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WOW!!! Thank you SOOOOOO much for all your reviews... believe when I say every time I open my inbox I get a HUGE grin on my face from your responses :D... well here it is: the solution! It's gonna get confusing from now on but hopefully it won't be too bad... I also had to do some last minute editing on this chapter because I have a habit of changing between past and present tense, but I'm fairly sure I caught it all. Please enjoy... and keep those reviews coming :D.

Chapter Four – Changes

Radek Zelenka had never seen Elizabeth yell. He had heard stories from Rodney just after the head scientist had seen fit to blow up three quarters – sorry seven eighths – of a solar system, but seeing as the Czech was still reeling from Rodney's earlier words at that point he had never really imagined what a really really pissed off Elizabeth looked like.

The woman in question was standing up; she had apparently torn off the usual wires connecting herself to the heart and brain monitor. She and Beckett were squaring off, as he tried in vain to get her back to bed, whilst she looked as though she was going to commit murder.

Radek glanced at Rodney and was surprised to find him just as shocked as he with Elizabeth's actions. Obviously the wrath that had come with blowing up a solar system did not compare to whatever Beckett had just said. Both scientists zoned in to what the woman in front of them was saying.

'Are you telling me that you have no idea how to fix this?' Something clawed at Radek. The way she spoke, the usual lilt to her voice had gone and the drawl that now came out was very much her own voice but at the same time nothing like it. It was however familiar. An idea began to swirl around in his mind. It couldn't be that…

'Will you calm down? You'll give yourself a heart attack.' The group turned to the man that had just spoken. John Sheppard lay quietly in bed, back straight just watching the action around him. Like Elizabeth he sounded different. Radek decided to put his idea to the test.

'Elizabeth?' Rodney looked at Radek bewildered as the person that looked like John simply nodded. Carson turned his attention to the two scientists, smiling grimly.

'We didn't realise until they woke up that something was, uh, not quite right.'

'Not quite right?' Elizabeth, well John in Elizabeth's body anyway – God this is confusing thought Rodney – was about to let loose with another tirade, but Carson ploughed on.

'I need to know exactly what happened before we even think about returning to that planet. And I mean what was the situation leading up to this?' John was about to interrupt (again) but paused, thinking back. Carson didn't miss the slightly pink tinge that lit up Elizabeth's cheeks.

John glanced over to Elizabeth as they were walking. He was impressed, he didn't realise that she was so into hiking and outdoor activities.

'What?' John blinked as he realised that Elizabeth had caught him staring.

'Nothing. I just never figured you for an outdoor person.'

'Really? Why not?'

'You're always too clean.'

'Is that a crime?'

'No it's just I always thought you'd be more of a sit in the library reading and doing crossword puzzles.'

'And sewing buttons onto my anorak?' She rolled her eyes. 'We academics aren't all like that you know. Take Doctor Jackson, he may wear glasses but I don't think brushing dust off old relics could give him biceps like that.'

'When did you see his biceps? We were in Antarctica.'

'When I was in command of the SGC.' She looked at his shocked face. 'Jealous?'

'No it's just that this is the second time today that you have surprised me.'

'Hey I'm a woman I'm allowed to look. And plus don't get high and mighty on me. How many alien princesses has it been?'

'Only one was a princess.'

'Oh that's right the other two were ascended, or ascending as the case may be.' Elizabeth grinned evilly. 'Don't think you can try and blackmail me for my remark on the male form. I know you too well Captain Kirk.'

John glanced back to Elizabeth, he didn't want to be digging his hole any deeper than it already was. He changed the subject.

'So how's Beckett's project going?'

'I think it's almost ready. We just need a test subject.'

'You know two years ago you would have been so against this.'

'As you said; if the Wraith were at the Geneva Convention they would have tried to feed on everyone.'

Another silence. Off to the left something caught John's eye, just off the path and amongst the trees.

'What's up?'

Glancing back and seeing McKay caught up in his hand held gizmo, what ever it was this time, John grinned.

'John? What's going on?'

Without speaking John lifted up his waif-like leader and threw her over his shoulder.

'John! What the HELL are you doing?' She began to laugh as he ran off the main path and through the thinning undergrowth. 'Listen Tarzan, do you want to put me down?'

Instead of complying, John stopped suddenly.

'What?' John carefully let Elizabeth slip down from off his shoulder and once her feet hit the ground she turned.

It was the remains of… something. John had no idea what it was but the small clearing was smothered in stone columns covered in writing. Greenery had long ago started to strangle the stone and now the plant life covered most of the ruins.

Walking up to a pillar that was still trying to push through the vines, Elizabeth traced her fingers over the engravings.

'It's Ancient.'

'I'll take your word for it.' Ancient gene; John had, knowledge of Ancient language; Elizabeth could keep.

'It says: "the greatest lesson comes from knowing the other side"'

'Right. That is extremely helpful.'

