Title: Lost Among The Stars

Summary: When Major Evan Lorne is attacked on a mission off-world, a series of events is put into motion that reveals the very secret John Sheppard had worked so hard to keep hidden. Eventual Sheppard/Lorne. Spoilers for "Coup d'etat" and "Doppleganger".

A/N: I'm back! Sorry about the delay in posting, I have been basically completely rewriting the first two chapters of this story. So that's been taking up most of my time. I'll be posting them soon so keep your eyes out for the edited chapters. Anyway, enough excuses. This chapter begins the final act of this story (you'll be happy to know that means no more new characters). There is action and a climax leading to the ultimate confession you've all been waiting for.

Now, while I say this is the final act, I do not mean that it will be rushed. It took me almost 55k to set up the characters and their expositions; so, as you can guess, I am in no hurry to suddenly drop the 'love bomb' from the sky. John and Lorne have come this far without revealing their feelings. And they need spectacular circumstances to nudge them in the right direction.

Enjoy!

Characters: Evan Lorne, John Sheppard, Rodney McKay, Ronon, Teyla, Elizabeth Weir, Sam Carter, Radek Zelenka, Jennifer Keller, and other minor characters and OCs.

Disclaimer: all rights belong to MGM.

Warning: mentions of non-consensual rape.

~o~o~

"Major Lorne, please report to Colonel Carter."

The order came in just after the crack of dawn. Luckily, Lorne had set his earpiece on the nightstand next to his bed, on full volume. He was roused by its beeping and answered the call. Struck by the urgency in the relayed message, the Major quickly dressed and rushed to the control room.

Despite the early hour, Lorne was surprised to find the 'gate room bustling with activity. A few scientists were checking several control crystals while another loudly typed away on an Ancient computer. Chuck, the Canadian DHD technician, greeted Lorne and directed him toward Sam's office.

"What's going on?" Lorne couldn't help but ask.

"Mostly maintenance," Chuck shrugged. "But we received an urgent data burst from the SGC not too long ago. I'm guessing that's why you were called."

"Do you know what it was about?"

"No, but it was sent through with Dr. Jackson's IDC."

Lorne nodded thoughtfully. It was curious that a message from Earth had the archaeologist's identification code, not Stargate Command's. Still pondering the information, Lorne entered Sam's office. The Major immediately noticed that he was the only senior staff member in attendance. If the data burst was urgent, like Chuck suggested, then John or Rodney certainly would have been called - they were chief science and military officers on Atlantis after all. Instead he only saw two linguists and a sociologist calmly talking to Sam.

"Ah, Major Lorne, thank you for coming," Sam said, finally acknowledging his presence.

"Of course, ma'am," he replied, nodding politely before moving to stand next to one of the scientists.

"Well, you're all probably wondering what's going on," she said, eyeing the four in her office. "We received a data burst about an hour ago. It was from Dr. Jackson who informed me that the Ori have begun to attack many of our allies relentlessly. The Tok'ra and the Lucian Alliance has been successful in repelling most of their attacks. But the Nox and the Unas have not been so victorious. Many have died from the Ori plague."

"You four," Sam declared, turning to address everyone directly, "have been chosen to travel back to Earth to coordinate amended treaties to help our allies. We must let the Nox and the Unas see that it would benefit them to help us in our fight against the Ori. Dr. Jackson has already departed to start negotiations with the Nox."

She paused before continuing. "You four have had relations with the Unas in the past - be it with their language or their culture. Major Lorne, you in particular, know the language and are familiar with Kor Asek's tribe on P3X-403. The SGC wants you to lead a team to seek out the Unas' help in this."

Lorne blinked, shocked by the revelation. But, not willing to disobey a direct order, he simply said, "Yes, ma'am. When do we leave?"

"Because of the escalation in the war against the Ori, we have decided that it would take too long for you all to travel via the Daedalus. As such, we have been approved to 'gate you all back to Earth in three hours time."

"So soon?" one of the linguistics asked.

"Yes," Sam responded solemnly. "Hopefully you'll have enough time to pack a quick bag and settle any affairs or projects you have before you leave."

"When will we be briefed?" Lorne inquired.

"You will meet with General O'Neill when you get back to Earth."

Lorne nodded while the other scientists murmured among themselves.

Sam noticed their uncertainty about the task. "I know this is such short notice, but it is vital to the survival of Earth and our allies," she reassured them. "I want you to know this will not be a permanent position. Once negotiations are finished, you all will be sent back to Atlantis." She turned to gage the reactions of everyone in her office. "Any more questions?"

She was met with silence.

