Chapter Text
Major John Sheppard sighed as he glanced out the right side of the windshield and studied the explosion of color caused by the sun setting over the western horizon. Correction… Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard. He was still getting used to his promotion.
Actually, everything in his life seemed to have tilted on its head. It was hard for him to comprehend that he was on Earth again, driving a classic muscle car down a deserted back road. Especially when he considered that he’d been living in another galaxy for the last several months, fighting aliens and helping run a forward operating base (FOB) in a futuristic city that was built millions of years ago by the Ancients. True, he hadn’t been in charge of the whole base, just the military, but that had only come about because he killed his commanding officer to put him out of his misery after being fed on by a she-bitch of a space vampire. All the same, he’d made the best of his time so far away from the planet of his birth and Atlantis now felt like home. It had been hard to gate back to Earth, but the SGC and IOA demanded that most of the senior staff from the expedition return to speak, in person, about everything that had happened since the moment they passed through the event horizon and came out in the Pegasus galaxy. What followed was days of endless meetings, answering questions and rehashing details over and over to select groups of people. But at the end of it, they’d been given the okay to return, after they recruited more expedition members and resupplied. General Landry had tried to appoint Caldwell as the new military commander for the expedition; however, Dr. Weir wouldn’t hear of it. Elizabeth had gone straight to the President and made her opinion known, which led to him getting promoted. The whole thing still made him chuckle. And they said I’d never make it past Captain.
With another sigh, John refocused his eyes on the road. After getting his promotion and all the administrative things were completed, the Atlantis senior staff had been given some time off to let their new members prepare for their big move and for the Daedalus to finish repairs. In an effort to get him out of the Mountain and save his sanity, Cam Mitchell had offered him a place to stay and then the use of his car to visit with a buddy in Denver. Now, he was on his way back to Colorado Springs. Shaft had said he could keep the car another day and spend the night in the city, but Sheppard insisted he would be back in time for dinner and some beers at his friend’s favorite bar. He wasn’t sure why though. It felt like he NEEDED to be back and he knew better than to fight his instincts, especially since what he was feeling was similar to something he’d being keeping secret, from everyone, except for Dr. Carson Beckett. As his physician of record, he was bound by doctor-patient confidentiality and he was going to keep it that way… for the time being.
He’d been keeping his secret for almost a year, ever since he sat in the Antarctica Chair. After his first time interacting with Ancient technology, save the drone which had almost killed him and General O’Neill, he’d developed a sixth sense regarding the ATA gene, not that he knew that at the time, but he figured it out pretty quick, once Carson, Elizabeth and Dr. Jackson explained how the gene worked and who had it. He didn’t mention it to Beckett until they reached Atlantis and it grew stronger. He could even tell the difference between natural carriers and people who had the gene therapy. It was a neat little trick and came in handy at times, but he still didn’t know why or how he’d developed this strange new talent. It honestly didn’t seem worth mentioning to his superiors and none of his physicals had shown anything out of the ordinary. However, it was strange that he was feeling something similar as he drove back to Colorado Springs. He planned to call Carson the next day and talk about it, unless he could figure it out on his own. He didn’t want to bother the doc; he had other things to occupy his time, though he was still in town, having opted not to visit his family in Scotland.
The newly minted Lieutenant Colonel studied the area he was driving through. He could’ve taken the highway from Denver to Colorado Springs and probably would’ve already made it back. But he didn’t know when he might return to Earth next and wanted to enjoy the opportunity to drive uninhibited. It had been a while since he saw any other cars and it allowed him to put the Mustang through its paces. It was growing darker as the sun sank lower and he pressed on the gas. Cam was going to kill him if he was late to the bar. Suddenly, down the road, he spotted something moving along the shoulder. He tapped the brake to slow his momentum. He didn’t want to hit an animal and damage his friend’s car, since that would definitely get him killed, one way or the other. As he grew closer, it became obvious that the something he had seen wasn’t a bit of local fauna, but a person dressed in shabby, dirty clothes. He pressed harder on the brake and slid past the person.
“Damn it.” John cursed. He pulled onto the shoulder and stopped, putting the car in park and setting the emergency brake. What he was feeling was unexpected; a tingle along the edge of his senses. He could ignore it, but for some reason, he didn’t want to. He climbed out of the Mustang, keys in hand, and turned to study the person drawing closer to him, but then they stopped and stared at him. Trepidation filled a pair of warm brown eyes.
At first, he’d thought it was a man trudging along the side of the deserted road, but now it was clear that he was actually a she. She was a good head shorter than him, bundled up in several layers of well-worn clothes and a large, heavy-duty pack was strapped on her back. Her brown hair was pulled back into a sloppy braid. It and the rest of her was in need of a long, hot shower and maybe a nice, hearty meal.
“Can I give you a ride?” Sheppard asked as he took a step towards her.
She jumped back and grabbed the straps of her bag, pulling it snuggly against her. She appeared ready to run.
Holding up both hands, John threw a smile in her direction. “I’m not going to hurt you. It’s getting late and there aren’t any lights along this road. I’d hate for you to get hit by a careless driver. I can take you into Colorado Springs and drop you wherever you want.”
She eyed him warily. It was clear she didn’t know if she could trust him. Maybe if he shared a little about himself, it would put her at ease.
“I’m John. John Sheppard. I’m in the Air Force and stationed out of Cheyenne Mountain. I swear to you, I mean you no harm. I just want to help.” He wasn’t the kind of person to pick up hitchhikers, not in this day and age, but there was something about her. He felt like he had to help her. Plus, there was the tingle he felt, which he would examine more later.
