Hello!

I'm back!

I'm sorry for the delay on the second chapter, but wanted to see the reaction of the Stargate fans. And I have to thank the two followers for their following.

I hope you guys enjoy it.

And because of the long wait, here is a big second chapter!

Chapter 2: Episode 1x01 (Part 2)

A few days later, Major John Sheppard reported to the Stargate Command, following Sgt. Walter through levels and hallways under the surface. He was fascinated. Who would have known Cheyenne Mountain had so many secrets?

He recalled the long talk with Elizabeth Weir, the leader of the Atlantis Expedition and General O'Neill back at the base days before. John was convinced that his next step was to go on an adventure.

Off world.

"Oh, no." The sergeant words brought him back to the present. They had stopped at a door of an office where the main table was in a disarray.

"What is it, sergeant?" Sheppard asked, confused.

"She's in a bad mood."

"Who is?"

"Captain O'Neill."

"Alexandra O'Neill?"

"Yes." Walter turned to him. "Have you met her already, sir?"

"Briefly. Why do you say she's in a bad mood?"

"Her table. She hates working in a mess." Walter sighed. "Gen. O'Neill gave specific orders for you to train with her and get to know about the Ancients before the trip to Atlantis. She probably didn't like that."

"But I'm not an academic." John sounded unsure now. He was not expecting to go over History lessons.

"Of course you're not. You know of aircrafts and weapons."

Both men turned around and looked at the young woman standing at a small distance from them. Her hands were full, but John could make out her uniform and austere look… that she didn't have back in Antartica.

"Captain." The Major nodded.

"Major." She stepped closer. "I see Dr. Weir convinced you to join the expedition." Alexandra offered him a tense smile and walked past them to place the files onto the table. "Sgt. Walter?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Where's Gen. O'Neill?"

"Off world."

"Figures…" She muttered. Then she turned to him. "Thank you, Walter. I take it from here." And offered him an easy smile.

Walter nodded and gave the Major a quick glance as he left.

"Are you going to stay outside, Major?"

The pilot was in awe at the exchange, seeing how Alexandra treated the older man.

"How old are you?" He blurted out without thinking as he entered the office.

The Captain gave him a confused look before turning to the table to rearrange it.

"Okay.,.. Are you upset I got assigned to you? Because I only got that info just moments ago."

"Figures that too." Alexandra sighed, putting books and files away on another table. "My uncle does that sometimes. Doesn't relay the entirety of the orders." She turned around, leaning over the table, her eyes going over him, which made him self aware. "I'm not upset, Major. I just wished Gen. O'Neill said certain things sooner, so I would be better prepared." The Captain gave him a quick smile. "You can sit, please, sir." She emphasized the last word, given he was her superior. "Those are SG-1 files, Gen. O'Neill's team. They were the ones that found the Asgards and eventually the Ancients. You are allowed to read them and get acquainted with this… universe. And there will be pop quizzes, sir…" She said as she turned around.

"Call me John, will you?" He said once again without thinking, amused by her ways. And when he saw her turn around, he could see the surprise in her face. "You're teaching me, so…" He shrugged, sitting down.

"Alright… John. Go ahead. Read them while I finish a few reports for Elizabeth. Any questions, feel free to ask." She sat at her desk but then turned her eyes to find him picking the first file. "Call me Alex."

John gave her a surprised but pleased look and nodded, diving into the work ahead.

One hour. Two hours. Three hours.

John kept reading, sometimes asking her questions, sometimes just watching her out of the corner of his eye. And then there was something bugging him.

"How old are you?" He crossed his arms over the table.

"You know it's rude to ask a woman that question. And you've asked it twice." Her eyes never left her computer screen.

"I'm a rude man." He shrugged, playfully, seeing her roll her eyes, a smile twitching in the corner of her lips. "It's just that you are mentioned in some of these reports, but you're a captain and you don't seem to be more than…"

"25?" Alexandra raised her brow at him. She knew he would give her a lower number.

"Yeah…"

For a moment, John thought he would not have an answer as she looked back at the computer screen. And, in that moment, he knew there was something more about her than meets the eye.

"A few years ago, something happened. I was at the Academy and decided to go to college. I tried to figure out what to do, until my uncle presented me with some tests, that I passed. And those tests made me eligible to the SGC under the command of Gen. Hammond. At the same time, I met Daniel and found Archaeology."

John nodded. He sensed that there was so much more she was not telling him. And he was curious to know about it, but he would leave it alone. At least, for now.

"So how long have you been at the SGC?"

"Full time? About two, three years. Before that, on and off, two years."

"That's a long time."

"Yes, it is. So read up. We only have one month to get you ready."

