John joined the Air Force as planned eight months later, the day he turned eighteen he and Rodney went down; Rodney declined, saying he didn't plan on ever working for the Air Force, never realizing that one day he probably would. John left for basic training two months later, the morning after graduation.
Rodney spent another two and a half months with Luke and Lauren before leaving to attend Harvard school for Astrophysics, at the age of seventeen, while he wasn't the youngest boy to enter college, there was an easy guess he would be one of the youngest to graduate from the field. Many Professors were counting on it.
By twenty Rodney had his masters and was deep into getting his Ph. D. He had big plans and every one of them were pointing towards NASA. At twenty-two he graduated with a Ph. D in astrophysics and astronomy from Harvard and returned to Canada, where he began to work for several years on their space program.
Three years later, John was twenty-six and Rodney twenty-five their mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor, she died of a ruptured tumor less than three months later. John barely made it home to the funeral, and didn't have time to see if his little brother was there, although he was fairly sure Rodney would be.
One year after Lauren's death, Luke Sheppard moved to the beach of California, where he happily retired and planned to live out what was left of his life. Part of him wished he could have back the couple years he had already missed with both his boys.
By 1995, both Rodney and John lost touch and the ability to write to one another anymore, John was going out on mission after mission with the Air Force, and Rodney began to focus on an American program called the SG program. In 1999 he was placed on the Air Force's payroll, and was busy working on heavy research for the SGC in both Russia and America.
Neither man ever realized that ten years after losing contact with one another, that their paths would cross again, and would remain together for a very long time. In 2002, Luke Sheppard died of a heart attack, neither boy attended the funeral, but not intentionally. John was MIA in Iraq for another six weeks after his father's funeral, and Rodney was engrossed in a large spat with the Russians about some damn Stargate and not wanting to give it back to the Americans. Rodney didn't even know the man had died until two weeks later. He did however leave for a day and pay his adopted parent's graves a visit they both duly deserved.
"Carson get back here!" yelled Rodney as his friend got up from the Ancient chair and walked away.
"I've been sittin' in that bloody thing all day' I haven't felt anything, it's a waste of bloody time!" he huffed off walking past Elizabeth, giving her a mere nod before continuing on her way.
Elizabeth smiled as she eyed Rodney, they had been on Antarctica for nearly a week and in that week, she had spent almost every night sitting up late in the lab or cafeteria speaking with Rodney. He didn't speak much of his childhood, she assumed he'd had some rough spots, based on his seemingly unapproachable personality, but it didn't matter. Once you got past the annoying traits Rodney was a good kind man on the inside, something she and Carson had learned in the past week, although Carson wouldn't have admitted how much he truly enjoyed Dr. McKay's company.
"He's not even trying," grumbled Rodney as he gestured towards the Medical Doctor's retreating back.
"But He's the one who discovered the gene that this technology responds to," stated Weir as she eyed him.
" Yeah, well he said he wished he never had it."
"Really?" Weir was surprised, she new Carson hated the damn chair, but the poor man had been poked, prodded, and pushed into that chair for a week, Rodney simply called it getting a taste of his own medicine.
"I know, can you believe that?" Rodney exclaimed in disbelief. It was torturing him that he didn't have the gene.
"We could always test you a third time, Rodney."
"That's very funny."
"We've only found a hand full of people who are genetically compatible with the ancient technology and despite your heroic efforts to interface ours with theirs; we need every one of them to sit in this chair, including Dr Beckett," Weir's statement was as obvious as Rodney made it look when he nodded.
"What am I suppose to do? He's afraid of that thing!" Rodney said looking at the chair.
Elizabeth smiled as she touched the chair gently, as if afraid it would light, as much as she loved seeing what was uncovered every time someone sat in the chair, she was glad she didn't have the gene, "This chair controls the most powerful weapons known to Humankind. I'm afraid of the thing. But every time someone sits in it we learn something new about the ancients who built this outpost. Dr Beckett should be proud he's genetically advanced."
"Not more advanced. It. it's a random characteristic," Rodney said trying to play off that he didn't care.
"This really bothers you. This whole gene thing, huh?"
"Oh, Really I am overcome with envy."
"Apache, Black hawk, Cobra, Osprey," Major John Sheppard spoke as he drove the helicopter towards the outpost.
"That's a lot of training for the Antarctic," Jack replied looking out the window.
"It was the one continent I never set foot on," replied John simply.
"It's one of my least favourite continents," Jack said, shivering at the memory of the first time he had ever been in Antarctica, he and Sam had nearly died…that had been eight years ago, which he found hard to believe.
"I kinda like it here," replied John.
"You like it here?" Jack questioned in confusion, how could anyone like a chunk of ice.
