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sga_flashficTITLE: Semper Fi
FANDOM: Stargate Atlantis
LENGTH/RATING: 777 words, PG
PAIRING/WARNINGS: Ford/Sheppard
SUMMARY: Semper Fidelis is a Latin phrase, meaning "Always Faithful". It is the motto of the United States Marine Corps.
“Born in the woods, trained by a bear;
Double set of dog-teeth, triple coat of hair ...”
“Lieutenant,” Sheppard sighed, running a hand over his face in frustration. It had been a week of detox and Ford still wasn't making that much sense. The young man swung between rage and despair, either tugging desperately at his restraints or cussing Sheppard out for something. John wasn't sure what, but he grinned and bore it. He sat in a chair by Ford's bed, working on sudoku after sudoku, listening to his character being shredded to pieces. He'd had worse from lesser men.
But Ford never pleaded for relief. He never begged for pain killers or to be put out of his misery. He just writhed and stared into space, occasionally blinking back tears or screwing up his face in confusion or agony.
“I hate Atlantis. I hate it,” Aiden muttered, petulant.
John stood and hovered over the bed, frowning. “I know that's not true because you're still wearing these.” John gestured at the tags that had tangled over Aiden's white scrub shirt.
A fury flared in Aiden's good eye – his black eye was still not unlike a black hole, unfathomable and capable of freezing time.
“Once a Marine always a Marine,” he gritted out, his anger obvious. “But you wouldn't understand that, would you, sir?” Aiden sneered.
John shrugged and slumped back into his chair. “I guess not.”
Which was, apparently, the wrong answer. Aiden threw his head back into his pillow and actually growled with annoyance. Of course Sheppard didn't understand. He never understood anything. He'd force Aiden back home to Earth, deformed and shamed – a burden to his family – all in the name of supposed compassion.
Sheppard was singing now, barely above a whisper. “We live in fame or go down in flame. Hey!
Nothing can stop the U.S. Air Force!”
Aiden's eyes widened and he stared at John's strange, sad face. John then waggled his eyebrows and smirked. “Zoom!”
Aiden rolled his eyes and shifted as far away from the Colonel as his restraints would allow.
“These things . . . these ideas you're holding on to . . . they're just words and songs, Ford. You haven't let anyone down, and you have nothing to prove. You can go home.”
Aiden laughed – a bitter, hard noise. “Oh, Yes sir. I can go back like this, unable to even tell my family why I now look like something out of kid's nightmare or what I've been through.”
John stood up again, his eyes intense upon Ford's face. Now they were getting somewhere.
“We could get them some clearance, maybe. It's not hopeless. You don't have to be alone, anymore.” Tentatively and probably unwisely, John offered: “When you're well, you could even be posted back here. Be a part of the team again, if you want.”
“They're going to kick me out,” Aiden said softly, his eyes closing.
“We're not going to let that happen.”
Aiden's eyes opened again, pinning John with a stare so desperately lost that John's train of thought derailed.
“You would, sir. If you knew.”
John's brow furrowed. “Whatever you did, you were being influenced by the enzyme. You can't hold yourself completely responsible-”
Aiden tucked his face to the side, hiding his deformity in the pillow. “It's not what I've done – it's what I feel. What I was running away from.”
“And what's that?”
Aiden blinked once, his obsessive devotion obvious on the still innocent, unmarred scrap of skin. “You.”
“Ford . . .”
“This was always about you. You said I've got issues, but there's really only one. Inappropriate feelings for my commanding officer.”
John's mouth fell open slightly, but he did not retreat. He never saw these things coming, but he wasn't going to let Ford put on the martyr mantle again. He was not admitting defeat.
“Big deal, Ford. You think that scares me?”
“I'm in love with you, sir. You don't think that's a problem?”
John slouched against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. “It happens. It tends to wear off after a while. See, if you had just stayed? You'd probably be over it now.”
“John.”
“I'm serious. I'm just that irritating.”
Aiden was panicked, shifting about beneath his sheets in discomfort and embarrassment.
“I don't care if you try to blow me in the gateroom, Lieutenant. I am not giving up on you. Ever.”
Aiden stilled, his eyes going strangely soft. “Sir.”
John smiled and leaned in to speak something intimate and fearless, murmuring it lowly into Aiden's ear. “Maybe I do understand, Lieutenant. Semper Fi.”