'Hey I just do the translating.' Elizabeth moved towards the centre of the clearing.

'Hey careful! Random stone gardens that are hidden in the jungle don't usually bring good things.'

'Aww. I didn't know you cared John.'

'Well I wouldn't want you to get hurt. Because then I'd have to tell Beckett what happened and there goes our holiday.'

'Our holiday?'

'Well looking after you isn't the most taxing of work you know. Besides once the others find out about this place it will be crawling with scientists.' He walked up behind Elizabeth and watched her as she took in her surroundings. He liked watching her like this. She looked completely calm and in control, except for her eyes, which were sparkling with excitement.

'You're staring again.'

'I like the view.' Elizabeth paused as the words came out of John's mouth before he could stop them. John watched her warily, trying to work out if he'd stepped over the line with that less than subtle statement. Suddenly her face broke into a cheeky grin.

'I bet you do fly boy.' Taken aback by her less than subtle return John took her by the arm to hoist her back over his shoulder when, the moment he touched her, the clearing went deadly silent. Barely having time to exchange looks, a bright light enveloped them.

Far away, John thought he heard his name being called. The voice sounded distorted, but strangely familiar. The beam got brighter and for a brief moment it was so bright that he couldn't see beyond white. As the haze cleared he again heard the voice, this time earthly and very much McKay. He turned. His head was buzzing. Darkness descended as he collapsed.

'Well?' Carson asked expectantly. Both parties had been strangely silent. 'What happened?'

'We were walking up a track, when we noticed something just off to the left and so we went to check it out.' Rodney stifled a snort as he heard Elizabeth's version of things and his response was met with a look. 'Anyway just through the trees was a large stone pillar, and so we were taking a look around when a beam surrounded us.'

'Why?'

'What?'

'Are you sure nothing happened in between getting to the stone pillar and the beam.'

Elizabeth considered the question carefully.

'Elizabeth, we need to know exactly what happened. You both have my word, and Rodney's and Radek's that what ever you say won't leave this room.'

'John took my arm.'

'What?' Rodney couldn't help himself. John's face went slightly pink as Elizabeth blushed. Nope this is still too confusing.

'I… I slipped and he took my arm so I didn't fall. As he took my arm the beam caught us.'

Carson watched Elizabeth carefully. He had a feeling that Elizabeth wasn't telling him everything, but regardless at least a connection between them might have sparked something.

'Well that might be something.' He reiterated his thoughts. 'Is there anything else? Any tiny little thing that happened that might have triggered this?'

'There was writing on one of the pillars.' John spoke up; calm once again as he saw that Elizabeth wasn't too worried about their situation. At least one of us is okay with this. 'It said something along the lines of knowing the other side is a great lesson.'

'I see.' Carson pondered this. 'And this didn't trigger any kind of alarm?'

'Carson, we were on a deserted planet and for all we knew we'd just stumbled across the Ancient database for fortune cookie sayings.' Elizabeth stifled a laugh. 'I'm glad to see you're enjoying this.'

'Hey I never said I was enjoying this. I was starting to relax before you decided to play George of the Jungle and drag me off to have a sex change.'

'Calm down both of you.' Carson played mediator. 'From this moment on, both of you are still on downtime. Colonel Caldwell is still here…'

'Does he know about this?' Rodney just noticed that the military man hadn't actually been in the infirmary during this exchange.

'He was here just before you turned up. He's now briefing Lorne on what's happened.'

'Carson, why haven't we had a say in this?' Elizabeth scrutinised the CMO.

'Look Elizabeth, as much as I know you hate being put out to dry by the military, you both are, for all intents and purposes, not fit to command Atlantis until we've worked out how to get you back into your proper bodies.'

'I'm not sick Carson. I'm just not in my body.'

'We don't know what side effects there may be to the switch.' Elizabeth was exasperated. There was no way in hell she was staying in the infirmary whilst Rodney and his team tried to figure out what had happened. She opened her mouth to speak.

'I know what you are going to say Elizabeth. And I'll make you a deal. I'll keep you overnight just to make sure you're okay, and if everything seems alright, I'll let you out of the infirmary. Make no attempt to take control of Atlantis either of you,' he glared at John as well 'and you can return to your rooms and wander. However if either of you decide to do something stupid or life threatening I'll have you put back in here with a twenty-four hour guard and restrain you if necessary.' The Scot meant business.

'Thank you.' Elizabeth was relieved. John also smiled thanks at the doctor. That man was scary when he wanted to be. Carson moved over to John and led him grudgingly, to his bed and began to hook him back up to the machines.

'Colonel Caldwell will probably want to hear what happened as well. I'll tell him what we've promised regarding your free reign of Atlantis, but promise me that if you start to feel sick or anything, no matter how minor you come back here. If you don't I'll consider it a life threatening movement. For now though I suggest you try and get some sleep.'

With that the medical doctor ushered Radek and Rodney from the infirmary and left his patients to rest.