Elizabeth was bent over a control panel, her open palms placed against the monitor for support. She was paler than John could ever remember seeing her as he raced to her side. He heard the footsteps of the others stall when he entered the room. John moved behind Elizabeth tucking his hand across her stomach to support her as he prepared to take her pain. He leaned forward and placed his free hand beside hers on the panel.
Just relax, we will help. John felt Elizabeth's body slump against his back, allowing him to help her.
I just touched the wall, just outside the stasis pod where she had stayed. Something clamped down against my hand, injecting me.
John hand supporting her moved to rub Elizabeth's wrist absentmindedly.
"Look at her wrist," Carson whispered, "it looks like it has been punctured.
"She'll be fine Carson, we just need to get her to the infirmary, let her rest." John said. His nose was deep within the curls of Elizabeth's hair.
"Col. Sheppard, the medical team is here, we need to-"
"Wait." John hissed. Atlantis hadn't finished, she still felt the discomfort.
"John?" Elizabeth whispered. "I can't, I need you to…"
John scooped her up as she fell, preventing her from striking the floor. Her body had fallen limp under the stress of what Atlantis had given to her. He breezed his hand against the nearby wall, hissing out a deep breath as he realized she finally had been relieved of her pain. He was aware of the others eyes upon them, wondering if they had any idea of what they had just witnessed. He looked down at Elizabeth who rested peacefully in unconsciousness. Telling them would be her call he decided. He moved into the hallway and into the transport, ignoring most of the voices against his ears. Elizabeth was somehow helping him, he was understanding much more than he could normally when he allowed himself to listen.
"Col. Sheppard, you must let her go." Carson was pulling his arms away from Elizabeth as he placed her in the mobile version of the infirmary bed.
John ignored them, crawling into the bed beside her and holding her aware that even unconscious her hands were somehow gripping him tightly in return. You will feel better soon.
Elizabeth's voice assured him. I never knew, John. I feel incredible and yet so...
John looked at Carson, realizing the doctor had been oblivious to her words. As were the rest of the Atlantis crew around them.
John, I'm so sleepy.
Rest Elizabeth, just rest. We'll figure the rest out later.
After reaching the infirmary, John had allowed them to scrape his hands from their grasp on Elizabeth. She had still not awoken and he was now as nervous as the others. Atlantis had sensed no pain, she had indicated no pain. And yet she had not awoken. He couldn't imagine that to be a good thing. Atlantis couldn't help him with this; he never understood what it tried to tell him anyway. Only in those brief moments, had Elizabeth somehow managed to translate for him.
"Col. Sheppard?" Carson drew him away from the others. "The results are back, she seems fine, I would expect her to awaken at any moment. "
"But?" John could see Carson was holding something back.
"It's the strangest thing; her DNA is somehow binding with the ATA gene. The occurrence of this gene if the pattern continues…" Carson paused looking at Elizabeth.
"Carson." John pulled his attention back.
"If it continues in this pattern, the strength of her ATA gene will be as strong as yours, if not stronger. And that's not all."
"Just tell me Carson."
"Shortly after we arrived on Atlantis, I detected an abnormal amount of activity in one of the sections of your brain. After a few months, it stabilized and has remained unchanged and hasn't appeared to affect you or cause any harm. I now detect a similar burst within her scans. I think her puncture wound was Atlantis's version of the gene therapy. It couldn't be a coincidence it was Elizabeth who was punctured in the lab with the stasis pod. It wouldn't be a stretch to imagine Janus would prepare for this, have Atlantis help Elizabeth use all of its technology. Even if it didn't manage to happen for 10,000 years. Maybe that was his intent come to think of it. Maybe he had this ready for Elizabeth."
John frowned knowing better. Atlantis had missed her. It had drawn her there, ready to reconnect with its only friend for 10,000 years. Somehow Atlantis had made this happen.
John?
I'm here. John ignored Carson who was still formulating ideas.
Don't leave me.
I already told you, you couldn't make me, no matter how hard you try.
John moved closer lacing the fingers on one hand through one of Elizabeth's. The other hand he placed against the wall. The lights flickered and Elizabeth's eyes blinked open sleepily.
"How?" Her voice was raspy.
"Shush. Rest. We'll figure it out later." John squeezed Elizabeth's hand.
John? I'm sorry.
Me too Lizzie, me too.
John? I'm going to kick you if you call me Lizzie again.
Looking forward to it…Lizzie.
John brushed his fingers through Elizabeth's hair as she faded again. Smiling and looking forward to the coming days. He'd had a long time to figure out how to block this all, but she would be vulnerable. He'd be able to read her like an open book. If she hadn't already kicked him and shoved him, kissed him too, it might not be so amusing. But he was thoroughly looking forward to eavesdropping. If he hadn't cleaned up her room, he might not be deserving of such amusements, but he had tried to redeem himself, right his wrongs. She had no idea what awaited her. It was probably better that way, John decided. Otherwise, she might never open her eyes.
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TBC….
