Day 10, Stargate Atlantis, McKay/Sheppard, Decorating the Tree

John was grateful the Christmas tree wasn't as pristine as the rest of the house. It was obvious the kids had picked it out. The tree listed to one side and there was a gap in the branches that hadn't quite been turned to the back wall.

The red and green ornaments were interspersed with handmade ones.

"I made that one," ten-year-old Susan shyly pointed out. The handmade angel sat proudly on a branch in the front.

"You did good," John told her. Her smile was his reward.

Four-year-old Greg had colored a Santa picture, hung proudly on the fireplace.



Dave came in with a shoe box and carefully handed it to John.

"This was in the attic," he explained. "It was in the back and we didn't find it until last year. I... think dad hid it."

John took the relatively light box. He set it on his lap and gently lifted the cover.

Inside were Christmas ornaments he remember as a child. John was stunned.

He lifted one out carefully. "Mom made us each one of these," he said to Rodney. It was a generic globe that had his name and the year hand painted on the bottom.




"It was the last Christmas..." John started. He couldn't finish the sentence. It was the last Christmas she was alive. John cleared his throat and took a breath. Rodney leaned close for a moment, providing John with the grounding he needed.

"I thought these had been thrown out when dad cleaned house," John said.

"Evidently not," Dave said. "They were hidden in the back of the attic. I want to think he put them there on purpose, for us to find after he was gone."

"Thank you," John said softly. Thank you, dad. I'm sorry... For a lot of things...

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