A/N- So, I just heard the rumours for 'Ghost in the Machine' and I want this to happen.
Elizabeth's Story
Things were going wrong- as always. A section of the city had locked itself off- more specifically the lab in which McKay created Fran in had been locked off. "So what does this mean?" asked Richard Woolsey the new leader of Atlantis anxiously. "McKay?"
"I don't know what it means." Rodney answered sharply as he tried to get the door open. "It could be anything from a glitch caused by Zelenka or…"
"Or what?" asked Woolsey not liking how Rodney trailed off.
"Or it could mean that the replicators 'ave somehow replicated." Radek answered looking less then pleased at Rodney.
Rodney of course caught that look. "Oh okay this is so not my fault-"
"Well if you hadn't created her in the first place-"
"It was the only plan that I could think of at the time," protested Rodney angrily. "And may I say that my plan probably saved two galaxies from utter destruction and-"
"And no one is blaming you McKay," assured John as he pushed through the working scientists with Lorne and a few marines carrying packets of C-4.
"Wh-what are you doing?" asked Woolsey.
Rodney rolled his eyes. "What do you think that he's doing? He's going to blow up the door…" he paused and turned to John. "You're going to blow up the door."
"Yes Rodney," stated John with a nod as Lorne and the other two marines placed C-4 on the door. "Do you have a better plan to get through the door?"
"Well uh, Zelenka was just suggesting that we uh-"
"Rodney?" asked John knowing full well that Rodney had no plans up his sleeve.
Rodney sighed and stepped back. "Go ahead," he stated sarcastically with a roll of his eyes as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Blow it up."
"Wait a minute," interrupted Woolsey as he was gently guided away from the door by the two marines. "Is this a good idea?"
"Haven't you learned anything by now Woolsey?" John asked with the barest traces of respect in his voice. "Most of what we do around here isn't a good idea but we do it anyway."
And with that John joined the two marines, Lorne, Rodney, Zelenka and Woolsey around the corner. "Fire in the whole." He stated and that was followed by a large explosion. Woolsey cowered like the coward that he was and when he opened his eyes and un-covered his head he saw that John, Lorne and the marines were already leading Rodney and Zelenka back to the lab.
"So what do you think caused this?" John asked as he and Rodney walked through the smoke that was caused by the resulting explosion.
"I have no idea," answered Rodney honestly and simply which was unusual for him. "I mean, there was nothing wrong last night but all of a sudden there was-hey!" Rodney exclaimed as he ran into John who was just standing still as a statue in the doorway to the lab. "What the-"
"Hello Rodney," stated a voice causing Rodney to peer around the unmoving shoulders of John into the lab beyond. "It's good to see you both again."
—sparky—
John could hardly believe his eyes, there before him was Elizabeth—his Elizabeth—but that seemed impossible to him because the organic replicator version of her had told him that the real Elizabeth was dead. And yet- the one standing before him was so real…too real.
"Hello Rodney," she stated in the same tone that Elizabeth used to address her long time friend. Her eyes then travelled to John and she smiled warmly in the same way that Elizabeth always smiled. "It's good to see you both again."
"But-" Rodney stuttered as he pushed past John into the room. "-you're-?"
"Dead?" asked Elizabeth with a smile, seeing out of the corner of her eyes and the marines and Woolsey stopped dead in their tracks. "That's what I wanted you to think, I needed to be free to complete my work."
"Your work?" asked Rodney his eyes wide. "What work? And are you saying that you're the real Elizabeth? Our Elizabeth? Cause that's impossible, she was half-replicator and killed by Oberoth, the organic replicator version told us so and…" Rodney shook his head. "You can't be here."
Elizabeth said nothing but turned to John. He had, slowly over the course of Rodney's rambling come to stand mere inches from her. She looked him in the eye and nodded her head ever so slightly with a certain look in her eye. It was subtle and to the rest of the people who had filled into the lab it would have meant absolutely nothing. But to one man- to John it held a wealth of information that couldn't be faked.
"Is it you?" he asked softly causing Rodney's startled eyes to go to him. "Elizabeth?" he asked tentatively as he reached out to caress her face. "Is it you?"
Elizabeth, who had remained almost stoic till then nodded and threw her arms around John. "Yes," she whispered joyfully as John threw his arms around her. It was like they were back during the siege of Atlantis all over again and he had just arrived home alive and well. Only this time, the embrace was not an awkward one. This time it was full of passion and longing and joy. "It's me…" she stated finally pulling away even though she didn't want to. "…and do I have I story to tell you all."
—sparky—
Woolsey was fuming. Sitting in the briefing room he could barely contain his displeasure. He had wanted to detain Elizabeth as a possible threat but John, as the military commander had said that this was a military situation and as such he was in charge. When Woolsey had protested John had called his bluff. Go tell the IOA he said angrily in his office. The office that used to belong to Samantha Carter and his dear Elizabeth before that; Go run to them and have me replaced Woolsey; because there is no way that I'm going to lock Elizabeth up. It's her and whether you want to believe that or not, it's true. I know it and I think down there you know it. You know it, John had continued furiously. You know it and you're afraid of it because for the first time in your life you're making life and death decisions and you are loving the power trip. You're afraid that if by some chance this is the real Elizabeth that she'll be reinstated as the head of Atlantis and you'll be regulated back to the insignificant, paper-pushing, pathetic-
I'm warning you now Sheppard, Woolsey had interrupted with a tone in his voice that had made John stop for a second. I have tolerated your boarderline insubordination because I'm not a military commander, but one more iota of disrespect and I'll-
You'll what? John has asked daringly. Kick me out and ruin this galaxy like you did in the other timeline?
The future's not predetermined argued Woolsey
John had shaken his head. We've just put off the inevitable, he had stated firmly. There's still a chance that Michael will complete his research and if that happens we're all screwed.
What is your point? Woolsey had asked.
John stared him down. My point is that whatever intel Elizabeth has gathered over the last year could be valuable. More than that it could save our lives in the long wrong-
Regardless of the risks-
Regardless of the risks… John had assured with a nod.
Woolsey had shaken his head in disbelief. You're letting your emotions get in the way of your better judgement. She's a replicator, for all we know she's been sent here to lull us into a false sense of security and-
And I have spent a hell of a lot more time with Elizabeth then you have Woolsey. John had stated angrily. So don't you blame me for letting my emotions get involved- they always get involved no matter what I do. The difference is that I don't let them get in the way of my better judgement- especially when every fibre of my being is telling me that that woman we have in the briefing room is our Elizabeth. We are going to talk to her, he had continued and we are going to listen and not judge…
And yet in the end, Woolsey agreed to let Elizabeth tell her story. And what a story it was….