And the People Bowed and Prayed
"Just don't call me Shep."
John Sheppard mumbled the line as he was lost in slumber. Mind consumed by the story he had just read. The voice of his son had interrupted his sleep, but the sound was far, far away. A distant echo that had no meaning as John stirred, then fell back into the dream.
Back into the escape of the nightmare he was facing.
White.
It was a screaming void. A chasm of pure brightness. The total absence of all color, of any color. Blazing and blinding. Painful to the eyes but it was all Moira Sheppard could see. A vast whiteness that stretched on and on and on, much like the scream that was trapped in her mind.
Going on and on and on.
Moira gasped, struggling to breathe. Fighting against the whiteness, the nothingness engulfing her. She thrashed, choked, arms flailing, legs kicking. Pinned down by the whiteness she could not see or hear or even speak. Or even breathe. The only sound was that endless scream in her head that wasn't her own, wasn't her own. Color flooded. Memory flooded as the connection abruptly snapped.
"Moira! Moira, easy, easy, it's me, it's me!" John rushed to her side, catching Seamus Sheppard before the little boy was flung off the bed. He had been curled next to his mother, asleep. Johnny Sheppard stood close, biting his lower lip as fear swarmed in him. John set the little boy next to his brother, grabbed his wife's arms and held her even as she thrashed. "Moira! Can you hear me? Moira! Carson!" he bellowed, making the children jump.
Moira tensed, almost locking into a parody of rigor mortis. Then she slackened. Blinked. Breathed. Saw. Heard. Felt. But seeing John she began to fight again. "No! No! No! NO!"
"Moira!" John's hold tightened on her arms. "It's me! Your John! Moy, it's me! Your John! Our Atlantis! Our three children, hell, even the dog! Moira!"
She paused. Staring. Brown eyes filling with tears. She touched his chest. "John?" she whispered.
"Yes, Moy. It's me. You're here with me. Always have been. Always will be."
"I...I feel...I saw through her eyes. Her mind. He...you sent her back to him. To him..." Her words came slowly.
"Yes. If he wants a Moira he can have that one. Not you. Not the real one. Carson!" he shouted over his shoulder. Gave his sons a reassuring nod, a quick smile. The little boys were staring, wide-eyed. The older holding the younger's hand.
"Aye, I'm here, I'm here!" Carson Beckett ran to them. Skirted round the two boys and checked the machines. Then Moira. "Easy, love. You're safe. Her brain activity is normal now. Solely hers. It's no longer connected, Moira."
Moira's gaze was locked with John's. As his hold gentled her fingers clutched at his black t-shirt. "I was there. Saw him...I thought I was, I thought I was really there. That you had sent me instead of, instead of..."
"No. Not you, sweetheart. Never," John assured, but couldn't deny the wave of relief that swept through him. That he had indeed made the right decision, chosen the real Moira over the identical imposter. Chosen the human over the Wraith hybrid.
"He...he first thought it was me...but he...he saw...the Wraith needed to, to feed...she..." Moira swallowed. Eyes flooding again. She sat, flung herself against John. He held her tightly. Kissed her brow.
"Easy, Moy, easy. You're safe. You're you." He looked over at his sons. Tears were in their eyes. "It's all right, boys. Mommy was sick, real sick, but she's fine now. Johnny?"
The little boy concentrated, brow furrowing a moment. "Yes, daddy. Mommy feel right now. She didn't feel right before, not all mommy. But now she do."
"Does. Good. Don't cry, Seamus."
Moira forced her tears aside. Sat free from her husband, trying to be calm. She looked at her sons. "Boys?"
"Mommy!" they cried together, clambered onto the bed and hugged her. Crying.
Moira cried with them, hugging them and kissing them over and over. John wiped his eyes, emotions overwhelming at the sight of his little family restored. Safe. Secure. He tapped his earpiece. "Maggie, please bring Ems to the infirmary. Moira is fine now." He touched his sons, his wife. Turned to see Carson watching. Tears in his blue eyes, face crumpling with emotion. Relief. Happiness. "Well? You're sure?" he asked gruffly.
"What? Oh, yes." Carson wiped his eyes. Not embarrassed by the display of emotion like John was. "Thank God you chose the right one, John! By now the imposter would be starting to regress to her Wraith origins as Moira felt happening. Their mind link is broken. Moira needs to rest but she'll be fine. I want to keep her here for another hour to monitor her."
"Okay, doc."
"Daddy! Daddy! Mommy better now!" Seamus declared, all smiles.
"Yes, buddy, she is. It's all right. Ah." He smiled, turned and took Emily Sheppard from her stroller. "Thanks, Maggie! Here we go, princess. Mommy's better now."
The baby cooed at her father, then babbled as she set on her mother's lap. "Mama mama mama!"
"Emily!" Moira took the infant. Kissed and cuddled her. Cuddled the boys to her as well. John relaxed. Patted the dog who barked a greeting, then sat next to the bed. Tail thumping the floor.
"John! Is she...thank God!" Rodney McKay ran into the infirmary, almost ran into Maggie as she was leaving, then skidded to a halt at the foot of the bed, seeing the emotional family reunion. He smiled. Felt tears of his own.
"Yes, Moria's recovered. And is my Moira," John assured, lest there be any doubt.
"Thank God!" Rodney repeated. "Oh! Here. I found it."
John smiled. Took the gold wedding ring from Rodney. "Thanks!"
Moira was watching, quirked a brow. "Is there something I should know about you two?"
"Hilarious, Moira!" John scolded, but smiled at her. Rodney grinned. Carson laughed.
