They lost Atlantis and life on Earth is a misery. They both have nothing left to lose and gamble everything on an untested device for an opportunity at a second chance.
Really interesting exploration of how certain things could have been different right from the start of the Atlantis expedition (and before!) — and what would stay the same — if John and Rodney got essentially a do-over of the choices they'd made, remembering how things went wrong in their partly-AU (the disastrous ending) origin timeline. I don't want to give spoilers, but I think certain elements eventually revealed will surprise even canny readers — mostly very good surprises.
The emotions and interactions, from desperation and determination and grief, to conflicts and loyalties and affections, to natural moments of humor, are all well-developed.
I hope the author *does* write the promised sequel someday, because it ends at the "end of the beginning", hopeful and satisfying in a way (with bittersweet elements), with the main players and AU-situation-in-Pegasus premise established, but not enough.
Don't read this if you blindly love canon Elizabeth Weir or Jennifer Keller (or even, to a lesser degree, Carson Beckett), though. N.b., Ms. Marcos believes even worse of canon Jennifer than I do, but my opinion is poor enough that I have no problem enjoying what I consider somewhat character-bashing and the author considers "not a stretch" at all.
Still one of my favorites in the Stargate fanfiction genre. The plot is exciting and fresh with all the minor differences to the time travel, the characters are fun and realistic and I live for the snappy dialogue.
I love this so much, I don't even have words. I hated both Elizabeth and Jennifer in the original series and I'm thoroughly loving the approach taken here. Totally looking forward to the sequrl whenever it comes around.