Part III:
"I guess you could say that. Did you get that bug off of me?"
"If you mean that stunt was successful, then yes, it was. How do you feel?" John felt the chill of Elizabeth's words regarding what they had to go through to get the team and him back in one piece.
"Tired, but okay, I guess…." John opened his mouth to speak more, but then closed it. He thought that there was something else he was supposed to tell Elizabeth, but he couldn't remember what it was. He shook his head.
"Good, well, I'll let you get some rest and we'll debrief tomorrow 0900 hours. Goodnight, Major." She cocked her head and then started off towards the infirmary doors.
"Goodnight, Dr. Weir."
He awoke the next morning with the desperate feeling that he had forgotten to do something really important. He had a sinking feeling in his gut, but his mind couldn't find any reason for it. The doctor told him that he could be released to his quarters to recuperate and he thought that he actually would listen to medical advice and not overdo it.
"He escaped." Beckett came running up to John and Elizabeth as they were planning what to do next to stave off the Wraith attack.
"Ford?" John asked, although he already knew the answer.
"Yes, the guard didn't have a chance, Ford threatened all of us with the guard's gun. I think he's trying to get off Atlantis. He took all the Wraith serum we had left." Beckett's look of concern grounded John.
"I'll go get him."
"Be careful, Major. We don't have much time."
He knew that it was a memory, at least it felt like one, but he was very, very sure that it hadn't happened. He shook his head in an effort to dispel the memory, or whatever it was, from his mind.
Dr. Beckett finally released him from the infirmary a few days later and he was raring to go back out there. He felt that if he didn't soon, he would never go through that Gate again. That whole thing with the bug and those crazy dreams or visions or whatever they were really put him on edge. He did not like being out of control of things, not at all.
"Major Sheppard." His comm. crackled to life in his ear.
"This is Sheppard." He hoped that they couldn't hear the uncertainty in his voice.
"Please report to the Control room, we have communication with the SGA team currently off-world."
"Roger that. I'll be right there." He actually was glad there was some sort of problem off-world. He needed to get involved again in the station. He just hoped it wasn't something that he couldn't handle. He grabbed the rest of his gear and started off towards the Control room.
He met Elizabeth in the Control room. She had a look of concern on her face as she tried to hear what the team was relaying. The reflections of the open Gate bounced off the walls in the Gate room, giving everyone in the room a strange blue tinge.
"An entire Wraith fleet is approaching. Our shields will never withstand an attack of that proportion, Dr. Weir." A young officer now manning Lt. Grodin's chair told Elizabeth as she stood next to him viewing the same horrifying scans.
"We have to convince them that we are not here anymore…" Rodney began.
"Major, are you with us?" Elizabeth's voice brought John's attention back to the present, at least he hoped it was.
"Yeah…yes." He turned his attention to the off-world team. "Now what's the problem, Captain?" Elizabeth gave him a slightly confused look.
"We already covered that, Major. SGA-2 team is attempting to negotiate some food exchange for a small naquadah reactor to help power an emergency communications tower that was recently damaged in a storm." Elizabeth gently took the communicator away from him. She talked to him as she would to a child.
He nodded and kept quiet, looking intently at her to show that he was paying attention and desperately trying not to look guilty. "Capt. Fuller, you may proceed with negotiations. We will wait for news of your progress at the next check-in time. Atlantis, out."
"Yes, ma'am, SGA-2 out."
"Major, can I speak to you in my office?" Elizabeth requested, but John could tell that she was not really asking.
"Yes, Dr. Weir? Anything I can help you with?" He figured that a little levity might distract her form being annoyed at him as he looked across the desk at her. He was wrong.
"Are you okay, Major? You've been acting…strangely since… it's been awhile. Everything okay?" She put on what John considered her "concerned, I'm listening" expression. He sighed and sat down in the chair facing her.
"I guess I was, am, a little freaked out about the whole Wraith bug thing. I'll get over it."He decided right then not to bring up anything else; none of the little memory flashes, where he checked out of reality for a little while, the intense feeling that he had to do something really important, or that fact that he thought that he spoke with an Ancient when he was dead. He had to deal with it on his own, do a little research or something. They would send him back to Earth for sure… Wait, they had no way of contacting Earth right now. Where did that come from?