“Okay.” Her voice was faint, but given how quiet it was, he’d clearly heard it. His smile turned into a full-born grin.
“Great. We can throw your bag in the trunk.” Before he could even reach the rear of the vehicle, she vehemently shook her head, No. “Or not.” He pointed to the other side of the car. “Hop in the front. We’re not far from the city limits.” Without waiting for her to respond, he climbed back in the open front door, shut it, and started the engine. Then he waited.
It seemed like ages passed, but it was probably only a couple of minutes until the passenger door creaked open. She slid inside and wedged her pack between her legs. She slammed the door shut and put on her seatbelt. She didn’t glance in his direction. Her head was down and her eyes stayed locked on her bag.
After checking his mirrors and seeing nothing, Sheppard pulled back on to the road and sped towards town. He wasn’t much of a talker, not like Rodney, and didn’t feel it necessary to fill the silence with chatter, but he wanted his passenger to be comfortable with him. Her back was rigid and she had a vise grip on the top handle of her pack. “Have you been on the road long?”
He received no response. She didn’t move a muscle. It was like she was frozen. He continued, undeterred by her silence.
“I just came home after months off… overseas. Not that Colorado Springs is home, but it’s familiar. I’ve spent a lot of time living in crappy places. Before my most recent posting, I was in Antarctica. I kinda liked it. The cold wasn’t too bad; it was the quiet that got to me every now and then.” He glanced over at her.
Her head was angled slightly towards him. The fact that she was listening to him made him smile. Now he needed to build on that.
“Most of my postings were rough, but my current one is lush in comparison. Not that it isn’t dangerous. We have a lot to contend with, but I have running water, hot and cold, a comfortable bed and decent food to eat. I’m going to savor it as long as it lasts.” He saw her head nod out of the corner of his eye. It probably wasn’t fair of him to mention things she currently didn’t have available to her, for whatever reason, but she was engaging with him, even if only slightly. Now it was time for him to change course. “I forgot to ask. What’s your name?” He stopped talking and waited for her to respond.
After a few minutes, her lips finally moved. “Mariah.” Her voice was weak and rough, maybe from lack of use. She wasn’t much to look at with her dirty face, hair and clothes, but there was something about her. His need to get back to Colorado Springs had waned, but he wasn’t ready to declare her the cause yet.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mariah.” He stated. His voice was pleasant and light. He started to speak again, but then his phone rang. “Could you get that for me and put it on speaker?” He took his hand off the wheel, grabbed his SGC-issued cell and offered it to her. She frantically took it and fumbled to hit the right buttons to do as he asked. “Sheppard.” He barked.
“Where the hell are you, Shep? I’m starving.” Cam’s voice shouted through the phone’s speaker.
“I’m almost there. I can see the city limits now.” He stole a glance at his passenger. “I made a new friend. Do you mind if I bring her along?”
“Her? You picked up a woman in Denver? You dog!” His fellow Colonel chuckled.
John offered the young woman an apologetic look. She gave him a faint smile in return. “I didn’t pick her up in Denver and she can hear you.”
“Shoot. I’m sorry, miss. I…. What do you mean you didn’t pick her up in Denver?”
“I just didn’t.” He snatched the phone away from Mariah and growled into it. “I’ll explain it to you later.” He ended the call before his friend could respond and threw the cell back into the cup holder he’d initially retrieved it from. “Sorry about that. How’d you feel about getting a bite to eat? My treat?” He gave her his best innocent look as they entered the outskirts of Colorado Springs.
“Okay.” Was her soft response.
“Great.” He felt lighter as soon as she agreed. He had a feeling this one meal was going to change everything for the both of them.
*****
Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell sighed and waved over his regular server. He was seated at a booth in the back corner of his neighborhood bar. It was only a few blocks from his apartment and was his Friday night hangout spot. Usually, he brought his team with him, but this Friday night, he was meeting up with his temporary roommate. He had plans with his teammates for the next couple of afternoons and evenings, so skipping their regular get together wasn’t a big deal. Football season was starting, both college and NFL. It seemed ideal to spend that time communing with his team and eating good food, but without people trying to kill them. Not that he’d seen much action since reforming SG-1, but he knew it would happen eventually. They were SG-1 after all.
“What can I get you, Colonel?” The female server asked when she reached his table. She was older with grey-streaked black hair that was pulled back in a ponytail. She was tall and trim and looked like she could easily handle any trouble that might come her way.
“How many times have I told you to call me, Cam, Allie?”
“Probably well over a dozen. Sorry. Another beer?” She pointed to the empty glass on the table.
“Yeah, my buddy should be here soon and he’s bringing a friend.” He shared. “Thanks again for letting me change tables.”
“No problem.” He grabbed his glass. “I’ll get you a refill and bring another menu. Be back in a couple.” She strolled away.
The bar wasn’t too busy for a Friday night. Only about half the tables were full, but the after-work happy hour was over and the people who’d come for dinner had already begun to leave. Shawn’s Bar wasn’t known to be a party spot. Places like that were in the downtown area and near the college. It was just a neighborhood place, where the locals came for a drink or some food after work, or to watch sports on select evenings or the weekend.
Hearing the front door open, Mitchell lifted his head and saw John coming towards him. He rose, then spotted the person with his friend. He was confused. He’d thought the other man had picked up a date, not a vagrant. He didn’t react as he watched them cross the bar towards him. A few of the other patrons gave them a passing glance, but immediately went back to eating, drinking or talking to those they were with.
