AN: Don't we all just love the protective John? I do! Thanks for all the reviews! Oh and I only own Ilah and her power over John!
Chapter Two
Bad Infirmary
John ignored the looks he got from the women and Marines as he carried Ilah to the mess hall. She had finally calmed down, but wasn't reacting well to all the looks she was getting. Once he got to the mess he found it almost abandoned, only a table of female computer technicians. John grabbed two sandwiches and some other sides he thought she might like and sat away from the only other occupied table.
John peered down to see her more relaxed. He took his chance and pulled her away from him and turned her to face the table, but kept her in his lap. She looked at the food than back to John.
"It's good." He assured her.
She blinked.
"See," He took his sandwich and took a large bite.
She ran her hand under her nose.
"Here," He grunted with a mouthful of turkey sandwich giving her, her sandwich.
She looked between John and the sandwich, watching him take another bite. She brought the sandwich to her lips and took a small bite.
Soon after getting a taste she started to devour the sandwich. "There ya go." He beamed proudly.
"Sheppard," came Dr. Keller's worried voice through John's earpiece a few minutes after they started eating.
He tapped his earpiece. "Yes," he asked with a mouthful of sandwich. Ilah looked up at him for a moment before going back to eating her sandwich.
"I need you to bring her back." She sounded worried.
"We're almost done." John responded.
"Hurry," she urged.
"No one lets me enjoy anything around here." He mumbled in a surly tone. Ilah turned in his lap and rested her head on his chest. She shivered at the cold air of the mess hall and pulled his jacket around herself. "Cold?" he asked as she pulled her knees to her chest.
She looked up at him with another pout.
"Not that," he moaned painfully, wrapping his jacket tighter around her. She snuggled close to him, gripping his shirt in her tiny hands. "Come on," he sighed, zipping his jacket around her and wrapping his arms under her and around her and stood. "Time to go see Dr. Keller." He groaned.
John walked out of the mess hall and for the infirmary. On his trip back he walked past his room, he stopped and picked up his side arm, feeling far too vulnerable without it. Ilah peaked out from his neck and glanced around his room.
"You like it?" he asked, surprised.
She blinked and glanced at the guitar.
"I'll show you that later, maybe even play you a tune." He said with his half grin as they left his room.
He strode into Dr. Keller's office, with a blanket he grabbed from one of the beds and unzipped his jacket and quickly wrapped Ilah in the blanket.
"So, what's the news?" John asked sighing.
"She has some old internal bruising and two bruised ribs." Dr. Keller said slowly.
"How?" John spat.
"I don't know." She said shaking her head. "She may have been beaten." She said painfully.
"How old are the bruises?" He asked trying to keep himself calm.
"About two months." She sighed, glancing at the little girl. "I want to keep her here over night."
"Alright," He sighed begrudgingly.
"I'll set her up somewhere private." She said rubbing Ilah's back.
Night fell on Atlantis and John stayed with Ilah until she fell asleep, which took more than he expected. After she was in a deep sleep, John pried his hand out of her tiny grip and left for the conference room where they had a debriefing.
"So what happened exactly?" Carter asked folding her hands and leaning closer to the table.
"We arrived on the planet and we traveled toward the signs of a village. When we arrived the Wraith were culling the village." Teyla explained.
"I heard a cry, ran into the woods toward it." John added.
"And you found her." Carter supplemented.
"Yup," John sighed.
"How is she?" Carter asked softly.
"She took a beating." John grinded out.
"When?" Carter asked befuddled.
"A few months ago, according to Keller."
"So, it was not the Wraith?" Teyla asked confused.
"Nope," John hissed.
"I will ask the villagers in the morning." Teyla said with some anger in her tone.
"Good," Carter agreed. "You've all had a hectic day, go get some rest." She said standing.
"Don't have to tell me twice." John grumbled, pushing out his chair and jogging out of the room.
He jogged all the way to his room, when he entered he kicked off his shoes, pulled off his jacket and flopped onto his bed. It only took him a moment to fall asleep.
He didn't know how long he was asleep but Keller's voice woke him up. "Colonel Sheppard!" Dr. Keller yelled from his ear piece.
"What?!" he snapped.
"Ilah's missing." She said breathlessly.
"What?!" he repeated.
"She isn't here." She explained annoyingly.
"I'll be there in a minute." He said launching himself out of bed and for the door.
The door slid open and he was about to dash out when he found Ilah standing right in front of him. She looked up at him with her killer pout and tears rolling down her cheeks and she lifted her arms up toward him and opened and closed her fists, hoping John would pick her up.
He was sure his heart had just broken. She looked at him with such pain and sadness he was getting painfully close to crying himself. She whimpered and pouted harder when he didn't pick her up. He quickly picked her up and she, of course, clung to him.
"It's okay," he cooed, "Let's get you back to the infirmary." He murmured rubbing her back.
Before he could take a step out into the hallway she started crying, loudly. She wrapped her arms tighter around his neck and her legs around his chest.
"Oh geeze," he cursed, "Okay, we won't go to the infirmary." He said shutting the door and stepping closer to his room. He tapped his earpiece with one hand while he rocked Ilah with his other arm. "Keller," he said quietly.
"Yes?" she asked frantically.
"I have her, but I doubt I can get her back to the infirmary." He said rubbing her back and smoothing down her curls.
"If she won't stay willingly then it's better for her to stay with you." She sighed tiringly.
"Yeah," he agreed.
"Get her to sleep, she needs it." She ordered gently.
"Alright." John muttered before pulling out his earpiece and tossed it onto his desk. He glanced down to look at Ilah to find her asleep.
She looked the most peaceful he had ever seen her, even when she was asleep in the infirmary she still looked pained. A small smile crossed his features as he lowered himself to his bed, lying on his back with Ilah on his chest.
He stared at the ceiling while he ran his hand up and down her back. He wondered how long she would cling to him, how long she would be afraid of other people, why anyone would hurt her, how anyone could hurt her. He wondered how long they would allow Ilah to stay with him. He sighed and cleared his mind of all the thoughts that bothered him, there was no point in dwelling over the past or what might happen. He pulled the blanket over Ilah and closed his eyes to try and sleep through the rest of the night.
AN: Review!
