So this chapter is probably one of the longer one's I've wrote and you'll notice it has got a split but that's only because there's a massive change of setting, but I'm not giving anything away ;)
Happy Reading :)
When I awoke the next the morning, the warm body was still in my arms breathing gently. "Morning, love." The brogue came across quite thick at times like these and I loved every moment of it. "Good morning," I replied contentedly, kissing the side of his neck. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm not really sure…" He said, sounding genuinely conflicted. "Well we'll figure it out. Meanwhile, I think we should go and get some breakfast, we've got a long day ahead." He turned around to face me, "How on Earth are you so perfect?" I snorted, "I wonder the same about you."
We got up and showered quickly, taking our own turns, before changing into what would be our civilian clothing. It was quite amusing when I realised the only pair of jeans I had were skinny jeans – luckily they still fitted around my hips. I threw on a standard t-shirt with a zip-up hoody. I also managed to hide away my converse amongst my things.
Carson wasn't much different; however he chose to wear brogue-style shoes to go with his hoody-blazer combination. The two of us were definitely 'batting for the other team' if you get what I mean.
We took a casual walk down to the mess hall, fingers loosely interlaced. People looked at us but neither of us cared at the moment. This was a time when Carson needed me and I wasn't going to deny him that. We silently sat down at our usual table. Despite appearances, we were both feeling very sombre.
After we settled I stood up to get some food, leaving Carson behind but I had a feeling he just needed a second to breathe on his own. "Morning sir, is Beckett okay – he doesn't look so good?" I gave a half shrug, "Family drama, we're heading back to Earth today to see if we can sort it all out. Please don't let on that you know – despite him talking all the time he's actually really private." Evan gave an agreeing nod, "Of course, well I hope everything turns out well for you, sir – and if you're feeling really friendly some chocolate and coffee wouldn't go amiss." I smirked and shook my head, not even bothering to answer him.
I took some bacon sandwiches and coffee back to the table where Carson was sat with the same empty expression, "Come on, Carson, you've got to eat something." I nudged gently and he let out a sigh before he came properly back to reality. "Sorry." He shook his head off.
"It's going to be okay Carson, we'll make it okay." He nodded feebly. "You've got to promise me that if any of this gets to be too much you'll tell me…" The slightly older man gave a sigh and nodded, "Promise."
"Okay – you ready?" I turned to Carson as we stood before the gate, our holdalls by our feet. Carson had been restless all day and his nerves were currently getting the better of him, shivers running straight through him. "Deep breaths, babe, we've got this." Carson stopped and turned to me with an eyebrow raised. "Did you just call me 'babe'?" I gave a nonchalant shrug and turned back around to face the gate.
In truth, I'd never used pet names before, I'd never felt comfortable using them but it kind of just came out and honestly, I didn't mind. "Tap your shoes three times and we'll head back to Kansas, Dorothy." I mumbled under my breath but Carson heard me and let out a quiet chuckle, winding our hands together loosely.
Once the gate had whirred to life we picked up our bag, which nearly toppled me over since I've become overbalanced. Carson kept me upright though and was relieved as we only had to travel a matter of metres…well, kind of.
We stood right in front of the gate and both took a deep breath, I pulled Carson to stand right next to me before we both took a step through the gate. The next time my eyes were open I was stood at the top of the ramp in the SG-C.
I frowned, similarly to Carson when I saw the small crowd that had congregated in the gate room. General Landry met us at the bottom with an almost scary smile on his face and shook my hand. "Welcome back gentleman." He moved over and shook Carson's hand as applause erupted from all around.
"General? Are we missing something here?" I asked really quite seriously. Landry chuckled, "Firstly, these guys all know how hard you've had to fight to keep Atlantis. Then somehow the two of you single-handedly get 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' to be something that is long forgotten – and to top it off you end up carrying a child. I think you should take the applause." He recommended and we both just agreed.
A couple of airmen approached us and took our bags, telling us that they were being loaded into the car that we were going to be loaned to us by the air force. However, first, we had to be checked over in the infirmary. I took Carson's hand once again and led him to the infirmary.
