Dr Jennifer Keller stood looking down at one Dr Elizabeth Weir. She saw the face of a woman she had almost lost on her operating table, the same woman who had walked through the Stargate on a mission barely twenty-four hours later and the same woman who had sacrificed herself to save them all.
She knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Weir was dead.
But she was here, alive and not so well, but still alive. She had come back before, as a Replicator, in one form or another. The last vestige of Elizabeth Weir had disappeared through the Stargate to a spaced 'Gate light years away where she and the others she had gathered around her could pose no risk to Atlantis. Loyal to her last breath, she had given her life for them.
Again.

They had all seen it happen. Keller had watched as the glittering horizon had shut down and everyone had slowly dispersed, everyone except Colonel Jon Sheppard. They had left him alone, Keller reluctantly, wondering if solitude was the best thing for him at that moment. But there was nothing she could have said or done to make it better. It had taken a great deal of time, and when Teyla had gone missing, he had been like a man possessed, as if saving her would somehow negate his failure to save Elizabeth.

But now Weir was back. If this was hard for her, who had barely served under the Expedition leader, then how was it for the team she had left behind?

'Is it her doc?' It was Sheppard, interrupting her thoughts and Keller turned to see him standing by the door. But his eyes weren't on her, they were on Elizabeth.

'If it isn't, she's fooled me and every bit of equipment we have in here. Do you know where Colonel Carter is? I have to talk to her.' Rather ugently, as it happened, but she kept that to herself. The secrets Elizabeth held were no danger to Atlantis and she probably wouldn't want her personal affairs spread over half of Atlantis. Not that Sheppard couldn't be trusted, but Keller was always very aware of the trust that her patients placed in her, even when they were unconcious. Their lives were in her hands, in more than the physical sense.
'Sector ten, looking over that room with McKay and Zelenka, trying to substantiate part of Weir's story. Is-is she human?' He sounded hesitant, the note of hope in his voice quickly supressed as if he didn't want to acknowledge it's presence.

Keller nodded, 'but she could still be a clone, we won't have some of the lab results back until tomorrow.'

'How about the baby?'

'Human. He's stable. It was strange,' she added, pausing for a moment before going on, 'reading his medical notes in my own handwriting.' It had been a hard few hours, between the return of Weir and the dicovery of the baby's parentage. Jonathan McKay, parents: Dr Jennifer Keller and Dr Rodney McKay. She had pushed the knowledge to the back of her mind, concentrating on the fact that she had two patients in critical condition.

She turned to look at the incubator that housed the smallest of the two. It was Atlantean in design, with some human components to restore it to full functionality. 'My alternate universe double did an excellent job, he's doing well,' which wasn't suprising. 'Dr Weir took good care of him,' she added, turning back to Elizabeth, 'despite her injuries. Knowing her, I don't think I'd have expected anything less.'

'True. But... you're sure. They're human?'

'Positive. If you want to stay, she should be awake soon, the sedatives have worn off and there's no real reason for her to be sleeping, apart from her obvious exhaustion. If she's anything like our Elizabeth was, that won't keep her down for long,' she added with a small smile, 'now, if you'll forgive me, I have a preliminary report to deliver.'

Keller headed in the direction of her office, collecting a file and stopping by the incubator on her way out of the infirmary. Sheppard watched her go, waiting until he was sure no one in the quiet infirmary was watching before he approached Elizabeth's bed, hands tucked loosely in his pockets. It was the first time he'd stood over her sickbed, although it had been a long time since the last time, and it was a familiar place to be. Despite the hope he had tried to tamper down since her reappearance, he found himself praying it was her this time, and not a trick or a trap.

But part of him was still cautious, all too aware that they had enemies out there willing to make a weapon out of her, out of their memories and yes, even out of children. Yet, unable to help himself, he found himself smiling as he spoke.

'Well, this wasn't what I expected when I woke up this morning. It's good to see you, though I hate to think how you got in such bad shape. You said something about the Wraith, and if you're from an alternate universe, Carter's gonna want to know a bit more about that, just in case, y'know?'

He paused, rocking slightly on his heels before going on. 'Oh yeah, they're checkin' out your Quantum Mirror room down there. Plus, you know, we need the whole background thing, security and all that,' he let out a breath, ducking his head for a moment before looking up for a quick glance around the silent infirmary.

'And I'm wondering how many times I gotta go through this, 'Liz'beth. How many times I gotta watch you-' he broke off before his voice did it for him and swallowed, trying again. 'Cos, y'know, I don't think I can do this again, not even one more time…' his voice trailed away, memories rising, choking off his words for a second time. With a sigh, he pulled over a chair, settling in for the long haul, a bedside vigil, like so many before, his mind still, quiet, running deep like a river.

The only peace he'd ever known was right here, by her side, and he took the chance to find a little of it again, a peace he thought he'd never know again.