"Okay, recording. Plenty of battery. So why am I not seeing anything? Oh, stupid! Hi, Grandma, Grandpa! It's me, Aiden ... obviously! Um, talking to you from a place ... far, far from home. I'm good, though. You don't have to worry. Life here's pretty routine. I'm hoping that I'll be able to get home some time soon but, y'know, if I'm stuck here a while, I want you to know that I'm good. I'm doing things, seeing things I never thought I'd see. I wish I could tell you all about it. Who knows – one day maybe I'll be able to. But I want you both to know that you're right here always – all the time," Aiden sighed softly and turned the camera off.
Aiden Ford sat down, and flipped the tape into the video camera, he pressed play and waited. Rodney McKay came into view he smiled for a minute…
"I'm Doctor Rodney McKay…and…ah…this message…well I've got a million things to say and…this first message goes to my brother….John, obviously there's probably no chance you'll see this, hell your in the same situation as me…but ah…I want you to know that I'm glad I got you back…the next message…is for my sister…Jeannie…it's your brother…Rodney…obviously. Listen Jeannie, I know we were never really all that close, but I really do want you to be happyI wanna say something. Uh ... family is important. I-I've come to realize that because the people here have become a sort of a ... kind of a surrogate family to me. Now, I know what you're thinking: I've never really been the poster child for that kind of sentiment but, uh, when ... when one's contemplating ones own demise, one tends to see things more clearly. I really do wish you the best, you know, and I'm sorry we weren't closer. Perhaps, um ... if by chance I make it out of this, perhaps one day we can be, and I would like that. I want you to know something else…I was happy, after dad died, I don't blame you for leaving…hell I would have left too…but, well just know that I was lucky enough to be cared up for by two amazing people…I even have a brother…Anyway…back to my original speech…leadership…"
Ford shook his head and smiled as he moved onto the next tape… John Sheppard appeared on the screen, his smile disappaited slightly, "I don't really have anyone to send this too…well, okay a couple people, Cheryl, I realize you haven't seen me…but I want you to know that I really am sorry…I hope you're happy with Jeff…tell Lisa I love her…and that I really miss her…uh…and Rodney…you'll probably laugh at me leaving you a message that with our luck we'll never see because we're both dead…but…shit McKay, we've been through so much, and more than most people do…we're in another galaxy and that in it'self is more than most people can say…I just want you to know…I wasn't always the best brother, but I did go and talk to mom…just before she died, she adored you Rodney…she had a miscarriage several years before you came along…you really helped to heal that pain…mine and dad's too. You're a really good guy, and smart too. Hang in there Rodney, we're going to need you a lot more in the future if we get our asses out of this…and we will, we have to."
Ford sighed, he never realized the two brothers were so amazingly close to one another, sighed he again switched tapes… "Mum…I know ya worry 'bout me, but ya shouldn't, I'm doing very well here…tell Andy and Lilly that I expect them to be good for ya…mum, don't worry about me please, I've got a good thing here…some amazing friends. There are these two lads, brother's…their relationship was a lot like Andrew's and mine…tell him I miss him mum…watching these two is like seeing Andy again, it helps keep me going. I love ya mum, but…this is where I belong, and if I don't see you again, please know that I died doing something great, something I never planned to do before. Please be proud of me mum…I love ya…" Aiden watched the doctor's face crumble as he covered it with one hand.
Ford sighed, it was hard to say goodbye, this didn't seem right or fair, with a final breath he turned Weir's on. He watched for a few minutes as she told all the dead soldiers' families how sorry she was and what an amazing contribution they had made, finally she straightened up, "Simon…I…I'm sorry, Not a day goes by that I don't think of you, Simon. There's so much I wanna tell you, and share with you, but I can't. I know this is unfair – so much you don't know – and putting your life on hold for me. So don't. All I ask is you take care of yourself, and know that wherever you are, my heart is looking after you. And finally…to Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter…I'm sure by now you'll have seen something from our mutual friend Dr. Rodney McKay…he's done some amazing work, he's a strong man…I don't know the man you saw…but I know the man I saw…I just want you to know, he's grown a lot…we all have."
Ford smiled, he had suspected for awhile that Elizabeth may have had something for the scientist, she was the only person on the entire base that could silence him with a glance, but she never cut him down. She was the first to offer help, and the last to scold. Maybe there could be something there, and maybe there couldn't be, he would never know, but he knew that she cared for him. Besides right now he had to get this tape to Rodney so the scientist could finish his work.
A lone woman sat quietly in her living room staring at the TV, watching the face on the screen before her, "I really do want you to be happy," he whispered to her. His blue eyes so sincere, his voice filled with tears, his face looked so defeated.
"Mommy!" came a voice from behind her. Turning Jeannie smiled softly as her youngest daughter hurried to her side, the twelve year old hugged her mother with gusto.
"Hey sweetie, how was your day?" she asked smoothly, pretending she wasn't really affected by the man on the TV.
"Okay…mom who is that man?"
"Oh…just a friend sweetie, don't you have some homework to do?"
"Yes," grumbled the child as she headed into her bedroom. Jeannie smiled softly and looked back at the TV. She had prayed for nearly twenty years that her brother would be fine, she had always regretted leaving him there with such a brutal man, but if she had stayed her eldest child, Dana would be dead or in an orphanage not working on her third year in college studying to be an astrophysicist.
"She's so much like you Roddy, you'd be surprised," Jeannie whispered softly as she turned the TV off.