Hello, Stargate Lovers!

Just a small chapter.

Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 59: Original Chapter 0.16

Days.

Weeks.

Months.

"How long is he going to be like that?" Ronon looked at Teyla, his tone worried as he had just saw his friend sit on one of the mess hall tables by himself.

"He's hurt. Angry." Teyla explained with a sigh.

"He needs to talk to someone. It's been three months." Rodney sat next to them. "Is not like she died..." But he too missed Alexandra.

"She could have stayed." The satedan countered with a huff.

"She's an Ancient now. They have their own rules, especially the one about not disturbing our reality. Jackson was expelled by not following their directives when Abydos was destroyed. So, perhaps, the other Ancients are not letting her come to us." Rodney explained and with a quick glance towards his friend, he added. "We just have to wait."

Watching John, eating alone, on the table he often shared with Alexandra by the balcony, was painful.

"He's waiting for her." Teyla ended.

Ronon and Rodney nodded.

"Col. Sheppard!" Woolsey stood seeing his second in command leave his office after being denied another mission on an Ancient known planet.

Everyone in the control room watched as the two leaders stared at each other for a moment.

"I understand, Mr. Woolsey, that you have your orders, but I have mine as well."

"Colonel." Richard Woolsey stared him down, sternly, before lowering his voice to a whisper. "If you step out of line, I will be forced to sent you back to Earth."

At that, John straightened his shoulders, knowing he could be in for a lot of trouble, even if knowing he could have an ally on Gen. Jack O'Neill as he had been worry when he got to know his only niece had ascended, even if assuring him that she would make an appearance. Sooner or later.

"Very well, sir."

"How is she, doc?" The pilot entered the infirmary, his eyes with worry etched into them.

"Teyla is resting, Colonel. But she's going to be fine. Do not worry." The scottish accent was solemn as Carson stood next to the pilot. "It's not your fault."

John's jaw clenched watching his friend, laying still on the bed, eyes closed.

Wraith had come out of the nowhere while they were inspecting an ancient temple. After three months, his team had finally come out of the dry spell of missions and Woolsey had authorized their off world mission.

Watching the Colonel, Carson sighed, standing next to him.

"I've been so focused on finding a way to bring back Alex that I almost got my team killed, doc." John whispered after a couple of minutes.

"Your team is okay. And, for what it's worth, it will be good to have a few days off. For everyone. Try to get some rest." The doctor turned to the other man with a concerned look. "Rodney mentioned you haven't rested properly. And, to be honest, that worries me, Colonel."

Glancing quickly at Carson, John sighed.

"We all miss her. And I'm sure she wouldn't be too happy on seeing you spiral into this. You just have to remember that she's okay. And somehow she'll find her way to us." The doctor continued as there was only silence coming from the pilot.

"So, where is the good doctor, Sheppard?"

Hazel eyes found Larrin's that was currently piloting her warship into another battle against the Wraith. He could see that she was curious, but there was something more and John frowned, not liking the direction their usual fun banter took.

"McKay is in your engines room, remember?" He rolled his eyes, trying to deflect the Travelers leader question.

"Not him. Her. What was her name? Alice O'Neill? Thought I would see her..."

"Alex." He huffed. "And she's doing her own thing." John kept his eyes trained out of the window, seeing the lines of the hyperspace go by them.

"Uh. My intel tells me she hasn't been around." Larrin kept her eyes on the pilot's back, not sure where she was going with the sudden change of topic. However, she was actually curious, noticing the change in John the moment she had come for Atlantis help. More somber and serious than his usual funny self. "Stayed on Earth?"

"Something like that."

"She did a number on you, didn't she? And here I thought we had a good thing going..."

"You barely responded to my messages, Larrin." John's temper was flaring. He didn't want to talk about Alexandra, or what she had become, or what they had been for a few days.

"I know you're not much of a talker, Sheppard, but I do know one thing. You used to be more fun to be around. Your jokes are not the same. Even your stance..."

"My stance?" Finally, the pilot turned to the traveler. He didn't need a reminder of how much he had changed over the course of the seven months that Alexandra had left.

"Yes. You haven't relaxed yet since walking into this ship."

"We're going into battle. What do you expect?" His tone became angry.

"Some Ancient help, for starters. But figures she's not around. Even last time..."

"Last time she was not strong enough to fight replicators. You know this. I've told you. And don't start on the subject, because you know perfectly well what happened when you forced her to choose a side. And you almost ruined my friendship with her."

"Perhaps. She backed off, didn't she?" Larrin shrugged.

Narrowing his eyes on the woman, John huffed.

"I can't believe in this. She was right..." The pilot's hand went through his hair. "You were jealous of her... wait, what do you mean backed off?"

"I saw it in her eyes when she interrupted us. She had a thing for you too."

As silence fell upon them as John assimilated her words, the commander looked towards the controls and pressed a few buttons, giving them a moment.

With another huff, John turned back to the window, upset for falling into her trick. Yes, he had tried to make Larrin jealous by talking about the archaelogist. It had been harmless, in his mind, but didn't realize the traveler was actually feeling it. However, the words made him also remember the weeks Alexandra had been cross with him. Or the fact that Larrin had noticed something he hadn't, Alexandra had already felt something for him back then.

"What about now?" It was the traveler's turn to narrow her eyes a few minutes later, watching the pilot silent vigile by the window.

"Now what?"

"Why isn't she here?"

"Is none of your business." He merely said, even if the number nine had come up to his mind.

"Great ancient, she is." Larrin poke some more.

"Ancients are not supposed to help. Or change the course of what they see ahead." The man grumbled. Either to himself or to Larrin, he didn't know.

"Ah. She ascended, then?"

Silence was her only answer.

Ronon took a step back on the training mat after getting punched.

It had been hours since their last mission ended and his team leader was still in full swing. Even after loosing his temper with Major Lorne and getting a reprimand by Woolsey.

So, given the day that it was, the satedan knew he would find John at the gym.

"It's been a year, Ronon. I would think that by now she would have visited us!" John went for the punch, but Ronon was ready now and deflected, punching his friend instead on the side. However, given the way he was feeling, John barely felt the contact, only grunting at the sudden pain.

"I know patience is not your strong suit, Sheppard, but give it time."

"Hm..." John deflected a new punch and hit the satedan.

"You've had more reprimands in a year, than in all of five years since coming to the Pegasus Galaxy, John." Teyla, that had followed Ronon and sat by the window, watching the two men sparring.

"Ah, there you are!" Rodney entered the gym, as John was thrown into the mat and a grunt left his lips.

"Hey, McKay." Ronon looked towards the scientist as he offered a cocky smile at the Colonel.

"Was wondering where you three had gone to, since it's almost dinner time."

"Always thinking with your stomach." Teyla joked as she stood.

"I do not..."

As Rodney started to argue, John stared at the ceiling, hearing them, but not being completely there.

It had been a year that he had almost died.

A year that Alexandra had been gone.

A year that everything changed.

"Everything okay, Sheppard?" Ronon stood on top of his friend, a hint of worry in his tone and offering his hand.

"Yeah. Just... getting old." The pilot sat up and slowly stood with his help. Hazel eyes found his friends stare back at him. "Just... been a year."

The four of them exchanged knowing looks and nodded, before exiting the gym area to have dinner together.

Not knowing that someone kept a watchful eye on them.

Ps: Thoughts?