"Daddy, daddy! I'm hungry!" Seamus complained.
"Hungry? Again? Didn't I feed you yesterday?"
"Daddy!" Johnny scolded, but laughed.
"You too? I guess I better get some food."
"Me three," Moira said, calmed at last.
"Me four," Rodney added. "I'm starving! I've been so very worried about you, Moira," he explained, sitting on the edge of the bed. "And of course about the boys and little Ems there. You have no idea how we've all been worried about you and oh, John too, I guess."
"Gee, thanks, Rodney," John quipped. The boys laughed.
"Um, colonel, were you going to return that to me, or did you have someone else in mind?"
"Huh? Oh. Yeah. I guess," he sighed in resignation. But smiled at her scowl. He took her hand. Slid the wedding band onto her finger. Kissed her hand. Leaned to brush his lips across hers. "Only you, sweetheart."
"Dada dada dada goo!"
"Later, princess. I can only handle one Sheppard woman at a time." He stood. "All right, boys! Let's get mommy some breathing space here!" He lifted the boys, set them onto the floor. "You can help me grab some lunch. What do you want, Moy?"
She shrugged. "Whatever. Sandwich, fries, pink lemonade."
"Lemonade?" Rodney asked, moving to his feet and grimacing.
John smiled. "Yeah, lots of lemons. Let's go, boys! Ems, stay with mommy. You too, Meredith!" He snorted, hearing Rodney's irritated grunt. "Heel, Rodney!"
"Ha ha, John! You're a riot!" Rodney snapped, but the humor was welcome. Normal.
"Back in a few, sweetheart."
"What's that?" Moira pointed to the floor.
"Huh? Oh, my book." He lifted it, placed in on the chair. "It's pretty good."
"Vegas Blues? So you finally got around to reading it?" she chastised.
"Yeah. A detective story set in Vegas. Helped me take my mind off things. Sort of." He shrugged, recalling how he filled the story with people in his own life. He stared at the book a moment.
"John? Weren't you going to get lunch?" Moira reminded.
"Yes, John, make it quick, would you? I'm starving!" Rodney added.
"Okay...I...okay. You can get your own, Rodney." Yet he still hesitated, eyes on her now.
"John, I'm fine. Go. Johnny and Seamus are getting smaller by the minute!"
"What? Mommy, mommy we smaller?" Seamus looked down at himself in alarm.
Johnny laughed. "Come on, daddy!" He pulled at his father's hand.
"All right, all right," he grumbled.
Moira smiled. Watched them leave. She cuddled the baby as Emily gurgled, clutching at her mother. "Carson."
Carson nodded. "Go on, Rodney. I've got this. Go!" He shooed Rodney to go after John. The doctor moved to her. "Your vital signs are normal. How do you feel?"
"Exhausted. She was, she was draining me, wasn't she?"
"Aye, love. Physically, emotionally, mentally. Stealing your very identity." He patted her hand. "We couldn't tell which of the two of you was the real Moira. She was that powerful. That insidious. Only John knew. Only John could tell."
"Thank God," Moira murmured. "If he...if he...if..." She shuddered.
"You're safe, Moira. Home where you should be. Where you belong. Relax. I want to be sure you're clear of any other influences."
Moira nodded. Kissed the baby and cuddled her. Stared at her restored wedding ring. Emotions conflicted. "John? I need to see John. John? Where's John?" A sudden panic seized her.
"Easy, love. Here." Carson handed her an earpiece. "He went to get your lunch. You can talk to him, never fear."
"Sorry, I...sorry." She put on the earpiece. Tapped it. "John?"
John was guiding his sons as he carried two full trays. Directing Rodney as he filled yet a third. Moira's voice in his ear startled him. He nearly dropped the food. "Moira?"
"John...I...just..."
He heard her relief, her distress. "We're on our way, Moy. Don't you worry. And yes, I got you extra fries although you will probably snag mine anyway," he grumbled, realizing she needed the sound of his voice. Calm. Reassuring. The normalcy of daily life.
She smiled, relaxing. "Now would I do that?"
"Of course you would. You always do. No, Seamus, no ice cream today. Junior, carry that. No, Rodney, no, wait, yes, chocolate is always good. For everyone, not just you!"
"Sounds like you need help," Moira commented.
"What? Sheppard men never need oh no. Seamus! Later, buddy, okay? Johnny, can you handle that? Sorry, Moy. Boys! We're coming to you now. Apparently they want to bring the entire mess hall to you. Hey, are you that hungry?"
Moira laughed. "Yes, I might be that hungry, sweetie."
"Good. So...baby, are you hungry for anything else?" His voice lowered, tone suggestive.
"John!"
He chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes. And I merely meant dessert."
"Sure you did, sweetie. Will you move that fine, fine ass of yours, colonel?"
"Moving it, baby. Boys! Let's go, ASAP! Mommy's waiting for us! Rodney, let's go!"
Moira kissed the baby as she started to fuss, to whine. "I...oh."
"Here." Carson handed her a bottle from the stroller.
"Thanks, Carson." She fed the baby as she waited. The dog started barking as the infirmary was abruptly invaded.
"Mommy! Mommy, we got food!" Johnny declared.
"We got lots of food!" Seamus agreed.
"I just hope it is enough!" Rodney added. Carson grabbed a wheeled tray and set it near. Soon it was loaded with food and beverages. The three men grabbed chairs to set round it.
"And beer! Oh, that's for me. Boys," John directed, shaking his head. "Let's have a nice meal, all together."
"Pizza and beer!" Johnny declared. "Right, daddy?" All laughed.
"Right, son. Pizza and beer for everyone!"