Colonial Crossover: chapter 12
Title: Colonial Crossover
Author: Betty (sarah_jones on lj) & Katie
Fandoms: Stargate SG-1, SGA & Battlestar Galactica
Rating: M
Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the characters or fandoms. I wish I did… *g* I don’t make any money with this! I’m just writing the story for fun and hope someone else will enjoy it, too.
Summary: The survivors of the fight against the Ori ships get thrown into another galaxy where they meet the Colonial fleet. Will they unite against the threats of the Cylons, the Wraith and the Ori?
Warnings: some character deaths implied
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chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3, chapter 4, chapter 5, chapter 6, chapter 7, chapter 8, chapter 9, chapter 10, chapter 11
chapter 12:
The cave:
John immediately pulled Elizabeth to him, ignoring the pain in his chest as he held her close.
Elizabeth was shocked when the cave started to shake once more and surprised when John pulled her to him in an attempt to cover her from any harm.
The shaking ended as quickly as it had started. A few loose rocks had fallen from the ceiling but luckily the structure they were in remained stable.
Once the shaking stopped Elizabeth glanced at John worriedly.
"Can you never stop playing hero?" she asked. He was hurt enough and she would have preferred to be taking care of him for once. If a stone had hit her it wouldn´t have been as bad as if he was hit again.
Amused, John laughed but his laugh soon turned into another blood curdling cough. After a few moments he regained his composure enough to smile at her, his eyes sparkling with mirth. "It's a habit that's hard to break," he admitted.
Elizabeth shook her head. He would never change.
"Are you okay?" she then asked. Not that he was okay in the first place, but if he felt worse she wanted to know.
He quickly nodded. His arm was still around Elizabeth and he made no attempt to let her go. He was enjoying her warmth and the comfort she brought him even if her doing so was proving to be a little painful for him.
He pretended to be okay, but Elizabeth wasn´t buying it anymore. He looked even paler and his coughs sounded worse than before.
"I don't think we're going to survive another rock fall like that," he then suddenly said.
"Don´t say that. There won´t be another rock fall and we´ll be fine," Elizabeth told him. Of course she had no way of knowing that, but she wasn´t willing to even think that they would die. It just couldn´t end like this!
"Come on," she then said and pulled him down carefully so that he could lie on her thigh.
He made no protest when she helped him lie down. Resting his head on her thigh he closed his eyes for a couple of minutes. "Thanks," he breathed.
Elizabeth gave him a smile when he thanked her. She couldn´t say that she didn´t like having him that close. She just wished he wasn´t hurt.
When he closed his eyes Elizabeth watched him closely. Maybe he should try to get some sleep? But what if he didn´t wake up anymore? No, letting him fall asleep wasn´t a good idea.
Lying down eased the pressure on his chest so he found it a lot easier to breathe. "What the hell is taking Rodney so long?" he then muttered, his eyes snapping back open.
Hearing his words a thought was trying to make it into Elizabeth’s consciousness, that Rodney and the others might not have made it. But she didn´t let herself believe it. They were fine and would rescue them. They just had to! The alternative was being stuck here with noone coming for them, which meant that she might have to watch John die before she would die herself.
"Can I ask you something?" he then asked.
Elizabeth was pulled out of her dark thoughts when he spoke again.
"Sure," she said silently while her hand gently brushed his hair out of his face.
"Do you have someone waiting for you... back on Earth?" He closed his eyes as she brushed his hair away from his face. He had always just assumed that she hadn't, but after hearing certain things about this 'friend' of hers in the infirmary he wasn't so sure anymore.
Elizabeth looked at him a bit surprised. Why was he asking? Was he just generally curious or was he maybe interested in her as well?
His features softened as he waited for her response. He wanted to know if he would ever have a chance or if he was fighting for a lost cause. If he was going to die here, he knew that he couldn't go without confessing his feelings for her.
"Noone besides my mother," she finally said. Her thoughts then wandered to Simon who should have been waiting for her some time ago. But he hadn´t waited. He had moved on with someone else. And now he was in Atlantis and told her that he still had feelings for her and wanted her back.
Should she tell John about him? No, Simon was her past. Even if she had been thinking about him a lot the past few days and had even told herself to consider getting back together with him, she knew that she couldn´t. She didn´t love Simon anymore. Seeing John wounded like this once more showed her how much she felt for him. There just wasn´t space for anyone else, even if John didn´t feel the same.
He was relieved to hear that, he wasn't sure he could stand knowing that Elizabeth had given her heart to another man.
"Do you... have anyone waiting for you?" she then asked, rephrasing the question. She was pretty sure that he had noone back on Earth, as he had been with a few women since being in the Pegasus galaxy, which she never really liked by the way. As he had asked her first she now saw her chance to find out if there maybe was more between him and any of these women or maybe him and Teyla? They were pretty close after all.
He had noticed the way she rephrased the question. There was no hesitation when he said: "No." There was no one on Earth and no one anywhere else he had promised himself to.
He had had a few short romances during his time living in Atlantis but it had been nothing serious. Yes, he had cared about these woman a lot but in the end he knew it would be unfair to make them promises he knew he couldn't keep. As for Teyla, well, at one time he had thought that there may be a possibility for more than just friendship but nothing had ever happened. They were just friends and he was happy with that.
Elizabeth felt relieved when he said no. She couldn´t even imagine what she would have done if he had told her that there was someone he loved.
"Elizabeth," he then began nervously. "I want you to know that, well…" He had never been good at this sort of thing. He had always found it difficult to convey his emotions. "…I would have waited for you..."
Elizabeth looked at him and then froze. Did he mean what she was thinking... hoping that he meant? Was he telling her that he cared about her the same way she cared about him? Could that really be?
"John...," she started, but then they suddenly were beamed out of the caves and materialised on board the Daedalus.
