Reid was thinking over everything he knew when a red light flashed.

"Unscheduled off world activation." a disembodied voice alerted to the accompaniment of running footsteps.

"Well that could be difficult to explain." McKay muttered looking uncomfortable, squirming a bit though his eyes never left the door to the infirmary.

The red lights flashed for a few more minutes until the same voice spoke again.

"Alert over."

"what was that?" Morgan asked his hand on his empty holster, as an automatic reflex to an alarm. They had turned over their weapons before being allowed into the mountain.

"one of our teams came home early." Sam said standing in the now open doorway. "Any news yet?"

McKay shook his head before standing to allow Sam to take his seat, silently.

She smiled in thanks and surprise before sitting with a sigh.

"Everything ok?" He asked as if an auto pilot. Everyone knew however his attention wasn't really on the answer.

"Everything is fine." she said. "Negotiations where wrapped up early."

"So I hear you're our ride home." McKay said with a nervous smile.

"Yep." Sam said with a smile. "it's exactly what I want. Over a week cooped up with you." Sarcasm laced her tone.

"Hey." McKay protested. "I'll have you know…"

Whatever it was, was cut off by laughter form the two combined groups. The people who knew him best and the people who had spent the last week with him and faced it's hardships with him.

"She's right it would be awful." JJ agreed with a small smile.

"Why is everyone against me?" McKay mourned theatrically. For a few moments everyone was able to smile openly. Perhaps because for the first time it hit them that their teams were whole and safe. They would all be fine.

"Maybe because sometimes you mouth gets the best of you." Teyla said doing her best to sound diplomatic and not crack the smile that played on the corners of her mouth.

Their laughter this time was interrupted by the door swinging open. Two woman stepped out side by side.

"Jen." McKay was instantly to the smallest woman's side and hugging her. She let him lean against her for a moment and for that moment the world stilled. For the first time for the BAU they saw the arrogant and slightly high strung man truly at peace.

"Hey." She smiled when they drew apart.

"When did you get here?" McKay asked.

"I came in last night. I'm sorry Rodney it was the soonest I could get away."

"No Jen you're fine. You came. How is he?" Rodney asked worry back in his voice.

"They are both on IV's for nutrition and dehydration. As well as IV's for infection and fevers. They'll be out of it for a day or so. They are on some high powered meds and the fevers might have them confused. Sheppard's shoulder was dislocated and he needed more than a few stitches and some quick surgery to close up some of the cuts. Agent Hotchner has a fractured wrist from a fall but it should heal pretty quickly. He required some stitches and a bit of surgery to fix the worst of it as well. So they should both be asleep for a while. I know it's futile to try keeping Sheppard's team out of the infirmary and I'm guessing it'll be equally hard to keep the BAU out. The best I can do is let you in." Jen stepped aside and allowed the teams to file in. "But I will only give you one warning to stay quiet. they need rest."

(SGA-CM-SGA-CM-SGA-CM)

Beeping. Beeping was what heralded his return to consciousness. It always was though he didn't mind as much as he could, it meant he had made it out safe.

Even before opening his eyes he was aware of his team. He was glad. It meant they were all safe and healthy. Ronan's feet were propped up on the edge of his bed near his knees. Rodney was typing on a computer on one side though not as fast as he did normally which meant every few seconds he stopped to gaze at the readings and the deep calm even breathes could only be Teyla's.

"Guys." Ronan's gruff voice said. "He's waking up." The feet were lowered to the sound of Ronan straightening up with a grunt. The typing stopped completely. Teyla leaned closer. Sheppard felt the stuffy head feeling that signaled that he had been given some 'good drugs'. He thought hard for a moment trying to remember what had happened this time. There were no helpful hints from his injuries. He felt to floaty from drugs to feel anything else.

"Oh sure take your time. It's not like we haven't been sitting here for almost a day in uncomfortable chairs waiting for you to wake up." Rodney groused and Sheppard let a smile cross his face.

"See he's awake. He's just being dramatic." Rodney declared with a ton of relief in his tone.

"Colonel" Teyla's amused voice said. "I believe that Rodney will not be quiet until he is sure you are alright."

Sheppard concentrated on opening his eyes for his team. It was harder than it should have been but he finally managed. His team was exactly as he had placed them.

"Hey." he croaked looking down to take stock. One arm trailed a couple IV's while the other was propped carefully on a pillow. He found out why when he tried to sit up and needles of pain jabbed into both his shoulders. He fell back to the bed with a quiet gasp.

