Work Text:
Title: Goodbye, Evan Lorne.
Author: Lopaka Tanu
Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate Atlantis or Sanctuary.
Characters: Lorne, Parrish, Carter, Teyla, Rodney, John.
Words: 4245
Prompt: Lorne has always been more abnormal than he realized.
Fandom: Stargate: Atlantis/Sanctuary
Pairing: UST Lorne/Parrish
Rating: Teen
Warnings: Language, Implied Sexual Situations, Character Embarrassment.
Summary: Terrible fates befall the unwary, but even vigilance has its limits.
Timeline: SGA: 4x04 - Doppelganger/Pre-Sanctuary - July, 2007.
______________________________________
Checking the clip on his P-90, Lorne made sure for the third time that everything was in working order. With the way things were in this Galaxy one could never be too careful. Where some might rely upon luck, he trusted only on what he could assure for himself.
The fewer the risks, the greater chance of everyone returning alive. In the end that mattered most.
He slammed the clip back in the weapon. The snap of it clicking back in to place was satisfyingly loud in the locker room.
"Something the matter?" Parrish's voice was gentle, still it echoed off the narrow walls.
"Just checking to make sure everything is up to code." He turned slowly to face the man. Looking up, Lorne took in the Botanist's uniform. His eyes lingered slowly as they scanned. "Wouldn't want anything to jam or fail at the wrong time." When his gaze eventually made it to other's face, he acknowledged the smirk with one of his own.
"Everything looks good on my end." Raising his own pistol, Parrish demonstrated the clip and slide were in working order. He turned it over so the safety was visible, then slid it back in to the holster. "I'm ready whenever you are, Major."
Without having realized, Lorne had taken a step towards the other man during all this. Licking his lips, he shook his head once to clear it. "It will have to wait."
Parrish's snort echoed loud and clear. "What is that? I was talking about my gun."
Taking another step closer, Lorne let his eyes dart around. When he spoke it was in a hoarse whisper. "Are you trying to get me in trouble?"
"Half the thrill is in the threat of getting caught." Meeting the other man's gaze, Parrish took the final step between them.
Lorne took a shuddering breath. Then he stepped back with a sigh. "Some things aren't worth the risk." Forcing himself to ignore the other's look of disappointment, he turned back to his locker. "We leave in five." He was glad his voice didn't so much as even crack.
One of these days the punishment would stop being enough of a threat.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Feeling the sun on his face, Lorne closed his eyes against the dazzling rays. It was only for a moment. That was all he needed, then he could go on. A soft breeze picked up the scents of the forest floor and brought them to his nose.
He was almost there.
For a moment he felt at a loss. There was something missing. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. Then the call of birds filled the air. "Ah, there it is." Warmth flooded through him making him gasp.
"Sir?" Lieutenant Goyan's voice broke the tranquility of the moment.
"Shh." Holding up a finger to his lips, Lorne kept his eyes closed. He desperately wanted to hold out his hands, to feel the world around him completely. While he couldn't do that, he did give in to the urge to drop his head back.
"If you start to moan, Major, I will have no qualms about sharing this footage with Dr. McKay." The mellow tone of the team's botanist filled the forest. It was a little distorted from having to reach the other's man's ears from twenty feet away through a forest.
That snapped Lorne back in to the present. Dropping his head to his chest with a sigh, he lowered his shoulders. "Parrish, has anyone ever threatened to stick a cactus where your..."
"Many times. As a threat, it has lost all shock value." Parrish kept his full attention and the camera on the tree he was visually scanning. "You have used it five times in the last month alone."
"I have?" Raising an eyebrow, Lorne shrugged. "I've got to get some new material."
"I could lend you one of my books, sir." At the back of the staggered team, Lieutenant Cameron tried to hide her smirk. Gun clutched to her chest, she kept one eye on the geek and the other on the forest around them. The pine trees were casting shadows in the sunlight, making her twitchy.
Seeming the only one relaxed, Lorne took a deep breath. The smell of pine needles made him sigh with pleasure. "It's a paradise planet, guys, lighten up."
Lieutenant Goyan rolled his eyes. "I am already white enough, sir." To emphasize this, he tugged at his collar. His actions revealed pasty white skin beneath his collar line.