Talk about bad timing. Still John was relieved to be rescued. He wasn't sure how much longer he could have stayed like he was down in the caves. Not knowing what Elizabeth was going to say, however, was going to torment him.
Elizabeth looked up and several people were staring at them.
"Carson," she then called quickly when she saw him nearby.
Carson hurried over to Elizabeth and John, who were huddled on the floor.
"What is it?" he asked looking at the pale face of John worriedly. He didn´t have to be a doctor to see that he wasn´t feeling well.
John peered up at the doctor. "It's nothing. I think I've broken a few ribs…”
Nothing, Elizabeth thought. Still playing hero... Well, she loved him for that.
“…and I'm guessing maybe some internal bleeding,” John added and smiled weakly. "I could really do with something for the pain…”
"Internal bleeding?" Elizabeth asked shocked. "Why didn´t you say anything?" Now she felt more worried than ever and glanced at Carson, concern written all over her face.
"Didn't want to worry you," John admitted looking at Elizabeth apologetically.
Carson quickly waved some medical personnel over.
"That doesn´t sound like nothing, lad," he said before turning to his assistants. "We need to get him to the infirmary."
"C'mon Doc, I've suffered worse," John reminded Carson as the medics lifted him onto a trolley bed so he could easily be carted into the infirmary.
Elizabeth watched them fuzz over John, still feeling worried.
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Daniel quickly made his way over to Elizabeth who was standing alone now that John had been taken into the infirmary. "Doctor Weir," he called out before she could leave.
Elizabeth was about to follow Carson and John when Daniel spoke up. She glanced at him and decided that she couldn´t really help John anyway. She wished to be with him now, but she would probably just stand in the way anyway.
In Daniels hand was a small device. He held it out for Elizabeth to examine. "This is the device that was mentioned in the writing on the walls," he told her excitedly. "I think we're a step closer to finding Merlins weapon."
"You found it. That’s great," she said with a smile. Now John’s injuries at least weren´t for nothing.
"Have you found out what it does?" she then asked.
"Well, no… not yet," Daniel admitted. His excitement deflated a little. Still, it shouldn't take him too long to figure out what it did. Hopefully Sam would get her memory back soon. He knew that if she was on the case they would find out what the device did in a matter of days - possibly hours!
"You found it?" Lee asked joining them. A medic was trying to convince him to go to the infirmary and have his leg taken care of, but he first wanted to know if their mission had been successful.
"Yes," Daniel exclaimed. "Oh, and I'm glad that you're all okay," he added with a smile.
"Thats great," Lee said smiling as well. He then rolled his eyes at the medic who was now kneeling beside his leg.
"Okay, I´m coming," he said and turned around.
Elizabeth gave him a smile. "We will keep you updated about our progress, Commander," she said.
Lee nodded and then left.
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Same day - Atlantis:
Samantha Carter walked through the city. She had finally been allowed to leave the infirmary. It was too crowded for her liking anyway. Besides, she wasn´t sick, she just couldn´t remember who she was. She wasn´t sure if that was any better than being sick, as it was scary and weird, but it was nothing a doctor could help her with. Sam hoped that being with her friends would help her remember them. They had visited her in the infirmary of course, but most of the time she had been alone. And being alone definitely didn´t help!
After having been showed her room Sam went out again, to try and find someone she knew, or better someone that knew her.
She had then noticed that some kind of emergency was going on and someone told her that the Daedalus was leaving to rescue some teams that were stuck on a planet. She knew that Cameron, Daniel and Teal'c were on missions today, so she wanted to find out if they were okay.
After almost getting lost a few times Sam finally made it to the control room and looked around. She then spotted Jack and a smile appeared on her lips. He had visited her a lot and she always felt happy when he was around.
"Jack," she called when she was closer and gave him a smile.
Jack looked up surprised when his name was called. It wasn't often that he was addressed by his first name, except for when Daniel spoke to him. Seeing that it was Sam he smiled, even though it was strange to hear her call him Jack in public. He was more used to hearing 'sir' pass through her lips.
"Hey, look who's up and walking about!" He grinned and walked over to her. Her being there was a welcoming distraction. There wasn't anything more he could do for Daniel and the others until he had heard back from the Daedalus.
Sam smiled at him. "Yes, they finally released me. I was in the way most of the time anyway," she told him, while looking around. The place looked strange but also interesting. She kind of felt the urge to look at some of the control panels to see what they were there for. But why would she? It wasn´t like she had any clue how they worked or what they might do.
"Carter, how are you....feeling?" He arched his eyebrows. "How are those memories coming along?"
Sam turned to Jack again. "I´m feeling fine. Except for the part where I don´t remember anything before I woke up here," she told him. She left out the part that she felt a little scared sometimes.
"I heard that some off-world teams are in trouble. Are Daniel, Cameron and Teal'c okay?" she then asked.
"It appears that Daniel and Teal'c have run into a little trouble,” Jack said. Worrylines appeared on his ageing face, and his youthful eyes clouded a little with concern.
Sam could see the concern in his eyes and felt a little worried as well. She wished she could do something to help, but how could she help anyone if she couldn´t even remember who she was?
"The Daedalus is on it's way to them as we speak." He paused and then smiled, not wanting to worry her. "I'm sure they're fine. As for Cameron, his team hasn't called in yet so I'm sure everything is just peachy."
Knowing that things seemed to be fine in the control room he then asked: "Fancy a late lunch?" He had eaten nothing at all that day and was getting hungry.
"Lunch sounds good. I didn´t have anything since breakfast in the infirmary and to be honest... that wasn´t very good," Sam told him.
"Lead the way. I don´t want to get lost again. This place is like a maze."
