fell on the delicate silver chain that he had found the morning after her last visit to John's rooms. He kept meaning to fix it and return it to her and he was surprised she had not yet asked them about it. He pushed himself up and wandered over to the desk, picking it up and running it through his fingers. John saw Olivia Winchester as a puzzle, too complicated, too screwed up to consider for anything apart from sex even if a part of him was interested. Ronan knew better, she was what she was, a soldier who, like himself, had never had to worry about rules and regs, who served because she loved her brothers and believed in their fight. And who used sex as a release or to get what she wanted.

He rummaged around in the drawers for the small roll of tools he'd picked up on the Athosian market and bent his head to his task. Ronan was a patient man, he'd run from the Wraith for seven years, waited for Colonel John Sheppard for another year, he would wait for John and Olivia to catch up however long it took.

---

"Olivia!"

"What?"

"Will you stop fidgeting? You're driving everyone nuts"

She rolled her eyes. All she'd been able to think about was getting back and finding out if Val had been successful and what exactly she'd done to prevent Daniel from attempting to seduce Cameron. The woman was nearly as inventive as Olivia herself, ok probably more, she mentally shrugged, but she'd had like eighty more years practice.

Shooting her one last look Major Mitchell dialled Atlantis and Olivia pulled together a relaxed image from years of practice. Dean eyed her curiously but she blinked back blankly at him, giving a quick grin before heading home.

"Welcome home Mitchell"

"Sir"

Jack glared at him but said nothing. "How was your trip?"

"Sunny, sandy, full of hot women in skimpy clothing"

"Sounds like a fucking nightmare"

"Yes Sir, I'm gonna need years of therapy after this"

Olivia snorted and unzipped her jacket before reaching for her thigh holster. She'd managed to sneak in a couple of hours sunbathing with Ange, after some convincing, before Tom had found them and held out their clothes keeping his eyes shut. It had been worth the bollocking.

"All ok here on the range Sir?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "I will have Sheppard shoot you if you continue to call me Sir Mitchell"

"Awesome" Sheppard grinned at him.

Tom flipped him off.

"And nothing to report"

Sheppard winked at her team leader. Olivia tried to keep her movements smooth, eyes averted.

"You're lying"

"I am a highly decorated Air Force General, I do not lie Major"

She heard Dean huff a quiet laugh behind her.

Jack raised a brow. "Well, there may have been a slight..incident"

"Incident?" Tom matched his brow raise.

"Jackson got turned pink" Sheppard was pretty much all out smirking now.

"Sheppard!"

"What? You were so gonna string it out Sir"

"Sheppard?"

"Yes Sir"

"I order you to shoot yourself for being an annoying bastard"

"Then I relieve you of your command for being insane, and giving stupid orders Sir"

Olivia grinned. Vala had turned Daniel pink, awesome. And her two CO's were starting what was always a highly entertaining, if half-hearted, argument.

"Something amusing you Olivia?"

Great, now they were all looking at her. "Nothing ever amuses me Jack, unless you say it should"

He peered at her. "Are you taking the piss young lady?"

"Would you like me to Sir?"

Another eye roll. "Do we need to debrief?"

Major Mitchell looked thoughtful. "I don't think so O'Neill"

"Awesome, you can all fuck off. Oh and Miss Winchester?"

"Yes Jack?"

"A word please"

"Um, what word?"

"Don't push it" He gestured up the stairs. "Come on"

"You know you can't actually shoot me right?" She passed him and made her way up to the office.

"Why not?"

"Great"

---

They watched the office door shut and Olivia take a seat with her back to the window.

"What's she done?"

Dean raised a brow. "You're asking me?"

John matched his brow raise. "You keep close tabs on her, more than she knows"

"O'Neill's right, you are annoying"

John rolled his eyes. "So?"

"No fucking idea" Dean looked at Sam who shrugged,

"Sorry, no clue"

"Mitchell?"

"Hey don't ask me, I'm just always glad we manage to get back without her trading us for chocolate or something"

John snorted. "Try going through the gate with McKay"

They all turned and looked at Dr Spencer who rolled her eyes and walked out without a word.

---

Olivia eyed her CO, and friend, she hoped. He tipped back in his chair and steepled his fingers.

"You're very clever Miss Winchester"

"I am?"

"Oh yes, maybe not in the conventional way with PhD's and such, but what the men here would call street smart. You remind me a little of Vala"

"Thank you"

He nodded. "Thought you'd take that as a compliment. You're also very good at hiding it"

"Ok"

"You've also surrounded yourself with some very smart people"

"I have?"

"Stop interrupting Olivia"

"Sorry Jack" She grinned back into his glare.

"I have no problem with a little initiative, I also understand that there are issues that swirl beneath the surface of this city, hidden by the constant need to survive here"

She nodded, wondering where the hell this was going.

"As long as you cause no problems that could endanger the city or its residents I would like you to continue"

"Uh, continue with what Jack?"

"Making this a home for us Liv, making it a little better that we're not on Earth, that we've lost so many"

She raised a brow. "General O'Neill, I bow to the awesome power that is your black ops"

"And don't you forget it Miss Winchester"

"I won't Jack. Thank you"

He nodded. "And you wanted to speak with me?"

"Um, I have been thinking.."

"Uh oh"

"Why does everyone say that?" She scowled at him as he grinned back. "Anyway, I've been thinking maybe we could set up some kind of school or something"

"A school?"

Olivia nodded. "There are quite a few children here, and I'm sure more will be born, especially if we can't take back Earth. And there are a lot of highly skilled people out here. It would give the kids some structure, an opportunity to learn, and provide future generations with the knowledge needed to keep the city going and the human race continuing"

Jack eyed her. "Thats…actually a good idea"

"Hey!"

"I'll look into it Winchester. Anything else?"

"No, thank you Jack"

He nodded again and waved a hand at the door which she took as her dismissal. Before she opened it she heard his chair shift slightly.

"Oh, and Miss Winchester.."

"Yes Jack?"

"Don't forget yourself will you?"

She smiled at the door. "No Jack"

---

Aiden ran his hands gently up and down her back. "So, let me get this right. You want me to start scheduling missions for both SG-1 and DR-1 together, preferably on nice quiet planets, possibly with some tight spaces?"

"Tight, lockable spaces"

"Baby, do I even want to know why?"

"Um" His girlfriend wiggled slightly, a little teasing friction over his dick. "You probably would but I can't tell you"

His brain took a minute to process, to be fair to it he had just gotten laid, twice. "Ah. Is this why I just got sex?"

"Nope, well maybe it started that way but then I kinda got into it"

He grinned and pressed a kiss into her hair. "Yeah, I noticed"

"So modest"

Aiden sighed. "We still have important work to do baby, but things are quieting down a bit, giving us chance for the odd bit of downtime, a bit of relaxation. How about once a fortnight?"

"Really?"

"Yes, really. But remember I still answer to Lorne on this stuff, if he starts getting suspicious.."

"I know, thank you" She kissed his collarbone. "You're awesome"

"Yeah, I know"

"Think Sheppard will notice?"

"Probably, he's annoyingly astute behind that lazy image he projects"

"What will you say?"

"I'll think of something" He enjoyed her warmth for a bit, mind flicking over all the teams that were scribbled down on the large whiteboard in the Military Commanders office. "You know, I think there may be some other teams that would benefit from some shared missions"

Lyss pushed herself up on his chest and looked at him curiously. "Really?"

"Hmm, nothing wrong with spreading the load so to speak"

"I'd hate to see the inside of your brain"

"So would I"