“Sorry, I’m late, Shaft. I decided to come via the backroads instead of the highway and lost track of time.”
“It’s fine.” The two men shook. When he pulled back, the leader of SG-1 pointed at the young woman. “Who’s your friend?”
“This is Mariah.” Sheppard smiled down at his companion. “Mariah, this is Lieutenant Colonel Cam Mitchell. We used to fly together.” Sensing the hesitancy in her, he added. “He’s a good guy. You can trust him.” She nodded at him.
“Nice to meet you, Mariah.” He held out a hand to her, but she shied away from it. He dropped his hand back to his side. He smiled at her. “I’m sorry about what I said on the phone. My momma taught me manners, but sometimes I forget them.”
“It’s… okay.” She whispered.
“Have a seat. I need to talk to John for a minute.” He pointed at the booth he’d been at. She scurried over, set her pack on the bench and slid in next to it, her head down.
Cam grabbed his friend’s arm and pulled him out of hearing range of their table. “What the hell, Shep? A bum?”
“She’s not a bum.” Sheppard ripped his arm loose from the other man’s vise like grip. “She’s homeless, I think. I spotted her along the edge of the road, walking towards Colorado Springs. I offered her a ride. She’s scared, alone and in need of a good meal. And maybe a little compassion.” He growled the end part. His eyes kept jumping from the booth back to the man in front of him. He didn’t want Mariah to disappear before he got her the meal he promised.
“I’m sorry. You’re right.” Mitchell took a deep breath. His parents had taught him more than manners; they’d taught him about charity and helping the less fortunate. He tried to do it on missions and now off-world, though it wasn’t always accepted. But this was Earth, they were in the good old U. S. of A., and it was in his power to do something for this young woman. He glanced over his shoulder at her. She wasn’t much to look at. He wondered what she was like under all that dirt and grime. Sensing movement, he swung around and saw Allie headed their way. She was carrying a tray with his beer on it along with a couple of glasses of water. A menu was tucked under her arm. “Let’s sit down and order.” They returned to their table. The two men sat side-by-side, giving Mariah some space.
“Here you are, Cam.” She handed him the beer. Then she placed the waters down in front of the two newcomers and gave the additional menu to John. “Can I get you something to drink, honey?”
“I’ll take a beer, same as Cam.” The Atlantis military commander replied, before opening his menu and going over the options.
“And you?” Allie looked at the other side of the table and her eyes grew soft as she took in Mariah’s appearance. The young woman wrapped both hands around the glass of water in front of her and pulled it towards her. She didn’t utter a word, but she didn’t need to. “Just water for now. Got it. I’ll be back in a few minutes to get your food order.” The server turned on her heels and walked away.
The two men watched Mariah take a small sip of water, both hands locked around the glass. Her head was still down, but she was moving it slightly, taking in the sounds of the bar and remaining alert. The leader of SG-1 spoke up. “How long have you been on your own, Mariah?” His question earned him a sharp elbow to the ribs from his fellow pilot.
“Five….” She muttered and trailed off.
“Weeks? Months?” Mitchell knew it had to have been longer than that, but saying it would make it real and he didn’t want to be the one to do it.
“Years.” She replied.
Cam restrained a gasp and a curse, while Sheppard growled next to him, not because he was angry at her, just the situation. “Then I’m glad John found you.” He knew she deserved more than a ride and something to eat, but he wasn’t sure what he could do for her. He started with the most obvious thing, given where they were and pointed at the menu resting on the table next to her elbow. “The food here is really good. Simple and filling. You can get anything you want.”
“Okay.” Her voice was so low that neither man was sure she even spoke. However, she took one hand off her glass and flipped the menu open, before return her hand to the glass. Her eyes fluttered over her choices.
Several minutes passed in silence, though the two Colonels exchanged a few looks. Then Allie reappeared at their table and dropped a mug of beer in front of John. “What can I get for you guys?”
“I’ll take my usual.” Mitchell gave her his menu.
“Spicy chicken wings for Cam. I should’ve guessed. And you, honey?” She moved her gaze to Sheppard.
“Ribeye, medium rare.” He gave her his menu as well. Everyone looked at Mariah and waited.
She pointed at her menu, then at John. Allie shifted to see which item she’d chosen. “Ah, a cheeseburger, medium rare. Do you want all the toppings?” She picked up the third menu and paused.
“No… onions.”
“I’m right there with you, sweetie. Give me heartburn. I’ll put everything in the computer and have it out to you as soon as it’s done.” She began to walk away, but saw the young woman raise her hand slightly. Allie immediately came back. “Something else?”
“Bathroom?”
The server pointed to her left. “Down that hall to your right. Door’s marked. I’ll be back.” She hurried away.
Sliding out of the booth, Mariah grabbed her pack and stood. But Sheppard spoke to her before she could leave. “You don’t need to take your bag. I promise, Cam and I won’t let anything happen to it.” She stayed frozen for a minute, then pushed her pack back to where it had been, before almost sprinting away from the table and disappearing from view.
Mitchell twisted in his seat and glared at the man beside him. “Explain, Shep. Now!”
*****
Coming out of the stall, Mariah stared at herself in the mirror. It had been a long time since she’d taken a good look at herself. She raised a hand to her head and rubbed it over her dirty hair down to the thread-bare shirts and old canvas coat she wore. She hissed slightly when she came to her right side. She pulled away as if burned. With a shake of her head, she turned on one of the faucets and began to wash her hands. Her thoughts drifted to where she currently was.