Jack chuckled when she mentioned that she had gotten lost. 'A Maze' was definitely a good way to describe Atlantis, the SGC was minuscule in comparison.
With Jack leading the way the two headed towards the cafeteria. He kept quiet for the main journey and only opened his mouth once they had arrived there.
"Do you think I can get pie? I really fancy pie," he mumbled as he entered the cafeteria. "And maybe jello for dessert."
Sam glanced at him and gave him a smile. "I really don´t know. I haven´t eaten here before. Or have I? Have I been here before?" she asked. She had been told that she didn´t live In Atlantis before her memory loss, but maybe she had been here on a visit. She didn´t know. It was frustrating not to know simple things like that. But on the other hand it wasn´t something important. There were things she would love to know much more. For example she wanted to know more about Jack and their friendship. But it looked like she would have to find out. She couldn´t just wait and hope that her memory came back. And she wouldn´t. She would live and get new memories incase she would never remember her past life. At least that was what she had been telling herself the last days to stay calm.
“No, you haven´t been here before. We´ve always been too busy in the Milky Way.”
They then reached the buffet table and Sam looked at all the food, not knowing what to take. This was rather frustrating.
"I don´t even know what food I like," she said with a sigh.
"I know you like blue jello," Jack mentioned, trying to be helpful while attempting to cheer her up at the same time.
Sam raised an eyebrow at that. "Blue jello?" she asked sceptically. Food wasn´t supposed to be blue, was it? But she then remembered that he had told her about that before. Maybe she really did like it.
Grabbing a tray, Jack then had an idea and immediately started grabbing a bit of everything.
"Well, you'll just have to try everything," he said with a grin.
Gesturing for her to sit down at one of the nearest tables he set himself the challenge of bring a bit of everything to the table for Sam to try.
"Everything?" Sam asked laughing slightly. She then went to the table he was gesturing at and sat down, watching how he grabbed more and more food.
When he finally sat down at the table with her she looked at all the food. "You´re crazy, you know that?" she said still laughing.
"Oh, I wouldn't say I'm crazy,” he answered and smiled at her. "I just never grew up." Anyone who knew Jack would agree whole-heartedly to what he just said. Jack O'Neill was still definitely a big kid at heart.
"You will have to help me eat all this,” Sam said and then grabbed a plate with some sort of soup.
"Er, yeah... you can have that," she declared and pushed the soup over to him.
Jack grinned and then dipped the spoon into the liquid, had a taste and grimaced. "Yeah, not so good." He pushed it to the side.
Sam chuckled when he tried the soup. "Is it supposed to taste like that?" she asked with a grimace.
“I hope not,” he said chuckling slightly and then handed her a plate of chips. "Can't go wrong with fries." He picked one up and popped it into his mouth.
Sam followed his example and grabbed one of the chips. Popping it into her mouth she then grinned. "That’s better," she said.
"So, want to tell me a bit more about myself? What did I do at Stargate Command? And why did I even join?" she asked. She was really curious how she ended up living such an unusual life. She might not remember much about herself, but she did know that the life she supposedly lived was in no way to be called ordinary.
"Well, you're a member of SG-1, Earth's first line of defence against our galactic enemies," Jack started. He however was unsure how to answer her second question seeing as he wasn't entirely sure if he knew her true reasons for her joining the SGC.
"You were working on the Stargate program before we actually got the gate working. You didn't go through it on our first mission, but you joined a year later as my second in command."
He then picked a grape and sucked on it thoughtfully. "I think some of your most recent mission debriefs are lying around here somewhere." He was positive that Walter had mentioned something about them during the last time they had talked. "Reading them might jog your memory," or at least he hoped it would.
Sam listened to him. It all sounded kind of weird. She was part of the first line of defence against Earth’s enemies? She really wished she could remember.
"I would really like to read them," she then told him with a smile.
"And maybe you have something to do for me around here? I can´t stand doing nothing. Besides, maybe it would even help me remember." Doing nothing all day in the infirmary had almost driven her crazy.
"Well, how about you help me?" Jack suggested, deciding that this would have many advantages. It might help Sam make a quick recovery and it also meant they could hopefully reconnect. Sam not knowing who he was and what they meant to eachother was gradually tearing at his heart. When she felt lost he felt lost too.
"You could help me try to bring order to all this chaos and in return it'll hopefully help trigger that memory of yours."
Sam smiled happily. "Sure, I´d love to," she said and then wondered if she sounded too enthusiastic. But the option of spending more time with Jack just seemed really nice. He was the person she felt most comfortable around. It was almost as if she felt that she knew him, that she should remember him.
"So, what do you do all day? Am I qualified enough to help?" she wanted to know while glancing from a muffin to the blue jello. The blue jello looked weird, but he had said that she liked it, so maybe she should try it?
Jack noticed her eyeing the blue jello and without a word picked up the bowl and placed it down in front of her with a smile.
Sam looked from him to the jello and then picked up a spoon to try it. Oddly enough it really tasted good.
"It´s good," she said with a grin. "You were right."
"What do I do all day?" he then repeated. "Being the highest ranking officer in Atlantis I'm left with the most boring jobs," he admitted as he leaned back in his chair. "And I have to make a lot of decisions, which I never really liked making."
He had been amused when she had asked him if she was qualified enough to help him.
"Carter, I think it's safe to say that you're definitely more than qualified to help." His boyish smile remained on his lips.
Sam listened to him while eating the jello. "So, you´re offering me to help with a boring job?" she asked jokingly before glancing at him. She hadn´t known that he was the highest ranking officer. Of course she had noticed that most people called him sir, but she hadn´t thought much about that fact. "Highest ranking officer?" she said. "I guess you really are busy then."
She now really felt glad that he still had found time to visit her in the infirmary so often.
