Chapter Two – Awakening

Carson checked the heart monitor one more time and made a notation on the chart he held. Looking closely at the cocoon, he realized that it had grown considerably since Col. Sheppard's team had brought it back from P8X-922.

"How's the pod?" he heard Ronon ask from behind him.

Carson turned and regarded him warily. "It's grown 17 inches and the vital signs are good. Why the interest?" he asked in reply.

The bigger man sighed. "Teyla's worried about it. I figured I'd ask and maybe ease her mind," he explained after glancing around. It was as if he didn't want anyone to know he was asking after it.

Carson smiled slightly. "Well, tell her that it's doing fine. And, Ronon, it's a cocoon, not a pod. Cocoons hold living creatures while pods hold plant life," he said and Ronon nodded.

Nothing more was said though Carson watched Ronon as he left the infirmary. He had a feeling that even Ronon was worried about the wee thing. And he wasn't the only person to ask about the cocoon. Rodney had been in a few times and so had Dr. Zelenka. To his complete surprise, even Col. Caldwell had asked after the cocoon more than once.

He gently patted the side of the tank. "Don't worry, the curiosity will soon wear off and they won't come stare at you anymore," he said in a reassuring tone. The cocoon, having started floating in the middle of the tank a few days before, rolled a few times and then stopped. "Aye, I know the feeling," he sighed and started to turn away from the tank.

From the corner of his eye, he saw the cocoon suddenly start to spin wildly in the water, sections of it bulging outward. He looked at the heart monitor and his eyes widened. According to the machine, the cocoon's pulse had abruptly flown up by 30 points. "Bloody hell," he gasped, climbing on the platform around the tank and pushing up his sleeves. Plunging his hands into the cool water, he gently let his fingers trail over the surface of the cocoon. It continued to spin in the water as he carefully probed it for signs of having broken open. Worried that he wouldn't spot any because of the spinning, he practically screamed for one of the nurses.

Sarah Harper hurried in and immediately saw what he was missing. Streams of bubbles were issuing from one lower end of the cocoon. "There on the right end," she told him and he managed to get one of his hands over the end. The cocoon suddenly stopped spinning though it heaved a few times. Behind her, Dr. Weir stood in the doorway, Sheppard and Teyla flanking her.

"Dr. Beckett, what's happening?" Weir demanded, coming into the infirmary.

"I think it's breaking open," he told her as he carefully pulled it closer to the surface. It was almost there when a piece of the cocoon popped free and dropped to the bottom. Carson was so surprised he started to drop it, barely catching it before it fell. Another piece fell away and something moved inside the cocoon.

"Let it drop, Doc. You don't know what's in there," Sheppard ordered, drawing his sidearm and moving toward the tank.

Carson stared at him. "The hell I will. If it needs oxygen, it'll drown in the tank," he bellowed, still holding the cocoon.

Sheppard jumped onto the platform. "Fine. But if something from Alien comes out, you're dropping it and I'm firing. Understood?"

"That's fine, Colonel. Just move over. I need the room," Carson snapped, looking at Sheppard angrily. He moved and Carson carefully pulled the cocoon back up until it was just below the surface. As he did, a large chunk of it floated free and what looked like wispy hair appeared. A moment later, he saw a small, very human hand poke out of the side. "Jaysus Christ!" he gasped and lifted the cocoon straight out of the water. "Sarah, get that table over here!" he shouted as he turned with the cocoon in his arms. She pushed the table over to him just as he came down off the platform, Sheppard still beside him.

"Be careful, Doc," he warned as Carson carefully pulled a piece of the cocoon away. Carson ignored him, intent upon freeing whoever was inside the cocoon. As he pulled away one particularly large piece, he stopped suddenly. He leaned over the cocoon and peered inside, an expression of pure shock on his face. Eyes as blue as the water that surrounded Atlantis peered back at him. A smile curved his lips and he pulled away more of the cocoon. The more he pulled away, the bigger his smile became.

"I need a warming blanket now," he ordered and one suddenly appeared on the table. With one hand, he spread it open and then reached into the cocoon. Gasps and exclamations of surprise and shock filled the air as he lifted the contents out and gently laid it on the blanket, wrapping it in the warm fabric. There on the table, swaddled in the warming blanket, was a chubby and very adorable little girl. She looked to be barely a year old with wide blue eyes and damp blonde hair. Her chubby hands were wrapped around Carson's arm as she stared at them.

Dr. Weir spoke first. "A child. There was a child in that thing?" she breathed, her eyes wide as she stared at the child. The little girl suddenly smiled and waved her hand around.

Teyla smiled. "The woman said that what was inside the chrysos must not be allowed to die. Now we know why that was so important," she said softly, her eyes glowing with amazement.

Sarah stepped forward. "I'll weigh her for you, Dr. Beckett," she offered and reached for the little girl. To everyone's surprise, the little one wailed loudly, tears welling up in her eyes as she clutched tighter at Carson's arm.

He gently lifted her into his arms and cuddled her against his chest for a few moments until she calmed down. "It's all right, wee lassie. I think I'd best do it, Sarah," he said with a slight smile.

Sheppard, speechless for a moment, suddenly spoke. "I told you it liked you."

Dr. Weir smiled. "She, John. She likes Carson," she said gently and looked at the little girl clinging to Carson's shirt.

Carson turned away from the table, the little girl in his arms peeking up at him through long lashes. "Let's get you weighed and measured, lass," he told her and she grinned broadly, showing perfect white baby teeth. "I'll be.."

"What is it, Carson?" Dr. Weir asked, coming over to him.

