"Doctor, what news?" Ellis asked. His face enlarged and shown the large plasma screen in the briefing room.
"I can't find any evidence of cause. All tests have come back negative. Whatever it is causing the heart failure is not showing any signs of being viral or bacterial, so it is probably not contagious."
"Probably?" Ellis asked. "I need definites doctor, I can't risk taking this back to Earth." The Colonel retorted sharply.
"I know that. But there doesn't seem to be a cause. Nothing shows up, despite medicals before hand. They have not been exposed to the same things. They had not visited the same planet. There is no common factor nor evidence of the cause-"
"Doctor." Ellis cut her off. "I don't need to know what you have failed to find out. I need answers."
"Right now there are none." Jennifer said, trying to bite back her anger and frustration.
"Then perhaps you should be putting more effort into solving the problem."
"I'm doing the best I can." Jennifer argued.
"That's clearly not good enough." Ellis replied.
"Dr Keller has worked on this non stop. If anyone can find the answer she can." Woolsey jumped in defending the Atlantis CMO. "I'd also like to point out that the samples we sent to the SGC have also not revealed any insight."
"All that proves is it is a Pegasus phenomena, which raises the question why haven't you recalled Dr Beckett? He has more experience of Pegasus than anyone else."
"Dr Keller has already requested that we bring him back. Currently Major Lorne's team is trying to locate him."
"What do you mean trying to locate him?"
"Dr Beckett reports in every month, in the interim he moves from planet to planet. It can take awhile to find his current home."
"You are seriously telling me you don't know where your people are?" Ellis asked in disbelief.
"Technically Dr Beckett is not part of this expedition and as such is free to come and go as he wants." Woolsey answered. In response Ellis muttered something that remained too quiet for either Jennifer or Woolsey to hear.
"Do you actually have a plan for moving the investigation forward or are you going to wait until the whole city dies?" Ellis finally asked loud enough for them to hear.
"I believe that the answers are not going to be found in the data we've already got. The next logical step is to revisit the last planets they were on and see if there is anything common to them, such as a plant or an animal." Jennifer said.
"That would have been a good thing to do weeks ago." Ellis replied.
"There was no reason. Other members of the teams were fine. Slater hadn't even been off-world for three months. It is a long shot, but that's what we're down to." Jennifer answered, trying to mask her anger.
"Who will be going on these searches?"
"I go with Morris's team, Cole will go with Robinson and Scott will go with Walcott."
"That's it?" Ellis asked surprised.
"That's all we can spare. The infirmary is understaffed."
"Sounds like there needs to be a review of your whole department." Ellis said to Jennifer.
"No one has any complaints with the way Dr Keller runs her department." Woolsey said, "but I do have issues with your accusations. So unless you have anything constructive to say I suggest we bring this meeting to a close. I'll contact you with any new information." Woolsey said terminating the communication link before Ellis could respond. The last image they saw of Ellis on the screen, before it faded to black, displayed his angry and surprised expression. Turning to look at Jennifer he said.
"There are times when I wish we were completely cut off from Earth, so I can avoid speaking to Colonels who have a wrong opinion about everything. I'm sure I don't need to tell you to ignore everything he said." He waited for Jennifer to silently nod before saying. "I have scheduled Morris's team to leave tomorrow at ten, so assuming you still want to be part of the mission I suggest you get some rest."
-00-
Jennifer left the briefing room with every intention of going back to the infirmary. However, the closer she got to it the greater the feeling of failure she felt. Deciding that maybe she did need a break she changed her mind and headed to her quarters to change into running gear.
When she finally started running rather than pushing her thoughts to one side, they all began to surface. She felt angry at Ellis, but wasn't sure if she had a right to. She didn't like him, very few on Atlantis did, many blamed him, indirectly, for Elizabeth's death, Jennifer included. She wondered if that dislike was clouding her judgement and that maybe he was right. Clearly her best wasn't good enough, she still hadn't found the cause of the deaths after all. Frustrated and annoyed she came to a stop at a balcony and stepped out into the crisp ocean air, not realising that it was the same balcony Sheppard had comforted her on a few days before.
She stood silently staring out for over an hour before someone else joined her.
"Hey." John called walking onto the balcony.
"Hey." Jennifer replied flatly, continuing to stare at the ocean.
"You ok?" He asked.
"Yeah."
"Good, it's just that I've come from Woolsey's office where he told me about the meeting with Ellis. Look I know he can be abrasive, but he's a good guy. It's just that he's pure military with a black and white view of the world and clear direction. He knows how to deal with the military, but not so much civilians and especially not scientists, just ask McKay." He said, but Jennifer continued to stare.
"He was right." Jennifer finally and quietly said. "I don't have answers, I should have asked for Carson's help along time ago. I have failed to find the answer."
Putting a hand on Jennifer's shoulder he spun her round and wrapped his arms round her. Once again happy to silently hold her as she found solace in the embrace. Unlike before when he had felt awkward now he enjoyed the feeling of Jennifer against him. The two remained like that until Sheppard's radio drew his attention away from Jennifer. Keeping one hand wrapped round her, his other went up to his radio.
"Sheppard here...ok, I'll be there in five." Tapping his radio off he looked down at Jennifer. "Lorne's team is back."
"Have they-" Jennifer asked, pulling away from Sheppard's chest.
"Carson's not with them, but they've narrowed it to three planets, sounds like they want some more manpower with the search."
"Take care of yourself." Jennifer said.
"I will. And doc, you are going on a mission tomorrow and with your luck I'd prefer you to be fully rested before you go."
"I'll get some rest."
"Good. And doc, seeing I'm going to be off looking for Carson I'd consider it a personal favour if you could not walk under any ladders, break any mirrors-"
"Upset Thumper?"
"That was uncalled for." Sheppard said feigning hurt. "But stay away from possessed wildlife, just in case."
"I will, and thank you." Jennifer said.
"Anytime." John replied before leaning down and kissing Jennifer on the forehead. As his lips were still pressed against her skin he suddenly questioned what he was doing and quickly straightened and left leaving Jennifer alone on the balcony.
A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing. I'll try to get chapter 5 up in the next couple of days.