Stargate: Atlantis
Characters: Sheppard, McKay
Rating: PG
Episode: Grace Under Pressure
Notes: Thanks to gfpc for the screencaps showing Captain's bars on Griffin's uniform.
Message to the Griffins
by Night Spring
Hello. I'm Dr. Rodney McKay. Um, you don't know who I am, but well, if you are watching this video, you've been notified of Captain Griffin's death, and I just wanted to say, well, I'm not allowed to tell you any specifics, but uh, he gave his life saving mine. And if you're wondering, "Who is this guy, and why the hell would my husband, my father, give his life for him?" um, I'm... I've been asking the same thing myself. I mean, while it's true that, I... that my skills and expertise are important, even, dare I say, indispensable, to this mission, and maybe that's why... I don't really know what he was thinking when he decided to sacrifice himself to save me. But if he was thinking, in any way, that my life is somehow more valuable than his, then that's just bullshit. Uh, forgive my language. But, yes, while my contributions to this mission are on a scale greater than any other single person's, if I say so myself, and, not that I'm not grateful to be alive -- I'm grateful. Profoundly, profoundly grateful. But Captain Griffin deserved to be alive, just as much as me, and you deserved to have your husband, your father, with you, and I... I...
Hi. This is Lt. Colonel John Sheppard. I'm the commanding officer of the base where Dr. McKay works, and he's a dear friend and colleague of mine. Captain Griffin wasn't under my direct command -- he was a member of a "support unit" that works closely with our base. I can barely imagine what you are going through right now, because if I lost... any of the people I've come to care about, and Dr. McKay certainly is one of them, so like he said, I'm grateful, really grateful, on a personal level. But, I also would like to say that, what Dr. McKay does, is important, not because of his knowledge and expertise, which, as he always likes to remind us, is vast and superior, but what he uses them for. He... saves lives. He's saved my life, and that of other members of our team, many times over. In fact, there isn't a member of our expedition who doesn't owe their lives to him, one way or other. So, when Captain Griffin saved Dr. McKay, he didn't save just one life, he saved many, many lives, because Dr. McKay is a good man, a brave man, and tomorrow or the next day or the day after that, he'll be once again putting his own life, and his vast and superior intellect, on line to save other people. Lots of people. So, on behalf of myself and all others who will live, because of Dr. McKay, because of Captain Griffin, thank you. He will not be forgotten.
Hi. It's Dr. McKay again. Um, what Colonel Sheppard said... that's, very nice of him, and I... I just hope I can live up to his trust. I... I know I owe it to Captain Griffin, and to you, to try. And I promise you, I will. He'll be here. And you. In my heart. Always.