milliways_bar | (no subject)

(no subject)

Bit by bit, Eddie's bar tab has been lowering from the astronomical figure it'd been. World by world that he'd visited and used his skills to win a bit at the casinos, it'd been going down.

Today, Eddie stands at the bar and places a roll of money on the surface. His bar tab hits zero.

He'll be leaving soon, and he doesn't know if he'll be coming back. To be even is important to him.

[Repost. Am back.]

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"Hey, Skippy." Sheppard can be found at the bar as well, nursing a beer. "I've been keeping an eye out for you-it's been awhile since I saw you and wasn't possessed."

Eddie looked up and smiled just a touch. "Hello, John," he said, and managed not to look guilty.

Sheppard eyed where the roll of money had been, then looked back to Eddie. "Been busy trying to pay off your tab again?"

Eddie nodded toward the tab board.

$0.

"Paid off."

He nodded. "So now what? I guess that frees up some of your time, since you don't have to work your tab off anymore..."

He nodded again. "It does," he agreed. His plans were already made. And he couldn't say a word.

Sheppard took another sip of his beer, thinking for a moment. Finally, he glanced back to Eddie, raising an eyebrow. "You're pretty quiet tonight, Skip."

"I know." He nodded once. "I've been busy, but there are still things to do."

"Like what?" He was curious. Maybe Eddie's plans were better than his own, which could mostly be summed up as 'try not to die.'

He shrugged. "I'll still need money to keep up my existance here."

A truth. But not the truth that Sheppard was looking for.

Sheppard nodded. "There's still a potential job in Atlantis, once I figure out how to explain things...and once I'm pretty sure we have a plan to deal with the Wraith that'll hide us for longer, or take care of them for good." He frowned. "Things haven't really been going well."

Eddie... sighed.

"I don't know if I can work in Atlantis, John," he said, quiet. Simple. Regretful.

Not being able to work in Atlantis, he understood-whether it was because something else had come up, or because Eddie had a newfound wish not to die by Wraith. But the tone was cause for concern. "Something up, Eddie?"

"I don't know if I'll be able to," he reiterated. "I still want to."

He nodded, but frowned. "What's up?" Eddie seemed evasive, but Sheppard wanted to know what was going on.

"There are things yet to do." He had known that, if asked, he wouldn't be able to keep it an absolute secret for long.

"Like...?" It wasn't the most subtle way to go about things, but he wasn't really in the mood for being subtle.

"I'm going back."

Nothing said after that. The reaction came next.

Sheppard glanced towards the door, frowning. "Sure that's a good idea? Especially if they think you're dead?"

"I have to." He frowned just slightly. "I don't know why. But I... have to."

Because he felt it in his gut.

Sheppard kept his attention on the door for a few more moments, watching and thinking. He frowned as he looked back to Eddie. "Need any help?"

Time outside the door had always stopped for him before, and when you got down to it...Eddie's universe sounded a lot less dangerous than his own.

Eddie shook his head firmly. "I can't take you with me. Not in good conscience."

Though he did wish he could. Having someone there, whom he trusted, would be a relief to him. But it would also be a stress.

"What're you going to be doing there?" The frown had deepened. What the hell was Eddie planning?

"I'm going back to the Abraham Lincoln. And I'm going to find out about that other AI." Which was probably more of his mission than the former. And then he knew it was. After all, his wingmen had left him behind.

"How sure are you that they won't try to shoot you down? If they think you're dead and you show up again...they might be kinda triggerhappy."

"That's why I can't take you," he said quietly. "I can't risk someone besides myself in this."

Sheppard nods, although he keeps frowning. After a moment, he offers, "Good luck?"

"I'll need it," nodded Eddie.

And then, more quietly, he added, "I'm sorry."

Sheppard clapped a hand on Eddie's shoulder. It seemed like the right thing to do. "Don't apologize. Sometimes we have to do things we really don't want to do. Dangerous things, stupid things, important things....you get the idea."

He wasn't much for speeches, but giving Eddie some kind of reassurance seemed like a good idea.

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