"Alright, you're dismissed. But please be back in the 'gate room in three hours for departure."

Lorne waited until all the scientists scampered out of the room before approaching Sam.

"What is it, Major?" she asked, settling down behind her desk.

"Has Colonel Sheppard been told yet, ma'am?"

"No," she responded, shaking her head. "I wanted to inform you of the situation before I brought him into it. I know you have a very important position here in Atlantis, Lorne. But Daniel insists that you act as the liaison with the Unas. And, I'm afraid, I have to agree with him. I know John won't be happy with the arrangement but he'll get over it. Besides, it's only temporary."

Lorne nodded. "Have you chosen my temporary replacement?"

Sam frowned slightly. "Not yet." Picking up a few discarded documents on her desk she handed them to the Major. "Here are some candidates. Any suggestions?"

"Lieutenant Abrams," Lorne immediately responded, not even bothering to read over the list of personnel that Sam provided him. "He's on my 'gate team and he's familiar with all my duties. I'm confident he'll be able to handle the position."

"Okay, I'll recommend him, but John gets the last say as who's to be his second in command."

"I understand, ma'am."

"Now go pack, Lorne. We can't have a delayed departure."

"Yes, ma'am," the Major nodded.

Lorne slowly walked out of the office. He walked passed the DHD, down the stairs, and into the nearest transporter. Once alone the full weight of his mission crashed down on him. He was being sent back to Earth! It seemed surreal. He never really went back to the Milky Way galaxy anymore, nor did he want to. Atlantis was his home now. He couldn't imagine not waking up to the sound of the ocean every morning, or seeing his friends in the cafeteria, or exploring Pegasus, or fighting the Wraith and the Replicators. The Ori were a formidable enemy, but Lorne didn't know them too well, just what he was able to gleam from mission reports. And the Unas, he was familiar with them, but it seemed like a life-time ago when he walked among the alien tribes. But still, the uncertainty of this mission was daunting. He did better with more information, not less. The fact that he didn't even know how long he would be gone was a little troubling.

When the Major finally got back to his private quarters, he quickly began to pack. He threw a few sleeping garments at the bottom of his bag along with a pair of jeans and extra t-shirts. He only decided to bring one set of his uniform, knowing he would be provided with new SGC ones when he arrived back on Earth. He threw in his hygiene products last.

With his bags packed, he set about finding the bone necklace gifted to him by Kor Asek. If he wore it in a meeting with the Unas he knew negotiations would be in his favor. He would be welcomed by showing respect for their culture. But for the life of him, he couldn't remember where he put it!

A loud rapping sounded on his door.

Lorne rushed over and opened the door. "Yeah?"

"Hey, Lorne."

It was John.

"Come in, come in," Lorne beckoned briskly before turning back to scour his room for the missing necklace.

Glancing around the chaos in the Major's room, and barely ducking a dirty shirt that was thrown his way, John crinkled his brow in confusion. "Woah! What's going on?" the Colonel asked.

Lorne picked up his pack and slide it out of the way so he could peer under his dresser. "Huh?" he mumbled, obviously distracted.

John looked at the packed duffle bag, eyes wide. "What the hell? Are you packing?" He looked over at the Major. "Lorne, answer me!" he ordered.

"I've been called back to Earth, sir," Lorne responded, his head now buried in his sock drawer. As such, he wasn't able to witness the color drain from his commanding officer's face.

"What for?" John asked, his voice slightly strangled.

"Negotiations with the Unas. Didn't you talk to Colonel Carter?"

"No," John replied, shaking his head. "I haven't seen Sam since yesterday."

Lorne turned to look at the senior soldier. "She said she was going to tell you. I only just got the order about an hour ago."

John blinked. "Oh."

"Yeah, the request came in with an urgent data burst from the SGC. I'm supposed to 'gate out in about two hours."

"How long will you be gone?"

"I'm not sure," Lorne shrugged, moving over to look under his bed frame. "Until the negotiations are over, I guess." He crouched down and stuck an arm under the mattress. Sticking his tongue out in concentration, he dug around until he found something. "Got it," he said triumphantly, smirk proudly forming on his face. But his smile fell when all he pulled out was an old watch that he thought he lost a year ago. "Damn it," he grumbled. He tossed the watch on his bed before fishing around under the mattress again.

"What are you looking for?" John asked curiously.

"A necklace, sir."

"Why would you have a necklace?"

"It's a ritualistic necklace gifted to me by the Unas," Lorne explained. "It's made of Goa'uld bones and Naquadah."

"Oh. Like this?" the Colonel asked.

Lorne looked up and saw John holding the much sought after item. "Where was it?" he demanded, rushing to his feet.

