Stargate Atlantis

Disclaimer: These characters don't belong to me, but I wish I did. I am simply borrowing them for the time being….hope you enjoy this story. It's a tag/episode insert for Echoes.

Echoed

Elizabeth raced to the infirmary, only to find both Rodney and John unconscious. Her heart leapt into her throat as she saw the blood dripping out of their ears and their still unconscious faces. While she was worried about Rodney she was terrified about John and when Carson told her that they would be alright- she felt the knot in her heart loosen slightly.

"Can I talk to them?" Elizabeth asked, tearing her gaze from John to Carson.

"They're unconscious lass…" Carson explained. "And they have perforated ear drums- so I doubt that they would hear y-" Carson paused and looked at her face. There he saw a pain that he saw regularly and knew that she had to get it out of her system someway. "-but if you would like to talk to him Elizabeth," Carson paused again knowing who she really wanted to talk to. "-you can. I just don't know what good it'll do."

"Thank you Carson," Elizabeth smiled softly and with that, she made her way over to John's bedside, vaguely aware that Carson gave them the privacy that she wanted..

"John…..?" Elizabeth began quietly, leaning towards him. "John, I don't know if you can hear me- but you did it. You got Rodney and yourself out of the water and back to Atlantis safe and sound and…." She paused for a moment and lowered herself so that she could whisper into his ear. "….god John," She whispered her voice strained. "….you have to stop doing this to me. How am I supposed to run the city when you might be dead- or dying……you said that we would stop putting each other through that, but we haven't…"Elizabeth sighed again, thinking back to all the times since that conversation when one of them had been in serious trouble. "….I am very proud of you John," She whispered quietly placing a light kiss on John's temple. "….rest easy."

And with that, Elizabeth left the infirmary to see if her people had figured out what was going on, meanwhile John stirred from his sleep and still felt the touch of Elizabeth's lips against his temple, and the feeling that she had just been there with him, and that something profound had happened….

…..it was later and John had recovered nicely but the people around him were falling rapidly due to the echo-location of the whales that had been rapidly descending onto Atlantis. John stood with beside Elizabeth, across from Rodney and Zelenka as they told them about the problems of the impending solar flare when suddenly; he felt her tense up and then simply collapse.

He didn't know how he had done it- how he had managed to catch her and as he laid her gently down on the floor, his hand protecting her neck he wondered how he had done it. It was almost as though his heart and soul had been tugged in her direction and he had simply reacted.

Once she was on the ground he instantly reacted again, especially once he saw the blood leaking out of her ears. He lifted her body up and began to carry her to the infirmary. Someone- Rodney maybe- shouted after him that he should wait for the medical team to arrive but he couldn't. He had to get Elizabeth to Carson as soon as possible.

Once there, he called Carson over and watched as the Scottish doctor immediately started examining her to see how far the symptoms had progressed. John couldn't watch the examination so he allowed his eyes to wander around the crowded infirmary and saw that one person, a sergeant had died.

John instantly looked back to Elizabeth and his heart constricted at the thought of her dying as well. John then thought about the other members of his team and remembered that Teyla was still in the infirmary. His eyes sought her out and he found Ronan watching over her. Ronan was- and had been from the very beginning- keeping a constant vigil by Teyla's side and John was amazed when he looked at Ronan's face and
saw within him how he himself looked at Elizabeth. In that moment he knew that Ronan cared for Teyla the same way that he himself cared about Elizabeth and eh was not going to let either of them go- for both their sakes.

John, realising that he was effectively in charge of Atlantis left the infirmary to see if Rodney had come up with a plan yet- and when the scientist failed to come up with something, John himself came up one and once it had been executed and the Dedalaus returned back to Atlantis, he found Elizabeth still unconscious in the infirmary.

"Can I speak to her Doc?" John asked quietly after a couple silent moments of observing her sleeping features.

"She's unconscious lad," Carson explained simply, getting a déjà vu feeling. "- but I'm sure that it wouldn't hurt to let her know that you are here."

"Thank you Carson." John thanked the doctor and waited till Carson had pulled the curtain around her bed, giving them a little privacy from the rest of the infirmary. John waited a couple of moments before approaching her and he sat on the edge of her bed and took her hand.

"Hey Elizabeth," John said softly taking her hand. "It's John, Rodney and I managed to stop the solar flare from destroying the planet, and the whales are already starting to leave so you should be back to normal soon…." John paused and looked at her face, remembering the last time she had been in the infirmary. "….you know," He continued, his voice shaky and his heart pounding. "…when you collapsed Elizabeth….I thought that my heart would stop, especially since it's only been a couple of week since the last time you collapsed…."

John shuddered at the memory of Elizabeth and the sight of the nanites attacking her internally and pulling her away from him. "Elizabeth," John whispered quietly into her ear. "-you have to stop doing this to me. How am I supposed to do my job when I'm worried about you…not that I don't mind worrying about you 'lizabeth, I mean out of all the people on Atlantis you're the only one that I'd…." John paused and shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He had never been good with his emotions and he was glad that Elizabeth couldn't hear him but he knew he had to say it anyways. "I know that we promised each other that we would stop putting ourselves through this and I know that we haven't exactly kept up our promise but….." John sighed again and lightly kissed Elizabeth's temple. "…I will always save you Elizabeth, no matter what."

And with that, John kissed Elizabeth's temple again and reluctantly left the infirmary to deal with city business, knowing that with the latest catastrophe averted and the whales leaving his leader would be up and about in no time. John was comforted by the fact that they had adverted another crisis yet he wished that they could avoid getting into crisis' at all.

A/N- Hey sparky fans! Just a little drabble from Echoes...I don't know bout you guys but I totally loved the scene where John carried Elizabeth to the infirmary... :D It was a totally great moment. As for this little drabble...well, I just thought that they would have taken this opportunity to get somethings off their chests... :D ...hope you liked it, please review.!