This time Lieutenant Cameron couldn't hold back on her snicker. When the others looked back her way, she dropped her gaze to keep them from seeing her embarrassment. Her eyes caught on her wrist, then went wide. "We have fifteen minutes before the next check in, Major!"
"Really?" Alarmed, Lorne checked the watch on his wrist. Fifteen minutes had past by without him realizing it. "All right, team, pack it in. We've got to double time it back to the gate if we're going to make that check-in."
~~~~~~~~
A ball of ice filled her stomach as she entered the control room. Sam noticed she wasn't the only one feeling it. Colonel Sheppard and his team were there, along with a dozen other people she knew had other duties to perform. Instead of reprimanding them she focused on Chuck.
"All right, dial it up." Tapping the face of her digital watch, Sam cocked her head to the side. She knew it was pointless to try since the watch was digital. Still, there was always the miracle of modern science to screw with things.
Chuck's hands were already flying over the crystals. "Aye, ma'am."
She looked down to the gateroom as the massive inner ring began to spin. The device shook minutely as the first panel locked in place. Watching it spin for the second glyph made her a little dizzy, so she closed her eyes. Four more locks happened before she opened them.
The sixth and seventh sliders clicked in to place quick, then the wormhole sprang to life. The massive roar filled the gate and control rooms, causing everyone gathered to shift uncomfortably.
Chuck looked to the Colonel for confirmation before he pressed the call button on his radio. "Major Lorne, this is Atlantis Base, please respond, over."
Everyone in the control room held their breaths as the radio crackled.
Only static came over the speakers.
A muscle clenched in her chest. Sam stepped towards the gate controls and laid a hand on the Tech's shoulder. "Try it again."
"Yes, ma'am." Sucking in a quick breath, Chuck activated his radio. "SA-2, this is Atlantis Base, please respond, over."
There was still just the white noise of background radiation.
"Colonel..." She barely had time to turn before catching movement out of the corner of her eye.
"We're already on our way!" Rushing for the side entrance, he motioned for the rest of his team to follow over his shoulder.
"Oh good." Grimacing, Rodney tried to smile for Sam as he passed. "I always wanted to be on the rescue team side of the rescue. It's so rare I get the chance." He finished with a sigh as the big guy behind him started to growl.
After giving the other scientist a sad smile, Carter looked back to the still active gate. Reaching up to her earpiece, she clicked the talk button. "Major Lorne, this is Colonel Carter, please come in."
~~~~~~~~~~~
"We're getting close. The lifesigns detector has them in this direction!"
Jerking with a start, Parrish snorted to clear his nose. He came fully awake with a snarl. Black eyes blinking open, he sat up quickly.
"One's moving!"
Parrish identified the voice as that of Dr. McKay. Irritation made him snarl. His fangs glinted in the light before he shut his mouth. He closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, they were blue once more.
Twisting his head, the botanist cracked his neck. That done, he glanced around. He spotted the two Lieutenants quickly. They had fallen where he had last seen them. The Major, on the other hand...
Putting a hand to the ground behind him, Parrish pushed himself off. He shot up to his feet, and immediately took on a ready posture. Letting his eyes bleed black once more, he searched the pines. The forest around him was empty but for the two SA teams.
Well, most of them.
Tracking his gaze over the spot he had last seen the Major, he found only a bit of turned up earth. The pattern was that of someone having walked over it. His trail came to an abrupt end. There was no other sign that he had been there.
Narrowing his eyes, he slowly drained them of the black as his vision returned to normal. "Where have you gotten off to now?"
"Dr. Parrish!" Teyla's voice broke through the trees. She glanced over her shoulder. "I have located them this way!" That relayed, she looked back to Parrish and started to push her way through the pine boughs. "We have spent the last several hours searching for you."
"Hours?" Rising up from his readiness posture, Parrish's spine went rigid. "How long was I out?"
"I do not know. We only came after you missed the second check in." Her hair caught on a low hanging pine cone, but she ignored it and pressed on. A moment later the rest of her appeared through the trees. "Colonel Carter is very worried about you, we all are."
"Yes." Nodding, Parrish once again looked back to where the Major had been. "I suppose she would be."
