Meridian by azurehorizon (PG)

[asugar.livejournal.com]

Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Pairing: Teyla Emmagen/John Sheppard
Title: Meridian
Author: azure_horizon 
Link: FF and author's LJ
Warnings: Major Character Death
Genre: Angst
WIP?: Complete

Why This Should Be Read: azure_horizon writes some of the most angst-filled and moving John/Teyla character-sketches out there and has moved me to tears on quite a few occasions. She breaks me yet again in Meridian. I don't mind though because she makes it hurt so good (to be ungrammatical about it). In Meridian, John's dying slowly and painfully and he muses on his relationships and feelings as his team begs him to ascend instead. The imagery and emotions are beautiful and John and Teyla's longing for what could have been is tangible. This story feels especially relevant to recommend with only four episodes left in the series and John's feelings of failure and self-destructiveness made so tangible in "Remnants." While the sentimental part of me wishes John was the kind of guy who'd ascend so that he could come back again, the rest of me and Teyla recognizes that John is too much a warrior for ascension. He refuses to cheat death of its finality. This author never fails to make me think, this time about what makes and do we need a meaningful death. Having meditated on this brief piece, I have to say I'm with John on this one; in the end we all die alone.