"Yes, ma'am." John gave her a cheeky smile before landing his eyes back on the files.

One day. Two days. Three days.

"Ah, Walter!"

"Captain, here you go." Walter placed two cups on the table.

John saw the bald man smile at Alexandra.

"How did you know?" Alexandra asked with a sigh.

"I always know, ma'am."

"You're a life savior, Sergeant. Don't let them tell you otherwise."

Embarrassed, Walter cleared his throat and left the room after giving a quick nod in John's direction.

It had been a week since John was there and he had seen things, heard things. And he was confused by the day, but he was enjoying it.

"Here." He came back to reality when he heard her next to him, placing a foam cup in front of him. "Coffee."

"Black." He sounded surprised.

"Walter is very observant." She said leaning against his table.

"What did just happen?" He blurted out.

"What?" Alexandra frowned at him. "Oh, Walter? I honestly don't care much about ranking when that man already seen the worst of…" She stopped. "Well, he's in the frontline of the gate, you know. And it kind of annoys my uncle which is a plus." She had a mischievous smile on her, which made him laugh. "There you go." She took a sip of her own drink.

"All this time… you were trying to make me laugh."

"You look too serious, Major." They looked at each other. "You are going to Atlantis and there will be perils that you've never dreamed of. Another galaxy… Other races, and you'll have to deal with McKay…"

John chuckled with her.

"Major Sheppard. Captain O'Neill."

Alexandra and John looked towards the door. He immediately stood up. She didn't, leaning now against the table.

"Col. Sumner." She said. "What can we do to help you?"

"I was passing by." His eyes went over the tables, over them. "And was wondering how the Major's training was going."

"It's been going well, sir." John said.

"He has a good brain, Colonel. Might make him an Ancient expert yet."

Sumner raised his chin, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Captain O'Neill. I know you are protected, but once you step over that gate, you won't have the liberties Gen. O'Neill graces you with."

"Sir…" John started, his stance completely changed as he heard the exchange.

A hand stopped him for saying anything further.

"Good thing I'm not going then, sir." Her eyes were trained on the Colonel. "However, I do like to remind you that my liberties were hardly won. And, if I were to go, if I do change my mind, my services would be under Dr. Weir's orders. Or don't you remember Gen. O'Neill's briefing two days ago?"

Col. Sumner lips turned tight. He looked over the two of them again.

"You better be ready, Sheppard." Then he was gone.

"Yes, sir." John watched his commanding officer leave before turning to her. "What…"

"C'mon." Alexandra looked at her watch, walking past him.

"Where? What just happened? Wait."

"Surprise."

It was the middle of the night, so there were only a few people on the corridors and barely anyone after they left the elevator.

John followed her in silence, amazed by what he had just witnessed. And completely forgot about it once they entered a conference room and saw her press a button on the wall. A metal window slid up.

"John Sheppard meet the Stargate."

It was big, powerful and lonely in the big room below.

Alexandra saw him approach the window, amazed, and she sat back in one of the chairs.

"Sometimes I come here and think back on my life in these five years since I'm here or in the ten since Daniel figured out how to make the gate work. So many things happened that people don't know about. And I've got the pleasure to see it first. That's what you'll do, John." She saw him turn around. "You might live. You might die. But take the most of it."

John sat next to her, his eyes glued to her expression.

"Why aren't you coming with us?"

At that question, Alexandra averted his eyes, her own finding the gate.

"I'm still dealing with some issues after the Battle of Antartica."

"Was it that bad?" He asked softly.

"It left its mark…" Alexandra shrugged and walked to the window as an alarm went off. "Come see."

John approached her. The gate was circling on itself, letting smoke out. Suddenly, a blue pool exploded, swirling out of the stone circle and stabilizing at the center.

"Wow!" John grinned, mesmerized.

"Indeed." She smiled too.

One week. Two weeks. Three weeks.

Alexandra looked up from her translation and saw John mumbling to himself as he read one of the latest files she got him. She didn't know how he hadn't figured out what she was.

She bit her lip, watching him. He had a nice profile, keen eyes, a swag to him that, for most women, would be appealing but she wasn't most women. She frowned at the thought. Why was she having these thoughts?

"Earth to Alex." His voice broke into her mind.

"What?"

"You were staring at me." He raised a cheeky brow alongside a smile as he got near her.

"Sorry. I was thinking. I do that sometimes, you know?"

"What were you thinking?" He leaned over her table.

Alexandra narrowed her eyes but couldn't help to smile.

"I was thinking that you've been cooped up in here for too long, right? And you don't really like that…"

"You read my file?"

"Something of the sort. And you've got a… B+ on your test…"

"Hey!" He sounded hurt.