FANDOM: Stargate Atlantis
LENGTH/RATING: 777 words, PG
PAIRING/WARNINGS: Ford/Sheppard
SUMMARY: Semper Fidelis is a Latin phrase, meaning "Always Faithful". It is the motto of the United States Marine Corps.
“Born in the woods, trained by a bear;
Double set of dog-teeth, triple coat of hair ...”
“Lieutenant,” Sheppard sighed, running a hand over his face in frustration. It had been a week of detox and Ford still wasn't making that much sense. The young man swung between rage and despair, either tugging desperately at his restraints or cussing Sheppard out for something. John wasn't sure what, but he grinned and bore it. He sat in a chair by Ford's bed, working on sudoku after sudoku, listening to his character being shredded to pieces. He'd had worse from lesser men.
But Ford never pleaded for relief. He never begged for pain killers or to be put out of his misery. He just writhed and stared into space, occasionally blinking back tears or screwing up his face in confusion or agony.
“I hate Atlantis. I hate it,” Aiden muttered, petulant.
John stood and hovered over the bed, frowning. “I know that's not true because you're still wearing these.” John gestured at the tags that had tangled over Aiden's white scrub shirt.
A fury flared in Aiden's good eye – his black eye was still not unlike a black hole, unfathomable and capable of freezing time.
“Once a Marine always a Marine,” he gritted out, his anger obvious. “But you wouldn't understand that, would you, sir?” Aiden sneered.
John shrugged and slumped back into his chair. “I guess not.”
Which was, apparently, the wrong answer. Aiden threw his head back into his pillow and actually growled with annoyance. Of course Sheppard didn't understand. He never understood anything. He'd force Aiden back home to Earth, deformed and shamed – a burden to his family – all in the name of supposed compassion.
Sheppard was singing now, barely above a whisper. “We live in fame or go down in flame. Hey!
Nothing can stop the U.S. Air Force!”
Aiden's eyes widened and he stared at John's strange, sad face. John then waggled his eyebrows and smirked. “Zoom!”
Aiden rolled his eyes and shifted as far away from the Colonel as his restraints would allow.
“These things . . . these ideas you're holding on to . . . they're just words and songs, Ford. You haven't let anyone down, and you have nothing to prove. You can go home.”
Aiden laughed – a bitter, hard noise. “Oh, Yes sir. I can go back like this, unable to even tell my family why I now look like something out of kid's nightmare or what I've been through.”
John stood up again, his eyes intense upon Ford's face. Now they were getting somewhere.
“We could get them some clearance, maybe. It's not hopeless. You don't have to be alone, anymore.” Tentatively and probably unwisely, John offered: “When you're well, you could even be posted back here. Be a part of the team again, if you want.”
“They're going to kick me out,” Aiden said softly, his eyes closing.
“We're not going to let that happen.”
Aiden's eyes opened again, pinning John with a stare so desperately lost that John's train of thought derailed.
“You would, sir. If you knew.”
John's brow furrowed. “Whatever you did, you were being influenced by the enzyme. You can't hold yourself completely responsible-”
Aiden tucked his face to the side, hiding his deformity in the pillow. “It's not what I've done – it's what I feel. What I was running away from.”
“And what's that?”
Aiden blinked once, his obsessive devotion obvious on the still innocent, unmarred scrap of skin. “You.”
“Ford . . .”
“This was always about you. You said I've got issues, but there's really only one. Inappropriate feelings for my commanding officer.”
John's mouth fell open slightly, but he did not retreat. He never saw these things coming, but he wasn't going to let Ford put on the martyr mantle again. He was not admitting defeat.
“Big deal, Ford. You think that scares me?”
“I'm in love with you, sir. You don't think that's a problem?”
John slouched against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. “It happens. It tends to wear off after a while. See, if you had just stayed? You'd probably be over it now.”
“John.”
“I'm serious. I'm just that irritating.”
Aiden was panicked, shifting about beneath his sheets in discomfort and embarrassment.
“I don't care if you try to blow me in the gateroom, Lieutenant. I am not giving up on you. Ever.”
Aiden stilled, his eyes going strangely soft. “Sir.”
John smiled and leaned in to speak something intimate and fearless, murmuring it lowly into Aiden's ear. “Maybe I do understand, Lieutenant. Semper Fi.”
(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-11 06:59 am (UTC)Yes.
Because of course Sheppard never gives up forever.
Also: Ford!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-11 09:00 pm (UTC)Yes!
I was just re-watching season 2. :)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-14 10:36 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-18 10:38 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-13 09:26 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-18 10:35 pm (UTC)