Jack chuckled. "Yeah, you could say that," he said dryly. He was very busy, busy enough not to have had a decent night sleep since arriving in Atlantis, but he wasn't going to share that with her.
"I'd rather be out on one of the teams than dealing with home security and all the paper work however," he admitted. He missed being on SG-1, part of him had never truly left the team. Where ever he was, his heart was always with his ex team members, and if they called he knew that he would come running.
Sam watched him. When he told her that she was more than qualified Sam had noticed that he once more called her by her last name. Why didn´t he call her Sam, like Daniel for example? After he had told her that they were friends she had just assumed that they were close enough to be on a first name base, but what if she was wrong? What if they weren´t that close at all? Was it even ok if she called him Jack, seeing as he was the highest ranking officer and she herself was military as well, or at least used to be? Glancing at him she tried to decide what to do now.
Noticing that she was now looking at him with a peculiar expression on her face, Jack arched an eyebrow. "What?" he asked.
Sam looked up a bit surprised. "Er, nothing," she said and put another spoon full of jello into her mouth before glancing at him again. The look on his face somehow told her that he really wanted to know.
A small sigh escaped her lips. "I... I was just wondering... were we close enough... is it ok if I call you Jack?" she stammered, not really knowing how to express best what was going through her mind.
"I mean, technically you´re my superior officer, right? I hadn´t thought about that so far." Maybe that was because she couldn´t even remember being military at all. But it did make sense, as she kind of understood military rules. At least some of them, she guessed.
Jack looked surprised when she asked if she could call him by his first name. It had been a military regulation over the years for her to call him, her commanding officer, sir. Of course on occasion that regulation had slipped, especially after he had left the SGC and their relationship had changed. Now he kind of was her superior officer again, but in truth nothing would give him any greater pleasure than to hear his name pass through her lips.
"Jack is fine, Sam," he said gently while offering her an honest smile. He knew that in public it would be unprofessional for either of them to refer to each other by their first names, but right now he didn't really care what other people thought. Besides, some rules were worth breaking. He didn´t want to go back to just being military colleagues anyway.
Sam smiled at him. She had really been worried for a moment that she had done something wrong. She then finished her jello before grabbing the muffin and taking a bite. It tasted really good as well.
When she had finished it a small sigh escaped her lips. "I can´t take one more bite of anything. I guess you will have to eat the rest," she told him with a grin.
Jack looked at all the food that still remained on the table. "As much as I'd love to stay here and eat more, I better head back to the control room." He’d much rather stay here and enjoy her company but he had a job to do. He stood up and stretched his hands behind his back.
Sam felt a little disappointed when he got up to leave, but she knew that he was busy.
"There's nothing you can do for me today, but starting tomorrow, consider yourself my right hand man- or should I say woman." He smirked. "I'll see you later... Sam."
"Ok, then I´ll report for duty tomorrow morning," Sam said with a grin while getting up herself.
"I guess I will explore the city now and try not to get lost again. Bye Jack."
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late afternoon - infirmary:
Elizabeth sat in the infirmary once more. John was having surgery and even though Elizabth knew that Carson was the best she was still worried. What if something went wrong and John would never wake up? What if he died and she hadn´t told him how she felt? He had told her how he felt, or at least she thought he had. He hadn´t really been specific, but she was sure about what he had tried to tell her. She had just been about to tell him that she would have been waiting for him as well, that she infact had been waiting for him every time he went on a mission for a long time. But then they had been beamed to the Daedalus and now he didn´t know. She had once more missed an opportunity to let him know how much he meant to her. She just hoped it hadn´t been the last opportunity she had.
She then was pulled out of her thoughts when someone touched her shoulder. Looking up she noticed Daniel Jackson.
"Any news?" Daniel asked as he sat down beside Elizabeth. He had heard about John and had thought that Elizabeth may need some company. Resting his hands upon his knees he turned and looked at her while smiling slightly. He didn't know John or really anyone from the Atlantis expedition that well, so while his concern for John was there, it wasn't as strong as Elizabeths.
"No, they are still in there," Elizabeth said while giving him a weak smile. It was nice that he had come to check on them. She had always gotten along very well with Daniel while she was head of the SGC. It was good to know that this hadn’t changed.
"I'm sure he'll be fine,” Daniel tried to reassure her.
"I hope so. But he survived worse. He should be fine," she said, but wasn´t sure if she tried to convince him or herself.
"Any news on that device?" she then asked.
"I haven't actually had time to examine the device properly," Daniel admitted wearily. "I think Dr. McKay and Dr...." he trailed off as he tried to remember the other scientists name. "Anyway, I think they're currently looking into it." He wasn't very happy; it wasn't that he didn't think Rodney was capable, it was just something he would rather do himself with Sam’s help. Of course, Sam wasn't in the state to help them right now.
The next second they heard voices from behind a curtain.
"Who are you and where am I?" a female voice demanded to know.
Daniel frowned and his eyebrows arched in surprise. He would recognise that voice anywhere. Without a word he stood up and pulled back the curtain to reveal Vala and a surprised nurse.
Elizabeth looked up surprised when Daniel just pulled back the curtain, but didn´t say anything.
"Daniel," Vala exclaimed happily. "Did you save me?" she then asked. She had woken up a few minutes ago with a slight headache and no idea how she got wherever she was. The last thing she remembered was trying to kidnap her own daughter after they had landed on Earth. Unfortunately that hadn´t gone so well and she had had to run from a prior that tried to kill her. She wasn´t a good influence on her daughter, he had said right before he shot something at her that was rather painful. She had been sure that that was her end, but obviously she was wrong.
"What? No!" Daniel exclaimed, unsure if she was really here or if his eyes were playing tricks on him. He hadn't expected to see her again. Not that he wasn’t glad to see her again, he really was.