He shook his head as he realized that Elizabeth was still talking and then quickly nodded in an attempt to look like he had been a participant in the conversation the whole time.
"…if this negotiation goes well, we will be able to stock our stores for the next few months. We're not really sure if there are seasons here, but we need to be prepared for anything."
"Of course, Elizabeth. If there's nothing else, I need to do a security sweep." He stood up. He needed to get out of there. She shook her head and began typing on her laptop. He took as an okay to leave.
He strode out of Elizabeth's office and headed for the Control room. It's not like he needed her permission to do his job or anything. Her acceptance would be nice… When he finally completed the sweep to his satisfaction, he made his way back toward his quarters and actually hesitated before opening the doors. What the hell did he think was going to be on the other side of the doors anyway? He flashed on a very pregnant Teyla standing there. He opened the doors with a swipe of his hand and darkness greeted him. His flipped on the lights and everything looked…normal. Completely the same as he remembered. Finally.
He pulled off his uniform and slipped under unmade sheets of his bed and closed his eyes.
He was being shaken awake. "John? John! It's time. Wake up!" He blinked hard and looked into the flashing eyes of Teyla Emmigan.
"Time for what? What's going on?"
"The baby's coming. It's time!" He leapt out of bed after her and glanced at his clock. It read "0245" in red numbers. He thought that this had to be a dream. He wasn't here, really. He really was asleep in his bed on Atlantis, back in the right time. Well, he figured, he might as well play along. He may never get the chance to become a father again. Teyla leaned on him as they made their way to the infirmary after he made a somewhat frantic call to Carson. The doctor seemed to perk right up when he mentioned the reason that he was calling in the middle of the night. They stopped during fairly regular intervals for her to weather a contraction. John navigated her through every shortcut he knew through the station to get to the infirmary as quickly as possible.
"Teyla, how are you doing? Do you need to stop for a minute?" John asked as she paused again.
"No…we need to keep moving." She ground out. "The baby's coming very…fast. We need to get there soon."
He felt her shaking and the waves of heat that rolled off of her body. She was fighting very hard not to show the pain that she was feeling. He guessed it was for his sake. He prayed that the infirmary was at the next intersection. He couldn't stand to see her in so much pain.
They finally reached the infirmary and were met by several members of the medical staff. Drs. Weir and McKay stood off to the side, trying not to be in the way. John looked at them and they smiled back. He couldn't help but return their smile. All ideas that this was a dream left his conscious throughts.
Dr. Beckett and his team got Teyla set up for the birth and made a few checks. "She's just about ready, John. Teyla, you can push anytime you feel like it." She nodded silently and began pushing. She gripped John's hand tightly and he tried his best not to scream in protest. Carson's face lit up and he announced that the baby was crowning. "John, do you want to catch your baby?"
John looked at Teyla, whose face bore the signs of exhaustion and sweat, but happiness as well. She smiled and nodded. He let go of her hand and moved down by where Carson was stationed. The nurses slid a surgical gown over him and Carson moved out of the way, but remained next to him. Elizabeth and Rodney had moved by the head of the bed and were holding Teyla's hands. "One more push should do it, lass." Carson said gently. "Now, John, place your hands here. The baby will come right out with this next contraction." With a gush, Teyla cried out and the baby fell into John's outstretched arms. He was speechless and motionless until the baby began to move. "Okay, let me clamp the cord. Then the babe will cry." Carson moved to take the baby away from John for a few moments.
"What is it?" Rodney asked excitedly. John hadn't even thought about it. He was too relieved that everything went fine. Carson placed the baby on Teyla's stomach when he was finished.
"It's a boy." John answered, Teyla smiled deeply and stroked her newborn. His son chose that moment to let out a hearty cry. He and Teyla laughed out loud in response.
"Congratulations!" Rodney smacked John on the back and Elizabeth hugged him. He couldn't stop smiling.
"Major Sheppard! Major Sheppard, please report to the Control room. We have an unscheduled activation!" His heart was pounding as he sat up in his bed. His arms ached with the absence of his son. His ears still rang with the baby's last cry.
"Major Sheppard, do you read?" He heard over his comm. link.
"This is Sheppard. I'll be right there."
He pulled on his pants, stepped into his boots, and ran down to the Control room.
