Chapter #2 ‘A Person to be Respected’

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Continuing with the morning that came ahead, it was not long before the first person entered the infirmary of the day. It was simple blood routine test which she took herself. “Sharp scratch.” Grace stated with a slight smile and within moments the bloods were drawn. “And off you go.” She spoke to the solider watching as they marched quickly out of the infirmary.

A few moment passed when Dr. Wyatt heard her office phone ring, quickly she went to pick it up. “Hello?” She spoke but the person on the other end cleared. Now Grace frowned to herself at this moment.

Thinking for a moment, she considered who it could be and in her instincts, she knew that it was the commander of the base. Grace considered for a moment o ring back, but surely there was a reason why he was ringing.

Sitting down at the desk for a brief moment, Grace considered the option available to her. Dr. Wyatt was no longer second in command of the base, that privilege has been passed to Colonel McGregor – certainly a person she did not know very well. Grace could surely not go and interrupt.

However, Dr. Wyatt was a person to be respected even if she had since retired. “Halliwell, you have the infirmary for now.” Pausing before saying. “I am going on my break; I will not be long.”

Considering making the trip to see General Bond and to make sure everything was fine, she simply stopped and sighed. Grace needed to remember her station. Quickly she headed back to her office and sent a simply message in the form of an email that stated if he need a chat to send an SOS and that she would have her mobile on her while she was on her break away from the infirmary.

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Simply raising an eyebrow at the young Corporal and the quick snap attention. Of course, she had earned the right to this respect and it was her time for it, but she had no need for it. “At ease Corporal.” Wyatt stated with a slight sigh. “Now you have learnt your lesson not to block the door.” She paused for a moment. “However, Carter, I know of you, if you would like to spar with the security team, the offer is open.” She spoke soften for  a moment before smirked and patted him on the shoulder stepping passed him.

“Oh and Corporal, avoid the bacon today, it is slightly undercooked today.” With that Jen left.

Wyatt knew about Carter and noticed that he did have potential within the SGC if only he was not… as he was. If he could challenge the command with respect, he would go quite far this much she knew was quite true.

=^= My dear security team, this is your favourite boss, I am back on duty, so you know the drill=^= Double tapping the radio to inform her team.  Jen demanded their respect, but she also respected that team because without it, what was the point.

Respect. Lt. Colonel Wyatt considered it a brief moment. There were very few people in her life that her respect. Her family had her respect such as her sister and brother in law and her best friend – who she had not spoken to in a little while. But that was it, no-one she had dated or been married to in the past. It was sad, Jen’s life was the military – she loved her job but it simply did not allow for the chance to date, maybe she could go to Atlantis and then the military would become her life.

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Carter was currently stood to attention, a superior had called him out and he was stood to, giving her the attention she required to dress him down.

“At ease Corporal.” Wyatt stated with a slight sigh.

Don brought down his arm and, while still stood firm, placed them both, open palmed, behind his back. He was ‘at ease’, but not ‘stood easy’. The army made damned well sure he wasn’t confused during his training.

“Now you have learnt your lesson not to block the door.” She paused for a moment. “However, Carter, I know of you, if you would like to spar with the security team, the offer is open.” She spoke soften for a moment before smirked and pattered him on the shoulder stepping passed him.

Of course Don knew not to block the door, but stopping for a moment and intentionally blocking a place we’re different. That said, it was kind of her to offer the invitation to fight for fun with stranger on the base... he stayed fit and healthy but he found ‘sparing’ usually meant kicking the essentials out of someone to vent - nah. He’d perhaps take a peak sometime, though.

“Oh and Corporal, avoid the bacon today, it is slightly undercooked today.”

Who undercooks bacon?! Crispy rashers or we’re just not friends. Nah, he was still sold on the hash brown sandwiches.

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Dr. Wyatt was walking the base on her break and she was considering where she would go. There was not a great deal of time she wanted to be away from the infirmary for. Thinking back to the missed phone call and trusting her instincts, Grace decided to take a walk to the heart of Stargate Command.