Searching the clearing, Teyla frowned. "I see Lieutenants Cameron and Goyan, but not the Major. Do you know where he is?" When she found nothing, she turned back to the Botanist in alarm.
"No, but I intend to find out." Parrish was distantly aware his voice had dropped an octave.
~~~~ 3 Months Later ~~~~
"In coming wormhole!"
The shout from the control room pulled Sam from her study of the latest reports. It was a welcome relief. As of late her entire life was nothing but paperwork. She didn't know how Jack or General Hammond had done it all these years.
The reports she could stand. It was all the pettiness between departments and unprofessional behavior that galled her. There were far too many personal requests listed among the usual requisition forms. People thought they were entitled to work with whom they wanted willy nilly.
Tugging on the front of her uniform, she grinned. She could thank Jack for that phrase. Every time she even thought of complaining, she remembered the endless bitching he had given her when she informed him of her new command. Still, seven months in office, she figured she was due some credit.
The only sound being her boots echoing off the deck plates was not a good sign. She looked across the quiet control room to Chuck. "What have we got?"
"I have no idea. No one is scheduled to report in." Looking up from his console, Chuck shrugged.
A second later the seventh chevron locked. The next moment the wormhole exploded in to the gateroom.
"Raising shield." Chuck quickly pressed the shield crystals before activating the radio. He switched it to the speakers around the control room.
Sam waited in silence for the any communications. She didn't have to wait long.
A shriek echoed over the speakers before harsh growls took their place. "Atlantis Base, this is SA 2. I am requesting permission to abort the mission."
Putting a hand on the Tech's shoulder Sam indicated she would handle it. She quickly reached up to activate her earpiece. "What seems to be the problem, Major?"
"That stubborn son... You know, I'd rather not discuss it over the radio." Nallas' anger radiated loud and clear over the crackling speakers.
"All right. Permission granted. Carter out!" Sighing, she pressed the button again. After a quick nod to Chuck, she turned and walked out of the control room. This had been going on for too long.
~~~~~~~~~~
Hearing the echo of angry stomps leaving her office, Sam dropped her chin a little. Temperance, it was become her motto of late. No matter how much she wanted to go off on some of these people, she could not. Another of those troublesome facts of being in charge.
At least, this would be the last one over this problem. After near three solid months of squabbling, she had had enough.
The buzzer of her office door indicated someone was waiting for her. She took a deep breath to compose herself. Exhaling, she stood up and placed her hands on her desk. That had nothing to do with placing them closer to objects she could chuck at will.
Raising her head high, she glared at the door. "Come in!"
Posture impeccable as always, Parrish strolled through the doorway. Despite the casual gate, his hands were clenched at his side. The gleam in his eye signaled only trouble. "You requested to see me, Colonel."
"It was an order." Leaning a little forwards over her desk, she used her finger tips to brace herself. "I warned you against continued bickering with Major Nallas."
The smile came easy to the Botanist's face. Crossing his arms over his chest, he glanced down at the floor. "There was a good explanation..."
"Save it!" A hand rose up off the desk and cut through the air to silence him. "I don't care what the excuse was this time." Her voice was now near a growl. It gave her no pleasure to be able to do this. "Your actions are threatening everything we've worked for. If something more serious were to happen it would open the door to an investigation we cannot afford."
That caused the man to raise an eyebrow. "Colonel?"
Standing up straight, she shook her head. "Pack your bags, Doctor, you're going home. Tonight." Quietly, she hoped this would be the end of it. A part of her knew it would never be that simple, though.
As if to prove that part right, Parrish took a step forwards, towards her. His arms came uncrossed, the finger tips twitching. "Why this change? Why not something less drastic?"
She had to swallow down the angry response that automatically came to her lips. Instead, she nodded. "The project is at risk. Until now I could explain your actions under certain circumstances and people would look the other way." Her ams drifted up to cross over her chest. "You've become a liability."
Parrish stood there unblinking for several heartbeats. "Pardon? I don't think I heard you correctly." He stared her straight in the eye to measure her sincerity. "Do you know..."
"Yes. I'm well aware of your contributions." She snorted. "Frankly, that's the only reason you've been allowed to continue this long."