"Her teeth. Baby teeth, yes, but they're perfect," he breathed in amazement. "If I didn't know any better, Elizabeth, I'd swear that she's at least a year old." He set the little girl gently on the scale, holding her hands so she wouldn't fall. "She has the right weight for a year old," he observed and pointed at the chart that had been tossed onto the nearby counter. "Could you write that down for me, Elizabeth?" he asked and she nodded. "31 pounds and she is…let's lay you down, lass, I have to see how long you are," he told the child and smiled when she did just that. "And she's 34 inches tall or long, however you want to look at it," he observed and then lifted the little girl back into his arms.

A chubby hand reached up and gently touched his cheek. For a split second, Carson could have sworn that he felt warmth radiating from that little hand. He looked into her eyes and she stared back at him. There was something in those ocean-blue eyes that seemed old for such a young face and he found himself wondering just why the D'iaa had believed that she was so special. But before he could comment on anything, the little girl laid her head against his chest and closed her eyes. In seconds, she was fast asleep. Considering what she had gone through to get out of the cocoon, he didn't find it strange.

"Poor wee thing's exhausted," he commented softly, smiling at Elizabeth. "After all that, I guess I would be too."

She smiled back at him. "Since she likes you so much, I'd like you to take charge of her, Carson. We need to know everything we can about her and you're a doctor so you're the logical choice," she told him quietly, holding up a hand as he opened his mouth to speak. "I'm aware that you have extensive duties as Chief Medical Officer but I think she would appreciate it if you were the one to care for her."

Carson's mouth closed, opened and then closed again. He looked at the little girl in his arms for a short while. Her fingers were still clenched in his shirtfront, just not so tightly now. Almost dry blonde curls fell over her closed eyes and dark lashes rested on rosy cheeks. She was content sleeping in his arms. That fact made up his mind.

"All right," he murmured, raising his head to look Elizabeth in the eyes. "I'll take charge of caring for her but I may need more help in and out of the infirmary."

"I understand and you'll get all the help you need. In fact, we'll all help out as much as we can," Elizabeth assured him. She gave John a pointed glance when he looked at her as if she had lost her mind.

"Yeah, we'll help too," he said in agreement, giving Elizabeth a look that said 'we need to talk about this'.

No one said anything for a few moments but Carson noticed that a few of the nurses were peeking into the room. He sighed heavily. "The first thing I'll need are clothes for her. She can't be going about in a blanket," he said briskly and Teyla smiled.

"I am sure that I can find some among my people," she offered and Carson nodded gratefully.

"I'd appreciate that, Teyla. Thank you."

Elizabeth looked at the sleeping child and then she pressed her palm to her forehead. "I just realized that she doesn't have a name…well, that we know of, anyway," she said quietly. "She needs a name."

"You might want to keep it simple," John suggested, trying to be helpful. "Maybe something short and easy to remember."

Carson smiled slightly. "I know just the name." He glanced at Elizabeth, Teyla and John. "Mary."

"It is a lovely name," Teyla said with a smile.

"It'll be easy for her to say," John observed, wincing when Elizabeth's elbow connected with his ribs.

"Aye, it'll do," Carson murmured as he carried the sleeping child over to the nearest bed. He gently laid her down on it and pulled the blanket over her. "Sweet dreams, wee Mary," he whispered as he carefully raised the side rails so she wouldn't roll out of the bed. Lowering the light in the room as he turned away, he shooed everyone out. "She needs her sleep," he reminded them as he picked up her chart and followed them to the door.

Teyla promised to visit the mainland immediately to find clothes for little Mary and Elizabeth told him to just buzz her if he needed anything for her. Sheppard just nodded, a mumbled 'what she said' the only thing he said before leaving.

Carson looked back at the bed once more before going into the next room. He was going to have his hands full.

It took less than two hours for virtually everyone in Atlantis (and on board the visiting Daedalus) to find out that a little girl had come out of the strange cocoon that Col. Sheppard's team had brought back a week earlier. That, along with the news of Carson being named as the little girl's 'father', was enough to convince people that they had to have a peek at the newest resident of Atlantis.

Hearing a soft sound from the curtained area where Mary was supposed to be sleeping, Carson hurried in to make sure that she was all right. He stopped in his tracks when he pulled back the curtain. Rodney, Zelenka, Cadman and Lorne were at the foot of the bed watching Mary sleep.

"What the bloody hell are ye all doin' here? Can't you see the lass is trying to sleep?" he hissed quietly. Four guilty faces turned to him.

"Sorry, Carson, but she's so cute," Laura whispered, smiling slightly.

"Cutest kid I've ever seen," Lorne agreed.

"I may not interact well with children, but she's absolutely enchanting," Zelenka admitted, a sheepish smile on his face.

"Doesn't look a thing like you, Carson," Rodney commented and that brought chuckles from Lorne and Zelenka.

Carson frowned. "Yes, she is adorable. She is also taking a much-needed nap so would ye all kindly leave her be?" he told them and three of the four nodded. Rodney was still peering speculatively at the sleeping child. Laura, Zelenka and Lorne filed out, leaving Rodney behind. The Scotsman glared at Rodney, who finally looked at him.

"Any idea what she is yet?" he asked solicitously and Carson scowled.

"Every test I've performed indicates that she is human. Now would you go away and let her sleep?" Carson snapped and then glanced at Mary to see if his raised voice had woken her. She hadn't woken up and he silently sighed in relief. Ronon and Bates had woken her up earlier when they'd snuck in to look at her and it had taken him forever to get her back to sleep.

Rodney held up his hands defensively. "Relax, Dr. Dad. I'm going," he joked as he hustled it out of the infirmary. He stopped at the door and looked back. "She is beautiful, Carson," Rodney said seriously and then walked out.

Carson stared after the scientist. That last comment had been completely unlike the Canadian. He wondered for a moment where it had come from but then shook his head. He'd worry about that later. Right now, he had more paperwork to do.