Taking the elevator to her chosen destination, arriving mere minutes later. Dr. Wyatt found herself walking up through the gate room giving a small greeting to the team. It was indeed nice to greet them as she did not see the gate team as often as she did after her retirement which felt like an entire lifetime ago.

Slowly and with purpose climbing the stairs to the briefing room and toward the office of the commander of the base General Rocky Bond. Noticing that Colonel Macgregor was standing in the entrance way.

“Sorry Colonel, pulling rank as chief medical advisor here. I won’t be too long.” Grace might not be military, but she could still pull rank when needed. Thanks to the military code.

In other words, Dr. Wyatt was slightly worried about the missed telephone call. Popping her head passed the Colonel for a moment, being professional around other staff.

“General, I believe you tried to contact me directly in the infirmary?” Pausing for a moment. “My job after all to make sure this base’s staff are supported.” Commenting with a slight twinkle in her eyes before becoming serious again.

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"COME"

MacGregor was stood patiently waiting for the General to allow him entry to what was essentially, his private space. This was a room that had to be respected, at all times, REGARDLESS.

"General, I can come back another time if you wish. Was mainly to catch up on what's happened during my leave period".

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OOC: Sorry for the short post guys, just trying to keep the story moving.

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Bond looked out of the top of his glasses up to the Colonel stood at his doorway waiting for him to actually enter and speak.

MacGregor was the new XO of the base which placed him as second in command, he also happened to be the Leader of SG1. When he came to them, MacGregor was Royal Air Force and a junior officer... and a pain in the ass. Over the years though, Bond had softened and came to appreciate the diligence of a pain in the ass, so when he transferred to USAF, it did get easier for him to be nagged by US Air Force officers...

Speak of the devil and she shall appear, Grace popped her head past The Colonel’s own and after putting him into his place, spoke with a familiar look of devilment, “General, I believe you tried to contact me directly in the infirmary?” Pausing for a moment. “My job after all to make sure this base’s staff are supported.” Commenting with a slight twinkle in her eyes before becoming serious again.

Bond grinned at the sight of his wife. Somehow, after all the years spent working inside of a mountain, she was ever more beautiful and still made his heart sink with the weight of his feelings at just the mere sight of her. As he moved to speak, he was prevent from doing so by the aforementioned Colonel.

"General, I can come back another time if you wish. Was mainly to catch up on what's happened during my leave period" Bond nodded quite subtly at the mans question.

“Lunch?” He spoke, holding eye contact with his wife, while getting to his feet.

Back looking at his Executive Officer, “Colonel Wyatt has been covering for your absence, you’ll need to speak with her - but catch up with me in the next few hours”

He walked over to the door where the duo were stood, them moving out of his way as he approached. He took the coffee filled mug out of MacGregors hand and gave it to his wife, saying, “to go”.

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“Colonel Wyatt has been covering for your absence, you’ll need to speak with her - but catch up with me in the next few hours” replied General Bond.

"Many thanks sir!". MacGregor knew at this point to make scarce. Especially since the General came over and took the coffee out of his hand.

=^= Colonel Wyatt its MacGregor. Any chance I can grab you please, over?=^=

As MacGregor made his way down the stairs from the briefing room to the control room, he stopped for a second to look at the gate. Being back in the US made him realise how lucky he is to be able to do a job like this. The number of times that he had been through the gate boggled his mind. The things he had seen and done, was beyond comprehension. Instantly MacGregor was brought back to reality by one of of the gate technicians asking for a signature for a work sign-off.

As MacGregor scribbled his signature onto the work-order, he realised that he had left some uniform in his bunk. Being within a senior position, he was lucky to have on-base quarters. As he made his way out of the control room and towards his quarters, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and remembered that he needed to change the sim-card to his US sim. He put his phone back into his pocket and continued along the corridor.

