By Leesa Perrie

Poss use these lyrics?

you love me, but you don’t know who I am
I’m torn between this life I lead
and where I stand
you love me, but you don't know who I am

AND poss:

no matter how hard I try
I cant escape these things inside
I know, I know
but all the pieces fall apart
 All from ‘Let Me Go’ by 3 Doors Down

She was angry with him, and rightly so.  Her husband had glared at him, the cops were clearly unimpressed, even Sheppard looked…shocked, unhappy.

But he’d been trying to protect her, that was all.  Now, it probably looked like he was trying to protect himself, or his parents maybe.  As if he was worried about their reputations.  Though he had to admit, there was a worry about how the truth would effect him…but it had been more for Jeannie than himself he had kept quiet.  At least, he tried to believe so, even though he knew it wasn’t.  Not entirely.  Yes, he had been protecting himself as well as her, but it wasn’t all selfishness.  He truly had been afraid of revealing the truth, and of what that could mean.  Of sending the police after his parents’ enemies, and the retribution that could cause.

He was still afraid of that now, but he hoped, truly hoped that if there was any retribution, it would be aimed at him, not his sister.  She knew nothing, and was no threat.  Of course, he would make it clear that she could be in danger, ask for police protection until they could be sure she was not a target.  He wouldn’t ask the same for himself, hoping that his protection would come from the SGC while he was on Earth, and that they, whoever they were, wouldn’t be able to breach security and find a way to Atlantis.  That seemed unlikely, they weren’t the Trust, but organised crime could produce powerful people; people who could have connections.

He sighed, knowing he had to tell the whole story.  Yes, he’d confirmed that his parents had started a new life for themselves and their eight year old son, changing names and taking false identities, even having a fake uncle and aunt for their kids.  Well, Aunt Susie had been one of many, many foster kids who had passed through his mother’s parents’ home, so there was a connection, one that even their enemies would most likely miss.  But they weren’t blood relations, like Jeannie had always been led to believe, by their parents and said uncle and aunt, not by him.  He’d just never said anything to dissuade her of the notion.

He could understand that she was mad at him, and that Caleb was far from impressed by his brother-in-law; the one who hadn’t made contact for four years or more, so not exactly impressing him to start with.

It didn’t help that, somehow, he’d known this was inevitable.  From the moment Elizabeth gave him the bad news, that his parents’ bodies had been found in Washington State, hidden for all these years, buried beneath an old abandoned log cabin that had been demolished to make way for a newer home.  The builders had found the bodies when digging out what would be the basement of the new house.  There was no doubt that it was murder, each shot once in the head.  Death would have been instantaneous, at least.

He’d always suspected that the old enemies had caught up with them, never believing that they had simply gone out hiking and gotten lost, their bodies never being discovered in that vast wilderness.  The authorities finally putting it down to accidental death, one of those unfortunate occurrences that happened sometimes.  People wandering off the track, getting into difficulties or just plain getting lost, and dying from exposure, their bodies never being found, or found many years later.

It was what Jeannie had believed, and he’d never told her otherwise.  Not like he had proof it wasn’t what it seemed, but knowing his parents weren’t the hiking type, and certainly not the wandering off the beaten path type, he’d never bought into it. 

(need to work to a flashback on Atlantis, explaining asthma like attacks, and then lead into him continuing the discussion back on Earth, explaining to the detectives what he knew – also note, parents kept his first name to make it easier for him, he always thought that was a huge mistake, there not being that many Merediths about)

Cathy Jane Buchanan, nee Roberts – Judy Lauren McKay, nee Kidman

William (Billy) Edward Buchanan – Stuart James McKay

Meredith Anthony Buchanan – Meredith Rodney McKay

Abigail May Buchanan – Jean Miller, nee McKay

My parents were rich.  Big house and a large estate.  Political and business contacts left, right and centre.  They attended all the right parties, the right clubs, were seen in the right places with the right people.  Were considered kind and generous; giving to the right charities, supporting the right causes, seeming like truly caring individuals who used their money to help others, whilst enjoying its privileges as well.

They were honest and hardworking, with legitimate businesses.  Everyone who met them liked them.  No one believed ill of them, they had no enemies.  Two intelligent if somewhat reserved sons as well; a happy family.

