stargate_search | Atlantis gate malfunction?

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^slash: john/rodney

Atlantis gate malfunction?

I'm looking for a fic that involved John and Rodney going through the gate, and coming out in the past and being stuck on Atlantis alone. They are able to get brief glimpses of the rest of the expedition, and at one point the expedition is wearing stickers on their uniforms to respond - I think. They both end up leaving messages for their futures selves for when the expedition comes through the gate.

Please tell me that someone knows what I'm talking about. Please?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Unfortunately, all I can tell you is that you aren't imagining it. I lost a few of my bookmarks, and I'm pretty sure that was one of them. I can also provide a bit more detail (especially about the conclusion and sequel), in hopes that something triggers a memory:

John and Rodney go through the gate and it malfunctions, sending them into an alternate universe that overlaps the canon 'verse, allowing them to catch brief, ghostly glimpses of the expedition. The expedition has not yet arrived on Atlantis in the AU, so John and Rodney take advantage of their knowledge to find trading partners to keep themselves fed and supplied while Rodney figures out how to get them back. (Ironically, Kavanagh provides an important clue.) Finally, Rodney figures out how to send a one-way message, and the crew signals their understanding and readiness by wearing large, brightly colored pieces of paper on their uniforms. John and Rodney bring the ZPM they acquired from the alt-Brotherhood/Allina back with them, and leave a holographic message for the expedition, which includes a cryptic remark by John to himself (something to the effect of "Person A is Person B. Trust me.").

There's a sequel, in which John explains the message, which translates roughly to "just because you don't think someone's Mr. Right, doesn't mean he isn't," based on the story of a girl he knew who married Mr. Right, got cheated on, and ended up happily arguing with the geek she knew in high school.