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Dr. Wyatt knew she was one of the few people that could speak freely in front of the General and being brave to stand up to him, not fazed by the heavy stars that rested on his shoulders. This was something she had been able to do before they had even developed a friendship. But in turn, he had taught her how to lead a command and step away from the comforts of the infirmary. Grace did indeed have many fond memories and it was another reason why did eventually retire from the military.

Pulling away from her thoughts, Wyatt considered the interaction between the base commander and his new second. It was quite an interaction and very different from when she held the position, but she would have never played her role any differently.

With a raised eyebrow Grace gave a slight smirk before nodding to the answer about lunch. She had already handed over the reins to one of her trusted medical staff.

“Thank you for the coffee Colonel.” She grinned as Bond handed it to her. It did save her a trip to grab one.

“Now you asked me to lunch General, where are we going? Mess hall or to catch some vitamin D?” Speaking falling into an easy step with her walking companion. “Hold on for a quick moment.” Holding up a finger before tapping on her earpiece. =^=Halliwell, you are holding onto the infirmary for a little longer.=^=

Glancing up at Rocky, Grace raised another quick eyebrow. “Now tell me what is going on?” Pausing for a moment, she could always read him and this one of those moments. Taking a sip of the stolen coffee waiting for a response from him.

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Lt. Colonel Wyatt chuckled at the response she heard on the radio from the security team once she had alerted them, she was back on duty. Wyatt had been acting as XO of the SGC while the actual XO had been away or as she like to call it skiving. As much as this Lt. Colonel did thrive in the military and enjoyed her command, the acting XO role was a little much and quite frankly too much paperwork.

And talk of just the person that reached out over the radio. Tapping quickly in response, she spoke =^=Ah, Colonel – welcome back and I am currently…=^= Pausing for a moment, considering her location before continuing her sentence =^=Near science lab 3, am I coming to you or you to me?=^= Asking so she could stay put or move locations.

The one thing about Jen was that she was quite a strange officer in the matter she will often tease officers more senior to her, but she still held respect – if it had been earned of course.

While waiting for a response, Wyatt investigated one of the science labs and saw it was empty. There must be a new shiny object somewhere for them to have all disappeared. Being of a curious nature, stepping into the land of unknown objects Colonel Wyatt looked around and clicked her tongue. “Now… what is this…” Pausing looking closely at a strange looking object.

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Bond smirked as his wife spoke to the additional member stood with them, “Thank you for the coffee Colonel.” And he parted their company.

The two had been married a good, solid number of years now, and it just worked. They bounced off of each other, but they weren’t tied to each other. They had many of the same friends, but weren’t dependent on each other to be there together every time. He always thought that it was because the duo were each long serving, established characters that they wouldn’t be jarred by the usual anxieties and such - but that was probably because they knew they always had the other to make them strong.

“Now you asked me to lunch General, where are we going? Mess hall or to catch some vitamin D?” Speaking falling into an easy step with her walking companion. “Hold on for a quick moment.” Holding up a finger before tapping he earpiece.

While Grace called a colleague, so did Bond, =^=Bond to Mess, Riggs can you please fix us up some sammies at our usual spot? Thank you. =^=

He never received a reply, but it went without saying that when the highest ranking General in the country wants some sandwiches, you’d usually just follow through with it.

“ for a little longer.” She finished her contact. Bond placed his hand around her waist and pulled her into him, their eyes connected and hers bedazzling him as he pressed the button he had in his pocket. The two were instantly transported to his previous spot atop their mountain. The stunning view before them.

“Vitamin D, always.” Bond said with a soft smile... Waiting on their lunch to be delivered by the same technology.

Grace raised an eyebrow. Her usual trick... “Now tell me what is going on?”

Bonds soft smile slipped away into a soft sadness. His upheld smile and expression caved as if the energy to fuel the facade had finally run out, what was left was his raw, mortal, reality. He unbutton his top shirt button, and the tie that held it down and just sat into a leant position against a waist high boulder behind him. He exhaled.