Huh, if only people had known the truth.

My parents hired nannies to look after their sons, and each one only stayed a few months at most.  There was no stability, and my parents were busy living the high life, so ???? and I rarely saw them.  We relied on each other…even developing a form of twin-speak, a language all our own.  Sometimes other kids would turn up, belonging to friends of our parents, but usually they were mean or hurtful. 

(Kids can be horrible sometimes)

Yeah, don’t I know it.  We were home tutored, but in that we were lucky.  A husband and wife, ???? and ????,  were hired to teach us, and they stayed.  They didn’t move on like the nannies would.  And they made efforts to ensure we had some social skills; helping us to make sense of people and their expectations.

You know, we had everything we could ever want, materialistically.  But no love, except for each other, until our tutors turned up.  Over time, we grew to love them as much as they loved us; they were like parents to us, far more than our own.

When ???? and I were ten, it all changed.  ???? (husband tutor) saw our father murder someone in cold blood.  He was afraid to tell the police at first, but in the end he went forward.  They were offered police protection, of course, and my father stood trial.

A lot of people came forward, gaining courage I guess, and told how he was involved in all sorts of crimes in the area; smuggling, racketeering, prostitution, murder.  And despite everything he tried, he was convicted.

Mother was enraged by all of this, vowing vengeance on ???? – if he hadn’t gone to the police no one else would have come forward.

The witness protection programme failed ???? and ???? – Our mother found them and arranged a hit, but I overheard it all and I was able to warn them.  But mother found out and…it was bad.  ??? and I ran away after she’d had me beaten.  Stole some money and left…I knew where ???? (tutors) would be (how?) and headed there.

We left and made a new life elsewhere, new names, identities, but then ??? died in a stupid car accident…and there were questions…so we left and started again, a second time, and this time even had a fake uncle and aunt.  I was eleven when he died, my twin.    

Elizabeth entered Rodney’s lab to the sound of bantering from her Head of Science and Chief Military Officer, and shook her head.  There were times when they reminded her of two errant schoolboys, bent on madness and mayhem and trying to outdo the other in all things.

She would have smiled in other circumstances, but the worry of having to give bad news weighed on her.

“Elizabeth,” John greeted her with a smile.  “What brings you down into McKay’s evil lair?”

“It’s not a lair, evil or otherwise…”

“Okay, bat cave then.”

“I wanted to speak to Rodney,” she interrupted before the conversation descended into ????

“You want me to leave?” John asked, looking at her serious face and then glancing at Rodney.

“You may as well stay,” Rodney said ???

“I’m sorry, it’s about your parents…”

“I though your parents were dead?” John asked.

“Yes, well, they disappeared and were eventually declared dead, but I’m taking it that something’s changed?  Have they found them?”

“Their bodies were found a week ago.”  She noted the relief that flickered on Rodney’s face before being replaced by ???

“Good.  I mean, not good in that they’re dead, but I always knew that must be the case, but good in that we know for sure now.” He stopped, a look of realisation on his face.  “Jeannie.  I should, you know, go to her.  I mean, it’s one thing thinking and another to have it confirmed…”

“Rodney, you need to talk to the ?? PD.  Your parents… I’m sorry, but they were murdered.”

-----

He’d always suspected it, of course.  Had always suspected that this day would arrive.  Confirmation of a fear he’d tried to deny.

Elizabeth was looking at him, sympathy in her eyes, and Sheppard looked worried.  Worried for him, he realised.

“I…” he stopped, he couldn’t say that he’d suspected it, he couldn’t say anything about that.  “They’re sure? No, of course they’re sure.  I suppose they want to know if my parents had enemies, that sort of thing.  And Jeannie, oh crap, have they already talked to her?  Does she know?”

“Yes,” Elizabeth replied.  “They’ve already talked with her.  It took a couple of days for the information and request to talk to you reached the SGC…”

“Of course it did.”  He got up, shutting down his laptop automatically.  “I need to… update Radek on a few things and then pack…”

“As soon as you’re ready, we’ll dial Earth.”

“Thanks.”

(John needs to say he’s going with him, Elizabeth to say that’s okay)