"It was hanging from your lamp," John responded, pointing to the reading lamp on Lorne's desk, "in plain sight."

"Of course it was," Lorne grumbled, taking it from his commanding officer. He carefully folded the necklace and put it in the pocket of his BDUs. Then, moving back over to his pack, he picked it up and threw it over his shoulder.

The Colonel trailed after him. "Do you have time for breakfast before you go?"

"I think so, sir," Lorne said.

"Awesome," John smiled.

Breakfast was a quick affair. They both opted for plain oatmeal and coffee before settling down on the balcony. Lorne didn't want to stay too long because he still wanted to say goodbye to his other friends before he left. The two soldiers tried to make small talk but, in the end, Lorne just ended up reporting all the duties that John would have to take over in his absence. The Major also informed John that he would have to pick his temporary replacement. He once again recommended Lieutenant Abrams, stating that he was a suitable second in command for John.

After breakfast, John promptly left to go speak to Sam while Lorne went off to say goodbye to his friends. He found Radek and David in the labs. They were both startled to hear of his sudden departure but wished him well nonetheless. Rodney, however, did overhear the conversation and requested that Lorne pick up some chocolate on Earth before he returned to Atlantis. Lorne informed the scientist that he wouldn't be able to, seeing as he would not be leaving Stargate Command except to go to the negotiations. Rodney didn't take kindly to the news but quickly got over it when Radek suggested a friend who could easily fetch chocolate for Lorne while he was off-world.

"Just let him know what you want and he'll have it ready for you by the time you return," the Czech scientist told him. "I'll email ahead and tell him to expect you."

Thanking him, Lorne continued on his way to see Grace. The linguist was still in her quarters when the Major found her. She was very disappointed to hear her best friend would be leaving Atlantis for an unknown amount of time. Lorne, however, was confident that she would be fine. Between all her new friends and her budding romance with Rodney, he knew she could cope without him.

Lastly, Lorne ran into Laura in the Marines' locker room. The Lieutenant was just getting off the night shift and was clearly sleep deprived. It took Lorne almost three minutes before Laura finally understood what he was trying to say. As such, when she did figure it out, she gave him a bone-crushing hug. They talked for a few more minutes before Lorne ordered her to bed.

Lieutenant Abrams caught up with Lorne outside the 'gate room. He told the Major of his new posting as Atlantis' temporary second in command. Lorne smiled knowingly and congratulated him.

Abrams, of course, was nervous about the position. He knew the duties he was charged to do and, being on Lorne's team, he was familiar enough with the potential dangers of the job. As such, he approached Lorne with hopes of getting some guidance. The Major was more than happy to oblige.

"Keep it simple," Lorne told him, rattling off a list of advice. "Take ownership, be decisive, and always have a backup plan. Don't let people see that the job gets to you, but don't keep it bottled up. Just find the right people to talk to. The right friends. Be a good listener and trust your gut…"

For a half hour, Abrams listened intently. He soaked up the information, but he wasn't afraid to ask questions - one reason why Lorne liked the Lieutenant so much. Even the best leaders needed input from their teams regularly. It would keep them from getting too cocky and overconfident. It's a leader's responsibility to allow his team's voices to be heard and, more importantly, to learn from them. Not only will it empower them but it will make the leader better. Leaders don't always know all the answers, so it's important to surround themselves with the people who do. That's why John and Rodney worked so well together. John led and strategized while Rodney provided all the logic and reasoning. And when Rodney wasn't confident with his answer, John wasn't afraid to question him.

"But know this," Lorne told the Lieutenant, "you can't control everything."

Luckily, the Major knew Abrams was flexible. The Lieutenant was able to go with the flow of command - this was important because orders often changed and split second decisions were frequent in the field. And while Abrams followed orders, he was also prepared take over when he needed to. The Lieutenant was learning, whether he knew it or not. He was strong, loyal, and trustworthy. But he was also experienced and cynical enough to look beyond the surface, to dig deeper to find the truth. A good balance for any soldier.

"Shit happens," was Lorne's parting advice.

And it was true. No matter how much a leader planned and strategized anything could happen. All soldiers knew this, it happened often enough. So, while Lorne didn't necessarily need to tell Abrams that, he knew it had to be reiterated. Because anything could happen in Pegasus. And if anything did happen to someone under the leader's command, the leader would be held accountable. Whether it was his fault or not.

The Lieutenant thanked Lorne, knowing the advice he received was invaluable. The Major nodded, patted Abrams on the back, and continued on his way. Five minutes later Lorne found himself standing in front of the activated Stargate. The other three scientists who were to accompany him - the two linguists and the sociologist - were also there, bags and all.