"Look we've been through this I'm not your man!" Carson bitched as he tried to stop Rodney from pushing him into the chair.
"Keep moving," Rodney demanded.
"I'm a Doctor. A medical Doctor."
"There is nothing to be afraid of," continued Rodney as argued with his friend.
"You don't understand, I break things like this!" Carson whined gesturing towards the chair.
"This device has survived for millions of years in tact. It will survive you. Now sit down. Close your eyes and concentrate."
"Again, nothing," Carson said with a sigh after closing his eyes for only seconds.
"This time just try and imagine an image of where we are in the solar system," suggested Rodney.
"I think I feel something. It could be Lunch related," Carson said opening his eyes again.
"Shut up and concentrate," growled McKay.
"All inbound craft we have a rogue drone that could seek a target on its own. Land immediately and shut down your engines. This is not a drill. I repeat we have…" came a voice over the radio.
"It's too late." John said swerving when he saw a yellow flash coming towards him.
"Hang on!" Jack called as the drove zipped past them.
"Break right," but Sheppard went left.
"I said right!" growled Jack.
"I'll get to that sir," John called in return suddenly taking the right turn.
The drone continued to chase them, finally it took a dive into the snow, Jack yelled for John to land it. They waited, the Drone came spiralling towards them. Instantly the two men jumped out of the copter. The drone came to stop directly in front of Jack.
"That was different," John huffed as he climbed back into the helicopter and closed the door. Jack climbed in as well and looked at him.
"For me, not so much," he responded.
"Daniel, Warm welcome!" Jack greeted ten minutes later as he stepped out of the elevator in the outpost, John at his side.
"Wasn't me. How did you manage to er...?" Daniel began to question.
"Keep my ass from being blown out of the sky?" Jack finished as Daniel nodded, "The exceptional flying of Major John Sheppard. He likes it here," Jack finished.
"Exceptional?" Daniel looked at Sheppard, surprised, Jack wasn't one to compliment easily, "You like it here?" he said in confusion.
"Let's say we skip to the part where you start talking real fast."
"Ah, Weirs in here," Daniel said leading his friend away. Jack suddenly turned and eyed Sheppard.
"Don't touch anything," he commanded.
"Yes sir," replied John despondently.
"The second I shut my eyes, I could see you see, I felt power I've never had before, I had it dancing across the sky... it was magical it really was. They're lucky, I don't know where it came from I just tried to concentrate and the drone shut itself down," Carson bragged as John clamoured near by. When John heard the man's words he became annoyed.
"So you were the one!" he began.
"Me?" Carson said smiling innocently.
"You were the one who fired that thing at me."
"Look we're doing research. Working with technology that's light-years beyond us and we make mistakes. I'm incredibly, incredibly sorry," Carson said holding up his hands.
"Well, next time just be a little more careful, ok?"
"That's what I said," Carson stated, silently cursing the man Rodney McKay was.
"What the heck was that thing anyway?"
"You mean the drone?" Carson questioned, he received a nod from Sheppard and continued. " The weapon the ancients built to defend this outpost."
"The who?" John asked, confused.
"You do have security clearance to be here?"
"Yeah, yeah, General O'Neill just gave it to me."
"Then you don't even know about the Stargate."
"The what?"
"They think the gene was used as a sort of genetic key if you will. So that only their kind could operate certain dangerous and powerful technologies
"So some people have the same Genes as these ancients," John said as he moved around the chair.
"Specific Gene is very rare, but on the whole they look very much like we do. In fact they were first through the second evolution of this form. The ancients having explored this Galaxy for millions of years before." Carson became agitated when John went to sit down, "Major please don't."
"Come on what are the odds of me having the same genes as these guys," Sheppard replied, he should have known 'famous last words'. As soon as he sat down the chair lit up like a Christmas tree, causing both man to be shocked.
"Quite slim actually. Dr Weir! Don't move!" Carson yelled hurrying after the three sciensts.
Carson, Elizabeth, Jack, Daniel and Rodney came rushing out as soon as Carson yelled for them. Everyone was standing in shock looking at John, but Rodney and John's shock were two very different surprised looks, than the others.
"Who is this?" Weir questioned.
"I said don't touch anything." O'Neil groaned through his teeth
"I...I...I just sat down," John replied, his eyes still on McKay.
"Major think about where we are in the solar system," Rodney said suddenly, remembering where he was and that no one knew they were brothers. They were all stunned as a map of the solar system appeared above their heads.
"Did I do that?" John questioned.
Rodney felt jealousy flare through his entire being at the thought that his brother had something he didn't, it seemed to happen so often, there were many things John would always have that Rodney never had, and would never have.
"Rodney, I want him on our team!" Elizabeth stated as John and Daniel walked away to finish their conversation.
