Trust Once Broken | SGA John Sheppard

0.37.0

She heard his proximity alarm go off through the comm and it pulled her back to the present.

John Sheppard was out of time.

He switched the controls back to the open comm. "They haven't detected my approach. The weapon is armed and ready...I'm going in."

Kai tightened her grip on the controls as she tracked his progress on the HUD. She watched in agony as the beacon that represented his jumper disappeared inside the larger beacon that was the hive ship. Less than ten seconds later the first Hive exploded in a blinding wave of heat and light. The shock wave tore through several cruisers and blew her jumper off course. The force of it shook the tiny ship so badly she was amazed it didn't sustain damage.

She regained control and reset her systems, double checking her trajectory. Once it was stable she stared down at where her hands gripped the controls.

John was dead.

She leaned forward and closed her eyes as pain like she had never known lacerated her body. It didn't seem possible that he could be gone. He was always so full of life. She drew in a shuddering breath and realized in that moment that feeling in her chest was still there.

She scowled and looked back up at her sensors. The first hive ship had definitely been destroyed.

"Jumper Two come in," a painfully familiar voice came over her private channel.

She froze, her mind racing as she tried to rationalize what she had just seen, what she was hearing and what she knew to be true. She reached down and touched the center of her chest.

"John?" she asked, her voice breaking with emotion.

"It's me," he promised. "Shift course to the heading I'm sending you. You can dock in the F-302 bay. I'll meet you there and explain everything," he promised and the radio cut out.

Kai followed the headings and was shocked when she saw a massive battle ship in front of her. It was smaller than the wraith hives and a design she had never seen before. Large docking bay doors opened as she approached.

"We are lowering the shield. Please dock in bay two," an unfamiliar voice instructed over the radio.

Kai frowned but did as she was told, trusting Sheppard wouldn't lead her into a trap. Assuming that had been Sheppard. Doubt flooded her and she gripped the controls tighter. The Wraith could make people see things. It had never worked on her before, but what if she had been so upset she-

Kai closed her eyes and drew in a steadying breath, forcing herself to focus. Her emotions were all over the place and she needed to lock them back down. She guided the jumper through the bay doors and set it down where they indicated. Once she powered it down she lowered the back hatch. She turned and Sheppard was striding up the ramp towards her.

She stopped hardly able to believe he was in front of her. She was so relieved to see him alive the tightness in her chest was almost unbearable.

He stepped up in front of her, his eyes searching her face as he gazed down at her. His hazel eyes were more intense than she had ever seen them. "Don't ever do that again," he said sternly.

A small, relieved smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Is that an order Major?" she teased. She was so relieved she felt lightheaded and giddy.

He snorted and shook his head as though he couldn't believe she would crack a joke right now. "If it will stop you from ever taking another suicide mission? Yes," he said. Then his eyes softened and the feeling in her chest shifted into something different.