Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate Atlantis, it's characters, or any part of the Stargate franchise. (However, the people from the town are my own creation.)

Warning: Contains a British/Scottish swear word, but nothing you've never heard Carson say before. Also mentions violence, which took place in the episode.

Spoilers: For "The Prodigal", "The Kindred", "Misbegotten", any Season 5 episode with Carson in it, and any episode with Michael in it.

Author's Note: A big thank you belongs to Strawberrywaltz who helped me to get past a rather large roadblock that I was having with this tale. This story is now posted because of her. ;-)

Also, I'm a musician, not a doctor. I did double major in EMS for maybe a month or two during my freshman year of college, but that really doesn't mean anything. However, I still have my EMT textbook, which is where I got my medical information from. Sorry if my interpretation of that information is wrong.

Happy Reading!

"You're exactly what I need…"

"I won't do your bloody research…"

"Stop! Please! Just let the poor lass go!"

"Shoot him, Carson. Shoot him now!"

"You've served your purpose…"

"No!"

Carson awoke, gasping for breath. Sitting up, he tossed the quilt from his lap and promptly lit the lamp that was sitting on the table next to the bed. He leaned over, placing his head in his hands, and attempted to sort out his nightmare and subsequent emotions. Even after the six months of treatment and rest on Earth, plus the time he had been back here in the Pegasus Galaxy treating the victims of the Hoffan Plague, Carson was still having nightmares about his time being held in captivity by Michael. At least the dreams were less frequent now than they were all of those months ago, but even one night of remembering was one night too many.

The nightmares were usually the same. He would be back in that camp on M8G-352, tied to the gurney while Michael interrogated him. He would relive the scenes of a young woman's death because of his refusal to help Michael, and would re-feel the anguish he felt over her death and his submission so that more innocent victims would not receive her fate. He would also dream of being back by Teyla's side, gun in hand and pointed at their captor, being told to shoot but unable to actually do so. This last one was the scariest for Carson, only because Michael could possibly still be out there somewhere with the ability to control Carson if the two should meet again. This nightmare was not just about a past experience, but was also present and future – it was the one nightmare that he felt he was still living.

Carson scrubbed a hand over his face and looked at a shadow being made by both the lamp and a nearby wooden chair. The family he was staying with was very nice to him and had gladly welcomed him into their home. In fact, the whole village was welcoming to the doctor's presence and help. The village contained those who had received the plague, along with those who where suffering from other ailments. The more Carson could do for the people who had become infected because of him, the more he himself could also heal.

A knock at the bedroom door interrupted Carson's thoughts, and he gave permission for whomever it was to enter. Carson's host opened the door and stepped into the room. "Please excuse me Doctor, but you are needed in the village."

Carson stood up from the bed and grabbed his shoes. "What happened?"

"Our village's Head Elder is here." As Carson got ready, the man continued to speak. "His son's wife is now in labor with their child, however they fear something may be wrong."

Carson grabbed his backpack and the necessary medical kit and stood up to head for the door. He met the Head Elder in the main area of the house and the two men took off out the front door immediately.

As they walked together, Carson took the opportunity to ask the necessary medical questions about the man's daughter-in-law and grandchild. There was a midwife assisting, who had originally made the suggestion to the Elder of finding the doctor. Apparently the babe was about to be born in a breech position, which was never good news. It meant that Carson would most likely be performing a C-Section very soon.

The walk to their destination took about ten minutes at a brisk pace, and Carson and the Head Elder found themselves being ushered into the house by Mattias, the Elder's son. The young man appeared nervous as the doctor followed him toward the room where his wife, Mariela, lay, and so Carson attempted to offer Mattias some encouragement. The father-to-be smiled slightly, but still remained nervous.

As Carson entered the room where the mother was, he took a moment to assess the scene before him. The young woman lay on the bed and...

The woman…

They say that everyone has a doppelganger, a lookalike somewhere, and if Carson wasn't mistaken then the girl in front of him could have been the spitting image of the young woman in his dreams – the woman who had been murdered in front of his very eyes because he had refused to do Michael's research.

Carson paused.

"Bloody charming."

When dawn came, a beautiful baby girl had been born to Mattias and Mariela. By the time Carson had arrived it was too late for a C-Section, so he placed the mother on oxygen and delivered the child normally. He also gave the newborn some oxygen to improve her color, but other than that both mother and child were doing quite well. Now, Carson sat and continued to care for the baby while her mother slept.

Carson watched the sleeping babe in his arms, contemplating the nightmare he had been having before coming to deliver the child. He wondered how much longer the dreams would continue, and if he would ever be able to live without fear of Michael finding him again and using him for more horrible things. He prayed that the innocent child in his arms would never have to experience any of the horrors of the Wraith such as he had.

A slight rustling of sheets caught Carson's attention, and he glanced over to the bed to see the young mother's eyes flutter open. She smiled upon seeing the doctor holding her child, and said, "Good morning."

Carson smiled and replied, "Good morning. How are you feeling this morning?"

"Tired, but I am alright. How is she?" and she indicated her child.

"Och, she's doing quite well. Her color is back to normal, and she's looking prettier and prettier every moment. Are you up to holding her?"

