“Permission to speak freely, sir?” Ford asked as they got ready for an off-world mission.
Glancing up from where he was re-lacing his boots, John nodded. He had a feeling he knew what this was about, considering Elizabeth’s announcement had gone out the day before.
“Sir, I read the e-mail from Dr. Weir, but…” he paused, eyes shifting between John and Rodney. “What does it all mean? It’s got to be some kind of joke, right?”
Rodney snorted, and John barely managed to refrain from doing the same. Straightening, he cocked an eyebrow at his junior officer and teammate. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Teyla giving the boy a disapproving look. “Sorry, Ford, but this isn’t a joke. The soul bonds are very real, and we’re still learning what it all entails. All ATA carriers have a soulmate, though not everyone’s match is currently on Atlantis. We’re not sure what that means yet, either.”
Ford clipped his P90 to his vest with a scowl. “Even you, sir?”
John’s brow furrowed, not much liking the tone of voice the young man was using. He wasn’t entirely sure whether it was jealousy he heard or something else, but… “Yes, Ford. Even me. In fact, McKay and I are bonded,” he stated with quiet self-assurance.
Ford’s head snapped up as he stared hard at his commanding officer. “But, sir!”
“Aiden,” Teyla intervened before either John or Rodney could react. “If Major Sheppard and Dr. McKay have been graced with a bonding of the soul then that is something to celebrate. Among my people, soul bonds are a thing of legend, much like the Ancestors themselves. It is not your place to question something so precious.”
Rodney had an odd little smile on his face as he looked at Teyla. John smiled at her, feeling a surge of affection for his Athosian friend. “Thank you, Teyla.”
She inclined her head gracefully. “I am pleased for you both.”
Shifting his focus back to Ford, John hardened his features. “Now, Lieutenant, unless you have something significant to add, I would say we are done with this conversation. Soul bonds exist and they are a private matter. The regulations have been adjusted to allow for this new reality. Accept it and move on.” John paused long enough to ensure he had his lieutenant’s attention. Jerking his head to the door, he ordered, “Good. Now move out, we have a mission to attend to.”
John didn’t miss the sour look in Ford’s eyes as he saluted and have a crisp, “Yes, sir!”
Sighing, John shook his head as he watched the lieutenant walk out of the ready room. Grabbing his P90, John clipped it to his tac-vest and made to follow when Teyla placed her hand gently on his arm. He quirked an eyebrow in question, surprised by her touch.
She tilted her head and released a slow breath. “I have not had a chance to speak with you before now, but when we come back, I believe we need to have a conversation about Aiden. I feel there is something you need to know.”
John frowned and opened his mouth to ask what was going on when Rodney asked, “If it’s serious, maybe you should tell us now before we head through the gate.”
Teyla shook her head. “No. I do not believe that is necessary, but I feel that as his commanding officer, Major Sheppard needs to be aware of certain things. I trust Aiden, but I know that if I were his leader, I would wish to understand him better. As I am sure Major Sheppard would, too.”
John had no idea what Teyla was alluding to, but he trusted her judgment. “Alright. Let’s get this over with then so we can have that chat, shall we?”
Rodney grumbled all the way to the gate, but Teyla merely smiled serenely at him. Shaking his head, John firmly pushed his concerns aside and focused on the task at hand, which was trying to find a new trading partner.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Alert medical,” Ioan called out as soon as he stepped through the gate with an armful of Kimberly, the rest of their team following close behind.
Elizabeth had Chuck call for a gurney as she hurried down the steps, wincing when she noticed the other woman’s leg sporting a field brace and bloody bandages. “What happened?” she demanded.
Kimberly waved off her concern with a grimace. “Nothing. Just had a minor disagreement with a ledge and it won.”
Elizabeth blinked questioningly at Ioan who rolled his eyes and sighed, adjusting the burden in his arms. “The path we were on to the village goes through some rather rough terrain. The ledge gave out under her, and she fell several feet and broke her leg pretty bad. It took a while to reach her and get her back on the path. We headed straight home. I’m afraid you’ll have to send another team to complete the mission, Dr. Weir.”
Mac and a nurse came rushing into the gateroom, and Ioan gently placed Kimberly on it before stepping back to allow them to do their jobs. Elizabeth watched them for a moment then nodded at Ioan. “Alright. You go with her and get your medical taken care of. We’ll debrief later.”
Saluting her, Ioan was relieved to be back. He had carried Kimberly the whole way back to the gate, refusing the offers of help from his team. Jerking his head to the retreating medical team, Ioan told his men to follow. Quickening his step, he caught up with them and when he was level with the gurney, he placed a comforting hand on Kimberly’s shoulder. “You’ll be alright now. Mac’ll take good care of you, right, Mac?”
