Fred Burkle (brillianttexan) wrote in wherehomeis, @ 2008-03-09 19:03:00 |
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Current mood: | Unsure |
New job, new home...
To: Winifred Burkle
From: Mark Duncan
Subject: Re: Jake
Fred,
I've spoken to Christina and we've decided Tyler wouldn't bode well with a hyperactive dog around. He's just learning how to crawl and we're afraid he'll bite Tyler. We wouldn't want him to be hurt.
Hope your new job goes well.
Mark
Fred narrowed her eyes at the e-mail before slamming the lid of her laptop down. Several of the people around her glanced in her direction but Fred didn't care. It was bad enough Mark had left her for a "job", only to get remarried a month after the divorce was final, but now he couldn't even help her by taking Jake. Looking down at the small cocker spaniel, Fred sighed and reached down to scratch his head. She'd been told she could bring him along since they liked to encourage people to bring a little bit of home with them so they wouldn't get too homesick. Fred just hoped the commanding officer, Major Whateverhisnamewas didn't mind.
"We're ready to board," one of the men announced.
She stood and slipped her laptop back into her case and stood from her chair. Once she had her bag over her shoulder, she reached down and took Jake's leash. "Come on," she told the dog before she got on the ship. She was placed near the front since supposedly her position was the most important one. Fred didn't care. All she wanted was to start working.
It was times like this that Fred couldn't believe how far she'd come. She had always liked science but didn't think she would get this far. Her dreams started to be realized when MIT accepted her. She loved going to the college and learning new things. Eventually, she left the college with a PhD in physics and a husband. Fred still had the PhD but not the husband. It didn't bother her, though. She didn't have a way of knowing his work would be more important than marriage. That was until Christina came along and Mark married her. Now they lived in San Diego with a son and a house with a white picket fence. Fred knew she would never have that. Men didn't like smart girls.
But her parents had been very proud of her, which made everything seem worth it. They had supported everything she'd done, no matter how far her work too her from Texas. When they'd died in the car accident, she had been devastated. Fred quit her job as a private scientist for the military and went back to San Antonio with Jake. She planned on spending the rest of her life there but had been persuaded to take another job with the government. This time working at Atlantis. She had heard rumors about it but didn't realize it was real.
The ship jerked a little and Fred sighed, and pulled Jake closer to her. She looked out the window and watched the blackness pass them by. She slipped her eyes closed, hoping she was doing the right thing. She knew there was nothing left on Earth for her but she was still going far away from home.
It didn't take long for them to arrive. Fred let everyone get off her before since she had Jake with her. The dog got easily excited and Fred didn't want him to jump on anyone. When she finally got off, she was led to a group of people and she just looked at him.
"Sheppard?" one of the men said. "This is Dr. Winifred Burkle. Winifred, this is John Sheppard."
Fred gave him a small smile and tugged on Jake's leash when the dog started to sniff at John's shoes. "Hi," she said.