''Interstellar Destiny''

How Is She?

Three days later, Sheppard, his team and Jennifer all arrive back in Atlantis, the events of the last few days still weighing on them. It had been a beautiful ceremony, but that didn't make it any easier on any of them, especially on both Sheppard and Lara.

Sheppard will never admit it out loud, but he feels guilty for Evan and his team's deaths. He was the one who sent them to that planet, he was the one who took too long to check in with them due to having to sort out two fighting scientists, but then again he is sure he would feel the same way if it had been any other team.

But it wasn't any other team, no. It was Evan and his team. It was his best friend. It was the man who had saved his life more times than he could count. It was the man that had asked him to be his Best Man at his wedding. Yes, he would feel guilty if it had been someone else, but it wasn't, it was Evan and he is sure the guilt will stay with him until the day he dies and long after that.

The gate shuts down behind him and he sees Elizabeth walk up to meet them.

-"Elizabeth. How were things while we were away?"

-"There's some things we need to discuss, but right now you all can just go and settle back in, before getting back to work."

Everyone around them nod, their faces solemn as they walk away, leaving Sheppard with Elizabeth in the Gate Room. They are all still feeling the last three days and a little time before diving back into their respective jobs will be highly beneficial.

-"How did it go?" - Elizabeth starts walking with Sheppard towards his room.

-"The SGC did a good job with the funeral. I'm sure O'Neill had something to do with it, though. Lara and Evan's sister didn't have to worry about anything."

-"That's good. How is Lara holding up?"

-"As well as she can, considering she just lost her husband."

Elizabeth nods. She can never imagine the pain Lara is going through. Losing the one you love is always hard, but to lose him the way she did, that's just plain horrible. Elizabeth knows she wouldn't have the strength that Lara had shown during her last days in Atlantis.

As they walk in silence, Sheppard thinks that no matter how long you do this job, nothing ever really prepares you to lose someone under your command, especially if that person is someone you're close to, someone you consider your best friend. If he could, he would trade places with Evan in a heartbeat, no matter the cost.

Maybe someday he can make the Genii pay for what they did to Evan and his team, for putting Lara through hell. When that day comes, he is sure that there will be plenty of people in line behind him, all waiting their turn to make them hurt as much as Lara is hurting right now.