A/N- What should happen in 'Be All My Sins Remembered' and based on spoilers only.
I'll Always Find You
They had lied. More than that, she had lied and John didn't know what to do. Sure, a part of him knew that she had been fed the information for she had sounded so heartbroken when she told him who she really was, yet the fact that his Elizabeth was still alive- and leading the replicators in a war against Oberoth just blew his mind. Just like it blew everyone's mind...that was why an emergency meeting had been called by Carter for the senior staff. They had to decide what they were going to do, about a lot of things.
"Well?" John asked expectantly as Sam walked back into the room. "What did the IOA say? Do we have permission to go after her?"
"John-" Samantha began regret and anger in her voice.
"What did they say no?" Rodney interrupted, to oblivious himself to see what was going on. "How could they say no they-"
"They didn't just say no..." John stated his hopes and dreams crashing down around him as he recognized the look on Samantha's face. "...she's too much of a threat, isn't she?"
Sam merely nodded, knowing what they were all going through.
"How can they do that?" John exploded. "She'd done more for this expedition then anyone...if any of those pencil pushing-"
"John," Samantha began.
"-ego centric-"
"John..." Samantha began a little more forcefully.
"-idiots had any idea what she had to deal with they'd have-"
"John." Samantha stated sternly, causing John to fall silent. "I know."
"No I don't think you do..." John began angrily before he remembered the reports he had read about Samantha's friend Daniel being turned into the prior and how the IOA had decided pretty much the same thing. "...wait, Dr. Jackson."
Samantha nodded. "Daniel Jackson." There was so much said in those two words that all present who knew of SG1's history realised what it meant. "And believe me John, we did not give up on him- anytime- and we are certainly not going to give up on our Elizabeth." She paused and looked at the rest of the senior staff. Teyla was noticeably pale and Samantha made a mental note to talk to the quiet yet strong Athosian. Ronan looked ready to bust some heads, Rodney looked like he was about to explode and Jennifer had a quiet reserve about her, as though a great burden had almost been lifted off her shoulders. "The IOA may have told us to eliminate her, but I have no intentions of doing that," Sam stated causing a 'thank god' from John who sat back down in his seat. "What we are going to do is plan a rescue mission," she smiled and turned to John and Rodney. "You boys know her the best, and know the Asuran ships the best...what do you guys think our best angle of attack should be..."
-sparky-
The plan was absolutely crazy. They all knew that, yet none of then were willing to do anything different; it would start with a jumper being 'lost' in Asuran territory, and it would end if all went will with the return of their friend.
But as always, things never go according to plan...
"Tell me what you are doing here," her voice was harsh and commanding and John had to wince to try and remember that the Elizabeth he was staring at was not his Elizabeth- at least not the Elizabeth that he had known. "Why is a single Lantian jumper so far out...?"
John remained stoically silent prompting the Asuran controlled Elizabeth to hit him. "You will tell me what I want to know human..." she muttered venomously. "...if not through your words then through your mind."
And then her hand was upon his head, and John braced himself for the pain.
When his eyes adjusted he found that he was standing alone in the gateroom of Atlantis. There was no one in sight and in that single instance John realised that they were inside his mind.
"This place..." Elizabeth began appearing beside him suddenly dressed in a simple white gown of the Asurans. "...it seems familiar."
"It was your home for over three years." John answered turning to look at her. "You were one of the first humans in ten thousand years to step through that gate again."
"I am not human!" Elizabeth spat out as she took a step back from John. "I am an Asuran."
"No." John stated firmly turning to look at her. "No you are not an Asuran. You are human."
"You say that with such conviction." Elizabeth said, wondering where John got it from. "How can you say that?"
Who is this...?
The sound of her own voice floated and echoed in the empty gateroom and Elizabeth put her hands to her ears as though the sound burned. "What trickery is this?"
John shook his head and pulled her hands from her ears gently. "No trick Elizabeth. Just one of my memories...of the first time that I met you actually...don't you remember?"
"How can I remember something that has never happened?" Elizabeth asked venomously, but even as she spoke the words, more voices floated across the gateroom.
How is Major Sheppard?
I'm still here.
Hang in there Major, we're working on the problem...
I know you are. Listen-uh, I'd like to say something while I still can
Don't! You're gonna get through this.
"What are you doing to me?" Elizabeth asked, closing her eyes in pain. "What are these voices?"
"My memories," John stated shaking her slightly causing her to lock eyes with him. "They are my memories of you..."
Fighting back the pain that was in her mind Elizabeth shook her head, yet the voices continued to sound.
I'm sorry about that but I had to...are you okay?
No.
You will be, come on.
Well sometimes I see a situation a little different than...
No. Listen to me John, now you endangered yourself and the lives of many others.
Because I thought it was the best course of action to take—and by the way I saved your ass.
I know you did, but you have to trust me.
...I do...
Do you...?
"I trusted you then Elizabeth," John whispered his voice rising above all the others. "Trust me now."
Elizabeth wait...
