McKay rubbed his right palm across his tired eyes as he quietly stumbled out of the infirmary. No less than twenty-four hours had passed since one Detective Sheppard had nearly died in the middle of the Nevada desert upon helping to destroy a Wraith from bringing his friends to Earth. Saving the Detectives life seemed like the least they could do. Unfortunately, from what the doctors tell him, the odds aren't in his favor.

Sighing, McKay walked through the hallways of Area 51 to the labs, but he bypassed his and continued to a fellow scientist's, Radek Zelenka. Even before he was in the doorway, he could hear the Czech mumbling under his breathe about something. Leaning a shoulder against the wall he watched as the wild-haired man glared at his computer screen still mumbling away.

" What are you working on, Radek? Weren't we ordered to take a break?" he tried to force as much snarkiness into his tired voice as possible.

Zelenka stopped typing and glanced up at him with a barely noticed grimace, " How is he?"

McKay needn't ask who the other man was referring to, " He's alive. The only question now is for how long. The docs don't seem to hopeful."

The Czech slumped back into his chair with a pained expression, " That is to bad. He could be of great advantage if he survives. Did you get the message about his blood work?"

McKay nods, " Doesn't it figure that he would have the strongest ATA gene ever to be recorded."

Radek smirked slightly, " Ya. Sometimes I wonder if the universe throws us these... 'curve balls', as the marines call them, at us on purpose."

McKay shrugs, " It wouldn't surprise me, really. Now, back to my original statement. We have an untold amount of time to rest up from our mad dash to save ourselves. So why are you in here working?"

Radek narrowed his eyes for a moment, his lips thinning, before he seemed to shrink before the Canadian, " I just wanted to make sure of something. It would appear, that while the message didn't reach our Pegasus, and that it most likely reached theirs, it would seem that the rip isn't collapsing like we had hoped."

McKay raised his hand to stop the Czech from continuing, " Whoa, are you saying that we still have a gap leading to their universe?"

Radek nodded, his face grim, " Yes. And it would appear that some... energy, for lack of a better word, is being pulled slowly into ours."

" Can you identify it?" his voice nervous.

The other man shook his head, " No. It could be anything, and what ever it is will most likely manifest soon."

McKay groaned, " Not again."

Radek's grin was very small, " It is you this time who brought it up first."

McKay glared at the little Czech with as much venom as he could muster with his growing exhaustion and fear, " For the last time, the bridge was not my fault. Besides, the rift was sealed and I returned. Now, back to our current problem."

Radek bobbed his head, " That is just it, McKay. There is nothing that we can do to stop or reverse it at the moment."

" So what? We just let whatever it is come here and reek untold havoc?" he snapped.

" Yes. I am able to calculate where whatever it is will form will be the place where the rip was formed."

McKay sighed, " The middle of nowhere, in the desert, where that pain in the ass Wraith was blown up?"

Radek nodded, " Yes. And I would bet a large sum of money that it will happen soon."

Just then, a shrill alarm sounded from his computer and Radek started typing on it with fever as McKay joined him to see the screen. A corner of the screen was blinking red in warning and another corner showed a picture of Nevada with a blinking white dot indicating something. The typing stopped faster than it had started and was followed by a string curses that McKay didn't know he ever wanted translated.

" What?" he asked, dreading the answer.

" It's here. The rift is still open and it seems to have deposited something in the area. I had had scans of the area for any developments. We have to get people out there now to secure the area." he turned his gray eyes to McKay. Without speaking, they both bolted for the hallway to find the closest person they could.

The world was filled with shooting pain along his back, something was atop him and pressing down. The ground beneath him was gritty and hot and smelled of dirt. All this caused him to become increasingly confused as the last thing he remembered was standing next to Sheppard on one of the many balconies of Atlantis overlooking a bay with what Sheppard called 'Golden Gate Bridge'. Ironically enough, or maybe more along the lines of pathetically, it had been the first time that the humans had allowed him not only his leather back but to be out of that damned room. Even through his confusion, he knew something was very wrong and every instinct was screaming at him to get up and assess.

Slowly, he moved his hands under him and pushed, the weight on his back shifted and fell away with a dull crunch of gravel. Curious, he looked over his shoulder to see the messy black hair of Sheppard himself.

So he wasn't expecting anything. Good, because I really don't want to have to kill him, he thinks ruefully to himself.

Grunting as his body protests, he sits up into a stiff crouch to survey the area. On the outside, it would seem as though nothing had changed, but inside he was more shocked and worried than anything. The grays and blues of Atlantis' walls were gone, there was no glistening bay or bridge in the distance, there was not even the smell of salt water in the air suggesting they were no where near previous. Instead, a desert greeted him. There are foothills in the distance and to his left a rather burnt piece of wood sticking out of the ground with some sort of wires snaking the ground around it. Debris litters all around them, chard pieces of metal and the unmistakable remains of some sort of Wraith technology or other. The ground around the area is tinted black as though from extreme heat, the rest is sandy.