"How did you get here?" he asked, his brows narrowing in confusion. Part of him wanted to pull her into his arms and hold onto her until his mind could process that she was really and truly here, but he didn't. For one thing it would be inappropriate in front of the nurse and Dr. Weir, and another reason was because he wasn't sure he could withstand her humour if he did so.
Vala glanced at him a bit unsure. "Well, that is a good question," she said. She had really hoped that he had saved her. She really liked him and the thought of being saved by him definitely was a good one.
"She arrived with the other wounded on board the Asgard ship," the nurse said trying to be helpful.
Vala looked at her and tried to remember, but couldn´t. She must have been out of it until now. She then turned to Daniel again.
"So, where are we if I had to get here on an Asgard ship? Not on Earth anymore, I guess."
"Atlantis, the city of the ancients. Earth has been invaded by the Ori," Daniel told her.
"Atlantis?" Vala asked excitedly. She had always wished to explore the city of the ancients with all its wonders and treasures.
"And I know about Earth. I got there on one of the Ori ships. I tried to escape and take my daughter with me, but a prior caught me and took her. He then tried to kill me. Or at least I thought he did. I can´t remember what happened after that," she told him.
Daniel then noticed a small cut on her head. Stepping closer he reached out and touched her forehead gently as his own creased in concern. "Are you okay?" he asked as his eyes darted to the nurse and then back to Vala.
Vala glanced at his hand which was pressed to her forehead and smirked. Just a simple touch like this from Daniel meant more to her than anything she had shared with her husband. Of course she had cared for him as well, but never as much as about Daniel. She didn´t know what it was about him that made her feel like this, but she definitely hoped that he would feel the same for her one day.
"She'll be fine," the nurse reassured him as she grabbed her clipboard. "You’re free to leave Vala," she said with a smile. "If you begin to feel dizzy or sick please return to the infirmary so we can keep an eye on you." With this said, the nurse stepped out from behind the curtain to see to her other patients.
"I will," Vala told the nurse before turning back to Daniel.
Noticing that his hand was still on Valas forehead, Daniel quickly stepped back, breaking their contact.
"We didn't know what happened to you," he explained suddenly. "If we knew we would have looked for you..."
"You would? On a planet full of Ori?" she asked with a grin. "How nice of you."
She then gave him a smile. "It’s good to see that you are okay, too, Daniel." She had been a bit worried when the Ori ships had destroyed so many ships after coming through the supergate. He could have been on any of them.
"And it is definitely nice to see you again without having to look into a mirror."
Daniel smiled at her last comment. He didn't entirely remember that incident but in some strange way he had been able to feel Vala’s presence at the time. He always had a bond with her, some kind of connection which he hadn't yet been able to decipher.
Scratching the bridge of his nose, he pointed towards the exit. "I guess we should find you somewhere to stay," he pointed out. It was getting crowded in Atlantis but he was sure he'd be able to find an empty room for her. He also knew that he would have to keep an eye on her. He knew what Vala was like and knew that not everyone may understand her sense of humour, and her personality as a whole.
Vala grinned at him and nodded. She couldn´t wait to see Atlantis anyway.
A smile on her lips she then headed towards the door.
Elizabeth had watched Daniel and the woman for a while. Usually she had been curious to get to know her, especially as she would be staying in Atlantis. But at the moment she just didn´t feel much like chatting. She then noticed Carson coming her way and immediately got up to ask him how John was.
----- -----
Walking down one of the many corridors Daniel filled Vala in on what had happened since she had left them and about Merlins stone. Having Vala back felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
"Cameron, Teal'c and Sam will be glad to know that you're okay," he then said as he came to a halt at a door. It was a room close to his own. He had noticed that no one had claimed it yet so he was sure that it was free for Vala to do so.
"They are all okay then?" Vala asked while looking around curiously. Atlantis really seemed interesting. She would have to go exploring soon.
"It's close to my room," Daniel then mentioned, meaning the room. "And that's not an invitation," he added with a slight smirk.
"Too bad," she said with a grin. "You´re always welcome in my room however," she added while walking into the room. She knew that she probably shouldn´t talk to Daniel like that as she was married now, but she honestly didn´t care. There was no way her marriage with Tomin could ever have worked out, even if she had truely loved him. He was simply fighting for the wrong side.
Daniel accepted the invitation and stepped inside. "Sam has amnesia," he then told her as he picked up a vase that was on the table close to the door and examined it. "We've been trying to jog her memory without having much luck."
Vala turned around and looked at him.
"Oh, I´m sorry," she said. She didn´t really know Sam that well, but she knew that Daniel cared about her, so she did, too. Not that she would admit it to anyone of course.
"I hope she will remember soon."
Daniel looked over at Vala. "If you want to get settled, I can go," he said not wanting to outstay his welcome. "But just don't go exploring," he warned. "I don't think some people will appreciate you nosying around and getting in the way." He knew that she had probably already decided to go looking for riches that might be lurking somewhere in the city.
Vala looked at him with a cheeky grin. "Me, nosying around? I would never do that," she told him looking innocently.
Daniel rolled his eyes when she faked innocence. Her act had never worked on him.
"And what exactly should I get settled in with? It´s not like I brought a lot of things with me." She then glanced down at herself and frowned. "Not even anything to replace these rather dirty clothes with."
Daniel now took note of her appearance, when she pointed it out. "I could get you some clean clothes," he said trying to be helpful and make her feel more comfortable at the same time.
None of them had many belongings when they came to Atlantis, not even himself. They were all in the same situation until they could go home.
Vala smiled at him. "Something a little less old fashioned would be nice," she told him with a grin. The clothes in the Ori galaxy weren´t really her style.
"And thanks," she said while looking around. "I´ll go and take a shower in the meantime,” she said while heading toward the bathroom. While doing so she glanced back over her shoulder with a grin.