"May I?"

"Of course, lass." Carson stood up carefully from the chair to walk over to the bed, placing the small bundle in the mother's arms. "Here you go."

Mariela smiled down at her daughter. "She is beautiful, isn't she?"

"Aye, she is a pretty thing. Do you know what you'll be naming her yet?"

"I have considered naming her after my sister, and my husband likes the name as well. My sister was taken by the Wraith a few years ago. She loved children very much and dreamed of having her own someday." The new mother looked down at her child. "I think that my sister would have liked that very much. We were very close, and I miss her dearly."

Carson smiled. "Aye, I'm sure." He then began to wonder at her statement, and thought, 'Could it be?' He sat down on the bed as he started to speak. "I met a young lady a few years ago. A might pretty thing she was, just like yourself. I was a captive of the Wraith for two years, which is how I met this young lady. She looked much like yourself. In fact, when I first saw you I thought that you could've been her. Could she have been your sister?"

Mariela looked back at Carson and acted very surprised by his remark. "Perhaps it was her then. You have seen her? Alive?" Slight hope could be heard in the last word.

Carson nodded. "Perhaps. But…" He then chose his next words carefully, not wishing to upset the woman. "I didn't know her for very long. She died shortly after I met her."

Seeming to understand what Carson was implying, Mariela's face took on a look of sadness. "Whether it was my sister or not, she is most likely dead as we have feared."

Carson paused a moment before asking, "What was your sister's name?"

The mother smiled sadly down at her baby girl. "Her name was Eva."

Carson smiled too. "Eva is a pretty name at that. I think it would fit her perfectly."

Mariela looked back up and smiled again, this time a little bit brighter in response to Carson's complement. "Thank you for everything Doctor Beckett."

"You're welcome, lass. Now, Eva and I are going to get to know each other better so that you can get your rest." He held out his arms for the child, and the new mother tiredly handed him the baby. He then took the child back to the chair again, caring for her as he was before. It was while he was caring for the baby that another visitor came looking for Carson.

Mattias, the Elder's son, came quietly into the bedroom, not wishing to disturb his sleeping wife and child, and whispered to the doctor, "Young Adel is here looking for you. He brings word of people wishing to speak to you."

Carson knew that if Adel, his host's son, were here looking for him then it must be important. Rising from his seat, the doctor had the other man sit down with the baby so that the mother could rest more. Before leaving the room, Carson gave instructions to the father on the child's care. "She's doing fine now, but if her color starts to change, restart the oxygen to here – " and he showed the man the 5mL mark on the canister, " – and hold the end of this tube about half a finger away from her so she can breath, and send for me right away."

Once he was sure that the man understood, he left the room to talk to Adel. "What's this, lad, about people?"

"There are two of them, a man and a woman, who wish to speak with you. They are dressed as you are. They are also from Atlantis, are they not?"

"Aye, lad, most likely. Where are they now?"

"At my house. They are waiting for me to bring word of your whereabouts."

"I'll do better than that, lad. I can come along with you. If they came all this way then it must be important."

Carson opened the door to the house. Upon entering, Colonel Sheppard was the first presence his eyes laid sight upon. As John turned towards the doctor the Colonel's face became visible to him, and from the looks of it Carson guessed that the other man had been in a fight recently.

"Colonel, what happened? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Doc. Keller's already seen me. But, uh, there was an incident in the city." At Carson's alarmed look, John quickly reassured him, "Don't worry, everything's fine! Ronon got a little banged up, but Keller said he'd be fine. Teyla, however," and he indicated to the side of the room, "has some news for you."

Carson looked to where Sheppard had pointed, and rising to her feet from a chair was Teyla. She smiled slightly at Carson in greeting, but Carson saw something else behind her eyes. It seemed to be a look of relief, exhaustion, and … maybe sadness. Carson had rarely seen Teyla like this and he wondered what horrible thing had happened to make her appear this way.

"Carson..." She started to speak but hesitated. Sensing this, Carson encouraged her with, "Teyla?"

"Carson, Michael is dead."

Then Carson understood – John's cuts and bruises, the mix of emotions behind Teyla's eyes – he understood it all.

And then Teyla Emmagen, the strong warrior and the leader of the Athosian people, began to weep. Carson took her into his arms and held her as she cried, fighting back his own tears. Michael had held both of them captive during similar periods of time. Although they had never seen each other during that time or even knew of the other's captivity, they had both formed an unspoken bond afterwards because of it. They had both lived through the same nightmare.

But, even after being rescued, the nightmare had not ended. What kept it continuing was knowing that Michael was still out there and could suddenly show up at any time. For Carson, it was the fact that Michael possessed the power to influence him against his will, to make the creation do the creator's bidding. The idea terrified him because there would be almost nothing he could do to protect his friends if Michael were involved. For Teyla, it was the fact that Michael wanted her son for his who-knew-how-evil purposes. She desired to keep her family safe, but could not do so with Michael still out there in the galaxy.

As Carson and Teyla held onto each other they could both feel their fears over their former captor leaving them. Now, they could finally let go. For both of them the nightmare had ended. They could dream in peace.

fine

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