An explosion, his mind supplies for him and he feels his muscles stiff as his eyes dart around.

In the distance, a cloud of dust and sand can be seen, which is odd since there is not even breeze to shift his white hair. He narrows his eyes as the cloud grows larger, a different instinct making itself known. Suddenly cautious, he rises to his feet and looks around, mildly shocked when he spies another cloud approaching from the opposite direction.

Ambush?

He bares his sharp teeth as a hiss escapes him. Still disoriented from whatever happened, he turns around to see Sheppard's body laying limply on the scorched earth.

Whatever has happened, Atlantis would never forgive me if something happened to him, he realizes with a sigh. Not that he has anything truly against Sheppard, he think mildly, he rather enjoyed his company even if he was a human and an Ancient spawn. Reaching Sheppard's side, he grabs him under the arms and hoist him up with a grunt, slightly disturbed by his own apparent weakness. Cursing whatever happened to them, he maneuvers the human so that he can still move but he also isn't dragging him. Glancing out at the fast approaching clouds and not knowing where the hell he was going but acting purely on his instincts, he spins around and starts jogging away from the clouds and the place of their awakening.

As he moves, he realizes that his weakness was more extreme then he ever wanted to know even as he trips and nearly falls flat on his face onto the hot ground. He digs his claws into Sheppard's shirt as the human tumbles out of his arms. Teeth still bared and glaring at the perfectly oblivious human, he growls at no one or nothing in particular. A deep rumbling from behind gives him a focus for his growling, whirling around his eyes narrow on the cloud. The cause of the cloud now discovered, vehicles. Sheppard had tried to explain them to him once but not until now did he understand the humans interest in them. Though no match for a Dart on any day, the four black boxes on wheels were certainly making good time catching up to them. In this stark waste land they were no doubt zeroing in on his black leathers.

Still growling, he positions himself over Sheppard prone form, curling his long fingers into claws while crouching in a defensive pose he never thought he would have to take again. Weariness was continuously pulling at him now and not even the surge of adrenaline as the vehicles screeching to a stop in front of him was enough to shake him out of it's grip.

So he watched as black clad humans piled forth with the Earth-born weapons that he rather despised. The repeated clicks of the weapons being prepared didn't even bother him at the moment as every part of him begged him to just sleep. His growls diminished to annoyed rumblings, his fingers and posture relaxed against his will as his head drooped forward with a blurring of his vision. Out of the wall of humans, one stepped forward, his brown eyes focused with much force on him. As the human continued to approach, he wanted so much to warn him away but he had not the strength to even glare properly.

He couldn't make out the face through his swimming vision but he recognized the voice when it spoke.

" Well. This wasn't expected. How disappointing in the knowledge that there are others of you wondering the universes." the voice was soft in volume but harsh in tone. And he knew it! He should after listening to it's owner prattle on about all his accomplishments and the many a times he had wished nothing more than to cause the human bodily harm.

" Dr. McKay?" his dual tones betrayed his tired state, but the name alone seemed to catch the little human off guard to not notice.

" How do you know my name?" the scientist's voice hardening with each word.

Curious. He felt his head cock of it's own accord as he tried in vain to focus McKay's face, " I have a feeling... that you would not believe me if I told you. And the fact that you must ask speaks that there is something very wrong."

McKay laughed, actually laughed at his words, " You bet something is wrong. Your in a cell half crazed from starvation in Area 51 and the heap behind you, who by the messed hair I'll assume is Sheppard, is currently fighting for his life after blowing up one of your kin trying to get a message to Pegasus."

His mind stalled, the message originated from here? Their Sheppard is dying? Starvation induced madness? Oh... could it get any better!

Sighing heavily through his nose, he lets gravity pull him down next to Sheppard's still body, glaring over at the blur of color, " You better wake up soon or you wont have to worry about it, Sheppard." with no warning, he reaches out and thunks him between the shoulder blades, hopeful for a reaction. Nothing. Blinking like craze to clear his sight he looks back at McKay, " Whatever you decide to do, McKay, keep in mind this. I am not your version. My Sheppard and I have a history... and I'd like to keep it that way... Meredith."

Multiple gasps, including from McKay, greet his sensitive ears and he grins slightly with a chuckle.

" How the hell did you know my name?"

Todd smiles evilly, " Because you made the fatal error of telling it to me once in Atlantis."

McKay narrowed his eyes, at least Todd thought he did, " Your a devious little bastard, aren't you."

" Took you long enough to figure out, McKay." says a rather muffled voice in Sheppard's direction.

Todd cocks his head, " Took you long enough to wake up."

Sheppard mumbles something incoherent before, " Shut up you sarcastic, green skinned space vampire."