She hadn’t thought much of it when that classic Mustang went passed and pulled over onto the shoulder down the road from her. But she froze as soon as she saw the car’s driver watching her. She about jumped out of her skin and bolted when he offered her a ride. However, a feeling she hadn’t felt in a long time settled over her as she looked him over; trust. She didn’t know why, but she trusted him. With one gaze and a few words, he made her feel safe, something almost foreign to her over the last five years. Since she knew she could handle herself, she took the chance. Getting a meal out of the whole experience was a happy bonus. Then they arrived at the bar. John’s friend had seemed scary at first, especially since it was obvious he wasn’t happy to see her or more likely didn’t appreciate the fact she was homeless. He came around quickly though and he felt safe, too, just not as much as John.
The door to the ladies’ room opening startled her out of her contemplation and she shut off the water. She glanced up and saw the woman who’d taken their food order. She trembled slightly.
“Hey, sweetie. I’m Allie. I know you don’t know me, but I brought you a couple of things.” It was only then that Mariah saw she had a plastic bag in one hand. The server pulled something out. It was a dark blue t-shirt with the bar’s logo on it. “I thought you might appreciate having something clean to wear. It’s not much, but it’s good quality. It’ll last awhile. And I can get rid of your old ones or you can keep them, your choice.” She held out the t-shirt to her.
Mariah looked down at herself and sighed. She didn’t have any sentimental attachment to what she had on, save the coat, and it would be nice to feel a little bit cleaner. She reached out and took the offered piece of clothing, then she stared at the other woman, hoping she’d understand what she wanted. Thankfully, she did..
“I’ll turn around.”
Once she wasn’t being watched and after carefully placing her new shirt aside, Mariah took off her coat, setting it on the counter, and grabbed the hem of the three thin shirts she had on, yanking them off and dropping them on the floor. Layering was very important on the streets, plus they were so worn it made sense. She did her best to avoid looking at herself in the mirror. She didn’t need to see the state of her body; she was all too familiar with it. She wanted to get rid of her ratty bra, too, but it was the only one she had. She shimmied into the clean t-shirt and stepped forward to tap the other woman on the shoulder.
Allie turned to face her and smiled. “You look better already, not that you didn’t look fine before. I-.”
“I understand.” Mariah whispered. She squatted down and picked up her old shirts.
“Keep or toss?”
“Toss.”
“Great.” Allie took the other item out of the bag and put it on the counter, then let her stuff the dirty garments into the bag. She went over to the trash can and dropped the old clothes, bag and all, inside. Then she came back over and grabbed the thing she’d set aside. It was a zipper pouch about the size of a loaf of bread. “I work at a women’s shelter on my days off and we make up these little kits to give the ladies.” She unzipped it and showed Mariah what was inside. “There’s face soap, body wash, shampoo and conditioner, both regular and dry, a brush, a comb, a few hair ties, a washcloth, a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, and a few cosmetics. I had this out in my car and thought you might be able to use it.”
Tears entered Mariah’s eyes. She was overwhelmed. Today was the best day she’d had in a very long time; a ride, a meal, clean clothes and now a few personal care products. She might just get to feel human again. “Thank you.” She stated at a normal volume. She was fighting the urge to bawl like a baby.
“Us girls need to stick together.” Allie smiled and ignored the emotions the other woman was plainly feeling. “Why don’t you brush your teeth and wash your face and I’ll take care of your hair?”
“It’s dirty.” Mariah grabbed the end of her braid and wrapped it around the front of her throat.
The older woman stepped forward, her smile still in place. She gave the pouch to her and grabbed three items out of it, a spray bottle, the brush and a hair tie. “That’s why I’m going to brush in the dry shampoo. You’ll look like a million bucks by the time we’re done.” Not waiting for any further arguments, Allie started on her hair.
Between the two of them, they made short work of what they needed to do and when Mariah looked in the mirror again, an old friend was looking back. She tamped down on another round of tears, put her old coat back on and hugged Allie tightly.
The server returned the embrace, then packed up all the toiletries they’d used into the pouch and gave it to the young woman. “You better hurry back to your table. I’m sure the guys are wondering where you went and I need to check on your order.” She strode to the door, but paused before heading out. “Colonel Mitchell is an honorable man and I highly doubt he’d be friends with someone who was anything less than the same. I thought you should know.” Then she was gone.
With a final glance in the mirror, Mariah left the bathroom and made her way back to the table. She turned to face the two men and watched their eyes dilate once they saw her. She slid across the bench until she was next to her pack, setting her newly acquired care kit on top of it. Uncomfortable with the attention, she eventually bowed her head.
Because of that, she missed the look they shared. They had a whole conversation in that look, but before either of them could say a thing to her, Allie arrived at the booth with their food and no one said a word while they ate.
*****
Cam sat back and watched the young woman across from him. She’d inhaled her burger and fries and he’d given her a couple his wings in an effort to fill her up. He’d suppressed a laugh when she scraped the sauce off them. All she’d said when he asked her why was ‘no spicy.’ At least she knew what she liked and didn’t like. He glanced at Sheppard next to him. He hadn’t missed his friend sneaking her a few of the veggies off his own plate to hers. They seemed to agree she needed the food more than they did. They’d had a good heart-to-heart while she was in the bathroom. His fellow pilot had explained exactly what happened on that lonely road and why he’d stopped for her. He felt he’d left something out, but it didn’t take away from the overall story. And once he’d heard the whole thing, they’d discussed their next steps.
It hadn’t taken much for him to be willing to open his home to her. His apartment wasn’t much, but it was better than being on the streets. John even decided to give her the guest room, while he took the couch. They agreed to offer her a place for the weekend, but weren’t going to kick her out. She could leave when she felt the need to. Now came the tricky part.