Fighting back a breaking voice he spoke, “I broke my coffee cup.” He turned away from his wife and where she stood. Looking out at what had always been a serene visage, he spoke again, not looking her way and his voice once more caving, “who am I, if not this?”

A hamper of varying foods and steam-escaping drinks appeared on the ground, accompanied by a folded tartan blanket on the dusty dry ground between them.

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=^=Ah, Colonel – welcome back and I am currently.........Near science lab 3, am I coming to you or you to me?=^=

MacGregor took a moment to think about this. He knew that he was new into the role, and he didn't want to throw his weight around, especially with officers that have had a longer tenure than he did.

=^=Thanks for the warm welcome Colonel. I'll come to you, got a couple of bits and pieces to sort out on that side of the base anyways!, Out. =^=. With that, MacGregor made his way towards his quarters. He was only 'round the corner' when he spotted the door in question. After reaching his hand into his pocket, he pulled out his keys and unlocked the door, remembering to turn it sharply as the lock was fairly worn.

Upon opening the door, he was greeted be the warmth of the heater. After all, being from the UK did mean that heating was something that was either permanently on or off. Never in the middle. The rooms interior wasn't grand, but he had put his own spin on it. This also doubled as his private workspace/office, thus he had a small but modern looking desk with a modern looking office chair in the far corner of the room, angled towards the door. A double bed was across the other side of the room which had a couple of rucksacks on it.

MacGregor walked over to the desk and lifted up the lid of the laptop which sat in the centre of the desk. He quickly typed in his password and had a quick glance down at his emails. Nothing stood out be he knew that he needed to get a move on. He closed the lid of his laptop, emptied some of the rubbish out of his pocket, unlocked one of the drawers on his desk, placed his phone and house keys in, closed and locked the drawer and walked towards the door.

As he exited the room, a flurry of people where walking and talking, they quickly acknowledged the colonel and paid the relevant compliments with the colonel returning them as appropriate. He locked the door, turned to his right and started heading towards the science corridor to meet with Colonel Wyatt.

=^=Col Wyatt, its MacGregor, on route to you now=^=

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There had always been something about Grace and her ability to trust her medical team. Several people had trained under her and gone onto their own commands and she was so proud of each person who thrived. Dr. Wyatt was a tough task master when needed but she was a fair person as well.

Turning her head to her husband; the General with the response of taking in the sun. Every truth that Bond gave her gave her such strength, although he may not often see it; he was her hero, although not always an angel, but that came with the heavy metal on his shoulders. “Always showing off.” Smirking ever so slightly at the beam that took them to their favourite spot on the mountain.

Watching General Bond closely, Grace sighed softly knowing the signs of this man better than anyone, seeing his professionalism fade a little, over the years she had learnt to read them. Even when it was a friendship, she could see glimpses of the private man.

Finally, he spoke, and her own eyes softened, and she gave her own sigh. Grace considered her own answer, in fact she remembered asking that same question some years ago. Then another blinding light was offered, and Dr. Wyatt saw the sandwiches. “Again, showing off General.”

A soft smile appeared as she gently touched his arm. “You are simply you, my husband, a father and a grandfather.” Pausing for a moment. “And always General Bond or Rocky, the man who is my best friend.” Looking out towards the view that was offered. Grace sighed for a brief moment, remembering the war she had felt when she asked the same question, who she was without this?

“Remember when I constantly asked the same question over the years, before there was even an ‘us’ just simply friends but you always had the words, it applies now. You have your own mind and you know me.” Once again pausing for a moment. “You know.”

A slight playful twinkle appeared her eyes. “Sandwich General, I am sure they are made with fear…” Grinning offering Bond one.

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Looking at her watch Wyatt sighed sitting in a random chair in the science lab spinning in the chair and there was no-one there to ask random questions to. She was getting rather bored waiting for the second in command of Stargate Command, she could hear the tock ticking in the background. Jen looked at something in front of her, she had learnt not to touch something very random, it did often confuse her – she did not pretend to be ‘traditional’ smart.

