One more challenge fic

[sinesofinsanity]

Because I like this challenge, I was bored last week, and I don't want to clean my room.
Also, I sincerely doubt that I'm the first to think of this, and I'm really disappointedly surprised the real writers didn't.
Also, I'd just like to point out excitedly that this is the shortest finished thing I've ever written. I tend to feel the need to explain everything.
... and I still suck at titles.

Title: As long as we know
Fandom: SGA
Characters: Dr. Elizabeth Wier
Timeline: After everything SPOILER FOR Ghost in the Machine
Disclaimer: I own nothing connected to the Stargate franchise blah, blah, blah.
Dedication: For oxoniensis because I love the challenge ( this is also written for the "sad song" challenge)

            Elizabeth Weir looked up from her meditation at the remaining members of her team. It had taken a long time, but as of last night there were only four of them remaining, slowly learning to ascend.

            Lia had been first. Elizabeth smiled at that, everyone else had been surprised, but she should have guessed. Lia had always been quiet, but was devoted to the cause, and to her friends. She had been the first of the replicators to refer to others as friend rather than associate. She had been a kind soul, if machines could be described as such, often stopping her own work to help the others or offer hope.

            Morok, Korla, Adel… Elizabeth mentally listed off the others, picturing them as they were just before ascension: peaceful, yet captivated by what the transformation offered.

            As she always did when her mind turned this way, Elizabeth thought back to her last visit to Atlantis. She shouldn’t have gone. She’d realized almost immediately. True, it had brought them all back from the pain of their failed ascension attempt, given them a second chance and allowed her to search the database for the address to this planet. The time dilation field allowed them to continue their work safe from the rest of the galaxy; more importantly, in Elizabeth’s opinion, it kept the rest of the galaxy safe from them.

            No matter how hard she justified the decision, the years had not freed Elizabeth from the blame of bringing a team of replicators to Atlantis. She couldn’t shake the guilt of what could have happened if she hadn’t convinced them to leave almost immediately. Now she pictured Atlantis as it was when she saw it last, pristine and bright. John, Rodney, Chuck, all her old team watching her leave.

            “It’s okay.” said John. Elizabeth started. He hadn’t said that the first time.

            “We never blamed you for any of it.” continued Rodney.

            “But, I-”

            “Gave us a chance to say goodbye.” John finished for her, “A chance to know you’re okay. So we know they didn’t destroy you.”

            “Not that there was any doubt.” added Rodney quickly.

            Elizabeth smiled, relaxing slightly. What happened, happened. It was in the past. Atlantis was safe from replicators, “ascended” or not. She turned away from her memories and toward a light, brighter than any bulb on Atlantis, more captivating than the Stargate, and peaceful. The calm she had searched lifetimes for.