"Y…yes…okay," Rodney replied watching her leave. Rodney looked over at Carson in disbelief.
"What?" Carson stated.
"Don't you have somewhere to be?"
"Aye, here, and if you'd stopping be a little bugger, I might get this done in time," growled Carson.
"Well I'm done with ya now!" bit Rodney in return.
Carson stalked off in frustration and anger, while Rodney turned back and stared at his brother, "It's been awhile," muttered Rodney.
"Apparently…listen…"
"I saw you at mom's funeral… but you seemed like you were in a hurry, so I didn't bother you."
"Yeah…sorry about that…were you at dad's."
"No…no one told me until after he was gone..."
"Me either…some son's we turned out to be…"
"Hey I visited mom a lot when she was in the hospital, and I saw dad nearly every month up until he died."
"Did you tell him you travel through outer space?"
"I've haven't left this planet…ever. I just work behind the scenes…and no, dad thinks I work with NASA, I'm sure if he actually tried to use his detective skills he would realize that I'm really not at NASA anymore."
"So…how long have you been here?"
"At the out post, about two weeks, most of the scientists have been here for a couple weeks…"
"No I mean with the program?"
"Seven years…since the fourth or fifth mission. At least that's when I started studying it and getting involved with the Air Force."
"Your…ah lady friend seemed a little dumbfounded by me."
"Yeah well, frankly I was too. You're the first person besides General O'Neill that has sat in that chair and caused it to react without really thinking about it.
"And now what?"
"John, this is unlike anything you will ever see again, or have ever seen before. It's a different world."
"What is it?"
"We're going to another galaxy."
"Excuse me…Rodney when you said you wanted to be come an astronaut I thought you meant like…to the moon," chuckled John.
"Focus John, there's more out there, beyond the moon and our solar system, there are other galaxies, other people. We were crazy to think we were the only people all of our lives. John we've found what we believe is the Lost City of Atlantis…"
"That's just a story Rodney…"
"No John, it's so much more. John…I'm going on this mission, we all are, and there is a good chance, we won't be coming home."
"Why?"
"We may not have the power when we get there… I have nothing left here…Jeanie won't miss me…hell she won't even speak to me. You're all I got, and we haven't spoke in nearly ten years…"
"Gee thanks…" John replied.
"Let's go Sheppard!" called Jack O'Neill from where he stood by the elevator speaking with Dr. Weir.
"John, think about it, we're brothers…trust me, when I say this could be the moment of your life…"
"Sheppard! Now…"
"Rodney, I'll see you soon," John said.
"John…" Rodney paused.
"Yeah, me too…" with nothing more, John hurried towards the elevators.
Once they were back in the helicopter Jack looked over at him, "Why did you join the Air Force?"
"Because I thought people who didn't want to fly were crazy."
"Well I think people who don't want to go through the Stargate are equally as whacked, so let me make this clear. If you can't give me a yes by the time we land at McMurdo, then I don't even want you."
"McKay is my brother…"
"The annoying Canadian?"
"He wasn't always that bad…he's regressed some…"
"He pissed off my top scientist, and saved our asses on more than on occasion."
"Then why is he even going."
"Let me ask you, why would you choose Rodney McKay to do something?"
"Because he works his ass off sir."
"That's why Elizabeth Weir choose him, because he doesn't stop at anything, no matter how many times people suggest he should."
"He built an atomic bomb in the sixth grade at ten years old."
"Seriously?"
"Oh yeah, my parents were furious."
"I bet."
It was nearly four days later when John had the chance to slow down and breath. They now had nasty creatures called Wraith after them, Sumner was dead, and John was stuck on another planet in the middle of a very big ocean.
He wandered towards his brother, who was looking out over the balcony, "Dr. Weir spoke to me."
"She talks to everyone Major, she's not attracted to you," Rodney commented.
"Anyway, apparently I'm now the ranking military officer."
"Congratulations."
"That also means I get first pick for my team…"
"And your point is what?" Rodney asked almost bitterly.
"Well, obviously I want Teyla on my team…and while Bates is good, I'd prefer him to have his own team, so Ford is my military option. So obviously that leaves me with a scientist…and I want you."
"Why?" Rodney questioned suddenly.
"Why not?"
"John…"
"Rodney, you're too smart to sit and waste away as you push paper in some godforsaken lab. Besides I cant watch out for you on my team."
"I don't need a babysitter."
"No, but I see I had this kid brother, who I loved to cause trouble with, and I haven't seen him in ten years. And when I look at you I'm kind of reminded of him."
"I've missed talking to you."
John smiled, "does this mean you'll be the fourth member of my team."
"Can't we say I'm like…the second or something."
"Probably."