Posting by the skin of my teeth, tagged by @rcmclachlan
ok, so maybe we’re writing more? Still not sure exactly what’s happening or where it’s going but….
*****
He doesn't know what to say to Evan, to explain -- any replacements coming would be replacing him. The SGC may not know that Gerrard's dead, but they'll know they need more people with the gene, they'll need more leadership, with the expedition gone, lost for this long. There will have been casualties.
This was never his to keep; Evan was never his to keep.
Even before the Daedelus arrives, he and Dr. Buckley agree to offer everyone the opportunity to go home.
"That includes you," Dr. Buckley says, nudging him with her shoulder.
He just raises an eyebrow. He's a lifer; they'd have to physically drag him away, kicking and screaming, and even then, just in case the new commanding officer has orders for him to go back to Earth, he talks with Eddie, privately, confidentially, to find a place where he could run, somewhere he could stay long term.
He may never be able to go back to Atlantis, after, but he'd still be here, help keep her afloat.
Dr. Buckley shrugs, "Had to ask. Me, too," she adds. "I don't think..."
She doesn't finish the sentence but he knows what she means anyway. She loves Atlantis as much as he does. As much as all of them do.
*****
late to this party, so if anyone wants to play.