“How was the food, Mariah?” The leader of SG-1 inquired of her.
“Good.” She muttered as she finished chewing her last bite. She wiped off her face when she was done and leaned against the back of the booth. “Full.”
Sheppard chuckled. “I’ve never seen someone so small eat so much.” He continued to laugh when she blushed and ducked her head.
“Since you’re finished.” Mitchell began. “I wanted to talk about what happens next. We’re willing to drop you wherever you like, but I wanted to see if you’d prefer to stay with us for the weekend. You can clean up, do some laundry and sleep in a real bed.”
Her head whipped up and she gave them a shocked look. “What?”
“We know you don’t really know us, but if at any point you feel uncomfortable, all you have to do is tell us.” John offered. “Want do you say?”
“I….” She bowed her head and played with her hands. It was clear to the two men she was confused and overwhelmed. She took two deep breaths and raised her head. Her gaze went from one man to the other. “I’d like… to stay.”
“Great.” The country boy rubbed his hands together. “Here’s what we’ll do. Shep is going to drive the car back to my place and straighten up the guest room for you to use. While he does that, you and I can go to the 24-hour drugstore that’s a block from here. We can get you anything you might need. They have clothes, food and regular drugstore stuff.”
“But I….” Mariah grabbed the pouch she’d come back from the bathroom with and set it on the table. She undid the zipper and pulled it open. “Allie… she….” She pointed to the contents.
The Colonels looked inside and smiled. “That was nice of her.” Cam replied. “But I’m sure there’s some other stuff you might like or need. If you want it and it’ll make things easier for you, we’ll buy it. Okay?” It took her a minute, but she eventually nodded. “Great. Let’s head out.” Sheppard had already taken care of the bill, which meant they were free to simply leave.
The young woman slid off the bench and began to pull her bag onto her back, but John stopped her. “I’ll take that with me, then you don’t need to worry about it in the store. Okay?” After a momentary pause, she let him take it and he snatched the pouch off the table, shoving it under his arm. He ushered her towards the exit.
Mitchell detoured towards the bar where Allie was standing. “What can I do for you, Cam?” Only a couple tables were still occupied and the bartender was already cleaning things up so they could close once the last customer left.
“Thanks for helping her out, Allie. I appreciate it.” He gave her a hug, which she returned.
“Of course. Take good care of her.” There was a twinkle in her eye when she added. “There’s something special about her.”
“Will do.” He waved at her as he headed outside, where Mariah and his fellow pilot were waiting for him. “See you back at the apartment, Shep.” The Atlantis military commander nodded, gave the young woman a poignant look, then turned away, heading to where he parked the Mustang. With his friend gone, Cam took over guiding Mariah. “It’s this way.” They started down the sidewalk. The neighborhood was quiet, only a few cars whizzed by them.
It was a silent walk; one person didn’t know what to say and the other didn’t want to cause any more unease. They crossed the street and found themselves outside the drugstore. They passed through the automatic doors and Mitchell got a cart. He wasn’t sure what or how much she was going to grab and wanted to be prepared. They started in aisle 1 and systematically made their way through the whole store. As they passed items, they each picked up things and tossed them in. Mariah occasionally plucked items out of the cart and put them back. Cam kept smiling the whole time. It made him happy when he looked away to hear her adding things to the pile. He had meant it when he said she could get anything she wanted, plus his fellow Colonel had given him his credit card and told him there was no limit. He always forgot John came from a wealthy background, but it wasn’t common knowledge and he knew better than to share that information with anyone they worked with.
When they got through the last aisle, the leader of SG-1 pointed them in the direction of the cashier. “Got everything?” He asked as he studied all the items in the cart. He could see clothes, toiletries and even a few snacks. She nodded at him. “Great. All we need to do now is check out.”
He let her take the initiative to load everything onto the conveyor belt, while he chatted with the cashier who was ringing everything up. He was a regular at the drugstore and knew most of the staff, since it was so close to his place and between it and his favorite bar. He would pop in on the way home to get something he knew he needed, but didn’t want to go elsewhere to purchase. It wasn’t long before the total was on the screen, then he paid and they carried their bounty out the door.
“Follow me.” He led her away from the bar. It was only a couple more blocks to his apartment complex. It was made up of four identical buildings surrounding a large green area. They occasionally had block parties, barbecues or flag football games there. A lot of great people lived near him. Sheppard was waiting outside the building when they finally got there and he held open the door for them.
“Any problems?” John asked as he took Mariah’s bags from her and brought up the rear. The apartment was on the third floor of the four-story building. They went up the stairs together.
“Not a one.” Mitchell replied. When he reached the right landing, he headed down the hall. He juggled the bags in his hands and unlocked his door. “Home, sweet home.” He declared. He went right in and dropped the bags on the kitchen table. He turned around and grinned at his guest. “It’s not much, but it’s comfortable. If you can’t find something, just ask. Let me give you a quick tour.” The living room and kitchen were facing each other with the foyer in the middle. Across from the front door was a hallway with four doors off it. They went to the laundry/linen closet, the guest bathroom, the master bedroom with its own attached bath and the guest bedroom which was their last stop.
The two men watched as Mariah wandered around the room. Her pack was leaning against the queen-sized bed and there was a window that looked at one of the other apartment buildings and the narrow green space between them. There was a simple dresser and two matching side tables. The final items in the room, besides the door to a small walk-in closet, were a comfy chair by the window and a matching footstool. The young woman turned and smiled. “Thank you.”