Mac grinned. “Aye, of course. Even if it does mean Carson’ll be her favorite doctor again.”
Kimberly huffed. “Trust me, Mac, if you give me the good stuff, you’ll be my favorite doctor. This hurts!”
Ioan suppressed a smile. “First broken bone?” he inquired.
“Yes,” she ground out. “And if it’s the last one I’ll ever have, it’ll be too soon.”
Ioan and Mac shared an amused glance as they rolled her into the infirmary. “Alright, Ioan, you and your team stay here. Carson’ll be along shortly to see to your post-mission medical. I need to get this girl in for surgery so we can fix her up.”
Reluctantly, Ioan nodded. Squeezing Kimberly’s hand, he stared at her. “You’ll be fine. I’ll be right here when you get back, okay?”
She gave him a tremulous smile as she squeezed him back. “Thanks, Ioan. Mac! For the love of all that is holy, please get me some painkillers,” she cried out.
Ioan watched her being taken to the OR with a heavy feeling in his gut, his mind’s eye replaying her fall over and over. For a second, he had been afraid that she had been lost to him forever, she had been so still. By the time he had made it down to her side, she had come to again and cried out, which had filled him with such stark relief he had swayed on his feet. Running a hand through his hair, Ioan sighed.
“She’ll be fine, lad,” Carson assured him as he walked up to them. He patted the bed and Ioan dutifully hopped on and subjected himself to the string of tests that were part of post-mission protocol.
Elizabeth stopped by the infirmary to do the debriefing, which surprised Ioan. He and the rest of the team were fine, after all, but Ioan appreciated the consideration she showed. The meeting didn’t take very long at all, and soon Ioan was left alone to wait for Kimberly to make it out of surgery. He watched from the observation deck, arms tight around his chest. His head knew she would be perfectly fine, but he couldn’t get rid of the knot of worry that had taken residence in his stomach.
Their first kiss had happened only a few days ago, and he was still shaken up by her fall. The thought that that kiss might have been all they’d get to share tore at him. They hadn’t talked much – hadn’t had a chance, really, between one thing and another – about their burgeoning relationship. They definitely hadn’t had the opportunity to discuss the announcement from Dr. Weir about soul bonds yet. He wanted to ask Carson about it, but he was hesitant. Not because he didn’t want to know the answer but because part of him didn’t feel right to do it without Kimberly. He very much wanted her to be his soulmate.
One of the nurses finally rolled Kimberly out of OR, and Ioan rushed over to help move her to a bed then stood aside to let the nurse check her vitals and make sure everything was as it should be. By the time she was done, Kimberly was starting to come to.
She gave him a dopey smile and reached to pat his arm awkwardly. “There’s m’hero,” she mumbled, causing Ioan to blush and the nurse to laugh. Kimberly turned to face the nurse with a frown. “He saved me, you know.”
Amused, the nurse tucked Kimberly’s arm over her chest. “I know,” she said kindly. To Ioan, she said quietly, “She needs to rest. She’ll be in and out of it for a while, so don’t be surprised if she comes out with some strange notions. You’re welcome to sit with her for now, but don’t stay too long.”
Ioan nodded. “Thank you.” He waited until the nurse was out of sight to gently take Kimberly’s hand in his. Smiling down at her, he reached out and moved a lock of hair from her forehead so it wouldn’t fall into her eyes. “Hey, you.”
Kimberly giggled. “Hi!”
Ioan’s grin widened at the open, childlike expression on her face. “You had me worried there for a while,” he admonished gently.
Her mouth puckered. “I know. ‘M sorry.”
Heedless of their surroundings, Ioan gave into the impulse and pressed his lips to her forehead. “Try not to make a habit of it,” he murmured.
She closed her eyes and hummed, leaning into his touch. “Won’t. Promise.” Her brow furrowed. “’M tired.”
“Get some sleep. I’ll stop by again later to check on you.”
“’Mkay. Bring jello?” she mumbled, already half-asleep.
Ioan chuckled. “Sure.” He watched her for a few minutes as she slept, his thumb rubbing gently back and forth over the back of her hand. He hoped he was right and that they were bonded because Ioan could not even begin to imagine not having her in his life. He promised himself he would broach the subject once she was fully coherent again. Not knowing for sure was doing his head in. With one final brush of a kiss, Ioan left her to rest.
When Ioan made his way back to the infirmary hours later, he dutifully brought Kimberly a cup of jello, as well as a cup of diced fruit. Kimberly’s face lit up when she saw him and she struggled to get into a more comfortable position. “Ioan!”