"I see." For a moment it seemed as if he would say more. Then he inclined his head towards her once. Turning on his heel, he strolled towards the door. He paused for a moment at the entrance.
"Don't even." Sam didn't so much sit as fall back in to her chair. The soft whine of the door motors made her wilt a little in her seat.
Well that was done. It was an end to a three month long headache. She glanced over to the stack of folders on her desk. It had only been one of many.
Groaning softly, she put her hands over her face. She was definitely going to need a vacation soon.
~~~~~~~~
Checking the zipper on his last bag, Parrish dropped it to the steps beneath him. In front of him the rest of the returning expedition to Earth checked their own luggage. His spot slightly behind and away from them was no accident.
He spotted a pair of soft boots coming his way that made him look up with a smile. Clasping his hands together, he exhaled through his teeth. "So, come to wish me off?"
Teyla didn't stop until she was within touching distance. Her own bittersweet smile twisted her lips. "I wish we did not have to see goodbye at all."
"Yes, well, things happen none of us want." His voice dropped to a whisper for both their comfort. The recent losses effected everyone. He wasn't surprised when her hand slipped between his own.
"Life rarely gives us what we want. When something comes along I've learned to hold fast to it." A tiny sparkle started at the edge of her eyes. "You've come to be a dear friend, Nicholas."
He chuckled without humor. Patting her hands, he was unable to meet her stare for long. "And you too, my dear." Parrish gave her hand a small squeeze before letting go.
"Isn't that sweet." Rodney's voice ripped through the quiet like a loud fart. Grimacing, he avoided Sheppard's elbow to gut by stepping back. "Hey! Relax, I was being friendly this time."
"Can it, Rodney. There's nothing sweet about you!" The Colonel gave his teammate a small glare before looking to Teyla and Parrish. Clearing his throat, he tried not to look as uncomfortable as he felt. "Sorry about that, doc, you know how he can be."
With a grin that showed more teeth than strictly necessary, Parrish turned to the two men. "Unfortunately, I do." His smile dimmed a little as he focused solely on John. "Colonel, I would like to thank you for all your efforts these past three months. While it seems only to have delayed the inevitable, I can say to me it wasn't a waste of time."
Nodding, the Colonel's eyes started to glaze a little. When the Botanist stopped speaking he grimaced again. "Yeah, well, it was something we would have done for any of our people. Major Lorne was a good man."
"Yes, he certainly was." Parrish's smile and voice took on a dreamy quality.
Ears turning beet red, Sheppard cleared his throat. "Well, I've got to..." He threw a thumb over his shoulder. He turned quickly and started off without another word.
Rodney was not far behind. He kept scowling over his shoulder as he walked away.
The moment they were out of sight Teyla began to snicker. "That was not very nice, Nicholas."
"It was worth it to see them squirm one last time." He sighed wistfully. Looking around the gate and control room, Parrish took it all in slowly. "I hate to admit how much I am going to miss this place. It's almost become like my own personal hothouse."
Watching him, Teyla could only smile.
"I liked to think of everyone in here as a plant. Our personalities are reflected in every form in nature, believe it or not." His eyes fell over the control room where Colonel Sheppard was talking with Carter. "Take Colonel Sheppard for instance, he is a cactus. A prickly pear to be exact."
This made her frown in confusion. "Is that plant of your homeworld?"
"A kind of fruit bearing succulent. It has thorns, much like the Colonel's hair." His lips twitched, but otherwise he made no moves. "Dr. McKay, he's a Dandy Lion. A stinky weed that thrives despite all attempts to eradicate it."
"You almost sound as if you admire him for that."
That caught Parrish off guard. Facing her, he quirked an eyebrow. "Perhaps I do. It is an admirable trait in a person." His teeth showed a moment later. "Even if that person is an annoying weed."
"Of course." She returned his smile. They stood in silence staring at one another.
Then, the gate began to grind as the inner circle started to spin.
Parrish took her hand in his once more. "Take care of yourself, Teyla." Swallowing, he cast a quick look to the gate then back at her. "Be strong, you will find your people again soon, I promise."
"Thank you." Her hold on his hand took on desperate strength. "I promise that I will not stop looking for your Evan so long as I am able."