“We’re happy we can help you, Mariah.” The Atlantis military commander told her. He pointed at the dresser. “My stuff is in bottom drawer and there are a couple things in the closet. Feel free to use the rest of the space.” He took a step closer. He awkwardly shifted from foot to foot. “I want you to come to me if you have any issues, okay?” She nodded. “Good.” He dropped the bags he was still carrying on the bed. “I’ll grab the rest.” He hurried out of the room.
While they were having their short conversation, Mitchell had been on the phone, though no one had heard it ring. After disconnecting, he spoke loudly enough that both his guests could hear him. “Carter needs me to swing by. I’ll be back after a bit.” He paused when Mariah stepped towards him. “Make yourself at home. Maybe take a hot shower. Both bathrooms have great water pressure.” He chuckled when he saw the excitement in her eyes. “I won’t be long.” Before he could be distracted again, he jogged down the hall and out the front door. He needed to speak with his team.
*****
Mariah locked the door to the bathroom and set the plastic bag full of toiletries on the closed toilet lid. She placed the clean clothes she had over her arm on the counter next to the sink and took a deep breath. She felt like she was in the middle of a fever dream. She couldn’t believe any of what happened to her over the last few hours. It seemed almost too good to be true; a ride, a meal, a place to stay, and access to new clothes and anything she could think to ask for. She tried her best to not get overwhelmed and focused on what she’d done since Cam suddenly left to go into work.
After Sheppard had brought her the rest of the bags, he’d left her alone to get settled. She went through all her new stuff, sorting it into piles on the bed, then she dumped the contents of her pack on the floor. Her personal property was easier to go through and figure out what to do with. She had things she wanted to keep, which she repacked into her bag, clothes she wanted to wash, which she added her canvas coat to and finally things she wanted to pitch, which she stuffed into some of the empty plastic bags. There were a few items on her person she also wanted to be rid of, but to do that, she needed to clean up. Taking the snack items to the kitchen, she told John she was going to shower, but not in so many words. It had really only been one word, ‘shower,’ and she pointed at herself. He got the message. Then she retreated to her current location.
It only took her a couple seconds to strip down to her underwear, separating her new shirt from the jeans she never wanted to see again. She reached into the shower/tub combo and turned on the water, allowing it to warm up. While it did, she got busy with something else she needed to do.
Unbeknownst to Mariah, there was someone else in the bathroom. A semi-translucent figure was leaning in the corner by the door with his eyes locked on her. He was obviously male based on his general shape and what could be seen of his clothes. He was blurry; there one second and gone the next. He spoke aloud, but she couldn’t hear him.
*How the mighty have fallen.*
His voice had a slight accent and he pushed away from the wall and stepped closer.
*Once an all-powerful, almost god-like creature and now… you’re afraid of your own shadow.*
He shifted to see her profile. She continued what she was doing, unaware of his presence.
*But this is what you asked for. Well… not exactly, but it’s close enough. I had a devil of a time getting you here.*
He chuckled.
*Ignore the pun.*
He was clearly amused and leaned a little closer to her.
*You’re finally safe. I promise. You’ve stumbled upon some pretty awesome people. They’ll be able to handle anything you dish out and through it all, will be in your corner. If you can’t take my word for it, whose can you? See ya around, Mariah.*
He reached out and touched her shoulder, before fading away.
Mariah swung around, looking for something in the bathroom, and found nothing. She shook her head and glanced up to see the mirror fogged over. She was finished with what she’d been doing; now it was time to get clean. After throwing her undergarments on top of her jeans, she grabbed a few of her toiletries and stepped into the shower. A contented sigh fell from her lips and a single thought flittered through her head. Amazing.
*****
Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard was confused… and frustrated… with a little bit of happiness thrown in to keep things interesting. He sat back on Mitchell’s couch and sighed. He could now confirm that the sense of urgency to get back to Colorado Springs was due to Mariah. As soon as he left the young woman with his friend to drive back to the apartment, he’d felt drawn in their direction. It was like she was connected to him and when they were apart, something tugged on his very soul, telling him where he needed to go to find her again. He was going to have to talk to Carson about it and the fact he could sense she was a natural ATA gene carrier. While he wasn’t good with emotions, he currently felt a jumble of them. He didn’t even know where to start to untangle them. The only one he could clear identify was happiness. He was overjoyed that Mariah had agreed to come stay with him and Cam. Well, actually, stay at Cam’s place with him. She would be safe here while he figured out everything else, but he knew he wanted her to stick around.
The sound of the bathroom door opening had him sitting up. He heard the young woman moving down the hall and into the guest bedroom. After just a few minutes, soft footfall headed back towards him. He jumped to his feet and turned, cutting off a gasp when he saw her. Mariah was dressed in a loose pair of track pants and a generic t-shirt. Her hair was wet and pulled back in a tight braid. But on top of all that she was smiling. He thought she looked radiant.
“Feel better?”
She nodded at him, then he noticed the bags in her hands.
“What have you got there?”
“Trash.” She whispered.
“Oh, let me take it down to the chute. Is that everything?” He asked as he came around the couch and carefully took the bags from her. His skin tingled whenever it touched hers. He took a step back and waited for her to answer.
He got another nod.
“Great. Give me a minute.” Without hesitation, he hurried out of the apartment and down the hall. He was back in record time, only to discover Mariah standing in front of the laundry closet with a pile of clothes at her feet. “Do you need help?”
Yet another nod.
“It’s a little confusing. I had trouble with it when Cam first offered me a place to stay before I head back to my base.” He began to turn dials and hit buttons. He pointed at the pile. “Just one load?”