Grinning, he placed his offering on the tray by her bed and helped her into a reclining position. “Hey you. You’re looking better.”
She rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at him. “Mac’s still my favorite doctor,” she proclaimed with a glint in her eyes.
He laughed. “I take it he has you on the good drugs, then?”
She nodded. “Better believe it.” Kimberly grinned and made grabby hands. “Jello! You’re the best. Ohhh and a fruit cup? Why, Ioan, you shouldn’t have. A girl might think you’re up to something,” she teased.
Chuckling, Ioan dutifully handed her the jello. “Actually, I am. Sort of.”
She stared up at him in surprise. “You are?” She took a bite, watching him curiously.
Blushing, Ioan scratched the back of his head. “I…” He huffed, feeling ten kinds of a fool, but he had to know. “I was wondering whether you’d talked to Carson at all about the whole soul bond thing?” he asked quietly.
Lowering the cup to her lap, she reached out to grab his hand. “No, not yet. You?”
He shook his head. “It… it didn’t feel right to do it without talking to you first. Is that weird?”’
She shrugged. “No, not really. Did you want to do it now?”
Nodding, Ioan tapped his comms. “Dr. Beckett?”
“Aye?” came a voice from around the corner, startling them both. Turning, Ioan saw the man walking toward them with an unreadable expression.
“Doc, where did you come from?” Ioan asked.
Carson waved the question off dismissively. “I was in my office. Now, what can I do for you, then, Lieutenant?”
Sharing a quick look with Kimberly, Ioan took a deep breath. “We were wondering about who our soulmate was.” Kimberly squeezed his hand lightly. He both wanted to and couldn’t quite look at her, so he kept his gaze locked on Carson.
Carson’s eyes twinkled with mischief, Ioan thought. The man cleared his throat and attempted a stern look as he crossed his arms. “Now, you two. You oughta know better than to come to me like this. Dr. Weir stated quite clearly that it was a private matter.”
“Oh,” Ioan said lamely, his stomach dropping to somewhere around his knees. That must mean it wasn’t Kimberly, then. He stared down at their hands, feeling more devastated than he would ever care to admit to.
At Carson’s chuckle, Ioan’s head snapped up. Carson schooled his face and offered them both an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, lad. I shouldn’t have done that.” He pointed between the two of them and grinned. “I think you both know the answer to your question already, but if it makes you feel better, then yes, Ioan, Kimberly is your bonded.”
Ioan laughed shakily as relief washed over him. Gazing down at Kimberly, his smile widened when he took in her obvious elation at the news. “I get to keep you?” he whispered without meaning to.
Kimberly’s look turned mischievous, her eyes dancing with delight. “You’d better. I certainly have no intention of letting you go now.”
Coughing softly, Carson murmured, “Aye, I’ll leave you two to it then, shall I? And Ioan?” Ioan looked up questioningly. “Please remember that she’s still in recovery,” Carson teased.
Holding up both hands in mock surrender, Ioan grinned. “No worries, doc. I’ll behave.”
“See that you do,” Carson murmured.
At the same time Kimberly said quietly, “Wish you wouldn’t,” earning her a warning glare from Carson.
“Now, lass!” Carson intoned with a wagging finger.
“Alright, alright. We’ll behave. Don’t worry, I remember who wields the big needles,” she quipped, causing both men to laugh.
As soon as Carson was gone, Kimberly beckoned Ioan to her. Leaning in, Ioan kissed her tenderly, savoring the knowledge that she was really his.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
For days now, Carson had been fielding requests from people who wanted to know who their soulmate was. Most of the ATA carriers had come forward, though not all. During that time, it had warmed Carson’s heart to see the reactions to the news, as more often than not, it had been well received. There had been a few occasions, like with Major Lorne, where the person receiving the name of their soulmate was met with distress, but thankfully those were in the minority.
Then there were those few who flat out refused to know who their bonded were. Kavanagh had been one marked example, adamantly proclaiming the whole idea of a soulmate was preposterous and that he wanted absolutely nothing to do with ‘that claptrap,’ as he had put it. Carson wished he could say that his outburst had been a shock to those around him, but… well, it was Kavanagh.
Staring out over the ocean, Carson sighed as he leaned on the railing of the balcony nearest the mess hall. Of course, there was one person whose absence in the long line of people requesting the name of their mate he most keenly felt. So far, one Dr. Miko Kusanagi had not come forward. He knew from Kimberly that she had no wish to know, not because she didn’t believe in the soul bond, but precisely because she did. “If it is meant to be, then it will happen,” she had told Kimberly.