"So, you deserve a celebration. C'mon, I'll take you out. Besides, you begin your in a few hours, so why not start it sooner?"

And so, John followed her out with a smile.

They left the base and went to a diner that served the most amazing pancakes and waffles.

"How come you get to read my file and I don't get to read yours?"

"Hm… I had to see if you were up to the challenge."

"And would I?" He sounded cheeky.

"Let's just say that you exceeded expectations."

"That's mean." He sounded hurt but the cheeky glint was there.

"Alright…" Alexandra chuckled. "What do you want to know? Because, let me tell you, I am bland as anyone can be."

After a moment, John leaned forward which caught her off guard.

"You are anything but bland, Alexandra."

For a second, she didn't know how to react.

"Do you use that line with every woman, Sheppard?"

The pilot leaned back with a chuckle.

"Only those that deserve it."

"Okay." She stared at him for a moment. "You get points for that. Ask me anything."

"Anything?" He saw it as a challenge.

Alexandra gave him a nod. John was intrigued, thinking on what to ask. There was so many things.

"How is it to work with your uncle? I've been hearing and reading so much about him and SG-1…"

"You have the opportunity to ask me anything and you go for that?" John merely shrugged. "Alright." She agreed. "Working with my uncle is… I can see a side of him that I don't think his family ever seen. And since I've don't remember much of my dad, it's pretty special to have this thing with him."

"Your dad…"

"Died. I was three. Pilot too. Didn't survive to one of the tests he was making for an aircraft company."

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I don't remember a lot of him. Only my uncle. That's why I went to the Academy."

"With the Archaeology component."

"Something like that. The path was to help others. But that was not going well. And, eventually, I met Daniel and all changed." She saw him nod. "Now, answer me this, John Sheppard. How does a rule breaker end up in Antartica?"

The pilot rubbed behind his neck.

"You did read my file."

"I've read a file composed by others. I know what you did. And why. But I want to know what was behind the why."

"I was in a relationship… with someone from the medical staff."

"Your ex-wife."

"Yeah. I couldn't just let her die. And, at the same time, brought civilians with me."

"You did good. No matter what people say, what Sumner says, because he will press your buttons. Trust me. You saved people that day and that's what matters, John."

Hazel eyes met brown.

"I know." He had an almost embarrassed smile. "But thank you for saying that."

"You're welcome. Besides my uncle did the exact same thing. Several times." She took a sip from her drink.

"I've read." He nodded.

They smiled.

"But you still haven't answered my questions."

"I…" John sighed. "I needed rules. Stability, something different, freedom, something other than being groomed to take the family business."

"Well, freedom is what you're going to get on this expedition."

"Yeah."

The hours passed by as they talked and got to know each other better.

"Well, I better get back to the base." Alexandra said at some point.

"I'll give you a ride."

"It's okay. Go begin your leave."

"And you're going back to the base how?" He raised his brow.

Alexandra thought for a moment.

"Right."

They paid and continued their banter during the ride back to the SGC.

"Thank you." She said when he stopped at the gates.

"I hope to see you before I leave."

"You will. Enjoy your week." She smiled before leaving the car and going for the soldier at the front gate.

One month.

That week went by quickly. The moment John had gone back to the SGC, he had looked for Alexandra. But she was on a mission.

The pilot walked around the hallways, observing scientists and military personnel from all over the world gather around to go on the adventure of their lives.

"You're not leaving without saying goodbye, are you, pilot?"

He had to smile as he turned around and saw Alexandra in her official uniform. It was different. He liked it.

"Captain O'Neill."

"Major Sheppard." She looked him over which made him smile. "Ready?"

"As you can see." His eyes didn't leave hers as he took a step closer.

Doing the same, Alexandra exhaled, closing the distance.

"If you ever encounter any Ancients on the other side… Don't trust them. They're sneaky little bastards most of the time."

"Yes, ma'am." John knew she was hiding something but he smiled and nodded which made her at ease and roll her eyes.

"You better go. You don't want to cause a bad impression on Col. Sumner on the first day."

It was John's turn to roll his eyes and step away to just stop and turn around to her.

"Thank you, Alex, for the lessons. And everything else."

"You're welcome. Just… don't die." She cleared her throat at those last words and stood in attention, saluting him. "Good luck, Major."

John smiled, almost embarrassed but ready for the adventure. Even though he had sensed something in her, he walked away after saluting back.

He greeted Col. Sumner at the entrance of the gate room. Heard Elizabeth Weir give a powerful speech.

Then, the gate started to turn and before he entered the blue pool, he looked behind him one last time, towards the control room. He saw Alexandra nod with a tense smile.

He nodded back and, alongside Lt. Ford, he stepped in and entered the Stargate.

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