“Yes.”
John grinned. She’d responded instead of nodding. He was making progress. “Dump them in and we’ll get this puppy going.” He let her load the machine and pour in some soap, then shut the lid and pushed the start button. Water began to fill the drum. When he turned towards her, he noticed her rubbing her stomach in a circular motion. “You okay?”
“Full.”
“I bet. You ate enough for three people.” She smiled and shrugged. He chuckled. “Take a seat on the sofa, while I see if Shaft has an antacid.” He skirted around her, but froze when she spoke up again.
“Why… Shaft?” Her head was quirked as she stared at him.
“Oh… it’s his callsign. He’s Shaft. I’m Shep. We’re both pilots and have a tendency to use each other’s callsigns instead of actual names. You must have been confused.” He hadn’t really thought about it until now.
Mariah shrugged. “Kinda… but figured… it out”
Sheppard laughed. “Go sit down. I’ll only be a second.” He trotted down the hall into the bathroom. He started with the cabinet under the sink. Not finding anything, he moved on to the medicine cabinet. In his haste, he knocked something off the counter into the trashcan. He grabbed the bottle of Tums, shut the cabinet, then went to fish the lost item out of the trash. He found the soap dispenser, along with something else. Putting the soap back in its spot, he walked slowly out of the bathroom, an item in each hand. When he reached the living room, he asked. “Are you hurt?” He was holding a dirty bandage with brown, yellow and bright red stains on it.
The young woman swung around on the couch and gasped when she saw what he had in his hand. “I… um… it’s… nothing.”
“Let me be the judge of that.” He put the bandage and the Tums on the kitchen table and rounded the sofa, squatting down in front of Mariah. “Show me.” He kept his voice soft and gentle.
There was fear in her eyes as she slowly lifted the right side of her shirt up, where a large waterproof bandage was. Without asking, the Colonel slowly pealed the covering back and took in her injury.
“Shit.” The wound was ugly and festering. He wanted to prod the edges to see how bad it really was, but didn’t want to hurt her. “We need to take you to the hospital.”
“No… please.” Her eyes were wild and frantic.
“Whoa, calm down.” He replaced the bandage and set his hands on her thighs, preventing her from running away. Her flight instinct was high; he recognized the signs. “No hospital, but you need a doctor. I….” A thought struck him. It was late and Beckett was not going to be happy with him; however, he didn’t have a choice. “I have a friend, someone I’ve been working with for the last year. He’s the chief medical officer at our base. Could I ask him to come look at it?”
“Okay.” She bowed her head.
“I’m not mad or angry with you, Mariah. I want to help you, but I can’t do that if you don’t talk to me or tell me things like you’re hurt. Where did you even get that new bandage from?” Her head rose.
“When Cam… wasn’t looking… at the store.”
Sheppard smiled. She was tricky and would keep them on their toes. “I’ll let you be the one to tell him what you did when he wasn’t looking.” With a shake of his head and a wry smile, he pulled out his phone and quickly found the physician’s number. He dialed and held it to his ear. It rang twice, then connected. “Hey, Carson.” He held the phone away from his head for a second. The Scotsman was yelling at him. Eventually, it subsided and he spoke again. “I’m sorry for waking you, but you gotta come to Cam’s place, pronto. I have a friend who’s been hurt. I really need you to take a look.” He nodded at the response he was getting. “I’ll text you the address now. See you shortly.” He hung up, opened the text app and typed for a minute. When he looked back up, he gave Mariah an encouraging smile. “If you didn’t already figure it out, he’s coming. Do you need anything while we wait?”
She shook her head, no.
John pushed himself to his feet and went to go deal with the old bandage, then came back with the bottle of Tums. He gave her a couple, set the bottle on the coffee table and plopped down next to her. They sat in silence. After a couple of minutes, the young woman lifted her hand and grabbed his. He shifted the connection until their fingers were interlaced. He wasn’t big on touching other people, but the fact that she’d initiated contact with him, made him smile. It wasn’t long before there was a knock on the door. Reluctantly letting her go, he got up and answered it.
“You should be eternally grateful, lad, that I like you or I never would’ve agreed to come. Now where is my patient?” The new arrival strode into the apartment, medical bag in hand, searched around and spotted Mariah on the couch, looking at him with wide eyes. His expression immediately softened. “Well, hello, lass.” He hurried around the sofa and perched himself on the edge of the coffee table across from her. “What’s your name?”
“Mariah.” She said softly.
“Aye, a lovely name for a lovely lady. I’m Dr. Carson Beckett. What seems to be the problem?”
She lifted her shirt for him, but her focus had shifted from the doctor to the Colonel, as he came over and sat back down next to her. She hissed when Carson pulled the bandage off.
“I’m sorry, lass.” He poked the wound. “This is quite serious.” He looked at his colleague. “Is there somewhere private I can examine her? I need to treat this and see if she has any other injuries.”
“Her room’s down the hall on the right. I can show you.” Sheppard started to stand, but the CMO waved him off.
“I can find it.” He stood and helped Mariah to her feet. “Come along, lass. We’ll have you right as rain in no time.” He ushered her to the hall and they disappeared from view. A minute later, the soft sound of the door clicking shut echoed through the apartment.
Growling to himself, the Atlantic military commander flopped back on the couch. He wanted to know what was going on, but Mariah deserved her privacy. He’d have to wait for Beckett to report back. He also needed to explain the young woman’s ‘situation’ to his friend. He was probably wondering how she came to be there with a wound that was several days old; there was no other way to explain the severity of the infection. It was hard for him to picture her hurt and alone, without anywhere to turn. What would’ve happened to her if he hadn’t found her? He shuddered at the mere thought.