Still, a part of him wished she had sought him out. It would make everything so much easier. Everywhere he looked, it seemed to him that relationships were flourishing and he had to admit that he felt a stab of jealousy. “You’d think that knowing who you’re meant to be with would make the whole matter of asking someone out simpler,” he muttered under his breath.
“Hmm, you would think, wouldn’t you?” Mac’s voice sounded from behind him, causing Carson to jump out of his skin.
“Bloody hell, Mac! When did you become so sneaky?” Carson panted, covering his chest as he tried to regulate his heartbeat.
Mac’s wry amusement was apparent as he shrugged. “Natural talent?” His eyes roamed past him, taking in the vastness of the ocean before focusing back on Carson. “Why are you waiting, Carson?”
Carson contemplated pretending that he didn’t know what Mac was talking about but quickly discarded the thought. Turning around, he once again leaned against the railing and stared out onto the large expanse of water. “I don’t want to push myself on her.”
“Bull,” was Mac’s response as he settled in next to him.
Heaving a heavy sigh, Carson nodded. “Aye, you’re probably right,” he admitted quietly. They had both read enough about the soul bonds by now to know that while the markers indicated a person had a soulmate, it did not negate free will. If Miko truly did not want Carson, she could reject him and they both would move on with their lives, though neither would be fully complete without the other.
Straightening, Mac glowered at him. Carson winced. Despite the fact the man was here, talking to him about Miko, he knew full well that he still hadn’t fully forgiven him for keeping his soulmate a secret. He hoped that one day soon, Mac could find it in him to get past it because he missed the easy friendship they used to have. Still, he knew that was all on him so he couldn’t really say much about that. “Carson, sometimes you are an idiot to the extreme. You know she is your soulmate. You know she wishes any relationship to form naturally. Obviously, you can’t un-learn about the bond, but you can respect her wish. So. Ask. Her. Out.”
Dropping his head onto his folded arms, Carson groaned. He had always been terrible at the whole dating thing. Even knowing that Miko and he shared a soul bond, he wasn’t sure he could pull it off and not send the poor girl running for the hills.
Mac nudged his arm. “Stop that,” he scolded. “Letting your insecurities rule you isn’t going to help matters and you know it. I’m serious. Ask her out on an actual date. I know the options are limited here, but you aren’t without any, and you have people who would help if you asked them.”
Carson huffed a laugh in spite of himself. “Kimberly.”
“Aye,” Mac said, grinning. “You know she’s been trying to get you both to see sense for ages. I’m pretty sure she can help cook up something special even from her sickbed, so you have no excuses.” He paused. “Or you could just try to do it on your own, you might surprise yourself.”
Carson nodded thoughtfully. They stood in silence for a while, each lost to their own thoughts until Mac got called to the infirmary. “Think about it,” the man said as he turned to leave.
“I will,” Carson promised. He remained on the balcony for a while longer, going over possible plans until he settled on a course of action. Gathering his resolve, he squared his shoulders and headed to the kitchen to see about organizing a picnic. His next stop was Major Sheppard to request the use of a jumper in the event Miko accepted his invitation. If she declined, he figured there was no harm done other than to his pride, since the food would last him a few days. Thankfully, John was more than happy to give him the use of a jumper under the premise of it being flight practice.
“Any pilot needs to get his flight time in,” John said with a wink.
Carson’s face flushed slightly as he nodded. “Aye. Thank you, Major.”
“You’re welcome. And… good luck.”
All that was left now was to ask Miko, so bidding the major good day, Carson went down to the labs. It took him a bit longer to locate the woman as she had been sent to another part of the city for maintenance of some machine or other, but when he finally found her, he almost thought better of asking her. Before he could escape, however, Miko spotted him and smiled warmly at him.
“Err.. hello, Miko,” he stammered, blushing. Breathe, Carson, he reminded himself. Just breathe. “I was wondering whether-” He swallowed hard. Why had his throat gone so dry suddenly?
“Yes?” she prodded gently. Her eyes held mild curiosity.
You can do this, Carson, he told himself firmly. Taking a steadying breath, he offered her a small smile. “I was hoping maybe you would like to go out with me? On a picnic?”
The smile that lit her face took Carson’s breath away. God, but she was beautiful. “Hai,” she whispered. “I would like that, very much.”
Carson let out a long sigh of relief. He’d finally asked her out, and Miko had said yes! “When can you go?”
She glanced at her watch and seemed to do some quick thinking. “One hour?”
“Great. Meet me in the jumper bay?”
“Hai.”
Carson nodded and left her to finish her work. Heading to his office with a bounce in his step, he thought that perhaps things might work out alright after all.
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