...you can't.
I have to, and you know it.
John...go...
John...
No.
I understand...
If you won't, then kill me now.
John...
I can't do that.
Then try again.
We got the drones, we got a few jumpers, I even got the girl.
You got the girl!?!
Well...I mean, I could have got the girl...I turned her down.
What did you offer then in return for the drones and jumpers?
A supply of medicines, and an IDC if they ever need to reach us...
And then, there was a flash of a different memory, from a different point of view.
Colonel Caldwell, what's the status of the repairs?
On going, we lost a few key personnel in the attack.
...yes, we did.
I'm sorry.
So am I...but this isn't the time to mourn them
Elizabeth looked up again into John's eyes, "What was that?"
"A memory," John stated simply. "One of your memories,"
"But that's not possible..."
"Anything is possible Elizabeth," John whispered. "Anything..."
Still up huh?
Oh hey...yeah. I wasn't all that keen to go back to sleep just yet.
Understandable...
I'm glad to see you've been released from quarantine.
Yeah well I guess the nanites were too focussed on you to spread to me.
I now realise just how insidious they really are...I mean if such a small number of them could do that to me...
Let's just take it as a win right now.
Alright, still I can't believe I was only out for five hours.
Felt longer, huh?
Yes...a lifetime.
Well, it's good to have you back in the real world, at least I think it's the real world, I could be infected right now which makes me the one-
John? ...don't.
Sorry...
Don't do it.
The choice is yours Doctor Weir. Do we have an arrangement...? There was only silence. Very well...
Stop! Stop!
You know what? It's getting late.
Since when do you sleep?
Since I got back, I've got a lot of catching up to do. But it's been lovely seeing all of you again...thank you for getting me out.
No, we should thank you. You're taking us to dinner, right?
Cheeky!
So am I...well we have a lot of exploring to do.
'We'?
Until Rodney delivers the preliminary status report, I'm all yours. Put me to work Colonel.
Uh- alright...let's make up some time. Break into teams. Ronan, you're with Teyla, Elizabeth you're with me...or I'm with you, however you wanna put it.
Either way, or either way...
You're gonna be okay Elizabeth.
Still, I would like all of you to keep a very close eye one me. And at the first sign of any suspicious behaviour, do not hesitate with that kill-switch.
Okay, but that's NOT gonna happen.
John, I mean it...
Elizabeth...
Get to the jumper.
You're coming with us.
I can't keep them frozen much longer.
We're NOT leaving you behind.
If you don't leave right now, none of us will get out of here so go! That's an order!
Come on...
Elizabeth!
GO!
And then suddenly the voices stopped and John and Elizabeth found themselves back within the replicator cell and when John looked up into Elizabeth's eyes he could see that she was there. "Oh god..." she whispered horrified as she looked around at where she was. "...oh god what have I done?"
"Elizabeth?" John asked tentatively getting to his feet.
"John?" Elizabeth asked her voice sounding so frail and quiet. "John?"
"I'm here." John comforted as he took Elizabeth into his arms, allowing herself to bury her head into his neck. "I'm here."
"...I am so, sorry..." she whispered as she trembled. "...I am so sorry..."
John shook his head. "Don't be sorry," he pushed her away only to look into her eyes. "Don't ever be sorry... just help me find a way out of here."
For a moment Elizabeth looked stunned but then she nodded with purpose and took his hand. "Come on," she whispered as she led him out of the room. "Let's go."
-sparky-
And so, hours later Elizabeth found herself being checked over by Jennifer Keller in the infirmary of Atlantis. "Well," the young CMO of Atlantis began with a smile. "I do think that you're going to be just fine Elizabeth- with the advances that Rodney has made with the nanites base code your little buggers are nothing more than cells that will help repair your body should anything go wrong..."
"...like the organic copies." Elizabeth finished understanding.
"Yes," Rodney confirmed coming into the room. "Exactly like our organic copies- only you're not a copy just a- just a-"
"Rodney..." Elizabeth interrupted with a smile. "Thank you."
For a moment, Rodney was stunned. "You're welcome." He stated finally before realising that someone was lurking behind him. "Ah- uh...I'll leave the two of you alone...come on Jen."
Rodney and Jennifer left leaving Elizabeth alone in the infirmary with John hanging in the doorway uncertainly. "You can come in you know," Elizabeth stated with a smile. "I'm not going to bite or anything."
"I know that," John stated. "I just uh- wanted to make sure that you weren't overwhelmed...you've been gone for months..."
Elizabeth nodded sadly. "I know..." she paused and then looked up. "Listen John I uh- want to thank you."
"Thank me?" John asked coming over to sit carefully on the edge of her bed. "For what?"
"For never giving up on me..." Elizabeth answered with a small smile. "Colonel Carter told me what you told her just after I stayed behind... that as long as there was a chance you would find me..." she laughed and looked back up at him, taking his hand. "...and you did find me John, you did."
"I'll always find you," John promised as he gave Elizabeth's hand a squeeze. "Always."