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It was natural, she felt, that the four of them had been drawn together. It had happened only a few crises in. She’d made her normal escape to the balcony after the chaos had died and most of the expedition members had retreated to sleep, only to find it occupied.
They’d been lined up against the wall, shoulder to shoulder. Carson had been closest to the door, probably the last to arrive before her. She had thought Rodney to be asleep next to him until he turned his head to look at her. John had been at the end, his P90 in his lap and his sidearm still strapped to his leg.
When Elizabeth had walked toward them, John had shifted over, allowing her to sink between himself and Rodney. To some people it may have looked like they were trying to protect her, but she knew that this was about them supporting her.
They had sat in silence that night. The military leader, the physical science leader, the biological science/medical leader, and herself, who was trying to blindly lead them all.
It had quickly become a regular thing. Once all imminent threats were thwarted and everyone had finished the jobs in immediate need of their attention, they would meet together.
Some nights, like the first, they were quiet. It was enough to be together, supporting each other, each knowing they were not alone.
Other nights they talked. Sometimes about what had happened. Sometimes about anything and everything else.
On occasion they would pass a bottle of some alcohol they’d procured between them. Those nights were usually after the worst the Pegasus Galaxy had to throw at them.
After they had transmitted their message back to Earth, she’d ordered everyone but the night crew to get some sleep. Her senior staff had, of course, ignored her. They were gathered on the balcony when she stepped through.
Rodney and Carson were sitting against the wall, much as they had that first night. A bottle of what she knew by now was a dark liquor (not unlike whiskey) sat between them. John was laid out flat on the deck, his jacket balled up behind his head.
She took her normal place and started blankly out at the darkness of the sea. It wasn’t long before Rodney nudged her, passing her the bottle of alcohol. By the look on his face, she knew he’d just taken a swig himself.
She grasped the cold glass and lifted it to her lips. It was smooth, silky, and held just a hint of sweetness in her mouth, before burning the rest of the way down as she swallowed. At some point, John had propped himself up on his elbow beside her. He gladly accepted the bottle as she passed it.
30 minutes and nearly a half a bottle of booze later, it was Carson who broke the silence. “I miss my mum. I worry about her, about what will happen to her if we never make it home.” He took another slug from the bottle and handed it down the line.
It was two passes later when Rodney found his voice. “I haven’t spoken to my sister in almost a decade. I’ve never even met my nieces. All because of a fight that I can’t even remember the details of now. I’m not really good at the whole…’people’ thing.”
She hadn’t actually been planning to contribute. The words had surprised her as they’d come tumbling out a few minutes later. “I told Simon to move on. Not to wait for me. I should have done it when we left.”
The bottle was nearly empty when John finally broke his silence. He was laying back again, having passed on the last two rounds. “I came to Atlantis because I really had no reason not to. No family, no close friends, no one. If we don’t get back, no one is going to miss me.”
She was one of the few on the expedition who probably already knew that, and only because she had read his full file. John was even more private than she was. He offered very little of himself to those around him.
She drained the last of the bottle when Rodney handed it to her, then shoved to her feet. It took both her and Carson to get Rodney up.
Carson yawned and stooped to pick up the bottle. “Right, then. All of ya, a big glass of water before bed. More in the morning. I’ll get Doctor ‘Can’t Handle His Ale’ to his room.” He led Rodney out even amidst his slurred protests.
She turned and offered a hand to John and, once he accepted it, pulled him up. A few months ago he would have refused the help.
They walked in silence until their paths split. “John?” She waited until he looked at her to continue. “There might think there is no one on Earth who would miss you, but there are people here who would. Sometimes family finds you.”
He stared at her for a long moment before nodding. “Thanks, Elizabeth. Get some rest.”
“You too.” She knew he was watching her as she walked the few steps toward her door. He always did. She hoped he always would. Somehow, here, in a whole new galaxy, she’d found the three best friends she’d ever had.