"But you could also stay and join me."
Daniel blushed in despite of himself due to her cheeky suggestion. Clearing his throat he pointed towards the door, stating his exit.
Before he left he turned back around and said. "I'll come back with some clothes in 15 minutes." He then pointed at the door again and headed out.
Vala just laughed silently.
"See you later, Daniel," she said with a smirk and then went into the bathroom to take a long hot shower.
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Rodney’s lab - early evening:
Rodney strolled through Atlantis on his way to his lab. After a quick debrief he had decided on some alone time in what he considered his own personal space. He felt more at home in his lab than he felt in his own quarters. He mumbled to himself about his list of things he needed to do as he entered the lab. His mouth then dropped open in surprise when he noticed Cadman fiddling with his microscope.
"Don't touch that!" he snapped. He hated when people just touched equipment they had absolutely no idea how to use. Marching over he picked up the microscope and placed it on the opposite table. "What do you want?" he then asked turning back to face her. "If you need me to do something it'll have to wait."
Cadman looked up at Rodney when he snapped at her. Great, just what she needed right now. As if she didn´t feel bad enough already.
"I just walked by and saw that the lights were on, and the microscope stood way too close to the edge of the table in my opinion," she told him in a rather silent voice before turning to the door. She had been on the way to her room to be alone anyway.
Rodney was surprised by her lack of 'comeback'. He had expected some witty remark instead she was walking away looking like the world had just ended. He felt his heart sink at the thought of her just leaving like that. He may act like he had been annoyed but secretly he had been quite pleased to find her there. It was just his insecurities that prevented him from letting her know that.
"Wait," he called out. "I guess I should thank you then for possibly saving a piece of my equipment... well, thank you."
Laura turned around rather surprised when he thanked her. She would never have guessed he’d do that.
"You´re welcome," she said giving him a half-hearted smile.
Rodney nodded and then awkwardly asked: "Is something wrong?" She just didn´t seem to be her usual self.
Laura was once more surprised at hearing his question. She however didn´t really want to talk to anyone about it, especially not Rodney McKay.
"I´m fine," she lied. She just wanted to be alone right now. But then she suddenly felt the urge to tell him.
"It´s just... Lieutenant Sanders who died on your mission today... she was my friend," Laura said with a sigh.
"Oh." He had no clue that Cadman and Sanders had been close, yet alone friends. He really didn't know what to say to her next, so he went with the obvious: "I'm sorry."
"Thanks," Laura said and glanced at him. She noticed that he looked rather uncomfortable now. Maybe she should just have left. Making him feel bad as well wasn´t going to make anything better after all.
Sitting down on one of the seats Rodney clasped his hands together feeling slightly uncomfortable and at a loss for words. What on Earth was he supposed to say now? This was the reason why he avoided 'meaningful' conversations. He was completely useless in them.
"It's always hard when you loose someone you're close to,” he finally said.
"Yes, it is," Laura answered. They just had lost too many good people recently. But why did it have to be Jane Sanders? They had met during military training and had become friends quickly. She had always been fun to be around. Laura had been happy when her friend came to Atlantis as well. But maybe that wasn´t such a good thing, as she was dead now.
"People seem to die rather quickly here in Pegasus," she then said.
"I think you'll find that the death numbers of the SGC was equally...," he trailed off realising that his superior nature was not working for his best advantage this time. His attempts to making her feel better were rubbish.
"Noone said it was going to be easy," he said trying again. "We're outnumbered out here with danger waiting around every corner, not to mention the Wraith and now the Ori. The odds are not really in our favour." He cringed realising that he was probably only making things worse.
"Maybe I should keep quiet," he stated with a slightly embarrassed smile.
Laura listened to him and frowned. She knew that he was right. But it still wasn´t fair.
"I know, Rodney," she said ignoring his comment about staying quiet.
"We all knew that it would be dangerous when we came here. At least we did. You probably didn´t when you first came here," she said while sitting down as well.
"I just wish life wasn´t so unfair."
She then glanced at him. "I´m glad the rest of you got out of the caves alive," she then said.
"I'm also glad," he admitted. "At one point I really thought that John and Elizabeth were…" He hesitated knowing that now that everything was alright there was no point dwelling on the past.
Laura looked at him and nodded. When she had heard that the Daedalus left to rescue them she had been really worried, especially about Rodney. It had been a bit surprising even for herself, that her main concern was about him. At least he was okay, she now thought.
"At least we got what we went in there for," Rodney then said standing back up on his feet. Briskly he walked over to his desk and switched his computer on. Once the screen flashed he went over to the 'mini' ZPM which he had been studying.
Laura was pulled out of her thoughts when he spoke again. "Yeah," she said. "Did you find out yet what that device does?" She really hoped that it was something important. Two lives were lost trying to get it after all and Colonel Sheppard was still in the infirmary.
"Do you mind passing me that charger over there?" Rodney asked pointing to some wires.
Laura handed Rodney what he asked for and gave him a small smile. "So, I´m allowed to touch your stuff now?"
"As long as you're very careful with what you tou- CAREFUL!" he quickly demanded as he took the charger from her and connected it to the ZPM with great care.
"I haven't exactly had the opportunity to examine the device from the caves. Dr. Jackson will be assisting me with the examination later on today once we both are present."
He waited until the ZPM started to glow before looking back up at Laura. He then smiled.
"We make a rather good team." He indicated to the ZPM. "That's the first time I've managed to tap into it's power without using that ancient device."
Laura looked at him a bit surprised but then started to smile. It was nice to hear that he considered them a good team. They hadn´t been such a good team when they shared his body after all.
Rodney couldn't help but return her smile, she had the type of smile that was contagious to all around...even him! She gave him goose bumps when she smiled at him like that.