"Careful." McKay warned as Teyla put a hand carefully on his chest. "Though only one shoulder was dislocated Jen said both showed signs of extreme stress." Teyla cautioned.

"I'd have to agree to that one." Sheppard said quietly as he leaned carefully back into the pillows closing his eyes against the pain.

"I'll get Jen." McKay said standing and walking away to return in a few minutes trailing the orange haired doctor.

"Still in pain Colonel?" Jen asked looking over his charts.

"I'm fine." Sheppard said with a tight grin.

Jen sighed and motioned for a nurse to bring over a needle filled with clear liquid. "one day Colonel, I will get a straight answer from you." She declared preparing to insert the needle into the IV line.

Sheppard held up a hand and tried to focus through the pain and the swirl of medication fogging his brain.

"How's Hotch?" He asked, finally able to focus on the events that had led him here. Jen pointed to a bed a couple spots away where Hotch was propped up and listening to his team talk with a floaty expression of his own on his face. When he caught Sheppard's eye he nodded solemnly. Sheppard waved and allowed Jen to put the drugs in.

"Besides the shoulder how do you feel?" Jen asked.

"Fine." Sheppard answered. With another croak

Jen pursed her lips as she carefully lifted the cup with a straw to his lips with a caution of 'only a little'

"Really." Sheppard insisted after wetting his lips with the cool water. He basked for a moment in the feeling of the cool liquid winding down his parched throat.

"Fine. I've got another patient." Jen said handing the cup to Teyla and moving over to Hotch.

"How is he?" Reid asked with a head shake in Sheppard direction.

"Stubborn." Jen said. As the team turned to watch Sheppard who was fading from consciousness quickly as he smiled at his team with absolute trust. It took JJ's breath away. The man could relax so completely and easily from the dangerous man with the glittering hard eyes. All it took was his team to watch his back and he could relax, even wounded, to his normal carefree self. Absolute trust.

"Not surprising." Hotch said. "He was stubborn the whole time. Even when he shouldn't have had the strength to be. He protected me to the end." Hotch finished quietly looking away from everyone for a moment.

"He'll be fine." Jen reassured. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Hotch answered still looking at Sheppard as he faded completely, surrendering to the tide of painkillers washing over him. Jen muttered something under her breath.

"I'm sorry?" Hotch asked drawing his eyes away. He was finding it hard to focus through his own tide. He was also finding it hard to keep his eyes open.

"'fine' tells me nothing." She said glaring hard as at the charts as she checked them.

"I'm sorry?" Hotch asked again still confused.

"fine does not tell me anything. Fine doesn't let me know how I need to do my job." Jen said, annoyance in her tone. She stopped and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry agent Hotchner. I just can't get a straight answer and I've been awake for at least a day. You both had everyone worried." Jen said her eyes wandering to Sheppard.

"I don't know why I worry. It's not like I haven't been in this situation before. It's just this time was different. We are so used to different dangers. We just felt useless this time." Jen smiled tiredly.

Rodney had noticed Jen's outburst and come closer. To the BAU's surprise he leaned close and put an arm around her shoulder.

"You ok?" He asked worry in his voice.

"Ya. I'm going to get some sleep. Dr Lam will be here if anything comes up."

"Allow me to escort you?" Rodney asked.

"I most certainly will." Jen's smile lit up her face. "What about Sheppard?"

"He's so far into planet loopy I don't think I'll miss much more than his obnoxious snoring besides Conan and Teyla will be here to watch him. I'm leaving him in good hands." Rodney said with a glance at the man in the bed.

Jen nodded to both teams and allowed Rodney to lead her out.

Teyla stood and came to stand by Hotch's bed.

"How are you?" She asked JJ.

"Good. We're good." JJ said feeling a wave of peace wash through her.

"I am going to take first shift with John. Ronan can lead you to your quarters for some rest." Teyla said. It seemed that they had more than their fair share of bedside vigils. They had fallen into a pattern effortlessly.

"I'll stay." Rossi said looking at Morgan.

"Alright." Morgan answered. "I'll be back in a few hours." Morgan nodded to Rossi. Ronan led them silently to their rooms. The profilers in each of the BAU team members got a silent kick out of the way the people melted out of the hallway making way for the tall grim faced man. They found it funny that a short time ago they too had all been slightly intimidated by his aura of danger and grimness. Now it was usual for them. Now they trusted him in only the way that a shared danger can bring around.