Time passed slowly, until the front door opened and Mitchell walked in, dropping his keys in the bowl on the foyer table. He grinned at his fellow Colonel. “Where’s Mariah?” Obviously, he expected his friend to be hovering protectively around her. He hadn’t missed how the other man was treating his newest house guest.
“Well, you see….” John explained what happened after his friend left. He could see similar emotions to what he was feeling pass over the other man’s face. They sat on the couch together.
“Jesus, that poor girl. I can’t begin to imagine what she’s experienced over the last five years. Can you?” The leader of SG-1 asked.
“No, and I don’t want to. She’s here now and she’s safe. Carson will get her on the road to recovery.”
“You’re probably right. I just met with my team and told them about her. I didn’t want them to be surprised when they came over tomorrow to watch the game and found her here.”
“How’d they take it?” Sheppard was genuinely interested. He was hoping to introduce her to Rodney and Elizabeth, if there was time before they returned to Pegasus, an event he now dreaded, since it meant leaving Mariah behind. It was strange how attached he already was.
“Rather well. I think they’re curious, to be honest.” Cam shrugged. “I was when you showed up with her at the bar. But they’re good people and will want to help her, too. Actually, Carter’s going to do just that tomorrow morning, before everyone else shows up to watch the game.”
“What do you-?” The Atlantis military commander stopped speaking abruptly, when he heard a door open and heavy steps came down the hall. The two men got to their feet and Carson emerged, coming over to stand beside them. “Is she going to be okay?”
“I believe we caught the infection in time. I gave her a large dose of antibiotics and she’s sedated. I didn’t want to, but the local wasn’t helping and she was in pain while I tried to treat her. I had no choice.” The physician wiped a hand down his face and dropped into the chair beside the sofa. The Colonels resumed their seats. “Which one of you is going to explain where the lass came from? She isn’t part of the Program. If she was, you’d have taken her to the Mountain.” He stared at them expectantly.
The pilots shared a look, then began the story, going back and forth until they got to Beckett’s arrival. John concluded by saying. “I really wanted to take her to the hospital, but she was terrified.”
“Aye, that would've been best, but I understand why she didn’t want to go.”
“What do you mean, doc?” Mitchell could sense he wasn’t referring simply to her circumstances.
“She’s been hurt before. I found several scars, some older, some newer.” The Scotsman shared. He half-heartedly chuckled when he saw shock on their faces. Mariah was keeping secrets. He knew he was probably breaking her confidence by sharing what he found with the two men, but they had taken responsibility for her and needed to be prepared if any other issues came up. “She has two bullet wound scars, one of which was a through-and-through, and a few other knife wounds, but none looked like they were as bad as her current one.”
“She was stabbed?” Sheppard asked. He hadn’t taken too close a look at her injury. She was hurt and needed help, that was all he had focused on.
“Aye, about 5 days to a week ago. She mumbled something about trying to clean it, but there was only so much she could do without access to proper supplies.” Carson explained.
“Anything else?” The leader of SG-1 wanted to know everything he could, since she was staying with him.
“Not that I could detect, other than a lovely tattoo on her right shoulder. She shrugged at me when I asked her about it.” The doctor sighed. “I’d really like to take her to the SGC infirmary so I can do a more thorough examination, but I did take some blood. I’ll get it tested tomorrow.”
“Could you do the full SGC panel on it?” John inquired. The Atlantis CMO narrowed his eyes and he added. “Please?”
“Shouldn’t be a problem.” The physician got to his feet. “I’m off to get a few hours’ sleep. I’ll call you when I have the results. Let the lass sleep as long as she likes. She deserves it.” He nodded at the two men and let himself out.
The Colonels shared a look, stood and started their nighttime routines. Sleep was going to be hard to come by as their thoughts swirled around the young woman sleeping down the hall in the guest bedroom.
*****
Sheppard stared out the glass sliding doors that went to a small balcony off the living room. He was laying in the dark on Mitchell’s couch, a blanket covering him, and simply couldn’t fall sleep. Nothing he tried was working. Every time he started to nod off, another terrible image popped into his head; Mariah lying in a ditch after being struck by a car along that deserted road he found her on; Mariah bleeding out in some alley a week before he met her from the stab wound she sustained; Mariah dying instantly when a bullet hit a major organ and never even making it to Colorado where he could find her. Each scenario was worse than the next. He’d stopped himself a dozen times from getting up and going to check on her. He’d already done that when he grabbed his sleep clothes from the guest room. She looked peaceful as she slumbered in the overly large bed, thanks to Carson’s sedative. Cam made sure he left her alone and said good night to him in the hall outside the main bedroom, watching him retreat to the living room and the sofa on which he was now prone.
He froze the second he heard a door open and waited as someone walked down the hall in his direction. It could’ve been Cam going to get something from the kitchen or Mariah heading to the bathroom. But whoever it was continued into the living room, where he was, and stopped in front of the sliding doors. The moonlight illuminated their figure and it wasn’t Mitchell. He watched the young woman quietly open the door and slip out onto the balcony, shutting it behind her, then she curled up in the corner by the door, her head resting against the glass. She shifted for a few minutes, but finally went still.
John knew she should be resting in bed, not outside in the cool evening air, but he couldn’t convince himself to get up, go outside and disturb her. She looked comfortable and… was in his direct line of sight. Taking several deep breaths, he gazed at her and finally fell into a restful sleep.