When he smiled back at her Laura felt her heart beat a little faster. It was really nice to see him smile and he definitely didn´t do it often enough. It was nice however that he did smile at her.
"That’s great," she then said glancing at the mini ZPM. "Not that I did much, but I´m glad it is working now. Do you think we can power parts of Atlantis with it?" she asked curiously. She really hoped they could. If the Wraith attacked she wanted as many people as possible to be safe in Atlantis. They already had lost more than enough people after all.
Rodney picked up the energy reader and connected it to the power module. "It's incredible, actually. Would you believe me if I told you that despite it's size it still carries around the same power as a regular ZPM?" he asked as his eyes lit up with the excitement of such an important discovery. The best thing of all was that this ZPM was actually fully charged, which meant it would provide them power for a long time.
"Really?" Laura asked looking at the tiny ZPM.
"This is fantastic!" Rodney exclaimed.
"Yes, it is. Maybe we can finally power the rest of Atlantis and move in the people from the mainland," she said.
"We can at least power another section of the city and divert some of the power to strengthen our shield," he said while still smiling. It was rare for Rodney to smile. He was more of a ‘frowner’ which was due to his low self esteem during his teenage years where he was less than popular with his fellow students.
"That is at least something," Laura said. Any improvement on their situation was worth a lot to her right now.
Switching the ZPM off, he looked back at Laura, wondering if he was being inconsiderate with her feelings. She had just lost a friend and he was purposely ignoring the whole subject because he had no idea how to console her.
"If you want to talk about Sanders, you can," he then told her awkwardly. It was his way of saying he was there if she needed him, just not in so many words.
When he mentioned Sanders again Laura looked down. She had managed to push away the thoughts about her friend for a few moments, but now they were back and Laura sighed.
"Thanks Rodney, but I´d rather not think about her at the moment," she told him. Rodney was being so nice to her, she didn´t want to ruin everything by talking about Sanders and then breaking out in tears. It just wasn´t like her to cry in front of others and she didn´t think Rodney would be too fond of it.
He nodded, respecting her decision and also felt relieved that she hadn't taken him up on his offer. Going over to his computer he updated what he had already written about the ZPM he was studying. He was now wondering if she expected him to help her take her mind off Sanders death and if so, how on Earth he was supposed to do that.
"Well, I'm a very busy man," he declared. "But I guess I coul take a couple of hours off if you want go for a walk or get a bite to eat?" He paused, wondering what had provoked him to say anything at all. She could easily misread what he was saying and think that it was his subtle way of asking to spend more time with her - or dare he say 'ask her out'. Of course it was complete nonsense as he was asking no such thing. Oh lord, what if she did think he was asking her out and said no? He didn't think his fragile pride could take that kind of rejection.
Laura had just decided to leave when he suddenly said that he could take a few hours off and spend some time with her.
"Really?" she asked surprised, Rodney seemed to surprise her more and more lately. "That would be nice," she then said. "I am rather hungry." She hadn´t really eaten much the whole day. She had been busy in the morning helping on the mainland and then she had heard about the cave-in and Sanders.
She glanced at Rodney and gave him another smile. It was really nice of him to try and keep her occupied so she could take her mind off of her friends death.
Rodney smiled relieved that she hadn't said no or had teased him. He quickly logged off the computer and shrugged off his lab coat draping it across the back of a chair.
"Shall we?" He gestured to the door before heading towards it purposely. He wasn't exactly sure what he would talk to Cadman about but he knew that he'd think of something. Day by day he felt himself becoming much more comfortable in her presence, after all he had shared something with her no one else had or probably ever would.
Laura got up and nodded before following Rodney out of the lab. They then headed towards the cafeteria together.
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
evening - infirmary:
Ronon pushed the curtain in front of John’s bed aside. He then glanced down at his sleeping friend. He looked pale and weak.
A frown on his face Ronon sat down on one of the chairs that previous visitors must have left there. He hated to see his friend like that, hated the fact that there was nothing he could do to help him. He generally hated the feeling of helplessness. He wasn´t good at just standing by and doing nothing.
"I should have been on that mission with him," he then muttered silently.
"You cannot blame yourself," Teyla told him gently as she went and sat on the other side of John’s bed. She looked over at Ronon before placing her hand upon Johns.
Ronon glanced at Teyla. He knew that she was right. There probably wouldn´t have been anything he could have done. It was a cave-in after all and not a Wraith attack that caused Johns surgery. But still, maybe he could have done something after all.
"People died today, we should be thankful that John was not one of them,” Teyla then added. She couldn't bring herself to think that there was a possibility that he might not make a full recovery. John was not just her team member or a close friend, Teyla also considered him as family.
"You´re right," Ronon said. He really was glad that John was alive, but he would feel better if his friend was at least awake and making a joke, like he usually did.
Ronon then noticed how Teyla was holding John’s hand. Somehow he didn´t really like the sight, even though he wasn´t sure why. There was nothing to it after all, was there?
A trace of a smile crossed Teylas face when Ronon appeared to agree with her. "Let us just hope the Wraith do not find out how our numbers in Atlantis have grown, or I fear many more will too perish." If the Wraith attacked now she knew that they would not be able to defend themselves, Atlantis or her people.
She removed her hand from Johns and looked over at Ronon. "I have been meaning to ask you," she began. "I have been lacking a sparring partner as of late and because of this I feel my abilities and confidence in fighting without the aid of a gun has suffered. I feel that until I have regained that confidence I cannot continue to teach others." She glanced back at John to see if there was any change. Part of her had hoped that the sound of their voices may have roused him from his sleep. For a moment she had thought she had seen him stir...
Ronon looked at Teyla and raised an eyebrow.
"You are worried about your fighting abilities?" he asked amused.