It is said in jest, Todd knows this by the number of times the good Colonel has called him similar, " Cocky flyboy and spawn of the Ancients." I reply to rather puzzled expressions of those around us. At least I can see enough to know this fact.

Sheppard snorts in the dirt before lashing out with one of his legs and contacting his, Todd hisses and glares at the human as he lifts his head to smile at the Wraith, " That is what you get for hitting, and for the record I was waking up as soon as I heard McKay with such hostility in his voice that he could put Ronon to shame."

" How encouraging." he hisses back.

McKay steps forward, " Someone want to explain how the hell you two can sit here having a nice little chat without killing each other?"

Sheppard glances up at the man before pushing himself into a sitting position next to Todd and looking up at the Canadian, " Todd... I just might have to shoot this one."

Todd chuckles softly but doesn't say anything so Sheppard continues, " I know that you know we aren't from this reality so I'm going to tell you this as answer to you question: it is a hell of a long story."

McKay glares at him for a moment before glancing at Todd than back again, " Todd? You didn't seriously name the Wraith, did you?"

Todd groans as Sheppard smiles wickedly at the confused scientist, " He wouldn't give me a name and he kept popping up at the oddest of times, had to call him something. Though you told me that if I decided to name another one I would have to consult with you first."

McKay looks at Todd, " And you agreed?"

Todd shrugged, " Either take the stupid name in stride or have a frenzy and get shot."

Sheppard grunts, " I still might shoot you."

Todd glances at his 'brother' with a sly grin, " That would not do the humans in Pegasus any good and you know it."

Sheppard grins back, " Didn't say I was going to kill you, just said I was going shoot you."

Todd narrowed his gaze, " An you people call me devious."

McKay sighed, " Load them into separate transports. Let's get out of here." he says to the group at large before turning away and moving to the lead vehicle.

" Oh, come on, McKay, don't you trust me here?" Sheppard inquires as a soldier roughly pulls him to his feet.

Todd notices that none are approaching him, shaking his head, he forces himself to stand if not rather shakily and stumble after Sheppard.

" I met you two days ago, so no." McKay replies.

Sheppard stops, looking at Todd with something akin to fear in his eyes, " Did he just say two days?" before Todd could answer his guard pushed him forward into one of the other vehicles and slammed the door. Todd sighed and moved to the other contraption, all the while having those blasted P-90 pointed at his head. It wouldn't have been a problem if hunger wasn't replacing all other sensation throughout his body. He was damn glad that they had tested Keller's therapy before all this transpired.

The trip to their base was uneventful, unless you count having sub-machine guns pointed at your body with trigger happy young warriors who hate your kind behind them. When they arrived all that was visible was a hanger, not very impressive, but Todd knew how humans liked to build things underground. He shivers slightly at a rather unpleasant memory of his time as a prisoner.

" Enjoy your trip?" Sheppard asks with as much sarcasm as he can muster still being man-handled.

He shrugs, " I've had better." Sheppard chuckles without humor.

Todd follows after Sheppard and the other McKay slowly, studying the corridors that they travel in. Not long after arriving the two are forced to enter a rather small room with one table and three chairs. Todd can't resist the groan, he had thought he was free of this.

" I'll be back to get that story you promised, Detective." and with that McKay turns and leaves, the door slamming behind him.

Sheppard looks at Todd with a confused expression, " Did he just call me 'Detective'?"

Todd glances at the door, " I do believe he did. Perhaps you were dismissed." he suggests.

Sheppard shivers, " I hope not because of what I think."

Todd looks at the human with an expression that says 'you didn't just say that'.

The door opens to omit McKay and a why to spiffed Woolsey into the room along with two Marines. McKay glares at Woolsey but sits down ignoring the two individuals standing in the corner. Woolsey glances at them, a flicker of something passing over his face at seeing Todd but definite surprise at Sheppard.

" Detective." he nods his head slightly.

Sheppard screws up his face and shakes his head, " Hell no, Woolsey. I don't know what your Sheppard has got going but I'm no Detective. Its Lieutenant Colonel and Military Commander of Atlantis. Don't ask how."

" Does it have something to do with him?" he motions toward Todd, who hisses slightly in response.

Sheppard shakes his head, " Na. We met a year and a half later."

McKay looks up finally, " I'd like to here that story, if you don't mind."

Sheppard sighs, glances at Todd, sees he isn't going to get any support there and looks back at his waiting audience, " Okay. You guys know Koyla?"

Todd hisses again and the others look at him before nodding, " Kinda, we have occasional contact with the slick bastard." McKay answers.

Sheppard groans, " He's alive here. Great. Maybe Todd can kill this one since he missed ours. Anyway. I really got our Koyla pissed off at us, him trying to take Atlantis will do that. Anyway, about two and a half years ago he sets this great trap to get me, drags me to some remote planet, dumps me in an underground cell to which I soon find out my neighbor is him." points toward the silently glowering alien.