"How on Earth do you know where you're going? You were never posted to the SG-C?" Carson enquired and I smirked, "I can't believe you don't remember – Ronan and I ended up here when the wraith decided to pay a visit." Carson nodded, remembering the event now, "Aye, when Ronan was being interviewed…" I nodded, confirming what he was saying.
As we round the corner I was ambushed by no other than Doctor Caroline Lamb. "Jesus, Care, you nearly floored me!" I complained but to no avail, she just stood up straight and glared at me, "John! Don't be such a girl – oh, talking of girls, how is your little princess?" I chuckled and saw Carson's calm smile. "She's doing great, has a talent for beating the-" Carson nudged me, "For kicking my ribs with a great deal of force." I finished, removing my vulgar language.
"Good to hear, now come on – I only want your blood and then you're free to go. If you behave I'll get you a lollipop and a sticker." She teased before dragging the both of us to sit on an empty bed. I could tell Carson was already confused over our relationship.
"Lamb and I did a tour in Afghanistan together; she patched me up a couple of times." I explained briefly and Carson gave a nod. "Yeah because dragging you out of the wreckage of your crashed helicopter and ripping out a massive shard of metal from your side and then stopping you from bleeding out is categorised under 'patched up'." I winced as I saw Carson's eyes drop to look at his hands.
I leant over and pecked his cheek, "It was a long time ago, doc, I'm completely fine now, you know that." He sighed and wasn't about to just accept what I'd said. "Some wounds are deeper than others and apart from being sucked on by the wraith queen, Afghanistan was probably the worst but I had Lamb right there with me – who better to have with you than a doctor, huh?" I nudged him painfully and he rolled his shoulders, easing the tension.
I hissed as Lamb stuck the needle in my arm and I heard Carson snort slightly, "Don't laugh – she hurts!" He shook his head at me happily, "Lamb, why couldn't Carson have done this – he doesn't pretend the needle's a javelin." Lamb smirked, "Where's the fun in that?"
"Here you go," She stuck a gold star sticker on the front of my t-shirt before putting a lollipop in my mouth. I grinned like a kid, "Thanks, doc. Hey Carson, I need to find Landry real quick but I'll be back for you, okay?" He nodded and I squeezed his knee gently before hopping off the bed.
I took a jog down to Landry's office, trying to be as fast as possible so Carson wasn't stuck in the infirmary for too long. I knocked on the door to his office and listened for his call before stepping inside.
"Sir." I stood up straight, "I was wondering if we could possibly ask a favour of the O'Ryan?" I asked and he smirked, "They're already expecting you, Colonel." I nodded and thanked him before taking a jog straight back to the infirmary.
Carson was happily chatting to Lamb now; something I didn't know if was good or bad. "Hey, I got permission to hitchhike onto the O'Ryan." Carson smiled, "How on Earth did you do that so quickly?" I chuckled, "Landry already arranged it – I think his hatred of me has dissipated." Carson rolled his eyes at me before accompanying me out of the infirmary. Just outside the door we bumped into one of the airmen that took our bag. "Sir, you're things are in the SUV and awaiting your boarding onto the O'Ryan." I looked at Carson with excited eyes, "They're beaming the car?" The airmen nodded and escorted us to the garage where the car was being kept.
I got in the driver's seat, ignoring the warning glances from Carson as he climbed in the other side. They'd really gone all out on this thing, black tinted bulletproof windows were just the beginning, and it looked as if it had a full computer fitted in there too.
"Boys and their toys." Carson mumbled but I just held his hand across the console. I the airmen stood looking into the window, after all Colorado had beautiful sunshine, and he handed me and earpiece as well as pointing out my sunglasses and other things that had been collected from my storage locker. Carson's things had been collected too.
"Have a nice day, sir." He saluted before walking away. I slipped the piece in my ear, "Sheppard, come in?" I waited few seconds before there was a reply. "Good to hear your voice, Colonel, we're going to beam you into the F-302 bay before beaming you back down."