"You are the best sparring partner I ever had. You don´t need to worry about your fighting abilities. But if you want I can give you a training lesson anyway," he said with a smirk. He always loved to spar with Teyla. She was good and she looked really hot when she was fighting in her short top and that skirt.
"Besides, I could do with some sparring as well," he then added. It always helped him to get rid of some frustration. And not being able to help John was more than frustrating.
Teyla bowed her head acknowledging his compliment as her smile grew. It actually wasn't what she had meant to ask, her intentions had been to ask him if he would spar with her a few times so she could regain her confidence in her abilities, and then help her ease some of the pressure by assisting her in training the youths of her people. However, maybe what she did need was a training lesson for herself and who better than Ronon to teach her. He was her equal in many ways and he could teach her a great many things. But, more than any of that she enjoyed his company and the way she felt when she was with him. He always managed to spark and feed the flame within her.
"Then it will do us both some good,” she enthused still smiling.
“I think you’ll have to count me out for a while,” John rasped, as his eyes fluttered open.
Ronon looked at John surprised and happily when he suddenly spoke. His voice sounded weak, but he was awake, which was a good thing.
“John?” Teyla rested her hand back upon his, her voice laced with concern.
“Yeah, you’re not hearing things. I’m awake.” He attempted a smile.
“It is good to see you awake,” Teyla said.
"Yes, it definitely is a good thing," Ronon agreed.
"You scared us for a moment. But I guess you´re not that easy to get rid of," he then said grinning at his friend.
John managed a small chuckle at what Ronon said, glad that they both were there. Not that he doubted they would come.
"Don't jinx it, I might not be as lucky next time," he stated as he turned his head so he could look directly at Ronon. "Any luck with the ZPM?" he asked.
"Some progress with the people of Degan has been made," Teyla said slowly as she expanded the truth slightly. "We were however attacked by the Wraith."
John looked back at Teyla. "Any casualties?" John asked concerned.
"No, we are all fine. We brought Allina and her people back to Atlantis, hopefully this step of good faith will make her reconsider giving us the ZPM."
John frowned at this piece of news, he was more concerned about if they had room for more refugees. He wasn't the type to turn his back on people in danger but his loyalties lay with protecting those who already were in Atlantis and not putting them at more risk by overcrowding the city and mainland.
His eyelids then fluttered. Highly dosed on medication he was finding it hard to keep awake.
"Remind me about this later." He closed his eyes and added: "And thanks for stopping by."
Ronon listened to John and watched him closely. It didn´t look like he felt that good.
"We will," he promised. "Get some rest now. We will be back."
Ronon then glanced at Teyla. "Maybe we should let him get some sleep," he said getting up.
Teyla nodded and rose to her feet. She wanted to go and visit her people on the mainland anyway. It was close to the harvest season and she needed to check on what arrangements had been made.
At that moment Elizabeth pushed away the curtain and saw Teyla and Ronon at John’s bedside.
"How is he?" she asked still feeling concerned. She hadn´t managed to stay with him as long as she had wished. There was always something she had to do.
Teyla wasn´t surprised to see Elizabeth coming to check on John.
"He awoke for a few moments and just drifted back to sleep," she told her, sensing Elizabeth’s deep concern for the injured man in the bed. It wasn't common knowledge, but Teyla knew that the two of them cared deeply for one another. She just didn't understand why they both kept dancing around their feelings the way they did.
"That´s good to hear," Elizabeth said feeling a bit relieved. If he woke up he had to be on the way to getting better. But another part of her was a bit sad that she hadn´t been there when he woke up.
"Please excuse me, I need to go and visit my people,” Teyla then said. She glanced over at Ronon and then back to Elizabeth before stepping outside.
Ronon just gave Elizabeth a smile and then followed Teyla.
When they had left Elizabeth went over to the bed and sat down on a chair next to John.
She looked at John’s sleeping form and sighed. Even though he was getting better it was still hard to see him like this.
She then took his hand in hers and gently touched his cheek with her other hand.
----- -----
a few hours later:
John didn't know how much time had passed since he fell asleep. Groggily he opened his eyes and ignored the dull pain within his chest. It was only then that he remembered where he was and what had happened.
Teyla and Ronon were long gone and John felt oddly alone until he noticed the warmth radiating from his left hand. Turning his head he saw Elizabeth sleeping in a chair by his side. Glancing down at his hand he smiled at the sight of her hand covering his own. Turning his hand over, he examined their hands as he threaded his fingers through hers. Her hand was much smaller than his and soft to touch compared to his roughened palms which were anything but smooth. So different and yet they melted together so perfectly.
Looking back at her face, he traced her delicate features with his eyes. This was a side of her he had never seen before. Her face was relaxed, free from the concerns and the stress of what leadership loaded her with everyday. She looked beautiful, almost angelic as she slept peacefully. He didn´t know why it had taken him so long to realise what he felt for her. Not knowing if she felt the same for him was almost unbearable.
Feeling his eyes droop, he didn’t resist when sleep came to claim him once again. For now he would sleep peacefully, knowing that she was by his side.
----- -----
an hour later:
"Elizabeth," a voice called and she stirred before opening her eyes slowly. It took her a few moments before she realised where she was. She must have fallen asleep in the infirmary. She then noticed Carson next to her.
"What time is it?" she asked groggily.
"The middle of the night," Carson answered. "You should go and get some sleep… in your bed," he then added.
Elizabeth glanced at John, who was sleeping peacefully, before turning to Carson again nodding.
"I will be back in the morning," she said while squeezing Johns hand gently. She then reluctantly let go of his hand and turned to leave. She didn´t really want to leave him, but she knew that she needed to get some sleep, as there was a lot to do the next day. She just owed it to everyone around to be rested.
----- ----- ----- ----- -----