And then she heard the Colonel address her on the radio. “Finally.” She muttered to herself. =^=Rodger that Colonel, I may have just developed another grey hair…=^= She faded out before saying nothing more. Time after time she would say these remarks, it was expected of her now, it was simply her personality.

Beginning to hum to herself a random song that had been stuck in her head from the bar previous evening. In fact, it had been from one of the locals singing an old classic ‘Galway girl’ and they had gotten to know this Lt. Colonel quite well.

Looking around the lab once more, Jen scooted herself to one of the computers logging on to check any reports she needed to finalise from the security team and any emails that required her attention. However, there was not a thing that required her urgent attention. Sighing Wyatt stood up and stretched slighting.

Tapping on her radio once more. =^=ETA Colonel? I will not be held responsible for pressing this red button in the science lab in my boredom!=^=

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Don was sat staring at the empty plate of glory. He’d somehow sent down 4 hash brown sandwiches and while he was full, he was ready to do it all over again if he was required. What an absolute godsend this invention truly was.

Pulled his outstretched arms from the table and lifting his fat ass out of his seat, he collected his plate and put it into the dish collection trolley that was near the exit, so as to save work and effort from being needlessly spent by his colleagues in the kitchen.

~What now?~ he asked of himself internally as he left the room and aimlessly walked the corridors. He didn’t have much he needed to do, but headed on up a few more levels to the ready rooms on ‘16 to give his gear a check down and see if anything needed to be replaced or requisitioned.

He very rarely found this to be the case, but he was particular about his kit and gear. Don once knew a guy that literally never looked after his gear, always mocked him for his OCD of his own kit but one day he parachuted on a training mission and splat. Well that was the rumour, but he’d also heard the guy retired and moved to Indianapolis with his fiancé Sarah, but Corporal Carter was still gonna head up to check his gear for wear and tear.

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Bond stood atop the mountain with his wife and their lunch. How he felt that these were the moments he needed to last forever. Just this, this snippet from time could play an eternity and the soft breeze, bedazzling sunshine and eye watering visual was all that he needed.

He’d just shown a crack into his conscious mortality and his wife had shifted to console him, A soft smile appeared as she gently touched his arm. “You are simply you, my husband, a father and a grandfather.” Pausing for a moment. “And always General Bond or Rocky, the man who is my best friend.”

Bond had only an estranged son and a strong, peaking, military career when the two met and became friends. Eventually, time took its course (as did the fate he didn’t believe in) and his new wife brought with her a loving, including family and he made amends with his own son, who now was engaged and just had his first child.

Grace took his mind back, “Remember when I constantly asked the same question over the years, before there was even an ‘us’ just simply friends but you always had the words, it applies now. You have your own mind and you know me.” Once again pausing for a moment. “You know.”

Rocky had a soft smile for her, the woman to whom he’d deliver the world. Their paths crossed at a late time in their lives, but not too late. Recent days caused Bond to consider how he’d get through this turmoil with his rock. He wouldn’t.

A slight playful twinkle appeared her eyes. “Sandwich General, I am sure they are made with fear…” Grinning offering Bond

Bond took the sandwich from her soft hands and lifted it slightly as if to gesture toast to the lady.

“If it weren’t for you, I doubt I’d have gotten this far...” Bonds composure started to return - or rather he’d started to lose humiliation in talking to his wife. He continued, “this is all I’ve ever done. Everything that’s broken down around me, the world, hell the universe and I’ve still worn this,” General Bond tugged softly against his light blue uniformed shirt. “I can fight it - we can fight it. I just don’t know that fighting fixes it anymore. Playing it, playing it is probably all we have now, sweet.” A defeatist expression now took his face.

As he drew the sandwich near, he smelt it was egg mayonnaise and yet again the mess were on point, delivering then each of their preferences. Bond hesitated, only ever so slightly, the image of the fallen mug in his mind flashed and he took a bite. It was good, and so was his wife.

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