"Marks, is that you?" I chuckled lightly, "Yes, sir." Was all he said, "Good to hear your voice too, Marks, now if you would."
Seconds later we found ourselves in the hangar bay, Carson let out a deep breath, "I still can't get used to that." He chuckled lightly. "What now?" He asked.
"We wait; they're going to beam us down again." He nodded but I could feel his sudden tension, "Hey, are you okay?" I squeezed his hand gently. "Just anxious, I think." I gave him a sympathetic look, "It'll be fine, I swear."
Literally as the words came out of my mouth we were back on Earth, with rain pouring onto the window mercilessly. "Damn, that's some heavy rain." Carson chuckled, "You are in Scotland, love, and it rains a fair bit." I rolled my eyes at his teasing. "If you're so smart, where the hell are we?" It was a fair question; we were surrounded by countryside with a small building in front of us. "Bloody hell." He remarked before stepping out of the car.
I stepped out of the car to join him, pulling my hood over my head as we made for the building. As soon as we stepped in I saw the tables placed around the room and the bar that stretched across the far wall. "Carson, would you mind telling me where we are?" He smiled and headed up to the bar. The room was mostly empty apart from a middle age women stood just behind the bar drying some glasses.
"This is the village I grew up in, John. We're not too far from Edinburgh. I've been in this pub many times when I was a kid." I looked over to him calmly, "When was the last time you were here?" He shrugged, "It was the day I left to go to university."
"Aye and ye' ne'er came back t' visit did ye'. Wee bugger las' time I saw ye'." The bar lady came up to us and Carson's jaw dropped, "Joanne?" The woman grinned. "Aye, how you doin' love? Last time I heard, you'd legged it over to the yanks." Carson chuckled, "Aye, I'm well, and you're information is correct as always."
"You work for the yanks?" He nodded, I wasn't sure if I was comfortable talking yet as I was one of 'those yanks' they were talking of. "Aye, it's been brilliant as well." She raised an eyebrow in my direction, "'Scuse me, I've been rude – who's yer friend Carson?" She asked politely.
"John Sheppard." I introduced myself and shook hear hand. "You're American." I blushed, "Yes ma'am." She put the glass she was drying down on the bar, "You're a soldier, and I know you're type." Carson stared at her. "Joanne," He warned, "He's not like Farren, he's a great man." I stood there awkwardly as she surveyed me.
"How many people have you killed?" She asked bluntly and Carson was about to defend me but I put my hand up to silence him, "Innocent people; three. Not by choice, if I could have saved them I would have given my own life." She carried on cleaning the glass. "You found yourself a keeper, love." Carson blushed.
"Don't you go all red, I've known you since the day you were born, and you can't fool me." I smiled slightly, despite her being scary as hell; she had a lot of heart. I actually took a seat next to Carson at the bar now I knew I wasn't about to be killed. "So this is a pub, right?" Carson nearly snorted with laughter, "It sounds weird when you say it."
"I'll stick to bar then." I smiled back at him. The woman behind the bar had finished cleaning the stack of glasses and was now fussing over her hair and make-up, "You look beautiful as you are ma'am, and don't deny it." I flirted outrageously and all Carson could do was laugh.
"Haven't the two of you got somewhere to be?" She scolded lightly. We looked at each other, "It's what, seven in the morning here?" She nodded, "We won't be let in if we turn up now, how about we hold off just a little while?" Carson nodded in agreement and because the pub was empty we decided we'd sit down at a table, Carson and Joanne with a glass of wine and I with a rather grim looking glass of water.
"So how come you don't drink?" Joanne questioned curiously, "You're not an alcoholic are you?" I shook my head, "No, not an alcoholic, just choose not to for my health." She let it go but I could tell she still suspected me for something and Carson glanced at me briefly. Some things just weren't in my file.
Oooooh, cliffhanger a little? What do you think of the bar lady? Hope you enjoyed it :)