John was there too.

From the bottom of the stairs, the Colonel watch the proceedings like a hawk. He seemed nervous. His arms were crossed and his brow was furrowed. He clearly wasn't happy with the arrangement. He kept snapping at anyone who tried to talk to him.

Lorne knew it was because he was leaving Atlantis, that he would no longer be under the Colonel's watchful eye. The Major knew John liked to protect those he loved, almost all the missions with his team were evidence enough. But now, with Lorne leaving for Earth, John had no way of knowing what could happen to him. John had no way of protecting him from all the potential threats of the Milky Way galaxy. The Ori were dangerous foes after all.

After a few moments John caught Lorne looking at him so he stalked forward.

"What am I going to do without you, Lorne?" John playfully asked, a small smile tugging at the corners of his pursed lips.

"You'll survive," the Major responded. "That is, if you manage not to run into trouble while I'm gone."

John smirked. "No promises."

Lorne rolled his eyes.

Hoisting his pack high, the Major walked up the ramp and toward the activated Stargate. After Chuck announced the shield was down on the other side, one of the linguists bravely took the first to step through the event horizon. Following suit, the other two scientists also passed through the Stargate.

"Well, go save the world, Iron Man!" John called.

The Major laughed at the use of his old nickname. "Yes, sir!" he saluted sloppily - and then disappeared through the blue ripple of the event horizon.

~o~o~

As Lorne stepped through the Stargate, John couldn't help but feel completely lost. Everything was out of his hands. But it wasn't like when missions went awry or when he wasn't the ranking officer. It was different this time. There were too many uncertainties that he couldn't control. There were no missions, no check-ins, no exploring, and no immediate return.

As the Stargate shut down John spotted Lieutenant Abrams standing on the balcony overlooking the 'gate room. Deciding to meet with the soldier that was to be his temporary second in command, the Colonel jogged up the stairs.

"Abrams!" he called out as the Lieutenant moved away from the railing and toward the exit.

"Sir?"

Catching up the the man, John placed his hand on Abrams shoulder. "I wanted to talk to you about your new posting."

"Of course, sir," Abrams nodded. "I briefly spoke to Major Lorne before he left but I appreciate any extra instruction."

"Yes, I'm sure Lorne was able to tell you about the particulars of your duties," John spoke, leading the Lieutenant to the balcony behind the control room. Luckily it was empty of personnel. "But I wanted to let you know that, due to the most recent data burst, we have a senior staff meeting after lunch. You are to attend, of course."

"I'll be there, sir."

"Great," John said, clapping his hands together. "Also, I think it would be best to take your 'gate team off the duty roster. You'll be swamped while you get your bearings and I don't want to add any unnecessary distractions."

"Of course, sir," Abrams acknowledged. "Besides, we're down a member as it is."

"Another thing, if you come across any paperwork that Lorne would usually do, give it to me. Even though you are technically second in command over the military contingent, you do not have the necessary clearance to handle some of the more sensitive materials." This was something John learned earlier when meeting with Sam. It was unfortunate that he had to do extra paperwork while Lorne was gone, but it seemed appropriate. "I can try to work on getting you clearence but we don't know how long Lorne's going to be gone…"

"I understand, sir," Abrams responded.

"Wonderful, I'll see you after lunch then."

Taking the Colonel's words as his dismissal, Abrams saluted before retreating back into the control room.

Sighing, John turned his gaze upon Atlantis. It was still fairly early in the morning so the sun hung low in the sky. Its rays bounced off the Ancient spires and created an ethereal halo round the city. It was magnificent. He wished Lorne was there to see it.

John winced. Lorne had barely been gone fifteen minutes and he was already brooding. He needed to pull himself together. Lorne would be back soon. All he had to do was wait. He could wait, he had been doing it long enough.

Shoulders slumped, John ran his hands through his messy hair. He was due for a haircut, he realized. Maybe Teyla could trim it for him. Not wanting entertain his miserable thoughts anymore, he decided to find the Athosian warrior. So John left the balcony to search for Teyla.

~o~o~

A/N: Oh no, Lorne has gone back to Earth! What's John to do? Try to distract himself, of course. With Lorne gone, John goes on an adventure in the next chapter that leaves him in an interesting position… but I guess you'll just have to wait and find out.

You guys, I'm so happy with the number of responses and attention that this story has received. Thank you again for everything!

Don't forget to keep your eyes out for the edited versions of the first two chapters of this story. I'll be posting them soon.

Please review! I love knowing what you guys think. XOXO