A second later the roar of the wormhole opening filled the gateroom. People ahead of them in line to it began to stir, picking up their baggage and packages.
Reluctantly, he was forced to let her hand go for the last time. Straightening his spine, he turned to face the great, shimmering surface of the Stargate. Everything he could do here was done. It was time to go home.
May be he would even look up some old friends.
~~~~~ 3 Months Later ~~~~~
He was cold. It was a deep, pervasive chill that ran through every inch of his body. The lack of warmth sapped his energy to the point of exhaustion. He lacked the strength even to open his eyes. Yet, there was no pain.
He knew there should have been pain. When cold, there should have been accompanying pain. That was a lesson even his sluggish mind could recall.
The world as he knew it was flat. He was laid out on a cold surface. It was conducting the chill through his bare skin, keeping him there. Part of his mind wondered if this were not an accident.
Breathing. That was the next thing he became aware of. His body was slowly inhaling short breaths. Not much, just enough to partially fill his lungs and keep his body going. At least this meant he was alive. A lack of pain did not mean he was dead.
Curious, his mind began to wander. His toes were cool, but not cold. There was still blood pumping through them. There! One twitched, he felt it move. The toe constricted and he felt it move.
He was alive. That was always a good sign.
~~~~~~~
He was aware. A shiver ran through him. Unable to think much, the cold left him with only a hint of control. He knew that he should have been able to do more.
Asleep. He had been asleep since the last time he became self-aware. It didn't make sense. Sleep was to regenerate. So, why was he still tired?
So tired. A smaller tremor ran through him. This time, he thought he might have actually moaned. He wasn't sure, the concept of sound was new to him.
~~~~~~~
He had been asleep again. Something was different this time, though. There was pain. So much of it. Yet, that was not the difference. Something else was changed, it was causing the pain.
He gasped. It hurt.
His cheek. There! It was on his cheek. Something burning. It felt like fire. On his cheek. There was pain on his cheek.
Crying out, he knew it was him, the sounds matched his breathing. It was loud to his ears, yet, knew fundamentally, that he was barely above a whisper. The pain. It was spreading from his cheek to every where.
"Major."
Inside. On the inside of his mind. He screamed.
Pain from the loudness. The voice, it had been like a scream to his ears. He tried to jerk away from the voice. There was no strength.
The fire continued to burn through him, radiating out from his cheek.
"Do not worry. Colonel Sheppard is on his way. He and the others will rescue us soon."
He did not understand her words. They was only more pain. Why did she not see the pain she was causing? It hurt. So much. He wanted it to stop.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Major Lorne." It was another voice. This one was soft, almost as if afraid speaking loudly would dispel an illusion.
Opening his eyes, he turned to the source. Large Blue eyes were staring down at him. The look in them was so sad that he wanted to take that pain away.
"Welcome home." Her first words to him. She gently stroked a single hand down the side of his face. "We've been so worried for you these past six months."
Worried? About him? "Why?" He said the word. He realized he had spoken aloud.
She gasped, a half chuckle before she caught herself. Sobering up, she took a calming breath. "What's the last thing you remember?"
"Pain." He was honest. The last thing he remembered was the fire. Touch, on his cheek. Someone's hand was so hot it felt like fire. There was no pain in his cheek now. May be it had been an illusion.
This made the woman nod, though. "They said you were keening when they brought you in." She looked troubled by this. "You wouldn't let anyone touch you. Dr. Keller said it was the difference in their body temperature and yours. She had to put you in a medically induced coma..." Her voice trailed off as she looked away.
With a shaky hand he reached up to touch hers upon his face. This drew her attention back to him. Licking his dry lips, he sucked in a painful breath.
"Yes?" She looked at him expectantly. There was even a little hope in her eyes.
A thousand questions ran through his mind. Each one was as important as the last. Yet, only one truly burned to be answered. It hurt like hell, but he swallowed down enough to clear his throat. "Who..." He grimaced from the pain, "are you?"
The woman froze in place. Her eyes widened noticeably. "Do you remember who you are?"
He frowned. What kind of question was that? Of course he... Panic set his heart to racing. Shaking his head, he swallowed again. "No."
THE END.............................for now.